Starks Pheonix {2}

Thirty

Tony walked through the new compound with Hill, as she was head of operations. She had everything set up, and was giving him a rundown of their inventory, though he was barely listening. Since he remembered her, he had barely slept, or done anything else but tinker about.

He knew that he had gone too far, being that angry with her. He wanted to see her, to apologise but he didn't know where to start. It worried him that Barnes was practically living with her. What if she moved on? What if something happened between the two?

'Helen is requesting new centrifuges, and Bruce wants to know if he can use the spare lab..'.. Maria looked across Tony, seeing him lost in thought. She put her arm out, stopping him and his eyes snapped to hers. She hated that him and Izzy were suffering, but she knew it wasn't her place to say anything.

'What? Yeah sure, whatever they need..'.. Tony waved a hand, clearly not listening. Maria knew that the other lab was meant for Izzy. Tony had made sure it had everything she would need.

'You alright Stark?..'.. Maria frowned at him, and he sighed.

'I'm fine. Is everyone settled in?..'.. He kept walking and she took a breath, annoyed at him.

'Yeah, they are, but we're down a few. Cap in insistent he's not moving here, unless she is, and Barnes said the same thing..'.. She waited, wondering how he would react.

'Do you think I overreacted?..'.. He stopped, turning to her. That wasn't what she expected him to say.

'You want me to answer that as an employee or as a friend?..'.. She raised an eyebrow at him, dropping her hands to her sides.

'A friend..'..

'Youre a fucking idiot..'.. She wasn't going to sugar coat it... 'We remember what she's been through. Everything she's ever done since meeting you, is put you first. I get you're angry, she lied, she left and broke your trust, but it's nothing you couldn't work through..'

'She could've died, and I wouldn't have known who she was. I could've lost her, forever, and not know who she was to me..'.. That was it. Maria now knew why he was really angry.

'I get that Stark, I do. She's a sister to me. We worked together, trained together for years. She's one of the few I really trust with everything. If she told me to jump off a building, I'd do it without question or hesitation, because I know, she would save me..'.. She put a hand on his shoulder... 'Everything Izzy has ever done in her life since you and your father saved her, is to protect people. Were her family, and right now, she's alone, again..'

Tony sighed, nodding... 'Barnes lives with her, what if th-..'

'You know, if you actually opened your eyes, and took notice, you'd know that there is nothing going on between them..'.. She chuckled, dropping her hand... 'Besides, even though they think they're keeping it a secret, he's actually dating someone else on the team..'

'He is? Who?..'.. Tony clearly didn't know anything that had happened between the team.

'Go see the others. You'll see it soon enough..'.. She chuckled and headed off to finish co-ordinating with the rest of the staff.

Tony took a deep breath, and headed to the common room. It was a large open space, that had a kitchen against the back wall. A huge dining table almost the width of the room and three large couches, in a U shape, facing the 70 inch TV on the wall.