Disclaimer: I own nothing in the MCU or anything drawn from the comics. Unfortunately. Lol. All characters belong to the amazing people over at Marvel! I'm just playing with them for a little bit.
Summary: Homecoming AU. "I swear..." he gasped out between his sobs. "I... I didn't kill Mr. Stark." When the argument after the ferry incident goes horribly awry, Tony is missing and presumed dead, and Spider-Man is suspect number one. Peter believes his mentor is still alive out there, but he'll need help to find and save Tony from who truly wants him dead in time.
Author's Note (important!): Okay, guys, I'm so, so terribly sorry for my long absence. It was just, like, a perfect storm for me not to be able to write. I had surgery (I'm okay!), and then work (along with a couple other things) has been stressful, and then I had a family member in the hospital. So, needless to say, it's been incredibly difficult to get my Plot Bunnies cooperating. But, seeing Infinity War definitely kicked them into gear (and, scarily enough, gave them ideas -_-). Speaking of, this story will soooorta start inching in the direction of Infinity War with some of the plot devices and characters, but it won't be any major deviation from the track this story was already taking. Just wanted to give a head's up there. Now, this chapter's referred to as the "interlude", or "the calm before the storm", because this is meant to kinda show where everyone is before things really seriously start going down, but also to move the plot forward a bit more, of course. And, because my absence was so long, I thought I'd introduce another couple new characters in here to help make for it. Thank you SO much to everyone sticking by me– your reviews, your follows, your favorites, and your nudging me to continue have REALLY helped me along. It means a lot, guys, it really does! So, here's a nice long chapter as an apology from me. Hope you guys like it!
A little editorial note: I tinkered around with a couple things in chapter 12 involving Bucky to fit the slight change in narrative going forward.
In response to Guest: I'm sorry this story took so long, but I'm glad that you love this story so much! :-) Hopefully you like this one, too!
In response to Sophia Thomas: I apologize for how long it's been! I'm so happy you find this story so amazing! I appreciate it, and this story will be finished, I promise! Thank you for your review! :-)
In response to Guest: Sorry about how long it's been, I hope you like this chapter, too! :-)
All right, I won't keep you any longer. Enjoy! :-D
Chapter 13– Interlude (Or "The Calm Before the Storm")
Pepper sat stiffly on the firm couch in the clean, well-kept living room, one leg crossed over the other with her foot tapping in time to an unheard beat as she kept her stern gaze straight ahead. Beside her, Sam was slouched against the back cushions, absently fiddling with his black-framed glasses. Silence pervaded the space between them, and though neither was overly familiar with the other– in fact, the CEO reasoned, this was the first time she'd been alone with one of the newer Avengers and had exchanged more than just a simple and friendly "hello" with him– it wasn't an uncomfortable one.
"Thanks again for coming with me, Sam," she finally muttered. If anything, just to keep herself from going crazy. A distraction would be good, she realized, as she pried her slightly shaking fingers apart.
Sam sighed quietly, his gaze landing on the television in the corner. He was instantly relieved that it was switched off instead of playing the continuous loop of news coverage of what could have potentially happened to Tony that they couldn't seem to get away from. That was the last thing the woman beside him needed. He may not have known her well, but her reputation certainly preceded her, and even he could see her tough, professional exterior was beginning to crack under the strain of her fear for the man he believed she still loved.
"Yeah, my pleasure," he replied just as quietly, slipping the glasses back on. "Redwing can run those scans of the footage I got from that rooftop without me. And, I mean, I know I was really the only option since Rhodes' rehabbing, Nat's still going through files to try to find out more about who could've taken the Chitauri tech, and Steve might've been too recognizable. But still. My pleasure." He paused with a grin. "Besides, I don't think Happy would have let you leave without me."
Sam was pleased to see that this brought a smile to his companion's face, and even caused her to chuckle. Both feats were much too rare as of late.
"Probably not," Pepper agreed, the cheerful look lingering. "Even though he's no longer officially head of security, he still takes his job very seriously. Especially since his other duties of managing things at the Tower have indefinitely been put on hold. And in light of... of recent events..."
That bright look faltered, and Sam let out a quiet breath. This was a path he hadn't wanted her to venture down. "Pepper..." he began hesitantly.
"I'm good." Pepper turned to him with another smile, but it was clearly forced. "Just gotta get through this meeting."
Sam arched an eyebrow and lightly crossed his arms over his chest. "What exactly is this meeting you had to go to that was so important?"
A genuine gleam returned to the CEO's eye. But before she could say anything, approaching footsteps caused both of them to turn their attention to the doorway leading into the kitchen. A tall, lanky man with the start of a receding hairline and round glasses hurried into the living room, a carrying crate in his hand. Sam arched an eyebrow as he glanced at Pepper, whose smile had grown.
