𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐒 ━ steve rogers

chapter eighteen

"If he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts. Or maybe he was every inch the man we all remember from the newsreels. I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability."

"Mr. Stark!"

"Hey, Ben."

Ben the reporter cleared his throat. "What happened over there?"

"I had my eyes opened." Tony stood up and moved behind the podium. "I came to realize that I have more to offer this world than just making things that blow up. And that is why, effective immediately..." He found his aunt's eyes and swallowed the lump in his throat. "I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark International until such a time as I can decide what the future of the company will be. What direction it should take, one that I'm comfortable with and is consistent with the highest good for this country, as well."

Grace shook her head at the sudden announcement and Obadiah soon took her nephew's place. "What we should take away from this is that Tony's back! And he's healthier than ever. We're going to have a little internal discussion and we'll get back to you with the follow-up."

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"𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐄, 𝐈 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐀 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 for you."

"If it's to help Jarvis clean your lab, the answer is no," Grace said, not looking up from her sketchbook.

Howard sighed. "No, it's not that. But if you want to do it, then I don't think he'll mind the help."

"Or you could just keep it clean the first time," Grace retorted, looking up at her brother. "What is it, Howard?"

"I want your help with something," he said, sitting across from her at the kitchen table. "I know we've had our... ups and downs, but this is something that I really want you to be a part of."

She nodded, playing with her pencil. "And are you going to tell me at any point today or am I supposed to read your mind?"

"I'm restarting the SSR," he replied and she furrowed her brows in confusion. "And I want you to do it with me."

"Why?" she asked, leaning back in her chair. "Why do we need to bring the SSR back? Aren't we doing just fine without it?"

"Well, it wouldn't be the SSR exactly," he said and let out a breath. "I want to start a new organization. That has the same morals as the SSR but is also something entirely different."

Grace nodded. "What is it?"

"The Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division."

She blinked at her brother. "That is quite a mouthful."

"We'll work on it," he shrugged. "If you'll join me. Please, Gracie?"

Grace looked at the man across from her and looked down at her sketchpad of inventions. She glanced up at her brother and nodded softly. "Okay. I'm in."

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"𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐌𝐄."

Tony looked up from his desk to find his aunt walking toward him with a look of annoyance written across her face.

"Show... what?"

Grace sighed and crossed her arms. "You know what. You were gone for three months and now it seems you have a piece of machinery in your chest. Show me."

Tony looked at her before unbuttoning his shirt and her eyes shifted to the arc reactor that was in his chest. She gently reached out a hand and pressed against the cold metal before pulling her nephew into a tight hug.

"Who told you?" he asked and she sighed. "It was either Rhodey, Pepper, or Stane."

"Pepper," she whispered, kissing the top of his head and looking at him. "Don't be angry at her. She thought I should know."

"I was going to tell you," he said, looking at her like he used to when he was a child. "I just... I didn't know how. You've been there for me in more ways than I can count. How could I tell you that I almost died and the only thing keeping me alive is a piece of metal in my chest?"

"You just did," she said softly, cupping his cheek. "You know I love you, right?"

"Of course I do."

Grace nodded and ruffled his hair. "Then you'll also know that no matter what happens, I'll always be here. Now... since you ambushed me with this announcement, care to explain what's going on with the business?"

Tony sighed. "I saw things, Aunt Gracie. People dying. With my weapons. The weapons this company manufactures. We're responsible for hundreds of deaths and nobody is taking accountability for it. We just... I have to do something. I have to fix this company."

Grace smiled softly at her nephew. "Spoken like a true CEO." Her eyes shifted to his desk and she picked up a framed photograph. "I didn't know you had this."

Tony looked down at the picture and nodded. "That was my favorite birthday. It was the one where you gave me my first science kit." Grace glanced at him and he smiled at the memory. "I used it until it broke."

"And I bought you another one," she finished with a small smile on her face. "It drove your dad crazy. And your mom said that you were becoming a miniature version of Howard." She cupped his cheek and kissed his forehead. "You are anything but Howard. And I am so proud of the person you're becoming."

"Did you ever have doubts, Aunt Gracie?" he asked while she wrapped her arm around him.

"About what, little penguin?"

He shrugged. "Spending so much time with me. You were there for everything. He wasn't. So many people when I was at school were convinced that you and Mom were my parents more than him."

Grace sighed and leaned her head on his. "Not for one second," she replied, running her hand through his hair, something she had always done when he was little. "I knew the minute you were placed in my arms after you were born that I would do anything for you. Even through an ageless life, you were always there. You always wanted me to play board games with you, or teach you how to make a weapon that we used in the war. Your mom wasn't so fond of that."

He chuckled lightly. "It might be selfish, but I was kind of happy to learn you didn't age," he said, looking up at her and shrugging. "Because it meant that I'd still have you."

Grace smiled softly. "You'll always have me, little penguin. Now, I didn't come down here to start crying and feeling very touched by your sentiments. You want to get dinner?"

"Cheeseburgers?" he asked, standing up.

She sighed. "You just got some." He gave her a pout and she frowned. "Fine. You're lucky I love you."

"I love you, too, Aunt Gracie," he said with a smile and she chuckled, following her nephew out of his lab.

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an: grace & tony >>
grace & howard

he basically turns into a
child whenever he's with
Grace which I find adorable