The Accords

Friday 6th May 2016

Missouri

Natasha stood at the edge of Clint's property; her eyes focused on the quaint farmhouse the Barton family had made their home. She remembered the last time she had visited the farm. It was just after half the population had been wiped out. Clint had been unresponsive and Nat had feared the worst. Travelling alone to his secluded farmhouse, Natasha had found the property deserted. The only thing she had found to indicate Clint had survived was a scrawled note in his living room stating the words: Leave me alone.

Respecting his wishes, Natasha had left Clint alone, having guessed his whole family had been taken in the Decimation. It was the only explanation as to why Clint had disappeared and didn't want to be found. Of course, a few months later the first reports of Clint murdering people who, in his mind, should have been taken, sprung into her radar. She'd spent years trying to track him down but failing each time, until just before Tony had returned to the Avengers with the solution for time travel.

But now, Clint was at home with his family, not even aware of what the future held. Natasha needed to bring Clint into the fold, and Tony wanted everyone there to discuss the Accords and for a group decision to be made. It was her job to convince Clint to accompany her back to the Compound. She was sure she could.

Making her way across the grass and onto Barton's porch, Natasha knocked on his front door.

"Nat…" Laura Barton answered the door, her face breaking out into a smile.

"Hi… Is Clint home?"

"He's in the barn with Cooper. Do you want to come in?" Laura offered.

Natasha shook her head. "Not today. I need to talk to Clint about something quite important. I may need to borrow him for a while…"

Laura sighed. "Another world-ending threat?"

Natasha winced. "Not exactly… He won't be gone for long. A few days at most. Nothing bad will happen." I hope, she added internally.

"No dangerous mission then?" Laura asked hopefully.

"No, definitely not." Natasha smiled and glanced over towards the barn. "Will it be alright if I interrupt them?"

"It's fine. It's nearly time for lunch. Can you ask Cooper to come back for his sandwiches?"

"Sure." Natasha stepped away. "I'll make sure to come by before we leave to see Nate and Lila."

"Please do, I'm sure Lila would love to see her favourite aunt," laughed Laura, watching Natasha walk across the grass and onto the path which led towards the barn.

The cool breeze air picked up Natasha's shoulder-length hair. She felt calm. She always felt safe on the farm. It was a piece of seclusion she could not receive anywhere else. Many times she had visited the farm just to get away from everything.

The door to the barn was slightly ajar and Natasha stepped inside. Clint and his son were sitting at a worktable, tools scattered around them as they worked. "Hey, boys." She stepped into the light shining through the rafters above.

Clint glanced up and his face split into a large grin. "Nat! What are you doing here?"

"I'm afraid this isn't a social visit." Natasha approached the table. "Hey, Cooper, what's he teaching you?"

"Lila likes archery so we're making her a bow for her birthday. Dad is showing me the tricks of the trade!" grinned Cooper, pushing his chair out behind him to give her a hug.

"My, you are growing big! You've sprouted a lot in a year!"

"You should see Lila," laughed Clint. "She's unrecognisable. She's gone from being tiny to having a growth spurt in a short space of time."

"I promised Laura I'd see both Lila and Nate before I left today." Nat hugged Clint, turning to look back to Cooper. "Do you mind? I need to talk to your dad. Your mum told me your lunch is ready."

Cooper started to jog away, turned back and waved to Natasha. "Thanks, Aunt Nat!"

She waved back, her heart pulling for those words. She hadn't been called 'Aunt Nat' in a long time.

Once Cooper was gone, Natasha turned back to face Clint, who was leaning against the defunct tractor sitting in the middle of the barn. "What brings you here? This isn't a social call, I take it?"

Shaking her head, Natasha sighed. "No, it isn't. I need you to come back to the Compound with me. There are things we need to discuss as a team. There is new legislation coming in called The Sokovia Accords which will affect how we operate as a team."

Clint frowned. "The Sokovia Accords? Isn't Sokovia where Wanda is from?"

"It is…" Natasha hesitated. "The incident with Ultron has caused ramifications. New legislation is coming in to govern the Avengers. Tony has been working with the United Nations with the legislation, however, he is concerned the team will fall apart if we do not work together to ensure the correct legislation is put in place which pleases everybody on the team. We need you for a few days to discuss this. You may not be on active duty for now but you are still one of us."

