Stephen watched with distaste as Anthony got smashed between Stane's arms. Something about this man was just completely putting him off. 

"Thank god that Obadiah is still here."

He turned his head in confusion towards the girl beside him. "What do you mean by that, Potts?" He was surprised at how calmly he managed to get the words out.

"Well, he lost both of his parents and has to run the most important weapons manufactory in the world. It is good that he has some help." She was talking sense, there was no need denying it but still-

He noticed Stane pulling Anthony along and towards the building, past the screaming paparazzi. They were already making him angry. "He has us. He has Rhodey.", he argued with her while following his friend.

"Yes but that is something else. Don't you think it is good that he has at least one sort of parental figure left?" She didn't seem to notice how off-put he was by that idea.

"Yeah, I guess you are right." There was no reason to continue the discussion. He would end up losing it one way or another. Once the two of them arrived at the entrance they were ushered inside and to the far side of the room.

Stephen tried finding Anthony's head of brown curls but he was nowhere to be seen. "Can you spot him anywhere, Potts?" His eyes kept on scanning the room but it was of no use.

"I guess he is still talking to Obadiah, you know,  about what to actually say. I imagine it will be concerning the future of Stark Industries. They are co-owners now after all." She didn't seem so much on edge anymore.

He suppressed an angry groan. That damn Stane guy. He'd have to talk to Anthony once they were home. At his home. He leaned back against the wall, slightly calmer. His friend would be going home with him and no one else. He was his best friend after all.

No one else had more of a right to take care of him, especially not some shady weapons dealer.

His eyes fell close for a second, not a surprise minding the fact that he hadn't really slept for the past 4 months. He could finally do so tonight, really rest. The couch wouldn't serve as the best bed but he wouldn't deny Anthony the real one.

He didn't want to think about how he had slept in that terrorist hide-out, probably not at all.

"Excuse me, Sir, but are you Stephen Vincent Strange?"

His eyes snapped open. Before him stood a small man, clad in a nice suit with a weird symbol pinned to his chest. It resembled a bird but Stephen had never seen it before. He frowned.

"Who wants to know that?", he asked, suspicion lacing his voice. The man didn't react except for a slight smirk.

"Agent Coulson from the Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division." He offered his hand and Stephen took it with slight resistance.

"Smooth name you have there.", he quipped, causing Pepper to slightly chuckle beside him. The man only nodded.

"I know. We are working on it. That is not why I am here though."

Stephen crossed his arms. "You don't say. The question is why ARE you here. I can't see any reason whatsoever." He felt Peppers elbow softly nudging him in the ribs, warning him to be less sarcastic. As if that could stop him.

Agent Coulson did nothing but smooth down his jacket. "I have a few questions for Mister Stark, regarding his escape. I'd hoped that-"

"We are at a press conference. I imagine that every single person here wonders about that. Why don't you just wait until someone asks that question instead of bothering us? We know as little as you." Christ, he really hated press conferences.

Pepper coughed and put a calming hand on his arm. "Please excuse my friend. It has been a tough week for him, for all of us really." She shot him an angry glare. "But he has a point. I know you news magazines all want-" 

Coulson raised a dismissive hand at her. "You misunderstood me, Miss Potts, is it? I am not from a magazine. My intentions are slightly different." Stephen narrowed his eyes in distrust.

"And what, pray tell, are your intentions? How do you know my name? How do you know her name? Who the hell are you?" He was getting fed up with the agent, especially since he didn't show any reaction at all. He just continued to stand there with his smug face.

"I understand that you are quite upset at the current time, Mister Strange but I only ask of you to give my regards to Mister Stark and ask him for a meeting. As soon as possible, please."

How dare he?

"You know what-"

"We will give your request to Tony. I don't know how long it could take though for an answer. He literally just arrived." Pepper had softly pulled him back and was taking charge of the conversation.

"Thank you very much, Miss Potts. Here." He dug his hand into one of his pockets and pulled a little black card out of it, handing it to her. "Please call me as soon as you know anything. The both of you." With that, he turned around, clearly ready to leave.

"Where are you going? Don't you want to see the press conference?", she called after him in confusion. 

Coulson turned his head. "I already have what I came here for and you know better than anyone that you shouldn't believe anything that is said in meetings like this." Then he was gone, leaving a confused Pepper and an outraged Stephen behind.

If this doesn't end soon I will go crazy.

As if someone had heard him, Stane appeared in front of the crowd and asked for silence. He really didn't do anything to lift Stephens' spirits though.

"I am happy to announce at this current time, that Tony Stark has safely returned from Afghanistan and he will talk to all of you shortly. Bear in mind that he hasn't been in the country long and therefore is still slightly chapped."

