The Pink Ghost

Thirty-Two

Rhodey and Tony stood at the front of the room talking to Steve and Sam.

"Nice of you two to join us." Rhodey spoke.

Gwen immediately took the blame, "I'm sorry, it's my fault."

"Nonsense," Tony waved her off and glanced at Rhodey, "It's just nerves. It's her first big mission back."

Rhodey eyed her for a moment before continuing.

"We think Hydra is using the masquerade as a coverup to either transfer something out or bring something in. There has been more movement in one of our bases than usual."

"What do you mean 'movement'?" Steve asked.

"Someone has been poking around the database, trying to get through encrypted files, and accessed the old file room a few days ago." Rhodey answered.

"Alright. So, what exactly are we here to do? If we don't have a specific job detail at hand, we're just going in blind." Sam asked.

"That's exactly what you're doing." Tony answered.

Gwen's brow furrowed, "I'm sorry, I thought you just said you were throwing us into the middle of the ring without an idea of what's going on."

"Well, not in those words." Tony shrugged.

"Listen, we know something is going down. What? That is what we are there to find out." Rhodey interjected.

Steve shifted, "How do you know it's going down at this dance?"

"Because," Rhodey began, "This is an invite only type of party and someone worked extremely hard to make sure S.H.I.E.L.D didn't hear about it."

Bucky was the one to speak next, "So, how did you?"

"We have a guy." Was all Rhodey would give up.

Sighing, Gwen turned to Tony, "Is my hair here yet?"

All of them men looked at her as if she had two heads.

"What?" Steve asked.

"Your hair?" Sam laughed.

Bucky just stood there, perplexed and Rhodey looked amused.

"Yes. You'll be changed in a different room, away from these apes." Tony made a circle motion towards the guys.

"Hey!" Sam exclaimed, "I've tucked the girl into bed before."

"Buck and I grew up with her, we've spent nights together. I think she's ok to get ready around us." Steve quipped.

"That's not why she needs privacy." Tony stated and looked at Gwen, "Though I am curious about how much those two super soldiers have seen." He raised an eyebrow and waited for a reply.

"They haven't seen anything you haven't seen." Gwen rolled her eyes.

Sam's eyes widened, "What have you seen, Tony?"

"Nothing really. She was fully dressed when she was put into cryo, dad made sure she kept her virtue."

"Howard Stark respected a lady?" Rhodey snarked.

Tony looked at Rhodey then to Gwen with a soft smile, "Dad had a soft spot for this one. He loved all of you." His gaze bounced off of Gwen and to Steve and Bucky. "But there was something about Gwen that he just never got over not being able to bring out of cryo."

"You can tell her how your father was in love with her later. We have a job to do." Rhodey interrupted Tony's emotional memory.

"He wasn't..." he glanced at Gwen, "Did you?" Tony wanted to ask but the words didn't come out. He wasn't sure if he wanted know.