Tearing Relationships Apart (Book Eleven of The Bad Wolf Chronicles)

Chapter Fifteen

Quite possibly one of my favorite speeches of all time, even if it was in the form of a letter.

Enjoy the last chapter!

***

Clara couldn't help but smirk as she and T'Challa watched Zemo be locked inside the same pod Bucky had occupied before. "He belongs in there more than Bucky," she remarked.

"He was responsible for the death of many innocent victims," T'Challa said. "Sergeant Barnes was one of HYDRA's. It is good to know the right man is now where he belongs."

They watched Director Ross enter, a triumphant look on his face. "Meals at eight and five," he told Zemo. "Toilet privileges twice a day. Raise your voice, zap! Touch the glass, zap! You step out of line, you deal with me. Please, step out of line." Clara smiled slightly at his enthusiasm, but Zemo said nothing. "Hmm?" Ross tilted his head. "So, how does it feel? Spending all that time, all that effort . . . and to see it fail so spectacularly?"

Zemo looked up, smirked, and asked, "Did it?"

Clara rolled her eyes. "Arse," she declared, heading for the door.

T'Challa smirked to himself as he followed.

***

The compound was ridiculously empty without the rest of the Avengers, Tony decided as he played chess with Vision. The android was beating him, yes, but Tony was more distracted by the updates coming in on his cell phone. Saleen and Rhodey were watching, none of them doing much talking. What was there to talk about? The Avengers were torn apart, Rhodey had nearly been knocked out of action, Steve was off the grid, none of the Time Lords had been in contact. So they think, Tony mused as he took another look at his phone.

"138," Rhodey said suddenly.

"What?" Tony looked at him.

"138 combat missions," he elaborated. "That's how many I've flown, Tony. Every one of them could've been my last, but I flew 'em, to the fight that needed to be fought. It's the same with these Accords. I signed because it was the right thing to do. And yeah, this sucks," he gestured around to the empty compound. "This is . . . this is a bad beat. But it hasn't changed my mind."

Tony smiled faintly, then turned to Saleen. "And you?"

"This was messed up," she said bluntly. "It was awful. Did I wish I didn't have to take on friends? Absolutely. But still . . . time can't be rewritten."

"Sometimes, I wish it could be," Tony sighed, checking his phone again. So far, everything with the same update. System running.

A moment later, there was a knock on the glass doors. All four turned to see a FedEx delivery man, an old man, standing there. "Are you . . . " He checked the package in his hands. "Tony Stank?"

Tony did a double take, and Saleen burst out laughing. "Yes, this is – this is Tony Stank!" Rhodey crowed, pointing at Tony. "You're in the right place! Thank you for that! I'm never dropping that, by the way," he grinned at Tony as he walked over to the door to take the package. "Table for one, Mr. Stank. Please, by the bathroom!"

Tony grimaced at him, taking the box, before walking off to the conference room where he could look at its contents in private. He had a feeling he knew who this was from.

Sure enough, when he opened the box, the first thing he found was a handwritten letter in familiar handwriting.

Tony, I'm glad you're back at the compound. I don't like the idea of you rattling around a mansion by yourself. We all need family. The Avengers are yours, maybe more so than mine. I've been on my own since I was 18. I never really fit in anywhere, even in the army. My faith's in people, I guess. Individuals. And I'm happy to say that, for the most part, they haven't let me down, which is why I can't let them down, either. Locks can be replaced, but maybe they shouldn't. I know I hurt you, Tony. I guess I thought by not telling you about your parents I was sparing you, but I can see now that I was really sparing myself, and I'm sorry. You said you understood. I hope that still stands true. I wish we agreed on the Accords, I really do. I know you're doing what you believe in, and that's all any of us can do. That's all any of us should. So no matter what, I promise you, if you need us – if you need me – I'll be there.

Tony found something else in the bottom of the box – it was a data chip, but he smiled when he realized it wasn't a modern day one. It was futuristic . . . out of its time. He slipped it into his phone and watched as new contact information was filled in, including a new phone number for Steve. He smirked; he'd like to see Secretary Ross try and crack Time Lord technology.

As if on cue, FRIDAY announced, "Priority call from Secretary Ross. There's been a breach at the Raft Prison."

"Yeah, put him through," Tony straightened, looking at the office phone on the desk.

"Tony, we have a problem," Secretary Ross began.

"Ah, please hold," Tony smirked, reaching over.

"No, don't – !"

Tony pressed the hold button, grinning at the blinking light, then picked up his phone when it buzzed. A new update was on it.

Security override complete.

***

Secretary Ross growled, slamming his phone back into its cradle –

"Something wrong, Mr. Secretary?"

Secretary Ross spun around to see the Doctor and Clara standing in front of him, in full Avengers regalia. "How?" he straightened, reaching for the gun he kept under his desk. "How did you – ?"

"Oh, we've been here a long time," Clara smirked, holding up her hand. Dangling from one finger was the gun he was searching for. "Certainly long enough to take care of what we needed to do."

"You'll want these back," the Doctor held up a file, tossing it onto his desk. "Or, maybe not. They're quite useless, actually." Secretary Ross frowned and opened the file, and his eyes widened in fury.

There in the file were the ripped up copies of the Sokovia Accords that the Doctor and Clara had signed. "We won't be under your control ever again," the Doctor said coldly. "But if you so much as watch Clara where she works . . . you had better hope my wife and I never get word of it."

"A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Secretary," Clara said sweetly, raising an ICER gun and shooting him.

Secretary Ross collapsed on his desk, and the two walked through the wall, heading back to the TARDIS, their bit said.

***

Clint was reclining back on his bed, Scott drumming absently on his. Sam stood with his back to his cell door, and Pietro was pacing restlessly. Wanda couldn't do much of anything, confined as she was. As for Martha, she had her hands clasped, her chin on top of them. They never heard anything in the Raft, so they had no idea what had become of Steve or Bucky or Jessie . . . or even if Tony had even gone after them.

They got their answer when the lights suddenly cut out. "What the?" Pietro turned around.

Martha just grinned brilliantly and stood up as through the shorted out door walked Steve, Bucky, and Jessie in their combat outfits. "Hi, honey," Steve smiled at Martha. "I'm back."

"Need a ride?" Jessie grinned.

Martha laughed in pure relief. "Yes!" she cheered as Clint and Scott scrambled to their feet. "Yes!"

The three went around getting their teammates out of their cells, Jessie carefully freeing Wanda from her straitjacket and shock collar, when a familiar wheezing echoed in the air. The TARDIS materialized, and Clara ran out, right into Pietro's arms, kissing him fiercely. The Doctor stood in the doorway, shepherding everyone in. Before Steve followed, he looked towards one of the security cameras. "Thank you," he said before heading inside.

When the TARDIS took off, his new phone, courtesy of the Time Lords, buzzed. He took one look at the message from a familiar number and smiled.

You're welcome.

***

Ah, yes. I like my ending of "Civil War" much better.

Just the epilogue left, guys! Hard to believe, isn't it? Amazing what a girl can get done with a nine hour plane ride and a trip to SC that takes about twelve hours, huh? ;)