Babysitting a Superhero (Stark's daughter X Peter Parker)

52. Expanded Horizons

Amara stared at Ross, challenging him, silently before Tony cleared his throat, "We don't have him."

Ross broke eye contact and stared at Tony, a bewildered expression on his face, "What in god's name do you mean?"

"He means, we don't have him. He's not with us," Amara shrugged.

"And where exactly would he be? Rogers left with him, gave his reputation for him and now you're saying you just let him go?"

"We didn't let him go, Ross," Steve interjected.

"Well, then, what did you do?" Ross asked, impatiently.

—————

A few hours earlier, everyone was still on the plane, discussing their strategy.

"Ross isn't gonna wanna hear any of us out. As far as he knows, you two," she pointed between Steve and Bucky, "are war criminals, and we," she gestured between herself and her father, "disobeyed direct orders."

"I know," Steve nodded looking down at his shoes.

"Besides, he'll be way too busy making sure Barnes is locked away for good to pay attention to anything we have to say..." Amara hesitated before looking at Bucky, wincing, "...sorry."

Bucky just shook his head, dismissively, "No, it's the truth."

"Well, then, what do you suggest?" Steve asked, looking between Amara and Tony - who was deep in thought, and yet, not bothering to share any of those with the others.

"I don't know," Amara scoffed. "You guys are the ones who decided to break the law, why do I have to come up with your solution?"

Tony spoke up, "There's nothing else to do. We hand him over and just hope that he's willing to listen."

"The second we hand him over, he's gonna use that as fuel for why he was right in the first place. How are we supposed to convince him to amend the accords, when he's just gonna believe that he was right all along. All that, topped with his, inevitably, injured pride, he might not even detain Zemo. He may just let him go, out of pure spite," Steve explained, grimacing.

"You're joking. Surely not. He couldn't... could he?" Amara asked, unsure of herself.

"Why do you think I didn't want to sign?" Steve sighed.

Amara let out a quick, frustrated breath, running her hands through her hair.

Bucky who had been staring off into space for the past few minutes was being stared down by Tony. Amara's father approached the area where Bucky was sitting. When they were face to face, Bucky noticed him and sat up straighter, looking up at Tony.

"You have anything you want to add? Any ideas? The chance to have a say in what happens to you, huh? What do you think you deserve?" Tony snapped, Bucky's eyes still searching for some faraway place.

"Tony..." Steve began.

"No, really," Tony continued, not even bothering to look back at Steve. "What does he want? What does he want? Five star resort? Little place by the beach? Somewhere tropical, maybe? Lord knows he's had enough of snow, right?" He looked down at Bucky, who had moved his head to stare at Tony, a thoughtful expression gracing his features. Tony laughed, then looked around at the others behind him, when he was met with no laughs, he looked at Amara, "No? Too soon?... Well, it seems to me, that that's what this whole thing was about to begin with. What does Bucky want? What does Bucky deserve? Bucky wants to start over? We'll leave him be in Romania. Oh wait, Bucky's a wanted criminal? Oh no, never mind," Tony shook his head, laughing hysterically and hit himself in the head with the base of his hand, causing Amara do flinch, "Bucky says he innocent. And, oh, what's that? He wants to prove his innocence. Oh, well, don't you worry Bucky, your old buddy, Cap has a line of people waiting to lay their lives on the line, break the law, lie, even before they knew the whole truth...about Zemo. So... Cap, what is it that your little war buddy wants, exactly? Seeing as we've all been practically drooling over his every beck and call, why stop now, right? I mean why-" Tony cut himself off and clutched his chest.