Steve Rogers was a proud man. Even before the serum, when he had nothing but sickness and pain, he had his pride and wouldn't often let people do things for him. For his mother's funeral, Bucky had offered him a ride, but Steve wouldn't let him help at all after she passed. Even now, when Bucky seemed well adjusted to the future, and Steve was still struggling, Steve wouldn't allow his best friend to help.
So, living off his best friend's girl's family itched Steve in a way he couldn't quite describe. He'd talked it over with Lilian, who he found very easy to confide in, and even discussed some of it with Jon, but Steve hated relying on others for his well-being.
"Talk to Grey about it," Jon had suggested. Lilian and Bucky had said the same things, telling him to take his concerns to Grey and she would help him find something to do with his time. Set him up doing something productive, in addition to studying for his GED.
Grey had brought him up to the Avenger's official training gallery and asked him to help her calibrate it. Steve and Grey spent three weeks working together with Tony and Jim to perfect several training sessions and help adjust the sensors so the virtual opponents would react properly to damage. Steve had had a blast, getting to fight side by side with Bucky again. Getting to fight alongside the Iron Family was a treat as well, even if Steve was still put out, he wasn't the one calling the shots.
Steve felt he was adjusting within the family pretty well, even if he sometimes felt resistant to it.
"How are we feeling today?" Lilian always asked. She said it was important to put names to all the emotions he experienced, as it would help him feel more comfortable expressing them. He wasn't sure about that, but liked her, so, he would always answer.
"Today I am feeling… nostalgic, is that the word? Tony gifted me a few of Howard's old records from the forties, and getting to listen to them, the same way I listened to them back then was wonderful," Steve said. "And next week, Tony's taking B – James and I to visit Peggy, in London."
"How does that make you feel?" Lilian never commented on his struggles with James' preferred name, giving him time and space to get it right on his own. And Steve wanted to get it right – he didn't want to upset his best friend.
"Like I should've listened to James and did my chapter two weeks back, when Natasha and Clint did theirs," Steve said ruefully, looking slightly put out at himself.
"Why didn't you?" Lilian asked, and it made Steve think. Why hadn't he? Tony and Grey promised to bring him the minute his passport was valid. So why had he put it off?
"I… think I just wanted everything to go back to my normal, and thought that by dragging my feet, it would just happen," Steve said after a few minutes of thought. He didn't really like the self-reflection he was required to do in therapy, but sometimes it made sense. He hadn't wanted to adjust to the modern day, so put it off, hoping it would either go away or get done by itself.
"And how do you feel now that it's done?"
"Relieved. Jon sat with me when we did it, helped me get everything done, and explained why we needed everything, and what everything was for. Everyone is like that, I've noticed, explaining why, rather than just expecting it to happen."
"Very different from the army in the forties, right?" Lilian asked, watching as Steve nodded his agreement.
Everything was different from the forties. The people, the values, the priorities. People and their phones – Steve didn't think he would ever understand the attachment to the little device. But it wasn't all bad. When Grey brought him art supplies, he realized they were much higher quality than he was used to and also had much more variety. Steve preferred his oil paints, and his drawings, but Grey brought him paint markers, acrylic paints, oil paints, watercolors, anything he might have even considered wanting. To say thanks, Steve drew her a picture of Stark Tower. Last he'd heard, it was framed and hanging up in her office.
"I didn't like it at first, especially when they were explaining why we needed to do press, but it wasn't that bad," Steve admitted. He didn't like feeling like a dancing monkey, but Jon didn't make him feel like that. Neither did Jayne or Christine, the few times he sat down with the women. He'd been uncomfortable with the idea of being live on TV, but Tony and James had been very helpful, whispering tips and tricks under their breath that only his enhanced hearing could pick up. "I still don't think I like doing livestreams though. Too much pressure."
"Did you tell Grey that? She can make sure you don't have to do them," Lilian suggested.
"We talked about it. I agreed to only do them as part of the team. All my one-on-one interviews are going to be, what did she call it… Pre-recorded? Something like that?" Steve wasn't too fond of those either, but Grey insisted it was important that the people they protect know who they are outside of just Iron Peacemaker and Captain America.
The problem, Steve felt, was that Steve Rogers often got bored, rotating between morning runs, lunch with the boys, afternoons in the training gallery, sketching sunsets or team members in the evening. Sometimes the press was the only thing he could do, and it definitely wasn't his favorite thing. Steve mentioned that to Lilian, asking her for help managing his restlessness.
"Well, you told me that SHIELD offered you a place on their Strike team, didn't they?" Lilian asked.
"I'd get to lead my own team. I'm thinking about accepting the offer, but I want to talk it over with Jon and Bucky first. James. Damn it. Called him Bucky for twenty years, still can't adjust." Steve shook his head, but brushed it off, hearing Lilian in his head. It takes time to change anything. Steve sighed. "I want to talk it over with Jon and James first. See if there's any options for similar within the Avengers Initiative first, then I'll see what SHEILD's offering. Grey was right about Fury's manipulations, and I want to know why before I volunteer to get possibly manipulated again."
"Good for you, Steve," Lilian said proudly. Steve straightened up in pride, knowing that praise from Lilian was sparse, and only given when well deserved. "Don't forget, you can always talk to Pepper, Tony or Grey and talk about options within Stark Industries as well. Although, that might just limit you to working security with Mister Hogan."
"James is pretty happy with his promotion to Vice President of Security," Steve mused, wondering if something like that would be fulfilling for him. Or if he liked the fight too much. "Whatever I do, it'll wait until we're into the New Year. Grey's pretty excited about getting everyone together for the holidays, and I've been invited to Antoine's family, Gabe Jones had a daughter, and I'm so excited to meet her, hear her stories of her dad."
"You like connecting with the legacies?" Lilian knew that having a connection to his past was important for Steve, who was struggling with the lost time. It was different from James, who wanted to move away from his past as the Winter Soldier.
