Take Me Home

Tony walked around his desk, his arms crossed firmly across his chest. His brown eyes were trained on the men that stood before him, watching their every move intently. He had his suit at the ready in case the conversation decided to take a turn for the worse, and if his instincts were right he knew that it probably wouldn't be pleasant.

"So," began the billionaire, gesturing behind his friend to the man who peered at him from behind a curtain of long, greasy brown hair. "You're asking me to let the man who murdered my parents to live in my compound?"

"We've been over this, Tony. It wasn't him making the choices, it was Hydra." Steve glared at Tony. "He needs help, and I know you have the best doctors on call at all times."

Behind the good captain Bucky mumbled quietly. "I told you this was a bad idea, Steve."

"You should listen to your friend, Cap," Tony half-growled. "Why on earth would I give him free run of my home?"

"Not free run," Steve shot back. "Not yet, at least. Just call in a professional, a good one - one that you can trust - and give Bucky the help that he needs. It wasn't his fault, Tony. He was just as much a victim as your -"

"Do not finish that sentence," Tony warned, his eyes wide and, if Steve had looked a little more close, watery.

Steve held his hands up in defense, but his gaze never left Tony's. "Please, Tony. As a friend, I am asking you for your help. I'll do anything. You name it."

"I don't want anything from you." Tony said. His eyes left Steve's face and went to peer through the glass doors behind him, watching as Pepper interacted with Rhodes, who had just began walking again with the assistance of Tony's machinery. They laughed and joked outside the room, and Tony's heart felt lighter simply by watching them.

Tony's feet drove him forward so that he could stand closer to his friend, standing so that his back was facing The Captain and The Soldier.

Would Steve help him if it were the other way around? If it were Rhodes who had murdered his parents would he be so quick to forgive him and help him heal? Tony internally groaned, of course he would - he was a golden boy. How many times had Steve gone against his 40's morals to help someone in need.

"I'll call someone in for tomorrow morning," Tony said without turning. "I will give this one shot, Rogers. One. And if it goes to hell, then so be it, but you can't tell me I never tried."

Steve released a long breath. "Tony, thank-"

"And if something happens and anyone in this compound gets hurt, or worse, it's on you and your friend."



Charlotte strolled through the compound, her heels clicking on the floor as she made her way closer to her destination. The compound was very different than the tower, she thought as she looked around. Not only was the layout unfamiliar, but the very air around her had hardened, thickened by tensions and anger. Charlotte shuttered against the chill in the air and wrapped her hand tighter around the handle of her suitcase.

"Took you long enough," called a voice from behind her. "I thought maybe you'd gotten lost in the big city or something."

Charlotte turned quickly at the sound of the taunting tone, a small, sad smile pulling at her broken lips. She let go of her suitcase and paid no mind to the way it clattered to the floor, she simply made her way to the man she'd known as Uncle Tony since her aunt had started working for him.

Her breathing picked up slightly as she walked to him, her emotions crashing over her like a wave. "Uncle Tony."

Tony's arms opened wider for her as she neared him, and when she was close enough he pulled her in for a tight, breath taking hug. "It's good to see ya again, kid. What's it been, three years?"

"Seven months," Charlotte's voice was muffled against his chest, but she squeezed him a bit tighter all the same. "I'm sorry for barging in on you like this, if I had somewhere else to go -"

"You aren't barging in on anyone," Tony told her sternly. He pulled away from her to get a good look at the bruises that littered her face and neck. "Where's the son of a bitch that did this, anyway?"

Charlotte shrugged her shoulders lightly, her green eyes downcast. "I'm not really sure. He was in and out in no time flat."

"Do the police have any leads?" Tony asked. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and began to guide her through the compound. "Any ideas at all?"

The young woman sighed. "I haven't heard anything back yet." She stopped and pulled on his arm slightly. "It was one of Mom's dealers, Uncle Tony, I know it."

"Of course it was," Tony snarled. "Has she called you at all?"

Charlotte's eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip trembled. "No. She hasn't stayed the night in our apartment for weeks now. She only comes when she needs money or is so high she doesn't even know who I am."

Tony gave his head a small shake, his eyes watching her sadly. "You're alright now, kid. I won't let anything else bad happen, okay?"

Charlotte, for the first time in a long time, felt safe. She believed Tony, she knew he would take care of her. Charlotte nodded at him as swung his arm, gently, back around her shoulders, giving her a small squeeze.

"Let's go find your aunt," Tony told her quietly, watching as Steve walked in to the room, looking at Charlotte with questions clear in his eyes. "She'll murder us both if we make her wait any longer."