"And what happens if we cannot agree?" Clint walked around the barn. "I've got a young family, Nat. I can't be on active duty anymore. Does this really concern me?"

Natasha wanted to say Clint would come out of retirement on the words of Steve Rogers alone, just because the man asked, but that hadn't happened yet. This whole meeting Tony wanted to hold was to stop the team from splitting onto different sides. The words she wanted to say would only be relevant if Clint did choose a side.

"It concerns everyone who was and is an Avenger," replied Natasha quietly. "Clint, we value your input. You'll be back before you know it."

Clint laughed. "You've said that before. Then everything has gone to shit."

A wry smile crossed her face. "It won't this time. You coming?"

"Anything for you, Nat."

"Wouldn't be the same without you, Clint," she grinned. "Before we go I need to see Lila and Nate. I'm sure Lila wouldn't forgive me if I didn't say hello to her since I'm here…" joked Natasha, leading the way back to the farmhouse.

Saturday 7th May 2016

Avengers Facility

Everyone was seated around the conference table. Sat in the middle was a draft copy of the new legislation, the Sokovia Accords. Tony sat next to Natasha, the two having decided to present a united front rather than risk being on two different sides of the table. Tony held his tablet in front of him, waiting for everyone to settle before starting.

He was facing Steve with Wanda and Sam either side. Clint sat at the bottom of the table with Rhodey at the head. Vision seated himself close to Wanda.

"Thank you all for coming at short notice," began Tony. "You may or not be aware of new legislation coming in that will affect how we operate as a team." He pointed to the Sokovia Accords in the centre of the table. "This is legislation which has been in the works for a while now, since Ultron. There were whisperings of this after Steve exposed Hydra within SHIELD. But it didn't really reach international attention until after Ultron. The US government wishes for us to comply with the Accords. The timeframe to ratify them is by the end of June. I want to keep this team together, so does Nat. We both propose working together to ensure we sign a version of the Accords which suits us all. No legislation can be perfect for us. There will be things within it we disagree with. That is the way things work in the real world." He focused his eyes briefly on Steve. He would be the one who would object most to this legislation. Tony was expecting it.

Clint folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. "I got the general gist of what the Accords are about. It's about taking responsibility for our actions. You said this only came to a head because of Ultron. The rest of us do not need this legislation to govern us, Stark. It's only you who needs it. Ultron was your fault."

Clint had always been blunt, Tony knew that.

Tony traded a quick glance with Natasha, seeing her roll her eyes at Clint's words. Tony could have let the accusation go, something he would have done if the circumstances were different. He'd never told the Avengers why he had created Ultron in the first place. This was the perfect time to do so, to clear some air.

"Creating Ultron wasn't as simple as you believe, Clint," said Tony quietly. "I wasn't the only one who Wanda got her hands on." He swept his gaze to the young woman who cringed. "I've kept this quiet out of respect for Wanda wanting to make up for her involvement in Ultron. Wanda did use her powers on me when we captured Baron Von Strucker. It was just before I took the sceptre. I saw all of you dead or dying around me, the army from New York heading through another portal to invade Earth." He turned to face Wanda. "That nightmare or vision you gave me was directly responsible for why I reactivated the Ultron Project. Ultron was an abandoned project, deemed too dangerous to proceed with… but that vision? Whatever you did to me, influenced me to take the risk, and in doing so I nearly doomed the entire planet. Sokovia does lie squarely at my feet because I let your mind tricks get the better of me but if you hadn't have done it, I wouldn't have been so insistent on creating an A.I to protect the world. I've created plenty of A.I's and none of them have become a threat to the planet until you messed with my head."

Wanda bowed her head, her cheeks flushing red. "You killed my parents. I wanted revenge."

Tony sighed. This wasn't the time and place to have this conversation yet the others needed to understand. "And you wanted me dead too. Wanda, I had nothing to do with your parent's deaths."

"It was your name on the bomb!" she retorted angrily.

"Wait." Rhodey raised his hands. "You hate Tony because his name was on the bomb which killed your parents? Do you realise how stupid that sounds? You're blaming the man who designed the weapons rather than the people who launched the bomb in the first place! That's…" Rhodey shook his head. "Messed up."