"When I put the plane down, I thought I was dead. I figured everyone else would mourn but move on. Now I have to mourn and move on. It's not as easy as I expected," Steve said, looking forlorn. As morbid as it sounded, Steve was glad he hadn't left behind any family, like James did. Both his parents died in the fifties, and only his sister Rebecca married and had children. Her grandkids were running around Brooklyn somewhere. James' nieces and nephews were still around, even if he'd never met them. "Knowing that they continued on, after me, it helps the grief."
"Grief isn't linear, Steve," Lilian said. "It's like a ball in a box. Sometimes you can't move without getting hit by the ball. Other times, it's just kind of there."
"Some days it feels like the ball is bigger than the box," Steve admitted. After losing his mom, he learned how to cope with grief. You acknowledge it, you accept that it doesn't get easier, it just gets different. Sometimes he thought of his mom with joy, and other times with indescribable pain and sorrow. It was similar with those he left behind in the forties. "On those days, I draw the team from memory. Can't quite get Dugan's mustache right. Or Morita's nose. Katherine, Dugan's granddaughter, sent me a picture of the entire team."
Steve pulled it out of his wallet before he could even think about it. It was the entire team of the Commandos, in their new uniforms, changed to match their elite unit, grinning at the camera. Steve remembered the day. They spent hours in front of cameras, getting individual shots, pretend action shots, and finally, a group shot. Steve demanded Peggy be involved and included, leading to the picture in his hands. Peggy was holding Steve's shield, while the boys held her up. She was laughing, a wide smile on her face.
"You all were close," Lilian said, smiling at the picture. It was good for Steve to have a memento of his time with the Commandos. Something physical he could hold on to, while still moving forward. "Do you think the Avengers will be that close?"
"I want them to be," Steve said brightly, looking at the photo longingly before putting it away. "I think, the Avengers can be an even tighter unit. A true family. And I'm not the only one that wants that. Grey's pushing for it too. It's why we try to have family dinners at least once a week."
"Look at you, Steve Rogers, adjusting to modern day," Lilian said proudly. Steve let out a relieved breath and smiled a little, feeling due pride in his accomplishments. Maybe he could do this. Maybe he really could adjust to 2012 and all the modern day had to offer. He wanted to. Wanted to adjust and become a productive member of the team.
Line Break
"I need to ask a favor," Grey said as she ducked under Natasha's swing, tucking and rolling to get to her exposed back. Grey was just able to smack her calf before Nat had her back on the defensive. "And I need you to consider it before saying yes or no."
"What's the ask?" Natasha was teaching Grey how to fight with batons. The girl had asked for more training, finding herself bored and idle with less frequent missions. It was something Natasha understood. She'd been the same way when she first joined SHIELD.
"Steve has been offered a place leading Rumlow's Strike team, if he accepts, I'd like you to consider joining with him."
"Why?" Natasha never did anything without a reason, Grey knew that, even as she jumped backward to avoid getting smacked in the face. Both women knew Grey wouldn't ask if it wasn't important.
"I want to keep an eye on Steve, make sure he's adjusting, and not backsliding. Here in the tower, it's pretty easy to get swept up in what everyone else is doing."
"And everyone in the tower is in some form of therapy, I'll go if he does. I don't think I'm meant for office work unless I'm undercover," Nat admitted, putting away the batons and reaching for her water bottle. She passed one over to Grey, who nodded her thanks. "It'll be nice to be out in the field again."
"Just don't let Steve slide back into how he was during the invasion. We've worked hard to help him adjust." Steve had been a right ass during the beginning of the invasion, even he'd admitted it. Fury had manipulated him with incomplete character profiles on the team and hadn't done anything to ensure Steve adjusted to the twenty-first century. It led to Steve feeling unprepared and defensive, something they hadn't wanted with all the friction it caused.
"You've done more than help him, you've helped us all, you do understand that, right?" Grey turned to Nat and frowned, "Clint was a mess after the scepter had control over him. So was Selvig. Loki would've been sent back to Asgard to be shoved in prison for crimes he didn't commit of his own free will. Hell, you've got me working on my GED. SHIELD didn't do that for me. Grey, you're kind of a miracle worker."
Grey was all set to brush away the praise. She didn't think she was doing enough but knew that she was working on a timeline of years, not weeks to get everyone happy with their life. Grey often hoped she wasn't doing things wrong, as this timeline looked different from hers every day.
"She's also a pain in the ass," Samantha said, walking in with a tablet and a stack of paperwork. "I need signatures. Hey Nat."
"Sam," Nat said warmly, wrapping an arm around the lawyer in greeting. "How's the law?"
"Unjust. How's the superheroing?"
"Just." The two laughed at an injoke that went right over Grey's head. Grey still smiled, glad that Natasha had friends outside of the combat teams. She remembered how devastated she was after Infinity War. She didn't like to see her look like that – Natasha was most beautiful with a bright, carefree smile on her face.
"I've come to steal away our esteemed director, do you mind?" Sam asked. Grey pouted; sad her training time was up. Despite outright hating it in the beginning, all those years ago, Grey had truly come to love working with the various members of her team.
"She's all yours, I have another session with James here in a few minutes."
"What? I'm gonna miss you two sparring?" Grey asked, pouting. Natasha perked up and grinned.
"Actually no. James and I have decided on a non-violent hobby!"
"Really!" Grey was so proud of her two assassins, picking up hobbies that weren't darts or learning another new martial art. "What are you two up to?"
"Swing dancing," James said as he walked in. It was Grey's turn to perk up, excited for her friends. "The red room made us learn ballet, which is great for discipline, but swing is fun, and still good exercise."
"I'm so proud of you two," Grey said, reaching up to cup James' cheek. "You two have fun, I'm going to go drown myself in paperwork. Alright, Sam, what's going on this time?"
"I've got the Director of the FBI practically up my ass," Sam said as the two left the gym, leaving two Russian assassins alone.
"Bambi helped me find and vet an instructor, they'll be here in a few minutes," James said, plopping down on the floor to stretch. It didn't take him long to limber up, James practiced his gymnastics every week to stay loose. It also helped that Grey loved watching him do it.
