Chapter 15
"Hola, amigo." Bucky said, an arrogant smile on his face as everyone pointed guns, or widow bites, or web shooters, or something. "Welcome."
Loki looked around, a mocking smile on his face. "Huh. Your house looks just as ugly as the last time."
Tony wasn't called sharp for nothing. "That's what she said." he answered rudely, and Peggy snapped her fingers. "Can we concentrate over here?"
Tony smirked. "Sure, Aunty. Anyway, Asgardian Mussolini--" he stopped at Natasha's surprised look. "Yes, I know about him, will help us. Right?"
Loki looked at Tony, unpleased. "A deal is a deal." he answered. "My scepter?" he asked, and Stephen chuckled. "Think again." he said. "You can't have the scepter, of course. We're not crazy. Well, most of us." he winked at Tony and sent him a kiss.
"Be careful, Sweetheart. Pepper might be jealous. And you don't want to get Pepper jealous." answered Tony, as Loki said "You do understand that I cannot make this spell without my scepter."
Stephen nodded. "And be sure as hell that he can't use one of my things."
"Or any Asgardian thing. He knows it better then I do." added Thor, and Tony sighed.
"Well..." he thought for a little. "You can have the scepter." he said and Steve came inside the room with the scepter in his hand. "Here you go." He tossed it to Loki, and a wry smile found its way to Tony's lips. God, he loved this man. If Pepper had any reason to be jealous about it's Steve, not Stephen. He was just so...
"He's so tall, and handsome as hell, he's so bad, but he does it so well." JARVIS hummed, and everyone looked surprised as Tony's face crumpled. "Shut up, old man." he answered, as a scepter hit Stephen's chest.
"Oh, don't think I didn't saw it." pointed out Tony, walking and beginning to massage Loki's shoulders, who immediately tried to get rid of him. "Unfortunatly, darling, our Sweetheart over there doesn't have any heart, so..."
"Oh, fuck you." said Stephen.
"Will gladly do." Tony winked, and Peggy sighed. "Focus." she ordered, and stepped forward. "Loki, we're going to go back in time, and you're going to fix Tony's brain, and everything will be alright. You may not have noticed-" a click was sounded. "But Tony putted on you something called 'electric collar', which will let us control you while you'll get the real cepter, not replicia." Natasha, who slipped from the room a few minutes ago, handed Tony the cepter, and in a quick motion Loki tried to snap it, only to be stopped by 13,000 volts.
"Huh. Amazing. Usually we would use this voltage to lead electricity from power stations. And I just need a new conductive." said Howard, curiously glaring at Loki who looked (literally) shocked and layed on the floor now.
"You can keep him." pointed Daniel. "Just be careful not to ruin the universe this time, okay?"
"Shut up." Howard mumbled.
"I've set everything up." announced Stephen as he placed the machine that himself, Tony and Howard worked on last night. Thor proved himself as very productive, teaching the Asgardian magic basics in only four hours in bright and simple explenation, and finishing the machine after all of the mortals drank themselves to sleep.
So yeah, in the total of half a day, with Howard's machine, Tony's basic plans for a time machine (for some people, being really drunk means partying or at least being with friends, having a huge hangover after. For Tony, being really drunk means designing a fucking time machine, or at least an airplane without wings).
Don't ask.
Naturally, everyone began saying goodbyes, and Tony found Jarvis next to him. "That's it." the taller man said, and Tony nodded. "That's it." he agreed, and both of them stared out of the window, separated from all of the noise.
"You are the best, you know?" Tony suddenly said, feeling like he needs to explain. "You took care of me- hack, you still do. You let me the strength to keep going, keep creating. You're the man who created what I am today. Some people might call you a hero."
Jarvis glared at him for a second. "Many people will call you a hero. Yet, you do not agree with it. I am no hero, just a dishonorably discharged solider who happened to reach the right moments in life."
"That's all we are, aren't we?" asked Tony, staring at the city which he saved so many times. "Our life is just a collection of moments, for good and for bad. And I can assure you, in my childhood section, you were the most valuable."