"And those bombs were fake anyway," said Tony. He'd researched it. "None of the bombs I designed were duds. I had a 100% track record. Every single one was manufactured to the highest standards. I learned later, Wanda, that to keep a tidy profit for himself, the man who I thought cared about me, had been betraying me for years. He sold my weapons on the black market, had a side business where he manufactured fake Stark Industries weapons at a cheaper price but still marketed them as the genuine article. It was those weapons which were sold to Hydra in Sokovia. They didn't have a high safety record. When I found out the extent of Stane's betrayal, I shut it down, destroyed all the weapons which were sold illegally. I've been taking accountability for my mistakes for years." He shot Clint a glare. "How many of you have contributed to helping Sokovia since Ultron? How much money did you pay, Steve, to help clear up the damage caused by the Helicarriers? Did you stay and help? Did you contribute at all? I wasn't even involved in it and yet my company, on my direction, actively involved itself in clearing up the messes that have been made by other people! Do not tell me I do not take accountability for my actions. I do it for all of you as well even when I'm not involved!"

Everyone was silent around the table.

Natasha looked at each and every one of them before she finally spoke. "A lot of us have misjudged Tony over the years. This needs to stop. How many of us have offered to help clear up after we've fought somewhere? How many of us have reached out to the public and apologised for our actions? We may be saving the world but a high cost is still paid by others. Tony understands this. He does take accountability for his actions. Becoming Iron Man was his first step at taking accountability. We have to stick together on this otherwise the outcome if we do not could be… catastrophic, especially if we are ever faced with another world-ending threat."

She was referring to the threat Thanos posed to them, not that the other Avengers knew it yet of course.

"What if we disagree with the whole concept of the Accords?" queried Steve.

"Then you are off the team," stated Natasha before Tony could reply. "Whether you like the idea of them or not doesn't matter. They will still become law. A law we will have to obey and if you continue working with the Avengers illegally you would be arrested."

"If I do not sign them, the Accords would not apply to me," said Steve. "I wouldn't have agreed to them."

Tony almost put his head in his hands. "That isn't how the world works, Steve. If its law, regardless of whether you signed them or not, you'd still be breaking them. You'd still be punished for the illegality of your actions." He locked eyes with Steve. "The best thing about these Accords is that there is legislation written into them that those which sign them can request and debate changes to them. The changes may not be passed but our hands are not completely tied. But before we make any decisions we need to discuss them in detail." He held up his tablet, pointed it at a screen to the left of himself and projected his notes on the Accords so his team mates could read them. "I've been consulted on the Accords for the last few months. I am in favour of them though there are parts of it I do disagree with… Overall I believe it is in our best interests to abide with them because if we do not they will be forced on us and we will not have any political leeway at all. Agreeing to work with them gives us an advantage."

Natasha took up the information. "Since Sokovia, one hundred and seventeen countries have been under discussion with the United Nations about whether the Avengers should remain a private organisation or operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel. This could mean we can only operate when we have permission to do so. Tony has been the one who has worked most on this. He bought me into this just recently as he wanted a second opinion before proceeding further."

It was a lie but a convincing one. Sticking together was a priority.

"The Accords do not stop us from operating in our own country. We do not have to ask for permission to act in America. It is when we enter other countries when they haven't asked us for help is the problem. We are entering countries illegally, without going through the proper channels," explained Tony. "This is why I was so insistent on us gaining permission to enter Nigeria. What if something had gone drastically wrong and people had died? What if one of us had made a mistake? It could all come back to haunt us. Having permission to operate in another country helps reduce the risk of us being blamed for any casualties. That onus would then fall on the government who failed to protect their own people. The Accords not only safeguards other countries but it also safeguards us."

Steve cleared his throat. "Why should we have to ask permission to go somewhere where we are needed?"

"It's the way the world works, Steve," answered Rhodey quietly. "This isn't World War II. Society has moved on. If we are to be respected by the international community, we need to be seen respecting their rules and regulations. What if they do not want our help? Are you going to force your help on them because you believe it is the right thing to do?"

Steve bit his lower lip. It was clear what the super-soldier believed.