"Hi, sorry about that," the man said, setting the crate carefully on the floor beside the couch. "Took our little guy a bit longer than expected to go down for his nap. Thank you for coming and being patient, Ms. Potts."
"It's my pleasure to be here, Jerry," Pepper replied, the cheerful look lingering as she reached out and shook his proffered hand before Sam did the same from next to her. "I'm excited to meet her. Hopefully she'll be comfortable enough around us to try taking her home."
Jerry grinned as he dropped to a knee and opened the door of the carrying crate. "I'm sure she will be, it just takes her a minute to get used to new people," he told them. Sam leaned forward, curious, while Pepper did the same in anticipation. The man straightened up to face them a moment later, a small shih tzu with a pink ribbon in her fur in his arms.
"Guys, meet Lily!"
"Yeah, I've seen the news reports," the mohawked man murmured, balancing the flip phone between his ear and his shoulder. "Any reason to believe that Stark is dead?" It was harsh, he knew; he could tell by the slightest of flinches by the young woman sitting at the foot of the bed he'd perched cross-legged on. But he'd never been one for subtlety in matters of importance. And neither had the voice he trusted nearly more than any other on the other end of the conversation. In fact, he knew she appreciated it.
"We're looking further into it," Natasha told him, and with as well as he knew her, he couldn't detect any sort of clue in her voice about how that search was going. He couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing. Though this was a situation that they hadn't really faced before. "Steve and Happy have both been down by the scene, but there wasn't much they could find. Redwing's going through some footage that Sam managed to capture now. Nothing yet."
He let out a heavy breath, absently fiddling with his folded bow. That left two options– Tony had either perished in the explosion, or he'd been taken captive. Some trace of him would have been found by then if it were anything else. He truly hoped it wasn't the former. Sure, they hadn't always seen eye to eye, especially with recent events when their team had imploded. But overall, Stark was a decent man who'd had some bad cards dealt to him– as had they all– but still fought for what he believed was right. It was what any of them, this former team of misfits, did. It was all they could do. He couldn't begrudge him that.
And the latter... well, the latter was something they could work with.
"How's Pepper holding up?" he asked quietly. He'd been a little surprised to learn that Natasha, Steve, and Sam had joined up with Pepper, Rhodey, and Spider-Man to figure out what had happened to the billionaire, but the unknown fate of one of their former teammates was certainly a good enough reason to. He knew that she and Tony were taking a break, but he'd glimpsed a couple gossip blog posts about the former couple, who'd apparently been spotted having breakfast together just recently. Which, for some reason he couldn't fathom, had been huge internet news. Though he couldn't help but find it amusing how many young women seemed to take the news that the great Tony Stark had been caught eating a meal in public with the CEO of his company so personally offensive. As frustrating as the other man could be when it came to his personal life and relationships, it was obvious to anyone who knew him that his heart had ever truly belonged to Pepper.
And he wasn't blind. Even in the low-quality picture that had been snuck, he could see that love was still there between them, whether they wanted to admit it or not. As stubborn as they both were, they needed each other. Someone needed to keep Stark in line, after all. He just hoped they'd have the chance to resolve whatever issue had been there to cause the rift in the first place.
"Trying to be strong." Natasha's voice was heavy. "I give her credit. She's willing to search for answers right along with us. No matter where they may lead."
A moment passed where he simply watched the small television set, seeing a reporter– who, he couldn't help but notice, had similar hair and features to Pepper– was interviewing a couple people from the group of protesters who'd been at the site of the explosion in defense of Tony for the past couple days. He really hoped that the billionaire never saw this footage. It was the last thing his already inflated ego needed, and quite frankly, the crocodile tears and overacting– like they were somehow so emotionally affected because they dreamed of knowing him personally– was sickening.
But he also had to admire Pepper's quiet courage. It was one she shared with Laura, one which his wife was forced to carry every time he left. And he knew that if he were the one in Tony's position, she would be the same way.
"And how's Spider-Man holding up?" he wondered after a moment, pushing the image of Laura's smiling face from his mind. His sharp gaze passed over the light-haired woman, still sitting tensely at the foot of the bed, and the dark-haired man standing closer to the television, his expression grave as he watched the report. Without a word, he set his bow on the mattress beside him before picking up the remote and turning off the television. The young woman noticeably relaxed before she glanced over her shoulder at him, her eyes slightly wide, while the man turned to him with an eyebrow raised.
"I wouldn't know, we haven't actually seen him," Natasha told him. "But Pepper said the kid's devastated. He idolizes Stark. There's no way he could have done this."
