Chapter Text
It was saturday morning at the Avengers Tower, though the particular day of the week was not of great importance for its inhabitants. Tony Stark was raised without the concept of weekends. Pepper Potts had a multinational multi-billion dollars conglomerate to rule. Bruce Banner spent his days between physics and a very understaffed free clinic. Maria Hill discretely coordinated the intelligence community, without the knowledge of most members of said community. The Tower had other more seasonal inhabitants, in form of the remaining Avengers, that stayed at their designated floors whenever in Manhattan and also didn't have 9 to 5 jobs.
But at that particular saturday morning, Tony, Pepper, and Bruce happened to be at the same place, the penthouse’s kitchen, having brunch and making plans for the Annual Maria Stark Foundation Gala. Well, Pepper and Tony made plans, since they both weren’t able to attend the previous ball due to the whole Mandarin debacle. Bruce sipped his tea and hoped that the floor would open and swallow him before someone mentioned his name and White Tie on the same sentence. Thankfully, JARVIS saved him from both fates, at least for a while:
‘Sir, the ETA for the quinjet is two minutes.’
‘JARVIS, explain. I don’t remember authorizing any landing.’ - Stark looked at Pepper, who shook her head. ‘JARVIS, cancel the landing permission and start the defense protocol.’
‘Wait a minute, please, JARVIS. I need to talk with Mr. Stark’.’- Hill entered the kitchen - ‘The jet is SHIELD. I was the one who asked JARVIS to authorize its landing.’
‘What! You can’t do that.’- Stark once more turned to Pepper - ‘Can she do that? And what the hell! SHIELD no longer exists, I watched it burn on live television. I DVR’ed the whole thing!’
‘I asked JARVIS nicely’- Hill answered. - ‘And you really thought you could privatize world security without SHIELD’s know-how?’
‘That’s why I hired you.’ - Stark said.
‘Yes, you did.’- Hill smiled sweetly.
‘I’m sorry to interrupt, sir, but the quinjet informs that one of its passengers is injured and repeats its requests to land.’- JARVIS said.
With that bit of news, Bruce jumped from his chair, eyeing Tony.
‘Great. Yes, JARVIS, they can land.’ - Stark said. Bruce ran to the elevator.
‘We’ll talk about this later, Maria.’ - Pepper said.
‘I understand, Pepper. Right now, I’m going to the roof meet the med staff and wait for the jet.’ - Maria said
‘Oh, we’re going with you.’- Pepper said while getting up, followed by Tony.
‘Yes, I got to check their know-how.’ - Stark said, while the three left the kitchen.
They arrived at the roof as the quinjet opened its cargo door. Dr. Fahez, Nurse Molina, and Bruce on stand-by. The first person to exit the jet was a woman on her early twenties, who looked scared and a little bit queasy. She waved to the med team, urging them to come closer, faster. She was followed by a man with a prosthetic metal arm, maybe in his thirties, carrying an older man, who seemed unconscious. The med team ran towards them, quickly lying the senseless man on the gurney. As they checked his vitals, he started to convulse.
Another woman, also older than the first one, left the quinjet, its door closing behind her. Gently, she put her hand on the flesh shoulder of the younger man, speaking in a low voice and explaining to him that those were good men, that they were there to help. While she spoke, the seizure stopped and the med team plus Banner rolled the gurney to the elevator, followed by the younger woman.
'Pepper, Tony, these are Melinda May and James Barnes. I believe you two already met Coulson. The other woman is Skye.' - Hill said . May nodded while the others remained as statues. - 'Melinda, what happened?'
'We were ambushed and the Tower was the closest safe place to land.' - May said
'What kind of mission were you at the time of the attack? Were you able to finish it? Did you contact the Playground?' - Hill asked, her lips turning into a fine line with all the possibilities and repercussions.
'Yes, we spoke with the Playground. But we were not on a mission. We were having a barbecue.' - May said
At that, Hill, Pepper, and Stark finally noticed their guests’ clothes, that is, besides the fact that they were rumpled and blood stained. Both Barnes and May wore shorts, t-shirts, and sandals, while the girl, Skye, had a pink dress on. Was Coulson wearing linen pants and a guayabera? Jesus, Stark was staring at the Winter Soldier's toes.
'So, you people took the day of on the whole lying, killing, and spying business?' - Stark asked
'Don't worry. We have people covering our shifts'. - May answered.
'I like her. She's feisty.' - Stark
'Oh, you're better not knowing the half of it.' - Hill said.
'May, I need to go see Coulson.' - was the first thing Barnes said, measuring each syllable.
'Wait.' - Tony said - 'Before I let you into my house, I need to know if I'm speaking with Bucky or with the Winter Soldier, and when have you begun working for SHIELD?'
'I'm neither one of those people. My name is Barnes. And I no longer work for SHIELD.' - Barnes said, looking straight pass Stark.
'With you're not with SHIELD.' - Pepper said with a meek voice - 'Then what were you doing at the impromptu barbecue?'
Barnes shrugged his arms and said, this time looking at Pepper:
'I live with Coulson.'
'Is that enough to let us in, Mr. Stark?' - May asked.'
'Yes, yes. Let's go.' - Stark said. When everybody was in the elevator, he continued - 'Jarvis, call Rogers and let him know that Sgt.Barnes is at the Tower, so he can quit with the pining. And that apparently he is in a committed relationship with Agent Coulson, who, by the way, is not dead. Also, please tell him to bring the evil twins.'