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Fandom Red and Blue (Marvel RP)

At the mention of Laura she placed her hand on top of Clint's, reminding him she was there. Of course she had known that he had told him about her. Loki had misunderstood their situation as Clint cheating. Fool. If Clint had told him everything about them, he should've known it was not romantic love that bounded them. Part of Natasha even wondered if she ever were able to feel something like that again. The Red Room had punished her and James for being...being human. For feeling something else than their duty for her home country. Her love had been punished for something she had sparked in both of them. She had initiated the romance to begin with. Looking back it had been so foolish but it had been what her heart had wanted. The younger version of her had been full with ideals and wishes.
Almost too easy she pushed those feelings aside. It was almost robotic like, she became when it was about a mission. The way the Red Room had taught her since she was just a small child.
"It's okay, Clint. Move away from Loki. What do you hear? Is there something that stands out? A busy street, a train coming by regularly or anything?", she asked him soothingly and kept her hand on his. It was the reminder that should ground him to her. It was just a memory. She knew the feeling of being mind controlled all to well. The moment she had found about Clint being brainwashed she had rushed to help. Clint was too pure at heart to be corrupted like that. If it had been possible, she would've swapped places with him. He had gone through too much already in his childhood. There was no need to add this on top as well.

Peter waited for some sort of reaction. He looked curiously at the drawing and frowned. He recognized the mask and the woman. She looked like a twisted version of Stark's girlfriend. Stark stumbled away and Peter crinkled his mouth. "I'm really sorry, Licia. But I gotta go.", he kissed her cheek and called over his shoulder "I'll make it up to you. Promise!" He ran after Stark and easily caught up to the man as he walked around the corner.
"You are aware that the Avenger facility is around 10 miles from here but the other way around?", Peter chimed in and tried to get the man to do a 180. It was on the North part of the city after all. "I know you said that you could do it alone. But school sucks anyways, I would prefer going back to my Stark Industries job. At least it pays something, doesn't it?", he spoke almost trying to sound too careless. But it was true. Who needed school anyways if you could be an Avenger? Peter did want to be an Avenger like really, really bad. Whether the others liked it or not. He would just need to make sure no-one would get to know about his identity. So May and Alicia were safe. He couldn't...not a second death because of him.
"This is yours, I believe. I don't know how it got into my locker at school... But I think you might want it back. I don't really have a good history with keeping my phones alive.", he said and outstretched the phone which had him as lock screen.

Wanda beamed at her brother and wrapped her arm naturally around him. "Just because you're a few seconds older than me doesn't mean you can suddenly become protective, Pietro.", she teased but seemed so happy that her brother had agreed to come along. Of course a small smile of her had known that if she pulled the "then I'll do it alone" card he would come along. But he didn't need to know.
Suddenly she looked towards the farm. "Does anyone know where Vision's at?", she asked sounding hopeful but added perhaps a bit too quickly "I'm sure Stark would like to see him. We might need his help as well."

"You would've had the time of your life. Honestly it was crazy.", Steve remembered and grinned at Bucky. It was the same shit eating grin that always happened before he had gotten in troubles with bullies before all the madness had started back in the days. Right now he seemed so much more like his best friend and Steve was relieved. Perhaps there was hope in getting him back to normal after all.
"We're gonna borrow a car.", Steve simply replied. Of course borrowing meant stealing in this case. But they needed to move fast. In a kidnapping each minute counted and he could already see Stark going crazy on his own. So they needed to get moving. "I saw a big enough a few miles down the road.", he said and added "With some luck it's still there. I saw it on my morning run."

Loki squeezed the man's neck harder cutting off the oxygen to finally shut off his laughter. It was annoying at best and he simply wanted silence from it. His eyes were cold and he ignored him. "We have done nothing to push my plan forward. I start to believe you have your own agenda, clown.", he bit back.
Loki's arm didn't even move as Harley shook on his arm. Her pleading seemed to fall on deaf ears as he stared at the man. Eventually he looked unnerved at the woman. "You are going to be better without him.", he said but something about the way she looked at him made him stop. But he pushed the Joker away from him hitting his head harsh against the wall. Midgardian's body were ridiculously fragile - with some luck it would kill him. "You will not touch the child inside the woman's womb again. Otherwise you are dead.", Loki said and it was obvious that he wasn't joking about it. "Thank your gods that Doctor Quinzel was here."
 
"I hear... Absolutely nothing. It's quiet. I can see his face and he smiles at me... Tells me he will make me do things... And that I don't have to regret them...", Clint murmured and focused on Tasha's voice. She was real, the memory was long gone.
"I am a message... He'll come back..."
What was that now? He had never heard that sentence before. Maybe he still had...
Steps, a man... A moment, Clint had trouble to keep reality from his dream. He was reaolly damn tired, still.
"HANDS OFF MY FRIEND!", the god of thunder demanded, swinging his hammer through the air. Clint jumped up and reached for his bow, which was right next to him. He had it ready to shoot, as he recognized the man in front of him.
"Thor...?", he asked and looked at Natasha, who looked just as surprised as him, "What the heck arou you doing here?"
"I traced my brother's magic. Knowing that he had escaped from the dungeon of Asgard, I came to Midgard immediately to offer my help and..."
"Save our asses...?", Clint concluded, "Well, if you could trace his magic until here, do you think you can find his hideout? He's got Pepper."
Clint had never been so relieved to see the god. If Thor could find his brother, he wouldn't have to go through this torture any longer. He sighed and massaged his temples. Even after all that time, he still had headache thinking about the mind control. Maybe that was a psychosomatic thing, but it was annoying.
"I may be able to find him...", Thor replied slowly, "But tell me first, who of you is still alive? The computer voice told me that the Avengers do not exist any longer."

"I was just... Testing if you'd notice...", Tony tried to talk himself out, but still followed the boy toward the facility.
Peter went on and on talking, but Tony didn't really listen. He just followed, staring at the ground, thinking of Pepper. He should have been there to protect her. He should have done something, he should be doing something. Instead, he got drunk and... Were those tears on his cheeks? He wiped them away with an angry move of his arm and continued walking. The outstretched phone was pushed back to Peter, as soon as the billionaire noticed.
"Keep it", he said, shrugging, "You just have to tell Fri your name. And it's basically indestructable. It's bullteprof glass and the battery can stand up to 500 degrees. It doesn't need a charger, arc energy inside. Just tell Fri it's you and she'll unlock the phone for you. And she'll tell you how to personalize it. See it as your first pay."
He didn't really care about anything right now. And if someone needed a bulletproof phone, it was Spiderman. He had seen the other phone. Hadn't looked too good.
"So where is it?", the genius continued talking, "Where's all the questions? Why are you drunk? Did something happen? What's the matter with you?"
He looked down again, as tears started to drop down to the floor. Damn feelings.
"Don't you watch the news? Pepper is gone, and it's all my fault..."

"I am here", Vision answered, landing right next to Wanda... With a car on his shoulders. Bucky raised an eyebrow and looked at Steve, not sure whether he should be scared or amused by the certainty that man displayed carrying a car while flying. He had seen many strange things, working for HYDRA, but this...
"Oh good we have a flying plastic man who brings us a car", Pietro grumbled, but quietly added a "Showoff" to his sentence, so only Wanda next to him could hear it.
They were kind of nice, just like his old team, the Howling Commandos. They had been funny guys, too. They had promised each other that no one would have been left behind, no matter what. And he had that feeling that he was experiencing something great there. A reunion of the Avengers, which Steve had told him would never happen. But that was because Steve had never thought that something actually happened to this world again. He should have known better. The villains never slept.

A few hours had passed since Loki had threatened the Joker. He was alright, but he had a small wound on the back of his head. Harley knelt next to him and gave him some water- and his pills.
"Painkillers...", she told him, but they were his mood stabilizers. She couldn't watch him hurt Potts another time.
While J was lying on the air mattress she had prepared for him and Loki was angry, she went to check on the other guy she had abducted. He wasn't awake yet, so she just gave him some water and left him be. Maybe he would wake later.
With a sigh, she sat down next to Loki and looked at him with a clear look.
"He's not thinking clearly", she stated, "But if he is clear about something, it's his plan to rule the world."
She leaned against the wall behind her and smiled.
"He's a maniac. But hell, he's a genius. He'll reach his aim, eventually. You'll see", Harley reassured him, her loving glance on her Puddin. She knew that he never failed a plan... At least if there was no Batsy.
 
Natasha frowns as he tells her that the surroundings were quiet. That was not good. But perhaps it was. He couldn't be too far from New York but it would be hard to find a quiet place around here. That narrowed it down at least. Something with metal and somewhere quiet. They might need to look outside of New York. She was about to ask him her next question to pry him away from the conversation. It was none of her interest but it was necessary to keep him inside his own memory.
The redhead looked up as she heard the steps, she was faster than Clint because she was prepared. Almost instantly she had two guns in her hand and stood on her feet. She was longer tensed as Clint and not almost instantly walked up to the God of Thunder. She eyed him varily as she placed her guns back into their halters.
"No-one is dead.", she replied almost like it was a business. She easily slipped into her professional, unreadable self. "We had differences and..and got passed them by splitting the team. There's no such thing as the Avengers anymore. Just the once who have signed the accords are left. The rest is officially retired for now.", she told him and almost instantly added "Now to your part of the deal. Where's Loki?"

Peter looked at the phone surprised. "Thank you, Mister Stark...", he whispered and looked down at it. He was still surprised by the gesture as he hadn't even expected to be paid something. It was simply a way to keep the conversation going for him. Even though the other man hadn't looked to happy to talk to him.
Suddenly questions bursted out of the man. To Peter he always had been like a role model and to see him like this made him frown. He walked forward and hugged the billionaire. The last time he had done so the other man had told him off. But it really looked like Tony Stark needed a hug. "We are going to find her, Mister Stark", Peter said and kept on hugging the other man "But I really don't think it is your fault."

Wanda looked up as he landed next to her. She smiled shy at him still not sure where the two of them stood. They hadn't talked to each other since the day at the airport. She had been brought away and he had followed Stark to do whatever. "Hello.", she simply greeted him but it still felt like she had said more than that simply word.
Her gaze went to her brother and she frowned over his words. Still his insult made her chuckle. It was very much true and she grinned at her brother. Wanda gently nudged Pietro's side and mumbled "Be nice. Really just for once in your life don't be jealous when I like someone who's not you." She looked pleading at her brother, knowing he could become easily protective of her. She had never really liked someone of the opposite sex before but only watched unnerved when her brother had flirted with other women.