"I know, I ain't blaming him." The mohawked man picked up his folded bow again, starting to fiddle with it once more. "I know we were on different teams, but he's a good kid. He doesn't seem capable at all of doing something like this. I agree with you it's much more likely that whoever Spider-Man was after, the leader of that group dealing Chitauri weapons, is to blame. How'd the kid describe him again?"
The amusement was clear in his closest friend's voice. "The man with wings," she muttered. "Seems like you've got some competition. Sam's frustrated, too."
Despite himself, he felt a smirk tug up the corner of his lips. "Shouldn't be too hard to track down a man running around looking like a giant bird."
However, Natasha remained silent, and he slowly leaned forward a bit when he detected the heaviness in it. "Nat?"
She sighed heavily. "Spider-Man's convinced he saw Barnes up on that rooftop before it exploded," she explained. "Granted, he and Tony were under the influence of some sort of hallucinogenic at the time, but he was adamant about what he saw."
Running a hand through his mohawk, the man's brow furrowed slightly as he leaned back against the headboard. "Impossible, Barnes is in Wakanda."
"I know. But he's convinced he saw him."
A long moment passed where neither spoke before her voice came through the small flip phone again. "Clint?"
Clint Barton briefly closed his eyes. It was a tone he'd only heard from her a few times before. Something was wrong. "Yeah, Nat?"
"Something's going on here," Natasha said. "There's more to this that we're not seeing. But I don't know what it is."
Taking a deep breath, the archer opened his eyes again. His gaze landed first on the young woman, who'd turned her attention to the flashes of scarlet forming absently around her slender fingers, before moving to dark-haired man, who'd leaned against the wall and started snacking on the small pack of orange slices candy they'd managed to pick up from a run-down gas station.
"What do you want us to do?"
"I assure you, Captain Rogers. Your friend will be safe here. The White Wolf will rise."
Steve sat patiently as he waited for the Skype call to go through on the tablet resting in his hands, camped out in a side room in the Tower that had been emptied of whatever had been kept in it before that point. He chuckled to himself as he thought back to how Sam had not only bought the device for him, but had spent quite some time teaching him how to use it. It was still surprising to him how he could talk to someone a world away face to face as though they were there through this handheld device, but he had to admit it was a convenient way to keep in touch when his time only allowed him to drop by Wakanda every so often.
Though as he continued to wait, the words from the last conversation he'd had with T'Challa echoed in his mind. He was truly grateful to the new king for doing everything possible to not only make sure Bucky was safe, but also to help heal his mind, which his best friend had felt he wasn't able to trust. From the couple times he'd been able to see him in person, and the times they'd communicated via Skype, Steve could really see the progress being made in the other man by being in the peaceful atmosphere of the reclusive kingdom as well as by the efforts that Shuri, T'Challa's sister, was making with him. Seeing his old best friend beginning to emerge again, this White Wolf as the people of Wakanda called him, while watching as the Winter Soldier slowly disappeared felt like a great burden he hadn't fully realized he'd been carrying was finally being relieved of him. He would never be able to repay the royal family's kindness.
Then, the ringing stopped, and a moment passed before a familiar face popped up on the screen. Steve couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. While his best friend appeared weary, he still looked more like the man who he considered his brother than he had in a long time. The quiet kindness was back in his features, and the tired smile still reached his eyes.
"Hey, Buck."
"Steve." Bucky nodded once. "It's a bit sooner than I expected for you to call again. No covert mission this week?"
The Super Soldier briefly shook his head. That was one thing he felt as though he hadn't been able to share with Rhodey and Pepper about their whereabouts since the fallout in Siberia. He, Natasha, and Sam had been picking up undercover missions in the Middle East or wherever else they were needed while they'd been in hiding, helping out as many people as they could on their own.
"No," he answered. "We've actually been in the States for a little while. I was making plans to come out there, but..." He paused, clearing his throat. "How's everything with you? You're looking better."
Bucky shrugged, and Steve's gaze faltered when he saw the place where his metallic arm used to be. It was a painful reminder of the past that he no longer had to deal with, granted, but there had to be something else that could be done for him. Shuri was a smart girl, he trusted that she could figure out something.
"I'm feeling a little better," he told him. "I don't come into the main city very often, except to work with Shuri, so I've just been helping a lot of the people out here when I can. Still tending goats, things like that."
"Sounds like a dream," Steve murmured. Much like Bucky, he was tired. Tired of war, tired of fighting. The costs of saving the world were only getting increasingly higher. At some point, it would be too much, as much as he couldn't afford that to be the case. Spending some time out in the country, having peace and quiet, sounded like an appealing retirement.
"After everything..." Bucky's sentence trailed off, but it was one he didn't have to finish. It was a sentiment the Super Soldier understood completely. It was no surprise when he changed the subject. "How about you? You're looking a little... ragged."
