"This is the place?" whispered Steve as he followed Natasha through the cool grey stone hall. "You sure?"
"Yes, now shut up," said Natasha, sharp eyes scanning nonstop. "Clint's already navigating through the vents, we just need to cause a distraction big enough to get all eyes on us."
"No problem."
"Oh? And what exactly did you have in mind Mr. Man With a Plan?"
"I married Tony Stark," said Steve with a grin that was almost feral. "If there is one thing I have learned from that man, it is not just how to make a scene, it's how to make a Broadway musical on opening night."
"He's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered…son of a bitch!"
Natasha almost felt sorry for anyone standing in the way of that man. But then she remembered that Tony and Emmy were missing and that almost feeling went very far away to a place much closer to Budapest.
-Winging It-
"And then your Papa decided that the best way to get me to date him was to woo me old fashioned style," said Tony softly, standing in water near his belly button, leaning against the wall. "So he started making me food and bringing it down to the shop for me to eat. Every time he went on a mission he would come back with a present. The first time it was little stuffed duck with an Iron Man sweater. He got it as a joke and don't tell him this but I love the damn thing. It lives in my favorite tool box."
"Daddy," whimpered Emmy, kicking her little feet where they were getting wet in the water.
"I know, Ducky," sighed Tony. "I hate the water too. But just hold on because Papa and your crazy auntie and uncles are going to be here shortly. And they're going to be pissed."
"Daddy," said Emmy again, squirming.
"Another story?" said Tony.
Emmy nodded, her red hair flopping around as she did.
"Okay, how about I tell you how our first date went?"
Again, Emmy nodded, shooting Tony one of her brilliant smiles that lit up her entire face and then some, warming that place that Tony now knew held his heart because really there was no other reason he should be getting warm and fuzzy when surrounded by water that would not stop getting closer to his head.
"The first thing you need to know is that I screwed it up," said Tony, shifting Emmy so that she was up on his shoulders and farther away from the water. "Not on purpose but I'm really lucky I got a second date. Your Papa had been wooing me for about two months before he finally asked me on a date. I said yes, he got to pick the place. It was some little seafood joint that was about a half hour from the tower. I'd never been. I've never cared for seafood. Do you like seafood?"
Emmy shook her head, making a face, her little hand tugging Tony's hair while resting her chin on his head.
"Anyway, so because I don't eat seafood, Steve ordered because he loves seafood. It's like his kryptonite. So he picked out something supposedly really good but I wouldn't know because about to bites in I discovered the hard way that I'm deathly allergic to most seafood. And that's how I ended up puking my guts out on your Papa as he drove me to the hospital on our first date. Then we spent the rest of the night at the hospital. The end."
Emmy giggled but yawned.
"Someone's sleepy," said Tony, reaching up with one hand to pull Emmy back into his arms, doing his best to hold her out of the water.
Emmy curled up and dozed off until the water got too high, once again soaking her, which meant it had reached Tony's neck.
"I guess now's a good time to ask – do you know how to swim?" asked Tony as the water lapped at his chin.
Emmy shook her head, one hand fisting Tony's damp hair and the other held close to her chest to protect her crudely splinted arm.
"Then I guess we're about to find out if swimming is like riding a bike. I haven't done this in a few years."
Emmy's eyes widened in alarm at that statement, not at all sure she wanted to put her faith in someone who wasn't positive he could swim. But on the other hand, Tony had never failed her before, so that counted for something.
"Hey Em?" said Tony suddenly. "If I got us over to the middle where the water is coming from, do you think you could reach up there and turn off the water valve?"
Eyes scrunching in confusion, Emmy looked over to the center of the cage where the water was flowing down.
"I noticed it earlier," continued Tony. "It's a yellow handle, like the one in the workshop that turns the gas on and off. Do you remember that one? Good! Well do you think you could reach up in the water and turn this one off?"
Emmy nodded, reluctant to get near the falling water but also not wanting to let Tony down.
"That's my girl," said Tony, kissing the side of Emmy's head enthusiastically.
They had just gotten to the edge of the falling water, Tony treading water, Emmy standing precariously on his shoulders, reaching up towards the water, when they heard Clint.
"Guys, what's the code?" yelled Clint, standing at the door.
"Thirty-seven, eighty-nine, twelve, twenty-four, nine," responded Tony almost absently.
Clint punched in the number.
"Wait!" yelled Tony a split second after Clint hit the last number.
The doors opened and water began pouring out, sucking Tony and Emmy under in the rushing, the two tumbling apart and around, stuck in the swirling mass, unable to get air or see or tell when or if it would end.
*Internet! Here's to really helpful family who let me use their internet. Feedback welcomed and encouraged. Always - Ari