I LIVE!

My most humble apologies for the six month wait, but I had an unexpected mental slump that made writing seem like an absolute chore when it's usually one of my most favorite activities in the world. So this chapter got written in fits and spurts as my muse allowed. And since I absolutely despise when an author posts a 'chapter' that just telling people about a delay, I decided to just wait it out and hope everyone understood!

So while I'm not entirely pleased with how the ending over in America played out, we're just going to roll with it so we can get on with the show!

Also, holy shit but we're over 100K words!

Enjoy everyone!

Chapter 24: Stark Reunions Take 2

"We should let Aunt Peggy at least keep her memories," Tony interjects, because he remembers his godmother's expression when she saw Stane earlier after learning the truth. He can't imagine that she'll let HYDRA linger for too long in SHIELD if they let her loose on them (he'll just have to make sure that she's adequately protected, because he doesn't want to lose her again before he has to). "She'd be helpful looking into what, if anything, Stane's done so far."

"Peggy?"

Tony points a finger at Steve. "Cap's old girl. Helped my old man start SHIELD back in the day, although from what I remember she's beginning to step back from that scene. She might not be as quick physically, but I don't think the dementia's started yet so her mind's still a thing to be feared."

"An old flame, Captain?"

Steve shrugs a shoulder, looking unperturbed despite the teasing glint in Loki's eyes that everyone on the team usually tries to avoid having focused solely on them (even Tony, because he does have some self preservation instincts despite what everyone seems to think, and he's willing to admit (just to himself, mind) that taking on the God of Mischief on his own isn't the smartest idea in the world (he blatantly ignores that that's exactly what he did during the first invasion. He's had time to grow, god damn it)). "I promised her a dance that I never did end up delivering on."

"We can fix that now," Tony feels the need to point out.

Steve's smile is both sad and somewhat knowing. "Thanks Tony, but I think that'll have to be between me and her. I've got no intention of intruding where I'm not needed, and from what I remember from my visits before, she and Daniel are happy. That's all I ever really wanted for her, to be happy."

"It must be exhausting, being that selfless," Tony mumbles, knowing that Steve's right but still having felt the need to offer.

"I had six years to come to terms with the fact that Peggy and I weren't going to be able to be together," the man points out calmly. "Our current situation isn't going to change that at all."

"We've strayed off topic," Loki states blandly, inserting himself back into the conversation, "and additionally, is this other man who you've both failed to introduce going to be keeping his memories or shall I just deal with him now?"

"No touching Jarvis!" Tony immediately snaps, a protective fury bubbling up inside him at the thought of the man's memories being tampered with in any way.

"Master Anthony…" Edwin says softly from behind him.

Loki, however, blinks rapidly. "Jarvis?"

Tony can feel heat spreading across his face, but he glares at the God of Mischief undeterred while also pointing a finger. "Not. A. Word."

The god holds his hands up in the universal sign of surrender. "You are the expert on these people, not I. If you trust him to keep this secret, then I shall leave him be."

"Then we should probably let Ana and Daniel keep their memories," Steve comments. "No need to have this particular secret festering between them. Ana is Jarvis' wife and Daniel is Peggy's husband," he adds when Loki starts to open his mouth again.

"Very well. Anyone else?"

"We can ask Aunt Peggy her opinion on Lewis keeping his memories, so that just leaves Howard and my…" His breath stutters for a moment. "And my mom."

Loki jolts where he stands. "You have not had your reunion with your mother?"

"No, Soldier Boy here went and punched Stane, and that ended up taking precedence." He pulls a pained face. "Knew I'd be no good to anyone if I let myself hug her."

Something flashes through Loki's eyes so swiftly Tony almost misses it. "Stark, mention this to anyone else and I will make you rue the day you were born." The God of Mischief waits until Tony nods before he sighs. "I cried myself unconscious in my mother's arms the night we returned. You will receive no undo judgement from me, now or in the future."

"Oh yeah, she was killed during that first invasion, wasn't she?" Tony mumbles, internally cringing because now he feels like an asshole for making Loki bring up an obviously painful subject.

"Indeed," he solemnly says.

Steve clears his throat when the silence between them starts borderlining awkward territory. "Eve mentioned that you were working on something that could protect non-magicals from mind invasion?"