"Have you danced since?" Natasha asked, sliding to the floor to do the same. She remembered her ballet stretches like she'd done them yesterday, even though she hadn't danced in a few years.
"Not ballet," James said, putting his forehead on his knee as he leaned to the right. The splits didn't pull anymore, not like when he was first learning gymnastics and dancing at the hands of the red room. "But Grey introduced me to hip hop dancing when she took me to see Step Up 3D in theaters – it was the first movie I saw this century."
"I don't think I've seen it." Natasha, before the Iron Family, wasn't one to do frivolous things like go see movies, unless it was to follow a mark. And even then, she rarely paid attention to whatever was showing. Maybe that was something she could change. She did enjoy watching movies. It might be nice to see one in the theater.
"They had a new one come out – I'll see if we can watch it one day, it's an interesting type of dance."
"Why do you still dance? You don't see it as a punishment?" Natasha asked, switching to her flexibility stretches. After she left the Red Room, Natasha only danced when she failed. And Natasha wasn't one to fail. She had only danced twice since escaping and defecting to SHIELD.
"The chair they shoved me in was the only punishment I faced. Getting to dance was practically freedom. And one of the first things I helped teach Grey was ballroom dancing. She could waltz, but anything harder than that she'd trip. So, it beat out a lot of the bad memories of dancing."
"After watching some of the team at the last gala, we might want to roll out ballroom dancing lessons to everyone, did you see Clint?" Natasha and James had giggled to each other in Russian throughout the previous gala they went to, making fun of the Avengers and their lack of grace when it came to the dancefloor. Pepper and Tony could whirl around the ballroom floor like they were made for each other, and Grey and James were so graceful they looked perfect together. Clint had tried to dance with Jayne, but with neither of them knowing what they were doing, it looked more like a slow dance between middle school kids.
"Did you see Steve?" James countered, causing Natasha to laugh brightly at the reminder. Steve couldn't dance at all, and poor Grey had to lead him around in a waltz.
"Did you forget you'd have to collect your instructor at the front desk?" Clint asked as he walked in with a gentleman that neither assassin recognized. "This is Greg, I'm assuming you're expecting him?"
"Perfect timing, thanks Clint!" James called as he stood up. "Hi, Greg, nice to meet you, I'm James, this is Natasha."
"You two ready to dance?" Greg asked, smiling easily at them. Clint waved his goodbyes and left through the locker room. He was due for a meeting with Christine anyway.
Line Break
"Finance wants another run at the yearly budget," Clint said instead of a greeting as he walked into Grey's office on the sixth floor. James was there, reviewing a set of classified files. "They think they can get it even lower if they cut one of the programs."
"And I've told them that I don't care if we have to expand the budget, we have the funds for that – we're not cutting any program that's designed to help the Avengers."
"We're short three million dollars," Clint pointed out. "Are you going to give us that out of your pocket?"
"No, we're auctioning off the Avengers," James said without looking up. He often chipped in to help Grey with her paperwork. She claimed it was the only way she managed to stay on top of it all.
"No," Clint said. He had no idea what that was meant to imply, but Clint wanted to part of it.
"For dinner," Grey added, noticing the panic in Clint's eyes. "We're hosting a fundraiser, and we're auctioning off dinner with an Avenger. Highest bidder will get a free dinner with their Avenger at Atera."
Grey had gotten the idea from Leverage, the Lonely Hearts Job, and immediately made plans to implement it for the Avengers as a fundraiser. Volunteers only, of course, she wasn't going to force someone to do something they didn't want to do – even if it had the potential to bring in a lot of money.
"Atera, really?" James looked up in surprise. "I thought we were going to Icca?"
"You and I are going to Icca," Grey said, looking over at him. "On a date. The fundraiser is at Atera – they were the first to agree to host it. That's tonight by the way, don't forget. Our reservation is at six."
"It's already three, Grey, did you forget?"
"No, this is the last thing on my to-do list, then I'm going to get ready. Clint, tell me about your archery competition!"
"Oh! It was a blast. We had thirty kids show up, and a dozen teenagers wanting to learn. This one girl was really determined, and really good."
"Kate Bishop?" Grey asked, a knowing smile on her face.
"That's the one," Clint said. "You know her?"
"Not yet, but I'm sure we'll see her again when she grows up a little bit," Grey said. Clint wondered if she was a future recruit for the Avengers.
When Clint first learned that Grey could see the future, Clint was furious. Demanded to know if she saw him getting taken hostage by Loki and the scepter. His rage didn't fade when he learned that Loki had been forced to do it. Clint was still violently angry, could still feel the blue haze in his sleep. Then Grey sat him down, apologized, and told him about what she had seen. He learned that she had no context for her visions, and they never came in order, just pieces that she saw that warned her things were happening.
Clint was still angry, but it was at the injustice of giving a good woman unhelpful visions with no clues, and the outrage at the universe for choosing him and Loki and Selvig to brainwash. He had even apologized to Grey for his initial upset, understanding that it wasn't her fault, and she was doing the best she could with what she had available to her.
"Wait until I retire before you replace me with another archer," Clint teased. He wasn't worried about being replaced, he had too many spy skills that Grey used as Director of the Initiative, and also just as the general person in charge. Pepper would send him somewhere in Stark Industries to get a hint at what the general mood was among employees. Natasha was too well known; Clint was still able to blend in.
"She's like nine, Clint. Kate doesn't join until she turns twenty-three ish. And even then, she will likely join the Young Avengers Initiative, rather than the one we're in." This wasn't the first time Grey had mentioned the Young Avengers Initiative in front of James, but it was the first time Clint had heard of it, and he wasn't a fan.
"You're going to recruit kids to learn to fight?" Clint demanded, outraged. Grey calmly put up her hand. Clint seethed but shut his mouth so Grey could explain.
"No, absolutely not. I plan on making it, so you have to be twenty-one at least to join the Avengers' combat teams. But I can name at least a dozen kids that are going to get powers young and will want to do something to help and won't take no for an answer."
