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takadasaiko · 5 years

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Second Chances: Chapter Eight

FFN II AO3

Summary: Steve has every intention of returning the Infinity Stones to their correct place in the timeline and heading back to his own. His problems start when he makes an impulse decision to jump over to 1946 and Peggy decides to go back home with him. It only gets more complicated from there when Howard tags along with them to 2023. Tony lives fix-it fic. Pepperony.

Chapter Summary: Things don't go as planned when Tony and Steve visit Hank Pym.

Chapter Eight

She'd missed his call while in one of the five back-to-back meetings she had set up for the day, and when Pepper managed to find two minutes to call him back she heard jet engines in the background. Well, that hadn't been what she expected. Of course, neither was the fact that Steve Rogers had brought Tony's father into their time from 1946. No, she was pretty sure that there had been no way to prepare for that one.

"So why are you getting on a plane?" she asked, motioning at the impatient board members that she would only be a moment more.

"Because Cap used the last of the Pym Particles up getting them here," Tony answered, sounding tired.

"Howard coming was not intentional," she heard Steve argue and the smallest of smiles perked her lips.

"Tell Steve welcome home. Are you going to San Francisco then?"

"Yeah. Might be late for dinner."

"Just a little."

"We should have it all wrapped up by tonight though."

"Don't go jinxing yourself."

"Ha."

She adjusted the phone in her hand, risking a glance at the men waiting on her. "How are you doing with it?"

"I feel fine, Pep. Promise, I —"

"I mean with Howard," she clarified, her voice barely above a whisper. He'd struggled so much with the ghost of his father over the years. Every time she thought he had finally been able to put it to rest something came along to reopen old wounds. This last time, when they'd traveled to find the Infinity Stone, it had seemed to help heal them just a little more. She hoped that this wouldn't undo the closure he'd gotten.

She heard a small sound of acknowledgement. "Get back to you on that?"

"I'll hold you to it."

"Listen, hon, we're about to take off. I'll grab a car here when I'm done, so don't worry about me getting home. Could you…. when you're done with everything, could you send Pete over to Cap's place?"

"Sure. Why?"

"Uhh… just left Howard there and he —"

"He doesn't trust Bucky with him," Steve's voice filtered through. "What? You thought you were keeping that a secret?"

"Play nice, boys," she chided softly. "And yes. I'll make sure the kid stops by after I release him from Morgan duty."

"Thanks, Pep. What would I do without you?"

"Oh we've seen it. There tends to be a lot of wallowing. Pretty sure you still don't know your full social."

"I love you."

"You too. Be safe." She ended the call and loosed a long breath. One more meeting, then she had to handle Tony's father. Things were never dull around the man she loved.

___________

Steve had spent over a week just trying to navigate through the web that made up Pym Technologies to get to Hank Pym. He'd even tried to reach his daughter a couple of times, but he'd been blocked at every attempt. That was when he had sent Sam out to find Scott, but even that was turning up empty.

Tony, on the other hand, had them on a private plane, flown across the country, and walking through the front doors all in the same day that he'd discovered the problem. As Steve followed behind he was reminded that he'd taken a step into a world Tony navigated well. He should have just told him. It would have saved them both a lot of headache.

"Hey?" he called out. The younger man paused mid-step through the lobby, but it took a long moment before he turned. Steve shook his head. At least some things never changed. Tony did love making a show of things. "This is my fault. I know you and Pym don't exactly see eye to eye, so I'll—"

"I have literally never met the man."

"Really?"

"Rea…. no wait. No. There was one time when I was really young. Like… four. I don't know. It was before I went off to boarding school. It's fine." He stopped as if he were trying to recall a specific memory. "Mostly fine. I'm sure he's over it."

Steve wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know. Even if he did, Tony didn't seem to be interested in telling him. Instead he barreled forward again and Steve had to quicken his pace to catch up.

The security guard at the elevator stopped them until Tony removed his sunglasses and flashed a smile, leaving the guard sputtering and apologizing. He hadn't recognized him. "Hank still up on the top floor?"

"Yessir. He didn't mention —"

"Okay, thanks."

"Mr Stark, you'll need a key card to get up there," the guard managed as Steve passed by.

"No I won't."

He was already pulling his phone from his pocket as Steve followed him into the elevator and the doors snapped shut. Tony pried open the pannel and he was in the system faster than Steve could follow his fingers flying across the clear screen of his Stark phone. "Well, this probably isn't going to garner any good will."

