Thank you for reading and staying with this story. It really means a lot.

Friday, May 4th, 2012

Midtown, Manhattan, New York City, New York

Healing took time. That's what Tony had come to understand thanks to his time in therapy. He wasn't a hundred percent fine yet, but he was taking steps. He got his ninety-day chip a few weeks ago. Everyone told him that was a big accomplishment, but Tony didn't feel accomplished. In fact, it just felt like something he should have been doing anyway. He said as much to Dr. Cranston, to which she seemed unsurprised.

"It's a valid reaction," she had said. "Especially for someone as unaccustomed to receiving genuine praise as you are."

"Every time I say it's not a big deal, though, people try to correct me and tell me to feel happy or proud or something, but I don't. I feel neutral about it, I guess. I mean, I recognize it's a good thing, but I feel the same way about it as I do about taking a shit in the toilet. Like, yeah, I did what I'm supposed to do. Let's just move on."

"And you have the right to feel that way," Cranston had said. "Although, yes, I agree that you should take more pride in your accomplishments and see them as accomplishments, you feel about it the way you feel, and others can't dictate that for you. You are not wrong for feeling that way."

Tony liked that about Dr. Cranston. She never told him he was wrong for feeling a certain way, even if it would normally be considered concerning or abnormal. All feelings are valid. It was how you responded and reacted to those feelings that could sometimes be problematic, but they were working on that. In fact, Tony had worked on it enough that he felt ready to take another big step.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Cranston asked in their last session before the planned event. "It's a big step. Once it's done, you can't go back."

"I know," Tony had said. "But we can't keep hiding forever."

"And Steve?" she asked. "How does he feel about this?"

"He's on board," Tony had assured. "I wouldn't be doing it if he wasn't."

Now, Tony stood backstage, letting the makeup artist do a last-minute touch-up on his face while a crew member hooked him up with a microphone. The other Avengers were lining up behind him. On the surface, they were just making up for the Today Show appearance they missed back during the State of the Union. Little did the public know, Tony was going to make a big announcement…

Once the makeup artist finished and the mic was hooked up, Tony felt a hand brush up against the back of his. He turned to find Steve standing behind him, wearing a kind smile.

"Hi," he said.

"Hey," Steve said back. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling good," Tony said. "You?"

"Great," Steve assured. "You're ready for this?"

"Yeah, of course," Tony said. "I feel like it's the right thing to do."

"Good," Steve said. "Because once this is done…" Tony picked up on the hesitation in Steve's voice and took both of Steve's hands in his.

"Babe, I promise you it's going to be okay," Tony said. "You don't have to worry. Trust me." Slowly, Steve nodded.

"I do," he said. "I trust you." Tony smiled.

"Good," he said before pulling Steve down for a kiss. "I do, too."

Shortly after that, the Avengers stepped out onstage. By the end of the interview, the entire world would know that Iron Man and Captain America were a couple.

Nick Fury stepped into the Black Archive, and didn't turn around until the door's mechanisms securely locked behind him. He knew someone else was in the room, but he wasn't worried. Only three other people knew this room existed, and they were the only three his security guard wouldn't eat upon arrival. Maria was in Dubai and Carol was off-world, so there was only one person it could be.

"What brings you to my office, Agent Drew?" The woman in question turned in her swivel chair and grinned.

"Oh, you know, just dropped in to say hi to the cat." The "cat" sat in Jessica's lap, intensely purring as she rubbed her face into Jess' stomach. Jessica was probably the human Goose liked the most, after Carol.

Fury wasn't convinced by that answer, though. He gave Jessica a hard look until she sighed, picking a tablet up off the desk in front of her and handing in to him.

"Got new intel on a Hydra cell implanted in Seagate Prison," she said. "Looks like they're planning a riot."

"Really?" Fury said. "Who are they trying to break out?"

"No one," Jessica said. "They're acting as guards and they're going to use the riot as a cover for a mass-execution."

"Smart," Fury commented. "But not smart enough. Who are the targets?"

"Mostly potential squealers," Jessica said. "A former senator's aid who was offered a deal by the prosecution, a merc they've had dealings with in the past, that idiot who tried to shoot up the Franklin College campus…" Fury looked up from the tablet.

"Any movement on the Lullaby Project?"

"Not that they've shared with me." Fury raised an eyebrow at her dejected tone.

"Something wrong?" Jessica frowned.

"This has been too easy," she said. "Finding intel on Hydra. I'm worried they're catching on to me."

"Do you think your in danger?" Jessica scoffed.

"No," she said. "I can handle myself. I just… I'm worried we're being played."

"Probably are," Fury said. "I always work under the assumption I'm being played."

"I just don't want any of this to be for nothing," Jessica said. "If Hydra finds me out, if they kill me, that's fine – well, it's not fine – but if they take me down, I want to bring them with me. They can't be allowed to destroy any more people's lives. I want them gone, whatever it takes."

Fury put a hand on Jessica's shoulder.

"So do I."

Jessica nodded, before shooing Goose from her lap and standing up.

"I don't have much time before they start wondering where I am," she said. "I just wanted to pass along that intel."

"Alright," Fury said. "Thank you for getting this to me."

"No problem," Jessica said as she started to head for the door.

"Hey Jessica," Fury said just before she reached the door. "Keep an eye on your six." Jess grinned.

"Yeah," she said. "You too, old man." Fury raised an eyebrow at her.

"Who are you calling old?" Jessica laughed.

"If the shoe fits…" Fury waved her off.

"Get out of here before I get half a mind to put a shoe somewhere the sun don't shine." Again, Jessica laughed.

"No you won't," she said. "See you around."

With that, she entered the code to open the door and walked out, leaving Fury alone. Well, almost alone. He moved to sit in the chair Jessica just vacated, only to find a pair of very angry green eyes staring up at him.

"What?" he said to the Flerken. "I'm sorry, she had to go. It's not my fault."

Goose didn't understand that, though. Which is why when Fury made a move to shoo her out of the seat, she spontaneously vomited all over the chair.

"Oh, come on!" Fury exclaimed. "For real?"

Goose didn't even try to look guilty. She just jumped down from the chair and trotted off with her head held high. Fury sighed and started looking around for the Windex and paper towels. At least there weren't any people parts mixed in with the barf this time.

Remember kids, authors need time to create, so it might be a bit before the next story...

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

FFN: Radiant Arabian Nights!

AO3: BludgenoningsOfChance, Codename_R, Nerniie, Saidra, YueRyong, and the guest who left kudos!

PLAYLIST:

(1) "A Safe Place to Land" by Sara Bareilles Featuring John Legend (2) "Ignorance" by Paramore (3) "Friend, Please" by twenty one pilots (4) "Sugar Mouse" by Oh, Atoms (5) "Why Don't You Love Me?" by Hot Chelle Rae Featuring Demi Lovato (6) "Blow" by Ke$ha (7) "A Wake" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Featuring Evan Roman (8) "Are We the Waiting" by Green Day (9) "Breaking the Habit" by LINKIN PARK (10) "When It's Time" by Green Day

Originally posted to FFN on 11/3/22.