He coughed a few times before, to Stephens dismay, continuing. "I must ask of all of you to keep your questioning at a minimum and to not stress anything he isn't ready to answer. It is very genuine of him to even give a statement this soon after returning."

At last, something that makes actual sense comes out of your mouth.

"Without further delay, I give you the new director of Stark Industries: Tony Stark!" He swept his arm up and under great applause, Anthony stepped on the stage with-

Anthony, are you serious?

-a half eaten cheeseburger still in hand. He was unbelievable. And still, it was so typically him. Stephen suppressed a smile at his best friend. After everything he had gone through, he shouldn't be denied a cheeseburger. Or anything else.

He couldn't help the disapproving eyebrow raise however when Anthony sat down in front of the podium, asking all the reporters and journalists to do the same.

What is he playing at?

"That way you can see me and it's a little less formal.", he explained before taking a big bite out of his burger. Pepper shook her head. So did he but eventually all the people in front of Anthony sat down, even Stane who was still on the stage with him.

"Can one of you explain to me what is going on?" Stephen turned his head to see Rhodey approaching them, somehow trying to find a way through the sitting crowd.

"Don't look at us.", Stephen defended himself and Pepper, who was quick to add: "We don't know what he is up too." Rhodey sighed and took his place beside Stephen all of them watching the stage with interest.

"It's good to see you.", his best friend was mumbling so quietly that he almost didn't hear him from his spot. His stomach turned when he realised that he was speaking to Stane who answered "It's good to see you too." with a sickeningly sweet smile and a supportive hand on Anthony's shoulder.

Stephen tensed and not only because of the following words.

"I never got to say goodbye to dad." His head turned towards the confused crowd. "I never got to say goodbye to my father.", he announced loudly. "I left the presentation early because I was angry with him. Without uttering a word to him, without a goodbye."

He went silent for a moment. "There was so much I had wanted to ask him, so many questions that are now left unanswered. For a start, I should have asked how he felt about what his company did."

It seemed like the whole room was holding its breath, even the usual clicking of the cameras was absent as Anthony continued:

"I should have asked him if he was conflicted; if he ever had doubts." He quickly wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. "Or maybe he was every inch the man we all remember from the news." He took a deep breath, his next words were filled with sadness.

"I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons my father and I created to defend and protect them." Stephen physically flinched at his words. The news hadn't given any indication which weapons were used in the attack but imagining that they were the very own Anthony and his father had created made him sick.

"And I saw that he- that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero accountability." His eyes dulled and he stopped speaking, only snapping back to reality when a few reporters started saying his name and raising their hands.

He pointed at a guy with pen and notepad in the front. "What happened over there?", came the careful question, Stanes warning words apparently still in all their heads. Anthony looked at him for a moment before standing up, talking while doing so.

"I- I had my eyes opened. I came to realise that I have more to offer this world than just making things to blow up." He stopped behind the podium, everyone else still sitting on the ground and looking up to him in united question.

What are you doing, Anthony?

He had a faint idea but no. He wouldn't do that, he couldn't, right?

"And that is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacture division-"

The rest of his statement was lost in the collective screams of the reporters who were all jumping on their feet now, especially Stane who leapt the few steps towards Anthony and swung an arm over his shoulder, trying to pull him away from the microphone but with little success.

"Until a time where I have decided what the future of this company will be, what direction it should take.", he told the restless crowd in a fight with the man beside him who was raising his hand and trying to do at least some damage control.

To Stephens delight, he pushed his hands away and started leaving the stage while announcing "A direction that I am comfortable with and is consistent with the highest good for this country as well."

He couldn't believe it and judging from the faces Pepper and Rhodey made, they couldn't either. Anthony was shutting down the weapons division, Stark Industries wouldn't be making any more weapons...

"What the hell did just happen? Have you guys talked him into this?", Rhodey asked in disbelief, ignoring the fact that Stane was still on stage and talking.

His and Pepper's head whipped around simultaneously. "What?", he asked angrily. "Have you gone mad?"

Rhodey pointed at the leaving figure of Anthony. "No, but he clearly has. A press conference this shortly after he got back. Why didn't you stop him? This was set up to be a disaster."

"We tried!", Pepper defended them angrily. "You know Tony. Once he has an idea set in his head, there is no way of getting it out."

"Yeah, well, we shouldn't have allowed that to happen." Rhodey shook his head and the three of them started to leave the wild conference. "If he really goes through with his plan it would mean the ruin of Stark Industries."

"I don't think he will honestly.", the girl tried to persuade them, the words everything but convincing. Stephen didn't believe her for a second and he doubted that anyone else did.