Dark eyes flickered up from the screen and over to him. "I'm sorry, how long did you wait on hold with his secretary?"

"I didn't make it to his secretary," Steve admitted quietly.

"My point exactly." The chime sounded as they reached the top floor. "And if he used Stark Industry security, nobody'd be able to do this."

Steve quirked an eyebrow. "Not even you?"

"Oh, I always can. He just made this too easy." He looked over to the approaching, frenzied secretary. "You use Hammer Tech for your security, don't you? Explains a lot."

"I'm sorry, Mr Stark, but Dr Pym is very busy. You don't have an appointment."

"Don't need one."

"I'm afraid you do."

Tony snorted, amused. "Why don't you ask Dr Pym what it was like to be snapped out of existence one second and back in five years later? Oh yeah. He can tell you because we got him back. I think he can spare ten minutes."

The woman stared at him, and she was at a loss for a response even as the large office doors behind her opened and Hank Pym stepped out, chuckling the whole way. "It's okay, Vicky. This won't take long. Tell Bryan I'll be on the call in ten."

She nodded and Pym motioned for them to follow.

Tony moved immediately, and Steve found himself eyeing every corner of the large, expensively decorated office. It was different than the ones at Stark Industries or even at SHIELD. His attention immediately snapped back to Pym as he spoke, dark blue eyes fixed on Tony.

"You do know how to make a stir. You always have." Pym turned to Steve. "Pleasure to finally meet you in person, Captain. I hear you've been trying to get ahold of me."

"For over a week now," the blond confirmed. He knew he'd been reaching out but hadn't bothered to answer. That didn't look good.

"Listen, Hank. We won't take up too much of your time," Tony started in as Pym circled around his ornate desk and took a seat in the chair, steeping his fingers.

"Or any of it, really. I'm sorry you came all the way across the country to leave empty handed, but you're not getting what you came for."

"You know what we're here for?" Tony asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Well I know your patriotic friend there isn't here to return the Pym Particles I loaned him to make sure he got home in one piece. I hear he wants more. Or you do."

Steve's expression hardened a little watching the CEO who looked like he thought he was sitting on a throne rather than in a desk chair.

"Alright. You know what we want. You know why?" Tony asked after a long moment.

"Why doesn't matter," Pym huffed. "Listen, I appreciate what you kids did. I know you… sacrificed to bring us all back. To beat Thanos." His gaze flickered to the visible scars that the Infinity Stones had left Tony with. "But I'll be damned if I let my tech, my life's work, fall into the hands of a Stark."

The two men were locked in a silent battle of wills that Steve could only watch. He had known that Pym hated Howard and likely held a grudge against Tony for it as well. They had both hoped for a better reception than this. Granted, neither of them had known what Pym knew until that moment. If they had, they might have taken a different approach.

If they had known, it could have changed their minds. He pulled in a breath. "You hate Howard Stark that much -"

"He and SHIELD tried to steal my research."

"Then you're going to want to lend us a vile."

Tony turned to look at him, a warning silent but clear. Steve ignored it. He knew Tony would want to keep the number of people that knew his father had jumped into their time as limited as possible, but this was the only way Steve could see winning Pym over. "I went back to 1946. Howard Stark hopper a ride back with me."

The room fell silent and Pym sat back. He hadn't known that piece of the puzzle. Good. Maybe the gamble would pay off.

"Pre-SHIELD Stark?" Pym confirmed, his voice thin.

"Yes."

"We just want to send him home," Tony added quietly. "We don't want to steal your tech, Hank. We just want to set things straight."

"Maybe you already have."

"What do you mean?" Steve asked carefully.

"He's here. He can't start SHIELD. Can't add his influence to it."

Tony sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose in the first real sign of stress Steve had seen since they'd entered the building. "You're not going to change your past. That's not how —"

"You think I don't know that?" Pym snapped. "But Rogers here opened up a branch timeline. There's another me out there that will never have worked for SHIELD, never have to deal with your father. From the look you gave him, you're trying to keep him underwraps. I can live in a world with him hidden half a country away if it gives another me that chance."

"You've got to be kidding me," Steve managed.

Tony took a step forward, leaning against the desk, his fingers curling around the outer edge. "You're taking petty to a dangerous level here, Pym. The intention was never to bring my dad forward. Having him here—"

"What were you doing in '46?" Pym asked Steve with an irritating smirk. "I mean, that wasn't one of the stop off points, was it?"

