3 years later
"The elevator was teaming with sweaty workmen" you hear Tony say as you enter the room.
"I for one did not mind that" you wink at him and he rolls his eyes. "Sorry didn't mean to interrupt date night but I just needed to come pick something up" you say.
"No worries" Pepper smiles at you.
"Hey Stark since I helped set you and Pep up I think Barnes would look great on the next tower" you smirk at him.
"You didn't set us up and yeah never gonna happen" Tony snorts back.
"Umm I totally played Cupid and wow that's rude but fine if not Barnes then at least Potts I mean she is the better half" you smirk at him.
"Thanks for that sleeping beauty" he throws you daggers.
Pepper laughs "should at least say Potts on the lease"
Jarvis makes an announcement "sir the telephone... I'm afraid my protocols are being overridden"
You flash him a wink.
"Mr Stark we need to talk" Coulson's voice comes through the line.
"You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark please leave message"
Pepper laughs and you roll your eyes.
"This is urgent" he pleads
"Then leave it urgently" Tony quips back.
The elevator opens.
"Oh hi Phil funny seeing you here how did you get in" you say sarcastically.
"You will pay for this" Tony responds to you.
"Mr Stark" Coulson greets.
"Phil please come in they aren't busy" you gesture for him to enter.
"I can't stay"
"His first name is agent?" Tony questions
"Get over yourself" you smack his arm.
"Come in we are celebrating" Pepper adds.
"Which is why they both need to leave" he says glaring at you.
"We need you to look this over as soon as possible" he goes to give Tony a folder.
"I don't like being handed things" Tony responds.
"That's fine because I love to be handed things" Pepper hands you the champagne glass while taking the folder from Phil and hands it to Tony.
You down the champagne and head to get more.
"Nope" Tony shouts at you before turning to Phil "official consulting hours are between 8 and 5 every other Thursday"
You laugh.
"This isn't a consultation"
"Is this about the Avengers?" Pepper asks "Which I know nothing about" she quickly adds.
"Ooo the gang who rejected the great Tony Stark" you taunt.
"The Avengers initiative was scrapped, I thought and as Gracie pointed out so kindly I didn't qualify"
"I didn't know that either" Pepper says
"He's too volatile and self-obsessed and doesn't play great with others" you smirk.
"That I did know" Pepper laughs and Tony rolls his eyes at you.
"This isn't about personality profiles anymore" Phil states.
"Anyway this has been great but I actually have a date to get to! You know with one of those sweaty workmen" you wink at Tony.
As you go to walk past Phil "your welcome by the way" you flash him a smile.
"Later loser, bye Pep, Phil" you shout as you enter the elevator.
"Have fun" Pepper shouts at you
"Stay safe! And we will be having words" Tony shouts back.
"Whatever" you get in before the elevator door shuts.
You're sat at the bar talking to your date when your phone goes off and you see a text from Tony.
"We need to talk"
"I'm on a date can't it wait" you type back.
"No!" he responds
"Something up?" Your date asks.
"I'm sorry" you flash a smile and turn your phone on silent. "I'm sure it's nothing so you were saying" you gesturing for him to continue.
"Anyway so as you know I work in construction..."
Next minute you hear people gasping and look round to see what is going on when you see Tony dressed as Iron Man enter the bar.
"I said we need to talk" he comes up to you.
"And I said I was busy" you snap back.
"Dude the girl said she was busy" the guys tries to defend you.
"Sorry to break this up I'm sure it's going great but we must leave" he picks you up over his shoulder and makes for the exit.
"Tony put me down" you say as you try and fight him off.
Tony flies you back to the tower.
"What the hell" you say as he puts you down.
"I need you to see something and I thought it was best coming from me" he walks over to what Phil handed him.
"What?" You fold your arms
"Look" he says opening the file.
Your heart sinks at the picture of Steve. "What is this?" You ask grabbing the folder.
"He's alive, he was a capiscle"
"No this isn't true" tears filling your eyes while you read Steve's file.
"I thought you should hear it from me, I don't know why you weren't told before" Tony brings you into a hug.
