Home isn't just a place

Chapter Eight

"Barnes?" Tony asked, a bitter feeling rising in his chest. Despite everything that had gone down and how much he had helped his son, Barnes had still killed his parents. Tony had understood that it wasn't actually Barnes who had killed his mom, but the thought that he would have to see the same face that his mother had seen right before she died every day left an ugly taste in his mouth.

"Bucky?" Steve asked, a bright and disgustingly loving look coming into his eyes. Oh. Right. There was that too. Steve---one of his best friends---was also in love with the man. God, this was just such a mess, wasn't it?

"Yes." Fury nodded. "I've been assured by Princess Shuri that Barnes is now completely free of conditioning. He is safe to be around and he has the information we need."

"Wait, you want us to go get him?" Tony asked. Fury gave him a look that Tony didn't even want to try and decipher.

"Yes." he said again, raising an eyebrow. "Is that going to be a problem?" he asked.

Tony wants to shrink under the sudden burning gaze of Steve. And Tony knows Steve and he knows that Steve would never fault him for being slightly cautious (if anything, he'd feel guilty and try to leave the tower with Bucky to make Tony more comfortable. Which was the last thing Tony wanted) so he doesn't know why he feels guilty.

"Nope." Tony says, choosing a careful mask to hide the fact that there might very well be a problem. "No problem. Just clarifying."

Fury stared at him for another second before nodding. "Well then I suppose the Avengers are going to Wakanda."

Tony bit his lip.

"I guess we are."

_______________________________________________

The plan to actually go to Wakanda was not as cut and dry as the idea was. First Tony needed to get permission to fly there from T'Challa---which wasn't difficult because he and Tony are really close friends, but Tony felt like he should say it for argument's sake---then Tony needed to get permission from his wife because he knew she'd have an opinion about him leaving. Then of course there was the whole smuggling a wanted criminal into the states.

See? Easy.

Tony winced as he knocked on the door to Pepper's office. Pepper's warm voice called him and despite himself, Tony felt a smile spread across his face leisurely.

"Well if it isn't Mr. Stark." Pepper said playfully, placing a stack of paperwork onto her desk. Tony grinned.

"That's me." he said. "How's your day going, sweetheart?"

"Pretty good." Pepper said with a smile. "Had a boring meeting that I went to---"

"You are really good about that."

"---had lunch with Happy---"

"That man better watch out. I have a metal suit and I'm not afraid to use it."

"---and then my husband decided to visit me to give me bad news." Pepper finished. Tony's grin froze on his face.

"Pssh... wha--- No. No bad news. Where did you hear that?" Tony asked, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly. Pepper just raised an eyebrow. Tony deflated. "How did you know?" he asked.

Pepper laughed. "Tony I married you. I know you." she said. "Now. What's up?"

Tony sighed, reluctantly sitting in the comfy chairs in front of Pepper's desk. He looked up at her, his face contorted in a scowl as he tried to figure out the best way to ask for permission to fly off to a country on the other side of the world for the next few days to smuggle his parents murderer past the border.