"So you're not willing to help us?" Steve asked tightly.

"Nearly anything else, gentlemen, but not this. Security will see you out."

Steve looked to Tony who gave the smallest shake of his head. Not until they were out. They remained quiet as they were escorted downstairs and out the front door. It wasn't until they were halfway down the street to where they had left the car that Tony reached up to his glasses. "FRIDAY, be a dear and activate the decryption program from the little present I left in Pym's office."

If the AI system acknowledged him, Steve couldn't hear it, but if the amused look on Tony's face was anything to go by, she was doing just as he asked. "So what? He doesn't give it to us and you'll just take it?"

Tony shrugged. "I'd rather not, but we need his tech to get Howard back. Don't look at me like that. I have no interest in keeping his formula. I'll crack the code, cook up a vile, and send him on his way. Everybody's happy."

"You're not a chemist."

"But I am a genius. I catch on, and for what I can't, the kid can help. He's got a knack for this sort of thing."

Steve watched him for a long moment before finally nodding. If Tony thought he could safely recreate the Pym Particles, he'd trust him on it. He'd have to.

___________

Peter liked to think he took things in stride. Sort of. Kind of. Most of the time. It was really all about perspective. Compared to hopping onto an alien spacecraft and flying to some other galaxy to fight a big purple dude who snapped him out of existence for five years, he couldn't think of much that should be hard to wrap his mind around. Even Captain Roger's sudden appearance back, while surprising, had to have some sort of explanation that made sense. He just hadn't thought that explanation would include two other people from the past coming back with him and Mr Stark on a plane with Cap flying cross-country.

"I, uh…. so is there anything I should know about his…. dad?"

Pepper - who had called Happy to watch Morgan so that she could go with him to Brooklyn - glanced over from the driver's seat. "Tony was worried about his safety."

"Because of Bucky?" Peter tried, and at the look he received for it he shrugged. "I mean, I know that he and Cap got into it over something having to do with his parents' death and Sam said Bucky had moved into the spare bedroom in the apartment that he went back to so…. Am I right?"

"Yes," she admitted softly, the car hitting the slight bump that signalled the end of the bridge.

"But Captain Rogers said he's not brainwashed anymore, so he wouldn't hurt him, right?"

"It's really just to give Tony some peace of mind."

"He wouldn't want you there if he thought it was going to get dangerous."

"Probably not, but I doubt it will."

Okay. So Mr Stark wasn't sending his wife to babysit him. Good. That was good. Peter pursed his lips, struggling to find the right way to ask without it coming across as rude. "So, uh… why are you going?"

"For my peace of mind," his mentor's wife answered tightly, and that focused look she wore left him fairly certain that he shouldn't push any further on it.

He didn't know a lot about Howard Stark. He and Tony had had a strained relationship when the older man had been alive, but Tony seemed to care about him even if it was complicated. There was a painting in the lobby of the Stark Industries building they were just coming from and apparently he'd been the one to start the company from scratch right around World War Two. He'd known Captain Rogers and had been killed by a brainwashed Bucky Barnes. That was it. All the knowledge the teen had on his mentor's father, but that was still more than the man himself would have, from what he heard. Cap had pulled in from the 1940's.

"So, uh…. did you ever meet him?"

"He was gone by the time Tony and I met," Pepper said as she pulled the car over and allowed it to parallel park for her.

Peter stepped out and looked up at the building. "This place must cost Captain Rogers a fortune."

"Not too much. His landlord has a soft spot for him, no matter how angry they get at each other," Pepper said, amusement lining her voice.

"Mr Stark owns the building?"

"Don't tell Steve. Tony'd never forgive us."

Peter flashed her a grin and followed her up. She seemed to know just where to go, but if he were honest he couldn't recall a time when Pepper Potts had been anything but prepared. They stopped at the door and she squared her shoulders back, pulling in a deep breath. She didn't knock though.

"Are you nervous?" he asked quietly and she turned to look at him, her expression softening a little.

"No, more worried."

"About what?"

"Tony," she answered and tapped her knuckles against the door without further explanation.

There was a beat. Then another. Finally Peter heard the sound of locks being undone and a woman he didn't recognize opened the door. "Yes?" she greeted them in a British accent.

