in the shadows ? steve rogers

027 ? a smithsonian exhibit

"He was deported back to the Soviet Union in '67 when Howard found out he had been guilty of espionage. Last I heard, he died in Siberia." She groaned. "And now I'm guessing his son wants revenge on Howard's son." She shook her head with a scoff. "Tony has inherited quite a mess."

"Agent Romanoff informed me that they will be returning home shortly," Nick told her and she nodded, turning off the tv. "One way or another, your involvement in SHIELD will be revealed, Grace. You should do it sooner rather than later."

"I know..." She hung up the phone before sighing and holding her head in her hand. "I know..."

⸻ ~~~ ⸻

𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐍'𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐘 since his return from Monaco and she wasn't expecting the first time to see him when he was dancing, drunk in his Iron Man suit at his birthday party.

"What the hell happened to him?" Grace asked Pepper, walking over to the strawberry-blonde who had an exasperated expression on her face.

"He drank," she replied simply just as Rhodey walked over to the two women.

"Hey, Grace, Pepper."

"I'm going to get some air," Pepper said and Rhodey furrowed his brows.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Grace gestured to her nephew. "That," she replied with a sigh. "That's what's wrong."

Rhodey followed her extended finger and landed on Tony now falling over from being so drunk. "You gotta be kidding me. That's it, I'm making..."

"No, no, no," Pepper stopped him, taking his arm and preventing him from taking out his phone. "Don't call anyone."

"Pepper," Rhodey said, staring at the woman. "This is ridiculous. I just stuck my neck out for this guy."

"I know." She nodded. "I know. I get it. I'm gonna handle it, okay? Just let me handle it."

Rhodey clenched his jaw. "Handle it. Or I'm gonna have to."

Grace crossed her arms and sighed, looking at Tony who had gotten a hold of the microphone. "You know, the question I get asked most often is, 'Tony, how do you go to the bathroom in the suit?' Just like that."

Grace groaned just as Pepper walked up, cheering in annoyance. "Does this guy know how to throw a party or what?"

"I love you."

She nodded, smiling tensely. "Unbelievable! Thank you so much. Tony, we all thank you so much for such a wonderful night. And we're gonna say good night now, and thank you all for coming."

"No, no, no, we can't..." Tony slurred and Grace shook her head. "Wait, wait, wait. We didn't have the cake. We didn't blow out the candles." Pepper leaned close to his ear. "You're out of control, gorgeous."

"Okay." Grace walked up onto the stage and slapped his face. "Send your guests home and get your ass to bed, Tony. Now."

Tony shrugged. "Okay."

Pepper exchanged the microphone in her hand for the bottle in Tony's. "I'll take this, you take that."

"Pepper Potts," Tony said, throwing an arm around his girlfriend. "She's right. The party's over. Then again, the party was over for me, like, an hour and a half ago. The after-party starts in fifteen minutes. And if anybody, Pepper, Aunt Gracie, doesn't like it, there's the door." Grace jumped when Tony accidentally shot the door with his suit. "Yeah!" A girl threw a bottle in the air. "Hit!" Grace looked at Rhodey who nodded. He quickly left the room for Tony's lab just as Tony hit the bottle. Many more people threw things in the air when a girl appeared with a watermelon. "I think she wants the Gallagher!"