Loki huffs out a sigh. "I am. However, that is a project I started mere days before we found you. It will be a while before I believe I will see anything worthwhile from it. Loath though I am to admit it, I have not dipped my fingers into the making of magical protections for non-magicals in at least three centuries, and that does not factor in my unfortunate stay with Thanos. It will take a bit of time to both refresh myself on the basics and make something that will work long term. I will rapidly exhaust myself if I use my previous designs, as they were powered both by my magic and proximity to the person in question. For the time being, the fact that you are not important in the magical world will protect you." He shoots both Steve and Tony scathing looks. "So do try to stay unimportant until such time that we can adequately protect you, hm?"

"Hey, I'm leaving the stirring of the hornet's nest over in England to Eve," Tony says, affronted for all that the warning would be necessary in any other situation (it's not this time mostly because of magic being front and center for that particular shit show).

"And yet you've already decided that you're going over to England with me in a week," Steve comments blandly, the traitor.

"You know why," he hisses back, mind balking at the mere idea of Steve being beyond reach. Especially with the sound Steve had made when the sword that killed him slid home still echoing in his ears (god, he morbidly wonders how long that'll stay with him (probably as long as hearing about his parents' death and watching Yinsen die, so fucking forever)).

Loki is the one who drawls out another, "Indeed," and Tony starts to wonder just how many other team members know about the feelings he's still not quite ready to acknowledge (but are becoming increasingly harder to ignore with each passing day (and this whole dying thing probably isn't going to have helped at all either)). "Well, we will accomplish nothing by continuing to stand about out here." He gestures towards the mansion with a raised eyebrow and an expectant look at Tony to lead the way.

Tony heaves a dramatic sigh (mostly just because he can but also in an attempt to settle his nerves (surprise, surprise, it does absolutely jack shit for his nerves)) but turns back towards his childhood home. It's still alarmingly heady how Steve falls into step beside him without any prompting (not that Loki and Edwin don't as well (for vastly different reasons) but it's Steve. That kind of faith and trust can't be bought (he ignores the voice inside his head that says how any of their old team would probably do the same)). "Right, so Howard first because I know which room Aunt Peggy pulled him into. We can go hunting for my mom and Lewis after that."

"As you say, Stark."

This, of course, is the instance that Tony realizes an issue with the team's habit of interchanging between first and last names (nevermind the multitude of nicknames that get thrown around). "Yeah, if you're gonna keep coming around, you'll have to start calling me something other than that. You especially, Capsicle, given that you're staying with me for a bit here."

Steve hums in the back of his throat. "We'll deal with that as it comes up. In any event, he's the one who'll have to adapt the most. Fighting side by side with someone creates a different kind of intimacy than just being the person that supplies weapons, even if that person is near the front lines most of the time."

Tony ruthlessly strangles the noise that wants to come out of his mouth at Steve talking about intimacy. God, this is all going to end horribly, he just knows it (but oh, what a way to go). "Right, Howard," he repeats, his gate stiffening briefly before he can manage to smooth it back out into his usual strut. Thankfully, the room Aunt Peggy dragged Howard into is near to the door that they came out of earlier. Of course, they can all hear both Howard and Aunt Peggy's voices because the manor doesn't have sound proof rooms save for Howard's personal lab. Tony grits his teeth before knocking harshly on the door, if only to make sure it's heard. The voices abruptly cut off before Aunt Peggy opens the door.

"You've finished, then?" she inquires, having only opened the door just enough that they can see most of her but leaving Howard with no way to get out beyond shoving past her.

"As much as I was allowed," he mutters, because he's still getting used to not having to be in charge of getting everything done (he still marvels at the changes that Evelyn produced when she joined the team (and it was mostly her because, as much as Loki came with her, it really was Evelyn knocking heads together that produced the changes)). "Can we come in?"

It's easy to tell when her eyes land on Loki, but the slight widening of her eyes is all that gives her away. "Of course." She turns her head slightly while stepping to the side. "Howard, mind your manners."

"Allow me," Loki murmurs, touching a hand to Tony's shoulder as Howard, predicitibaly, protests Aunt Peggy's instructions. Still not really up to dealing with his father just yet, he's more than willing to leave it to Loki's discretion. The God of Mischief slides easily into the room, a handful of golden-green magic quickly catching Howard's attention.