Jarvis smiled at him warmly, and both of the men hugged each other. "You have to go." Tony mumbled, and Jarvis sighed.
"Well, I do not wish to disappoint young master Anthony. I shall be his biggest asset, best friend and a father figure when Howard cannot. That's what a good butler does." he declared, and Tony nodded as Jarvis pulled him even closer.
"I'll miss you, but I shall leave you for Miss Carter." announced the butler and Tony grinned. "Yeah, you probably should." Jarvis slipped as Peggy reached them.
Loki screamed in pain as he tried to attack Steve behind his back, only to be hit by the electric shock plus Daniel's and Bucky's punches.
"Huh." Peggy said, watching them. "How does that electric collar works, anyway?"
Tony smiled. One of his favourite things was to explain about technology TECHNOLOGY to other people. "It actually works on the basis of his brainwaves. When I see a frequency of brainwaves running to specific places, in the comibation of a high heartbeat rate, it means Loki's body is prepering himself to a fight situation, in which he has to act fast. When his body begins an order of actions in which he already knows what will come after, it means he has a battle plan, on which we've talked about before, so the collar electrify him."
Peggy looked at him, a slight clue for emotion on her face. "Impressive. Your father couldn't have done it."
Tony looked at her, unsure what she meant. "What? This is simple technology, of course-"
Peggy stopped him with a wave of her hand. "No, no. Howard is a great man, but... he wouldn't be the one to explain. He'll just say 'it works because it works', and won't add anything. Maybe because he can't explain what's going on inside of his head. And you have this genius-mind, I know, but sometimes you cannot see that you're different, that you can explain how are you feeling, and that some people can see it. Maybe even understand. I can see you, Anthony. One moment you think you're so much better than your father, and in the other you think you've done just as bad as he did. And it's not true. With all of my appreciation for Howard you are better then he could have ever be."
He stared out of the window, unsure how can he accept what she has told, and she sighed. "Let me tell you about something, Anthony. You know that I worked at the SSR, don't you?" Tony nodded. "Well, in one of my... private investigations, I found out that Howard was in hold of the last bottle of Steve's blood." she talked slowly, her eyes glaring at something that Tony couldn't see. "I got very mad, and I took the bottle, but the wheel kept rolling and Howard took it out of my reach." she sighed, and Tony frowned. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, and she had a sad smile on her face, like when he was young and he asked her about Steve.
"In the end, Howard gave it to me. But only in the end. Your father was many things, but a noble man isn't one of them. You are noble, Anthony. You're honest. You'll never do something like that. You aren't selfish, and I guarantee you, anyone in this room- well, maybe except Loki, can tell you all of the things that I've told. You aren't your father, Tony, and it's only for the good. You took your brain from your father, and your traits from your mother. Besides, the world isn't ready for another Howard, huh?" she laughed and patted his shoulder with a smile. "I'll sent Daniel to you." she said and walked towards her husband. The Carter-Sousa exchanged a few words and Peggy began talking to Steve, Daniel walking towards him.
"Finally, a partner to my afflication." said Tony, a mocking smile on his face, and Daniel looked at him, confused. "Another 5 feet something in a room full of 6." Daniel chuckled. "Or at least killer heels." he said, gesturing towards Natasha and Peggy.
Tony nodded. "Touché."
They stood in silence for a minute. "Well, I guess it is a goodbye." said Tony.
"Yes." answered Daniel with a sigh.
"You know it's amazing, right?" he added. "You're amazing." Tony arched his eyebrow. "Did you all had a secret meeting in which you discussed about my confidence problems? Because if you met without me it would be a shame, I'll have to kick you from the tower."
Daniel grinned. "Like you kicked the Captain?"
Tony's smile vanished. "It wasn't like that and you know it." Daniel raised his hands in surrender. "Look, I don't blame you, but just... I know Steve apologized and so did you, but the enviorment over here is Anti-Rogers, if you know what I mean. Look at Mrs. Potts or Ms. Romanoff. Maybe you can do something to help him, because seeing Peggy and Howard again maybe helped him for the short term, but he'll be deep in the longing, and before you know it he'll try to build a time machine himself. The serum granted him many things, not only physical."
