The UN Secretariat building was a wonderful mess of natural lighting and jumbled spaces. Tony couldn't help but compare it to his own, admittedly over the top, taste in architecture and interior design as he hurried along its corridors. Visitors, staff, and aides clogged the hallways on his route to conference room #13. Most managed not to stare at the billionaire, but a few gaped openly as he passed by.

"Is that Tony Stark?" the whispers followed him.

Certainly not for the last time that day, Tony was grateful for his entourage. Pepper, Rhodey, and his legal team were highly conspicuous next to him and just intimidating enough to keep people from approaching. After everything that had happened in the last few months, the billionaire was very much not in the mood to deal with fans and his companions knew it. The group pressed on through the hallways. Tony couldn't help the nervousness coursing through his system as they drew nearer to conference room #13. He stared down at the black and white tiles underfoot to avoid meeting anyone's stare, afraid that his eyes would betray his emotions.

Almost there, boss. FRIDAY broadcasted the reassurance over his glasses. Tony was immensely grateful that he had managed to sneak her past security.

"This is it," Rhodey's voice, along with his arm on the billionaire's shoulder, prevented him from ploughing straight into the entrance of his destination.

Tony looked up at the door in front of him and took a deep breath. He could do this.

"Just like we practised," one of his lawyers - Smith or Johnson or something like that - advised.

The second lawyer echoed the first, "answer their questions but do not give more information than necessary. We'll shut down anything egregious or unduly off topic. Remember, you are here voluntarily and in full cooperation with the Accords."

Tony nodded at the man, Johnson, his mind finally connected the face with the name. He took a deep breath and squared with the door, hand poised to push it open. A small hand slipped into his outstretched one before he could do anything, squeezing his fingers lightly.

"Good luck in there," Pepper's voice ghosted in his ear, tickling his sideburns. She pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before pulling away.

"You got this man," Rhodey encouraged, holding the door open for his friend.

With shoulders back and head held high, Tony strode into the room with a confidence that was only skin deep. The room that greeted him was almost ordinary with its simple furnishings and sedate atmosphere. In fact, the whole thing would have been downright informal had it not been for the five painfully professional people seated on the other side of a large, glass table.

"Mr. Stark," General Ross greeted. The man didn't even look up from his paperwork as he gestured for Tony to sit. "How nice of you to finally join us."

Tony settled into the offered chair and used the customary act of unfastening the lowest button on his suit jacket as cover for taking a calming breath. Christ, he needed to get himself under control. This whole situation was nothing new. He had spent years bandying about with politicians and navigating the world of the socially elite. So why was he so nervous now?

The answer hit him like a gut punch: straight to the stomach and equally as nauseating. It was the kid. With startling clarity, the billionaire realized that he was less worried about his own skin in this den of lions and more concerned about Peter's. This hearing had the potential to cast a spotlight on the teenage vigilante that could lead to his unmasking or, at the very least, would put Peter Parker on Ross' radar. And that was not something that ever ended well for those involved. All that Tony could do now was distract the panel, hog the spotlight in true Stark style and hope that no one would pick at Peter's life. The billionaire cursed under his breath, he had let himself get too close to the kid. He had become invested. And now here he was.

To ground himself, Tony surveyed the figures seated across the table. Four delegates and Ross made up the interview panel. He immediately recognized the UK delegate, Daniel O'neill, from previous Accords task forces. Having grown up in 1970s Derry, O'neill was an expert on counter-terrorism and urban violence. He was also a vocal opponent of enhanced individuals operating unregistered or outside frankly draconian guidelines. He would be a hard - if not impossible - sell.

Seated next to O'neill was Charles Mbabu, the delegate from Wakanda. King T'challa spoke highly of him and his record was favorable towards enhanced individuals. Tony was hopeful that he would be receptive to his argument, he really needed an easy win.

Ross looked imposing sitting center among the delegates. He was ignoring Tony's legal team as they introduced themselves and passed out extra hard copies of the defense brief they had expertly cobbled together. The billionaire internally snorted at the man's obvious power play. In situations like these Ross could be about as subtle as a star spangled brick through a Kremlin window. It was a wonder how he managed to hold on to a position of influence for so long.