"I think he will and can you blame him? He said he saw soldiers die thanks to his and his fathers' weapons. That had to hit him pretty hard." He received an angry look from the other two but shrugged it off. He was just happy to have Anthony back, hell could freeze over before he started a fight with him over something like that.

"I am not surprised by you taking his side.", Rhodey sighed. "Do you at least know where he is headed to now? I don't want him to return to the Stark mansion all alone after dropping a bomb like that. God knows what other ideas he has in his head."

"Don't worry. He is staying at Stephen's place for the next few days. Didn't want to be alone.", Pepper quickly explained. They exited the building to see Happy's car still parked in front of it but Anthony was nowhere in sight.

Stephen's stomach clenched. "At least I thought he would." He quickly walked up to the worried looking bodyguard. "Happy? Where is Anthony?" All he got in return was a shoulder shrug and a few excusing words.

"I don't know. He simply told me to bring you guys home. He had something to do first. Told me not to worry about him and to tell you, Stephen, that he will be arriving at your apartment shortly." He scratched his head in embarrassment.

"You are his bodyguard! You should be concerned about his whereabouts, especially after what happened!" He couldn't believe him. Did no one care at all?

What is wrong with all of you?

"I know... but they were his orders.." The tall man sighed and lowered his head. "I will bring the two of you home now. Orders from the boss." Stephen balled his hands, ready to throw a tantrum and storm off in search for his friends but Rhodey softly bumped his shoulder.

"Don't worry, Stephen. I will find him. You two should really head home now. It has been a long day." He opened his mouth in protest but didn't get the chance to say it out loud. "I know you are worried about him but you causing a scene now with all these reporters here will only make the situation worse. Please, you have to trust me."

But I don't. I don't trust anyone anymore when it comes to Anthony and I will never do so again.

How could anyone expect that of him after he had almost lost him? But he realised that there was no way he could find Anthony, given the fact that he was most likely somewhere on the Stark Industrie ground. Security would be everywhere.

So he was left with no other choice but to climb back inside the car alongside Pepper and let himself be driven home. He was deep in thought, hands resting under his chin when the girl beside him started talking.

"You've got to talk with Tony. Rhodey is right. If he really leads Stark Industries on that course it will be ruined in the next months or so." She blew a red lock out of her face and pulled out her phone.

"Oh and I guess that you know that so precisely because you spent months studying their numbers?", he asked with a raised eyebrow. "We did nothing but argue the month before he went missing. I won't pick this habit up on his first day back home."

She sighed and looked up, meeting his gaze. "Stephen, please.-"

"No, not a chance but by all means, try talking him out of it the next time you see him. We all know his willingness to change plans because someone wants him to." He tilted his head, daring her to challenge him. 

"Fine.", she huffed in irritation. "He won't be able to shut it down by himself anyway. He is only co-owner as long as he is still 17 and I doubt that Obadiah will approve of that decision. I mean did you see the look on his face when Tony announced-"

I've had enough.

"Why?", he interrupted her rudely. He didn't care. She stared at him in confusion. "Why shouldn't he be allowed to make this decision himself? The company is called Stark Industries. It should be in his hand."   

"He is a teenager, Stephen! He shouldn't be in charge of important things like that." She massaged her temples in stress. "I just want what is best for him."

Stephen dropped his head in his hands. "I know.", he soothed her. "We all do but I think he should be allowed some space. We can't just start to question him right away, don't you think?"

"Yes, of course, it's just- Don't you think that he is in the middle of doing a big mistake?" Well, did he? He rubbed his tired face, exhausted by the conversation.

"It's not in my right to tell him what to do. Now, all this complaining of yours is giving me a headache. Could you stop and just be glad that Anthony is back and still alive?" Why did everyone have to be so damn negative?

I'm just glad that I haven't lost him completely.

Pepper looked thoughtful for a moment before, to his great surprise, nodding. "You are right. It's a miracle that he actually returned to us. I'm sorry, Stephen." She gave him a quick smile and turned her attention back to the phone in her hand.  

The determination with which she was typing sparked his interest. "Who are you texting?" He bent his neck, trying to see her screen.

She lightly slapped his arm. "Nosy much? I am just texting Christine, telling her how it all went. She probably wants to know."

"I bet she does.", he murmured with a shake of his head.

And she has the nerve to call me nosy.

He bid his farewell from Pepper soon after, when Happy stopped at his apartment. He was about to close the door when she stopped him.

"Please text me when Tony gets here, okay? I'm still worried."

You're not the only one.

"Of course I will. Goodbye, Potts." With that he closed the door, readying himself for the torture of waiting for Anthony. Maybe he could watch a movie to distract himself. Quickly getting inside his apartment, he flung himself on the couch and turned on the TV, deliberately ignoring the news channels.