Steve looked back at Bucky and simply shrugged. The simple motion showed more than necessary. He had gotten used to these bunch of odd people. But he very much had no explanation. Even when talking about them he had made clear to Bucky that they were very much strange. Perhaps it first occurred to someone how strange if you saw it firsthand. Still he looked like someone who said And I have to put up with this for years now.
"Okay, let's get going to New York. We should've already hit the road. Perhaps the news on the radio can help us. Oh, and Vision can you try and inform Stark that we would like to very much offer our help with Pepper?", he spoke waiting for the cyborg to finally put the vehicle down. Steve had a feeling that the other man would only answer to Vision and it might be better to give him some preparation time before bursting into the old Avengers base.

Loki looked at Harley as she sat down to him. "I am ending his life the next time he touches the babies.", he spoke calm and collected. He wouldn't watch something like this happen a second time. "And I think you should leave. He manipulates and uses you. But is that really the love you want from him?", he spoke and looked at the blonde woman who seemed to slump against the wall. She seemed tired almost exhausted. That man was not good for her. He better delivered his part of the deal or else he might get to know Loki Lafeyson like all the Midgardians knew him.
 
"And who... signed those...?", Thor asked, quite confused, "And what about your honor? Your mission? This world needs protection. A warrior doesn't just- retire..."
This all seemed like a big mess. It was something he didn't understand, but maybe that was because he wasn't a midgardian. If a pack of warriors fought alongside each other, they stayed there for their lives. War bonded, made them stronger together, made them friends. What did a piece of paper change? When there was danger, a pack of warriors stayed together and helped each other. They died for each other. That was honorable and the only right thing to do. One didn't just retire from being a warrior in Asgard. Either they fought or they died trying. And if their world was in danger, how could they just watch and tell everyone they are out of business?
"Who is on the team? Are you?"
Slowly, his Asgardian language started to change into the Midgardian slang again. He had gotten used to talking like that over the time. He even understood most of their words now.
Casually, he turned around and walked outside, focusing on Loki's magic. It was like the heavy smell of flowers, a little dazing. But as soon as he was outside, the smell was gone.
"The trace ends here", he stated.

That hug really hadn't been necessary... But it somehow felt steadying. Tony nearly stumbled into the boy, though. And it made him uncomfortable to be that close to him... Only Pepper was allowed to do that. They walked along the street, where many people were rushing by. It was around lunchtime, so the streets were busy. A guy next to them threw a newspaper, aiming at the dustbin... But instead, the piece of paper landed in front of Peter's feet. On the first page was a photo of Pepper, beaten up and bruised. The headline was even worse.
"Pepper Potts on the run from possessive ex boyfriend Tony Stark?"
The genius didn't see it, though. He walked ahead, didn't even notice that Peter had stopped and wasn't next to him anymore. His phone was ringing and he picked up, just walking on.
"I can't right now...", he mumbled.
"Maybe...?"
The Iron Man's face turned guilty as he looked up again.
"It's my fault, Rhodey...", he sighed, "I should have watched her more closely."
Silence, he was listening to the Colonel.
"No, you don't have to, really, I'm... no, I'm fine! I'm not.... a friend."
Tony rolled his eyes.
"And how? You can't drive."
"I'm not. I'm in New York."
"Fine, then we'll meet there..."
The billionaire put the phone down and let out a deep sigh.
"Shit...."

"I'd rather come with you, in the car...", the cyborg explained.
Vision put the car down carefully and let everyone get inside. The two supersoldiers sat down in the front, while the twins took the back seat. He felt extremely stupid doing so, but he levitated through the roof of the car and sat down in the middle, right between Wanda and her brother.
"No, seriously...?", Pietro complained and pressed against the door, "Can't you walk or something?"
For a moment, the cyborg was insecure what to do, but he had learned that if he wanted something, he had to fight for it. Tony had said that, and the man was the best guess of a teacher he had. He had gotten his girl back, after all. And he really was annoyed by the possessiveness of Wanda's brother by now. So what was he supposed to do? In his head, he played thousands of scenarios, thousands of possibilities what he could say and how she would react. He didn't know how to do this. How was he supposed to? He was only a year old!
"I... believe I can sit where I please...", he answered sassily and looked at Wanda with a smile.
But that was everything he could do. The next moment, he was pressed back into his seat and thrown around by Steve's aggressive driving style.

Clyde usually didn't watch the news. He never did, because he found himself doubting the information and hating his colleagues for not doing their homework properly. But today, he stared at the newsman with widened eyes. Pepper Potts trying to escape a jealous ex? Was that the best they could get? A ring on her finger, what was that? Wasn't she allowed to wear rings? Holy hell, those people were like rats! Not that he wasn't like that sometimes, but he didn't publish any rubbish like that, half true, half made up. If he wrote something down, it was true, dammit!
He looked through his notes again. He had talked to about a million people today. Juan, a mexican boy who worked at the hotel, had seen quite a lot going on. He had seen a man sneak into the room, with a woman by his side. And he swore it had been the man the Avengers had fought at the battle of New York. Loki, the God of mischief, of lies, of magic... A creep from Asgard. He knew the myths. He was probably here to take over Midgard again. The woman was another thing, though. The boy hadn't seen her properly, but had stated that she had been hot, had had very short shorts and high shoes. Oh and her shirt had been too short to cover her whole upper body. Really helpful. If the boy had looked up from her breasts for a second... But whatever. Maybe he would still find something. There had been wood splinters on the floor and blood. Probably the bodyguard, who she had- according to Juan- been flirting with had been knocked out. Sexy and a piece of wood in her hands. That could be any -sexy- woman in New York. But who would work with Loki...? Someone with a similar plan, maybe?
Clyde figured there had to be a connection between dangerous people breaking out of prison and that woman. So he googled. And googled. He should have taken the job at the FBI when they had offered it to him a few years ago. But he had been too much into his freedom to say what he wanted to say.
After four hours in front of the computer, the journalist gave up. He quickly wrote a blog entry, asking his followers to help him look for connections between the crime of Pepper Potts' abduction and prison breaks. Then he made himself some coffee and ate cake.
 
"Stark, Rhodes, Vision and I signed them for example," Natasha says and then shortly glanced at her partner. "Sometimes retirement isn't so bad, Thor. Some people have other obligations than to safe the world over and over again and that's alright." She sighs a bit knowing of her promise to Laura to send him home before bad things could happen to Clint.
Thor seemed to be quite confused about the situation. In all honesty they properly all were. The Accords had been a good idea but wrongly executed. Even Stark had tried to sneak past them. "For what we know of it's Clint, Stark, me and a boy way too young for all of this.", she answered and continued "but we are going that the others will come for support. After all it's about Potts and her unborn child."
Natasha crinkled her mouth as Thor explained that he didn't know where his brother had gone. "So we're back to where we started," she said and glanced over to Clint unsure if she should suggest to continue.

Peter looked down at the news paper curiously. He had wanted to pick it up and throw it into the bin correctly. But he had stopped in his tracks as Pepper stared up at him. He had met her once and the lady had been kind enough to help him with his shot wound. Their relationship hadn't looked unhealthy - more loving and caring. A bit like his parents' relationship before they had left him and...and died. Finally he looked up and noticed that Stark wasn't standing next to him anymore. He threw the papers away properly and hurried after the man. He caught up just as Tony hung up. "Umm...Mister Stark? How's your girlfriend?", he asked unsure. He didn't know about the Kidnapping yet - just that the other man had taken off out of nowhere.

Wanda gave Pietro a disapproving look as he went to snap at Vision. "How about you go and run all the way to New York?", she snapped at him crinkling her mouth. At Vision's comeback she laughed though and grinned at Vision. She still seemed to like him and that was probably was bothered her brother the most. In her life there hadn't really been someone like Vision before who she had felt obviously close to like towards her brother. So this was unusual for the both of them. "Good one.", she told him with a shiteating grin towards his comeback. She used a bit of her magic to make all three of them sit more comfortably in the back of the car as she already knew Rogers's driving from firsthand.

Steve sped but it seemed like he knew the roads by heart and he wasn't even once stopped for speeding. "So, where do you guys think we should start?", he asked looking shortly at everyone before he coasted his glance onto the road. "We probably need to...", he says but was cut off by the news about Pepper in the radio. "Sources close to the couple says that Miss Potts was too afraid to break the news to Tony Stark. It is believed that she's on the honeymoon in the Caribbean with the love of her life, her bodyguard, Happy Hogan. They were spotted flirting in a hotel last night and ever since she remains unseen."
 
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Clint nodded at Natasha's statement and wished that those accords had never been a thing. They had worked well as a team, hadn't they? Well, maybe this was their last mission, so this had to be good. A happy ending was the least.
He just hoped that Steve amd the twins had gotten what this was about. But he was almost sure Laura had managed to convince them. She was good at that. Making people see their real purpose. But to reunite the team, they had to head for the facility. That would be the first step.
Natasha looked at him, as if she wanted to make sure he wasn't offended by Thor's comment about honor and duty. As if he had ever cared about honor. And his duty- it wasn't toward the world, it was toward his friends. He fought to keep them alive and unharmed.
When they were outside, finally, Clint took a deep breath. He was still kind of shaky, from the memory of Loki's mind control coming back to life.
"So we're back to where we started", Natasha said and sounded frustrated. But her glance wandered toward him and he could see the worries in her eyes.
"Why don't we go back to the facility and call an assemble? Like in the old times", Clint suggested, hoping that this would be convincing enough to get them there, "Tony's probably there, too. And we need a quiet place to think."

"Pepper's gone", the genius stated and looked down to the floor.
They had nearly reached the facility, so Tony walked faster. He really wanted somewhere to hide now. Somewhere safe, where no one would confront him with the fact that he wasn't doing anything to find Pepper. He knew that!! He just couldn't... He wasn't able to move forward. It was his fault. He had gone through this a thousand times now, but he just couldn't shake it off. He should have been there with her. Then this all wouldn't have happened.
They passed a window with dozens of TV's inside. They all showed the same: Pepper's face. For a moment he stopped and stared at it. But the headline, the text under that picture... He moved his hand and suddenly had an iron glove on it. Witha single shot of his repulsor, he made the window and the TV's burst.
Tony Stark suspected to keep his ex girlfriend captive...

Pietro grumbled something about annoying artificial people. He didn't want that guy close to his sister, and now he even sat so close to her that their legs touched. That ridiculous cape was hanging down on Pietro's side and had wrapped itself around his leg. He tried to shake it off, but it was sticky. Was that the way this guy's skin felt? He really didn't want to know. But he still couldn't help but wonder about the penis... It was an essential part of a man, and if he Disney have one, he wasn't a man. He was an it. A thing... His sister definitely deserved better than a thing trying to flirt. That guy was like a 14 year old kid, he had no idea whet to do. Pietro was better at that. He definitely was. And he had had plenty of time to prove that.
When Steve drove a turn and Vision was pressed against him, he growled annoyed.
"When are we there...?", he asked, sounding like he was a second from punching that guy into the face... Which he wouldn't do. There were other ways to make him see he wasn't wanted here.