"You must be Peggy Carter. I'm Pepper. Tony's wife."

The woman looked her up and down as if she weren't immediately ready to believe her. Finally her expression softened a bit. "Steve mentioned the boy."

"I'm Peter. And, uh, I'm fifteen."

Those soft brown eyes came to rest on him. "Are you now? I'd have wagered younger."

The teen gaped as Peggy Carter stepped aside. "Won't you come in?"

Peter scurried after Pepper, feeling more than a little intimidated by the woman that stood only a couple of inches shorter than Pepper, both taller than him in their heels.

"I wanted to drop by. See how things were going," Pepper offered, her voice pleasant.

"Sergeant Barnes isn't here," Ms Carter said stiffly. "Steve hasn't told the full story yet, but I got the distinction impression your husband isn't fond of him."

"The disagreement over him landed Tony with several cracked ribs and a fractured arm. Not to mention a rift between him and a good friend that had only just started to heal when he went away."

Peter blinked hard. Pepper's voice was ice cold, almost dangerous. Maybe there was more to the whole fallout than he knew. Probably. He hadn't known that Cap - or maybe Bucky? - had hurt Tony during the fight. Maybe it was after he'd been delivered back to Queens. It wasn't like Mr Stark had given him a followup on everything that happened.

"A valid reason then," Ms Carter acknowledged and Pepper backed down ever so slightly.

"Howard Stark…"

"Tinkering with something in the back room over there. There's no pulling him away when he's fixated. He'll come out eventually."

"Like father, like son."

A small smile tilted the British woman's lips. "From the brief few moments in which I met him, I'd say so."

Pepper's gaze swept the apartment. "I know Sam and Bucky were staying here…"

"It's been a full house," the other woman acknowledged. "I had my share of tents and close quarters in the war, as everyone in this flat has. I suppose if they're successful, though, we'll be down an occupant."

The sound of a door opening drew their attention and a dark haired man sauntered out. He looked a lot like Mr Stark, but somehow less like his older self that Peter had seen by way of photos and the painting. That man was stiff and stern, while this one bounced a little when he walked, a curious look at everything his gaze touched. His smile broadened when he caught sight of Pepper. "Well hello."

"Howard, this is Tony's wife," Ms Carter said pointedly.

The smile didn't falter, even if it turned a little sheepish. "Ah. My future-present daughter-in-law. Pleased to meet ya. Howard Stark, but I'm sure you know that."

"I do," Pepper said, reaching out to take his offered hand.

Instead of shaking it, he pulled it to his lips. "My son has great taste."

Pepper looked like she was trying to talk herself out of popping him upside the head. "Howard — If I may?"

"I insist."

" — this is Peter. Tony's been mentoring him."

"Are you as clever as my boy?" Howard Stark asked, and Peter couldn't help but think he looked genuinely proud at the statement, absurd as it was that a man that he was certain couldn't have been as old as Mr Stark - and from everything he was hearing had come from a time long before he'd been born - was owning any sort of influence over the man Mr Stark had become.

"No sir, but I'm learning a lot from him." There, that seemed like a safe answer.

And apparently one that Howard like. He cuffed Peter in the arm. "Ha! Good kid." He turned back to Pepper. "So, you two here to make sure I don't go running off, because you don't have to worry about that. Peg's been keeping me on lockdown."

"We just wanted to stop by and see how things are going," Pepper answered diplomatically.

"Ah. Well, better if I could leave this tiny little place. Stuff five people into a two bedroom apartment. Who does that?"

"Plenty of people," Ms Carter answered sharply.

Pepper's cell phone rang and she offered a quick excuse meas she stepped away. Those dark brown eyes that looked like carbon copies of Mr Stark's latched onto Peter. "So, kid, how'd you get wrapped into this? You seem a little young to be in the super hero biz. Even in our day you're s'pose to be eighteen to serve your country."

"Oh, I, uh…. intern for Mr Stark. I'm just learning from him."

"So no fancy costume for you, huh?"

"Well….." He swallowed hard, turning back to Ms Carter. "How are you liking New York?"

"I've actually been in New York for a while. It's the twenty-first century I'm getting used to."

"I busted her trip," Howard chuckled. He looked like he thought it was all a joke, while Ms Carter thought it was anything but that.

"So are you on your way back?" Pepper asked, cradling the phone to her ear. "I can…. oh. Should I let the lawyers know or not? Okay. I know nothing. Fly safe. I'll see you when you get here." She ended the call. "The boys are on their way home."