Steve chuckled. "Am I that obvious?" he wondered, causing the other man to grin. "Well, not too long after arriving in the States, we saw a disturbing news report... And we got called in."
Bucky's brow furrowed. "You're talking about Tony Stark and that Spider Kid... right?" he wondered. When the other man raised an eyebrow, he continued. "T'Challa showed me the news story. Find anything out yet?"
"Not yet." Steve let out a long breath, shaking his head slightly. "We've checked out the scene, and there's nothing there to see. Unless Redwing comes up with something that I didn't see. No sign of Tony..."
"So, you don't know if he's alive or dead." A moment of silence passed between the two where Steve couldn't even meet his best friend's gaze before Bucky leaned forward a bit. "Steve, this isn't your fault. You know that, right?"
Steve attempted a small smile. "I know, Buck," he muttered. "I just... I can't help it, you know? After what happened in Siberia..."
"I'm going to stop you right there," Bucky interrupted. "I know how much all that sucked, Steve. It wasn't an easy situation. You made your choice, and we both have to fix things. But there isn't any way of taking it back, no matter how much you want to. No matter how much I want to. All you can do is move forward. Find out what happened to Stark."
"Yeah. You're right."
Bucky frowned. "What aren't you telling me?"
Steve took a deep breath as he shifted his position on the floor. "You mentioned that Spider Kid... the one from Queens?" he prompted. "The one being blamed for what happened to Tony?"
"Yeah, I remember him from the airport," Bucky replied thoughtfully. "Seemed really young to be fighting... Doesn't seem capable of what they're saying happened to Stark..."
"No, definitely not, and that's the consensus here," Steve agreed, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. "That the kid is being blamed bothers me, certainly. But..."
Bucky arched an eyebrow, tilting his head forward. "But?"
Steve meet his best friend's gaze. "He said he saw you... on top of that building," he muttered, his voice wavering ever so slightly. "He said he saw you shoot Tony before the explosive went off. They were under the effects of a hallucinogenic gas, and the kid's able to recognize what was a result of that, but... he's convinced you weren't a hallucination."
The other man remained silent for a long time, his blank face not giving any indication as to what was running through his mind. "I see that being one of two things," he finally said, breaking the heavy silence. "Either it was a really powerful hallucination, or, for some reason I'm not thinking of, someone's running around dressed up like me."
The Captain's brow furrowed. "Why would someone do that?" he asked. "Go after Tony and Spider-Man dressed up as you, and then blame the kid for whatever happened?"
"I don't know, Steve," Bucky answered with a slight shrug. "But maybe you're looking at it the wrong way."
"How so?"
Bucky shifted in his seat slightly. "Well, I mean, Stark's the one missing, yeah?" he posed. "I'd take that to mean he's the target, since... whoever attacked them allowed the kid to get away. That tells me that he wasn't their top priority. He was, at most, collateral damage, while Tony was the mission. What purpose would having someone looking like me serve in terms of the kid?"
Steve shook his head briefly. "Nothing... there's nothing personal between you two. You only know each other from the airport."
"Right." Bucky hesitated. "But... for Stark?"
Memories of Siberia, of that fateful security footage of Tony's parents, flashed through Steve's mind. "... Everything."
Bucky nodded with a frown. "Exactly."
The Super Soldier sighed, briefly closing his eyes as he leaned his head back against the wall. "Right, I get that, and I agree with you that Tony was the main target," he mumbled. "The kid just seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and blaming him was just opportunistic. But... what I don't get is, despite the significance of why someone dressed up at you would negatively affect Tony, not everyone knows that. I mean, news got out about our fight in Siberia, we couldn't help that. But not many people know about what caused that to begin with... About what you did."
If he was uncomfortable about being reminded of the murders of Howard and Maria Stark, Bucky didn't show it. "Well... sounds to me like you're dealing with someone who does know about what happened," he told him. "Not just from Siberia, but before that. The video. What happened that night."
A brief moment passed before Steve's eyes snapped open. "Buck. You just gave me a lead."
Rhodey dropped to a sitting position on the treadmill, closing his eyes as he took some deep, shaking breaths. He winced as he straightened his legs out as best as he could ahead of him, frustrated with how the braces weren't quite working properly as they stiffened up. He allowed his head to drop to his chest as he continued to catch his breath, the image of the news reports about Tony being missing– or worse– burned into his mind from the television on the wall across from the treadmill in the exercise room. He'd been staring at the screen intently as he pushed himself, the headlines about what fate could have possibly befallen his closest friend driving him forward.
Damn his legs, damn his exhaustion. But despite his clear, and frustrating, limitations, he was determined to do whatever he had to do to find the billionaire and bring him home. There was no way he could allow this to be a repeat of Afghanistan, he just couldn't allow it...