Happy opened his eyes and yawned. It was too dark for him to see anything and his head hurt as hell. Next thing he noticed was that he was tied up. That wasn't good... Not good at all. Where was Pepper?
"Pepper?!", he shouted at the top of his lungs. But no answer. Shit. He tried to wriggle himself out of the ties somehow, but it was no use. The rope that had been used to bind him was thin and uncomfortable and the more he moved, the more it cut his wrists.
"Dammit... Where am I?", he asked into the silence.
No answer. Almost like he was alone in here. He was a lousy bodyguard , wasn't he? Every time he looked the other way, Pepper was abducted, hurt or worse. Suddenly, a bright light flicked on and he saw a woman. She was wearing a white coat and in her hand she had a syringe.
"What are you...?" Doing...
The word was swallowed by his mind shutting down and him passing out.
 
Laura watched the other superheroes go and sighed. Finally some movement and peace in her home. She took her phone out nevertheless and texted her husband 'You owe me. Job done. Rogers, the twins, Barnes and Vision on their way to New York. Just maybe give Tony a head's up before they arrive. Be careful!' She looked out of the window before going to look for her sun. She had decided that it would be better to keep her son at home for today. After all it had been one hell of a day already.

Natasha seemed happy that Clint took the decision from her about whether or not to go back to the memory. "Well, let's go then," she agreed and walked over to her weapon bag collecting it only to to put it over her shoulder. She stretched her arms and looked ready for fight or whatever was to come. "Let's get this shit started for Potts.", she agreed and walked out of the door not even waiting for the boys to move. She seemed to transform into her old self ready to fight any creature from alien to human.

Peter watched the billionaire as he finally talked about what was going on. It explained his strange behavior a little. He would probably act similar if something happened to his aunt or...or Alicia. He frowned as the man stopped in front of a tech shop and stared at his girlfriend. The teenager didn't know what to do to make things better as he stood next to him. "Mister Stark...", he said and placed his hand on Tony's wrist as he slowly but surely pushed the gloved hand down. "This won't help as well. We are going to find her, Sir. Perhaps the others from the day before can help as well?", Peter suggested in regards of Barton and Romanoff. He looked sincerely at the billionaire and shooed him to continue his way to the facility.

"Can you stop acting like children, please?", he asked as he looked at the back through the rear mirror. He seemed somewhat in-between of annoyed and amused over Pietro's and Vision's try to peak Wanda's interest. Tony frowned over the news but tried to shake the feeling off. There was more to it, wasn't it? Why would Laura lie to him about Stark's and Pepper's plans to marry. It was just false news. "Do you think we should start by paying Stark a visit?", he asked Bucky and glanced shortly before he took another sharp turn.

"Pietro!", now she stared annoyed at her brother. Wanda didn't seem to happy over the way her twin acted. She stared at him and it was obvious that she would lecture him once they were alone again. She stared past Vision before speaking "I think you and I should switch seats." She looked at Vision but only scooped closer to the cybrog. It was to annoy her brother further and simply because she seemed to enjoy his presence. "Did you try goulash again?", she asked him remembering the one time Vision had tried to cook for her.
 
Cooper was hiding in his room and watched the men and the girl drive off. He smiled a little, but there were tears in his eyes. He just hoped that his Dad would come home safe. He was a superhero, but those could be hurt, too. And he knew where this danger lead. His Dad had been hurt before. And he had heard how Mom had said that it had been close. They really needed to take care of him, otherwise he would die soon. He heard his Mom call him from outside, but he didn't want to go there now. He just sat on his bed and tried to find out what had happened to his Dad. He had gotten Laura's laptop from the kitchen table and now googled for news. There was a lot happening around. A man had killed his mother, some people were about to do something to the president- or was the president just fighting with them?... But that wasn't what he was looking for. Then he saw a face he knew. And he wished he hadn't seen it. It was the woman who had visited them before. Tony Stark's girlfriend. And they said she was running away? Because Mr Stark was treating her badly? Well, maybe there was another Tony Stark, or a clone of him and people thought it was him... but what if he had really hurt her and Dad was out with him? Would he try to kill Dad when he fought out...?
Cooper jumped up.
"MOM!", he called, running down the stairs, her laptop in his hands, "MOM, look, Mr Stark is one of the bad guys! You gotta tell Dad, Mom! You gotta call him!"

When they finally reached the facility, Tony frowned. It smelt different in here. A little like too much aftershave. Was Rhodey here already? He doubted that. The Colonel needed someone to drive him, so how could he be there so fast? Tony entered the huge living room and dropped onto the couch.
"Friday, remind me to build Rhodey a proper car", he said and his AI answered with a "Sure, Tony".
He looked around. It was almost strange to see this room that empty. They had always had some stuff of everyone lying around. Sometimes someone had complained, but it had never been some serious fight. They had done pretty well having a superhero commune.
But those times were over now and maybe it was for the better. He wouldn't want a traitor and an assassin sleep next door. It was a shame about the rest of the team, though. They had always been something like a family to Tony. But what did he know about families anyway? He had never lived in one long enough to find out what it meant to be loved and accepted. And just as he had been about to find out, this assassin had killed his mother. Coldheartedly and without any emotional reaction. He had seen the video... And as it popped up in his memory again, he jumped up and disappeared downstairs, to the fitness room. He needed to punch something.

"I don't want to interfere, but I think it would be best if we all met at the facility to avoid public confrontation", Vision answered instead of Bucky. "What he says", Bucky grinned and looked at Steve.
"And no, as I said, I don't usually eat...", Vision answered to Wanda. Having her close to him felt good. He smiled insecurely.
"But I think I have the perfect recipe now. I could try again... If you want me to..."
Pietro snorted and rolled his eyes. That was so not romantic and absolutely pathetic. Still, Wanda seemed to fall for it.

A few minutes later, the car stopped in front of the facility, just as Tony stormed out of the living room. Bucky got outside and stretched his healthy arm.
"So what are we doing now?", he asked, looking up upon the building,
"Are we just going in?"
It didn't seem like a good idea to him. He was on top of the list of people Stark hated the most and this building seemed to be one source of power for the Iron Man.
"I'll check out the surroundings", Pietro offered and was gone the next blink of an eye.
"What do you suggest, Captain Rogers?", Bucky asked, calling him his title on purpose. Maybe all the captain needed was a push into old instincts.

Clint nodded slowly and walked toward the car he had parked in front of the hotel. He got inside and looked at Thor.
"Will you travel per hammer or will you come with me?", he asked the god.
"I don't want to cause any further damage. And the midgardians..."
"People, Thor. Just people."
"The people are confused enough."
"Means you're coming with me?", Clint concluded. Thor nodded and got inside the car.
Just as the archer was about start the engine, his private phone vibrated. He read the text from Laura and smiled.
I owe you more than that. You're great. I love you. And tell the kids I love them too.
I'll do my best to be back soon.
He hit the sending button and then hid the phone inside his clothes again. Now they were a little in a hurry. They were probably on the way already and if they just came in without a warning, Tony would get a heart attack.
Clint looked at Thor, then started the engine and drove off. He hadn't driven that fast since his last mission. And that was almost a year ago now. But he definitely wasn't out of practice. They were there in the blink of an eye. Still, they were too slow. A stolen car was standing in front of the facility already. And he knew they were inside already.
Fearing another fight, as it had taken place in his kitchen the day before, he jumped out of the car and sprinted into the living room.
 
Laura read Clint's text and sighed a little. Well, at least her husband had reinforcement now. She might not like that he was back out on the battle field but at least he seemed somewhat safe now. That was a good thing. Hopefully he had his old team as reinforcement. That's what she told herself.
'Just come back home, Clint, and we're quit. We love you, too.', she texted him back and looked up at her son. He stormed out of his room and Laura looked up. He had her notebook and she frowned. "What's going on, darling?", she asked calm and looked at the screen. Laura pulled Cooper on her lap even though he probably thought that he was too big to be sitting on his mommy's lap.
"I don't think that's true, Coop. I know firsthand that Mister Stark loves Miss Potts a lot. Like dad loves me and we both know that dad wouldn't hurt me. Gossip websites sometimes make up stories about people. Like the time when everyone said that dad was a bad person back in New York, remember? But we all knew that dad wasn't bad? Sometimes they just make up stories and I'm really, really sure that this one is made up. So no need to worry about dad, okay? Worry about this woman because she needs the superheroes really, really badly. She has been kidnapped according to dad and she expects a child. Tony's child. That's why dad needs to help her and Mister Stark. So he can be a dad as well and be happy with her.", she tries to explain and kisses his cheek "Besides I just talked to dad and he promises to come home soon. He loves you."

"Mister Stark?", he asked but the billionaire left him standing there rather awkwardly. The teenager looked around not daring to touch anything or even sit down. He sighed and pulled out his new phone. He cleared his voice and started customizing it. Somehow it felt weird wiping someone's life off a phone. But he simply hoped that Miss Pott's data was saved somewhere else or else Tony wouldn't have given him this phone, right? But given the current state of the genius he couldn't be too sure.

Wanda listened to Vision and smiled. She nodded like she really would love that but teased "If you use the paprika correctly, I would love to." She heard her brother scoff but she ignored him. She really wanted this and she did like Vision even though he had tried to lock her up. But he had thought it to be the right way to handle it. Once parked she stepped out and looked down the streets of New York. It had been a while since the last time she was even near to this city. Her brother was gone and almost naturally she was drawn to stand near Vision. "Please excuse my brother... He can a little odd sometimes," she told him in an apologetic manner.

"Perhaps I should talk to him alone first. Offer him our help," Steve suggested but something flickered in his eyes as he was called by his title. "Just keep low around here. I'm sure Barton and Romanoff will be here soon as well. If he throws me out we will know where he stands. But I think he should take our help. For Potts," he nodded more to himself than to his best friend. He placed his hand reassuringly on Bucky's shoulder and then walked inside. He sighed a little. "Friday..? Where's Tony?", he asked and was surprised to see a kid there.
"Uhh.. Hi," he greeted him before continuing "Do you know where Tony is by any chance?" He looked at the teenage boy wondering what Stark had already in mind.
"He mumbled something of letting steam of to himself..", Peter answered and watched the other superhero walk away as well.
Not shortly after Steve walked into the gym and looked around. "Tony?" he called out and sighed "I think we both should talk about what is happening right now. And I mean talk talk not talk fight."

"You should've let me drive!", Natasha said annoyed as it seemed like Clint was about to run over the third family in a row. Nicely said she was pissed at Clint's driving ability and held onto the chair that hands down didn't happen often. She was happy once they were finally at the facility and she could get out of that freaking car. She spotted Wanda, Vision and...Barnes standing outside the building. Natasha walked over to them as it seemed like they were a team now. So she should at least act like one. The redhead stretched herself and looked at them "I see that you made it from his farm." She stopped as she stood near Barnes but not really close enough to allow him in her personal space.
 