Tony leaned across the table. "Steve, just because it is something you want to do, doesn't give you the right to force it on others who may not want help."

"Mr. Stark is correct. Everyone should have the right to refuse help." Vision had been observing the proceedings carefully.

Steve sighed, glancing at the others who had yet to voice an opinion.

"Hear me out, please," beseeched Tony. "One of the key things we would need to do is to a sign a register and provide biometric data such as fingerprints and DNA sample. This isn't unreasonable as our fingerprints are already on record. We would have to reveal our legal names and true identities to the United Nations. Most of us are publicly known. We shouldn't have a problem with revealing them. Would this be acceptable to everyone here?" He cast his eyes around the table, watching for the small nods of acknowledgment. "Good. At least we can agree on something."

"I'm sensing there is more in this document we won't be so happy about though," noted Sam.

Tony minutely nodded. "There are some points I disagree with but as I have explained if we sign them as they are, we will have the ability to discuss with the committee other parts of the legislation we disagree with and potentially argue for them to be altered."

"Just because they might agree to talk with us, doesn't mean they will take our concerns seriously," said Steve, glancing at the next screen Tony had projected onto the wall. "I do not like the idea of those with powers, like Wanda, should have to wear tracking bracelets at all times."

"I know. I don't like it either. It's one of the clauses Natasha and I are fighting to get removed from the Accords." It was one they intended to start on as soon as this meeting was over but Tony and Natasha needed the others to know that it was already being worked on, even if it was a bit of a lie. It soon wouldn't be. "We may be able to alter it so tracking bracelets are only utilised in the event of the individual is under probation or being investigated. I'm hoping we can remove it all together but we may need to reach a compromise with the Accords committee on this."

Steve frowned.

"Steve," said Nat quietly. "We cannot have it all our own way. We need to compromise too."

"I'm the only one here who would be affected by that particular legislation," said Wanda quietly. "I have supernatural powers." Her hands flickered with red energy. "I've done so many things wrong in my life that if I need to be tracked if I've done something wrong then I will do it, as long as it doesn't suppress my powers."

Tony felt quite surprised by Wanda's reasoning. This wasn't something they'd covered during their original Accords meeting when Ross had presented them to the team. This time it was different because Tony was taking the initiative himself. Perhaps they would be more open to agreeing to the Accords now they would not feel so threatened by Ross?

Still, Steve was still being quite stubborn. He could tell Rogers was not happy about the legislation at all. He would take some convincing.

"Wanda, are you sure?" asked Steve quietly.

The Sokovian girl inclined her head. "If it helps the people feel safe, Steve, why shouldn't I?"

"You could be betrayed by the government. People could get their hands on you and experiment on you and your powers. All sorts of things could go wrong, Wanda!" reasoned Steve.

Tony sighed. He'd barely gone over the legislation and Steve… He was a brick wall, refusing to budge.

Wanda's lips twitched. "It is a risk I will have to take. I'm done being the bad guy."

"Thank you, Wanda," addressed Tony. He wanted to give her praise. She was being quite reasonable about this. But then she nearly signed before. "We will all be classed as enhanced individuals. This includes Nat, Clint, Sam, Rhodey and I."

"What?" Clint objected. "I have no powers!"

"You have enhanced tech which enables you to pull off feats no ordinary human could. Having the skill you do with your bow and arrow puts you in the enhanced category. Even being a member of the Avengers places you as an enhanced individual," pointed out Tony. "My brain is my power. The amount of advanced tech I have created? My suits enhance me to the point where I can survive circumstances no other human could. Strictly speaking, I am an enhanced individual. All of us are in some ways, regardless of whether we have powers or not."

"Whether we have powers or not doesn't matter. We are all members of the Avengers and the Accords will affect us as a team and therefore we have to abide by them," reported Natasha, leaning forward. "If we break the law or become a threat to the safety of the general public, we can be detained indefinitely without trial."

There was an uproar from Steve, Sam and Wanda's side.

Tony groaned.

"We are working on changing that!" shouted Natasha over the vocal objections from the other three. "That part of the Accords came from Secretary Ross himself. It is a suggestion which is highly unpopular with the majority of the countries who have signed up to support the Accords. This document is a draft and not the official, final version. Both Tony and I have put in for a meeting regarding this specific wording. We should be detained via house-arrest or on bail with a trial pending if one is required. This is one of the few pieces of legislation which will get changed."