Tony arched his eyebrow in confusion. "I'll see what I can do on the first, but... Huh?"
Daniel looked surprised. "Didn't you know?" he asked, and Tony shook his head. "Know what?"
"The serum improves your body and soul. That's why Red Skull looks like he does, if you know him. Mr. Rogers became not only stronger, but a great tactican, better artist and his responsiveness became faster then we've ever seen before. Peggy told me that they've always joked about how they should sell a 'RogerSmash' who kills flies."
Tony laughed, and a sound of crash was heard. Tony looked at Loki- he was still guarded by the kids, Natasha and Willson. "YOU LITTLE SHIT!" shouted a very-angry Bucky Barnes. But it can't be, Tony himself erased the Soviet programing.
"YOU JUMPED ON A FUCKING GRENADE!" Steve looked like he wished to become a fly on the wall, so maybe the RogerSmash won't be so good idea. "It was in a group of 20 people, and I can't-" "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Tony and Daniel grinned. "Jesus, I won't wish to be him." said Daniel as Steve slipped outside the room, Bucky running after him and Peggy almost incapable to hold herself, laughing.
"You see? That's why you're my favourite uncle." Tony pointed out, and Daniel frowned.
"I'm your only uncle."
"And?"
Daniel's smile widened. "Then you're my third favourite nephew."
Tony nodded with a smile, but suddenly got it. "But in total you have two nephews!"
Daniel winked him. "Think about it." he said, patted his shoulder and walked away.
Steve ran into the room. "Save me!" he shouted in panic, Bucky on his traces. In a quick desicion Steve jumped above Howard, hiding behind him, which made Bucky jump on Howard. The poor man was now stuck in a sandwitch of two and a half super soliders.
And he was as red as a sunset.
Tony blinked, confused, at the situation.
Howard blushed. Howard, the cold, tough bussiness man, who let absolutely no emotion show up on his face, was blushing. It wasn't the Howard that the public knew. Tony looked at Steve, who had his small smile on his lips as he looked at Howard. Maybe it was the Howard that Steve knew, the Howard that could laugh and cry and maybe be a friend. The Howard that Tony never was able to see, to meet. Jarvis always told him that maybe one day he'll be able to see, to understand why nobody saw Howard in the way Tony was able to, not even his mother. And he was right, as always- This Howard was the lost man, the broken war hero who lost one of his friends and idols.
"We're ready." said Stephen. Daniel and Peggy pulled Bucky up, Jarvis helping Howard stand, and Tony nodded.
They're leaving.
And Tony suddenly understood.
Unlike Tony, Howard doesn't have many masks- He doesn't feel the need to hide himself from everyone, and he release as much of himself as he wants. Howard had no filter with his son. He just says everything that comes to his mouth when he's with Tony, and maybe Tony does the same thing when he's with Howard- the man always was able to grate on his nerves, the only one that always managed to make Tony to cry, or scream, or express any strong feeling.
Howard was never able to see Tony as an equal, and maybe Tony wasn't able too.
And now he has a chance to fix it, like he showed MIT students, before everything.
Peggy and Daniel entered the portal first, Loki between them. "Wait." he found himself saying. "Howard."
The man looked at him confused.
His father.
Say something. If you don't, you'll regret it.
"Goodbye." he said, pulling the other man closer. "I love you, dad. And I know you did the best you could."
With those words, Tony pushed a very surprised Howard into the portal.
Jarvis was the last to stay. "Well done, Young Master Anthony. I'm proud." he nodded at the ceiling with a smile. "Goodbye, JARVIS. Goodbye, Anthony."
And with those words he vanished.
And maybe, just maybe- like a cheshire cat, Tony could have sworn that the old Butler's smile stayed a milisecond more, lighting the room up for one more moment.