Sensing another presence in the room then, Rhodey slowly opened his eyes to see Vision standing next to the treadmill, concern clear in his eyes. He slowly reached a hand out. "If I may, Colonel," he said.
A moment passed before Rhodey conceded, taking the android's hand as he allowed him to help him unsteadily to his feet. "Thank you," he replied, still a bit breathless as he leaned against the handle of the treadmill.
"Are you all right?" Vision wondered instead, gazing at him closely. "I am concerned you may be overdoing it."
The colonel just laughed. "Yeah, I'll be all right," he muttered, wincing again as he stretched out his left leg. "I just, uh..." He paused, glancing over his shoulder at the news report. Vision followed his gaze, his face remaining blank as he floated over and shut the television off.
"I can't... I can't let it be like last time," Rhodey finished, mainly to himself. "I have to continue to get my strength up to find him..."
Vision slowly turned around, what appeared to be pity on his face. "You were the one who did not give up on looking for him last time," he told him. "Mr. Stark does not blame you for what happened in Afghanistan, Colonel. As he would not blame you now. You are not alone in finding him."
"Yeah, well..." Rhodey cleared his throat, turning away from the android. "Where is everyone?"
"Ms. Potts and Mr. Wilson have just returned from their meeting with a dog," Vision told him, causing the colonel to look over at him with surprise. "Ms. Romanoff had a phone call she had to take, and I am uncertain of Captain Rogers' whereabouts. Mr. Hogan and his charge have not yet returned."
"Okay. Good to know." Rhodey closed his eyes tightly again as he hung his head. "Hey. Can I tell you something?"
Vision glanced around the room, ensuring the door was closed. "Of course you may, Colonel."
Rhodey let out a deep breath, bringing his folded hands up for his chin to rest on as he gazed ahead thoughtfully. "I'm not sure how I feel about all this, Vision," he told him. "I mean, about Sam, Natasha... Steve. After everything that happened with the Accords, and in Siberia... I should've gotten Secretary Ross on them the moment I saw them. But I couldn't. I wouldn't. Not with what's going on with Tony. I know they only want to help, and believe me, I appreciate that. I was just... so angry when I first saw him. Steve. Because of what he did to Tony. But not really anymore, and... I don't know, I mean... I know we're all supposed to be on the same team..."
"Yes. It was catastrophe." Vision drew nearer. "But perhaps it takes another catastrophe to bring all of us who were scattered together again."
The colonel thought this over for a moment before he nodded, a sad smile on his face. "It shouldn't have to come to that," he murmured.
"No, it should not," Vision agreed quietly. "Though that is what we have before us now. And together, we do the only thing we can do." When Rhodey arched an eyebrow, the android gave him a small smile of his own. "We find Mr. Stark."
Tony gasped loudly as he was roughly pulled back out of the basin, his sinuses burning as he coughed to force the cold water from his lungs. The hands that gripped his arms were unrelenting and tense, prepared to force him back under the moment his captor commanded it.
His captor... one of the worst cosplays of Captain Steve Rogers he'd ever seen. Or, at least, that's what he tried to tell himself. That it had to be the gas that made Bao look so much like the man who had fought alongside him many times before, who was one of the few people he considered a friend...
... had considered a friend... They probably would never get back to where they had been before everything went to hell between them, he figured. He probably wouldn't get a chance to change that– if it could be fixed– if he couldn't even walk out of this place.
No, he couldn't afford to think like that. He would get out, one way or another. There would be a chink in the armor that Bao and Arsen had fitted around themselves– there always was one, and he would find it. If he had to go through this elusive doctor himself, then so be it. In spite of the gas, in spite of the painful memories of his past these people were trying to stir up inside his mind to cripple him, he would get out. He had to, he had no other choice.
He had to get back to Peter... to make sure the kid was unharmed...
He had to get back to Pepper... to tell her what he should have told her the morning he'd invited her out to breakfast, that he'd planned to but hadn't been able to...
He would get out.
A cruel laugh broke through his thoughts, heard over the harsh sound of his ragged breathing, and Tony clenched his jaw tightly. "Had enough, Stark?"
The billionaire felt his hand curl into a fist. Bao's voice was so aggravating to his racing mind he wished he could simply punch it out of existence. He slowly raised his hazel eyes to rest on the Star Spangled rip-off, wondering how even with the gas he'd ever, even for the briefest of moments, mistaken him for the real thing. At least the cold shock of the water had managed to clear his senses a bit so he could see everything for what it actually was. Sure, the man's hair was styled immaculately just like the Super Soldier's, but his face was much too round, too pale. His nose was just a little too long, his forehead too high. His cheek bones weren't high or sharp enough. The do-right-by-your-fellow-man, the take-your-vitamins-and-eat-your-vegetables, and the confused-by-the-most-basic-technology innocence simply didn't exist in his features. His eyes, the ones that were the same exact shade as Steve's, were as cold and cruel as his voice, and the smirk in that twisted his lips in an ugly way would never even come close to his former friend's face.