"But Mom... If Dad wasn't bad back then... why does he still dream about being bad?", he asked and looked at his mother. He was tired of being treated like a baby. His sister was younger, she wasn't old enough to know what was really going on and that Santa was actually grandpa. But Cooper was nearly 12! He wasn't a baby anymore. He could take whatever had been going on.
"Why does he sometimes wake up and scream that someone's inside his head?"
Cooper had heard it all. His room was right next to his parent's bedroom and he had heard Dad talk sometimes. About him, about the future and above the missions. He hadn't understood what it had been about before, but slowly he was starting to see. And he was old enough to see this world as what it was. And he would start by making his Mom tell him the truth about everything.
"What's going on, Mom? I'm not Lila, you can tell me."

Tony hit the punching bag, while tears streamed down his face. He was starting to feel dizzy, but the sweat felt good and he soon put his T-Shirt off. He could smell the alcohol run out of his pores by now.
But the pictures in his head didn't disappear. His Mom, dead. Shot. And the face of that man. Then Pepper's face mixed into those pictures, the one he had seen on those TV's, where she looked so scared. Scared of him... Were they right and she had disappeared to escape him? Maybe it had all gotten too much and she wasn't sure if she even wanted to marry him. Maybe she had someone else, because...
He hit the punchbag so hard, his finger cracked and his knuckles started bleeding. He didn't feel it, though. The anger built up more and more and he lost control, he just kept on hitting, until he heard a voice.
"Steve...", he growled and looked up, wiping the mixture of sweat and tears off his face, "What the hell are you doing here?"
And then he pulled the "we should talk"- card. Oh yes, Tony had tried before. But he hadn't let him. Traitor.
"Oh, now we should talk?", the genius hissed and wiped his face with his T-Shirt, while he walked toward the former Captain. Though he was rather short, he seemed tall and threatening right now.
"Who do you think you are, huh?", he continued, "What do you think you're doing here? Is this some kind of self esteem thing?"
He walked over and opened his locker, where he even found a towel and a fresh shirt. He wiped his body and put the shirt on.
"I mean, you nearly killed me. And for what? For a guy you call your friend! You told me you'd have my back, remember? Well if that's what having my back looks like, I'd rather not have you behind me anymore!"
He looked at the other man, trying not to show how hurt he was by the fact that this man had just let him down and betrayed everything Tony had thought he stood for. He had tried to help, but instead he had become the enemy.
"But oho, now Pepper's gone and you come running, telling me we need to talk! We're done talking, Steve. You fought me for a guy who killed my mom! I didn't even wanna fight you, or that guy. But yeah, you didn't listen..." He took a deep breath. "So what is this? Some kind of pathetic try to save me?"
Tony turned away and left Steve standing there, in the middle of the gym. He wasn't done yet, but he didn't want to cause any more damage. The two of them had done enough already.

Clint entered the living room and found Peter alone. He looked around, a little startled. He had expected a fight.
"Where are they?", he asked, his bow ready to shoot.
He looked around and took in the surrounding. No signs of a fight or similar. Maybe he was wrong and those two would manage. Maybe the two of them weren't as blinded as usual and would finally manage seeing the other one's perspective. Who knew...? Miracles happened.
"Come on. I need you to tie them up if they start fighting", he encouraged the teenage boy to be his backup, as he sneaked downstairs soundlessly, listening to Tony's last few sentences, which echoed through the whole building.
Some kind of pathetic try to save me...

Thor got out of the car, too and followed Natasha toward the small gathering of Avengers. He didn't know a single one of them and that made him a little nervous. How was he supposed to fight alongside those strangers if he didn't know if he could trust them?
No, one moment. There was that girl who had sent him those dreams. And her brother, who had tried to catch Mjolnir. There was the plastic man, who had been Ultron before but wasn't anymore... And a second later, a black SUV approached the building. Everyone raised their heads, as the car stopped right in front of the door and a man with an US Army uniform got out. Thor gripped Mjolnir tightly and waited for whatever would happen now.
 
Laura listens to her son and thinks about his question. "Because he thinks that he was bad. But do you remember when Aunt Nat came to visit us the first time? How she thought she was bad and didn't dare to talk to any of us?", she began and looked at her son "Just because someone made some bad decisions doesn't make them bad, right? Just like Nat thought she didn't deserve being part of our family because of the bad decisions and what she has done. Dad was made to do some bad things but he isn't a bad person because of that, okay? Just like Tasha isn't bad. He blames himself for what happened in New York and beforehand though. Yet it's not his fault, isn't it?" She tried to reflect things in a way she had tried to explain it to Clint. Just this time she tried to make things a little easier for her son to understand. Laura simply hoped Cooper was on the same page with her. "We love him anyways, don't we?"
Though at his second question, she crinkles her mouth. She didn't know that as well. She had a feeling Clint was keeping something from her so she wouldn't question his decisions. She had the feeling a lot lately. It was really nerve-wracking.
"I...Dad says that Loki has captured Pepper. I think Loki wants her so he can get close to the Avengers. After all Tony would go looking for the person he loves, right? And we all know that many of the Avengers would help dad and Tony to get Pepper back. So I think Loki wants to do something to the Avengers not necessarily to dad alone.", she tells her son. That sounded about right and it was the truth. That's what she thought about the whole situation.

"I think we should talk about what has happened to Pepper," Steve answered truthfully as Tony snaps at him for being here. He looked calm and collected. So differently to when Tony had attacked him in the kitchen. He had simply... That was past and he sighed.
"If this was a self esteem thing, I would go out campaigning against the Accords as they...," he starts but remains himself this wasn't about the rift between him and Stark. He was supposed to appease Tony not anger him even more. This was past, it had all been about saving the world from more Winter Soldiers than Bucky. Sure he had saved his best friend in the process but he would do it again because neither of them would be able to fight 8 different Winter Soldiers gone rogue. Bucky had been hard enough for them to manage as he had attacked SHIELD. He had tried to explain this to Tony. But he had been to blinded to see. Even Romanoff had helped them after all.
"No this is some try to help you build the Avengers again and save your pregnant fiancée. We all offer you our help if you want it. But I cannot force you to take it. I just think saving Pepper should be our priority and not some childish fight over who has more rights, Tony," he tries to explain and looks at the genius expectantly and looked after him.
"You are right. It wasn't necessary to leave you there in Siberia like this and I'm sorry for that. But I told you already that I had a dark side to me that you just didn't know. We all have dark sides." Steve slowly followed Tony unsure if he should continue to persuade him.

Peter blinked as another man hurries inside. He was still standing rather awkwardly around. Unfortunately he had no clue why Mister Stark had brought him here to begin with. It felt wrong standing around here if he could...could do anything else. "I umm... I think they are in the gym," he answered confused and followed.
Spiderman followed Clint downstairs and he heard both men talking even before anyone else would be able to. The bite had heightened all of his senses after all. This didn't seem like a fight to him. More of a discussion at best. Surely it was a topic, Mister Stark would be uncomfortable for him to hear. He really shouldn't be down here with the archer...

Natasha rose her chin as Barnes didn't reply but went to look at Thor. Two could play that game "You remember Wanda and Pietro when fought against Ultron?", she spoke towards Thor than went to introduce "I'm sure you remember Vision as well and that's... James Barnes." She shortly gestured towards the Winter Soldier like he was a nobody. "Well, folks you remember Thor?", she speaks.
Wanda turned to look at Natasha and nodded at Thor. "Nice to meet you again," Wanda said and turned away from Vision and her brother to smile at the Asgardian.
 
"This was never about rights....", Tony murmured and shook his head. It had been about friendship, betrayal. A family that suddenly hadn't had each other's back anymore.
"And why would I want your help finding Pepper?", the Iron Man hissed and walked upstairs again, "What makes you think I'd trust you with the most valuable thing I have?"
He really wanted to turn right around, maybe even rather fight Steve again. That seeme To be easier than running in circles in a conversation that never lead anywhere anyways.
"Wait, you said us. Is Barnes out there? He's like your little dog, isn't he? Running behind you, barking."
That changed the situation. Steve hadn't come alone, why would he? He had probably just parked his personal assassin outside so he could convince Tony to let him in and let him fight. But hell, that was too dangerous.
"You know what, Steve? Take that regret of yours and place it in a can. Then you can bury it right next to my Mom's grave and visit it from time to time. Maybe you see how I feel then!"
The genius slammed the bathroom door and locked it. Then he stumbled back, leaned onto the sink, as tears filled his eyes. He swallowed them and washed his face with cold water. He stared at his own face, smelt the alcohol, which surrounded him and suddenly saw his father's face in the mirror. Before he could think, his fist had shattered the glass. Seconds later, the panic came. But he was used to it by now. He was locked in here anyway, so he just sat down on a chair, which was placed in the middle of the room and tried to breathe, while his whole body shivered.
It had gone totally silent from one moment to the other. Tony could only hear his own breathing. Steve was probably gone... He couldn't work with that guy. He couldn't trust him anymore. Still, he had come here, he had tried... Just to tell Tony what he knew already. That Steve thought anyone else but him was incapable of handling this team. The genius would have seen past that, really. All he needed was an apology from the captain for lying to him.

Clint stopped in the middle of the stairs and held out his hand to make Peter stop behind him.
He heard Tony's steps and quickly turned around, to sneak upstairs again. He was there just in time. The genius ran past him and disappeared in his own bathroom. As Tony ran past, Clint smelt the indistinguishable smell of... Well, drunk Iron Man. He knew that smell way too well.
"Oh dammit, I knew it...", he sighed and looked at Peter, "Any idea on how drunk he is?"
He watched Steve come after Tony, so he walked toward the man and held out a hand.
"Hey, how's it going?"
Trying to talk to Tony was almost like handling a dramatic girlfriend. Clint looked at Peter, then at Steve again. This was like a comedy show. And if he hadn't been inside this mess so deep, he probably would have laughed about it.

Bucky looked at Natasha and frowned. Whatever bothered her now, it had something to do with him... or him acting a way... or not acting in another way? When had loving her become so difficult? They had just held hands and hidden in a lonely barn to be together, close to each other. She had been a kid back then, sure. But had she changed that much?
Carefully, he stepped closer to her. Just a subtle reminder that he was there, like he had always done when she had been insecure. Maybe it helped making her see that he could remember now...?
But could she remember? Bucky glanced at Wanda, but she was busy talking to Vision. Hell, this was all so complicated... And Steve letting them wait out here didn't make it any better.
"Bucky", he added to Talja's formal introduction, "Everybody calls me that."
He had noticed the SUV, too and for a moment, he thought it was the government already. Just a few seconds on display and they were exposed already. He grabbed one of Natasha's guns, almost automatically. She was there next to him and it had been their fighting style. Almost as one.
He loaded the gun, released the safety catch and aimed it on whoever was about to get out on the backside, until he saw... a man in a wheelchair.

