reunited front

3

James Rhodes isn't someone to mess with, especially when it comes to his family. Tony Stark is family to the man.

They met in M.I.T. and he hadn't been able to get rid of the billionaire yet, but he's not in a rush to do so--even though said billionaire strives on annoying the hell out of him.

He walks into Tony Stark's personal lab with no intention of leaving so soon. "Hey, Tones."

Tony looks up at his friend from under one of his iron suits. "Hey, Rhodey. What're you doing here early?"

"I got some vacation time. Anyway, what has you upset?"

The billionaire scoffs at the question. "Don't worry about it."

"Anthony."

Tony stops at the use of bis real name. He sighs and gives in. "Rogers."

Rhodey sits down. "Oh? What's going on with Captain Criminal?"

The genius debates whether or not he should tell his friend--no, brother--the truth. "When I went to Siberia, it wasn't for Stark Industries. It was to make things right with him and Barnes. But I found out that my mom's death wasn't an accident; she was killed, and Barnes killed her."

"Shit..."

"And Steve knew. So a fight breaks out and I'm left in the bunker, freezing to near death."

Rhodey takes a minute to process the new information. "He left you there."

Tony nods. "Yeah."

The colonel stands. "I'll be back."

"Rhodey, don't--"

It's too late as he's already out the door.

                             ---------

Steve's sitting next to Bucky Barnes while showing him some of the current pop culture when a door slams shut behind them. The captain stands to see Rhodey heading straight towards the super soilders.

"How you doing, Rhodey?" Steve greets.

"Sit down," the colonel demands and pushes the captain onto the couch.  "You backstabbing, liar--"

"Oh, no.." a voice echoes from the vents.

Bucky looks up. "Okay, who is doing that?"

"Jesus." The echo from the vent says.

"Look, Rhodey, I know you're upset--" Steve begins.

"Upset? No, no, I'm not upset. I'm ready to kill you." Rhodes snarls.

Steve turns pale at the realization that Rhodey is what Bucky once was to him--Rhodey is Tony's Bucky. 

"I did what I had to do." Steve tries to reason.

"Did you really expect him to be in his mind after watching a video of his mother being killed by your friend?" Rhodey asks. "I understand it was HYDRA's doing, I do, but why didn't you tell him beforehand?"

Steve looks away from the colonel's eyes. "I wanted to protect both of them."

"How did that turn out?"

"Not too good, I know," the captain admits. "I care about both of them."

"If you did, you wouldn't have left him there to freeze to death."

Bucky looks down at his feet, silently processing the conversation. 

"I regret it. I can't forgive myself for that." The blond tells Rhodey with teary eyes. 

Rhodey shakes his head. "If he died there, I would kill you myself and get away with it. He's my brother, and he's been so since he was fourteen. And I'd be damned if I let any super solider with a God-Complex take him away from me. 

"Now, are we clear?"

Steve nods. "Yeah."

                                                                                        -----

Peter Parker walks to the kitchen to see someone jump down from the vents. "What the hell?"

"Hi, I'm Clint."

"...I freaking knew it."