"How did it go?" Ms Carter asked.

"They didn't get what they wanted in the way that they wanted it, but Tony is nothing if not creative. It'll just take a little longer this way."

It didn't take Peter's Spidey Sense to catch the wave of disappointment wafting off Ms Carter, nor the pure excitement radiating from Howard Stark. Pepper didn't seem to miss the former either. "You know, it's awfully crowded here, and we have a spare room at our place. It's a couple hours out of the city, but I know it'd help Tony not to worry if he knew Howard was safe and —"

"We couldn't impose," Ms Carter said quickly.

"You think he'd be alright with me coming out to your place?" Howard asked, his tone more hesitant than Peter would have thought he had in him.

"I think it might be the best solution we have with the hand we've been dealt," Pepper answered. "What do you say?"

"Sounds perfect."

"Howard," Ms Carter warned softly.

"Peg," he said, his voice so quiet that only Peter's advance hearing picked it up, "please. Give me a chance to make this right before I gotta go?"

She shot him a conflicted look, but finally caved. "It would open up some space here."

"Then it's settled," Pepper said firmly. "Howard will come home with us."

___________

Tony had known something was wrong - or at the very least not going the way he would have liked it to - the moment that Pepper met them on the tarmac, and it hadn't taken her long to let him in on what that was. He listened, holding his tongue and his potentially hasty feelings of betrayal as in check as he was capable, as she walked him through her thought process. Barnes was living at that apartment. That was his home, and they were overcrowded as it was. Taking Howard outside the city would limit his exposure and keep Tony from hiking in and out until this was resolved. He could work from home - less likely to alert Pym to what he was doing - and they could keep an eye on Howard. She knew it wasn't ideal. This whole fiasco was anything but ideal. From where she stood it did appear to be the -

"Okay."

Those beautiful blue eyes turned on him. "I thought you'd fight this harder."

"I don't have to like it for it to make sense. We should probably get straight what we're telling Morgan though."

"She'll be sound asleep by the time we get home."

"Right." He was exhausted, the day weighing on him. Well, at least he got to go home to his own bed. That was something.

Pepper reached up, her fingers against his cheek. "You're not facing this alone, you know that, right?"

A small smile tugged at his lips and he leaned in, feeling her meet him halfway. "I know."

She nodded, offering him a smile of her own and he wrapped an arm around the small of her back to walk with her. "Hey, Cap? You need a lift?"

"Wrong way, isn't it?" Steve asked. "Hi, Pepper."

"We're taking Howard with us. So says the missus."

Pepper rolled her eyes at the teasing tone and popped him lightly on the shoulder. "We thought we'd open up some space at your place."

Steve caught Tony's gaze as if he were searching for some indication that this was alright. Tony shrugged. "When have you ever seen me do something I wasn't willing to do?"

"Fair," Steve chuckled. "I'll take that ride as long as Pepper drives."

"What are you trying to say, Rogers?" Tony groused as they started for the car.

"I'm trying to say that I've faced the worst of the worst and your driving terrifies me more."

Pepper snorted a laugh as she released her hold on him to aim for the driver's seat. Tony shot her a look of pure indignation. "Traitor."

"I can't help it if Steve's right."

He gave them both a melodramatic groan as he circled around to the passenger's seat, pausing as Steve pulled open the door behind him. "Hey." He waited for the older man to look over. "Good to have you back…. even if you brought the chaos with you."

"That's not going away anytime soon, is it?"

"Nope," Tony answered cheerfully and hopped in the car. The trip hadn't gone as planned, but nothing had that day. They'd take Howard home with them and regroup in the morning. The sooner he could get what he needed from his decryption programs, the sooner he and the kid could start synthesising what they needed to send Howard home. He just had to be patient and this would all be over soon.

___________

TBC

Notes: I feel like these chapters are getting longer.... Originally I was planning to keep them around 2K or so to write quickly. This one is over 4K. Ah well. The chapter wants what it wants. Who wants to start placing bets on if Hank is going to figure out that Tony's in his systems? :P

Next Time: Howard tries to gather some information while Tony struggles to focus on the task at hand.

#Endgame fix it fic #Tony Stark #Steve Rogers #Pepper Potts #Peter Parker #Howard Stark #Peggy Carter #Hank Pym

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