DARKNESS.
008. | ❛ murderers. ❜

"DID YOU HAVE TO RIP INTO THE GUARDS AND CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS?" TONY ASKED CAROLINE, WHO CALMLY ROLLED HER EYES STILL ANNOYED THAT THEY HAD HER AND KIARA TIED UP AND SEPARATED.

"Enough Stark."  Caroline growled, her patience quickly wavering as he ripped into her. She flexed her wrists against the tight zip ties holding her to the chair, rolling her eyes, and catching a glimpse of Steve, staring at Caroline through the glass area in the center of the room.

"Caroline, that outside wasn't you. Nor was it Kiara." Stark continues as Caroline watches Steve, his face shadowed in pain. Watching her restrained, which was a nightmare of hers, as he rips his eyes away from Caroline, drawing his gaze back to Sharon as she enters the room.

"Are you done yet?" Caroline asked calmly, her eyes flying up to Tony, burning through him as he halts his monologue, withering slightly under her gaze.

"I just don't get you, Kingsley." Stark continues, sighing as he comes to sit next to her, positioning himself like a father about to have a heart to heart with his daughter.

"You don't get women? I'm shocked. This is brand new information to me!" She spit back sardonically, rolling her eyes when a small smile pulls at his mouth.
"Tony, please. Just let me out of these zip ties, and be with Steve right now. We both know that you're better than this."

"Really, Caroline? Because I thought you were better than this." Stark scoffs leaning back in his seat as he lets out a sharp sarcastic laugh. "Defending the side of a murderer alongside your patriotic fiancée and your sister."

"He's not a murderer!" Caroline snarled, startling Stark slightly at the strength of her voice. "You want to talk about kill records, let's look at yours, New York? Sokovia? You sit here on your high horse pretending that your murder record is cleaner somehow because you're a 'hero'. We've all killed. We've all taken lives we shouldn't have. The difference is that we've had control when we pull the trigger or throw the knife, he didn't. So don't you sit there and talk to me about murderers Stark; your hands are redder than anyone's."

Stark sat back in stunned silence as her head snaps forward once again, refusing to look at him, instead her eyes focus intently on the video screens through the glass that are monitoring Bucky. Her heart hurt slightly at the empty expression in his eyes, his face numb and impassive as he waits in his restraints.

Tony sighs as he kneels down before Caroline, and tugging at her restraints. She feels a relief in her wrists and sees Tony looking at her, "Go."

He nods over in Steve's direction, and she remains emotionless while she jogs over to his side. Retreating to his arms, Caroline felt a sense of safety even if it was for a while. He made his arms outstretch her whole body that still trembled from the darkness of being in those restraints; ones that reminded her of darker times.

"Are you okay?" Steve whispered in Caroline's ear which was almost inaudible.

"For now," she responded as they departed looking at the monitor that showed Bucky, and another small one that showed Kiara being held in another room. She didn't like seeing her sister away from her; nor being held down like she was a caged animal.

Pretty soon, Tony entered the office that Steve and Caroline were in. The two sat down in seats around the glass table, and looked rather defensively at him. "Hey, you want to see something cool?"

Tony's voice compelled them to look up at him holding a rectangular box, "I pulled something from Dad's archives. Felt timely."

Caroline could see two pens that were in perfect condition, despite the fact of that they were from the 40's. She knew that mostly because of what Howard told her, long after Steve had gone under.

"FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941. Provided support to the Allies when they needed it most." Tony explained to them.

"Some would say it brought our country closer to war," Steve answered looking up at Tony.

"See? If not for these, you wouldn't be here. Neither of you." Tony looked between the two of them. "I'm trying to, what do you call it? That's an olive branch. Is that what you call it?"

"Where's Pepper? Is she here?" Caroline asked, hoping that she would switch the subject fast before they got into an even bigger argument.

"We're kinda, well, not kinda,"

"Pregnant?" Steve guessed, not being the answer with Tony's facial expression.

"No, definitely not. We're taking a break. It's nobody's fault." Tony answered.

"I'm so sorry, Tony. I didn't know." Steve apologized, and Caroline went to grab his hand but realized that it wouldn't be the genuine her. She wouldn't be doing it out of true love for him, but she wanted to at least fix what she had said prior.

"Few years ago, I also lost her so I trashed all my suits. Then we had to mop up HYDRA and then Ultron- my fault - and then I never stopped because the truth is I didn't want to stop. I don't want to lose her. I thought maybe the Accords could split the difference," Tony said, and then leaned back in his seat, before getting back up, "In her defense, I'm a handful."

"Trust me, I know." Caroline responded.

"Yet Dad was a pain in the ass but he and Mom always made it work." Tony muttered turning his back to the two.

"I'm glad Howard got married. I only knew him when he was young and single," Steve said and Caroline smiled at the memories that ensued of their marriage. Of how she saw Howard fall in love and how she saw Tony grow up as a result.

"Oh really? You two knew each other? He never mentioned that. Maybe only a thousand times, alongside Miss Carebear." Tony said sarcastically, causing her to sluggish herself even more, "God, I hated you."

Steve looked up at him, "I don't mean to make things difficult."

"I know, because you're a very polite person."

"If I see a situation pointed south, I can't ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could." Steve explained.

"No, you don't."

"No, I don't." Steve admitted, "Sometimes-"

"Sometimes I want to punch you in your perfect teeth." Tony said, "But I don't want to see you gone. We need you, Cap. Both of you. Even Kiara for some weird reason. So far nothing's happened that can't be undone, if you sign. We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psyche center instead of a Wakandian prison."

Steve picked up on of the pens while walking across the room, considering Tony's plan of action, "I'm not saying it's impossible. There would have to be safeguards."

"Sure, once we put out the PR fire, those documents are amended. I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated-"

"Wanda? What about Wanda?" Caroline said gaining a defensive towards the Maximoff child.

"She's fine. She's confined to the compound currently. Vision's keeping her company." Tony replied, forever breaking any type of agreement with the two.

"Are you kidding me, Tony? Isolating her isn't going to solve your problems!" Caroline yelled

"It's 100 acres with a lap pool. It's got a screening room. There are worse ways to protect people." Tony said.

"Protection isn't what your doing. Your confiding her to a place where she can cause no harm. Is she a new Loki? Is she a new me? Don't you remember that when I would go on killing sprees and I'd have to locked up for my protection. She's a kid, Tony. Unlike you, signing this is giving me my protection against you." Caroline said dropping the pen that she held in its case before walking out of the room.