Steve gripped the hips tightly of the body in front of him. He looked down into bright sable eyes, as he bit back a groan. There was no way this man...this particular man...should affect him the way he does. Yet he does, and it drives Steve wild. Thrusting his hips forward, he felt a shot of pleasure shoot from the base of his head down his spine and spread. How was this possible? How was it that this feeling, this...pleasure...was found with someone he thought hated him? How was he going to keep from asking him to stay...again? Groaning at the body tightening around him, Steve adjusted his grip. He needed to be deeper, to go harder, anything to convince this man that he didn't have to go. Anything to keep this man for himself. Leaning forward, Steve peppered kisses across a beard covered face, grinning as he messed up the usually neat Van Dyke.
"God, you're so gorgeous like this." Steve panted against the lips in front of his. He loved Tony, has loved him for as long as he could remember. Even now, as he thrust in and out of Tony's body, Steve loved him. The glazed look in those sable eyes, the jumble of words and sounds that left Tony's lips. Steve loved it, the fact that Tony fell apart like this only for him...well, Steve would admit that it made him swell with pride. "Come on sweetheart, why are you holding back?" Steve thrust harder, felt the shiver that raced through Tony's body.
"Fuck, Steve, I-I'm not holding back...Jesus! W-would you please stop fucking teasing me!" Tony groaned. They'd been in bed for most of the evening. Steve teasing Tony with little, light touches, loving, teasing kisses, and full body rubs. It was their first time alone in months and they were finally taking advantage of it. Tony adjusted his hips and groaned at the pleasure that raced down his spine. "Steve, baby, please. Y-you have to...oh god, right there...yes, fuck don't stop..." Tony panted. He was so close and if Steve didn't stop...please god don't let him stop! Tony's mind screamed. His body was drawn up tight in pleasure, the man above him being the reason. He wanted to stay, to say yes when the question was asked but they both knew why he couldn't. "Steve...please..." Tony looked up into bright baby blue eyes, wide in pleasure. The possessive glint in them sent a shiver down his spine and Tony couldn't help but reach for him. To hold on to the last good thing in his life right now. "I love you, Steve, always." Tony gasped against Steve's neck. He knew what would happen, what always happened when he said the words first. Tony let out a soft groan of satisfaction as Steve's hips stuttered then picked up their pace.
Steve gripped the sheets, his hands curling into tight fists at Tony's whispered words. If you love me why do you keep leaving me? Steve wanted to ask the question, the same one he'd been asking for the past few months but he knew the answer. He knew why Tony couldn't stay. "I love you too, Tony." He breathed across Tony's lips. He leaned down and sealed the words against Tony's mouth with a kiss. Adjusting his hips, Steve pushed as deep into Tony as he could go, shivering as his orgasm started at the base of his spine. "Tony..." Steve moaned against the tan neck. He knew it was to late, there was no going back from this and in all honesty, Steve didn't want to. Wrapping his arms around the body writhing beneath him, Steve chased his orgasm, making sure that Tony fell with him while held in his arms.
~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~
"Tony, you know if there were any other way I would have done it." Steve faced Tony, his cowl pulled over his face, Bucky stood on his left, his shield on his right. "He's my friend...
"He's your friend? How...w-what does that even fucking mean, Steve." Tony glared at Steve through the slits of the Iron Man suit. "He's your friend?! I am your husband! What about that, Steve? Did you forget the vows you made to me?! I mean nothing next to him?!" Tony tried to keep the pain and anguish out of his voice, tried to remain as calm as possible but to hear Steve pick Bucky over him was to much. Stepping back, Tony looked between the two super soldiers. He could feel his heart racing in his chest, he couldn't do this, he couldn't fight Steve and not care if he got hurt. He was also the only one that could bring Steve in, however.
Steve heard the pain, the betrayal in Tony's tone. "You know that's not true. You know how I feel about you, Tony but Buck...h-he can be helped, locking him up isn't going to help him. I...we, you and me, Tony, we can help him...please." Steve knew it was a long shot, begging Tony to try and understand his side of things. How had they come to this? Almost three months ago they were whispering, I love you, to each other, making love, and promising to never leave each other. Stay with me, Tony...Steve had whispered. He'd known the answer, known what Tony would say but he'd asked anyway. Asked because it had been expected and what he'd wanted to do.
"Help him? How do you expect me to help him and he didn't help my parents! He didn't help you, he almost killed you, Steve! Tell me how do you expect me to help him!" Tony yelled. He could see Bucky watching them. The confusion on his face was understandable. He didn't know anything about Steve, other than what he'd heard on the news or been told by Steve and Sam themselves. "He'd rather see me dead than let me help him."
