Chapter 10 – Attempted Arrest

Tony stands, for what he hopes is the last time, on an increasingly familiar stretch of tarmac; Wanda and Vision are standing next to him, and Happy is back at the car. He's decided to treat them with the limo; it rarely gets taken out and it's got space for the largest number of people. He doesn't even attempt to stop his fidgeting as the plane comes into sight, and does his best to ignore Wanda's smirk.

'You sure you don't want some time alone to welcome Steve home?' she teases. He scowls at her.

'Are he and Captain Rogers in a relationship?' Vision asks, sending Wanda into fits of laughter.

Tony groans. 'Just ignore her Vision, she's trying to wind me up. No I'm not in a relationship with Steve, and I never will be.'

'But if she's using that to try and get a response, that implies there is a grain of truth to the statement. You feel affection for Captain-'

'And stop right there,' Tony cuts across him, as Wanda's laughter increases in volume.

'Hey if you two get married can I be best man?' Bucky's voice comes across the ear pieces.

'No way, I'm Tony's best man. You be Steve's,' Rhodes' voice joins in. They'd left the two of them back at the facility, partly to appease Ross and partly so they can keep an eye on the hacked security cameras from the airport. Something for which he is extremely grateful for right now.

'Ok everyone stop. We are never talking about this ever again. Understood?'

Vision looks confused and mutters, 'I still don't understand humans.'

'Oh thank god,' Tony says as the plane hits the tarmac of the runway and begins to slow. 'Hopefully at least one person on this plane will be on my side in this.'

'I wouldn't count on it,' Wanda's sing-song voice laughs at him.

Before he can reply Rhodes' voice cuts across them both. 'Tony you got two transports and five cars just pulled up. Ross is getting out of one car and a shit ton of soldiers are coming out the transports.'

Tony curses under his breath. The plane has now come to a standstill and the stairs are being locked into place. 'What do we do?' Wanda asks, immediately sobering up.

'Stay back for now,' he replies as the door to the plane opens, Steve's very familiar form stepping out just as the soldiers come into view around the side of one of the buildings. 'Follow my lead. We can't afford a fight.'

'But, Tony-'

Tony's already turned away and is running towards the plane. 'Steve! Stop!'

Steve pauses halfway down, Natasha is a few steps behind him and Sam is still at the top by the door. As he catches sight of the soldiers Steve frowns at him. 'What's going on, Tony?' his voice is cold and dangerous.

'I don't know,' he admits, standing in front of the stairs and doing his best to block out Bucky's moaning at Steve's perfect timing of being an idiot. 'But I have a feeling I can guess,' he growls as Ross moves in front of the soldiers.

'Stark, move out of the way,' the Secretary orders. 'We are here to arrest Steven Rogers on charges of treason. The rest of your little team is free to go.'

Tony crosses his arms. 'Yeah, wouldn't suggest it Ross. See as long as he hasn't touched American soil, he's still under Wakandan jurisdiction. You really want to start a fight with King T'Challa? Actually, please be my guest, I'll reserve front row seats. Screw it I'll get them for the whole team.'

'I've no time for your games, Stark. Now move and I'll overlook this little show of yours.'

'Not going to happen,' his voice goes from his usual teasing tone to low and dangerous, he can feel the anger boiling up inside him.

'Tony be careful,' Rhodes' voice warns him, prompting him to take a deep breath.

Stay focussed, Stark.

'If you don't move, Stark, I'll have you arrested alongside Rogers.'

'What do you have to arrest him for anyway?'

'I already told you: treason.'

'Captain America has committed treason? Really? The guy who almost single-handedly took down Hitler's science division? Who went solo behind enemy lines and brought back an entire captured division? Not exaggerating, trust me, that was my Dad's favourite bed time story; well mainly his part in flying the plane, but eventually he told me the rest of it.'

'Past actions do not negate present ones,' Ross cuts him off. 'When Captain Rogers left he still had not answered for his crimes.'

'Crimes which you agreed, as part of the Council, to clear him of before his return.'

'Stark I swear, you don't move and I'll-'

'You'll what? Arrest Iron Man as well as Captain America for charges which were dropped? Is that how America runs her justice system now?' Tony notices a few of the soldiers' guns dropping as they look to each other for a hint as to what to do. 'Hey, Vis? If I uploaded a video to the internet, how long before you think it'd go viral?'

