"So it turns out, Tony Stark won't be leaving his family behind after all!"

Wanda looks up from the book she is reading and sees Shuri standing in the doorway.

"He is coming, as planned on Friday and so are Mrs. Stark and his kid."

"That will be good for him. He shouldn't be alone." Wanda is almost too soft to hear and Shuri gives her a slightly confused look.

"I've..." Wanda's face twists for a moment, and Shuri cannot place the emotion. "Nevermind. Does he know about Natasha? And Steve?"

"Not as far as I know." Shuri shrugs, allowing the topic to be changed.

"Hopefully Pepper tells him before he gets here."

Shuri nods, but doesn't say anything.

"You'll like Morgan," closing her book, Wanda stands up. "I'll see you later Shuri."

Shuri nods in response and waves goodbye wondering what had caused not just one, but two rapid changes in topic.

-ooooo-

"Steve?"

"Mm..."

"Steve."

"Yea?"

"Leave it Barnes, he's not paying attention."

"I know." he shoots his companion a glance "STEVE!"

Steve whips his head up and glares at the duo sitting on the rock next to him. The super soldier looks down at the sketch book and picks up his pencil again. This time however he does not set the pencil to paper, but opts to launch it at his oldest friend. Being prepared, Bucky shifts slightly resulting in one rather annoyed Samuel Wilson.

His concentration disrupted for now Steve sighs. "Yes?" he gives Bucky and Sam a very pointed look, "I am listening".

Sam holds up his hands while Bucky just rolls his eyes.

"About time too ya punk. This is serious stuff here!" Bucky pauses and looks at Sam.

"Oh? Right, so, um, Tony pulled through. Woke up on Sunday apparently."

Steve just looks at the pair of them lost for words.

"And," Bucky picked up where Sam paused, "he's coming here on Friday."

-ooooo-

"Tony?"

He looks up at Pepper's serious tone. She sounds even more serious than usual, which with the last couple weeks is saying something. "Yeah, hon?"

She sits on the couch next to him and he puts down the Stark Pad, dismissing the holograms that had been projected about the lab.

Pepper swallows hard, "There's no easy way to say this."

Something in her tone causes Tony to stiffen.

"Steve's in Wakanda."

"Pep, you were getting me worried for a bit there" he cuts her off in relief, air rushing back into his lungs.

"I didn't finish," she winces ever so slightly, "Barnes and Wilson are there with him."

"Oh," his chest tightens. "Well..." he trailed off.

"His Highness assured me that you won't have to see them if you would rather not." she assured him.

"Huh? Oh, no... I should, I should see them" Tony looks unsure, but his voice is firm.

"Okay, I'll inform His Majesty. Do you want a meeting arranged, or shall we leave it to chance?"

Tony pauses a moment, considering the implications of both scenarios. Finally, he shrugs, "Leave it to chance I think."

-ooooo-

Peter can feel them watching him, staring at him. It feels like they are going to burn holes through him. He would rather be anywhere but here, anywhere…well, almost anywhere. Not the spaceship. Not the planet. That planet. A wave of panic crashes over him and he is back there. Where Mr. Stark was stabbed. The snap. The pain. Burning. Except it wasn't quite burning. It was worse. Worse than that time the building fell on him. Worse than the fire. It was excruciating. It was how he imagined the Cruatuis Curse felt.

"No, no, no.! Don't want to go! Please no !" His lungs are on fire.

"-eter?"

"Pete-!"

"Pet- rker!"

Everything sounds dull, far away. He can't focus.

"No! Not again!" he can't breathe.

Someone is shaking his shoulders. He can't tell who.

"Pete!"

-ooooo-

Oki doki, so new update schedule is gonna be a chapter every Wednesday and Saturday

Thanks to the awesome Trekkiehood for beta'ing

hope y'all enjoyed this chapter