Stark's Driver ~ A Bucky Barnes Story

Chapter 2- Coffee Grounds

Talia rapped her knuckles against the leather steering wheel, checking the time on her phone, impatient.

Tony always liked to take his time wooing the crowd, but it was a university talk for god's sake, all he had to do was give them money and the students bloody exploded.

Minutes passed, but then a familiar figure approached the car door.

"Hey Anthony, how'd it go?" She said in a sing song voice.

He rolled his eyes at the nickname, "Zip it speedy." as he got inside. She laughed lightly, pulling the car away from the building  and onto the road, but she noticed his downtrodden manner and the sadness cast upon his face.

"Seriously Tony- are you okay?"

He let out a sigh, "I met someone after the talk," he paused and she didn't interrupt, "I'll explain later."

"Okay," she said softly, "Have you seen the news in Lagos?"

He sighed, "Yes, I have. How fast can you get us to the Avengers Facility?"

She smirked wickedly, "You just hold on to your goatee old man." accelerating fiercely. He let out a small smile, that quickly turned mischevious, "Actually, we need to pick someone up on the way first." She glanced at him curiously with her honey golden eyes, "Sure thing, who is it?"

"Your favourite person, Secretary General Ross."

Her groan was lost in the roar of the engine.

~

She was practically falling asleep. Curiosity had drawn her to follow Stark and Ross into the meeting, but now the pompous old man was droning on with another anecdote, about golf. Honestly she just wanted to shut her eyes and nod off, but Tony was glaring at her from his seat so she stood up and walked to rest against the wall in the corner opposite, watching what unveiled.

"OK. That's enough." Steve proclaimed, as recent images of the Lagos horror played onscreen. Wanda looked close to tears.

"For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement  that governments of the world can no longer tolerate, but I think we have a solution." He set a large book onto the long table, "The Sokovia Accords."

"117 countries have decided that The Avengers, shall no longer be a private organisation."

Talia's head snapped up as Ross explained "the middle ground" using thinly veiled threats, leaving them to argue what she knew would give her a splitting  headache. So she moved to the kitchen to make something to eat while she watched the show.

~

"Tony," Natasha probed, "you're being non-characteristically hyperverbal." turning to look at the genius, slouched in his chair. Talia put the kettle on silently in anticipation.

"That's cause he's already made up his mind."

"Boy, you know me so well." He grumbled at Steve making his way to the mug, his bodyguard had just placed onto the island counter for him. 
He sipped it appreciatively before turning to face them again. As he told them about nineteen-year old Charlie Spencer, her heart ached for her employer, who was so wracked with guilt he'd give up his right to choose what his team did to help the world, who didn't even currently want their unauthorized aid.

Natasha, political as she was, agreed with him (much to his glee) but Steve remained resolute in his viewpoint, which Talia could understand. She understood both the arguments, for both were important. Did one think logically or emotionally?

Steve wished to keep their choice, because he truly believes they could make better moral decisions than the government. Some might call this arrogance but Talia knew, that from Steve's experience this was because of what the government had done to him, time and time again.

While Stark had arguably not consistently made correct decisions, referring to Ultron which had contributed to this predicament, Talia knew the man was changing and learning from his mistakes and the guilt from them had spurred him into logical action. They cannot be all-powerful, their superpower must be checked- what gives them the right to choose? The higher moral code?

But she couldn't say any of this, for she was merely a guest. Listening in. She wouldn't even be asked to sign the Accords, she was not an Avenger. Just an employee.

She'd often wondered why Stark hadn't made her one, or even asked her, but when she had asked herself the question, was she truly a superhero? She hadn't felt a sense of duty, even during her service, it was purely survival. Growing up poor in England she had no job or income and joining up gave her food and money. Even now, she only worked for an Avenger because she'd needed the money, and the resources. Despite her surroundings she didn't have a family, a people, never had.

So when Sam enquired as to what she would do, if she had the choice, Talia only replied,

"I just work for Mr Stark."

Causing everyone in the room to roll their eyes at the oblivious, young woman in denial. Conscious of their attention she left swiftly, to utilise the excellent training rooms in the facility.

Sweat dripped down her face as she lunged kicking and jabbing at the training dummy, she heard soft approaching footsteps. It was Wanda.

At the sight of her friend, she turned hugging her softly, "I'm so sorry about what happened in Nigeria, how are you feeling?"

Wanda scoffed sadly, "Why should you be sorry, I should be sorry...after all I killed those people."

Anger burned in the woman's eyes, "Did you want to murder them? Did you do it on purpose?" "Well, no."

"Then it was an accident. A terrible accident." She left it at that, causing the Sokovian to smile softly at her familiar bluntness.

"You know," Talia began, "I miss you all when you're off saving the world."

"You could always join us stupid." she teased gently, "You're trained, you're good, and you know everyone like family. You'd be better than me!"

Talia hushed her disapprovingly, "You're still learning there's a difference.

I already had my chance to save it."