Tony spared a brief glance at the flashing red light of the camera beside the other man, knowing that the whole session in this small, dimly-lit room had been recorded for someone to see. He didn't like the implications of that, but he also didn't want to show whoever's eyes this was meant for any sign of weakness. He wouldn't make it any more difficult for them than it already likely would be.
So instead, he narrowed his eyes, glaring at his captor.
"Go to hell," he hissed with all the animosity that he could muster.
Bao's smirk simply broadened as he nodded to the men holding their captive in place. "Continue."
Tony took a deep breath when the hands that were willing and waiting for this moment tightened even more around his arms as a hand roughly rested against the back of his head. He closed his eyes tightly, willing the panic that had sparked to life deep in his heart to subside as he prepared to be submerged yet again.
Oh, how he hated to be over his head in water...
The coldness shocked him, robbing him of breath as water rushed into his lungs to take its place...
The terrorists around him laughed as he sputtered out water, gasping just to breathe...
His lungs burned with the need for breath, darkness began to settle over his mind as he lost the battle to keep the scarce air he had left in his body...
A strange sense of peace consumed him as he allowed himself to be soothed by the cold, gentle water, feeling himself falling right before he was jerked out into the harsh air once again...
He shivered in the cold breeze as consciousness returned to him once again, knowing it would only be a short moment of reprieve before he was submerged once more...
When would this mercifully end?
Despite himself, Tony felt his entire body tense as he was forced downward, back toward the cold, dark, unmerciful water.
"Stop."
The soft, almost gentle command was obeyed immediately, and the billionaire slowly let out the breath he'd been holding when the water merely lapped against the tip of his nose and brushed delicately against his forehead. He slowly opened his eyes, his brow furrowing when he realized this was a new voice, one that he didn't recognize. Its slight accent sounded older, filled with years of experience and jaded by what the world had thrown at it. There was a cruelty there, certainly, but also an almost hypnotic influence. And though not spoken forcefully, it had a clear authority that filled the room.
Even without seeing him, Tony knew this was the doctor.
"Let him up."
Tony tried not to show the immense relief he felt as he was lifted away from the basin, still kept on his knees by the men behind him. He instantly saw that Bao had taken a few steps back away from them, his taunting demeanor gone as his light eyes were instead directed at the floor. His gaze then rested on the man who had entered the room, and the power he had over those who worked for him was evident, even though he wasn't an intimidating specimen. The doctor was older, his face lined with only some light gray hair lingering on his balding head. His wrinkled right hand tightly gripped a cane the he leaned heavily on for support, and on his left hand was a gold band that seemed to gleam brightly even in the minimal lighting. He took a few steps closer, but he didn't get too far before he began to falter, and Bao stepped forward to grip his arm to steady him.
Definitely not an intimidating specimen. The billionaire gazed at the doctor's legs, seeing that he seemed to be heavily favoring the left one. How easy it would be to overpower him and escape when the right opportunity arose. But he also knew that there had to be more to him than met the eye, for he couldn't have just been a frail old man and somehow accomplished all this. There had to be something more to him in order for him to have this much respect and obedience from those who did his dirty work. The persuasive tone in the little he'd heard of his voice, the gleam of that ring, the sharp look in his eyes... yes, there was something dangerous there, something that made him more powerful than he appeared. Deadly, even. He'd have to be cautious, play his cards right.
But there was something far back in his mind, something buried that seemed to be trying to dig its way out. There was something familiar about this man, something he knew, but for the life of him, he couldn't place it...
The doctor smiled at Bao, acknowledging his help with a brief nod of his head. "Ah, yes, thank you, boy," he said cheerfully. "I just want to get a little closer, get a better look at our guest here... There we go."
Tony watched as the Steve Rogers cosplayer led the older man forward a little bit until they both came to a stop across the basin from him, immediately feeling uncomfortable by the way the doctor's gaze seemed to be able to pierce right through him, straight to his very soul. It took every fiber of his being to keep from struggling against the unseen captors behind him.
"Ah, yes. You're looking a little rough around the edges there, Mr. Stark. But you've grown into a strong, able young man, I see," the Doctor muttered thoughtfully, almost to himself as he studied him closely. "Handsome, very much like your father. Yes, you've grown quite a bit bigger than the last time I saw you. You were only a wide-eyed boy then..."
His father...
... wide-eyed boy...
