Xoxo - y/n Carter

2. First dinner

Tony pov

"Ms Maxmimoff and Agent Hill are at the gate sir" Fridays voice goes through my workshop. I sign as i know that if they came, the rest will come as well since they traveled the longest.

"Let them in Friday" Peppers voice answers since i choose to ignore it. "I've prepared dinner, be there when it's served"

I humm an answer but i know i should go up. With a sign she leaves me alone with my machines again. What would i do if she didn't understand what i'm going through, since we're all going through it she knows. I watch on my screen as Wanda and Maria step out of the familiar car. I still think the invitaton was a stupid idea but it's Pepper so i didn't argue.

Maria pov

I must admit that when Wanda suggested we accept the invitation to come here, we were in Norway, saying i was surprised is an understatement. We've been dodging these the whole year we've been gone.

I knock on the door of the mansion and expect some personnel to open the door but instead it's Pepper. I mean, when we we're all living here there was no need to be personal, but since they're only two now i just figured. She looks even more tired than before when she run the whole company by herself.

"Hi, it's been so long, come in. I have prepared a nice dinner after your long drive" she says, gesturing for us to come in and that's what we do.

"Sounds wonderful Pep" i say and after spending so much time with Wanda i can see the pain through the smile on her face.

"It's a good excuse to use the dining hall for once, it's been so long since we've used it since we're just two here nowadays" she tells us as she starts to lead us into the dining hall.

"What happened to the others?" Wanda asks as we didn't have that much contact with anyone really. Just the occasional picture updates in the chat of where we are.

"Well when you left we didn't just lose contact with you, we all lost contact with each other. The whole team fell apart when there was no one left to hold it together... but on Friday we'll be all back together"

"You really think they'll all come?" i ask as we sit down around the table. Me and Wanda on one side and her and what i guess is Tony's chair on the other side.

"I hope so, now that the two of you are here maybe they'll show up. Go ahead and eat, you must be starving" she says with that plastered smile. We so as she says and starts to take from the potato gratin and meat. It reminds me of when she didn't know how to cook so me and you took the time to learn her, it took a good five months. And here she is, cooking the best piece of meat i've ever eaten in this house. She must have used your recipe book. "Tony should be up anything now"

"It's okay, this is delicious Pepper. I really missed this" Wanda says and it's like she's also put this mask on in front of others. Like the person in the car wasn't even there. It's like i'm the only one that doesn't put on a fake face. Well if i know Bucky right he doesn't either, but that's because he doesn't care enough to.

"So have i, hopefully we'll be able to see each other more often now. Unless you're going back to Europe?" Pepper asks and i turn to Wanda as she's the one that plans and i just take us there.

"I don't know, we were looking at this nice house in a suburban area in Sweden" i answer and take a bite of the food and it's really as delicious as it looks.

"We'll stay awhile and see what happens. Maybe we'll find something here that's better" Wanda says but i know that's not happening because she wants to get as far away from here as possible. Far away from all the memories that this place causes. It's not fair to give Pepper false hope that we would be staying. Sure it's nice to be back here but all i can think about are the memories as i look out the window to see the lake in the late summer's breeze.

Maria pov flashback

"Come on, it's not that cold" you say as you try to get us to get in the water with you.

"She's right, you're just being boring" Bucky joins in and puts his arms around you to start tickling you. That's who you traded me to, i can't admit it makes me jealous.

"Easy for you to say, your super soldiers" i say and they laugh. But i'm having a really nice time lying in the sun. But the next thing i now you've lifted up me to carry me to the bridge. I try to resist in laughter but can't get out of your grip.

"Chicken" you say in between your laughs.

"Am not"

"You so are" Bucky says from beside you.

"Am so not"

"Then go in the water" you say, still walking out carrying me in bridal style. As you look in my face i can't help but look down at your lips.

"No, no, no, no, no, no..." my resistance stops nothing as you take the final step out into the water. I feel the warm water around me and i come back up to the surface to see you laughing your ass off beside me. Natasha, Pepper and Clint are laughing from the bridge. I turned to you in all seriousness but managed to crack a smile as i say. "I will so kill you for that"

"Come on then" you say with a smirk but i wait, so first you say. "That's what i thought" then i jump onto you as you turn around, taking you with me under water.

End of flashback

"Are you okay Maria?" Tony asks and i notice he's also entered the room and sat down.

"Yeah, just got a little flashback that's all" i answer with a sad smile and i meet Pepper's eyes to see they saw the same memory as me. Without me drooling for you i guess.

"Did you ever get back at her for that?" she asks and i don't want to talk about you but it's a good way to try and move one.

"No, i never did" i say with a laugh as i take a sip of my water. If you don't count breaking your heart as getting back then i never did, not that i did it intentionally.

"Get back for what?" Wanda asks as it was almost a year before she even got here.

"It was right before you got here, we had a beach day and Bucky and her ganged up on me and threw me in the water. Super soldiers" that last words i roll my eyes to and they both laugh. But Tony still sits still and silent in his chair while he eats. I guess he's the one that was affected the most by it. As he was like your father growing up, for him it's like he lost his child. I could never imagine how that must feel for him and i don't want to.