'That would depend on the content,' Vision's calm voice responds. 'However I assume you are referring to a recording of this particular exchange, so I would say no more than twenty minutes.'

'Twenty minutes,' Tony muses aloud. 'I suspect less if it got onto all the news channels first.'

'Are you trying to threaten me Stark? You'd have to have recorded it from the beginning to do any damage.'

Tony smirks. 'I've never trusted you, Ross. I made sure the others were always covered any time they left the facility so you couldn't try and pull anything on them. Trust issues a mile wide, that's one of my failings I'm afraid. So every time I step outside the facility I've had FRIDAY record every second of it. Including today.'

'You think that scares me?' Ross growls.

If possible, Tony's smirk gets wider as he reaches into his jacket and pulls out his trump card. 'I don't care if it does or not, because I don't need to release anything right now. See Rhodey and I paid a visit to the President; a wonderful guy, by the way, and still likes to keep in touch after we helped him during the whole Mandarin incident. You know the White House does these amazing cookies? I need to get the recipe sent over at some point. Anyway, we got talking about our blond friend back here,' he jabs a thumb over his shoulder at Steve, who has been staying mercifully quiet throughout this whole exchange. Part of him wonders if Natasha is having something to do with that, but doesn't want to risk looking back. 'I may have expressed some nerves about just such a thing as this happening on his arrival back on US soil. Now it seems the President's dear old dad was one of the men that Cap saved from Hydra on that solo mission I mentioned. Turns out he's still really grateful about that, so he decided to write and sign an official pardon, just to make absolutely sure that the hero who saved his dad would stay free.' Taking great delight with every word, Tony reads the pardon aloud, watching as Ross' face goes from red to purple. 'Nat? Do me a favour and show this to the Secretary? I wouldn't want him to think I was making all of this up.'

'Tony you son of a bitch,' Bucky laughs down the ear piece as he hears Natasha make her way down the stairs behind him. When she's drawn level with him he thinks the smirk on her face is probably a match for his own; she takes the paper and saunters the distance between him and Ross, holding out the paper for him to take.

'Oh and in case you were thinking of tearing it up? That's actually a copy, the original is back at the facility with Rhodey. I think the President kept an original copy as well,' Tony shrugs. 'Can't be too careful these days. Paperwork does have a tendency to go missing.'

Ross lets out a sound that's somewhere between a snarl and a scream. 'One day, Stark. One day I'll wipe that smug look off of your face.'

Tony shrugs again. 'Many have tried all have failed. But you want to take an Avenger, Ross? You better be prepared to go through the whole goddamn team. And you'll start with me.'

There's a pause as Ross attempts to stare him down. Then the Secretary spins on his heel, flinging the pardon back in Natasha's face, and storms off, gesturing for the soldiers to follow him.

No one moves until they're all out of sight.

'Well,' she says, coming back up to Tony, 'you got badass while we were away.'

Tony lets out a breath of laughter as the other two come down the stairs. 'Yeah well I knew someone who once told the government to go screw themselves and it seemed to work out alright for them. Thought I'd give it a go.' After a pause he adds. 'And I've always been badass, you just never admitted it.'

'No your suits are badass,' Wanda says as she and Vision join them. 'You're just an ass.'

'I just saved our asses and all I get is grief,' Tony throws his hands into the air.

'Thank you, Tony,' Steve says, placing a hand on his shoulder.

'Ah don't mention it. Preferably ever. Now let's save the talk till we get to the car.'

They all exchange brief greetings as they hurry towards Happy and the waiting limo. Tony feels a small slice of tension melt away as Steve falls into step beside him, the rest of the group falling in behind them. It all felt very natural.

It felt like his family was home.

Natasha watches as Vision climbs in last, closing the door behind him and settling down next to Wanda; she can't help a small smile at the sight of the two of them, they look much happier now they're together.

'Very nice,' she comments, casting an eye around the limo. 'You're spoiling us, Tony.'

He waves her off. 'Yeah well it hardly ever gets taken out. Plus it's got the best soundproofing. FRIDAY? Bring up the secure link to the facility and let's see the two ugly mugs.'

'Sure thing boss,' the AI responds.

'Who you calling ugly?' Bucky demands as he and Rhodes' face fill the screen separating them from Happy.