"So, you bring them on board, give them training and then what?" Clint struggled to keep the accusation out of his voice.
"Hope that's enough to keep them out of trouble. Spiderman isn't going to stop being Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman, just because I tell him he's too young. Kamala Khan comes into her powers young and wants to be involved. Clint, if we take these kids in, teach them how to use their powers without getting hurt, we have the best chance of keeping them alive long enough to join the Avengers."
"You're saying they're going to fight no matter what," Clint said, his rage slowly melting. He had been picturing the Red Room, children chained to beds and being forced to kill, even though he knew Grey would never. It didn't stop him from picturing Natasha as they met. Recruited to SHIELD in 2007, she was just twenty three and had barely any real-world knowledge. Her time at SHIELD academy was fraught with trials she'd been trained for, but with habits even SHIELD found abhorrent.
"I'm saying kids are stupid and often want to be superheroes without realizing how painful it really is. I'd rather they learn how to use their abilities in a safe environment."
"You want to protect them."
"Clint, I want to protect everyone. That's why I put on the suit. That's why I demanded a suit, even though Dad didn't want me anywhere near this fight. It's why mom demanded a suit, even though she didn't have to fight with us."
"I still don't think I like it," Clint admitted. The idea of children learning how to fight – like he did, like Natasha did – didn't sit well.
"That's okay. It means you can tell me when I'm overstepping. When I'm asking too much, doing too much."
"You want me to call you out?" Clint asked. SHIELD superiors never wanted to hear the thoughts of those below them. Never wanted to be questioned or hear a dissenting opinion. Especially in Operations.
"Well, yeah. You've been doing this longer than me. I've been doing this for a handful of months. You've been a super-secret spy for years. So, if I start going down the wrong path, I really want people to call me on it. I want to do what's best. But who am I to decide that?"
"You are alarmingly self-aware," Clint said, for lack of anything else to say. Grey just gave him a smile that was too bright and too out of place. He'd seen the smile before, when she was accepting praise, she didn't want. "No wonder people follow you the way they do. I didn't really get it – but I do now."
"Thanks, I think?" Grey said, frowning. Clint just nodded, unable to fully explain how her knowledge of her own flaws made her someone Clint would follow against any army. As long as Grey Stark was in charge of the Avengers, Clint would be a member. "Hey, are you heading up to legal any time soon? Would you run these up to Samantha?"
"Absolutely. And I'll tell finance to sit down and shut up, too. Anyone else?" Clint had been surprised by how much he enjoyed running errands for Grey. Getting to fill his days with something other than fighting or hiding in air ducts. It could be tedious, and Clint couldn't imagine doing it forever, but it was a great thing to fill his time between missions.
"Swing by PR and have them send out the next set of public appearances to everyone, I'd like to knock a few out while we have Thor planetside. I need people to like him before his next disaster strikes." Grey rolled her eyes like she was
"And how long until that?"
"2014, once in a lifetime space event. Don't worry, it's mostly off planet, we won't have to do much," Grey said, waving her hand like she wasn't concerned.
"You're way too calm about potential world ending events," Clint said.
"Amen to that," James said. He'd been so quiet Clint had almost forgotten he was there.
"PR, finance and legal. I'll stop by after, let you know," Clint promised, making himself a mental to-do list to get done before his sparring session with Loki that afternoon.
"Don't forget to eat lunch!" Grey called after him as he left. Clint decided to do that first, walking to the elevator, and requesting the seventy first floor. Perhaps it was bad that he already had a standing order at the pizza place there, but hey. He was a simple man.
Line Break
Janye was very pensive on New Year's Eve, in Malibu. Her mom used to tell her that the evening was to be spent thinking of the things that had changed in the last year. Well Jayne forgot to do it last year, so here she was, thinking back since she joined Stark Industries.
"You seem thoughtful," Sharon asked, handing Jayne a beer. Jayne accepted and tipped it in the direction of the other end of the couch, offering Sharon a spot.
"I used to dislike the Stark name, you know," Jayne said, taking a swig. "Back before Grey recruited me, I thought Tony was… I don't even really know what I thought."
"Before meeting Grey, I was pretty mad with Tony for ditching us so quick," Sharon admitted, sitting down and getting comfortable. Jayne noted that even though it was a family party, Sharon had a gun under her shirt. Jayne was sure she wasn't the only one. "I thought he was avoiding us because we were a reminder of what he lost. Turns out he was just keeping the world's best secret."
"I thought he was a flake, because of how he treated his press events. Grey's first press conference was my first Stark Press Event, and I was laughing at how some of them were still setting up."
"I remember watching that conference, Grey strolled up to the podium and practically called everyone a bitch. The legacies were skeptical, but I knew immediately that attitude couldn't have come from anyone but Tony," Sharon said, a smile on her face. From the first time Grey stepped out of the shadows she grew up in, Sharon had been nothing but impressed with the moves she made, even sending the girl a fruit basket after she threatened Fury over something classified. The reminder made Sharon smile. "Do you remember the Battle for New York?"
"Do I remember aliens crashing New York? No, I think I slept through it," Jayne said dryly, causing Sharon to giggle.
"Fury and Grey got into it, and she actually attacked him. A friend of mine in security got me the footage."
Sharon pulled out her phone and queued up the video. The two women watched with glee as Grey kicked his knee out, dropping him to the floor. She pulled him into a fireman's carry, which had impressed Sharon, who knew it wasn't always easy to carry a full-grown man.
"Wonder what that was about?" Jayne asked as the Grey carried Fury off camera.
"Apparently it was just after Agent Coulson was declared KIA," Sharon said sadly. She'd worked with Phil once, he was a skilled agent with a good sense of humor. Rumor was, the Cavalry had put in for PTO for the first time after she found out. But that was just a rumor.
"Grey adored Phil. Named him family after their second meeting – not something she does lightly." Jayne was surprised Grey hadn't decked Fury, she looked so furious after Phil's death.
