I'm Here

Confrontation

Summary:

Rhodey talks to the Rogues. Cue, Protective Momma Bear Rhodey!

Notes:

I'm so sorry for not updating sooner guys. You guys deserve more than just one update. I will try to update more often with more chapters.

His voice was cold and hard as he said that, making the rogues looked up at him in surprise. Rogers looked up at the man and met his eyes, only to suppress a shiver. The man's eyes were burning with fury, his posture was defensive with his arms crossed. He was backed up by the Asgardians, Pepper and Bruce who were all looking at them, mainly Rogers with coldness in their eyes while Peggy and Pietro stood at the side, watching them. Rhodey took a calm yet chilling step towards the rogues. They could hear the sound of the braces the man was wearing as he took a step, and another towards them. The small sound seemed loud in the sudden deadly quiet room.

"Let's talk about how none of you are allowed to be near Tony, at all. Especially you, Rogers," he spoke with a glare thrown at the Supersoldier. "Rhodey, you can't do this!" Roger exclaimed, trying to fight back his flinch as Rhodey's glare seemed to harden. "You left my best friend, my little brother, who trusted you to have his back, in a cold Siberian bunker. ALONE. You left him there after you cut off his power supplies. You left him with a broken sternum, punctured lungs, internal bleeding, an obvious bad concussion that thankfully didn't lead to brain damage when you punch him repeatedly without holding back, frostbites that nearly cost him his hands, and the video of his parents getting murdered in a loop," he took a deep breath after he said that. Listing all the injuries his friend had suffered will never be easy for him.

"You left him alone without any way of calling for help. Didn't they teach you to never leave a man behind? Or you never learn that since you never complete your bootcamp?" He took another step toward Rogers, and he was right in front of the man. His small frame seemed to be towering over the bulk of the Supersoldier. Throughout the whole time he was speaking, nobody dared to say a word. Everyone knew how pissed Rhodey was at that time, especially when they realized that it wasn't Rhodey, speaking to them. No, it was Colonel James Rupert Rhodes. A very pissed off Colonel.

"If you think I'm going to let you get close to Tony after what you've done, after what all of you have done to him, don't even think for one second that I- no, we- would let that happen. Did you know that he flatlined more than once during his surgery?" At that question, Rogers eyes widened in horror and Barnes looked up at Rhodey, his eyes full of guilt.

"If it wasn't because of Dr.Cho and her Cradle, Tony would never survive and if he died? That will be on you, Rogers. Then, people will forget Steven Grant Rogers, the Captain America. They will only remember you as Steven Grant Rogers, Tony Stark's murderer. How do you feel about that, huh? Does it still feels like the safest hands are your own? No, I don't think so at all, Rogers," Rhodey stepped back once he was done. He felt viciously satisfied at the haunted look on the other man's face. He glanced at the others and had to hide his satisfaction at their haunted looks. Barnes looked like he was drowning in guilt even though most of the things he said was directed to Rogers, Romanoff's face was blank but he could see how troubled her eyes look. Scott looked like his belief that Captain America was a perfect man was crushed, which had been crushed bit by bit during his stay in Wakanda. Sam looked horrified, especially since Rhodey knew that he was the one who asked Tony to go to Siberia alone as a friend. But Rhodey didn't blame Sam, Sam was not the one who left Tony. That was on Rogers. Wanda seemed indifferent, but he could see how shaken she was to learn that the Steve Rogers she adored, was not as perfect as she thought he was. Barton looked sick, but there was rage in his eyes, as if he was denying that the facts Rhodey told them were fake.

"You're lucky that Tony was rescued before the coldness of Siberia could froze him to death, Rogers. You're lucky that Tony, for reasons that we can't understand, doesn't want to press charges to you, any of you," Pepper's cold voice cut through the silence as she took a step towards them, looking at each of them one by one in the eye. Neither of them could hold back their shiver when they remembered that this was the woman who had extremis. By the look of the blazing fire that they could feel in her eyes, she still have it in her blood. "Be thankful that he's not pressing any charges to you guys, but keep in mind that I'm not as forgiving and kind as Tony. Sure, Tony didn't say he forgave any of you, frankly you don't deserve it. But Tony won't charge you for what you've done to him since the very beginning, he told us that there was no point. He told us that the world might still need the Avengers," Rogers eyes lit up with hope as Pepper said that.