'Well, well, well look who finally found their way home,' Rhodes says at the same time.

'You look happier Barnes,' she comments, noticing the lessening of the tension in his shoulders and face, and a little more of a spark behind his eyes.

'Yeah well having a fully functioning brain can do that to a guy,' he replies, then grins. 'Plus getting all the embarrassing growing up stories about Tony from Rhodey helps.'

Tony mock-glares at them as Wanda sniggers. 'Introducing you two? Biggest mistake of my life.'

'I thought that would have been Ultron?' Vision queries.

'Way to ruin the mood, Vis,' Wanda rolls her eyes next to the humanoid.

'Nope. Those two, hands down. We're having nothing but embarrassing stories about Steve out of you from a week,' he says, pointing at Bucky.

The ex-assassin laughs. 'If you insist.'

'You really are a jerk, Buck,' Steve complains from his seat next to Tony. 'I've not even got back to the facility and you're making my life difficult.'

'Yeah well you're still a punk. And a dork.'

'It's alright Steve, Tony didn't say anything about me not being able to share stories,' Rhodes adds. 'I'm sure we'll find a way to balance it out.'

'You know, I might just add a feature to your suit to make you do the Macarena whenever I want, Rhodey,' Tony muses aloud.

His friend's eyes narrow at him. 'You wouldn't Tony. You know you wouldn't.'

Tony grins. 'Oh but I would. Hey FRIDAY? Prepare to install the 'dance-off protocol' to the War Machine suits.'

'Right away, boss,' comes the female response. 'Should I set it to voice or music prompting?'

'Do both,' Tony says as Bucky, Sam and Wanda start laughing.

'Tony take it off!' Rhodes shouts. 'Don't you dare, you hear me? FRIDAY, ignore everything he just said!'

Natasha can hear Steve chuckling as the AI responds. 'I'm sorry Colonel, but you do not have authority to override any of Mr Stark's orders. I might suggest you contact Miss Potts, who still does have authority.'

'Vision help a guy out here,' Rhodes pleads.

'I'm sorry, Colonel, but I'm afraid I do not have an override protocol,' he replies.

'But you must be able to work around it?'

Natasha feels herself breaking into a true smile as she catches Sam's eye and nods. Looks like they'll be alright after all.

'Steve?' Tony walks into the common room the next morning, phone in hand as if he's just got off a call.

'What is it Tony?' the blond asks, looking up from his conversation with Vision. A few of them are sat having breakfast, he's just finished a workout with Sam and Bucky and they'd come up to find Vision at the table. They still weren't sure if he actually needed to eat, but he seemed to anyway.

'The Council just called, they want you and me to go and see them this morning,' the inventor replies, rubbing one eye with the heel of his hand and yawning as he reaches for the coffee pot.

'Why us?' he asks, feeling everyone at the table tense.

'Turns out they heard about Ross' little power play yesterday,' Tony responds, taking a seat at the end of the table. 'I think they want to apologise.'

'They what?' Sam asks.

'When do they want to see us?' Steve asks, ignoring his friend's surprise.

'In about an hour,' he replies, standing up with his coffee. 'We need to leave in ten minutes. Better move quick, soldier.'

He does and they manage to make it to see the Council with five minutes to spare. 'Tony? What should we expect when we go in?' he asks the shorter man beside him.

'Representatives from fourteen UN countries,' he replies, furiously typing away on his phone. 'Majority of them are pretty reasonable; they've been willing to find middle ground with me. Ross is the primary antagonist in the group, but I imagine he's been put on the naughty step after his stunt yesterday. They'll be wanting to show you that they're willing to work with us.'

'Should I say anything?' he questions, he's used to avoiding these kinds of situations. He's always stuck to his path in the future, and it sounds like that's not what is needed in this room.

Tony shrugs. 'I'm not going to stop you,' he replies. 'Just remember we have to work with them so try not to go all 'Captain America' on me. Right now I need, Steve Rogers.'

'Most people would say they're the same person, Tony,' Steve sighs.

Tony stops typing and puts his phone away, but looks straight ahead rather than at Steve. 'I've found there tends to be a difference.'

Before he can ask what the inventor means, the door in front of them opens and a young man gestures them forwards. 'Mr Stark, Captain Rogers? They're ready for you.'