"Not something she does inaccurately either," Sharon mused. "I wonder if she saw something he was supposed to do but never got the chance. That whole invasion was a shit show, from beginning to end. Complete disaster. Did you all ever figure out who authorized a nuke?"
"That's a director question, although I'm sure she was working on it with Fury, or perhaps the CIA. She had a call with Petraeus shortly after the battle and has a standing monthly call with him. But that's all I know," Jayne said. "All I'm allowed to know."
"Fair enough. Clearances are a bitch. I forget all the time that Grey outranks me. Not surprised she brought James in on it," Sharon said.
"He does have the most espionage experience in this room," Jayne said.
"And don't you forget it," James said, startling both women by appearing behind Sharon. He winked at them, handed them full beers, and walked away again, their empty beer bottles in his hand.
"I hate that," Sharon said, taking a sip of her new beer. She watched the assassin walk away, pausing to check in with everyone he passed as he did.
"He does that all the time at the tower," Jayne said, shaking her head fondly. "He's trying to teach Henry to do it too, be super sneaky, but Henry can't get through doors silently like he can."
"I really think he just has the power to slide through shadows," Sharon pouted. She was stealthy, able to get in and out of places before people realized where she was. But James was in an entirely different league. "What do you think the new year is going to bring?"
"Hopefully a break for Grey. She's gonna work herself into the ground if she's not careful," Jayne said, watching where Grey was chatting with Katherine and Brian. They each passed over a folder labeled classified. James swooped in and took the files, replacing them with drinks. James had clearly been assigned host duties, and was definitely enjoying himself, based on the pleased smile.
It was still early in the evening, not even ten at night yet, and everyone was there. Well, everyone except Steve and Trip, who were in North Carolina with Trip's family. Jayne and Sharon watched everyone, watched as everyone mingled with everyone.
Natasha led Sam Wilson around and listened to him tell stories about the birds, sharing her own few stories that she thought worth sharing. Pepper was surrounded by the legal team and Christine, likely talking about babies. Tony was with Bruce, Jane and Erik, talking about something, waving his hands wildly around while Bruce held his drink. Selvig was taking notes, and Jane was correcting an equation on the window.
"Well, I'll say this; if this family gets any bigger, I'm going to demand nametags. There's only so many people I can know before they start getting jumbled. Like the new people, when did we gain those three?"
"Grey recruited them after the invasion. They're friends of Thor's," Jayne explained, remembering putting together their character profiles during the Battle of New York. Stark Industries created an entire department to bring the two doctors on board, shelling out nearly a billion dollars on brand new equipment to set up labs to their specifications. "The shorter one is Jane Foster, Thor's boo. Her best friend, Darcy Lewis seems a bit… comic relief. Dr Selvig was the scientist working with the tesseract before the invasion. He got whammied by the scepter too."
"Damn. Poor guy. Barton got fucked by that thing, and he's had training. Selvig's gotta be looney toons."
"Xanax for days, I'm sure," Jayne added, giggling, before quickly shaking it off. She knew it wasn't anything to joke about – the idea of being brainwashed or controlled like that scared the pants off her. "I kinda hate knowing some of the dark parts."
"Security clearance is a burden, but a necessary one, if we're to protect people. Now if only the Rising Tide could understand that we might be getting somewhere." Sharon sneered behind her beer bottle.
"What, mighty SHIELD can't handle a cyber-attack?" Jayne teased, earning a glare from the spy. Then Sharon had to concede defeat – if there was an intelligence agency out there that should be able to withstand anything, it should be SHIELD. They both ended up giggling.
"I'm surprised we haven't tried to recruit the Rising Tide crew that keeps trying to hack us," Sharon said. SHIELD had a habit of recruiting anyone with skills, and worrying about their loyalty later. Natasha immediately came to mind, as did the super classified project paperclip Sharon had heard about once. Bringing Nazi scientists to America to continue their research – it disgusted her.
Line Break
"And we are finally alone," Grey sighed as she flopped on the couch in the living room. The last of the visitors had left; Brian and Lizzie bringing Darcy, Erik, and Jane back to England with them. Sharon had left hours prior, driving the birds to the airport. Happy had taken the Avengers to the airfield where the Stark Jet was waiting to take them back to New York. "When did we adopt so many people?"
"That was a lot of people to cram in this house – I think we're going to have to do holidays in New York from now on," Tony agreed, picking up Grey's feet so he could sit on the couch with her. "Why'd we do it here?"
"Warmth," Grey reminded him, closing her eyes and throwing a hand over her face. "And seasonal depression. It's much better to be here than in cold and dark New York. Can we get sun lamps put in the common areas?"
Grey and Tony were constantly looking for ways to improve the tower, sunlamps, lower shelves, a water tap for filtered water in the living room, so one didn't have to go all the way to the kitchen to refill their water. Anything they could think of to make things better for the people who lived there.
"Yes, definitely. Jarvis, remind me to look into that when we fly back out. How much longer are we out here anyway?"
"I have Marvel commitments through February," Grey said. "At the very least, I have to stay here."
"We'll stay with you," Pepper said, dropping into Happy's armchair with a cup of coffee. "I can do everything I need from the LA office. And you're right, it is nice to be back here where it's warm."
"We do have to fly out for the inauguration," Tony reminded everyone, causing a groan from his daughter. "Ellis wants us to be up there with him, as representatives of the Avengers, and the Iron Family. It's the three of us, plus Rogers. I've got a stylist meeting with Steve next week to get him in an appropriate tux. Army still won't let him wear the dress uniform."
"Army won't let Steve claim to be Captain unless he goes back to the Army. The Army won't let Steve come back because he's a super soldier, and America's enemies would throw a conniption if they let a super soldier fight for America. It's a disaster," Grey whined. As Director of the Avengers Initiative, she'd been the one arguing back and forth with the Army over Steve's rank. She'd barely been able to get him veteran's benefits, even though he was the most famous veteran in the world. "What if he just wore his Captain America suit?"
"Unlikely to work – Captain America is contracted with the UN, not any American anything," Tony reminded her. Grey groaned again. "Cynthia is flying out to meet us in DC, she'll dress us there. After the inauguration, we have dinner with Ellis and his wife, and the VP and his wife."
