A/N: Forgot to renounce my ownership of anything Avengers on the previous chapter my bad, still learning all the ins and outs. Thank you for all your reviews and questions and yes I will do my best to fill in the blanks in this chapter. Sorry Tony is a little crazier than normal in this chapter, will mellow out in time. Hope you enjoy.
Big Brothers Chapter 2
Tony meets Sara
Sara continued to hold on to Peter and rock him gently as she talked with Steve and Bucky over his shoulder.
"So this is the Avenger Tower, hmm, very nice."
"Tony doesn't do things by half, I'm sure you are aware." Steve states.
"Oh yeah, Peter has regaled me with plenty of stories of his time with his 'mentor'." Sara replies with a bit of a sharp tone making Peter pull back and finally join the conversation for the first time since she arrived.
"Be nice." Peter stated.
Sara pulls Peter back by the shoulders and looks him over with a critical eye. "What me, I'm always nice." Peter rolls his eyes at her and huffs, ringing his hands together with nervous energy.
"So….Peter….they know?"
"Yeah." Peter looks down at his shoes. Sara not satisfied with his response, brings his chin up with her finger to look her in the eye.
"Everything?" Sara asks.
There is a long pause of silence from everyone. Bucky coughs to break the silence, "Well we didn't get the whole story just what Peter told us and what Jarvis found from the news article." Both Steve and Bucky look at Peter with concern and maybe a little disappointment.
"I see, well love bug you have two options the way I see it. Spill now and make this your practice talk for when Mr. Stark shows up or wait till everyone is here and get it done at once." Sara held up her finger then made the 'close your mouth' signal behind Peter's back to silence Steve when he looked like he was about to barge in. Bucky smirked at Steve's face being told to shush by this beautiful dame and could not wait to see how she handles Tony and his energetic mouth that has a very broken filter.
"What's it going to be?" Sara cocks her hip out and crosses her arms.
Peter sighs, "when everyone is here I guess." He then turns to Steve and Bucky with a pleading look, "is that okay with you guys?" Steve wanted to know now, not liking be left out of the loop, but Bucky recognizing that look and gave Steve a shoulder bump, "yeah that's okay with us kid, Tony should be back early morning and Natasha and Clint are expected back about seven from their mission, Bruce is on a research project scheduled to be out for several weeks yet and Thor is still off world as far as we know." Bucky provided, trying to give Peter a little encouragement.
"Well since that's settled, how about something eat, and then off to bed, it's going to be a very long day tomorrow." Sara asked putting on a smile to hide her worry.
"Sure, that's what Buck and I were doing down here to begin with before we found Peter. What do you think Peter, couple sandwiches and bed, pretty sure I saw some honey ham in the fridge and I know that's your favorite." Steve said.
"Yeah I guess." Peter replies still ringing his hands together.
Bucky walks over to Peter, throws his arm around his shoulders and pulls him into the kitchen to get started on fixing some food, leaving Steve and Sara standing in the living room to observe.
"He's really good with him." Sara says out loud to no one in particular.
"Yeah, he's had years of big brother experience keeping track of me before the ice and now that he's back it's like it never stopped. " Steve looked fondly at Bucky.
Bucky looked over at them, noticing how closely they were standing and how good they looked together. "Hey come get this while it's still here, we are feeding a teenager you know." Bucky chuckles loudly at Peter as he moans into his fully loaded sandwich. Steve and Sara walk over to the kitchen island each having a plate with a sandwich on it. "Well don't forget two super soldiers as well; I'll be lucky if I get crumbs." Sara said with an easy smile, both Steve and Bucky smile broadly at her and Peter chokes on his sandwich.
"Sara…" Peter whines with a full mouth trying to catch his breath.
When the last of the sandwiches were eaten including any and all crumbs, Steve gathered up and threw away the paper plates, while Sara helped Bucky put away the food and clean up the kitchen for tomorrow's breakfast.
"Peter what floor is your room on?" Sara asked as they all walked towards the elevator to head up to bed.
"I honestly don't know, I just usually ask Jarvis to take me to my floor." Peter once again very interested in his shoes.
"Ah, well okay then, Jarvis will you please take us to Peter's floor." Sara calls out.
"Of course Miss Sara." The elevator doors close and all four of them fall into an uncomfortable silence.
"Peter does your room have a spare bed or cot for Sara? If not she can stay in one of the guest rooms for the night." Steve questions.
Peter still looking down with great interest in the floor of the elevator, shakes his head no and scoots a little closer to Sara and all the adults take notice.
"I appreciate your concern Steve, but I'll make due. It's probably best if I stay with Peter, the opening of locked boxes may cause some night mares and I would like to stay close. "
Before Steve and Bucky could offer another idea, the elevator stopped at Peter's floor and the doors open up, "Your floor Mr. Parker."
"Thank you Jarvis." Peter replies quietly.
"Of course, have a good night."
