It's going to be okay
Chapter 3
It's going to be okay
It was Tuesday, the day that Steve was going to go and pick up Tony from the private airstrip.
As he got ready, he got dressed in his light blue suit, he went to his breakfast bar to get his messenger bag and keys so that he would be able to leave his apartment within the following 5 minutes.
He wasn't sure whether Tony was on the flight back since he never received the confirmation call from the aviation network that Tony was using, but he thought that they maybe forgot to tell him or that once they arrived into the State of California they would then call him.
Just as the thought left his mind, his phone rang, it was Rhodey.
It wasn't a common occurrence for him to receive a call from James, unless it had to do with Tony, therefore Steve thought that this was a phone call telling him that they were probably going to be a few minutes or an hour late.
It was not.
As Steve answered his phone, he heard the deep, terrifying voice from the Lieutenant colonel, " Steve, something happened," he began, " I don't know how but there was a bombing that targeted two army vans."
" Oh my God, but nothing wrong… right? Everything alright on your side? Tony should be on his way to Los Angeles right now? Right, Rhodey?!" Came the erratic voice of Steve.
"Steve, we doing everything we can to find him. Steve, his van was hit with deadly explosives. We didn't find the body so he could have either been kidnapped or…"
“No!” Steve shouted, “Don’t you dare! Don't you dare say that." He screamed, then in a small voice whispered " His alive, I know he is, its Tony. He always finds his way out of a situation. All we can do is not lose hope. I'll send you any and everything that can help in the sense of resources that Stark Industries has to offer. Rhodey… we have to find him."
"I know Steve," Rhodey said, " We'll keep looking, day and night if we have too. I'll keep you posted."
"Thanks, James, I have to go into the office now and set up an emergency board meeting. Everything that probably gone to shit there at the office. Sorry for screaming at you, but I… I really have to go. Good luck ."
"Bye Steve, and good luck with everything on your side too."
The moment his call disconnected from Rhodey, the phone fell from steves softened grip as he too fell to his knees and cried out in agony.
The man who took a chance on him when he came straight out of Harvard business school was missing. Steve never considered himself to be a religious person, but at that moment he was thankful for the Sundays his mother dragged him to church a child. He got up and made his way to his room, he went to his bedside table, opening the draws, he began looking for the Rosary Beads and got onto his knees again and began to recite the ‘Hail Mary Prayer"
"Hail Mary, full of grace.
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death,
Amen."
While he was reciting the prayer he kept his thoughts on Tony. His mother was the only religious individual in the house growing up and at that moment Steve could not help have the need in wanting to phone her, his mother, Sarah.
When she answered the phone and began to speak, Steve could not help but be grateful to the calming effect that fell over him. It was as if his mother had flown all the way to him just so that she could wrap him in her arms.
Steve spilt everything.
He told her how much Tony meant to him. He was his mentor and friend. He believed in him when no one in the business world would give him a chance. He never doubted him even when he gave Steve the chores of getting rid of his one night stands, Steve learned to never bit the hand that fed him.
When his mother told him that she was due at work for the night shift at the hospital, since she was a doctor, he knew that the job was important and that he as also due at work - even though he was late- he said his goodbyes and freshened up before he made his way to his car on course to work.
————————
Pandemonium.
That all he could describe the SI reception area as Steve was used to the workplace being busy but this was just pure madness.
He made his way up the main staircase that took him to the senior offices and turned to the COO's office. Mr Obadiah Stane.
He gave two rapid knocked before letting himself in. He sat on the first available chair that was right in front of Mr Stane.
"Mr Rogers," he said in a dejected tone, "This is a said day for SI, it's something that we've never had the unfortunate chance of practising for this disastrous case that has fallen upon us. The murder of Mr Stark is an event that no one could have ever seen."
"Well, of course, Mr Stane one can never plan for such a terrible situation to arise," Steve replied with a distant expression, " however, we can still have some hope. Mr Starks was kidnapped not murdered, James Rhodes told me so himself," Steve stretched the truth a little bit, "and as long as I can have that small glimmer of hope I will grab onto it. Mr Stark will return and he will come back to a company that did not sink during his absence."
Obadiah's jaw clenched, " Well Mr Rogers, with that confidence, we'll need to set sailing and allow this operation to not sink. Tony will be pleased that you never gave up on him."
Steve got up from his seat, " How can I give up on the man who has never given up on me. During my first year here I messed up one too many times, but Mr Stark always told me to not give up and that he had faith in me." He sighed, " I should get going. Will it be okay if I set up an emergency board meeting that's to be held around… 7 pm? It should be more than enough time for board members to arrive here."
"That sounds perfect, just confirm with Allison."
"No problem. Will that be all Mr Stane?" replied Steve
"Yes, and again, thanks, Steve. Tony has always been like a son to me. Your faith has sparked mine tenfolds." came the voice of Stane.
"I'm just doing my job, Mr Stane. I'll be making my way out now."
————————
He was fucken tired when he got home.
He had been on the phone with all kinds of newspaper outlets from all around the world. The one question on everyone's lips had been ‘ Where is Tony Stark?.
Steve knew that it was his job, he got a great salary so he wasn't one to always complain, however after hearing the same question over and over again over whether Mr Stark was either ‘Kidnapped or Murdered’ he became pissed off.
When he opened the door to his apartment, he noticed the Bucky had made himself comfortable on his couch.
Steve walked the short distance towards his minibar and collected two shot glasses that sat on top on his shelve, and grabbed the strongest tequila he had.
Before he even sat down next to Bucky, he opens the bottle and took a quick swig then placed the glasses down and poured some of the mind-wreaking drink into it.
Taking the shot from the table into his hand, Steve had a sombre expression on his face when he looked at his cousin, " He's been missing for 20 hours and for some weird reason, it feels as if people are willing to replace the kidnapping with 'murder'. It’s as if they, the media and my co-workers… my bosses are just willing to see the easiest one of the two and use that as a way to move on. You know… to the option that automatically screams death."
Bucky saw the tears that wear pooling around Steve's eyes, " Well Stevie, life is a strange thing. You always think someone has your back until the worst possible thing happens, that's when you see their true colours but don't be discouraged. Remember you still will have a world full of people behind you.”
With a slight smile Steve took the tequila bottle to refill their shot glasses, placing the bottle back onto its place on the table, he took his shot then looked at Bucky, " I'm not sure if the tequila has made you smarter than you usually are.. or if my memory serves me correct, and it usually does, you just decided to botch up Cyndi Lauper's lyrics to ‘true colours' and just rearranged the words to suit this situation?"
With a short bark of a laugh, Bucky replied, " bitch, I'm a fucken genius, and anyway my hidden powers have always been to be able to put a smile on that sombre face of yours."
Softly Steve looked over, "You know, I know I tell you sometimes but not often enough, but Buck, thank you. Thank you for just being here, listening to my excessive crying earlier and just not giving up on me, especially today. I needed you and you came. I love you, dude."
Bucky pulled Steve into a bone-crushing hug while whispering into his ear, " I love you too, cousin. And don't worry it's going to be okay… his going to be okay.”