How do you heal?

Chapter 39: Aftermath

Annie and Pietro exited the plane and headed toward Happy standing by the car. "Do we really have to go in the car? The plane was bad enough, we are almost back to the compound, can't I just carry you? It would be so much faster!" Pietro whined.

Annie rolled her eyes as she waved at Happy before replying sharply. "You're super fast Piet, not super strong. You can't carry me. Besides, you didn't have to come on the plane with me and you don't have to ride in the car. Go if you want, I can ride with Happy alone." She was angry and irritated and had already told him he didn't have to come on the plane with her. She didn't mean to be short with him but Tony hadn't told her anything when he'd called to tell her he was heading back to the compound and none of the others were answering her calls.

"No, I will ride with you. I am just worried about Wanda." Pietro said.

Annie's anger softened immediately and she stepped closer to Pietro, linking her arm with his as they continued to walk towards the car. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm worried about her too." They greeted Happy briefly but remained silent the entire ride to the compound.

As they pulled up to the door of the compound Pietro looked over at Annie who nodded and said, "Go." Before he shot off he smiled quickly and pecked her on the check. Annie got out of the car and went to pull her bag from the trunk as she noticed Tony coming out of the front door towards her, his arm in a sling and a large bruise on his face. She abandoned her bag and jogged to him, gently throwing her arms around him in a concerned hug. "Jesus, Stark. What the hell happened?"

Tony avoided looking at her as he stepped back and turned to Happy. "Hap, take Annie's bag upstairs please."

"I can get my own bag, Tony." Annie said as she looked at him. Her worry growing at the guilt she could see on his face.

"Hap's got it. I want you to take a walk with me, Red." Tony replied, finally meeting her gaze. "We need to talk."

Thirty minutes later the pair sat on a bench by the pond. Annie had been stunned into silence at the information Tony had just dumped on her.

"I can see the circuits in your brain smoking, Red. Do I need to hit the reset button?"

"So, Wanda, Clint and Sam are on the raft?" She asked as she rubbed at her temples, feeling a headache coming on.

"For now." Tony replied putting his good hand on her back. "I've got Pepper making a few sizable donations to relief funds and Sharon Carter and King T'Challa are calling in some favors to get them pardoned and released although they will most likely be on house arrest here at the compound for a while."

"What about the accords?"

"On hold for now." Tony said with a sigh. "Seeing as a nation's King is also an enhanced individual there may need to be some revisions. It's kind of hard to arrest someone with diplomatic immunity if he refuses to sign."

"And Steve and Bucky are in Wakanda?" She asked, dropping her hands and turning to face him.

"Yes. T'Challa believes they can remove the trigger words from Barnes and Rogers wanted to go help him get settled."

"So when are they coming back?"

Tony dropped his gaze and fidgeted with his sling for a moment before replying. "They aren't. At least not to the compound."

Annie furrowed her brow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Tony stood and began pacing. "I told Rogers they weren't welcome back here. Barnes is responsible for my parents death and Rogers knew and hid it from me. I don't want them here."

Annie stood and watched as Tony continued to pace. "Tony, I can't begin to imagine the emotions you are dealing with after finding out what happened to your parents but Bucky is not responsible."

"I watched the footage, Red. I saw him wrap his hand around my mother's neck and kill her!" Tony yelled, stopping in front of her.

"When he pulled the trigger on that gun pointed at you in Berlin, was Bucky in control?" Annie asked softly and Tony just glared at her before she continued. "And last October, when he attacked me, what did I tell you? It wasn't him, Tony. It may have been his body but it was not his mind. He had no control over any of those things because if he did they never, ever, would have happened and under your anger you know that's the truth."

Tony took a few steps away and then turned back to her. "And what about Rogers? He knew what he was doing when he kept the truth from me. He was in control of that decision."

"You're absolutely right." Annie said but continued before Tony could gloat. "And while I don't agree with Steve keeping something like that from you, I can understand it. He was trying to protect his friend."

"And what about me, Red. I thought I was his friend too. Why wasn't he protecting me?"

"Is it possible in his own way he was? Think about it, Tony. Look at the pain knowing the truth has caused you. And knowing doesn't give you the power to change anything. I think Steve may have been trying to protect you both."

"So you think what he did was okay? That I should just forgive them both and act like one big happy family?"

Annie sighed and sat back on the bench. "I don't think what he did was okay, but to be honest if I was in his shoes and it was Alex on the hook I think I would do the same thing. As fucked up as it is sometimes doing the wrong thing is the right choice. I'm not telling you to forgive him either, Tony. I'm just asking you to see things from his point of view before you decide to wash your hands of him. If you were him and it was Rhodey in Bucky's position what would you do? Steve is your friend and a powerful ally when it comes to saving the world, and you might need him in the future."

Tony paced back and forth a few more times before he sat back down with Annie. "I'm not like you, Red. I just don't know if I can get past this."

Annie laid her head on Tony's good shoulder and said quietly "I know." They stayed there in silence on the bench for a very long time.

Bucky sat on a table staring at the cryo chamber. "You sure about this?" Steve asked as he walked towards Bucky.

"I can't trust my own mind. So until they figure out how to get this stuff out of my head I think going back under is the best thing. For everybody." Bucky replied with a sad smile.

"And what about Annie?" Steve asked.

Bucky dropped his head and held out the letter he had written, Annie's name scrawled on the envelope. "Like I said, for everybody."