Sara and Peter step off the elevator, but before the door could close behind them Sara quickly turns and places her hand out to stop the doors, causing Steve and Bucky to do the same.
"Oh gentlemen, what time was it again that Mr. Stark is expected back and what time do we need to be down for breakfast?"
"Tony should be back by six am, maybe sooner depending on how hard he pushes the jet and we usually gather by nine to eat." Steve replies a little confused.
"Oh don't get your muscles in a bunch Captain." Sara gives them a wink and turns back to Peter, "Come on love bug time for bed." As they continue to walk down the hall way to his door, both men joining watching her walk away.
Steve and Bucky look at each other, "Um…what just happened?" Steve asked. Bucky is really beginning to like this dame more and more. They let their hands slide from the doors allowing for them to close and head up to their floor and their separate rooms to try and salvage what's left of the night knowing tomorrow's emotions will be running high.
-Morning-
Sara's day started early as it always did, her childhood demanded it and it has followed into her adulthood. After Peter fell asleep, Sara got to work making phone calls to May's lawyer to triple check the guardianship papers that were set up for her and Peter. Next was a call to her job, a little hole in the wall restaurant a few blocks from the apartment, that she will need the next few days off for a family emergency. Of course there were no issues as she has a unimaginable number of days off saved up as she works constantly along with picking up shifts for coworkers, the management was happy to give Sara the time, she only wished it was under better circumstances.
After taking a quick shower and checking on Peter who was cuddled up with Bear she made her way to the kitchen in desperate need of coffee, it's going to be one of those days, she could feel it in her bones. When Sara got to the kitchen she noticed two coffee pots and decided to get both going. The fragrant perfume of freshly brewed coffee was wafting through the kitchen and ready to be consumed.
It was about six am, Sara had enjoyed her first cup and needed to do something with her hands to keep busy so decided she would do what she did best and cook, cook a lot. Sara methodically went through the cabinets, drawers, pantry, freezer and refrigerator taking stock of fruits, vegetables, spices, meat, cereal so on and so forth. Then Sara got to the pots and pans, Steve was right, Tony Stark does not go in at half's, but she defiantly can work with this. Donning an apron she found hanging on the back of the pantry door Sara got to work.
"Jarvis are you awake?" Sara called out carefully.
"Of course Miss Sara, what can I assist you with?"
"Good Morning." Sara simply replies.
"Good Morning." Jarvis sounding oddly cheerful in is response.
"A couple requests if you are able?" Not receiving a response Sara continued on. "Please notify me when Peter is up or its eight am whichever comes first. Is anyone else up and can you play some Motown music for me please?"
"I will monitor Mr. Parker for you, at this time Captain Rogers is up but down in the gym and Sargent Barnes is making his way there now as well, Agent Barton and Romanoff have not returned as of yet but their scheduled ETA is about seven thirty and Boss just got in and seems to be also making his way to the gym looking for the Captain and yes I will be happy to play some tunes for you."
"Thank you." Sara smiles but can't help but have an undercurrent of worry for what the day will hold for Peter so Sara got busy.
-In the gym-
Steve has worked his way through his morning workout routine now finishing up with the bag, when Bucky walks in late.
"Your late punk" Steve calls out.
"Fire me." Buck calls back with a smirk walking over to Steve to spot him with the bag.
"How'd you sleep?" Buck asked.
Steve paused looking oddly at Bucky then went back to throwing punches at the bag, Bucky continued to smirk at Steve.
"Sara is quite a lady wouldn't you say Stevie?" Bucky teased trying to get a rise out of Steve causing him to pause again.
"Pretty to, isn't she?" This made Steve growl and strike the back harder, causing Buck to laugh out loud.
Steve was about to start using Bucky as a punching bag in a minute when Tony stormed into the gym, right up to Steve and Bucky and starts yelling.
"WHAT THE HELL CAP?" Tony now pacing and the soldiers just stand there and watch Tony pace in circles and talking a mile a minute.
"Well, what do you know, what did the kid say, I read the article that Jarvis sent, but god…..god I can't believe he did not tell us….me….me!" Tony takes a breath still pacing. "And who is this Sara lady, how is she involved, I call my lawyers and there all over this, if she is holding him for some nefarious plot to get to the Team or SI tech I will bury her….." Tony is now panting.
"Tony." Steve tries to calm him down.
"Did you at least get her last name; have Jarvis run a background check?" Tony asked.
Steve and Buck just realized they screwed up big time and it must have showed on their faces.
"You didn't did you? You just invited some stranger into the Tower, what if she's a spy or some dominatrix cougar chick with her claws in the kid?" Tony is raving now.
"What the hell is a dominatrix cougar?" Steve whispers to Bucky, but he just shrugs his shoulders having no idea.
"Tony…. TONY!" Tony stops pacing and looks at Bucky.
"Okay yes we screwed up on this particular thing, but she is still here, we can just talk to her."
