I’m Iron-Man and I’m Back (MCU)

"You said Pepper was there when you died."

"Yeah…" Tony wasn't sure where she was going with this.

"She had a suit?"

It clicked. "She did." He scrutinised her. "You want one?"

She shrugged. "Not particularly. I'm thinking more of one just to fly to places so we can stay together. A QuinJet isn't as fast as your suits."

"Hmm. That is something I can do. No weaponry? Nothing like that at all?"

Natasha shook her head. "No." She paused and then amended: "Maybe something small to defend myself with if we get attacked in the air but nothing like yours. At least I'll be able to keep up with you. I wouldn't use it in front of the team unless absolutely necessary."

"Yeah," agreed Tony, "I'm not sure they would take it well if they knew the extent of how much we are working together."

"They'd probably want suits of their own…" Natasha quipped.

"Or try to question you why you are spending so much time with me," noted Tony quietly.

"Using the Accords is a good excuse. I'd rather be in on them than on the outside of them. Steve is stubborn but I think he will come around."

Tony's lips twitched. "He nearly signed before. I offered him a chance to sign… after Bucky was brought in. Steve was offered one last chance to work with the Accords. He refused…" He bit his lips.

"It was because of Wanda… And her being locked in the Compound for her own safety. The words 'weapon of mass destruction' may have entered the equation." Tony said.

Natasha's eyes widened. "You didn't!"

Wincing, Tony stepped away. "I did!"

"Tony!" She was shocked, surprised even. Would have hit him if he hadn't stepped away.

"I know! It was a stupid thing to say but at the time he didn't seem to grasp why Wanda had to be kept in the Compound. He kept saying she was just a kid but she's not. She's in her twenties. And people were vying for her blood! And, to top it all off, she's an illegal immigrant who doesn't have a valid visa to be in this country. The only reason Wanda is in this country is that I am personally vouching for her."

"She doesn't know, does she?" Natasha murmured.

He shook his head. "No. If I do not vouch for her, there is nothing Steve can do to keep her here legally. He can fight the system all he wants. He'll just end up getting himself arrested for obstruction of justice."

"We need to get them to sign the Accords."

"First, we have to make the guarantees that will make it easier for Steve to sign," explained Tony. "His concerns are valid. Best way to beat the system is to work on the inside. Which reminds me, I have a meeting with the UN panel in a few days, I would like you to be there. Two voices from the Avengers are better than one."

"Sure." Natasha glanced at the data-pad in Tony's hands. "Hopefully Zemo will not make his move for a while yet."

"I don't think he will. We've got time to convince the others to sign the Accords before Zemo strikes."

Natasha eyed him wearily. "I hope you're right about that, Stark."

He caught her eyes. "Me too, Nat."

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Thursday 12th May 2016

Tony had sent a message to the other Avengers he was going to see the Accords committee with Natasha the next day and welcomed their feedback on them.

Surprisingly Steve came to Tony's office to talk to him about it.

"I read them. We all did. We sat down and went through the whole document," admitted Steve.

In his hands, he was holding a blue folder.

That surprised Tony. He hadn't expected Steve to do so especially since Steve had not read the full document previously.

The small changes he was currently trying to make were helping.

Tony swivelled in his chair. "And? Please take a seat." He indicated the seat in front of his desk.

Steve sat, placing the folder in front of him and opening it.

Tony could see sheets of pages from the Accords document, photocopied with pieces of it underlined.

"Before any of us sign, we want our concerns addressed. We deserve a chance to have our own say. This folder has everything you need. If things can be sorted or safeguards put in place which addresses our concerns…" Steve hesitated. "It is something we could sign but not as they are now."

Tony nodded, pulling the folder towards him, flicking through the folder, running his eyes over the highlighted sections and the annotations to the side.

"The tracking bracelets I will bring up as well as being indefinitely detained without trial. I will seek clarification on what happens with those countries who have not signed up to the Accords."

"If this legislation does become law there is one other thing which isn't mentioned within the Accords which needs to be debated," said Steve. "I feel very passionate about it."

"Right," answered Tony. "What is it?"

"What if we have to be somewhere where there is a life-threatening threat and we are needed there immediately? What if it is a world-ending situation? We cannot be sitting around waiting for permission."

Tony reached for his data-pad, flipping to his copy of the Accords. "Did you miss page four hundred and sixty-five?" Holding it up, he turned it over to Steve. "It's addressed right there."

Steve took the data-pad, eyes running over the screen. "It's not completely clear, Tony."

"How is it not clear? If there is a world-ending threat we can act on it as long as we head out there we put in the relevant requests to act in that country."

"But what if they refuse?" said Steve.

"If there is a world-ending threat and we are not allowed to enter the country, what then? And it causes untold destruction because we could not act? Are we supposed to let it happen? Will we then be detained indefinitely because of our actions saving the world?" Steve said again.

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