If They Knew All About You

Facing The Music

Tony's eyes were on the trees that flashed by the car window. Only 15 more minutes.

He should have just taken the suit. So what if it would have looked a little pretentious? Pretentious was where he excelled. This. All this sitting and waiting. It was agony.

"We're almost there."

He met Happy's eyes in the review mirror. "I know, Hap. It's fine. I'm good."

Happy's eyebrows were arched at him like he didn't believe a word that was coming out of Tony's mouth. Hard to blame him.

It was okay. The kid was fine. Pepper was at the Compound to keep an eye on him. FRIDAY had eyes on everyone inside and outside of the Compound.

Pete was safe. Pepper was safe.

Tony blew out a breath, his eyes back on the landscape rushing by outside the window.

Today had been the first of the negotiations he had attended. In his infinite naivete, Tony hadn't expected Barnes to be there. For some reason, he had been convinced that the Feds would keep him locked in a secure cell somewhere until at least the general direction of the negotiations would be clear.

Well, he'd been wrong. This was starting to become a bit of a theme with him lately and Tony really wasn't a fan. Things like that weren't supposed to catch him off guard. What was the point of housing and hiding the elite spy unit at what was technically his house, if they didn't give him a head's up on shit like that?

Not that Barnes had done anything at the meeting. He'd just sat there and stared at the cuff on his arm that secured him to a hook in the floor, seemingly oblivious to the straps that were fastened around his thighs and upper body.

"Is this really necessary?" Rogers had growled at the federal agents as they strapped Barnes in. "You're treating him no different than HYDRA did. Are you trying to trigger his trauma?"

One of the Congressmen, your signature old, white dude, scoffed at him. "Are you suggesting that the Soldier is a risk for this meeting after all, Mr. Rogers?"

"What? no, I—" Rogers slapped his mouth shut. His eyes turned to Tony, staring at him like he could do something about this.

Like he was going to do something about this.

Like Tony didn't have the moving images of Barnes killing his parents play in front of his waking eyes. Like the purple hand-shaped bruises Barnes had left on his kid's throat weren't burned in memory.

No. Tony didn't object to a thing about the way Barnes was secured into his seat.

"Tony!"

At last, he looked up, finding Rogers' eyes waiting for him.

"Are you gonna say something about this?"

His throat was scratchy and dry. "I'd say the sooner we get this all over with, the sooner your buddy can roam free in his cell again. So, shall we?"

Tony didn't wait to see Rogers' face fall or scrunch up in anger, or whatever he did. Instead, he stared down at his phone and typed in a quick command for FRIDAY.

Status AES.

Her report flashed up at once.

The young Master is in his room. He is working on a set of Lego, Millenium Falcon, 5195 pieces. Miss Potts checked on him last one hour and 7 minutes ago. His vitals are strong with no abnormalities. The Compound's perimeter sensors are at 100%. The second-floor sensors are at 100%. Agent Hill is currently in charge of ongoing proceedings at the complex. No security breaches or abnormalities have been recorded.