A/N: I am so sorry that it has taken this long to finish Civil War: Consequences! Life got busy and my muse decided it was ready for vacation. I obviously do not own any of these characters.
Sweets walked into his office that morning to see both Tony and Steve sitting in his office waiting for him.
He looked between the two, slightly confused. From the little bit that he had been told, it had sounded like these two couldn't bear to be in the same room.
"Well, it's wonderful to see both of you so early for your session, guys. I'll admit that this is the first time someone has been so early to a session."
Sweets stopped talking when he noticed their lack of actual response and started observing. Tony was holding his left arm again, Sweets noted something to include in the official report that Tony needed to get checked out. Steve seemed a little more vacant, a little less present.
Sweets sighed, Tony seemed more likely to have a heart attack first so he turned his attention to him, "Tony can you tell me what's going on?"
"I never can do it. I never can reach what is expected of me. I try and try and try and yet continue to fail. I sacrifice everything I can for people I care about only to be told I'm doing it wrong. I can't seemingly be trusted, only to be blamed again and again. Everyone can't be wrong, it must be my fault. But how can it all be my fault?"
Sweets thought that might be the most emotionally driven statement he'd ever heard from Tony.
"Why do you think it's your fault, Tony?"
"They're gone, so much of the team is just gone. But I'm supposed to somehow fix it, Sweets I don't know how to fix it."
Sweets blinked, some of their team had died?! And no one had told him?
He focused back on Tony, "You don't have to fix it alone though, do you?"
Tony shrugged, "Pepper and Happy are generally the only ones who help me, just me in the past."
Tony seemed to sink into silence so Sweets turned his attention to Steve.
"Steve. Steve," Sweets reached out and gently nudged him, "Steve."
Steve blinked and his focus turned to Sweets, "He's gone. My best friend is gone. I'm the only one left. I just got him back and he's gone again."
Sweets nodded slowly, "Bucky's gone? I'm so sorry Steve."
Steve nodded. Sweets continued, "Can I ask you some questions about a different topic?"
Steve shrugged clearly not interested but not willing to protest, Sweets sighed, "How do you feel about Tony now that this has happened?"
"I don't know. Tony lost people too but he seems okay with Bucky being gone."
Sweets nodded, "Tony is this true?"
Tony shrugged, "Peter is gone and yet he's worried about Bucky? Bucky had a chance at life. Peter saw his abilities as a responsibility and he's gone because of that. I watched him murder my parents and because his brain wasn't on straight I'm supposed to be okay with the guy? I don't think so."
Steve looked like he was about ready to respond angrily when Sweets stepped in, "You still sound very angry about Bucky as well as now the loss of Peter. Did you complete your assignment on what you felt was needed for you and Steve to work together again?"
Tony reluctantly nodded, "I want him to acknowledge that I have the right to be upset with Bucky and not want him around. I don't want to hear all these reasons why it's not fair for me to feel this way. My parents are still dead and I still saw him pull the trigger."
Sweets looked at Steve who looked torn between anger and surprise, "I want him to see that trying to kill him wasn't fair and that my friend deserves better than his anger."
Sweets sighed, "Both of these are great thoughts. However, am I hearing you correctly in that you both are assigning different levels of blame to Bucky for his actions while with the terrorist group?"
Both of them acknowledged agreement.
"Steve, do you get upset with the victims if they respond negatively when you're trying to rescue them?"
Steve shook his head, "Of course not."
"But Tony is a victim, in this case, is he not?"
Steve seemed frozen in surprise.
Sweets turned to Tony, "Would you blame Pepper if she killed someone under the influence?"
Tony blinked, "No, of course not, but Pepper doesn't even drink..."
Sweets nodded, "And now for one second, you've actually gotten close to seeing the perspective of the other. You both have a long way to go but I do agree with the higher-ups that a therapist who can be read into your cases is definitely for the best. You both have the right to feel the way you do. No, Steve shouldn't have kept it from Tony. No, Tony shouldn't have tried to kill Bucky. However, forgiveness and working together is the only way forward. You have to work together and figure out what compromises are acceptable. "
The two quietly left, both appearing to be deep in thought. Sweets sighed, he seriously wondered what the US government was up to. How in the world could Steve have worked with Tony's dad? How could Tony go into the field in his fifties? He submitted his closing notes on his online patient file. Within twenty minutes, he had an email about a new assignment with Agents Mulder and Scully.
A/N: And it's finished! Writing Civil War: Consequences has been a great experience! Thank you so much to all who left kudos and comments and followed this story. I hope it has allowed you to see each side from a different perspective.
