"Tony, open the damn door now." The voice was different from the one he'd been hearing the last few days. Since the Avenger's incident, as Tony had deemed it in his mind, he'd been locked in his room. Banner had been by many times, often leaving food outside the door, that Dum-E later brought in. Pepper had been by as well, once. Happy had escorted her from the property. Happy had been outside the door as well, his promises of parties weak attempts to get him to leave his room. But this voice, this voice was different, it was one he hadn't heard in a long time and it was one he wasn't about to ignore.

"Jarvis, unlock the door." Tony ordered, not looking toward the door as he heard it swing open, instead focusing intently on the screens he'd been looking over.

"What the hell man?" Rhodey asks as he comes into the room. He grabs Tony's hand and pulls him out of his seat and into a bro hug.

"What?" Tony asks, his eyes focused past Rhodey and on the television screens.

"What's this no Iron Man shit?"

"There is no no Iron Man shit." Tony says. "Volume up please, Jarvis." A news story had just come across the scene, a little live icon in the top corner, a reporter speaking from outside his home.

"Hello America, I'm reporting to you from outside the home of Anthony Stark, CEO and owner of Stark Industries as well as Iron Man. Monday, late in the afternoon, Mr. Stark called Malibu Police Department to ask for assistance of removing trespassers from his home. An odd call given Mr. Stark's obvious capability to deter intruders, until you find out who those trespassers were. Shortly after arriving on the scene, Mr Stark led the Police department into his kitchen where some apparently unwelcome house guests had taken claim to his kitchen table. There is still an arrest warrant out for the Avengers as the police were unable to take them into custody, with the exception of Dr. Banner who Mr. Stark allowed to stay on premises. Virginia Potts was detained and has been released on bail. Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Natasha Romanoff and Thor are now wanted persons, no civilians are to approach, instead call Malibu or your local Police Department."

"Thank You Christina." The anchor says pulling the focus back to the studio. "When we come back, we'll have an exclusive interview with Ms. Potts about her recent removal from her position as CEO of Stark Industries as well as her removal from Mr. Stark's life."

"Mute." Tony tells Jarvis,

"You don't call that shit?" Rhodey asks. While Tony was watching the news coverage, Rhodey moved to sit down on his bed.

"Nah." Tony says waving it off. "That's them making something out of nothing."

"You had some of your closest friends arrested."

"Attempted to have them arrested for criminal activity." Tony corrects Rhodey. "As you heard, Steve, Clint, Natasha and Thor weren't very cooperative."

"You know," Rhodey says with a shake of his head. "When your best friend calls you from overseas each week and asks you how you're doing and what's going on, this, whatever the hell it is that is going on, is really something you should mention."

"You asked how I was doing, not what's going on."

"Most people would still mention it."

"You should know by now Rhodey, I'm not most people."

"I know, but what the hell happened? Do you know how stupid I looked when my commanding officer called me into a top secret meeting with Nick Fury and I couldn't answer a single one of his questions because you've decided to keep me out of the loop?"

"So this is about you?" Tony can feel anger fill his face.

"No, it's…"

"That's the problem with humans, everything is always about them. Let me guess, you came here to give me your 'cut the shit Tony, cause I'm getting yelled at' speech didn't you?"

"Well…"

"Get the fuck out." Tony points to the door before going back to his screens.

"Tony."

"Get out."

"T…"

"Get the hell out, asshole before I set Dum-E on you."

This time Tony hears Rhodey rise from the bed and leave out the door that Jarvis has already opened. He finds comfort in the fact that JARVIS takes the liberty to bolt it behind him.

"Looks like it really is just you and me." Tony says looking over at Dum-E who hid in the corner while Tony was yelling and is now starting to work his way out. Tony goes back to work, listening as Dum-E works his way out of whatever predicament he's gotten himself into waiting to see if he'll have to interfere. He feels pressure on his shoulder and looks up to see that Dum-E has placed his claw there.

"Yeah, I know you're here for me Buddy." Tony says scrolling through his emails. "Want to make me a smoothie." He watches as the bot leaves the room, he feels a sense of gratitude when he sees that You and Butterfingers are guarding his door now.

"Stark what?" Fury couldn't help but spray the sip of coffee he'd just taken all over the paperwork on his desk

"He tried to have us arrested for trespassing." Clint repeats, currently the Avengers are gathered in Fury's office all taking residence on various pieces of furniture. Clint is sitting on a shelf.

"Were you trespassing?"

"Technically." Natasha says her eyes unreadable.

"He arrested the Lady Potts." Thor adds.

Fury sighs and buzzes Hill. "Hill, go to Malibu's Police Department and bail out Ms. Potts please." He sighs again, running a hand through his non existent hair. "Stark has declared war on this agency. We can't fight back with actual weapons, but we can end this if we get the upper hand. Right now Stark is playing his cards close, we can't get a read on him. Banner isn't much use, what little he's seen of the man he's not willing to talk about. So let's try something new, we're in the intelligence business, so let's gain some. Potts mentioned something about Budapest the other day, Tony was defensive about it. That means it might mean something to him. Barton, Romanoff I want you two to check it out. Report everything you find. Thor and Steve, I'm sending you to Budapest."

"Shouldn't that be the other way around Sir?" Natasha asks confused why herself and Clint have been essentially grounded by being given intelligence duty.

"Thor and Steve can barely turn on a computer, yet alone hack Stark. You're orders are to stay here Agent Romanoff and that's what you'll do.

"Wouldn't we be of more use in Budapest though?" Barton asks equally as confused. "Then we could help Thor and Steve if needed. They're not agents."

"Fine, go to Budapest. But you're handler is in charge, if they don't send you into the field you don't go. Do you two understand."

"Yes, Director." Natasha and Clint say in unison, both already knowing that they'll be in the field wether Fury likes it or not.