What Matters {B.Barnes Daughter} ✔️

~Fifty-Three: Truth~

"Shouldn't he be back by now?"

Loki jumped at the unsure voice, and quickly turned to find Peter leaned against the doorway, looking concerned. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he was referring to Stephen, who had been gone for almost an hour.

"Yes, he most definitely should," Loki nodded, letting out a worried breath afterwards. "And what's worse is he isn't answered his phone."

"We should go see what he's doing."

"'We'? No, Peter, I'm afraid not. I can go if you wish, but you will have to stay here."

"This is Mister Stark we're talking about here, I-..."

"You can hardly stand on your own, Peter. Tony is in angry fit of rage, he is in no way stable. He can't control himself. I would know, I've been there... I'll go and make sure Stephen is okay, and you stay here with James and Lizzie."

Peter let out a quiet sigh of disappointment before nodding his head. "Alright, fine. Just... be careful."

Loki nodded to the boy, inhaling a large breath, before teleporting out of the room.

{ * * * * * }

Within seconds, Loki had landed on the plane, and his alertness had drastically increased. He looked around cautiously, knowing that it was an automated plane and Tony could be anywhere upon it. 

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Loki whipped his head around, recognizing the poisonous voice automatically. 

"Tony..." he said, shaking his head. "I don't want trouble... I wish to know where Stephen is."

"I'm here."

Loki shifted his gaze to the left, where he heard the voice of his comrade come. He was shocked to find that Stephen was restrained to a metal bar on the plane, his hands and feet both handcuffed to it. He looked weak and bloodied, with new bruises beginning to form on his face. There had obviously been a fight.

"Tony, this isn't-..."

"Don't start with me... he killed my mom," Tony snarled, obviously referring to Bucky. 

"You've lived with him for over two decades, Tony. You know that it wasn't his fault, he didn't ask for it."

"I don't care."

"Please, I am begging you... we've almost brought back Lizzie's memories, it's only a matter of time before-..."

"What part of 'I don't care' do you not understand...? He made me an orphan. So I'm gonna make her one."

"... Tony... you don't mean that," Stephen's voice came, sounding defeated and heartbroken.

"Don't test me," Tony growled at him, his eyes revealing a world of hurt and betrayal. Stephen's eyebrows furrowed as he watched the other man turn back to face the God. 

"I know why you're here. You're not gonna stop me, don't even try."

He pushed past Loki, walking towards the front of the plane. As soon as his back was turned, the God spun on his heel, preparing a wave of magic to blast Tony in the back. Before he could even send the wave, though, Tony had whirled around and hit Loki with an energy blast from his hand cannon.