Chapter 7

"Wanda….. Really? I at least expected you to wait a few days," James said as he kept his gun level at the open door where the Witch stood. She looked shocked to see James there though so he said "Did you really think I'd leave the kid alone after you clearly spoke your distaste?" The boy who was on his lap stared at her as well. Eerily quiet but with assessing eyes. "I suggest you leave now and I'm willing to pretend this never happened."

"He's a Stark. Why do you protect him? All Starks bring is death and destruction." The Witch whispered with narrowed eyes.

"And you're Hydra," James deadpanned as Wanda flinched. "Clearly you've never brought death and destruction."

"Did Steve tell you?!"

"He didn't need to. I may not remember a lot from the years I was in their hands but I can spot a Hydra lackey anywhere." he uttered. "Steve didn't have to tell me anything though I wish he did."

"Stark's weapons killed my parents," Wanda said as if that would explain it all. "He has to pay,"

"I don't give a damn what Stark's weapons did or didn't do." James stated as he flipped off the safety. "You are not hurting someone's children for the sins of their father. You're not hurting children period!"

Wanda was about to open her mouth again but Natasha's voice in the corridor stopped her. The threat was there as the Widow rounded on her and ordered her to go back to her room. James placed the safety back on the gun and put it aside as Natasha looked into the room and asked, "You okay there?"

"We'll be fine," James said as he looked to the kid that was still leaning against him. "I just don't like her."

"I overheard. You knew she was Hydra," Natasha stated plainly. "And Steve doesn't know you know."

"I figured he'd tell me eventually," James shrugged as Natasha entered the small bedroom. James put the boy who had been clutching the bear back onto the bed as he had been getting sleepy. There was a whine and mumble as a blanket was pulled up for warmth. "I guess he wasn't trying to trigger a panic attack, and gods I know I had them a lot after the whole Triskelion fall. I had finally found some semblance of peace in Budapest when he tracked me down a couple of years later. I can't really fault him for not telling me and at the same time I can. I know it sounds weird."

"No, I understand," Natasha said. "The Red Room screwed me up. There was this thing with Yelena. I considered her a sister but things happened. Steve knows I want to talk about it and at the same time I don't."

"Is that why you joined up with us three months after Siberia?" James questioned.

"It's a little more complicated than that." Natasha frowned. "Look, I was originally coming to ask you if you were ready for what's to come."

Here James raised a brow but the Widow continued. "I'm pretty sure that you'll end up contacting Tony in lieu of whatever Steve decides. I just need you to know what you're getting into. Tony… Tony is complicated."

"I've read his Hydra file," James confessed which drew Natasha's attention. Sure she may have known such a file existed, though she may not have known the contents. James' theory was confirmed when the Widow asked if he could tell her what was in it.

James' eyes glazed over a bit and his voice took on a more Russian drawl as he recited what he was given to memorize. "Stark, Antony Edward, Born: 1970, last known residence: Stark Tower 200 Park ave, New York, NY, 10166, Place of birth: Manhattan, Known languages spoken: English, Italian, Spanish, Indian. Threat level: Alpha, Do not engage, revised."

"Revised?" Natasha frowned though James explained further. "Pre-1984, threat level Epsilon, unimportant. 1984 to 1992, threat level Delta, possible threat, observation required. 1992 to 2010, threat level Gamma, minor threat, under observation, conclusion: terminate when convenient. 2012, threat level Beta, moderate threat, possible asset, recruit otherwise terminate. 2015, threat level Alpha, Do not engage."

Natasha's eyes widened as she noticed the pattern. It seemed like Hydra had had their eyes on Stark for longer than any one imagined. 1984 was when he was barely a teen, up until 1992 was when he was at college. 2010 was when he became Ironman and the Battle of New York was in 2012. 2015 was when he created Ultron.

"I know, anyone who goes through this many threat levels is someone I should be wary of. That doesn't change the fact that I'm gonna do what's right," James stated. "You aren't going to change my mind on that."

