Tony took off his glasses and sat back in his chair. There it was. The why was answered. Because of his parents' murder, Barnes had been tortured by his own memories. He thought this part would enrage him all over again but instead a flood of overwhelming sadness washed through him which turned to anger but this time, it was not directed toward Barnes.

What was his father doing dabbling in that crap? What would have happened if he had reached his destination? Who would have received the serum? Any recipient would have been unstable and more of a danger than Barnes. Would S.H.I.E.L.D. have been able to contain the threat they would have created? Would something even more horrible have happened? Why did dad pick that particular time to drop that stuff off? He must have known it would be dangerous and why on earth had he done it with his mother in the car with him. Couldn't he have done that on his own, taken more precautions? Why did he put her in danger like that? Why no guard? What the hell were you trying to do? Your own hubris was your downfall.

After several minutes of useless questioning, Tony realized how easy it was for his father to do this again, even after having been gone for all these years. He didn't want to face a possible hard truth. What if, even if they had all those extra years, things would have just continued on as they were? He imagined his father living to old age but with nothing ever being resolved between them.

Something moved in the corner of the room. Vision had floated through the wall looking as surprised as a Mind Stone controlled life form could.

"I'm sorry Mr. Stark. I was unaware that you were here. I was just allowing myself a little change of scenery by taking a turnabout the compound. I'll leave…"

"No, it's alright. Stay. I need a break from…this." He said indicating his phone. With a flick of the wrist, he threw the words up in mid-air, the gold text sparkling in the artificial light. Visions' eyes scanned them instantly as Tony knew they would.

'Interesting." He floated downward until he was standing on the floor.

"Damn him!" Tony said, banging his fist on the table. "Once again the guy with the moral high ground saved me from myself. It just wasn't about revenge. I wanted to kill Barnes, kill him right in front of Steve. Make it hurt. I wanted him to watch someone he loved die right in front of him. I wanted him to know how it felt…and after I had done the deed I would have found out about all this and have just one more thing to feel guilty about."

"Perhaps you should thank Captain Rogers," Vision said a bit tentatively.

"You know we were in this room together, in Berlin," Tony went on as if he hadn't heard. "Just the two of us and we even talked about my father. And he said NOTHING. Barnes was confined, he couldn't hurt anyone, no one could hurt him and still, Rogers said NOTHING. He said it was to protect me, then he said it was to protect himself…"

"Perhaps he was waiting for the right time, but as we know, there is no right time for such things." Vison cocked his head slightly, staring past Tony deep in concentration.

"I don't understand why he couldn't just…"

Vison's eyes returned to Tony. "It could be that he imagined, that if he told you, he would be forced to choose between you."

Tony suppressed the urge to allow his mouth to run rampant, as it always did but Vision's quiet argument silenced his rebuttal.

"Steve Rogers is a man who had everything he ever knew taken away and when he found this link to his past, this old friend, it's understandable that he would try to help him but at the same time, he and you have served together, endured much together and he would hesitate to turn his back on you. It's not in his nature. So he chooses to keep quiet, to protect Barnes and hope you would understand and in doing so, delayed the inevitable. He could not imagine things would play out as it did. I think he knows now it was the wrong choice, he should have trusted you and he obviously regrets what he did."

"Mr. Perfect has joined the rest of the human race and made a mistake," Tony said more to himself than to Vision.

"Yes. And as he saved you from doing something you would regret, forgiveness might be in order."

Tony exhaled. "I don't know. Not yet. I'm not ready, not yet. Maybe someday. I don't think I can ever be in the same room with Barnes…"

'That's understandable. I think, if this is anything to go by, Mr. Barnes himself, when he is in his right mind, would understand. He probably would not wish to be in the same room as you either, but for different reasons and not out of fear."

Tony wished Vision would stop making sense. "I hate you sometimes."

Vision inclined his head and allowed a small smile to escape. "I know." With those words, he floated out of the room.