Rhodey raised his hands and held his comerade's arm down, so he wouldn't pull a gun.
"Slowly, we're not here for you...", the soldier said calmly and looked at Bucky with a sincere look, "Barnes, put the gun down... We don't wanna fight. I just wanna make sure Tony's okay..."
The Colonel rolled toward the small group, which had been his former team.
"Can anyone help me up the stairs?", he asked, trying to make the situation less tense.
He let go off his comerade's arm and petted his shoulder.
"Thanks, Denvers, I can take it from here", he told him and sent him away.
"So, who's gonna be nice?"

Vision stepped closer to Wanda almost automatically, when the man from Asgard approached them. Maybe it was because he still saw the assassin in that man. That was irrational, but he couldn't help but do it. He didn't know that kind of feeling, but it always accured around Wanda. Especially if she was hurt...
He looked at Rhodes and a deep flash of painful emotion ran through him. What was that? Guilt? Sadness?
"I... I didn't mean to...", he stuttered, though the Colonel probably didn't want to hear it.
 
He was about to say because he had no other choice. It was obvious that Stark wouldn't cope on his own. He smelled badly like alcohol and looked horrible. Not really like someone who was ready to fight Loki to get someone he loved back. "Wanda and Pietro want to help as well," he stated ignoring his comment about Bucky. He was smart enough to ignore the comment about his best friend. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of giving him to his insults.
Steve sighed as he followed Stark unsure of what to do. He had no idea what the genius actually wanted from him. He was here to help fighting but that idiot didn't want his help. Steve didn't even want to lead the team. He had never wanted to do so but things had developed naturally.
Steve was stopped by Clint and he looked confused at the archer. Had he been here all along and why was his bow out? And why the heck had he trailing a kid behind him? "Well, what do you say? He's hammered and doesn't want my help," Steve simply stated and added "I don't know what that man wants but whatever it is. His solution is to get drunk and hope for the best. I didn't drive miles for that!" Steve looked like he was ready to look for Potts on his own. Whatever Tony had hoped would come with getting fucking drunk, it would not happen that way.

Peter looked incredibly uncomfortable around the superheroes. His instincts had been to go look for the well being of Stark and not have a freaking gathering in the middle of the hallway. But he had more or less settled to his fate. "Well, umm... He smelled like alcohol and I had to more or less see him home. Oh and he shot a store window and TV. So my guess that he's really tight," he answered and slowly made his way to the bathroom. He knocked on the door ans spoke awkwardly "Ummm... Mister Stark, do you still need me?"

Natasha frowned as he stepped closer and her gaze turned to James as he steps closer. A small frown formed on her forehead as she looked at him. This was oddly reassuring and she knew why. She stayed quiet but didn't move away like she usually would. Simply allow him to invade her personal space. That would be nice for a start. "Я прошу вас простить. Я называю тебя по-другому. [I beg you pardon. I call you differently.]", she tells him using Russian because it felt more comfortable to her. It was true. He was James or Winter to her no matter how many times somehow actually called him Bucky.
Though as James took her gun, she almost immediately slipped to stand in front of it. He pointed it at her chest now and Natasha seemed calm. Some part of her knew he wouldn't shoot. This was safe and she knew it instinctively. The way he stepped closer. "Put that gun down, James," she said casually and looked at him pointedly "It's mine anyways."

Wanda looked between the two and her eyes went red as she lifted the wheel chair with ease. She levitated up the stairs and gently placed him back to the ground. "There you go, Rhodey," she says and tries to ignore the guilt. She felt just as guilty as Vision. It had been their fault after all. If she hadn't distracted him or been injured, Vision would've.... It didn't matter. Done was done. Her eyes went to Vision as he suddenly stepped closer. Well, this was kind of weird. Now, she had two men around who treated her like a child. But it was okay. She liked both.
 
"Hey, I know he's stubborn. Just uhm... Give him some time, I guess?", Clint tried to convince the Captain, "I know you wanna help. It's not easy..."
The archer shrugged and looked back at Peter, who was knocking on the bathroom door.
"Oh. That's Peter, by the way", he explained to Steve, "Tony though he might be handy, as the team has shrinked to a minimum now..."
He shrugged again.
"I don't know if that's a good idea, he's just... He was fine, until there was this letter to the Avengers, and an explosion...", Clint stopped for a moment, wondering if he was making any sense, "But in fact it was all a distraction, so Tony would leave home...", he concluded finally, "I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to Laura, or the kids..."
Still watching Peter try to make Tony open up, he wiped his face and sighed.
"I thought he was getting better..."

"He's a great actor if it's about that", a voice from behind interfered into the conversation, "When the facade starts to crack, it's usually too late already."
Colonel Rhodes entered the room and shook Clint's hand, then held it out for Steve.
"I'd really like to help", he stated, "With finding Pepper and all. Saw it on the news. Can someone tell me what really happened?"
He looked around, but no one really seemed to hear his question, as suddenly the sound of breaking glass came from the bathroom. Rhodey listened up and looked at Steve, questioning.
"What did he say?", he asked the Captain, trying to determine how bad it was. If he should call the psychological helpline right away, before his friend did something stupid...
He still waited for Steve to focus on him again.
"What was this about?"

Bucky smiled as she talked to him. He nodded.
"Right..."
She was closer to him and that was good. He knew how much that meant for an agent like her. He was too close for her to fight him in case of an emergency. So she... trusted him. She also trusted him with her life, as she stepped in front of his gun. He hadn't been about to shoot... he had just... it had been a reflex to the black SUV. He didn't want to be locked up the moment he had left cover. Didn't they understand that?
He put the gun down and put it back into it's place, which was on Natalia's hip. Unintentionally, he touched her leg and quickly pulled his hand away, as a wave of old feelings rushed over him. He sighed, but didn't move an inch.
"What's Steve in in there? You think we should go and check on him?", he asked, to distract himself from the urge to touch her again.

Meanwhile, Pietro was running around the building and looking for any possible threats. But there weren't any.
So he rushed back to his sister, stopped right next to her and grinned.
"Everything clear. Can I see your room now?"
She had told him a lot about the comfortable bed, the big bathroom, the kitchen and the gym. She hadn't been very specific about details, so Pietro just needed to see for himself. She had really made him curious about that facility. He had never had a chance to look at it before.
And apparently Wanda had found herself a new life without him. Some friends, a room, somewhere to live... maybe he wasn't needed in here anymore. That was a scary thought, but might be true. Maybe she didn't even want him anymore. Maybe she had someone new now... What if his sister didn't want him to take care of her anymore? What happened when she wanted to live alone? Where would he be, then?

Ever since Clyde had written his post about Pepper Potts' abduction, his e-Mail account was running wild. Thousands of people had seen or heard anything. But it was always like that, wasn't it? In a way, he worked for the FBI already. And he was probably even hetter at finding information than some of their analysts. He wasn't a full time hacker, but he had learned some things along the way to being a good journalist. But mostly, it was his way to filter useful information, that helped him get the things he needed.
He sat in front of his laptop, only his pants and a shirt on, scrolling though the seemingly endless list of e-Mails, as suddenly something caught his eye. It was an e-Mail, written by a Dr Ethan Arkham. He opened the message and started reading.
'Dear Mr Ambers,
This information is confidential and I hop you won't use it for anything that might harm us or our image. There was a sudden escape in the week you are talking about. If you sign a form that makes sure you will not publish the files I send you, I can send you the patient's files.
Faithfully,
Ethan'
 
"Give him some time?", Steve asked incredulous and added "We don't have time for his childish ways. If he wants her back he needs to act now. We all know the statistics that the longer someone is being captured, the less likely it is for the person to return alive. So give him some time is bull shit. We don't have the luxury." The last sentence came out like from a soldier. Steve never had the luxury of having time ever since becoming Captain America in his true sense. Everything had started with Bucky and ended with him. He had given up the title for his best friend and he had received it through him. It almost seemed like things had come full circle now.
Steve simply listened quietly and looked at the closed door. He had always been different than Stark in the matter. He was like Howard going to console the liquor while it probably was smarter to do anything else but that. He ran a hand through his hair and asked "Why did he bring this child again? He's not older than 16, is he? Stark's going to get him hurt."
He turned to Rhodey and shook the man's hand "Colonel." Steve looked towards the closed door again and shrugged. "Well, he basically told me I should take Bucky, Pietro and Wanda back to where we came from because he doesn't want me here," Steve replied in short term and added "I tried to apologize but he doesn't care. So perhaps I should leave for good. I will try and see what I can find out about Potts and forward the information to you two. He won't listen to me anyways."

Peter heard Steve's comment and crinkled his mouth. One more person didn't doom him worthy enough and too young for the Avengers. Just great... He heard whatever was breaking and sighed. "If you don't open until I counted from 10 to 1, I'm going to be forced to break the door open, Mister Stark. I really don't want to damage your home...but I think locking oneself in a bathroom won't help anyone.", Peter tried to imitate his aunt and slowly but surely counted backwards as it should be easy for him to break the door open like it was nothing. It only seemed to be made of wood after all.

Natasha watched him draw her gun away from her. Of course she knew that one wrong move and she had a bullet piercing her chest. That one she most likely wouldn't survive. She already had two scars from him proving that he was deadly as hell and Natasha definitely didn't want to add a third one. But he seemed to get the message. Natasha watched his facial expression as he brushed her thigh. With a frown she noted something similar. Yet she didn't dare to think it might be his old feelings. Those were wiped away in an effort to punish both of them for acting human - for developing feelings for someone they were not allowed to have.
He asked about Rogers and she shrugged casually turning her back on him as he locked her gun in place again. "I don't probably talking Stark out of some bullshit," she says with a shrug like she didn't really care. To her this was one big pissing contest between Stark and Rogers. Each time one thought they were finally finished, something new happened. Least to say it was exhausting and got her bored really easily. "We should really stay outside until they have settled things. It already got far too out of hand, don't you think?", she gave James a pointed look.

Wanda looked casually at her brother as soon as he approached her. Something seemed off as he talked about her room. She reached for his hand taking it into his and squeezed it gently. Whatever it was she wanted him to know they were in it together.
"Actually I wanted to show it to you...", she spoke somewhat disappointed that he wanted to enter the facility without her. She looked at him trying not to show the pain that if he wanted to go he could. "It's on the second floor third door to your right," she explained him guessing he would be gone within a second again. Wanda gave her twin a gentle, reassuring smile to tell him it was okay. Whatever was bothering him would be alright.
 