"They've been lying to me" your breathing picks up and you feel your chest getting tight.
"Grace breathe, copy my breathing" Tony says bringing you to his chest.
You start to copy him saving you from having a full blown panic attack.
"Thank you" you breathe out. "Do you think he knows I'm alive?" You say looking up at him.
"Don't know kid but he will soon" Tony starts explaining what Phil had brought him.
The team have captured Loki and Tony has come to get you to bring you on the plane to help.
"You sure you're ready for this" he checks.
"Yep I will have you so I'm good" you say stepping out and seeing Phil.
"Agent Coulson" you greet him.
"Miss Barnes, look I'm sorry for what it's worth it wasn't my call, I thought you should've known sooner" he looks at you apologetically.
"It's fine I'm sure Fury had his reason's" you half smile back.
You make your way through with Tony and Phil when you hear voices. You take a breathe composing yourself.
"Iridium... what do they need the iridium for?" A guy asks.
"It's a stabilising agent" Tony responds.
As you see Steve sat there alive and well your breathe catches.
"Breathe your good" he turns and whispers to you before turning back to the others.
"It means the portal won't collapse on itself like it did at S.H.I.E.L.D and stay open as long as Loki wants" he waltzes round the room.
"That man is playing Galaga. He thought we wouldn't notice, but we did" he says pointing to the guy.
"How does Fury even see these" he covers one eye up.
"He turns" Maria responds
"Sounds exhausting"
You laugh catching Steve's attention, his face goes white when he sees you. You're heart skips a beat as you try and avoid eye contact.
"The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on easily. The only major component he still needs is a power source of high-energy density's something to kick start the cube" he states.
"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" Maria questions.
"Last night" you respond.
"Thank you. The packet, Selvig's notes, the extraction theory papers, are we the only ones who did the reading?" He winks at you.
"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" Steve asks.
"He would have to heat the cube to 120-million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier" a guy says.
"Unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilise the quantum tunneling effect" Tony counters.
"Well if he could do that, he could achieve heavy ion fusion at any reactor on the planet"
"Yep" you sigh
"Finally another person who speaks English" Tony responds.
"Is that what just happened?" Steve asks confused.
"It's good to meet you Dr Banner your work on antielectron collisions is unparalleled and I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster"
"Tony! Sorry about him. He lacks basic social skills, but it is nice to meet you Dr Banner" you smile and Bruce and you raise an eyebrow at Tony.
"Rude! I was just saying" he puts his hands up in defence.
"Dr Banner is only here to track the cube, I was hoping you and Barnes would join him" Nick says walking in.
"I would start with that stick of his, it may be magical but it works and awful lot like a Hydra weapon" Roger states.
At the mention of Hydra your chest tightens and you feel yourself struggling to breathe.
"Excuse me" you go to exit the room, Tony goes to follow you "I'm fine " you mouth to him and you leave.
You stand in the corridor trying to compose yourself remembering what the therapist taught you. Seeing Steve and hearing Hydra was all too much at once.
Tony and Bruce make their way out the room.
"Tony I don't think I can be here, I will be better help at the tower." You say.
"Sure, I'm sure someone will fly you back" he smiles and pats you on the back.
"Already someone waiting" Phil says coming out to you guys.
"Thanks Phil" you smile at him.
Just then Steve comes round the corner.
"Gracie" he shouts.
"I gotta go" you run to the off in the direction of the quinjets.
Steve goes to chase you but Tony stops him and Phil follows you.
"Not now captain" he places his hand on Steve's chest blocking him.
"But..." he tries to get past.
"There will be time but right now let's focus on Loki"
Steve sighs in frustration and walks away.
"Right where we're we?" Tony turns to Bruce and starts walking to the lab.
YOU ARE READING
Out of Time (Steve Rogers)
FanfictionGracie Barnes thought she had it all, the loving brother, a great job and a best friend. The only thing missing was love. Her one true love was complicated. What happens when everything you ever known is gone and your world is turned upside down? W...