"Great, another fancy dinner. Will the food at least be good?" Pepper whined, looking over at her husband.
"Better be," was all he said. "If not, we hit McDonalds on the way back to the airfield."
Media Break
A Day of Renewal: Matthew Ellis Sworn in as 45th President of the United States
Catherine Hale, Independent Political Correspondent
Washington, D.C. — Under clear skies and the watchful gaze of thousands, Matthew Ellis was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, marking the start of a presidency defined by unity, pragmatism, and hope. With his hand on a family Bible, Ellis took the oath of office, setting the tone for a day of historic significance and patriotic celebration.
A Historic Moment
The ceremony, held on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, was attended by an estimated 700,000 people who braved the January chill to witness history. Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts, presided over the oath, as Ellis promised to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Among the notable guests were members of the Avengers and the Iron Family, including Captain America himself, Steve Rogers; Tony Stark, known to the world as Iron Man; Pepper Stark, CEO of Stark Industries; and Margaret Stark, Director of the Avengers Initiative. Their presence underscored the partnership between Ellis' administration and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, a relationship forged in the wake of the Battle of New York.
Margaret Stark, who was recently named Time magazine's Person of the Year, shared her thoughts via Twitter:
"Grateful to witness history. Let's work together for a better future. #InaugurationDay"
Ellis' Inaugural Address
President Ellis' inaugural address focused on themes of resilience, cooperation, and progress, calling on Americans to unite in the face of challenges. He pledged to prioritize job creation, renewable energy, and comprehensive healthcare reform while fostering global partnerships.
"America's strength lies not in our divisions, but in our unity," Ellis said, drawing applause from the crowd. "Let us rise to the challenges before us, not as partisans, but as Americans, ready to lead the world with courage and compassion."
His speech, delivered with a steady confidence, resonated with many attendees who were eager to see a shift in tone after a divisive election cycle.
A Star-Studded Celebration
The inaugural ceremony featured stirring performances, including a soulful rendition of the National Anthem and a patriotic medley by a youth choir. A highlight of the day was the inaugural parade, where marching bands, cultural groups, and military units celebrated the nation's diversity and resilience.
The Avengers were a quiet presence, seated in the VIP section alongside dignitaries, former presidents, and international leaders. Captain America, Steve Rogers, was seen shaking hands with veterans along the parade route, a moment that drew cheers from the crowd.
Evening Elegance
The day concluded with several inaugural balls, including one honoring members of the armed forces and their families. President Ellis and the First Lady danced to a classic tune, setting the tone for an administration rooted in respect and service.
A Hopeful Beginning
Ellis' inauguration was celebrated as a hopeful turning point, with many expressing optimism about his ability to bridge divides and address pressing issues. International leaders sent congratulatory messages, voicing a shared commitment to global collaboration.
Margaret Stark and Pepper Stark, both vocal advocates for renewable energy and social reform, have hinted at potential partnerships with the Ellis administration, particularly in areas of clean energy and disaster response.
For the thousands in attendance and millions watching worldwide, the day symbolized a fresh start. As Ellis begins his presidency, the nation looks forward to the promise of unity and progress in a world that continues to evolve.
RomneyOfficial: "Congratulations to President Matthew Ellis on his inauguration. While we differed on policies, I wish him success in leading this great nation."
VoicesUnheard: "Ellis: 'America's strength lies not in our divisions, but in our unity.' A line for the history books. #Inauguration2013"
YoungProgressive: "Ellis' focus on bipartisan collaboration is what we need. Loved his call for compassion and courage. #Inauguration"
LadyLibertyFan: "Matthew Ellis' speech gave me goosebumps. Ready for four years of hope and hard work. #InaugurationDay"
SuperheroSightings: "Steve Rogers shaking hands with veterans at the parade = my heart melting. Captain America is truly one of us. #InaugurationDay"
QueenOfHeroes: "Margaret Stark looked like royalty today at the inauguration. Always poised, always making an impact. #IronFamily"
LibertyAndJustice: "Seeing Captain America at the inauguration just feels right. Steve Rogers watching democracy in action after all these years? Chills. #InaugurationDay"
StarkIndustriesWatcher – "Margaret Stark might be the only billionaire I'd trust to run the country. She's at the inauguration, but you know she's thinking about how to improve things already. #FuturePresident?"
HardLeftNews – "Billionaires at the inauguration always make me uneasy. Tony and Margaret Stark are some of the better ones, but let's not pretend they don't have massive influence. #MoneyInPolitics"
Line Break
"So, what is this suit?" Tony asked, pulling up the specs for the most recent Iron Man suit. Mark forty-two was going to be something great, Tony could feel it in his bones. He just needed Grey to tell him what to build. Grey went over to it and started pulling it apart. She removed the helmet, then dissected the suit at all the joints. "It's scrap. Got it. Care to explain?"
"The suit assembles and disassembles around you. They've each got a repulsor in them – so I'll leave powering it up to you, that's science shit and I can't pull that," Grey said, shaking her head.
"You know you have an honorary PhD, right?" Tony asked, looking at Grey over the suit's hologram. "I've already got it framed, and it's hanging up in the common area. MIT didn't even want to wait until IUPAC verified it. They did, 'cause Pepper insisted, but yeah, kiddo. You've got a PhD."
Grey laughed. She laughed and laughed until she had tears in her eyes and had to sit down. She laughed so hard she almost choked, and started coughing, startling Dum-E into bringing her a water bottle. Grey accepted it while rubbing her throat with the other hand.
"I barely completed my associates, how the hell can I have a PhD?" Grey asked. She twisted the top off the water bottle, and took a swig, clearing her throat again until the sensation was gone.
"I was stuck in a cave, and you took knowledge you had available to you, and synthesized an impossible to synthesize element. You wrote a paper for it; to validate the discovery, Pepper and I just submitted the paper to MIT. They said you didn't need to defend it, because you weren't doing it as part of a program, sent us the official PhD documents."