"He's probably having an anxiety attack again", Rhodey stated and placed himself next to Peter, "That's been like that for a while now..."
But Rogers was right. They didn't have the luxury of waiting.
"If I may take over here, why don't you look for clues, Barton? Just take the rest of the team and spread out. The three of us will be right here, trying to make this thing work with Tony", the soldier suggested, knowing that this might take longer than just a few minutes. And the two of them needed a good talk, desperately.
He knocked on the door.
"Tony, open up. Come on", he begged his friend calmly, "Locking yourself won't help you."


The Iron Man couldn't answer. He was about to suffocate, at least it felt like. His eyes were wide open and he was panting. Pictures were rushing through his mind. Pictures of New ork, of Kilian, of Pepper falling, explosions, screaming, dead children... And the countdown that started at 10 and counted downwards slowly. His upset mind didn't really grasp what he was supposed to do to make it stop. He knew that time was fleeting, he knew! But hat didn't change the fact that he was drunk as hell and everything started to spin around him, as he treid to get his shivering legs to carry him... To do something. Something to save Pepper... His hand hurt, but the pain was only a knocking in the back of his head... The alcohol hadn't done him any good.
Then there was a familiar voice... He couldn't quite explain why, but he just... Rhodey...
5,4,3,2,1....
A crash, the door shattered, he just raised his hands, while the suit covered his body, once more. He was about to stand up and fight, but as the dust was gone, he saw Peter... and Rhodey... And his muscles gave in as he sank to the floor.
"I know I've messed up... I know...."


Clint only nodded at Rhodes' request. He just wanted to make sure that Tony... Was okay. He somehow felt responsible for that man. It was almost like finding a puppy and bringing it home, then realizing it was messy. But he liked that puppy already. It had somehow managed to trigger his mercy.
But after Tony was out there, he would take his team and... Well, he would tell what was left of his team to help him look for clues. They were two spies, after all. And one assassin, two mind readers and a speedster. They could to this, for god's sake. They had to do this.
Finally, the boy broke the door open. He looked around, to see if Tony was... Well, what had he expected? The genius was wearing his suit, aiming two loaded repulsors at them.
Clint nodded and turned around.
"I'm outside, then", he told Steve and Peter, as he left the building to tell the others that they had work to do.


Clint came toward them and Thor almost immediately knew that there was something terribly wrong. He knew that expression on the face of the archer very well.
"What is it, my friend?", he asked, placing a hand on Clint's shoulder, "Do you know where he is?"
"No...“ , was the almost disappointing answer, "But Tony locked himself in a bathroom, he's drunk, alone, depressed and upset. Now Steve tried to talk to him and he doesn't lsiten. Guess we have to find Potts without him. Rhodes said it's the best we started looking on our own. I actually agree with that, what about you?" Clint took a deep breath, as he had forgotten to breathe during the last few sentences.
Every second we waste is a second where Potts could die. So... Guys? Any ideas?"
Thor frowned and tried to remember what he knew about his brother. Why would he even abduct someone and not show her off the next second? That wasn't like him, not at all. Also, what was he trying to reach snapping a woman? Loki wasn't that kind of man, so...
"He might not be working alone...", Thor stated and looked around the surprised faces.


With widened eyes and a beating heart, Clyde opened the attachment file. He licked his lips and then bit them, as he scrolled through the patient's files. There were two of them. The first one was written in a beautiful handwriting, probably a female doctor.
“Patient’s Name: John Doe (calls himself the Joker)
Date of birth: Unknown
Address: Unknown
Cause of admission: Criminal actions, psychological expert diagnosed possible mental disease
Attending psychiatrist: Dr Harleen Quinzel
Psychological record after first examination:
His childhood must have been troubled, otherwise he wouldn't have developed this aversion against social/ romantic relationships. He either grew up at an orphanage or with abusive parents, but I think that someone close to him was sentenced to death for a crime they didn't commit.
-> hate for police and governmental officers
And he has always been an outsider, bullied and hated
-> hate for people in general
He's very structured in thinking, even though he's most likely schizophrenic. (Which can also be a result of therapy at Arkham, though)
But I guess he was once a soldier, but nothing high. He just wanted to live his need for violence and maybe he even found somewhere to belong there. Then something happened, that's also where he got the scars and the government let him down once more. He was believed dead and left there alone (would explain why he basically came out of nowhere without a name).
I think the clown- inspired outfit is something like a mask for him. Because comedians can criticize without being judged by others.

His hate for society, who let him down so many times, alongside with PTSD, schizophrenia, various tics, and antisocial tendencies, it makes him one of the most dangerous men in Gotham.

This record was updated three times!
Signature: Dr H. Quinzel “
The second one was just as interesting, mostly because of the patient’s name. It was dated a year later.
Patient’s Name: Dr Harleen Quinzel
It went on and on and he skipped the last few paragraphs… until he saw one sentence that caught his eye.
“… Her obsession with the Joker made her give in to him, in the end…”
The form was signed by her treating psychiatrist: Dr Ethan Arkham.
So those two had started a collaboration with Loki....? That meant that Miss Potts was in some serious danger. He jumped into his car immediately, heading... Well, for the Avengers Facility. If he would find Stark somewhere, then it had to be with his friends. Or what was left of them.
 
Steve blinked as Rhodey said the three of us. "I don't think it's a smart idea to have me here. I was the one causing this after all...", he mumbled but seemed to give in to this fate rather easy. He had no idea what he was supposed to do here but alright. If Colonel Rhodes thought it was necessary. He stayed out of the picture for now. It seemed smarter to allow the other two to calm him first. He didn't know what Stark wanted to hear from him and it seemed like unless he figured that one out he would need to have to get off the sidelines. That was annoying but alright. It wouldn't help anyone but fine. He rolled his eyes.

Peter looked at Tony once he has his repulsors on him. That was a little harsh for unhinging the door, wasn't it? He carefully placed the door away as the bathroom obviously needed a new it. He blinked as the billionaire sank down on his knees and he stepped forward. "Well, perhaps you messed up. But we can always tidy up the mess at any given time?", he suggested and added "Perhaps we should start to tidy up by you getting a shower. No offense, Mister Stark, but you smell badly. I'm sure Miss Potts wouldn't want to get anywhere near you like this once we found her." It was obvious that the teenager tried to sound smart and be helpful but he was actually just babbling ahead.

"I'm going to have a look in the underground. Even Loki has to leave a trail somewhere especially if he worked with a woman. Maybe one of the thugs know something or heard something," she says knowing it was something that suited her. Picking up dirt on others was her specialty after all. Finally a mission that would require her actual skill set and not only fighting. That was fitting for her and she would finally be able to do what she knew best. No odd emotional turmoil because of the man who stood to her right. "The rest of you could split and systematically search through the city for any kind of clues," she suggested looking at the others.

Wanda looked at Thor as he suggested that he wasn't working alone. "Do you know with who he might work?", she asked the god of thunder curiously unsure of who would want to work with such a lunatic. "What's his plan anyways? It doesn't make any sense that he would kidnap Miss Potts? Why assemble the Avengers if we're less of a threat working alone and against each other?", she asked into the round. It all sounded so...strange to her.
 
"Tidy up, right...", Tony mumbled and got back onto his feet. It sounded like his Mom had spoken to him. He slowly put his feet onto the ground and stood straight. The suit opened and he stepped out. Maybe this was the time to use what he had tried to teach the boy all along. This was the way he had never expected it to be, but he needed to deal with it.
"I'll... be right back..."
He stared at his bleeding hand for a while, but didn't react. He just looked at Peter again and then went to take a shower.

"Well done", the Colonel said to Peter, as Tony disappeared in the bathroom again, "Couldn't have done this any better."
He smiled and petted the teenager's arm. He knew what that boy was able to do and how much he wished to be part of this team. Rhodey had joined the army at 18. He had always known what he wanted and he felt that determination in Peter. He totally understood what he was up to.
"Maybe you should stay around Tony. Just to make sure he's safe. No one knows what gets him from time to time... I think he needs you as his bodyguard now. Can you do that?", Rhodes asked and saw the boy's eyes light up. He had probably just fulfilled his biggest wish, he had made him a part of the team... Somehow. And deep down, Rhodey knew that he wouldn't regret that decision.
"And, Rogers...", The Colonel added and looked at the man, "What did you apologize for?"

"Fine, I'm coming with you", Bucky stated and looked at her with a determined look.
He wouldn't let her go out there alone. Maybe it was because she was still his student, maybe it was because he just didn't want to wait for Steve to finally move his lazy ass out of there. He just didn't want to be alone.
"Не спорить со мной (No contradiction)", he added.
This wasn't up for discussion. He wouldn't let her go alone if there was a chance that someone was after her. And besides that, he was kind of helpful it was about making people talk.
"So, where are we going first?", he grinned and placed himself even closer to her.

"Sounds good", Clint nodded and grabbed Wanda's arm, "Maybe someone saw something useful. The hotel staff, or... some pedestrians. I need you to look at their memories. Would you do that?" He looked at her, his eyes begging for a yes. "And Pietro can search the surrounding. Maybe he'll find something..."
"Fine, we're in", the speedster answered from behind him a second later.
Clint jumped a little, but hoped that no one would notice. He had gone soft in those few months of retirement...
"And Thor...?"

"I will try to trace my brother down. Maybe I can find something that helps us in Asgard... Or maybe Heimdall can see him. I have to try. I will be back by sunset."
With that explanation, he swung his hammer and flew away, off to his home... or whatever he was to call it. He still hadn't called Jane. He needed to when all this was over and Loki was banned. It just wasn't the time yet.
 
Peter looked back at Mister Stark unsure of what had just happened as he left. It all seemed rather surreal for him. The way the billionaire moved and looked at his bleeding hand than back at Peter. It was almost odd the way the man behaved and he had no idea how to make it better.
He looked surprised at Mister Stark's best friend and blinked as he was praised for getting the other man out of the bathroom. Somewhat embarrassed he rubbed the back of his neck. "It was nothing...," he mumbled it was obvious that he was happy over the praisal though. Finally someone acknowledged him even if it was only something like getting someone else out of a freaking bathroom and cleaned up. Peter really hoped the man wouldn't smell that bad afterwards. It was really an obnoxious smell of alcohol.
He guessed he was back on the sideline but then Rhodes surprised him. Taking care of Mister Stark... He could do that! It wasn't what he had expected from helping the Avengers but it was a start and he could prove himself! By far better than being fired from a stupid archer and the damn assassin. He had thought the redhead was cool before meeting her. Peter had imagined that they would bond over their spider aliases but bullshit - nothing had happened. He was just a kid...According to everyone except for Colonel Rhodes and Mister Stark.
"Of course, I can do that!", he said more than eager his eyes beaming with anticipation. He seemed to get excited about this all, now. He didn't feel like a puppy anymore. "Umm.. I'll wait for Mister Stark in the living room, Sir," he said as he kept it formal with all Avengers. He was young after all and showing some respect wouldn't hurt. Besides no one had offered him to call them by their first names. So, he sticked to the last names and sirs. It seemed to be somehow fitting.