This billionaire had to focus on keeping his breathing even as he kept his gaze steady on the older man's. Don't give him anything. He could simply be lying, trying to get into his head even more, make him doubt the little solid foundation he still had under him.
Or...
"You knew my father?" Tony asked, relieved his voice didn't crack nearly as much as he'd expected it to as he attempted to keep any of his turbulent emotions out of it. "You knew me?"
The doctor smiled, and though it appeared to be an attempt at friendliness, it was a near miss. There was something sinister in that look, something he didn't like at all. "Why, yes, Howard and I knew each other quite well, back in the day," he answered. "It was always a pleasure to see you when he brought you to the agency with him. You were such an intelligent boy, so eager to learn more about what the world had to offer..."
Tony's brow furrowed. "You worked with S.H.I.E.L.D.?" He was certain his captor had never worked for Stark Industries, his father would never had had someone of his caliber under his employ. But, he'd thought, neither would Nick Fury. Something about that didn't settle right with him at all.
And it apparently didn't settle well with the doctor either, since he simply laughed in response. "S.H.I.E.L.D.? Such a pathetic organization," he muttered, mainly to himself. "No, Mr. Stark. I helped to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D., to show the world how fallible it really was."
The billionaire's heart jolted. "You're Hydra? I thought we eradicated whatever was left of your merry band of criminals."
This seemed to amuse the doctor greatly as a broad grin broke across his face, his eyes gleaming. "You were mistaken, Mr. Stark," he told him. "Yes, you took out quite a bit of what remained of our once glorious organization when your friend Ms. Romanoff unleashed all those S.H.I.E.L.D. files to expose us, and when you and Captain Rogers caught Strucker in Sokovia." Tony couldn't help but notice the bitterness, the resentment, in which he talked about Natasha and Steve. And himself.
"But cut one head off a snake, and another two will grow in its place," the older man continued. "Monsters are real, Mr. Stark."
Tony smirked. "I stopped looking for the boogeyman under my bed when I was five."
"Then clearly, you stopped looking too soon." The doctor smiled, a look that almost resembled pity crossing his lined face. "You've dealt with plenty of monsters, haven't you? You experienced many traumas in the three months you were in captivity in Afghanistan, no? And let's not forget that harrowing ordeal in New York..."
The snarky look slowly vanished from Tony's face as his jaw tightened. He could already feel his chest beginning to constrict at the very thought of the Chitauri invasion, the wormhole he'd thrown the nuclear bomb through...
He felt himself quietly beginning to gasp for air he felt was much too scarce. No, he couldn't allow his mind to go there... he couldn't panic now... Give him nothing...
The older man quickly rose his cane a bit before bringing the bottom sharply back to the hard floor, the sudden sound bringing the billionaire out of his racing thoughts. He took a few deeper breaths, forcing himself to remember where he was and just who he was dealing with. He couldn't afford any more distractions if he wanted to come out on top in this situation.
"I see that we have a lot to work on during your stay in my care," the doctor continued. "That's all right. Your father did, as well, and we made do." He paused briefly when Tony's body tensed. "I'm going to make you an offer, Mr. Stark. A way to avoid any further punishment. Are you interested?"
Tony remained silent as he stared down the older man, keeping his gaze defiant. He had an idea of what this supposed offer would consist of, and he had no interest in that whatsoever.
However, the doctor didn't appear to be dissuaded as a grin began to spread across his face. "I indulge you to hear me out, nonetheless. As we've already discussed, our numbers have significantly dwindled thanks to the efforts of you and your friends. But with my efforts, we are rebuilding. We could use a mind such as yours in this process, Mr. Stark. Your intelligence and talents would be most helpful."
A moment passed before the billionaire leaned forward a bit and spit at the doctor's feet. "Go to hell," he hissed.
His captor simply laughed. "I cannot say I'm surprised," he muttered. "Your father had the same response when I first made him the offer, as well."
Tony's eyes narrowed. If there was one thing he could say for certain about Howard Stark, it's that he would never join the ranks of Hydra. "My father would have died before he would ever work with you," he snapped. "And so would I."
"Do not be so certain, Mr. Stark." The doctor's smirk returned, and Tony felt an undeniable surge of dread. "The human mind is a fallible thing. It can only be pushed so much before it breaks. Your father, dear boy, was no different." He then glanced at the two unseen captors behind him and nodded once, gesturing to the basin.
The billionaire braced himself as the hands that held him roughly began to shove him down toward the merciless cold water yet again. But once more, he was spared when the door of the small room crashed open.
"Doctor Fennhoff! I got a call that you need to hear about."