A small woman with large grey eyes was seated next to Ross, looking uncomfortable to be in the General's vicinity. She was the new Sokovian delegate, a mid-term replacement after the previous representative had taken ill. The polished name plate in front of her introduced her as Radka Zelenkova, but beyond that Tony knew very little. She was a complete wild card.

Yu Ji-ho was the last member of the panel. The billionaire knew him only by his reputation: a fierce man with an even fiercer temper. He believed that the only place enhanced individuals belonged was under the thumb of the military or relegated to comic books and folk tales. There was very little hope of winning him over.

"Are we ready?" Ross queried to the other panel members, breaking Tony from his thoughts.

A general consensus of nods and mumbled ascents answered him. He smiled across the table, reminding Tony of a shark. "Very well, let's begin."

"As you are aware," Ross began. "This inquiry is examining Iron Man's involvement in the DC metro bombing. It is in response to concerns on the part of local first responders and the governing body of the Sokovia Accords."

Tony had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes. Those "concerns" probably amounted to nothing more than that butthurt officer from metro PD following through on his threat of complaining. Leave it to Ross, the man never missed the opportunity to drag his name through the mud. His ego was nearly as big as Tony's own.

Ross paused to drag out the moment as long as possible, "we have reviewed your brief as well as the supporting documentation, but we still have several questions."

"Of course," Tony tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. One of his lawyers cleared his throat suggestively and the billionaire sighed, but followed the direction, "lay it on me."

The UK delegate jumped at the opportunity, "according to your brief and statements from DC Fire and Rescue, Iron Man arrived on the scene almost two hours after the initial explosion. Could you clarify the reason for this delay in response."

Tony nodded, "I was in a quarterly R&D budget meeting and wasn't immediately aware of the attack." The man didn't even have to lie on that one. At least they were starting out easy and truthful.

"And how exactly were you made aware of the situation?" O'neill followed up his original question.
"I received a call from a Stark Industries employee trapped in the attack that my AI pushed through as urgent," Tony gestured to the brief as he explained, annoyed that they were forcing him to repeat events which had already been laid out in black and white for them.

"And do you routinely answer calls from unknown numbers on your work phone ?" the UK delegate asked.

"Only when I'm in a meeting," Tony joked, eliciting a few chuckles. Good, the billionaire thought, at least he could provoke some type of positive response.

Yu held up a hand for silence and the low tittering died out. "Why this bombing, Mr. Stark? There have certainly been many opportunities for you to intervene in the past. Why this one?"

Tony was ready for this question and immediately pounced, "you're right, these past few years have seen a depressing number of attacks on civilians. However, most have been handled quickly by local first responders and I would only have gotten in the way of their efforts. The DC bombing was different in two ways. First, it trapped many people and, as I detailed in the brief, Stark Industries is currently contracted with the State of New York to develop technology for first responders to use in situations markedly similar. This was a situation where my aid and technology could help. Secondly, one of those still strapped in the metro station was the high school intern that works for my top scientist. This was personal, in a way."

"And what exactly is your relationship with that intern? A Mr.-" Radka Zelenkova, the Sokovian delegate, paused to flip through the brief in search of a name, "Parker."

Tony kept an expertly schooled expression at her question, only allowing himself to curse on the inside. It had been his fervent hope to avoid having to talk about Peter during questioning. But he had prepared for this. The billionaire sipped at the water that had miraculously appeared in front of him before folding his hands on the table, "As far as I'm aware Peter Parker is SI's first high school intern and is currently filling the role of liaison for the new high school STEM exposure program."

"As far as you are aware?" Ross cut in with a derisive snort.

"That's correct," Tony answered. "I had only briefly met him in the New York satellite office before the bombing. I honestly interacted with his work and prototype proposals more than I ever did the kid." That one wasn't actually a lie when he got right down to it. The vast majority of his engagement with Peter was due to Spiderman. He was, in all depressing honesty, more familiar with the Peter the teenage superhero than he was with Peter the angsty teenager.

"Having a high school intern with direct ties to Iron Man is a bit unusual, isn't it Mr. Stark?" Ross's question was biting, more of an accusation than anything else. "When did it become Stark Industries' policy to even hire high school students?"