Steve rose his eyebrow as Rhodey asked what he had apologized for. It felt like he was being judged for the right thing all over again. The priority had been to stop 7 more Winter Soldiers from coming to this world. Bucky was more than enough for now especially if he snapped. That's why Steve preferred his best friend around him all the time. That way he could control what was happening and at least somewhat fight back.
"I apologized for what has happened in Siberia. We shouldn't have left him behind like this. It was unnecessary. We had meant to stop Zemo from wakening the other Winter Soldiers and not to fight him. Yet Stark snapped when Zemo showed that clip. Of course it was understandable but we would've preferred keeping it on a somewhat friendly base. Still I tried to stop both Bucky and Stark from fighting. It got out of hands obviously.," he said but felt the need to explain himself "We knew the UN would come... So before they could imprison us we left. It was one hell of a mess."

Natasha glanced at Barnes with a raised eyebrow as he announced he was coming with her. That is not exactly what she understood under working alone. Her gaze darkened a little as he didn't even ask to come along. "I can handle this perfectly on my own," she tells him but rolls her eyes as he somewhat orders her around in Russian. She smacked the back of his head.
"If we are doing this together you're going to follow my rules and not the other way round, got that?", she stares at him in a way that also told him that she didn't accept back talking. Either he took it like this or his sorry ass would be dumped in the next dumpster. She stared at him a moment longer but rolled her eyes giving in.
"Хорошо, но мои правила. Когда я говорю, беги, вы бежите, и когда я говорю прыжок, вы прыгаете. Понял? [Fine, but my rules. When I say run you run and when I say jump you jump. Got that?]", she looked at him for a second. "First rule. Arm length away from me," she tells him and stretches her arm out taking a step away from him. He was standing way too close for her liking. Her glance landed on Clint.
"Call me when you hear something of Stark or Potts. I'll ring by as soon as...we found somethign out," she tells her partner and starts moving away. She looks over her shoulder to see if Barnes is following her. She didn't really care but...still something made her slow down so he could easily step up to her.

Wanda looked at Clint and tilted her head. "I thought I was not supposed to go into people's heads," she mentioned based on his rules of the farm. This confused her. Why was she allowed to use it now but not earlier. She looked at Clint for a moment but nodded as Pietro appeared out of the sudden and agreed as well. "Alright, I can do this," she looks at her twin and asks "So, how do you like my room?" Her room was filled with almost nothing that she had bought herself. Except for her decorated wall. It had lights all over and most of pictures were of her and Pietro. There were some in which she was laughing with Clint or Vision but most of them were of her "deceased" brother.


<><><><>

3f7cd3c5cbfdf89c2dad7db664073087--hipster-bedrooms-small-bedrooms.jpg

Wanda's room just with pictures of Pietro and her as well as the Avengers. Just to empaphize that the Avengers have somewhat become a family to her xD
 
"Great. Oh, make sure he drinks some water", Rhodey called after Peter, who disappeared through the door. The Colonel looked after the boy, smiling. He had always had a hand for young recruits. And it wasn't any different around here. Sure, the situation had changed. He had been dismissed from his duty as War Machine, as he couldn't do anything else than sit around anyway, he had retired from the Avengers for the same reasons and he basically had nothing left now. It was all just sitting at home, watching TV, doing the workout he had been prescribed and hoping that one day he would be able to use the exasceleton Tony had built for him. He really needed some distraction from this lame day to day routine.
Though he really didn't know how yet, he would find a way to help them find Pepper. Hadn't Tony talked about a remote control for his suits? That would be something he could work with. Or drones, drones were fine, too. Maybe he had a chance asking a few favors...
He was snapped out of his thoughts, when Rogers said that he was sorry for leaving Tony behind, for fighting him... Did that guy have any idea how Tony thought?! Did he even have any idea about friendship at all?
For a moment, he just stood and stared at the Captain, surprised by how he saw tha situation.
"You knew who killed Howard, didn't you?", Rhodey finally asked.
He looked at Steve, waiting for him to grasp the sense of those words.
"If you knew, why didn't you tell him?"
He paused again, waiting for the captain to say something. But finally he couldn't stand it anymore.
"You know, for Tony, a friendship is based on truth.", he started to explain, "And he tried really hard to keep it real with you."

"Yes, Ma'am", Bucky saluted and smiled.
He followed her and for a moment it felt like they were going on another mission. The arm's length was, as always, a try to keep him away from her, in case he snapped. It was nothing new to him, but it made him sad. Why didn't she trust him anymore? Well, he didn't judge her. He had had those memories, too. Of her trying to hurt him. He hadn't intended to, but he had shot her... And forgotten about it again.
He shook those thoughts off, though, as she got onto a motorcycle and he followed her with a second one.
She stopped somewhere in the small and shady streets.

"Okay", Clint nodded at Natasha. and made his way to the car, opening the door for Wanda, Pietro and... Vision?
"Vision?", he asked.
"I can help...", the cyborg told him and smiled at Wanda.
What was it between those two? It was almost cute how Vision tried to get closer to her. And well, young love was something beautiful and he wouldn't do anything to stand in their way?
"Fine, then...", he smiled and drove off.
Pietro seemed to be dissatisfied with the way Wanda and Vision flirted. Maybe he was jealous that someone else was more important than him. Brothers...
The archer shook his head and drove off, heading for the hotel again. Maybe they could fond something there.

Clyde hit the brakes hard in front of the facility. With a squeaking noise, the car stopped. He jumped out of the car and ran right inside. As the man entered the building, the alarm system went off. It was a stranger and he didn't fit the DNA- profile. The whole facility was on lockdown in the blink of an eye. Every window, every door, every way out was covered with a bulletproof sheet of metal, covered with a small amount of vibranium. No one could get in- or out. And Clyde was trapped in the hall.
"Oh dammit...", he sighed and looked up to the ceiling, where he hoped to find cameras. He waved the two patient's files through the air.
"I'm Clyde Ambers! I have information about Pepper Potts!", he shouted.
Stark's safety systems were precise, without any mistakes or ways around. So he sat down on the floor, waiting for someone to free him.
 
"I got to know about it later on. I didn't know about his parents until Bucky came out of what Zemo did to him. So heck I would do it again like that! He would've locked us all up. Barton didn't see his family anymore until I bailed them out! He had Maximoff in a freaking restriction jacket. So, if you expect me to be sorry about something I would do all over again - ask someone else to apologize," he says seriously and looks at Rhodey. Just because he knew a few days before things had happened didn't mean he would tell Tony at the point anymore. It was obvious that it had left some scars on Steve as well. Everyone wanted him to apologize because he was the stronger one of them but he was offering his help. Either Stark would take it or not.
"Once I found out it was more important to stop those other Winter Soldiers than to kiss Stark's ego," he tells Rhodes.

It wasn't that she feared him to snap, she simply didn't want him in her personal space. It brought back things she had thought to be long dead. They were better buried six feet underground to make sure it would never get out anymore. "We need to quite literally go into the underground. Out of weird reasons, they think the hideout is the best in sewer," she tells him and moves the bike into a shadow "So I really hope you didn't pick your best clothes, Winter." The nickname was out before she could stop it and she tried to shake the feeling off. It really felt odd but also satisfying to use that name again. She sighed a little and looked at him. "Let's go! We're wasting time," she said and broke open a door before stepping inside and holding it for Barnes.

Wanda smiled back at Vision. It seemed like their gazes connected for a moment. Something was there between them but unfortunately Wanda couldn't tell what it was. It just felt right being near him. Her brother's scoff though made her turn away.
"You okay?", she asked and crinkled her mouth that he didn't really have anything to say to her room even though she was sure that he had sneaked inside during one of his speeding sessions.

Peter blinked as the alarm suddenly went off. "Mister Stark? What am I supposed to do?", he asks going to look for the source of the alarm. He heard him say that he had things on Stark's fiancée. "Hang on, I try to stop the alarm!", he says but wasn't quite sure how. "Umm.. Jarvis, Sir? Is it possible to stop the alarm and allow Mister Clyde to go out so he can show us the information?"
 
Colonel Rhodes sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Just as stubborn as Tony...", he grumbled and rolled away from Steve, trying to find the reason why the alarm had suddenly gone off. He knew that only an Avenger could disarm the system. There was only one problem: The switch was downstairs and no one had built an elevator into this facility. Who would have expected anyone to lose the ability to walk? Rhodey sighed again. He was sure that Steve knew about the alarm system, too. It was just that he wasn't sure if he was still listed as trustworthy on Tony's list.
"Friday, who's the intruder?", he asked the computer system. The distraction was more than comfortable to him. Apparently making Rogers admit a mistake he had made was just as hard as convincing Tony to be reasonable. Those two were too similar to ever make up.
A hologram of a man popped up in front of Rhodey 's face and he saw a man he had never seen before. What the actual hell was going on here? And why did he say that he knew something about Pepper...? He just hoped that Tony would take care of that man soon.

'Mister Jarvis Sir is long gone', Friday answered to Peter. Her voice almost sounded insulted.
'If you want to talk to Mister Jarvis, I suggest you go get the broken disk and try to restore him.'
She was only a computer program, but Tony liked to talk to his inventions like they had emotions. Like they were his family. Even though he had Pepper now, sometimes he needed the company of someone he understood.
The Iron Man jumped out of the shower, as the alarm went off. He nearly slipped on the bathroom floor, because his balance was still impaired by the alcohol in his system.
"Wow..." He tried to regain control of the situation and finally stood on both of his feet again.
"What is it?", he asked his AI, his heart beating like crazy.
In the back of his mind there was a pounding.
They're coming for me, they're coming back for me...
He put a towel around his waist and went outside, leaving a big puddle where he had gotten out of the shower.
'There's a man in the hall', his AI answered and showed Tony what the man was doing.
"Be a good girl and check me his background", the Iron Man demanded and saw Peter, who was still standing in the living room. He looked at the teenage boy and nodded at him.
"And Fri", he added, "Turn that annoying noise off."
The next moment, it was quiet again and Tony received a hologram picture of the journalist.
"Clyde Ambers... mhm...", he mumbled and looked at Peter again, "Go in there and make him talk. If he tries to do anything threatening, wrap him up."
He opened the door for the boy and sent him in. He knew that it was the best like that. He wasn't clear enough to ask the right questions.

'Winter' followed without any questions. Wasting time was unacceptable. Fast and efficient, in and out. They needed information. This was just as important as any killing mission he had ever had.
He licked his lips and stayed right behind Natasha.
"So what are we doing?", he asked quietly, "What are we up to?"
 