"And who the hell are you?" the older man demands, spine stiffening more than seems possible.

"No one you need concern yourself with just yet," Loki says almost lazily, before flicking his wrist and hitting Howard with a faceful of his magic. He stumbles back a few steps before his eyes roll up into the back of his head and he starts to drop. Loki waves his hand again, this time catching Horward before he can hit the floor. "Well, his mind is almost as intriguing as yours, Stark."

Tony grimaces, because he's always going to be touchy about anyone, not just Loki, taking a peek inside his head (not at toucy as Clint, maybe, but that guy gives paranoid a good name for mind reading magic style). "Great, didn't really need to know that."

"Tony."

Aunt Peggy's voice isn't loud, but there's that note in it that demands an answer now or there'll be consequences.

He wearily scrubs a hand over his face. "Aunt Peggy, this is Loki Odinson, Eve's… ah… husband?" He turns to glance over his shoulder at Steve, because even though he knows that Evelyn's really more than old enough to get married, the fact that she's physically only ten right now is starting to freak him out when he thinks of her and Loki's relationship.

"We're going with betrothed to be nice to Sirius' delicate sensibilities," Steve states with a pained yet amused smile.

Tony blinks once. "Isn't this the man who broke out of a prison to try and protect her? What place do delicate sensibilities have in a man like that?"

"He died while Evelyn was still underage," Loki says blandly, having settled a limp Howard on the nearest couch in the room. "Thus is still rather touchy on the subject of his goddaughter being betrothed, let alone married. My wife is indulging him on that front."

Tony wrinkles his nose, because, again, Evelyn looks ten years old right now, and the mere idea of a ten year old being married gives him the heebee jeebees (and he can't believe he even just thought those words). "Right, okay then. Loki, this is Peggy Sousa, Cap's old friend and my godmother."

Loki inclines his head to Peggy. "A genuine pleasure to meet you, milady, but we are unfortunately pressed for time at the moment. Stark, your mother?"

"I think down the hall?" He digs through his mind, trying to come up with the floor plan for this place because it's been years since he was last here and all he really knows is that Ana took his mom in the opposite direction from where Aunt Peggy dragged Howard off to (aka, this room).

"And what exactly do you plan on doing to Maria?" Aunt Peggy inquires, again with that dangerous edge in her voice.

Loki waves a hand through the air like he's waving away her concerns. "Nothing nefarious. Merely the same as I've done to Howard here. Ensuring that they will simply believe the man the good captain here punched never came home with them. It will, however, necessitate another reintroduction of Rogers to them."

"Joy," Tony mutters, already not looking forward to that again.

"Maybe I'll punch Howard this time," Steve muses from behind him.

"Again, you cannot punch my father, Cap!" Tony all but explodes as he spins to glare at his friend, even if the mere idea does on occasion fill him with an unholy amount of glee (because that means that Captain America is choosing him over his old man). "Do the words he'll have a conniption fit the size of Manhattan mean nothing to you?"

"I'm sure Eve would be more than willing to house us for a bit if necessary," Steve says cheerily.

"I'm not leaving my mother immediately after I just got her back," Tony returns flatly. "I'll be following you over to England in about a week, but that's knowing that we're coming back in a timely manner and also because the thought of you being so far away after I just saw you get fucking cut down makes me nauseous. So if I have to play nice with my old man right now, so do you Capsicle."

Something that Tony can't quite catch flashes across Steve's face before he claps a hand onto Tony's shoulder. "I understand. While I might not be happy with Howard at the moment, I will do my best to make sure to not knowingly keep you from your mother."

"I appreciate that, Cap, I really do." Tony throws as much snark into the statement as he can in an attempt to hide the swell of emotions threatening to overwhelm him at Steve's earnestness (the knowing look he sees from both Steve and Loki tells him he didn't really succeed on that front (but then again he's really good at ignoring the moments where emotions start to make a mess of things)). Rather than linger, because he can just feel his cheeks starting to warm, he marches past Steve and out of the room, intent on figuring out where exactly his mother's waiting for him. Again, Steve falls into step beside him, and he can hear the clacking of Aunt Peggy's heels following behind him along with Edwin who has been suspiciously silent this entire time (he'll have to look into that later (because the fact of the matter is is that they've thrown the existence of literal gods and magic into the man's life one right after the other, and that's always cause for alarm when you originally thought they were just fairytales), but for right now he can't let himself deviate from this next step because he's worried he'll fall apart if he does). Loki, of course, is silent as always but Tony just knows that he's there as well (the sense developed on the battlefield after fighting side by side for so freaking long). Muscle memory apparently takes over, because he finds himself leading them to the music room that he remembers his mother using often. It turns out to be a good thing, as that's the room Ana had taken her little group to.

