Chapter 2 – Media Circus

'Mr Stark! Mr Stark, how are you feeling about the start of the trial?'

'Mr Stark!'

'Mr Stark have you anything to say about the fact your old rival held you prisoner?'

'Mr Stark!'

'Mr Stark are you now fully recovered after your confinement?'

'Mr Stark-'

'Alright, coming through people!' Bucky moves in front and turns himself into a very effective human battering ram, parting the crowd of reporters.

Steve is at his side, trying his best to hide him from view, Natasha is on his other and effectively silencing any more questions with her glare alone. Behind him the rest of the team is following.

Finally they reach the courtroom.

'Mr Stark! Mr Stark do you feel that this may be some form of karma for all the people that were killed with your weapons from your time-'

'Ok soldiers, back down,' Tony grabs hold of the back of both Bucky and Steve's collars as they turn in unison to glare at the last reporter. 'Come on, let's just get the door closed.'

'But Tony-' Steve starts to protest.

'Get the damn door closed,' he hisses, 'and they can't ask any more questions. Plus we cannot start this week with you guys mowing down reporters. Now get that damn door shut.' The door clicks shut in front of them and Tony breathes a sigh of relief. 'Thank you, Wanda.'

'Well we were going to be here for the next year if we waited for someone to talk sense into those two morons,' she says with a small smile, winking at him.

Tony releases the two soldiers and turns to face the lawyers making their way towards them. 'Good morning,' he greets them with a nod.

'Good morning, Mr Stark,' his head lawyer offers his hand to shake, 'I have already spoken to the courtroom and they have agreed you may come in the side entrance from now on. I apologise they did not allow it this morning.'

He waves them off. 'Luckily I had the team with me, so it wasn't so much of an issue.'

'What he means is: Bucky decided to be a human snow plough and we all followed behind him,' Sam snorts.

'Didn't see you doing anything useful, birdbrain,' the dark haired man counters.

Tony sighs and leads the lawyer back to the group, leaving the team to their discussions. Rhodes falls into step beside him. 'What's on the agenda for today then?'

'Today,' one of the other lawyers answers as they join the group, 'is going to be a reading of all the charges and opening arguments from both sides.'

'And that's all?' Rhodes asks from next to him.

'For today, yes,' the head lawyer nods, 'and then we proceed to our case from tomorrow.'

'Will Hammer be here?' Natasha joins them with a question of her own, Wanda by her side.

'Yes, Justin Hammer will be in the accused's box. We will be seated with Mr Stark in front of the public benches, and we've made sure the first two rows behind us are reserved exclusively for use by members of the Avengers.'

'And security?' the assassin asks, raising an eyebrow.

'There are guards posted all around the building, Miss Romanov,' one of the lawyers assures her, 'no one is allowed in unless they have a security pass and are part of the trial.'

'Not to mention there's an indestructible merc hanging around somewhere,' Wanda mutters, thankfully it doesn't seem that any of the lawyers hear her.

'When can we go in?' Natasha asks.

'As soon as you're ready,' is the answer. 'Is there anything you'd like to discuss about today Mr Stark?'

Tony shakes his head. 'I don't need to say anything do I?'

'No sir.'

'Then no. When's Miss Potts due?'

'Two minutes ago,' her voice comes from behind him and he turns to give her a hug in greeting. 'You miss me, Tony?'

'Always, Pep,' he laughs, then greets Happy.

'I'll go get the others,' Natasha tells him. 'Do you want us to go in ahead?'

'No, no I want to go in with everyone,' he tells her.

She smiles, takes his hand and gives it a small squeeze, before releasing him and going to collect the others.

Wanda comes to his side and gives him a hug. 'You don't need to be scared today, Tony,' she reassures him, 'we're all here with you.'

'Thought you'd promised not to read minds,' he teases her.

'You were thinking too loud for me not to,' she fires back with a smile, then it becomes a little more forced. 'I know you're worried about what's coming next, when we're not all here with you and you're not with us…' she pauses as if trying to work out how to phrase the next part.

'Don't promise me it'll all be alright, Wanda, you're not the one who can see the future,' he tells her.

Wanda shakes her head. 'I won't. I'm just as worried as you are but…'

'But?'

'I know everyone else is as scared as I am, and in a way that makes it better, because I know I'm not alone. Even if we are in different places.'

'When did you get so wise?' he teases her, tightening the hug briefly.

'When I started listening to you,' she responds, then releases him as the rest of the team join him and they head towards the courtroom.

'Can I just ask: how are you all able to resist punching him in his smarmy mouth?' Clint asks.

'Because some of us have learnt restraint,' Natasha rolls her eyes and pops another sushi roll into her mouth.

'That and we'd never be allowed back in the courtroom, and some of us have to give evidence,' Tony smirks at the archer. 'Though I do appreciate the sentiment.'

'He's so cocky, he's obviously expecting someone to come and get him out,' the archer continues.

'No one's entered who shouldn't have done,' Wade says as he flops into a chair next to Clint, everyone turns to stare at him. 'What?'

'How did you get in here?' Sam asks.

'The security is not as good as they think it is,' Wade shrugs. 'Don't worry I've got all the gaps covered.'

'You obviously haven't as you're here,' Sam counters.

Wade waves him off. 'I was hungry and these burgers look awesome,' he picks up one of Bucky's spare burgers. The two super-soldiers always buy at least two burgers every time they go out for food to keep up with their serum enhanced metabolisms.

'Oh, please help yourself to my food,' the soldier grumbles.

'Thanks Snowflake,' the merc grins, chewing noisily around a mouthful of burger. 'Oh, and by the way, Tin Can, Pete phoned me and he said he's landed and they've got to the hotel fine.'

