Chapter 4
There was a tensed silence for a few seconds.
The lights went dim, and a spotlight had drawn the attention of every single person in the room to them.
And then Steve hit Tony in the face.
"YOU DESTROYED THE PAST JUST TO STICK IT TO ME!"
The characters on the stage became a blurry mass of bodies, fighting and mainly trying to stop Steve. Some cops and guards tried to help, but they just got pushed around. A blue light came from the stage, hitting Steve in the chest. Again. And again. And again.
All of the men and women began to run to the emergency exits, running away from the fight between the super heroes.
Daniel was the first one to jump from his place in order to face the fight instead of escaping it. He went down the stairs as fast as his crutch let him, and Jarvis was on his heels- although Daniel could probably beat Jarvis at any fight, Jarvis was extremely protective when it came to Daniel and stairs. After him ran Howard, trying to catch the faster men.
Peggy got up and passed all of them easily. The last thing she needed was another hurt man. She could handle a supersolider and friends. And a Stark.
Right?
The fight ended as soon as Peggy lifted herself onto the stage, or two seconds after the last man managed to get out from the hall. Tony was the first one to notice her, smiling like the little devil he always was. He winked at her, but a variety of emotions were flickering on his face, settling on something between longing and pain.
Steve stopped. And turned. He caught her eyes, and Peggy's heart melted for a moment, looking at the familiar ocean blue (with a little bit of green) eyes. The mascular supersolider stepped slowly to her.
"You were late." the words escaped from her mouth, and he nodded slowly.
"Guilty as charged." he said, and his lips curved up slightly.
Without waiting for her respond, Steve wrapped his hand around her waist gently, grabbed her chin and leaned forward, ready to catch her lips with his-
"She's married." it was the first thing that Howard said since he saw Steve, his expression surprisingly unreadable.
Steve looked stunned for a moment, and sneered, smile spreading on his face. "Yeah, right, she's married. Don't think you can get me, I had to deal with that devil son of yours." his face were smiling warmly now, all of his sudden anger for Tony gone, and Peggy could say that he meant it as a joke, but Tony flinched.
Peggy has always been quick. The first one to recover, to comment, to take command. Yeah, Peggy Carter couldn't be described as a slow woman. But how can you tell Steven Grant Rogers, Captain America, who looked exactly like she left him, exactly like he looked in that fight on Hydra's base, exactly like the same Steve Rogers who jumped from a bloody plane just to save his best friend's arse, the Steve Rogers who never gave up, who always kept waiting- the Steve Rogers that Howard sent searching delegations after every freaking year, the Captain America that she hadn't waited for -
"Don't touch her, I'll-" she didn't hear the rest of what Daniel has said, panic rising again. She needed to tell Captain America that -
She was frozen, almost like a deer in the headlights -
A small, warm hand took hers.
"Relax." the soft voice pulled her back into reality. Why was she struggling to breath?
"I will hug you now, and you are going to be just fine." he talked again, and when she didn't respond, she felt unknown arms wrapping her, putting warmth and love, like she was the only thing that matters in the world now.
It was... Comfort?
after seconds, minutes, hours- god, she didn't even know - the arms left her, and she finally opened her eyes, just to see a very worried Tony Stark in front of her. Her eyes scanned the room - Lang, Willson and Barton were holding Steve's shirt, and Maximoff rested her palm against his shoulder. Daniel was right next to Howard and Jarvis, the taller man supporting him while Howard muttered long sentences to himself that she didn't manage to hear. For some reason, a contact was formed between Howard and Daniel, the completly different men.
Maybe based about their worry for a very particular british girl.
"You know that feeling." she finally said to Anthony, as a matter of fact, focusing on his eyes which were running now a million miles per hour, jumping all over the room. Like Howard, the man in front of her never could rest his mind, and while talking to her, he probably thought about thousand of other-
"Yes." he answered, with unreadable face. "Too closely." he added.