Loki needs no prompting to stride in ahead of Tony as heads turn when they enter the room. Somehow, and Tony's not entirely sure if he imagines it or not, it seems like Loki is exceedingly more gentle with Maria than he had been with Howard. His mother barely manages a small gasp of surprise before she's enveloped in the God of Mischief's magic and her eyes are fluttering closed. Loki makes sure Daniel has a good grip around her shoulders before letting his magic fade away. "That's that done," Loki says firmly. "We merely need to prop them up in the car they returned in and I'll wake them once there."

Daniel gives the god a once over, eyes narrowing slightly. "You'd be Loki Odinson, then?"

Loki raises an eyebrow. "I am."

"Eve showed a snatch of Nidavellir right before the fighting started," Tony mutters in response to Loki's obvious but unasked question.

The god very slightly inclines his head in thanks. "Anyone else?"

Tony blows out a heavy breath. "Lewis, can you keep your mouth shut about Stane?"

His cousin jerks at the abrupt address. "Can I what?"

"Can you keep your mouth shut about Stane?" Tony repeats, barely resisting the urge to drag a hand down over his face. The past couple of hours are starting to catch up with him, and even though this body wasn't subjected to everything that happened on Nidavellir, his mind certainly thinks it was (the multitude of emotions he's fighting off aren't helping either). "In that he was never here and you won't go spouting off anything about how the man tried to kill me, etc, in the presence of my parents for the foreseeable future or possibly forever."

"And if I say no?"

"Then I will ensure that you will by simply locking away your memories that contain that knowledge," Loki drawls, golden-green magic once again swirling around his fingers in what Tony currently thinks is an unnecessary intimidating display (he ignores the fact that he's done similar showy displays for intimidation purposes as well (granted, they all have for various reasons) along with non intimidation purposes because he's extra like that).

Lewis blanches at the threat, but quickly rallies himself (it's impressive but Tony also remembers the Peggy Carter backbone all of his cousins develop later in life). "I can keep this secret for you, Tony."

Unable to completely help himself, Tony glances over at the God of Lies.

"You know how to contact me if he does not," is all Loki says.

He sure does, although he might have to just designate a space on the lawn if it becomes a habit so the yard people aren't constantly having to fight the burn of the Bifrost on the grass. "Alright then, let's get Mom and Howard back into the car so we can be fucking done with this particular mess."

Tony collapses onto a couch in the music room where everyone waited while he, Steve and Loki dealt with arranging Howard and Maria, his mental exhaustion settling heavily over him now that Loki's left and it's just a waiting game until his parents make a reappearance (he's not sure if he's happy that Loki gave them a bit of time/breathing room before Howard and Maria wake up or not, but he'll mull over that later). The cushions sag slightly before he feels Steve settle down next to him (he knows the weight and heat of the man's body like the back of his hand (granted, he knows that about all of their teammates, but it's Steve he's hyper aware of)). He's vaguely aware of Edwin and Ana discussing room logistics, and whether or not Peggy and family are staying overnight, but he doesn't bother paying that any attention until Steve speaks up.

"If you could either put me in a room right next to Tony or even put a mattress on his bedroom floor, I'd greatly appreciate it," the super soldier requests softly.

"What?" Tony squawks without meaning to, flailing back upright to stare at his friend in shock because those are not words he's ever expected to come out of the man's mouth.

Steve drags a hand through his hair with a pained expression. "Tony, I had to sleep with Thor the two nights we were in Asgard, and then bunk with Eve over in England last night because I woke up every single night multiple times thinking I'd just died. I'd really rather not have to run through this entire mansion trying to find you when that inevitably happens to the both of us tonight."

