Eligible Bachelor ✔️

Chapter 17

I placed the shield on my back as I approached the office cautiously with Tony in his suit. When we entered the room we found not only Vincent sitting at his desk, but Rumlow and five other armed soldiers.

"Come on Stark. I said man to man, not man to machine. Step out, and sit. Both of you." Vincent motioned to the two chairs in front of his desk.

I looked at Tony and could tell he was hesitant, but stepped out of his suit before taking a seat. I sighed, following his lead as I sat next to him. I sighed, "well we are here. Now what do you want Carbonell?"

Vincent scoffed, "now is that anyway to talk to your girlfriend's father?"

"Father? You're no father to Melody." I huffed a laugh, "the daughter you forced into being a super soldier and your weapon? Because why? Because Hydra killed your sister more than 30 years ago?" I motioned to Tony, "he's been more of a father to her than you ever have."

Vincent didn't respond, only stood up to look out the window to the fight that was happening below. "Huh. I guess I underestimated your Winter Soldier."

I slammed my hand on the table, "he isn't The Winter Soldier anymore. That was Hydra. He's no longer Hydra. He's only my friend." I stood up as Vincent turned around.

"Tut tut." Vincent pointed to Tony who now had a gun to his head. "If you go all Captain America on me then we'll shoot my dear nephew."

Tony scoffed, "you wouldn't."

Vincent laughed, pointing to the window, "you've seen what I've done to my daughter. Of course I will."

"Well you should know then that my suit has a self destruct mechanism on it in the case I die."

I looked at Tony as I sat back in my seat, trying to gauge if he was serious or not. I heard Vincent laugh.

"Yeah right. You wouldn't destroy your precious suits. They're like your kids."

Tony shook his head, "no. Melody is like my kid."

Vincent nodded to Rumlow who hit Tony with the butt of his gun before pointing it back to his temple again.

I stood up again to lunge at Rumlow as I heard the gunshot, making everything go silent in the room as I watched Tony's body slump onto the ground. I knelt on the ground next to Tony as I heard Vincent yell at Rumlow.

"Why did you do that you fucking idiot?"

Rumlow shrugged as he pointed at Steve, "he was coming at me."

I looked up at him from the floor next to Tony's body as I heard his suit next to us.

'T-minus 30 seconds until self destruct'

I stood up as I watched panic wash across everyone's faces. Everyone fled, but I was able to stop Vincent before he could make it to the door. I knocked him out, leaving him on the ground as I picked up Tony's lifeless body in my arms as I heard the suit again.

'15 seconds.'

I walked to the window, we were only a few floors up. I knew I could make the jump. I sighed, pulling my shield to land on as I jumped out the window with Tony's body as I heard the explosion behind me.

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After setting Melody gently on the floor of the jet, I went back to meet Steve to find him carrying a lifeless Tony. "What happened?!" I could see him limping so I took the body from him.

Steve spoke through gritted teeth, "Rumlow."

I laid him next to Melody as I heard everyone around me before Natasha knelt on the ground next to him, crying. "And Carbonell?"

Steve shook his head, "he's gone. No way he would have survived the blast that close." He sat on the ground next to Melody, "and Melody? She's okay?"

I sighed, "well. She's alive at least. I'm not sure she'll ever be okay though. Especially once we get our Melody back and she finds out both her father and Tony are dead."

Steve groaned, brushing some hair out of Melody's face. "It was my fault. I could have easily taken them, but I let Vincent talk. I was stupid to think we could just talk. It's all my fault."

I reached over, placing my hand on his shoulder, "it's no one's fault but Carbonell's. She won't blame you."

Steve looked up at his friend, tears stinging his eyes, "how do you know?"

"Because she loves you Steve." I knelt on the ground next to Natasha, wrapping my arms around her as she cried the rest of the way back to the compound.

Steve sighed, "Jarvis, can you tell Pepper to meet us at the compound."

'Right away Captain Rogers.'

When we landed I carried Melody to an impenetrable glass cage with a bed to keep her until she woke up. When I entered the lab, Pepper was crying over Tony's body, with Steve trying to comfort her. "So what exactly happened Steve? All you said was Rumlow."

Steve sighed, placing his hands on his hips, "Carbonell said he wanted to talk man to man so Tony stepped out of his suit. Carbonell threatened him but Tony said if he did kill him that his suit would self destruct, killing all of us. Obviously he thought he was bluffing. I was tired of sitting and listening to him and when I went to lunge for Rumlow, he got trigger happy and shot Tony. And then his suit did exactly what it said it would do, it self destructed." He looked at Pepper, "I'm so sorry Pepper."

She shook her head as she fought through the tears, "I know it isn't your fault Steve. Just tell me that this Carbonell is gone."

Steve nodded, "he is."