Hello! I know I am neglecting my other stories, but I really wanted a break. Please bear with me. I will get to my other stories. I renamed two of them, just to let you know. Here is my first Avengers story! It's probably only going to be a one shot, but if people want me to continue... let your imagination go wild. Ironman is my favorite marvel character. I have a bunch of my dad's old Ironman comics that I'm going to get signed by the artist that drew them... anyway... It's slightly AU in which the Avengers don't know about the arc reactor in Tony's chest.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avengers or any of the characters.

Tony had been happy, yet reluctant to have the Avengers move into the newly renamed Avengers Tower. He knew he would get along somewhat adequately with them. (Which was saying a lot.) He was just worried about them discovering his secret. Only 7 people (Alive people) knew. Pepper. Rhodey. Happy. JARVIS. Fury. Coulson. Natasha. That was it. Those were the only people he ever wanted to know. (He didn't want anyone from SHIELD knowing, but Fury wasn't very considerate like that.) He could just imagine what Steve would say and do. He would get benched and Steve would lecture him about team safety and how he was a liability, yada yada yada. He had heard it from Fury enough times. He'd just taken a page out of the man's book and "elected to ignore it." He'd just have to be careful. They wouldn't ever find out.

Looking back on it, Clint probably already knew. Considering he was Black Widow's best friend, (more than that if Tony had anything to say about it) She probably told him as soon as she'd known. It only made him wonder if Loki knew. He had been alone in the hospital room for a couple hours. He didn't know if anyone knew he was awake. He shifted slightly and tried to stop himself from crying out. He was always sore when the arc reactor was out for long amounts of times, on top of all the injuries. An alarm went off and he went back into sleep.

It had been a run of the mill supervillain trying to take over the world. (If there is such a thing.) Cap had given orders and Tony tried to keep the sacrificial ram impulses to a minimum. It was, however, when the villain had managed to capture everyone but Natasha, (How convenient, right?) Tony hadn't been able to help himself. He had offered himself up in exchange for the others to remain unharmed. The man had jumped at the chance to torture the infamous Tony Stark. Of course, he was told to take off his armor. He complied immediately. What he didn't expect was for the man to rip off his shirt and undershirt, leaving him bare chested, arc reactor shining for the whole world to see. The entire team present had gasped. The villain had just smiled and pulled out several torture implements.

Let's just say not fun for Tony. Especially when the villain took his reactor out and waterboarded him at the same time. He went numb about an hour into the torture, but he knew that his teammates were still watching, no doubt staring at the glowing circle in his chest. He lost consciousness for about an hour, before coming around with a SHIELD quinjet came roaring onto the roof of the warehouse where they were being kept. He had immediately been carted off to medical, catching looks of horror on his teammates' faces before succumbing to darkness once more.

That had been several hours ago, and he was alone in his hospital room, not even Pepper there. He sighed and closed his eyes. Well, being on the Avengers had been fun while it lasted. He knew that Steve was talking to Fury right now. Trying to get him kicked off the team. Fury would agree, knowing how messed up Tony really was. He would go back to solo. He had been doing that for at least 2 years, but no matter how much he said otherwise, he loved being on a team. He didn't want to leave. A lone tear made it's way down his cheek. He was numb from pain medication, but emotional pain couldn't be dulled. He didn't feel the hand gently brush it away or a kiss being placed in his hairline as he fell into a nightmare ridden sleep.

STEVE POV

Steve had been shocked upon seeing the reactor embedded in Tony's chest. Millions of emotions fluttered through his mind like birds trying to escape a cage.

Rage. Concern. Worry. Horror. Hurt. Astonishment.

He finally settled on a mix of horror, concern, and hurt. He winced every time the reactor was removed. It obviously was important if Tony tried to get it back. Steve wasn't sure if he was glad or worried when Tony finally lost consciousness, only to regain it half an hour later with the sound of a quinjet landing. Tony was whisked away and the villain was led away, laughing like a madman. Steve looked on in horror at the sight of his bloodied teammate's lax expression, blue light lighting it up eerily.