Ah, he hadn't considered that at all. Then again, nightmares are generally something he tries to avoid thinking about, so there's that. Unfortunately, he doesn't think he'll be exempt from similar ones to Steve. And having absolutely no desire to subject anyone not already in the know to the shit that he's experienced (he'd avoid those in the know too, but that ship sailed long before this whole Soul Magic fiasco), there's really only one option left to him (despite how much this'll test his control). "You can sleep in my room. I'll take the couch and you can use my bed."

Of course the idiot man immediately looks indignant at the suggestion. "Tony, I'm not going to kick you out of your bed."

"Steve, you will not fit on my couch. It can barely fit this." He waves his hand at the entirety of himself, because unfortunately he doesn't gain much more height than he already has and Steve has a good half head on him height wise. "My bed is ridiculously large even now because I'm extra like that. It can fit a super soldier. Also, I'm not entirely sure what the state of the floor is, so I don't think we could even fit a mattress in there right now."

"Master Anthony is correct," Edwin interjects. "He is midproject at the moment, so the floor is rather inaccessible for a mattress. I will bring up extra blankets and pillows for you to use tonight, sirs."

"Jarvis, you are the literal best," Tony mumbles, letting himself flop back down. Of course, given how closely pressed together he and Steve are, he immediately feels when the super soldier tenses up, and that can only mean one thing. "They come in?"

"Yep."

Tony groans but heaves himself upright again and then onto his feet. "Well then, let's go get this particular shit show done with because I've just about reached my limit for the day, and I'd really like to hug my mother before then."

Steve shoots him a concerned look that he waves away. "Do you want to wait here or go to them?" he asks instead any other question Tony just knows the man is probably itching to voice.

Tony grumbles nonsense to himself under his breath, but goes to the doorway and hollers, "In the music room!" He faintly makes out the pause of footsteps before the clacking of heels lets him know that at least his mother's heading their way. He backs up just enough so he's not in the hallway but he can still see down it. He can practically feel his breath catch in the back of his throat as his mother rounds the corner, a smile on her lips as she spots him.

"Antonio!" she says happily and Tony feels tears gather in his eyes because it's been such a fucking long time since he's been called that. Since he's heard her voice.

A hoarse, "Mammi," falls from his own lips as he all but collapses into her arms.

She makes a faint noise of surprise, but mercifully doesn't ask him any questions, just holds him and murmurs soothingly to him in Italian as she rocks them back and forth. And that's his breaking point. All the day's accumulated stress (which, unfortunately, is a metric fuckton) just pours out of him as he sobs in his mother's arms. She's as steady as a rock, expertly guiding him back into the music room and to a couch without ever once letting go of him.

"Ti ho, tesoro, ho te."

He feels weak and limp when he finally manages to pull himself back together and raise his head.

Maria doesn't comment on his sudden outburst, just lifts a hand to tenderly wipe away some of the tears he can still feel lingering. "There you are, my darling boy, everything will be alright. We'll fix whatever it is that's troubling you."

That's almost enough to set him off again, but he manages to rally himself. "It's really good to see you, Mammi."

She frowns, likely thinking that they probably saw each other this morning from her perspective. However, she tilts her head slightly and Tony turns (despite not wanting to let her out of his sight just yet) to look back at the doorway where Howard's now standing, eyes darting between his wife and son and Steve who's on the other side of the room.

"Steve?" Howard whispers in mimicry of his first reintroduction to his old war friend.

Steve's face does a complicated twist but he gets out a relatively even, "Hey Howard."

"I don't—I don't understand, how—?"

"You poked at a glowy magical cube that should've just been left alone," Tony retorts before he can help himself. "It came and bit humanity in the ass eventually, and I ended up being part of the group that attempted to clean up the pieces. We failed, rather spectacularly, but given that the glowy cube is magical, some of our friends decided to fix that and landed us here. They also knew where to go to fish Capsicle here out of the ice, so surprise?"

"Tony, that's a horrible summary," Steve says, even with a grin tugging at his lips.

"I am done for the day, Cap," he throws back, taking care to not squeeze the living daylights out of his mom's hand that he still hasn't let go of. "Done, I tell you, and there's only so many times a man feels up to discussing the shit storm that was the last six years for us." And Evelyn's no longer here to relieve some of that burden (not to mention how they're going to talk around both Stane and Evelyn's particular brand of magic).