"I'm not trying to change your mind. I just came to tell you that Tony has an ego and some really bad coping mechanisms. He's not perfect by any means and I'm afraid it will affect the children. You need to know that. He might also kill you for what you did,"

"As long as the kids get help I'm fine with that. Stark deserves closure. I killed his parents." James said as he leveled a stare at Natasha. "I remember each and every one of them. Their screams and pleas. I don't even know half their names but if I can give just one person closure I'll stand still while he shoots me."

"You are infuriating, you know," Natasha groaned. "Steve would say you aren't to blame because you were brainwashed."

"Steve can say whatever he wants. I still killed people. Their deaths haunt me not him. Their blood is on my hands," James retorted. "At least I can do right by these kids by getting them help. You saw that dossier right?" He then gestured towards the sleeping boy that was curled up around probably the only toy he ever received. "They were going to terminate him. The things they injected him with made him too unstable. I don't know how much time he has left but the quicker he gets help the better."

"Here," Natasha said as she reached into a pocket and produced a thick USB hard drive. "You're going to need this then. It's a copy of the Hydra files."

"You're actually helping me?" James raised a brow. "Aren't you with Steve?"

"Me being involved with Steve doesn't mean I have to agree with him every second of the day." Natasha stated. "You get that child and котенок the help they need."

"Did you seriously call the baby Kitten?" James had to ask as he stifled a laugh.

Meanwhile, back at Stark tower it was past midnight when a haggard looking Pepper appeared at Tony's penthouse. "Friday can you tell Tony I'm here?"

There came acknowledgement from the AI who returned to tell her a few seconds later that Tony was unwilling to see anyone. "Tell him I'll have him drowning in so much paperwork that he won't even find his toes if he doesn't let me in this very second!" Pepper hissed. Tony always had an aversion to paperwork and she was also counting the time he'd 'accidentally' set fire to some of it.

The door opened with a click and Pepper stepped in only to be met with a disgusting living room. Empty bottles of alcohol were on the table, the couch and even part of the floor. She turned up her nose at them and went in search of Tony. When she finally found him he was in his lab with a bottle of Scotch and a worried DUMM-E hovering nearby.

"Jesus Christ Tony, you look like hell!" Pepper said as the clicking of her heels indicated she was approaching him. Absentmindedly Tony noted that she had picked up the bottle he had been drinking out of and put it out of range.

"No fair Pep. Threatening me with paperwork is low. And you're the second person to say I look like hell by the way," Tony slurred as he leaned against glass walls.

"I was coming here to have a decent discussion but not like this," Pepper sighed as she dragged the drunken genius to the worn couch in his lab. DUMM-E wisely moved out of the way. Pepper knew just how to drag Tony, she had done it before during many of his drunken nights. She had thought he'd stopped with the excessive drinking. Something must have really sent him over the edge.

"Tony… Tony….." She whispered as she couldn't lift him further. "I need you to get up on the couch. The floor isn't good for you." Tony babbled something intelligible and that hadn't happened in a while, not since his parents died. Just how much had the man had to drink and what culminated in all of this. When Pepper finally got Tony on the couch she saw DUMM-E roll towards here with a pillow in his claw. She took it and placed it under Tony's head.

"Pep….." Tony mumbled.

"We are talking about this in the morning Tony. Now you sleep," She shushed him.

"Bossy," Tony mumbled but he finally did sleep.

AN: To the reader that decided to flame me on AO3 for not adding certain tags. I did say tags to be added as the story progressed. Adding certain tags in the beginning will spoil the plot and the ending along with the villian I'm going to introduce. You calling me a beginner writer begging for views is insulting. I've been in this rodeo for more than 3 years now. If you don't like it don't read it but don't tell me how to plot my story. For the record this fic is neither , nor Pro-Ironman. It will highlight both their flaws in realistic ways humans react and interact with each other.