Tony could have attested to that if he wanted to. That piece of legislation had been altered. This time, however, Tony wanted to ensure that specific piece of legislation did not make the final Accords. It would make placing the Avengers in the Raft extraordinarily difficult for Ross.

Steve looked doubtful.

"Steve," Tony leaned forward, "please trust me on this. Nat and I are doing everything we can to keep the team together."

"We'd be better off opposing the Accords together," replied Steve. "How can you support something like this when it prevents us from doing our jobs?"

"Because it will be done to us. Supporting is the best option for all of us," said Tony quietly. "We'll at least have power."

"Another important piece of legislation within the Accords which all the countries agree upon is that we would be prohibited from taking action in any country other than our own," continued Natasha, seeking to move the conversation onward. "There are two ways to gain permission to operate outside the US. The first is by giving clearance by that country's government. If that fails we would submit an urgent application to the United Nations subcommittee requesting permission. The subcommittee can overrule the wishes of the government. All the countries have signed in agreement with this legislation. Alternatively, governments can request our aid and we can decide whether to attend or not, or they request the UN committee to dispatch us to them. It works both ways. No government has the power to deploy us outside of their national borders without having the specific permission from the aforementioned pathways. This help protects us, Steve, from operating illegally and keeping not just us safe, but others too."

"If any of us choose to not sign, we will not be allowed to take part in any police, military or espionage activities, even within our own country, or any active missions of any kind," added Tony. "The Avengers would not be a privately owned organisation, which is run by my money now since SHIELD fell. We would be funded by all the one hundred and seventeen nations which are signed up to the Accords."

"What about the countries which are not signed up for the Accords?" asked Sam. "The world consists of one hundred and ninety-five, not one hundred and seventeen."

Tony frowned, exchanged a glance with Natasha. "That… is up in the air. Still under discussion with the nations who are not interested in the Accords. As far as I am aware until the nations agree to implement the Accords, if we did attend any of the countries which are not operating under the Accords, we would be able to act freely."

"Though it would still be best to gain permission before entering any of those countries," added Natasha. "It would show we respect their rules and regulations instead of assuming we are needed or they would be grateful for our help. Not signing the Accords do not mean they disagree with them."

"There are other additions to the Accords which have been made recently which we will not seek to amend," continued Tony, changing the projection on the wall to show a list of other points in the Accords which he felt the others needed to be aware of. "The creation of self-aware artificial intelligence is completely prohibited. This affects me. I've always created multiple A.I's. Only one turned into a super-murder bot and that was due to outside influences. I lost the best A.I I had." His eyes moved to Vision. "But he became something more, something better. None of my other A.I's is a patch on what JARVIS was. But they are all capable of learning. I will maintain FRIDAY and the Accords committee are aware of her role with the Iron Man suit and have authorised her use, as well as approving her for use within the Avenger's Facility and my own homes. This legislation ensures other people cannot create anymore A.I's, and neither can I. If I do, I would have to submit myself to the committee for a review and potential imprisonment."

"The last important piece of legislation is the use of technology to bestow individuals with innate superhuman capabilities is strictly regulated." Natasha glanced at Wanda. "What Hydra did to you and your brother cannot happen to anyone else unless the United Nations approves it. Same with creating more super soldiers." She glanced at Steve. "Using and distributing highly advanced technology is a crime in itself too. Anyone caught doing so without having a legal reason to do so shall be submitted to the Accords Committee and punished to the full extent of the law."

Tony leaned back in his chair, switching off the projection. "Those are the main points we wished to take you through. I've sent you a copy of the draft Accords to your email accounts. Please read them and get back to me on your thoughts and opinions on anything we can fight to change."

"When do they wish to ratify them, Tony?" asked Rhodey. "Do they have a specific date?"

"I'm hearing the end of June. I thought it was the end of this month but we've got just under two months to get the ball rolling on this and set changes in motion."

"Not bad," agreed Rhodey.

Tony cast his gaze around everyone in the room. "Please read them. I want to keep the team together… If we split over this… it could cause ramifications we cannot recover from."

