Once the Doctors heat was over and she had returned to work there were a number of appointments she had to make. The first was with Tony and Steve. They had both attempted to contact her during her leave of absence, but Tessa was so embarrassed by what happened she had ignored their calls. When she had requested a face to face conversation with the two leaders, they cleared their schedules and were happy to meet.

Tessa sat rigidly outside Tony's office like a teenage schoolgirl summoned to the headmaster's office. She held her head down avoiding the gaze of anyone who walked by. The Doctor didn't have to wait long, as Tony's secretary soon told her she could "go right in" cheerily. The blonde haired girl clearly didn't know why she was there.

As Tessa pushed the frosted glass door inwards she was met by the two men sat non-threateningly around a large conference table chatting quietly.

"Hey Tessa." Tony began kindly, "Have a seat."

The young woman did as she was told and sat down opposite the men. She folded her hands in her knee, played with the edge of her skirt and readjusted herself in the seat three times.

"How are you?" Steve asked.

"I've been better, if I'm honest." Tessa replied with a small laugh.

"Look we want you to know, what happened, that little 'snafu', thats on us," Tony pressed getting to the point without ceremony. Typical Stark.

"You have nothing to answer for, we just want you to know that."

"No," Tessa interrupted. She couldn't lie to her bosses, despite how out of line Bucky may have been,

"The faults mine. I foolishly went outside that night, I thought Buc'," The Doctor corrected herself as she saw Steve shift at the use of his friends familiar nickname,

"I thought Mr. Barnes was away for the evening. I had checked the comms and couldn't find him and well, the rest you know."

Tony and Steve looked at each other carefully. Bucky had refused to speak about that night and they honestly didn't know the extent of what happened.

"Tessa, I'm sorry to be the one to ask this, but we have to know. Did Bucky force himself in anyway?" Steve asked nervously.

The sorrowful woman snapped her gaze up at the Captain's suggestion.

"No! Nothing like that. I put a stop to it before it got that far."

"But that's why he was there wasn't it?" Tony put implyingly.

"Tony!" Steve admonished.

"What? I know he's your friend Cap', but I've said it all along; an unmated Alpha is not safe to have around."

"What about me? Or Thor?" Rogers scoffed.

"That's totally different,"

"Is it?"

Steve and Tony began to argue their respective viewpoints on the matter seemingly ignoring Tessa sat in front if them. Having assessed both men in the past, and knowing them personally; the young woman knew they could keep this up for a while. She interrupted their dispute,

"Mr. Stark!"

Both men whipped their head in her direction.

"Look, I think I have the solution. Given the circumstances, I formally like to submit my resignation."

"What?" They said simultaneously.

"If I had just stayed inside like I should have, this wouldn't have happened."

"Tessa this isn't your fault." Steve said supportively.

"Maybe not completely. But I'm a big girl Steve, I knew the potential consequences and ignored them anyway. This is the right decision and I'm gonna make it for you."

"Sorry I don't accept." Tony piped up, "Look Doc', you know I don't hold much stock in Psychiatry." he paused dramatically, "I know shocking. But you have helped a lot of people since you've been on my payroll, and I'm not about to allow someone as talented as you go."

Tessa sighed nervously. She knew she was good at her job, but to hear someone say it out loud and to her face, was never easy to hear. She felt embarrassed.

"Look how about this, we transfer Barnes to another Doctor, BUT he remains here in the compound." Tony added to appease Steve before he objected.

"We upgrade the security on the paddock outside your bungalow, for the next time you...you know," Stark said with a grimace. He may have been a Beta and understood what happened every few months to the Omega's on his staff, but he didn't like to think about it.

"And lastly, you stop beating yourself up?" Tony surmised.

"But,"

"No buts! I have spoken, my word is my law." The billionaire joked.

Tessa visibly relaxed and slumped in the back of her chair. This was the best possible outcome. The most difficult part was deciding whom to pass Bucky's case off to? They had spent a good chunk of time delving into his past and current state of mind, choosing someone suitable to continue his assessment would be difficult. Most of her staff were females, mainly Beta's but a couple with a presentation similar to her. Tessa thought that was a definite no go. There were a couple of male members of staff that were more than capable of taking over, but her best was another Alpha. So probably not a good idea. That only left one, Simon Turner.

As Tessa mused over these thoughts, Steve watched her with concern.

"Are you okay with this Tessa?" The super-soldier asked carefully.

"Yeah, fine. I'm just thinking who would be best to take over."

"Any thoughts?"

"Well that's my cue, my work here is done. I'll leave you two to talk it over." Tony expressed as he stood from the table, readjusted his suit and began to leave.

"Don't worry about it Siren, you'll figure something out." The superhero said sarcastically as he winked and tapped Tessa on the soldier. That was his roundabout way of saying "if you need anything you know where I am". Tessa smiled in appreciation.

Steve shook his head, he never got used to Tony's sarcasm despite all the years they had worked together. When the he had left the room Rogers probed the Doctor again for a recommendation.

"I hate to admit it, but Simon Turner might be the best man for the job." She said begrudgingly.

"Your ex?" Steve scoffed.

"Yeah!" Tessa said exacerbated. People around here sure loved to remind her of that fact.

She pushed off from the table and walked around the room to the large window at the end of Tonys office. Steve and Tessa had worked alongside one another long enough that they considered each other friends. Their friendship was entirely platonic, but open enough that they could be completely honest with the other.

"Do you think he would do it?"

"Pfft, I'm surprised he hasn't usurped me already." Tessa said sarcastically.

Steve chuckled lightly, he didn't like the brown nosing Psychiatrist but agreed he was good at his job.

"Its funny," He said tactfully.

"I was being serious." Tessa interrupted.

"No, I mean it's funny, just before Bucky left the tower that night, we'd been talking about him."

"Simon?"

"Yeah, I happened to mention you used to date,"

"Steve!" Tessa admonished.

"What? You don't think that had anything to do with it do you?"

"Er!" The young woman drawled sarcastically.

"Hey, I didn't know he would react like that! It's not exactly a secret."

"You know for an Alpha you have a lot to learn."

"Ahha! I wasn't born an Alpha, I was made. So technically that's different."

"Hmm, technically." The young woman replied skeptically as she sat back down next to the Captain.

"So do you wanna tell him? Simon I mean. I think the least I can do is save you that conversation with Bucky."

"No its fine. I can do it."

"Are you sure." Steve questioned warily.

"Absolutely."