"You'll have to talk to the director of HR on that one," Tony answered. "I don't closely follow current hiring policies any more. As the panel, and most of the world, is fully aware, I stepped down as CEO of Stark Industries nearly ten years ago in order to focus on the research and development side of the business as well as my work as Iron Man. Dr. Gottlieb, one of my top R&D scientists, is responsible for both onboarding Peter Parker and championing SI's new high school work program. There's a statement from him in the brief I provided you with if you'd like to know more details than I can give you."

General Ross made a show of examining the brief in front of him that contained Dr. Gottlieb's statement before honing in on his point, "so you could say that Mr. Parker is a special case?"

Tony snorted. He couldn't help himself, if only it was safe to let the panel know just how special of a case Peter truly was.

"I fail to see what is so amusing about this," Ross glowered at Tony, ignoring the subtle prodding from the UK delegate next to him.

"And I don't see how this is relevant," Tony replied, not able to hold back the acid in his voice.

"We are simply trying to establish your motivations, Mr. Stark," Ross patronized.

The billionaire, however, was quick to pick up on the body language of the delegates facing him. Good, it looked like several of them were seeing through Ross's poorly disguised personal bias. He looked directly at the general when he responded, "yes, you could say that Peter Parker is a special case. However, if you turn to the section of my brief containing his original employment proposal, you will see that it is his truly remarkable mind that makes him a special case. Stark Industries would have been a fool to pass up the massive potential of his intellectual property. I believe Dr. Gottlieb's team is currently developing several major biochemical advances in the medical field thanks to Mr. Parker's work."

"Be that as it may," Ross pressed onward. "Why would you make the trip all the way to DC for a high school kid and a few people who, at the time, even the first responders weren't sure were still alive?"

Both of the lawyers on either side of Tony tensed before Smith cut in, "all of the pertinent details have been listed in the documents submitted to your office. Please keep your line of questioning-"

"No," Tony held up his hand, stopping the lawyer before he could really get started. "I'll answer that."

The billionaire leaned forward in his chair, holding Ross' gaze evenly, "I'm not sure if you saw my interview with WHiH news a few weeks ago, but I meant every word of it. In a post 9/11 world, terrorism is something that touches all Americans deeply and me especially. How could it not? I don't need to remind you of the weeks I spent as a captive of Ten Rings in Afghanistan or the fact that I publicly dared a terrorist to come and face me. This is hardly the most brash thing I've ever done and I'll be damned if I leave anyone I can help to a fate that I have personally witnessed."

"We don't mean to imply that you don't care," Zelenkova interrupted, ignoring the glare from Ross that clearly said that was exactly what he had wanted to imply.

"On the contrary," delegate Yu cut in. "I, for one, would like to know why your caring matters? What gives you the right over others to interject yourself into an organized response without a specific request for aid?"

Johnson scowled at the adversarial tone, but gave Tony a subtle nod to answer. The billionaire's body language was carefully disarming and his tone soft when he replied, "Well geez, I saw a need and I filled it. You can hardly blame me for wanting to save lives."

"No," Yu conceded. "But we can blame you should your hero complex cost people their lives."

"I fail to see how that is relevant to the current situation," Johnson took the lead this time.

'We are simply trying to determine how to address Mr. Stark's actions within the confines of the Accords," there was a patronizing smile on Ross' face as he spoke to the lawyer but stared at Tony. If something were to happen to that man's face, the billionaire would not have lost a moment of sleep over it. But he needed to keep the general from getting under his skin if he was going to come out on top of this. Tony sucked in a breath that come out again as a long huff.

"I understand that there are still areas of the Accords that need to be ironed out and that there is potential for future scenarios ending in disaster, but I would like to return to the matter at hand. Could you clarify what procedure you followed once you were on the scene?" Charles Mbabu, the Wakandan delegate, asked. Whether or not the man had meant to offer him an out, Tony certainly wasn't going to question it.

"I broadcasted my assistance to the emergency frequency and coordinated with Chief Hart once I was on site," the billionaire dutifully answered.

