Chapter 5
Peggy took a deep breath and stepped out of the car.
Howard and Steve took the time to complete the gaps of seventy years in the walk. Jarvis and Daniel, in the behind, talked among them, their voice too low for anyone else to hear, but it wasn't hard to guess the topic of the conversation. 'Team Cap', as Pepper called them, were the tail of their group. She sighed and looked at Happy, the driver, who walked besides her, surprised to see that his look wasn't focusing on them, only at the mansion.
"Is time travel normal now?" she asked, her British accent showing.
The man smirked. "Only for british doctors." she looked at him, confused. "But Jarvis and I aren't doctors."
The man smiled warmly now. "You have a few gaps to catch."
Silence.
"You really do care about him, don't you?" she asked, her lips curving up as he nodded.
"You are a good man."
"We don't have many around here." said a voice on her right. She saw a redhead, walking besides them. The fact she didn't hear her coming was... disturbing.
"Natasha Romanoff. A security girl." she said with a smirk on her face. "Well, Tony doesn't pay me, but I like being around in case Cap decides to jump for a visit."
"Where is he?" Peggy asked, softly, but then smirked. "No, let me guess- the lab?"
Natasha had a slight clue for a smile on her lips. "Some things never change."
"Starks will be Starks." Now Natasha was grinning.
"Yes, they will." She answered quietly and Peggy raised her eyes to finally catch the tall buidling.
The tower was differnet from the mansion. Howard mainly concentrated about being comfortable, showing the world all of his glory and luxury, and yet thought about the mansion as a home, his private temple. On the other side, Anthony's tower was all about the technology- it was made of metal and glass. It was the future, the house of the head of Stark Industries, a genius, an engineer.
Maybe the big, shiny 'Stark ' on the front added to the atmosphere.
"It's like christmas, but with more... me." Howard said to Tony, who was waiting for them in the front of his house, wearing a black, gray sleeved t-shirt and black pants. The other man smirked.
A blue light was glowing softly from his chest.
Steve looked at him with a frown, and Peggy was glad to see that even in the future, glowing lights from the chest weren't normal. "I thought you had a surgery for that."
"He did, but thanks to you, one of the sharpnels that was stuck in his skin in unthreatening position decided to go out for a walk, and his ribs are too sensitive for the surgery again." said Natasha. Jarvis gasped while both superheroes turned their head at her. "Nat? I-"
"It's Romanoff for you, Cap. You've lost the right to call me Nat when you abandoned Tony in Siberia." she said harshly, and Tony's lips curved up.
"Nat." he said in relief. Natasha quickly walked towards him and gave him a short (but tight) hug. "Didn't know you were coming around."
"I don't see how it is different from any other time."
"Me neither." he smirked at her.
"Pepp-" "In the JFK. She needed to be in DC for a meeting. Gave her a ride."
"Good."
"Jarv, my man?" said Tony suddenly.
"Yes?" the tall man smiled at him and took a step forward. "Please say the ABC. I need a voice sample."
"Sure- what?" Howard laughed at the confused look on his face. "When a genius tells you to do something, do it." he patted harshly on Tony's back, and the man suddenly breathed heavily. Howard sneered. "Once a drama queen, always a drama queen." but Tony didn't seem to stop. He collapsed on his knees, trying to catch the air, unable to stand. His pupils were running in his eyes, and he looked like a deer caught in headlights.
"Steve and Howard, step away." responded Natasha, breaking the stagnation of everyone. For a second she hesitated. "Jarvis, come ahead." she ordered, and the man took a step forward. "Repeat what I say. Director Carter- sorry, the force of habit, hug him. Mr Sousa, massage." Jarvis nodded, with a determined look on his face, and Mr and Miss Carter-Sousa done as they've been told. Howard and Steve just tried to stay away, not wanting to freak the guy out more, although Howard gave Tony his dark look.
This wasn't going to end well.
"You are Anthony Edward Stark. It's the 20 in November, 2018. You live in New York. The weather is-" she looked at the skies "-cool with a chance for rain, 66 degrees. You are safe. You are safe. You are safe. 2012. 2012. 2012. Peter. Kamala. Harley. Home."
Jarvis repeated exactly what she said, and Peggy could feel him relaxing in her arms. "Shh." whispered Daniel, passing his hand through the messy, black hair.
Of course, the moment everything became fine, Howard had to mess things.
"Get up!" he shouted, and Tony jumped from his place. "Stark men are made of iron. You are weak. You are a bleeder. You are no Stark. You are shame to the-"
a loud, satisfying noise, of Tony's palm crashing into Howard's jaw stopped him from talking. Howard fell on the floor but he was smiling. Blood was streaming from his mouth, but he was smiling. Tony's face was twitched in anger, but suddenly, relief float to the surface, before becoming to an unreadable express.
"Thank you." said Tony, in a small voice. "I will say sorry, but Stark men don't apologize." he added, with confidence, a grin spreading on his face. "You're an idiot."
"I know." answered Howard, and wiped the blood from his chin with his sleeve. "Beggy adways say that to me." He said, sounding unclear because of the injury.
Tony stepped into the house. "Keep up, Howard. If you'll be a good boy I'll let you see the lab."
Howard Stark never chased someone.
But this time was an exception.
Peggy, Natasha, Jarvis, Daniel and Team Cap stayed outside.
"Did Howard just punched a man to get him out of shell shock?" asked Daniel slowly.
"Yup." answered Sam.
"And managed?"
"Yup." answered Wanda.
"And got a 'prize' for that?"
"Yup." answered all of them.
"Starks." a colective sight came from everyone. "That's Tony for you." said Steve, but the anger that was there before- since Siberia, probably- was gone now.
Seeing Peggy, Howard and- well, Steve didn't knew Sousa, but he guessed that he was a honorable military man (maybe Tony could give him Rhodey's prosthesis), and how they interacted with Tony- the love, the care, the fear for doing something wrong, the regret, made him understand that maybe he misjudged Tony and The Accords.
In the first time since he had appeard in the 21st century, Steve began to consider that maybe he chose the wrong option.