"Really?" Howard asked, coming closer. "What the hack makes you freeze like a-" he stopped suddenly, looking at Peggy with worried eyes. 'Like a girl' was left unsaid. The woman with the strawbery blonde hair- since when was she here? Catched his hand, drawing circles with her thumb.
Tony flinched for a second, but turned around, meeting the gaze of his father.
"Guilt." he answered, shortly. "Being the Marchent of Death. Being unable to save everyone." he sounded like he was away, a record playing on his brain now.
"Every night, in front of the mirror." Howard said, his voice becoming softer, understanding. He took a step closer to his son, like they were alone, a part of a conversation that no one else was allowed to have.
Tony nodded.
"Me." Howard added, and his son's eyes flickered at Jarvis for a milisecond. Howard didn't miss it, maybe because he himself has always done.
Trying to get some power from one of the only things which were right in his broken life.
"You." he said quietly, not accusing.
"I'm sorry." answered Howard, but how can you apologise for a lifetime wasted?
"No, you're not." said simply his son.
"How many times have you ran this meeting in your head?" asked Howard, and his eyes were now staring in some point over the air.
"Too many." the shorter genius answered, and their eyes meet for a milisecond. The air was tensed, and the silence was only interrupted with the sound of two bodies smashing, as Jarvis ran to Anthony, hugging him hard and tight.
"I'm sorry." he said, honestly, and Peggy could see how the genius' eyes were shining. "I know." he said, as he found a refuge from the harsh reality, even if it was for a few seconds.
"Let's get out of here." said The woman suddenly, lifting her head. "That inclouds all of you, team Cap. Rogers, the only reason you can come is for them. Don't think I forgive you. I don't trust you, and I never will. Tony may be willing to forget, but I'm not. He doesn't have many friends, but I'm lucky to be one of them, and I'll do the best I could. By the way, Virginia Potts. But you can call me Pepper." she smiled at Peggy, Jarvis and Daniel. "Not you, though." she said coldly to Howard.
The blonde man sneered, and Peggy was surprised to see how much he has changed. "Huh. You think I trust him? He probably has destroyed the universe only so he could stick it to me."
Tony's palms clenched. "Don't fuck with things you don't know anything about."
"Says the man who sleeps with the devil every single night. How can you be able to work with Ross-"
"BECAUSE I HAVE TO!" shouted Tony. Pepper took a step forward, stopping Tony from entering a fight again. She was angry. Very angry. Peggy admired her. "You know what, Rogers? I don't care. We don't owe you explanations. The only reason that the universe still exist is because he brought them over. You think he has the time of his life? Huh?" She challenged. Steve, wisely, shut up. "You think he is finding pleasure in watching the reminder of the brilliant people he has lost? You think he enjoys watching the lame excuse for a father-" Howard flinched at the description "-while his murderer is out there?" She tapped on her watch, and did a strange motion. "JARVIS, bring Tony's suit. I'm done with this shit head."
Jarvis looked very confused. "Uh, Miss? I don't think I quite understood-" a black armor suit entered the room from the door, wrapping Tony. Howard watched in admiration, trying to catch every detail about the strange device (?).
"I'd say go to hell, but I don't need to, because I'll make your life a living hell." She said. She probably could and would do it, because Steve's face twisted.
"JARVIS, tell Happy to send a limo for them." Tony suddenly said, his voice a little obscure because of the mask now covering his face. "Allow Rogers in." he sounded very, very tired.
"Let's go, Pepp." he hugged her to his metal chest and the two of them flew through the door, Pepper mumbling something about 'I'm tired of paying for the ceiling you break everytime'.
After ten minutes of silence, a driver has arrived. He introduced himself as Happy, sent a very-not-friendly glare at Steve, and lead them to the limo. The ride was quiet, as no one talked.
Howard stared out, leaning his face on the window. Peggy thought he was trying to see the new city.
Only when they've arrived, she has seen that the shine in his eyes was gone.