"But not before you simply barged in?" Yu followed up the original question before the Wakandan delegate had the chance to get a word in edgewise. It was clear that the man was upset over being interrupted in the first place.

Tony stiffened in his seat, trying to keep a firm grip on his temper. These self-righteous bastards were really starting to get on his nerves. "I made every attempt to coordinate with rescue efforts before my arrival," he dodged the question, ploughing through Yu's sputtered disbelief.

"It's a yes or no question, Mr. Stark," Ross bit out, clearly frustrated. "Did you or did you not enter the Smithsonian Metro Station without prior authorization? Bear in mind, please, that the whole world witnessed your actions on May 4th."

And there it was. This was the corner that they were going to back Tony into. "Yes," he answered. "I did, but-"

"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Yu cut him off, clearly signalling that any further explanation would not be accepted.

From the other end of the table, the UK delegate raised one hand for attention. He waited until Tony's gaze was firmly fixed on him before proceeding. "And why did you enter an unknown and potentially unstable situation? I know you touch on this in your brief, but please explain further for the record," O'neill finished with a shrug.

Tony inhaled sharply. They were in the deep end now. He wiped suddenly sweaty palms on his thighs, trying to hide the nervous gesture beneath the table. "When I arrived at the station, it became clear that one of the areas where people were still trapped was rapidly destabilizing. The kid wouldn't have made it if I had stopped to report in."

"And that excuses your actions?" Yu asked.

The billionaire snapped, anger finally escaping his grasp to invade his voice, "The UN is the one always going on about how precious all life is. I would think you of all people wouldn't question the actions taken to save a life."

"We do when it puts other lives in jeopardy," the South Korean delegate answered quietly. He held Tony's glare until the billionaire glanced away. "Need I remind that the Sokovia Accords are in direct response to your penchant for recklessly determining what you believe to be the greater good?

"You know what I think?" Tony asked. "I think you are trying to turn this conversation into hypotheticals and possibilities rather than address the fact that my actions helped save lives that day!"

"Mr. Stark!" Ross reproached. "You need to calm down."

"I am calm!" the billionaire shot back, ignoring the warning glare that his lawyer sent him. He'd play their game, even operate by their rules, but one - no one - could insinuate what Peter's life was worth in the grand scheme of things.

The Sokovian delegate spoke up for the second time that morning, jumping in before another voice could overpower her, "Gentlemen! This is getting us nowhere. Please, let's return to the topic at hand."

A tense silence followed her suggestion, anger simmering just below its surface. Tony debated the consequences of storming out before the rational part of his mind overrode his temper. Reacting wouldn't help the situation. He just had to grit his teeth and push on. One thing was for certain though, he'd be damned if he made it easy for them.

"Of course," Ross spoke into the silence, contempt barely concealed in his tone. "We can always revisit this conversation at a later time. Now, does anyone else have questions for Mr. Stark?"

Charled Mbabu took the offer immediately and asked Tony to expand the efforts that had been coordinated with the crisis response team. With a sigh of relief, the billionaire answered the Wakandan delegate without hesitation. This would be the easy part.

The panel grilled him for what felt like hours over every little detail of his actions. No stone was left unturned and at times Tony was forced to creatively stretch the truth into a passable argument that hopefully wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass later down the line. However, the truly dangerous part of the questioning was over and the billionaire, with the help of his lawyers and a few reminders from FRIDAY, was able to navigate the panel's questions with a practiced ease. Sometimes Tony wished he had actually taken those theater lessons his mother had suggested, he would have been a damn good actor.

Finally. Finally , the questions came to an end. Tony surveyed the delegates in front of him. After a long session of back and forths, forced politeness, and simmering anger, the representatives had run out of things to pick over. The billionaire considered each one as his lawyers wrapped up the last of the review. He was fairly certain that he'd managed to get Mbabu and Zelenkova in his corner. Now all Tony needed was one more person on his side and he would have a majority. It was clear that Yu and Ross were lost causes. They seemed dead set against his actions, or maybe it was his mere existence that annoyed them so much. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time that he had inspired such a response. O'neill was the billionaire's best best, he just had to hold out hope that he had gotten through to the delegate.