Steve looked after the Colonel and frowned. Why didn't he see his reasoning? What was he supposed to do anyways? It's not like telling Tony that Bucky had killed his parents would've changed anything. If he could, he would've kept it a secret forever. Tony shouldn't have needed to live with that knowledge. But it was too late for that now.Things were done and an apology about something like this was ridiculous anyways. The alarm went off and eh arrived at the same time as Stark. He looked better now that he had showered. But he still was hammered. "Tony," he simply said and looked at him. "What is this noise all about?", he looked at the room that almost looked like a prison to him. It came as a surprise that he hadn't been locked up by now. "I'm really trying to help with Miss Potts, Stark. Just help not trying to lead the rescue mission. She is your fiancée not mine," he tried to reason. Both of them could go seperate ways afterwards again. He would go back into hiding and...and maybe he could start a family. That's all he ever wanted.

"Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am. I did not mean to offend you," the teenager replied sheepish. It was true he really wanted to leave a good impression even if it only was with the AI of Mister Stark. He looked around until Tony approached him. Almost immediately he stood upright but a light blush crept on his cheek once he realized the other man wasn't dressed yet. "Maybe you should erm.. get dressed, Msiter Stark," he said and looked a bit embarrassed but he did as told and went into the room.
"Mister Ambers? Why did you enter the Avengers facilty?", he asked sounding differently than when he talked to Tony. He seemed more sure of himself. The only thing that was missing was his costume, which made him uncomfortable. He needed his idendity to be a secret after all.

Natasha looked over her shoulder at him while she walked. It smelled badly but both of them had endured worse in their life. "Just stay low. We're talking to some thugs and make them talk if we have to. But that'a about it," she told him and crinkles her mouth a little. He needed to stay low and she wasn't sure if he could manage that for once. They walked in silence and Natasha frowned over the fact that no-one seemed to be anywhere near. It was too late that she noticed it. Gosh, she was already becoming slow. "Dug!", she called out but some of the criminals were already attacking them.
 
Tony looked at a hologram display in front of him and watched Peter interrogate the man. The boy seemed to be way more confident when he wasn't around. But on other hand, what did he know about teenagers? What did he know about kids in general?
Pepper...
They didn't have a lot of time to find her. And if they didn't, he would never find out about being a father. This man definitely knew something. And he needed that information more than he needed to prove his point. He needed everyone he could get to look for her. Perhaps, he even needed a traitor to make this mission an effective one. Who knew that for sure...?
All he knew was that Pepper was out there, alone, scared, probably crying for his help, while he was stating examples here. He needed to stop and...
Just the second that thought had formed in his head, Steve came in and stood right next to him. It was so easy to pretend that they were still a team, when Steve's new puppy wasn't around.
"I don't think you get it...", he mumbled and looked up at the blonde, "I don't think you know what's at stake for me..."
He looked into those eyes and wondered where their bromance had gone. They had been so close...
Tony was an impulsive man. He had always been and he had never learned how to control those impulses. Except for love and affection, the boy had always had everything he had wanted. And that immediately. Now he was supposed to be a leader, develop a thoroughly thought plan and bring his friends home again. He wasn't that kind of guy. But as much as it hurt him, he still saw that kind of man in Steve. It was hidden, very well hidden, but the leader and friend was still inside the captain. At least when Barnes wasn't around.
"Fine. But under one condition:", he sighed and almost looked at his former friend playfully, "You let Barnes stay withTasha, and team up with someone who can watch their own back. I don't wanna risk you two forgetting about the mission like you did back in that factory."
He was serious again. He hadn't even tried to understand. All Tony had needed was a face to face battle. To know he tried to take revenge. He wouldn't have killed him.

Clyde sat on the floor and was feeling a little uncomfortable already. He had the two patient's files pressed against his chest and looked up at the cameras, trying to leave a good and trustworthy impression to whoever was out there watching.
"Holy crap...", he stated as a teenager suddenly appeared behind him, "boy, you scared me!"
Slowly, he turned around and looked... at Peter Parker? He knew that face, had seen it before. He was that young photographer, who brought all those pictures of Spiderman.
"Wait, Peter? What the actual...?"
The older man raised an eyebrow and then tilted his head.
"Are you Stark's secretary now? That's funny, cause I'm quite sure he's had one, but she's missing. Those hell hounds have been speculating about him doing something to her, so there's gonna be a lot of wind the next few weeks. As soon as someone reports her missing, the cops will turn up... Soo I suppose we should hurry."
His long talk had drained the air in his brain, so he took a deep breath and filled his lungs with oxygen again.
"I suppose you know that, though. Don't you?"
He looked at the boy and smiled nervously.
"Now to your question: I guess we both know what I'm doing here. I was excited and got carried away. I figured you should know what Loki's up to, so... yeah. Here I am, carrying patients files I'm not supposed to have, just to save Potts' ass."
He shrugged.
"Could you please let me give this to Stark? He should be interested in this. Like, really interested. Here's what he's messing with."

Bucky turned and hit a man's head with his metal arm. The poor criminal dropped to the ground, his head probably mud. At least the hole in his forehead looked like. It had been a reflex, he was a casualty. James stepped back until he could feel Natalia's back on his. One touch and an old feeling kicked in. A feeling as old as his lost memories, so it seemed. And all that mattered now was to keep his girl safe.
Still, her words echoed in his head.
"Stay low..."
What was he supposed to do? Out of another instinct, he grabbed one of the men by the throat and threw him against a wall. He dropped, unconscious, but alive. The next one followed.
"If you want to talk, this would be the perfect moment ", he stated, as he had grabbed a man by the foot and turned him upside down, "Ask your questions."
The man kicked and screamed, but he wasn't a very experienced fighter. As soon as his gun had been taken away, he seemed rather uncomfortable and helpless. Great criminal.

Clint entered the hotel and did his best to look professional. With his head held high, he entered the building and approached the guy at the reception. Wanda and Pietro were right behind him. They looked like a normal family... Of course they had left their armor in the car.
The only eye catching thing about them was Vision, whose cape always seemed to float, no matter where he was or what he did. He walked quite close to Wanda, and Pietro seemed to be very annoyed by that fact.
Clint leaned onto the reception table and looked at the young man in front of him.
"Do you know who Pepper Potts left with?", he went straight ahead.
The boy shook his head and pressed his lips together.
"Hey, man... I only want your best. You can answer now or my friend will make you", he told the reception guy and smiled at him, while his hand behind his back waved Wanda closer. Pietro stepped forward with her and even though he was young and definitely not the dangerous type, he looked quite threatening at the moment.
"I don't know...", the young man mumbled and looked to the floor, as his eyes started to glow green-ish. Clint's stomach turned upside down immediately. With an uncomfortable feeling he looked at Wanda. Did she know what it meant?
 
Steve kept his eyes trained on the screen and tried not to sigh. Tony had never understood that to Steve waking up in the future hadn't been a good thing.All he had wanted was a family with a home. A family with a bunch of kids and...and Peggy. He had lost everything - sacrificed everything so the Teseract was safe from Hydra, the Army and even Stark's father. But it had had no use. Howard had found it and apparently experimented on it with the help of SHIELD. "I know how it is to lose everything...everyone. I don't wish that to happen to you, Tony, or anyone for that matter. I think we both know that you stand in front of a cliff with people willing you to jump down. It's either jumping with a team who will help you or jumping alone and we'll see what happens. For Pepper's sake I hope it is the team," he says and looks at Tony.
He listens to him talking about teaming up with Bucky and simply nods "That is fine with me. Romanoff should be capable of handling him." He smiles friendly and stuffs his hands into his pockets, "Who do you want me to team up with?" Steve obviously stayed quiet about it all. He wanted to help for Potts's sake and he would do whatever he had to do and finally Stark seemed to sober up enough to think clear enough to see that he didn't have much other choice but to take their help.

Peter looked at Clyde and rose his eyebrow as the man seemed to know him. "Where do you know me from?," he asked frowning a little as he looked at the man. This was a really strange situation to be in for him. How did the man know him and did it make him anymore trustworthy? Peter really didn't know.
"It's more of an internship or a different kind of job, if you have to know. Mister Stark didn't do anything to Miss Potts," he replies and looks at Clyde almost annoyed by his babbling and wonders what the man actually wants now. It's not like his talk would help them in any way. He crosses his arms and shows the other man that he's getting impatient and thinks that the man's simply paying time. So not really worth his attention.
Peter stretched his arm out so Clyde could give it to Peter so he could look through them. "How did you get these and let's say it's helpful how can we even make sure that whatever that is will actually be real? There's too many lose ends for us to trust you completely on the matter. What makes you think the information is real?"
Peter didn't seem to be sold on the man's information even though it apparently concerned Potts's well being but he didn't know the man and apparently Stark didn't know him either so why should he trust him right away? Yet his spider senses weren't tingling so it at least seemed like he was no apparent threat to any of them.

"That's not exactly the definition of staying low," she told him and gestured to the man on the ground. That was when the criminals arrived. She had lifted her hands in an innocent manner as he simply played mashed potatoes with another guy's head. She sighed and steps backward feeling his back suddenly on hers. She smirked knowing that she had her back. If she knew anything than it was that they got out of there together. "Как и в старые времена, не так ли? [Just like old times, right?]", she tells him with a smirk. She jumps forward and stabs a man in the process before turning to see him holding a man upside down. Her gaze didn't fixate on Barnes and the thug though but the approaching group of people one of them even trained a gun on James and she started to run towards Barnes and the thugs. She slid underneath them and got to her feet just in time to catch the bullet. Unlike for Barnes it meant for her to get shot. She felt the peng of pain in her shoulder. She doesn't seem too hurt though as the blood tripled out of her. The advantage was that the black fabric didn't show the blood. Within seconds the thugs were dead and she smeared her face breathless as she pushed hair out of her face and turned around to look at Barnes. "You okay?", she asked and walked over to him to look at the thug and finally ask her questions.

Wanda walked near Vision as she looked around in the hotel. She had never been in such a fancy hotel before. Her brother and her were used to sleep underneath bridges or on park benches at night. They didn't have the money for motels where people went for a night with a hooker. They had it worse before and all this luxury seemed strange to her and unnecessary.
She stepped forward with her twin and tilted her head to the side as the young man's eyes started glowing. It was so similar to when she played with other people's mind. She exchanged gazes with Pietro before raising her hands. They had a familiar red mist around them as she delved into the man's memories. Unlike with Barnes she wasn't gentle as she searched for it and pulled down the walls Loki had risen in the man's mind. "She left with the dark-haired Asgardian, her unconscious bodyguard and a blond...woman. She seemed crazy to him as she kept laughing while they left," Wanda explains and removes herself from the memories.
 
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