Saving Grace

Eighty Five

Grace never actually goes to sleep, time getting away from her, and because of this she hears Tony moving around in the morning, up before anyone else. Curiously, she stops painting — the painting being not quite finished yet — and walks out into the hall, then downstairs.

Tony is fully dressed, drinking coffee rather quickly. His eyes widen when he sees her. "Grace? Why are you up?"

She shrugs. "I never went to bed."

He's really shocked then, and incredulous. "Grace Maria Stark, are you kidding me-?"

She waves him off. "Oh, you used to do it all the time."

"That doesn't mean that-"

"You never answered my question," she interrupts. "Why are you up?" She gestures to his outfit, which is clearly not meant for just hanging out at home. "Where are you going?"

He looks at her for a moment, then sighs deeply, looking down at the counter. "I figured it out," he says.

Confused, she asks, "Figured... what out?"

He looks up at her, eyes heavy. "Time travel."

She gasps. "Oh-"

"And I'm going to the compound now," he continues. "To tell them. Help them. Even though this is insane." He runs a hand through his hair. "But if I can do something about it, and I don't, then... it's my fault, right?"

Grace's hope returns, amidst her shock, and she's practically shaking with urgency and excitement. "I... Just- Just give me five minutes and I'll be ready to go." She turns to run back upstairs, but Tony stops her.

"Wait, wait, wait, go where?" he asks.

"With you," she says, as if it were obvious.

He sighs, knowing this was going to happen. "Grace-"

"Come on, Dad," she insists. He opens his mouth to argue, but she states her case before he can. "I want to be a part of this. I want to help you. Please, Dad. I can help, and you know it."

He thinks for a moment, and he knows, in any case, she deserves to at least be there. This is mostly for her, really. She's the reason he even looked into this at all. He sighs. "Your mom is probably gonna kill me, but fine. Five minutes. Come on."

She grins and runs back upstairs, pulling random clothes out of her closet, not caring if they match, brushing her teeth probably less thoroughly than recommended, and grabbing her hair brush to take with her in the car, along with her phone, which she has enough presence of mind to remember. Just before she leaves the room, though, a glint against her cork board catches her eye.

The necklace Peter gave her.

She takes a few more seconds to grab it, somehow putting it on as she leaves the room. She's still back downstairs in four and a half minutes.

"Let's go."

~~~~

Excited and hopeful, Grace's heart jumps when she sees the first glimpse of the compound, and she doesn't even care that all she had for breakfast was a granola bar that Tony grabbed for her on their way out. Seeing the compound doesn't hurt as much as it usually does (which, now, admittedly, is only a little) due to the circumstances.

She might actually get Peter back. The memories here wouldn't be bittersweet to think about. And they would be able to make new ones. Better ones. She almost thinks she's dreaming.

As they get closer, she sees that Steve is standing outside, dejected, even as he looks at the fast-moving car (reminding her of the drive to the airport before Afghanistan, a drive Grace will never forget) curiously.