Bound By Purpose

Family

I keep my head held high as I enter Avengers compound. I hadn't seen any of these people for nearly two years. All that time in Wakanda, watching the outside world. I see Rhodey on his own we exchange a nod. My eyes dart to his legs for a second. I smile seeing that Tony has created some tech for him. Looking up Rhodey has his arms crossed. Tony appears behind him. I stop. 

He and Rhodey stare across at me and my guards that had been assigned to me. I speak to them in Wakandan telling them to stay close, but I'd signal them when I was ready. 

"I'm gonna take off now Tony." Rhodey turns to me as he passes, resting a hand on my shoulder gently before continuing on his way. We hadn't ever really gotten to truly know each other but the gesture was kind. 

It's just me and Stark now. He takes a deep breath and his shoulders just crumple. "Evelyn..." He begins.

"You don't have to apologize for anything." In this moment anything I could have still angry over is gone. 

"But I do." He says moving to a chair and sitting. I join him. We're sitting close together and it's strange. "I thought you'd died... and for the longest time I thought it was my fault. What I did to you... controlling your suit." I squirm for a moment, not wanting to remember the betrayal I'd felt.

"Surely you didn't just want to exchange apologies." I say a little more hostile than intended. He sits back deep in his chair widening the distance between us. "I didn't mean that so harshly. A lot of people didn't want me to come."

"You mean Barnes didn't?" I eye him begging caution.

"Careful Stark." He puts his hands up deflecting the comment.

"You're right I didn't invite you for an exchange in apologies. I asked you back because I need you here. I need you to work for me."

"Tony that could never happen. The world thinks I'm dead. I'd like it to stay that way. For the first time since I was 18 years old I've found peace, and a real life."

"In Wakanda so I've heard." He scoffs.

I shake my head. He'd never been there in his life. "I don't need this Tony. I didn't come to argue with you." I get up and turn to leave. It's clear that no progress can be made in this mindset.

"What did you come for then?" I turn.

"To make amends." I step back towards him. "To start mending what was broken between you and Steve. I've been living in a Wakandan village for a long while, I've thought everything over. It's time." I pause a moment. Yes it was that, but it was also because I felt something. That something was going to happen, something big. "I just feel like something's coming, something we won't be able to fix if we're broken like this."

"Something along lines of what Wanda showed you? Yeah, I've felt that too."

"So you do want the group back together?" I sit back down showing my interest.

"I don't know what I want." He buries his face in his hands, clearly distressed. I finally reach out to comfort him. I could answer that question for myself, it would be all of us sitting right here together working things through. I couldn't, however, answer that question for him. 

"Maybe you just need a minute outside all of this. It's a lot to hurry into, I know... but I don't think the world can keep on being unprotected like this. You have to take that first step, it can't be me." 

Tony looks up, rubbing his forehead he stands. "I think I just need some air." He checks his watch. "I promised Pep I'd..." I suddenly jump up and just wrap my arms around him. I squeeze him tight. He returns the favor and the tension is finally broken.