Steve crosses the room quickly with his ridiculously long stride and drops a hand onto Tony's shoulder. "Then it's a good thing I can tell the story just as much as you can."

Tony sags back into the touch, because he knows that's true, but he also would never ask that of any of their friends (he's still working on that whole asking for help thing Evelyn's been drilling into his head practically since day one). "Please," he mumbles, wrung out and tired. Maybe listening to Steve talk will help cement the fact that the man's no longer dead in his mind (and maybe then his nightmares tonight won't be so bad (he's not exactly holding his breath because he's dreamed of Steve dying countless times already)).

Steve gives his shoulder a squeeze. "Always." And doesn't that just make Tony's insides melt a little bit. "Howard, I'd suggest taking a seat, because this won't be quick." Something in the tone of Steve's voice must have some sort of impact on Howard, because the man surprisingly doesn't pitch a fit. If anything, Howard looks like he doesn't quite know what to do with himself as he settles awkwardly in a nearby chair, eyes still shifting constantly between Tony and Steve. "Alright, so this all started for me when I was taken out of the ice in 2011—"

Three days have done absolutely nothing to settle Evelyn's nerves, and now she's fidgeting with her robes while she paces as they wait to activate the portkey and take her and Sirius to Black Manor. Instead of attempting in any way to try and brave Diagon Alley again, Frigga had graciously offered the royal seamstress's assistance in getting both her and Sirius dressed appropriately for this meeting. Just because Evelyn thinks that a bunch of the pureblood unspoken rules are ridiculous doesn't mean she can't play their game to her advantage.

"Prongslet, you're going to wear a hole in the carpet and your robes," Remus finally says when they have five minutes left.

"I'm worried, okay?" she retorts, pausing briefly in fiddling with her robes but continuing to pace because she just feels the need to move.

"I'm well aware that you're worried, but it's going to do you no good if you work yourself up into such a state that you can't think properly once the meeting is underway," Remus warns.

"And I really need you at your best," Sirius adds, "cause you're the one with the grand plan. Me? I'm just along for the ride."

Evelyn inhales deeply. "Right, okay, right." She throws herself onto the couch Sirius is sitting on, the letter that will be their portkey in his hand. "So, your grandfather."

"A stickler for the formalities from what I remember."

She nods. "Any last guesses who might also be there?"

"No idea. I didn't really keep up with everyone, what with my being in prison and all that, and none of them ever deigned to visit me in my lowly cell, so I haven't the slightest clue who's still alive and who's kicked the bucket at this point."

"Helpful," Evelyn deadpans. "Real helpful."

Her godfather gives her a supremely unimpressed look. "You've asked me that question repeatedly for the last three days and my answer hasn't changed once. I don't see why you seem to think it might change today of all days. I'll fully admit to having a vicious streak, but I'd never do something like that to you, pup. Not about something of this magnitude."

She knows he's right, but this meeting is probably going to be driving her bonkers even long after it's over with. She's never had to attend a House Meeting where she wasn't the Head of the House. And it'd been rather slim pickings for House Black by the time the war was over with. House Potter wasn't even worth considering by then, what with her being the only blooded Potter. She'd been considering asking Teddy before he was due to enter his final year at Hogwarts whether or not he wanted to become a Potter in full, rather than the honorary one he'd been. But then Hela had snatched her away and she'd been thrown into yet another war, completely derailing all those plans.

"'m sorry," she mumbles, burying her face in her hands. "I'm just really worried that this meeting will make things exceedingly difficult for us. Your grandfather specifically sent that letter to me with obvious knowledge that I knew where you were. No one should know that!"

"Yeah, well, you can argue about that with Grandfather all you want momentarily." He condescending pats the top of her head before shifting on the couch, probably turning to look at Remus. "Moony, you good to go for the night?"

Remus' voice is relatively calm when he replies. "Yes, if I haven't heard from either of you by tomorrow afternoon, I'll call for Heimdall."

Evelyn really really hopes it doesn't come to that. Loki will level all of England if something happens to her, and she can't imagine that Thor, Steve, or Tony would be far behind him.

"Fantastic." Her godfather moves again and Evelyn lifts her head out of her hands. She grimaces when she sees the letter he's offering her, but gingerly pinches a corner between two fingers. Sirius smiles grimly and intones, "Toujours Pur," and they're whisked away.

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