"Do you have any closing remarks or questions, Mr. Stark?" O'neill's question broke Tony from his thoughts.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," the billionaire took a moment to clear his throat and gather his thoughts. And then he was launching into his speech with all the confidence and poise he brought to his public persona.

"If you want me to apologize for what I did in May 4th, then I'm afraid you'll be sorely disappointed." Tony spoke deliberately, keeping his tone even. "What I did that day helped save lives. There's a teenager, who yes is in my employ, that will live to graduate high school. There's a young mother who got to go home to her kids. There's a Department of Homeland Security worker who got to return to the job he's worked so hard to get and the family that he never thought he'd see again."

Tony paused to sip some water and clear his throat. This next point was the one he had been itching to make the entire session and he would be damned if he messed it up. "Along with the efforts of Metro PD and the Washington Fire and EMS services, we saved the lives of at least 20 people and helped over 50 additional survivors to safety. The crisis response to the DC metro bombing is far from a breach of the Accords and is in fact a highlight of what can happen when enhanced individuals and law enforcement work together within the confines of the law. What we did on May 4th saved many lives and that is not something that can be denied or ignored."

Tony rose from his seat and gestured to the brief that had been put together in his defence. "It is my firm belief that the Accords should foster cooperation between the government and enhanced individuals in response to crises. The DC metro bombing and the overwhelmingly positive reception by the local government and emergency services show that we have everything to gain by working together. However, if we continue to stifle the growth of positive partnerships with enhanced individuals and actively work to suppress their meaningful contribution to today's diverse and globalized world, we stand to lose everything."

"Have I made mistakes in the past? Yes, and I take full responsibility for them, which is why I supported the Accords and their implementation," Tony surveyed the panel to gauge their reactions. Most kept their expressions carefully schooled, but Ross was openly scowling, looking like he was ready to jump in and stop the man from talking at any minute. He had better finish this quickly, "but my involvement in the DC metro bombing crisis response was not one of those mistakes and it should not warrant this level of investigation. It should instead serve as an example of what can happen when the individuals governed by the Accords and their local governments present a united front. After all, the prevention of conflict and the cooperation of many different races, genders, sexualities, cultures, religions, philosophies, and abilities are the core tenants behind this organization and its practices."

The billionaire sat down, loosening the bottom button of his suit and straightening his tie. None of the panel members looked at him. A few whispered amongst themselves while others shuffled through the mountain of papers before them. Ross made a show of scrutinizing Tony's brief before the Wakandan delegate beside him cleared his throat suggestively.

Ross grumbled in clear annoyance, "thank you for your argument, Mr. Stark. I'm sure it was well rehearsed. Now, if the panel has no further questions," he paused and waited for a general murmur of agreement before continuing, "then you are dismissed. We will be in touch regarding the final decision of our inquiry."

The general gathered his papers together, a puckered expression pinching his face into a disgusted mask. Tony got the distinct impression of a man sucking on a lemon. With some generally polite nods from the rest of the panel, the billionaire rose from his seat and led his legal team out of the office. He managed to keep an even pace until he was out of sight; it was only then that he allowed himself to release the breath that he had been holding.

"How did it go?" Rhodey asked, falling into step beside Tony as he strode purposefully for the exit.

Tony shrugged, "I think it went about as well as it could have with Ross involved. We'll just have to wait and see how much he wants to risk over this."

Pepper was waiting for him by the door. She fell into step on his other side, purposefully flanking him. "Alright boys, the reporters are waiting outside and Happy has the car ready. Just push through, drop a comment, and keep going. We'll have time for a press conference after the official decision."

"No backdoor this time?" Rhodey asked.

"No," The CEO answered. "Audrey thinks it would be best to jump ahead of the UN here and get the public on our side. Be visible and be positive."

She shoved a card into Tony's hands, "we've prepared some comments for you to choose from."

The billionaire stared down at the card in his hands that contained Pepper's carefully thought out comments. With one swift movement, he shoved the card in his pocket. He was Tony fucking Stark and he knew what he wanted to say. "Alright, let's do this."

Rhodey clapped him on the shoulder, "good luck, man. I'll meet you back at the complex." He ducked away and sped off towards his office.