When they finally got to the helicarrier after being debriefed several times, Fury approached him.

"You don't need to ask me. I'm already taking him off the Avengers Initiative." Steve turned to him in surprise.

"Why would you do that?" Fury looked mildly surprised, which meant the man would have screamed at the top of his lungs and fallen out of a chair had he been normal.

"I just assumed that you'd want him off the team now that you know of the reactor. I've lectured him about liabilities several times, but he is needed. However, I'm taking him off the team." Steve Rogers glared, turning into Captain America.

"I realize that you want to take him off the team. However, he is staying. You may think he's a liability, but the only thing that has changed is the fact that we know about it. It's never affected a mission, and I don't care either way. Tony is an Avenger, no matter what you say. He is staying on the team." Fury just nodded, and walked away, shaking his head slightly in amusement.

Pepper had been frantic upon hearing that Tony had been injured. She had gotten to the helicarrier as soon as Fury had let her. She had cancelled all meetings and soon had Happy landing the helicopter on the carrier. She marched into the hospital wing, 6 inch heels clicking on the tile. When she arrived at the correct door, she found 5 grumpy superheroes sitting outside of the room.

"Why aren't you in his room?" This just caused the 5 to glare down the hall where Fury was at his computer.

"He won't let us." Grumbled Clint, slouched in the uncomfortable chair. Pepper smiled grimly.

"Come in with me. If I say you can see him, Fury can't say no. If he does..." She trailed off, letting them use their imagination. The Avengers jumped up like excited puppies and timidly followed her into the room. Tony's face was scrunched up with tears, and the arc reactor could be seen through the bandages. She had been told that the team now knew about the arc reactor.

Tony would not be happy

She sat down in the only chair, the rest of the Avengers spreading around the room and sitting on the most comfortable things. This included a window seal for Clint, and Clint's lap for Natasha. They sat in silence, until a strangled noise came out Tony's throat and a tear slid down his face. She cooed and gently brushed it away, kissing his forehead and sitting back. She drifted off to sleep, never noticing the slow movements of the Avengers around her.

When Tony woke again, he slowly opened his eyes again, expecting to be alone. What he didn't expect, was to have Pepper asleep, head on his pillow. He definitely didn't expect every single Avenger piled on top of each other, on his bed, snoring away. He grinned, bruises and cuts on his face shifting painfully, turning that rare smile into a grimace. He groaned quietly, but woke Pepper anyway. She sat up sleepily, and immediately looked at Tony.

"Tony, sweetie, can you hear me?" Not one to deny Pepper, he slowly nodded and looked her sleepily. She smiled softly, and kicked the bed slightly startling the Avengers awake, them all toppling over onto the floor. Clint groaned and rubbed his head. Bruce adjusted his glasses, and smiled at Tony, who gave a small smile in return, which quickly grew when Steve tried to push a still sleeping Thor off of him, but was unsuccessful. Natasha dusted herself off and pushed Thor off of the super soldier with one heave. The mood changed when everyone looked at Tony. He sighed. He'd been dreading this moment.

"Well, that was fun while it lasted." He said in a hoarse voice. Everyone looked at him puzzled, while Pepper glared at him and cuffed him round the back of the head. He yelped, (manly) and rubbed his head.

"What was that for, Peps?" She glared.

"You know what that was for!" Steve's eyes widened and he stood up like a lightning bolt.

"Tony, you are part of the Avengers. It doesn't mean that will change just because of your... reactor. You're still a member of this team and nothing will change that."

"Unless you die. Then you'd be a deceased member of this team." Clint piped up.

"Thank you for contributing Clint." (Three guesses who that was, and the first two don't count.) Natasha gritted out. Tony rolled his eyes, but grinned anyway.

"While we know this, is there anything else you want to tell us Tony? Or anyone else in the room?" Asked Steve glancing around. Pepper raised her hand.

...

"I'm pregnant."

...

thump

There goes Tony, falling to the floor like a little damsel in distress.