Fennhoff. Tony immediately grasped the name and filed it away in his mind for safe keeping. It was one that he recognized from all the Hydra files he'd been through, and if he remembered correctly, Johann Fennhoff was a higher ranking official that had always seemed to elude them, mainly because no one could seem to agree on if he was alive or not. He'd hid behind different aliases, and he thought he recalled that the good doctor depended mostly on psychologically torturing his unfortunate victims.
That would certainly explain all that had happened to get him to this point.
Appearing annoyed, Fennhoff gestured for Arsen to join him and Bao, and Tony watched as the Bucky Barnes ripoff hurried over before whispering something anxiously in his ear. The doctor's irritated look vanished, being replaced with one that appeared to be a mix of anger and wonder. The older man appeared thoughtful for a moment longer before he turned to the billionaire, a gleam in his eye.
"There has been an... unexpected development," he announced. Despite the dread he felt, Tony attempted to keep his face blank. "It appears as though your once dear friend, Captain Steve Rogers, has been spotted searching for you, Mr. Stark."
All of the color drained from his face as blood rushed in his ears as Tony stared back at his three captors. Steve? Searching for him? No. That wasn't possible... There was no way. The other man was in hiding. He wouldn't risk that by looking for him...
Not after what had happened between them...
"Change of plan." Fennhoff's voice rose a bit, addressing everyone in the room. A slight smirk appeared at the corner of his lips as he kept his gaze on the billionaire. "Let's re-set up the camera. I believe there's a message that our dear Captain needs to hear."
Peter fidgeted with the strap of his backpack hanging heavily on his shoulder, staring blankly ahead at the elevator doors as he and Happy made their way toward the top of Avengers Tower. He glanced at the head of security, seeing he was also staring straight ahead, before looking away.
It had been a bit of an awkward car ride after the whole Winter Soldier debate, and he felt as though he had many more questions than when he'd started. While he was sure that it was the super assassin he'd seen on top of the building, who'd shot Tony, he was beginning to have some serious doubts about whether or not that was true due to Happy's insistence that it was impossible. He was frustrated since he didn't understand what was happening, why someone would go out of their way to dress up like the Winter Soldier to go after him and Tony, but there had to be some reason behind it. And Happy wasn't telling him what it was.
And then the new psychologist at school... Fennhoff, he thought his name was. There was still something really wrong about him. He'd almost told the head of security about him on the way to the Tower, but he wanted him to find out more about him, if he could, before he did that in case it was nothing. No reason to give other people a reason to look at him like he was crazy.
"So, is this becoming, like, a normal routine?" the fifteen-year-old wondered, breaking the silence. "I come here after school?"
Happy glanced over at him, a hint of annoyance in his features. "Yes, at least for the time being," he replied. "At least until..."
Peter arched an eyebrow when the man's sentence trailed off. "Until?" he prompted.
"Until I say so, okay?" Happy rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath about teenagers. His younger companion simply smirked.
Finally, the elevator came to a stop, and the doors slid open with a quiet ding. The first thing Peter saw when he and Happy stepped out was Pepper sitting on a nearby couch. In her lap was a small shih ztu with a pink ribbon in its fur. She looked up from her fuzzy companion and smiled when she saw them.
"Hi, Peter, welcome back," she said.
A broad smile appeared on Peter's face as he began to walk toward her, hearing Happy groan quietly from behind him. "Oh, no, you went through with it?" the latter wondered.
But then, the teen slowly paused when he realized that they weren't the only three in the penthouse, the CEO's cheerful response going unheard. Because on the floor not too far from Pepper sat Sam Wilson, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he pored over a screen of some sort. On another couch sat Vision, who appeared bemused to see him. By the bar stood Rhodey with Natasha Romanoff, and while her short hair was now blonde, there was no mistaking her.
And standing by the massive window as he gazed out at the city far below was Captain Steve Rogers. The full beard he had was startling at first, but again, there was no one else it could be.
"Whoa... holy shit," Peter murmured to himself as all pairs of eyes turned to him, Happy chuckling from behind him.
Falcon. Vision. War Machine. Black Widow. Captain America.
He knew he'd have to tell Ned about this as soon as he got the chance. Because for the second time in his young life, he was in the presence of the Avengers.
Author's Note: All right, that's it for this one! So, next chapter, things start seriously going down with everyone coming together... After all, Homecoming for Peter's coming up ;-) So, not gonna lie, I was inspired by a recent interview I stumbled across where the team for Infinity War said that Bucky and Steve were Skyping during their time apart and just HAD to include it (since it's too great not to include). We probably won't see too much of him, though, as he'll be in Wakanda, but Steve will sometimes need a little help with staying on track. I think that's about in on my end. Hope you guys liked the chapter. It shouldn't be nearly as long of a wait for an update next time around. My deepest apologies again for that, guys. See you next time!