'Did he mention ghosting Fury?' Tony asks.

Wade shakes his head. 'Nothing. We might have to bring it up with him.'

'No,' Steve's the one who interrupts. 'We leave it until he brings it up. If he doesn't want to do what Fury wants, then he doesn't have to. We made it clear this was his time to have a break from everything super-hero related, if we bring it up he'll feel pressured to do something.'

'Want me to speak to Fury about taking over?' Clint offers.

'Wait for him to come to you,' Steve shakes his head. 'I don't know why he's so focussed on Pete being the one to do this.'

'Because as far as Fury is concerned he's untested,' Clint points out, 'and we're all busy so can't interfere as much.'

'He does realise I have no reservations over stabbing or shooting him in his last eye right?' Wade asks.

'I think it's time we got back to the courtroom,' Wanda cuts through any responses. 'Wade get your ass back on your roof.'

The merc sighs. 'Yes ma'am!' and gives her a salute before running off.

'I still don't know what the kid sees in him,' Sam sighs, shaking his head.

'Mr Stark, how does it feel to see Justin Hammer again after he held you prisoner?'

'Mr Stark how do you think the trial is going to go?'

'Miss Romanov do you think there is a chance Justin Hammer may escape justice?'

'Captain Rogers how do you feel about having to let the justice system handle someone who hurt a member of your team?'

'Colonel Rhodes are you going to be giving evidence?'

'Mr Barton why have you decided to come back to the team now? Is it just for the duration of the trial or are you intending to rejoin the team permanently?'

'Mr Stark can we have a photo?'

'Mr Stark can we have a quote?'

'Miss Maximoff can you tell what Justin Hammer is thinking throughout the trial?'

Tony slams the door of the limo shut and effectively blocks out the questions from the reporters. The car pulls away and he sags back into the seats in relief, Steve's arm finding its place around his shoulders for the first time all day. A few streets along they pause for the door to be pulled open long enough for the merc to slip in before it pulls off again.

'Seen anything interesting?' Natasha asks him.

'Nope, it was a rather boring day overall. Fantasised about blowing Hammer's head off a couple of times, I have the perfect spot if you ever want that option by the way.'

'Noted,' she responds with one eyebrow raised.

'I think we should give Fury a call and see what the plan is for tomorrow,' Rhodes suggests. 'If you guys are heading off we need to know when.'

Tony tries not to tense up at the thought of the team leaving, and obviously doesn't do a very good job of it if the tightening of Steve's arm and Wanda's reassuring look is anything to go by. 'Rhodey's right. FRIDAY?'

'On it, boss,' his AI responds. It doesn't take long for Fury's face to fill the screen.

'I haven't got long, Stark,' Fury tells him, 'we're dealing with a more volatile situation than I first thought.'

'Want to fill us in?' Natasha asks.

'If your little protégé would pick up his calls I wouldn't have to,' Fury snaps, then sighs and rubs his forehead.

'Need me to pick it up?' Clint offers.

'Not yet,' is the response.

'What about Carol?' Wanda suggests.

'She's looking into something else,' he waves off any other suggestions, 'Strange is also otherwise engaged apparently. Just please tell me you're all ready to leave tomorrow as planned?'

'Yeah we'll be there, Fury,' Steve reassures him, 'though I'd be happier if more of us could stay.'

'You want to take on HYDRA at less than full capacity just because you want someone to babysit your boyfriend?' Fury snaps.

Tony rests a hand on Steve's arm to stop his angry response. 'Tell us what's going on, Fury,' he says, 'because you're being bitchier than normal.'

Fury sighs. 'I can't work out what's going on with this new guy,' he admits, 'he says he's from an alternate dimension but…something isn't sitting right and I can't quite place it. And the only one I feel comfortable calling in to help, the only one I actually think might be able to work all this out, is currently being a hormonal teenager.'

'We told him he could have this time to relax,' Natasha says, voice hard. 'He deserves it after everything he's been through recently. You can't run him into the ground.'

'Look,' Tony interrupts the one-eyed man, 'go and talk to him. Tell him what's going on and let him make up his own mind. If he agrees to help, then fine, and if he doesn't then you leave him alone and one of us will come and help. I'll send something with Steve for you to give to Pete if he does decide to help. Agreed?'

Fury narrows his eye at him. 'Alright, Stark, agreed. But I'm still not happy at how much you're all protecting him. He's Spider-Man.'

'He's still a kid,' Sam argues with a frown.

'He's taken down supervillains, is dating a mercenary, and he's helped prevent the end of the universe. That argument doesn't hold with me. I'll see most of you tomorrow,' and with that Fury ends the call.

'He's still a fucking ray of sunshine isn't he?' Wade sighs.

Tony tries to ignore the knot in his stomach and sends a message to Happy. He wants the man to be on standby should Peter need help. Because if Tony knows Peter like he thinks he does, he's going to help and from the sounds of things he may end up in over his head. He's not sending him in without more tools. Even if he was intending on holding this particular one back until he wasn't around to help the youngster anymore.

A/N: I'm so sorry I'm late uploading this week. Every time I think life is starting to slow down again something happens. Thank you so much for all the support for this story so far, I hope you enjoy this chapter and I promise to get an update done on Friday this week.

Love always,

L x

As always here's your sneak peek:

'Try not to annoy everyone, we're not exactly ready for a war,' Valkyrie smirks at him.

'It has been a long time since I sought out war,' Thor reassures her, 'it usually finds me instead.'

'And that is not comforting in the slightest,' she sighs, shaking her head.

'All ready to go Thor?' Natasha asks him as she reaches them.

'Take him away before he tries to propose again,' Valkyrie all but begs her.