Personally, Tony presumed some form of nepotism went into the lack of needing Grey to defend her thesis, but since neither he nor Pepper were the ones pulling the strings, he wasn't going to say anything about it.
"Dad, that was two, almost three years ago," Grey pointed out. "I also didn't write or submit anything to anyone. That was most likely Jim."
"IUPAC doesn't move quickly." Tony had wondered if Pepper had been the one to send it all off to IUPAC; she was still taking it personally that Grey didn't finish out her bachelor's degree. Tony personally didn't care one way or the other – Grey had proved time and time again that she was smart enough to hold her own in nearly any situation.
"Ew-pac? What's that?" Grey asked, shaking her head. She felt like she was drowning. Her dad was telling her she had a PhD. She wouldn't believe it if the head of MIT himself told her. Not to mention she had no idea who IUPAC even was and had no recollection of sending anyone her paper on the Starkanium. She remembered writing one – Jim had practically insisted on it, even helping her with the formatting and the APA style.
"International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. IUPAC. They verify all new elements discovered or created." Grey still had no idea what they were talking about. She was a college dropout, for crying out loud, she couldn't accomplish anything.
"So, I'm also Doctor Stark now?" Grey questioned, looking at her dad with bewilderment clear on her face. It took a lot to throw Grey, but this was definitely something she hadn't seen coming. "I can't accept that; I didn't earn it. No. I'll stick with being director, at least that I've worked for. Let's get back to the suit."
"If you insist," Tony said, having no plans on letting Grey bury her achievement, especially the discovery and creation of Starkanium. She had done that for him, and he was determined to see her celebrated for it. He knew his daughter well enough to know exactly where her thoughts had gone, too. "But you really have to stop thinking of yourself as a college dropout, you graduated. You walked across the stage in Oxford, and they gave you a degree. Grey, kid. You've gotta leave your past behind you. You're not that girl anymore. If I'm not the same billionaire playboy, you can't be the same scared girl you were in 2010."
"I feel like I'm playing a character in a TV show. I don't feel like me anymore, none of this is me, it's all Margaret!" Frustration leaked through, and Tony could see it plain as day. His daughter was struggling. He would have to talk with Pepper, see if she could shed any light, or give any ideas on how to help their oldest.
"Then change Margaret to fit Grey. I know Margaret was supposed to be a stage character for the press, it's not your fault that this ended up this big. Not even I expected all this," Tony said gently, sitting on his stool and wheeling over to Grey. He took one of her hands in his own, and sighed, waiting for her to look at him. "You are my daughter. You can be whoever you want to be. You can change who you are, at any time. And I will support you. And Pepper, and Jim, and Happy will support you. Jayne and Christine will help you, and James will still love you."
"I'm just tired. Can we take a week this summer – go do something fun as a family?" Tony could see how tired she was. He had seen her, staying up late to read reports, and get up early to start training so she could go back to her reports. Tony wasn't even sure what reports she was reading, or what she was doing with the information, but every day Clint was bringing her more reports.
"You want to do drinking around the world, at Epcot, right? What if we did that this summer? You, me, Pep, Morgan, James and Jayne. I'll watch Morgan, you and the girls can relax, drink and have fun." Tony patted Grey on the knee and stood up, holding out a hand for her. "Now come on. Let's do some fun science, and work on this suit. Tell me what you know."
"You designed the suit so you can pilot it virtually. You implant these something-or-others under your skin, and set up specific motions to summon, assemble, or shatter the suit. Downside, you accidentally call the suit in your sleep during a nightmare and scare the shit out of mom," Grey said, recalling the first few scenes of Iron Man Three. Her memory was starting to get hazy, and she couldn't quite recall it perfectly, but she remembered Jarvis being snarky about a safety briefing. "You will allow Helen to assist you in implanting the whatevers. Got it?"
"Yes ma'am," Tony teased, nodding to show he was taking it seriously. "I also have an idea for a suit for construction needs, something to stabilize a falling building."
"Yes, get that in production too, that sounds like an important suit to have for any repairs we'll need to do in the future. Can you do both?"
"Well, you said Christmas, right? I have a year," Tony pointed out.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it, I fucked up the timeline. I could've sworn it was… whatever, what do I know?" Grey sucked her teeth in frustration for a moment, before shaking it off. She knew from the beginning that she was going to make mistakes on the timeline, especially working exclusively from memory and her google drive. She longed for a chance to watch all the movies again.
"You know more than me, boss," Tony said, looking at his daughter. He smiled at her and watched as she relaxed to smile back. "Come on. You've told me all you know, let's grab mom and Morgan, have something to eat and watch a movie, yeah? I got you the Hunger Games on Blu-ray."
"And James just finished the book! Perfect!" Grey said, cheering up. "Is he back yet?"
"Sergeant Barnes and Colonel Rhodes arrived back home approximately ten minutes ago, Dr Stark," Jarvis said, a teasing tone as he called Grey doctor. Grey gaped at the ceiling in mock-outrage, before tossing her hair over her shoulder and pretending to storm out of the lab. Tony laughed and followed after her, absently waving to Dum-E, and to Jarvis to shut off the lights.
Line Break
Grey woke up late. That was unusual, as typically, even on her days without training, she was up at four or five in the morning to go over reports, make secret phone calls, or argue with the heads of other intelligence agencies. However, James was out of the country on business, and Grey no longer slept well alone. So, this specific morning, a few days before Valentine's Day, James had asked Bambi to shut off all her alarms and let her sleep. So, Grey woke up, groggy and confused at ten in the morning, to an empty house.
Lyn had left a light meal sitting on the counter covered in foil, and Grey made herself a mug of coffee to drink while she browsed the news, searching for any sign of the Mandarin that Jim was chasing.
"Okay, that's enough me time, Bambi, where is everyone?" Grey asked the bottom of her coffee mug. She had a rare day without meetings and wanted to spend it with her family – she felt like she hadn't seen them in weeks, despite just having a meeting with Pepper. Despite them living in the same house, Grey was so busy it ended up a virtual meeting.
