Home isn't just a place

Chapter Seven

"What do you mean?" Peter asked.

"Your cells aren't repairing as fast as they used to." Bruce said. "For some reason your healing factor is slowing down at a cellular level."

"Is that bad? That sounds bad." Peter said, a hint of concern ebbing into his voice.

"I'm not sure yet." Bruce said. "I need to keep an eye on it. Whenever you have the chance, do you think I could get another blood sample?"

"Sure." Peter agreed. "I think I'll be in the tower this weekend? That good?"

"That should do just fine." Bruce says, and he lets out a sigh that sends Peter's anxiety skyrocketing.

"Um... Bruce? Is something... wrong?" Peter asks, his hand clenching to a fist at his side.

Bruce was silent for a few minutes, Peter's heart rate spiking as he waited for an answer. "I don't know." Bruce said finally. "Peter I need to go, Fury's calling a meeting. Just, make sure to stop by the med bay during your visit. I need a blood sample soon."

There was a click on the other end signalling the end of the conversation. Peter stared at his phone for a second, his eyebrows pulled forward in confusion.

"Well shit." he said finally. "That was really ominous."

___________________________________________________________

"What's going on, Fury?" Steve asked. He was sitting tensely in his chair, a look of concern resting on his usually stoic face. The rest of the Avengers sat around the oval table in similar states.

"Stark. You didn't tell them?" Fury asked. Tony raised his hands in a defensive motion.

"You never told me I was supposed to!" Tony said. Fury just growled and looked back at the rest of the Avengers.

"Hydra is on the move." Fury said, causing everyone to stiffen and listen harder. (Tony just rolled his eyes and leaned back further in his chair. He'd already heard this spiel before.) "Lately they've been really obvious with their plans, causing them to get discovered very quickly."

"They're trying to make us look incompetent." Natasha said with a frown. "They want you gone, don't they?"

"Hydra has always wanted me gone." Fury scoffed. "They're trying to get revenge."

"Revenge?" Clint asked. "Revenge for what?"

Fury rounded on Tony. Tony scoffed. "Why don't you ask him?" he said pointedly. Clint raised an eyebrow.

"They're pissed that I killed Zemo." Tony shrugged. Saying that man's name made a full body shiver run down his spine. Pure hatred coursed through his veins at the thought of the man who had taken everything from him.

"Zemo?" Steve asked. "Why?"

"Who knows." Tony shrugged. "All we know is that now Hydra is making all sorts of claims. Sightings of possible activity are popping up faster than we can track them."

"Have you tried sending out more operatives?" Steve asked.

"Have I tried sending out---" Fury cut himself off, taking in a deep calming breath. "No, Rogers, I haven't. I've sent out all of the operatives I have."

"Okay. How far short are you?" Steve asked. "Maybe we could help out."

"Not that I don't have faith in Earth's Greatest Defenders," Fury sneered. "But I don't think that you'll be much help here. There's too much even for you."

"Yeah, I have to agree with Jack Sparrow over here," Tony said. Fury growled. "I have a son at home that I need to take care of. I can't just fly out and fight a bunch of Nazis."

"I have kids too." Clint pointed out. "I don't want to put them in any more danger by spreading myself to thin trying to beat an impossible force."

"Impossible force? It's Hydra! They're practically all we fight!" Steve cried.

"We fight them when we have the means and force to beat them," Tony argued. "Do you see the means or the force anywhere? We're benched, Spangles. Nothing we can do."

"Actually there is something you can do." Fury said.

"Thank you--- Wait, what?" Tony asked, snapping his head over to where Fury stood. "Repeat?"

"There's something that the Avengers can do to help." Fury said. "Information wise."

"I already tried researching it," Tony said. "As far as I could find, there wasn't really any reason for Hydra to get all worked up over one doctor. I think they're using him as an excuse to get rid of you."

"Yeah, why do they care so much?" Clint asked. "He was just some Doctor. They're acting like we killed Red Skull."

Steve coughed and looked down. Clint chuckled. Fury gave them a deadpan stare and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"He may have been more valuable than we know." he said. "We don't have enough information yet. We need help."

"And what do you propose we do?" Natasha asked.

Fury looked up at her. "I propose that we get help," he said. "We need more information. We need to know more about Zemo and who he was to the organization."

"And who do you think is going to help us?" Tony scoffed.

"Bucky Barnes."