"She's…..she's here?"
"Yes, Jarvis where is Sara now?" Steve asks.
"Miss Sara is currently in the kitchen." Jarvis quickly replies.
Tony eyes go wide turning on his heel and walks out of the gym heading for the kitchen. Steve and Bucky glance at one another with a 'oh shit' look and take off after him. They manage to catch up with Tony as he was getting into the elevator and quickly join him; the silence is thick and very uncomfortable. When they stopped at the kitchen floor and the doors opened the first thing the three men noticed is the smell of food and all three noses go up in the air like ravenous teenagers. Next is the music of some upbeat Motown song and someone is singing along. Tony started walking towards the kitchen with Steve and Bucky trailing behind him and trying desperately to ignore the sound of the perpetual growling of their stomachs.
"Tony." Steve tried to grab for Tony's arm to stop him, now facing one another posturing with their chests puffed. Bucky just rolls his eyes at both of them and walks around the two stubborn idiots and into the kitchen, catching Sara's attention she looks up at him and smiles then looks behind him at Steve and who she assumes is Tony Stark about to come to blows and then back to Bucky with an raised eyebrow.
"Jarvis cut the tunes please." The music goes silent.
"Good morning doll." Bucky greets Sara his charming smile on full force.
Smiling Sara greets him back, "Good morning, you may need to put that away you know" Turning back to the stove to check the food.
Bucky leans his hands on the island counter top, "Put what away?"
Sara looks back over her shoulder, "All that charm Sargent, it's too early in the morning and my heart can't handle all that, I may be over whelmed by the vapors." Giving Bucky a wink and giggle as she turns back to the gravy she is stirring in the crock pot, leaving Bucky grinning like a loon at her back. Not skipping a beat Sara calls out to no one in particular, "you want coffee?" After receiving three 'yes please' Sara shakes her head and begins to pour out three cups and places them on the island counter, grabbing her own cup and leans back on the kitchen counter to watch.
"Not sure how you all take it so you will have to doctor it up accordingly." Receiving three polite if not strained 'thank you', they continues to stare at each other waiting to see who cracks first. Tony downed half of his mug then walks to the counter to refill it again.
"So?" Tony draws out.
Sara replies, "So"
Tony tries again, "So you are the unknown variable that has been keeping Peter since all this happened with his Aunt May?"
"Yep" Sara simply answers, snapping the 'p'.
"That's it, that's all we get." Tony was getting upset again.
"Tony." Steve warns.
"No Cap, I want to know who I need to protect the kid from." Tony growls.
Before Sara can answer Jarvis interrupts. "Sorry for the interruption Miss Sara but Peter is awake."
"Thank you Jarvis, please tell him and anyone else who will be joining up that breakfast will be ready in ten minutes."
"Of course, message delivered." Sara just smiles at Tony, causing him to stutter.
"Are you all hungry, of course you are what am I thinking?" Giving Steve and Bucky a wink and turns back again to the gravy to give it a stir. "I made eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy and I found some unquestionable fruit in the fridge. I hope you don't mind that I baked up some chicken for chicken and dumplings for lunch, it just needs to simmer….."
"As good as all that sounds and smell I don't give a damn about the chicken, I want answers, now." Tony slams his mug down onto the counter, trying so hard not to yell.
Sara has had enough and it's not even eight am and is about at her breaking point already. She turns back to Tony walking over to him and into his very personal bubble looking him in the eye, "You have been in the fucking dark for a month Stark, what are another few god damn hours so we can have a nice breakfast with the boy that thinks the sun and moon shines out of your ass." Sara is now panting her eyes starting to fill with tears she is desperate to hold back and not show any weakness.
Taking a deep breath to calm down, "I will give you full disclosure after breakfast and after Peter opens the box of secrets. You don't always get what you want Stark, but by god if you use that tone with Peter, not even your AI will be able to find your body. You have no idea….."
Sara stops speaking and quickly turns away trying to be unseen as she wipes the traitorous tears from her cheek, but she is seen by all three men. Tony and Steve are stunned and don't know what to think and Bucky is grinning behind his coffee cup wishing he had some popcorn for the drama that's about to unfold especially when Nat and Clint show up. He actually feels sorry for Sara, Tony can be an unmovable object and stubborn to a fault, that's why him and Steve are constantly going round and round, both stubborn jack asses, though she has piqued his interest in her background now as well.
Before anything else could be said or yelled for that matter the elevator opened with Peter, Clint and Nat exiting and heading towards them.
Not noticing the strained silence in the room Clint lets his stomach do the talking and opens his mouth, "Damn what smells so good in here and can I please have all of it." Bucky did a face plant and thought 'strap in here we go'.
A/N: Okay, so I didn't get to Peter and Sara's secrets yet, but did manage to get everyone in the same room ready for the big reveal. Sorry, not sorry for another cliffy. Please R&R kindly.