Steve reached forward and picked up the printed edition of the Accords. "I cannot promise you anything, Tony, but I'll read them. We'll let you know."

Tony stood from his chair and folded his hands behind his back. "Thank you."

Everyone filed out of the conference room leaving Natasha alone with Steve. He was looking through the Accords, his frown deepening as he read them. "You disagree, don't you?"

Steve sighed and placed the Accords back on the table. "I disagree. It takes away my freedom to go where I need to be."

She tilted her head to the side. "Even if they do not want your help?" She could see he struggled with the idea people would not want his help.

"I don't – This whole thing is hard. I know what Tony is trying to do. But these Accords will rip us apart."

"Then why oppose them?" she asked. "If you believe they'll rip us apart, the best thing to do, as a team, is to face them together. We need to stand and trust one another to have all of our backs, regardless. Do you trust all of us?"

"I do."

Natasha braced herself. "Then why won't you trust Tony with the truth about how his parents really died? I was there in the old SHIELD base with you when Zola revealed that nugget piece of information. The Winter Soldier murdered Tony's parents. He deserves to know. You told me you would." It was one of the things Tony wanted to happen. He wanted Steve to come to him with the truth. He felt doing so would help their friendship. Even though Tony already knew because he'd already lived it once, he needed Steve to come clean with him.

Steve had the dignity to look ashamed. "He might go after Bucky, Nat…"

"He won't. Tony is a reasonable person. Talk to him, Steve. You want there to be trust within the Avengers?"

He nodded.

"Then keeping secrets isn't going to help us maintain our team. What if Tony found out in the worst possible way?" She was thinking of Siberia and Tony being forced to watch the video of his parent's deaths. Though she knew Tony wouldn't react that way now if the same information was imparted, Steve didn't know it. "He deserves to know. He's always blamed his father for their deaths, for drinking and driving at the wheel when he shouldn't have been. Tony deserves to know the truth, Steve, and the only way he will is if you sum up the courage to tell him. It's better coming from you than me."

Steve swallowed. "I know. I just do not want Bucky to be hurt."

"He won't be," reassured Natasha. Tony wouldn't attack him this time. He already knew what had happened. The point was Steve didn't trust him to tell him the truth. "Trust Tony," she advised. "Trust him to always have your back. And we'll make it through this whole mess with the Accords as a team."

"You really believe Tony will not immediately start hunting Bucky down if I told him?" Steve fidgeted in his seat.

Natasha leaned forward. "I think Tony has too much on his mind now to go off on a revenge mission. If you do not trust him, Steve, with the truth, if this team breaks apart because of your secrets, it will be on you. I'm advising you because you are my friend and it is the right thing to do."

She could only hope Steve would make the correct choice. Until Steve lifted the weight from his shoulders over the secret he kept from Tony, he wouldn't be able to relax. Getting to her feet and walking towards the door, she glanced over her shoulder, her red hair falling in tresses over her shoulders. "Believe me when I say you can trust Tony, Steve."

Steve only inclined his head, his eyes focused upon the document sitting in front of him. He needed to be alone and Natasha would leave him to it.

On Monday morning Tony took his personal jet back to Malibu where Pepper was working out of Stark Industries. She didn't know he was coming. Yet he needed to see her. He could still remember her face as he died; the mask she had worn so he wouldn't see her upset. He'd known she was, known she would break down as soon as he had gone.

But he wanted to see her. He had to fix their relationship before it was too late.

Right now they were on a break. He remembered what had prompted Pepper to come back to him before.

It had been the incident in Siberia. FRIDAY had alerted Pepper as soon as his suit had gone offline. She'd organised a rescue operation. He'd arrived back at the Facility to find Pepper waiting for him, wanting to talk. They'd managed to clear the air between them and moved back in together.

Now things were different.

Siberia shouldn't happen.

He arrived at Stark Industries, marched through the foyer and towards Pepper's office. It was nearly the end of the working day. Politely he knocked on her office door.

"It's open!"

Tony opened the door and walked inside.

Pepper's eyes widened when she saw him. "Tony… I thought… Why?"

Tony stopped in front of her desk. "I'm here to take you out to dinner."

