I'll always stand behind you.
Chapter 6
I'll always stand behind you.
As he stood there at the army base airdrome, lost in thought, Steve could not help but wonder if Tony was 100% well.
Rhodey had phoned him the evening before and told him that Tony had refused to go to the army base hospital, that was back in Afghanistan. The downside of knowing Tony as well as Steve did he knew for a fact that if he refused the help then, he definitely would refuse it here too even if he was perhaps desperately in need of it.
When the General, that was standing next to him and Happy told them that the designated army plane would be arriving within the next 30 minutes, Steve turned towards the Rolls-Royce Phantom to collect his phone and began to make arrangements with Tony's designated doctor to make an emergency house call. If there was one thing that he knew about Tony is that when it came to his health, he never cared.
Almost 20 minutes later, Steve made his way back to Happy. He checked his watch when he saw that it would be around ten more minutes before the aircraft would be making its way to them, he looked in the direction of Happy and saw a smile make its way on the ever-present stoic face.
It was then that he could finally hear the loud, distinctive sound that could only have been an aircraft.
Turning their bodies in the direction of the landing zone, that the aircraft was set to land in. The small crowd, that he was apart of, looked towards the plane as it began to descend at the Los Angeles base.
It was as if all activity had come to a stand-still. The whole base was buzzing over the fact the something this monumental was happening there.
However, all thoughts drifted away the moment he heard the loud noise of the plane's door begin to descend open.
Steve felt his heart drop and eyes gain moisture when he saw Tony.
Of what he could make out, there was a wheelchair that looked as if Tony had been sitting in as he saw the bent shape that was Rhodey helping him of it.
A shocked expression formed on his face when he saw the condition that Tony was in. Cuts that varied in sizes, small little nicks to large gashes, were littering his face. However, Steve could not get over the fact that Tony walked out with his hand in a sling, holding on to Rhodey.
When his eyes made contact with Tony's, he let out the biggest breath of relief and a small glimmer of a smile began to form on his face.
Tony was safe and that all that mattered to him.
Steve noticed that as Tony made his way toward Steve, he gave him the smuggest smirk and said, "Huh, your eyes are red, are those tears for your long lost boss?"
Steve smirked and replied cheekily, "Nope, just tears of joy, I hate job hunting and I definitely do not want to work for Hammer."
Tony gave a light chuckle, " Ya I know, guys a douche."
Steve rolled his eyes he answered, " You don't say, Mr Stark, I think he tried to emulate you at your peak of douchebaggery. "
"I don't know what I missed more? A greasy American cheeseburger or the return of ‘Mr sassy pants undercover’ that also known as Steve Rogers?"
Steve looked at Tony, " Did you really have to give me the longest and most unnecessary nickname ever Mr Stark?"
“Why yes… yes I did," he said while making his way over to the Rolls-Royce Phantom that Happy had moved to since he was standing next to it, he continued, “okay, enough of this tomfoolery, vacations over." He deadpanned.
When Happy began their journey to Stark mansion, Tony abruptly told Happy to reroute them on the path towards the nearest "American style cheeseburger fast food" restaurant so that he could receive some ‘real’ nourishment and then Stark Industries.
The moment Tony said the words "reroute", "SI" and "press conference" he knew that something bad was going to happen.
"Tony… no, you first have to be checked out by the doctors before you can even think of having a freakin' press conference," Steve sighed, " Tony I'm begging you to first get check out."
Turning to look at Steve he stated, " Steve. I've been held in captivity for the past 3 months. Trust me, I've been through some bad shit but this… this press conference is more important. It's perhaps the most important thing that I will ever have the ability to do. Please, Steve." He looked at Happy through the rearview mirror and directed, " Hap, take us to the nearest Burger King and then SI. Specifically in that order."
Steve gave an incredulous look, Tony never sounded so adamant about something before.
"What happened?" He asked in a quiet voice.
"Huh?" Came the reply from Tony
Rolling his eyes in a playful way Steve looked directly into Tony's eyes and asked him again quietly but this time all playfulness aside, "What happened there, Tony?"
Tony whispered, " I don't want to get too deep into it now, but the things I saw, the things that I know that I have the power to change, but at that moment I was helpless. For years I only saw the money we made and dads legacy as the main priority for the company when in fact I should have put mine first," he paused, " whatever I'm going to do Steve, I need to know that I'll have you in my corner."
Steve took in a deep breath of air, " Tony, I've been with you through your highs and your lows for the last 10 years, 8 years of which I’ve been your personal assistant that we've known each other. if I didn't run away then, what makes you think that I'm running away now?" He said as he raised his right eyebrow.
Tony gave a grateful smile before taking one of the burgers Happy just received from the takeout window, unwrapping it and shoving it in his mouth.
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The duration from Burger King to SI Tony looked at Steve and with a frown voiced, "This might just be the most controversial SI press conference we've had to date."
" You mean worse than the time of your first or second sex tape? Oh wait, I think it was it the 20-hour marriage you had… to a stripper that you knew for what 5 minutes? So go ahead and take your pick?"Steve mumbled as he scrunched up his nose.
Tony replied with a bark of a laugh, " I thought we made a pact of never bringing up my stupid past?."
Rolling his eyes Steve laughed while answering, " You did, not I," and then he said more seriously, "Tony, remember I just told you that I'm not running away. It should be as obvious as basic physics to you. I'll always stand behind you, and that you can count on."
The remained of the drive was done in a conformable silence.
Even in the midst of all the tension in the car, all Steve could think of was how grateful he was that Tony was still alive.
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They pulled up in the driveway of SI, all Steve saw was the ocean that was consisting out of Stark Industries staff and the vultures that are reporters.
He turned toward Tony and said, " Are you sure you want to do the press conference today… right now? I still have had enough time to cancel it."
Tony humphed, then nodded.
Steve looked at him before he opened his side of the door as Obadiah walked over to the car to open opened Tony's, and said, " Good luck Mr Stark."
Tony looked at Steve and gave a slight nod before he began to leave the car, but before he was completely out he turned his head around slightly and in a soft but confident voice, replied, "Thank you."
The press conference, as boring and tedious as Steve alway saw them as, took a major turn when Tony decided to ask that all the members of the press and staff, to sit on the floor.
Steve stood, content with his place at the back, watching the commotion that had unfolded, when he heard the clearing of a throat next to him.
He turned to face the person that stood next to him. He saw a man who was about 4 inches taller than Steve's 5 ft 5, he wore a black suit and introduced himself, "
I'm Agent Phil Coulson with the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division."
‘Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division - fuck that was a long name' thought Steve.
"Steve Rogers," he said with an outstretched hand to be polite, "That's quite a mouthful, if I'm, to be honest."
"I know." Agent Coulson stated, " We're working on it." He said with a sheepish smile.
They continued to speak until the mood turned a tad bit sour when Agent Coulson and asked for a private debriefing, which Steve immediately vetoed.
"And that is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark Industries."
Steve's eyes went comically wide when he heard those words left Tony's mouth.
It took him barely a minute before his shocked expression turned into one of awe. The man stood there in the front was able to change the way that individuals saw his company within a few seconds.
At that moment Steve remembered the words he said the car early and he knew that Tony would need him to have his back now more than ever before because one thing that he was certain about is that Obadiah will try to stop this will all his might.