'Thanks, Jones,' Tony says, gesturing for Steve to follow him.

Before they get within earshot of the man Steve leans to Tony. 'I thought you didn't learn people's names?'

Tony shrugs. 'He's a fan, I felt bad.'

He doesn't have chance to say anything else before they're in a large executive board room, around the table are sat thirteen men and women from a variety of countries. He follows Tony's example and takes a seat at the bottom of the table.

'What no cookies?' Tony asks, once they're sat down. 'You do realise I was asleep when you called? You could at least have given us cookies.'

'I hope your usual light tone means you do not hold us responsible for Secretary Ross' actions yesterday?' the Chinese representative asks.

Tony shakes his head. 'You assured me during our last meeting that Captain Rogers had been cleared of all his crimes, along with the others on the team. There was nothing yesterday to suggest anything other than Ross acting alone. I assume I can continue to trust you to keep your word?'

'Of course, Mr Stark,' a man responds, from his accent Steve thinks he's German. 'We shall be discussing this incident with Secretary Ross ourselves.'

'Where is Ross now?' Steve asks.

The German representative turns to him. 'He is currently meeting with your President,' he replies. 'Once he is finished there he will come here for our discussion.'

'Allow us,' the Chinese representative adds, 'to most sincerely apologise for the events of your return yesterday, Captain Rogers. We were most displeased to learn of the Secretary's actions and can promise you that nothing like this will happen again.'

Steve simply nods. Tony speaks up from next to him. 'I hope you are right, ma'am. I'd hate for one of our team to be put in such a situation again, and I hope you can understand when I say there would be serious consequences.'

'Are you threatening us, Mr Stark?' the British representative demands.

'Only if you plan on stabbing me in the back, which is no more than what you do to me on a fairly regular basis,' he replies, leaning back in his chair.

A few of them seem to nod in acceptance. 'Very well, if you do not have any questions or any more concerns, then we can conclude this meeting,' the British representative says.

'Oh I have plenty of concerns after today,' Tony says as he stands up. 'But I believe they are all with Ross, and I'll take them up with him and the President.' He gestures for Steve to stand up. 'As for this Council I hope we can continue to work in a mutually beneficial arrangement as we have these past months.'

'Of course, Mr Stark,' the Japanese representative nods his head.

'Then in which case we shall say goodbye, ladies and gentlemen. Enjoy your meeting with Ross,' and with that Tony turns on his heel and marches out. When they are outside the door and a safe distance away, he looks at Steve out the corner of his eye and grins. 'I never get to go in there with the upper hand. That was fun!'

Steve just smiles and shakes his head, he's about to respond when Tony's phone goes off and the man answers it. 'Pepper! Wonderful timing. I need you up at the facility today. No, the terrible twins are behaving themselves today. Well now Steve's back Bucky can terrorise him instead of me, and Rhodey just follows his lead. Plus I may have scared him with the Macarena protocol. I am being nice! Did you see my message on Ross? No I didn't do anything stupid, Steve and I have just been to meet the Council. No they were apologising to us for once. I know right? So will you please come up to the facility tonight? I need help with PR. Yes the great Tony Stark is asking for help. Pepper just come up to the facility.'

Steve laughs quietly as he listens to Tony's side of the conversation. He's still not sure how he feels about all this, but for now he'll just go with the flow. He'll never admit it, but he's really missed Tony.

A/N: Hi everyone. There's not really much to say with regards this chapter, except now that everyone's home the next stage of the story is going to start picking up soon and there should be a bit more action coming up.

I hope you're all enjoying the story. Please do leave a review to let me know what you think or if there's anything in particular you'd like to see in the future.

L x

As always here's your sneak peek at the next chapter:

'Has he been driving you insane by any chance?'

'He's been climbing up the walls.'

'Literally or figuratively? Cos you know with him it could be either.'

'Both! Do you know how hard it is to deal with a sulky teenager, let alone one that sulks cross-legged on the ceiling?' May groans.

'So I take it that means you'll agree to him coming over every other weekend?'

'Fine. Do you want me to drop him off?'

'No it's fine, I'll let him know I'll pick him up from school.'

'Please be discrete, Tony,' May begs as she hangs up.

'Why would she think I wouldn't be discreet?' Tony asks out loud.

'Is that a rhetorical question boss?' FRIDAY asks.