"Tony… we're not…"

Tony sat down, bracing himself. "I love you. Always will. I never say it enough. But I want to say it more."

She was watching him carefully from behind her desk. "Tony… Why are you really here?"

Pepper could always read him. She knew him so well. There wasn't much he could hide from her.

"Pep…" he sighed. "I can't do this without you. You ground me, you keep me focused. I know I've made mistakes, I know I've messed up when I've put the suits before you. There are things I need to do but I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

She sat back straight. "Are you proposing to me?"

He realised the context of his words. "What? No -!"

"So, you're not proposing to me?"

"Ah… damn it… ah, being around you can be so frustrating sometimes!"

A slight smile tugged at her beautiful face. Her hair was tied back in a pony-tail. "Now you know how I've felt all the years I worked for you."

This wasn't working out the way he had hoped it would. How could he tell Pepper about his unique circumstances if they couldn't fix this? Siberia had been the reason they'd got back together. He rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands. "God, Pepper, I want to do you right. I can't give up the suits, not yet, not when the world still needs me, but I can't lose you. You keep me sane. You made me who I am today. Without you…" He bowed his head. "Without you… I'm nothing."

She moved from her chair then, around her desk until she was kneeling in front of him. "Tony Stark, you are not nothing! You are a hero! And I love you too but I can't do this. When you leave on missions I worry you'll die!"

The trouble was her fears were real. Tony had died. He hadn't returned home. He'd left her with their daughter to raise alone. Everything Pepper had feared had come true. "Yet you were so strong…" he whispered quietly.

"Tony?" Pepper's voice was quiet, her expression worried. "What do you mean?"

He bit his lower lip. She shouldn't have heard that. He raised his head, grabbing her hands as they rested on his knees. "Pep… I need to talk to you. Just…" He searched for the right words. "When are you free to come to the Compound?"

"Tony…" She sounded wary. "What is this about? Why are you really here?"

Tony sighed. "Pep… There are things I need to tell you… maybe even show you. Here isn't the right time but I know we haven't been… really… communicating since we decided to take a break… I came because I wanted to see you. And I still want to take you to dinner." If there was one thing he did want to do, it was that. "No strings attached. Just friends, out for dinner."

She tilted her head to the side. "Tony…"

He clutched her hands. "I'm trying, Pep, I really am to be the person who is worthy of you."

"Tony…" She pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms around his upper body. "We're gonna be okay, Tony…"

A flash of Pepper's face in his mind as he lay there dying… Those words triggering the last few moments before he'd died and been brought back. Those words… She'd said them to him then. Now he was hearing them again, only with a different context.

Resting his head on her shoulder, he whispered: "I know. I know, Pep."

They hugged for a while before Pepper finally drew away.

"Something is bothering you," she realised.

Tony couldn't deny it. It was that obvious.

"I'm free at the weekend. I'll fly over this Friday evening. Whatever is going on with you, we can talk about it then," she said.

Smiling up at her, he hugged her again, only briefly this time. "Can I still take you out for dinner this evening?"

"Only if you are paying, Mr. Stark," she replied, a hint of cheek in her voice.

Tony grinned back. "Of course, Miss Potts."

When Tony returned to the Compound a day later, Natasha was waiting for him. She looked worried as he descended from the plane.

"You were gone longer than I expected you would be."

Tony shrugged. "Pepper and I went for dinner. Then I slept on the couch. And then I had breakfast with her before leaving. She's visiting on Friday for the weekend." He lowered his voice so the workers in the hanger of the Compound wouldn't overhear. "We need to figure out the best way to tell her about us. The voices…"

"I know they want us to tell her, to trust Pepper…" Nat seemed doubtful. "Wouldn't it be better if she didn't know you'd died and been sent back?" She pressed.

"Not planning on telling her I died, just that we were sent back to stop something worse from happening." He watched for her reaction, hunching his shoulders a bit. "I'm guessing you're not meeting me here for an update on Pepper…"

"No, I'm not," she answered. She held up a data-pad. "FRIDAY sent this to me twenty-five minutes ago." On the screen was the face of the man who had framed James Barnes for the Vienna bombings originally. Now they had a chance to stop the bomb from happening altogether. "Luck is on our side, we have a location on Zemo."

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***