"Your parents are in the lab; mom is watching dad work on the new suit." Grey nodded and shuffled down the stairs, taking the hidden staircase in the kitchen, rather than going through the living room. "Dr Cho is with them to supervise the implant process."
"Ouch!" was the first thing Grey heard as she punched in her access code to let herself in the lab. Dr Cho was standing over Tony with a pressurized syringe, injecting his forearm with something.
"Oh, morning, Grey," Pepper greeted, taking down the Christmas tree in the lab. She was carefully boxing up ornaments to go back in storage until the next holiday season.
"Forty-eight, you are all set, Tony," Helen said, gently wiping away a spot of blood. "Calibrated and ready to go."
"I have taken the liberty of preparing a safety briefing for you to entirely ignore, Sir," Jarvis said, causing Pepper and Grey to giggle. Grey crossed the room to help Pepper, wanting to pack up the last of the Christmas stuff before it tempted fate.
"Which I will," Tony said brightly. "Thank you, buddy."
"Are you really going to test the suit today, dad? You've been awake for nearly forty-eight hours – you know the rules."
"I'm going to test the suit up, then let Jarvis run all his tests and recalibrate the suit. I'm not planning on taking it out for a test flight – I know the rules."
"Dum-E, time and date stamp that video, for us," Pepper said, shaking her head. She wouldn't argue with him – this time. He'd asked Helen to come out for the nano-receptors implantation; she was staying for the week as well, Jim wanted to take her to a Korean restaurant downtown for Valentine's Day.
"Good evening, and welcome to the birthing suite," Tony said to the seven suits that were in showcases. He winked at the camera, then the women in his life, before turning back to the camera. "I'm pleased to announce the imminent arrival of your bouncing bad-ass baby brother. Mark forty-two, autonomous prehensile propulsion suit test. Initialize sequence."
Tony tapped his fingers against his thumbs in a specific pattern, waking up the suit. The various components lit up on the workstation table, starting with his right-hand unit.
"Bambi, drop his needle," Grey called out when Tony pointed at the record player. Some funky Christmas music started playing. Tony danced along for a moment, then tried to summon a piece of the suit. It didn't work, causing him to bite, then smack one of the receptors in his arm, causing Helen to wince. Finally, the hand unit powered up and flew toward Tony, sliding onto his hand and quickly encasing his arm up to his elbow. The shoulder piece followed, covering his entire right arm in two pieces. Tony summoned the left-hand piece with a smile and a laugh.
"Alright, I think we got this, send them all," Tony said, waving his hands in the programmed way to bring the entire suit. The left leg went first, attaching at the knee and covering him from toe to hip. One piece flew into the case of the original War Machine suit and got stuck in the glass. Tony turned to look, and nearly had his head taken off by a piece that flew at him too fast. He threw his right arm up to protect his head. "Probably a little fast, slow it down."
Grey and Pepper watched with Helen from a safe distance, Grey and Pepper ready with their own repulsors on their hands in case a piece of the suit flew at them. Helen stood, protected, between the two of them.
"I think this is a little fast, let's slow it down," Pepper called out, watching a deflected piece of the suit shatter a light, and take out a piece of exposed piping. Tony ducked as that piece came after him again, bouncing off the wall.
"HA!" Grey cracked up as the groin protection piece smacked into Tony, almost causing him to double over, only for the back piece to send him flying forward. He used the repulsors in his palms to catch himself midair. The three women were laughing as Tony finally suited up, almost completely, he was just missing the mask, and his butt was still out – not that they believed Tony noticed.
"Come on, I ain't scared of you," Tony told the mask as it hovered in the air, almost like it was watching him. Tony had to do a flip in the air, as the mask hit the table and was coming at him upside down. He finished it off with a superhero landing that even Grey had to admit was pretty cool. "I'm the best."
Until the last piece of the suit got unstuck from the War Machine's case, and flew at Tony, shattering the suit back into pieces, and sending Tony clattering to the ground, only wearing the helmet.
Pepper raced over to make sure he was okay, pulling off the helmet with ease, while Helen had to hold Grey up, she was laughing so hard. Grey's face was red as she laughed so hard, she stopped making noise. Helen guided Grey into a chair and went to check over Tony, making sure he was okay and not concussed.
"Maybe skipping a night of sleep wasn't the best idea, hmm?" Pepper asked softly as she helped Tony sit up. "Especially for lab work. Come on."
"Yeah, alright, that's fair. Ouch. Ugh, I'm gonna be sore tomorrow."
"Hey, be glad Barnes is still in Singapore," Grey put in. "At least we don't have training tomorrow."
"Wait, I thought James was back tomorrow – has that changed?" Tony asked, confused.
"Turns out the head of security for that office is an even bigger idiot than the old director. James fired him and is looking for a replacement. He's filling in until he chooses someone." Grey hated that he was gone, but knew it was important for the company. They face-timed any time they both had five minutes clear. "Shouldn't be more than another week, then the head of the South Korean security office is going over to train the new hire."
"Glad to see him and Happy are working together well. We've never had the company this secure," Tony said, climbing to his feet. He let Helen flash a light in his eyes, let her check his pulse, and smiled at her when she nodded, giving him the all clear. "I knew Happy would love the promotion – I feel stupid for not thinking how much James would like it."
"President and vice president of Stark Industries Security. It's been a good few years," Pepper mused, brushing off her pants. "And the company is doing great – have either of you looked over this quarter's projected profits?"
"I have not," Tony admitted, but Grey nodded, showing she had. Of course she had, the Avengers Initiative needed good profits to have a good budget.
"Twice last years' projected profits. If this continues throughout the year, I'm doubling everyone's year-end bonuses, for 2013," Pepper said. Her eyes were bright, showing her excitement, even as she led everyone out of the labs.
"You know Jarvis probably sent James, the footage of that suit up, right?" Grey added, nudging her dad with her elbow. He flushed, knowing James enough to know he was going to be teased for that for ages. "He's going to crack up when he sees it."