Tony nodded once, allowing Pepper to dust off his shoulders and straighten his tie. His fingers fiddled absently at his cufflinks, a nervous habit that had never quite left him. Pepper nodded at him once, her own subtle reassurance before she opened the doors ushered him out into the bright daylight. Almost immediately, a gaggle of several reporters surrounded them. The press of bodies was tight enough for Tony to smell the sickly sweet scents of cologne, deodorant, and sweat combined into the cloying odor of humans.

"Mr. Stark?!" the mingle of voices shouted at him. Cameras, mics, and lights crowded around him, the reporters barely visible behind the mass of technology.

A pretty brunette reporter shoved a smartphone into his face, shouting over it, "Why is the UN questioning you in regards to Iron Man?"

"I cannot comment on current United Nations proceedings, but I can tell you that we are working on paving the way for positive partnership between enhanced individuals and law enforcement in a more official capacity,"

"What type of partnership, Mr. Stark?" a reporter hiding behind a CNN mic asked.

Tony shook his head in answer and continued pushing through the crowd. He could just see Happy waiting by the car through the gap between two elbows.

A Stark Phone was shoved in his face by another person, "can you comment on whether or not this is related to your involvement in the DC metro bombing?"

"Do you have anything to say to General Ross and those criticizing your involvement as a first responder?" another reporter asked over the top of the first.

"We have no further comment at this time," Pepper addressed the throng as Happy hurried Tony into the car. She slid in next to him, allowing the driver to shut the door behind her. Happy sank into the front seat a moment later and pulled out onto the busy New York City streets leaving the flashing lights behind them.

"Well that went about as terribly as it always does," Tony lamented.

Pepper turned on him with fire in her eyes. "You didn't use any of the points I gave you!" she groused.

"So what?!" Tony snapped harsher than he meant. Pausing a moment to breathe, he let the tension fall from his shoulders before adding on, "I said what I meant and I meant what I said. Ross was stupid enough to get himself into this firestorm and I'll be damned if I can't get the media to help me back him into a corner."

"Which is why we have to play this carefully," Pepper tried to reason.

Tony huffed, crossing his arms and looking away from his fiance, "I am being careful."

The partition separating Happy from the rest of the car slid up in the tense silence that followed. Coward, Tony bitterly cursed in his head.

Pepper sighed, patting the billionaire's clenched hand. "I know what you're doing here and it's admirable, but Peter needs you to get through this, not paint a bigger target on your back."

"Have you met me?" Tony questioned. "Painting a target on my back is one of my many endearing qualities."

His fiance looked away from him, shoulders tense. "I don't know why I bother," she mumbled furiously.

"Whatever," Tony ignored her. He turned to stare out at the city. The familiar buildings seemed to press in on him, a predatory undertone that promised to chew him up and spit him out if he let his guard down even for a moment. He couldn't wait until this whole fiasco was finally over. All he could do now was hope that he came out on top.

Oops, did I just set a bombing on Star Wars day?

Sooooo, I'm way out of my depth again. I have no clue how a UN hearing would go and I mostly just BSed my way through it. I've modeled this somewhat off of the televised confirmation hearings for SCOTUS, congressional hearings, and what I could find through some google searches. But I also really hate legal dramas, so I didn't research this as much as other parts of my story. And then I went and wrote 5500 words of legal drama. Because I hate myself.

Tony's speech was really the backbone of this chapter and the inspiration hit me in the middle of yelling at people over email to give me their receipts. So I took an unduly long bathroom break and typed it all up on my phone. Unfortunately, my boss now thinks I'm horribly constipated and keeps suggesting various home remedies for it. This is the pain I go through for you, dear readers.

Just a quick side note: I was a bit indulgent in some of the names for this chapter. For those who haven't guessed already, Radka Zelenkova is the feminine version of the Czech name Radek Zelenka. When I looked up Sokovia and saw that it shared a border with the Czech Republic, I couldn't help but throw a Stargate reference into the mix.

Chapter title: This is from the same poem and stanza as Chapter 15's title, "In Flanders Field" by John McCrae. Since it's Tony's big stand, I wanted to continue the same theme