"You don't know me, Stark, so don't presume you know how I feel or what I'm thinking." Bucky looked between the two men, could see the desperation and pain on Steve's face. "Is he telling the truth, Stevie, is Stark your husband?"
Steve glanced from the man in front of him to his best friend. "Yes, we were married six months before you were discovered back in the states."
"You left your husband for me?" Bucky looked at Steve, surprise in his steel blue eyes. "Why, what reason..."
"You're my best friend, Buck, my best friend since childhood! Whatever you've done, it wasn't you, I know it wasn't you." Steve looked at Bucky, silently begging him to understand. "I love Tony, more than anything and I trust him with my life. He can help you, Buck, I know he can."
"There's nothing fucking wrong with me." Bucky's voice had dropped an octave. He glared at Steve, "Why does everyone keep saying I need help? Maybe I'm ok just as I am, did you ever think about that?" Bucky turned to Tony, his blue gaze narrowing into dangerous slits. "You did this to him, he was always impressed by Howard but you, you were able to change him. You've made him into someone I don't even know anymore!"
Tony took up a defensive stance, the repulsors on his hands lighting up. "Stay right where you are, Lt. Barnes." Tony was surprised by how calm his voice was despite his current situation. He couldn't get a read off of Steve. One minute he's telling Tony Bucky's important, the next he's saying Tony is. When Bucky continued to move closer, Tony raised his hands. "I'm not going to warn you again, stay where you are or I'll blast you..."
"If you love him, you won't shoot me. You can't knowing it will only hurt him." Bucky taunted softly. He stepped closer to Tony, watching as the repulsors in front of him brightened. A dark grin curved his lips. "You're even braver than Howard was. I may not remember killing your parents, Stark but I will remember killing you."
Tony looked from Steve to Bucky then back. He could see the desperation in Steve's eyes, the love that he had for him. He knew this was tearing Steve apart but he also knew that people like Bucky couldn't be left to run around unchecked. Just as there were rules for those without powers, there needed to be rules for those with powers. "Not a matter of whether you remember or not, it's a matter of you answering for your crimes against the nations. You think I don't know what this is doing to Steve? I know, better than anyone else I know, because I'm going through the same thing! Every night I close my eyes knowing he's out here looking for you! Could be killed because he's trying to protect you! You think I don't understand?! I understand better than you think, remember Col. Rhodes, yeah, Rhodey was my best friend, like a brother and now he's gone! You just killed my reason for understanding!" Tony yelled, his rage and pain making his voice harsh.
"Tony..." Steve moved forward, saw the moment when he was going to fire at Bucky. "No, Tony, wait!" He yelled, seconds before Tony fired, hitting Bucky square in the chest. He watched as Tony turned towards him, palms bright.
"You leave me now choice. I-I can't just let you both walk away, Steve. I love you, but even super heroes need rules, too." Tony looked at Steve, saw the pain and sadness in his eyes.
"I love you too, Tony." Steve said sadly. Taking a deep breath, he glanced over at Bucky. "You ok Buck?" When the other nodded, he turned back to Tony, his face set in determined lines. "I can't let you lock him away, Tony. Not to be tortured for Hydra secrets that he may or may not remember. I thought I'd lost him and I've been given a chance to fix what happened to him, to help Bucky remember who he really is. I'm sorry, Tony but I won't stand down." Steve said softly.
Tony could feel his heart breaking, his world splintered in two at Steve's words. He never thought he'd lose Steve like this. Maybe because of something he'd done but he never thought he'd lose him because he was trying to do something right for once in his life. Pushing back the pain shooting through him, Tony nodded once. "Ok then, you've made your choice and I've made mine." Tony watched as Steve removed his shield...the same shield Tony had modified himself...and brought it up in front of him. He could see Bucky getting to his feet and Tony prepared for a fight. He knew that by the end of this that no matter what, his only regret would be never staying with Steve when he asked.
~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~
"Bucky, don't! Y-you need to let him go, there's nothing else he can do to you." Steve struggled to his feet. The fight between Tony, Bucky and himself had taken a lot out of him. At first, things had started out brutally. Tony aiming for Bucky and Steve jumping in front of him to deflect the shots. It hadn't been long before Steve realized that Tony wasn't really trying to hurt them he was only trying to get them to stand down. "Buck, listen to me, if you kill him it will only make matters worse! Let him go, Bucky, please!"
Bucky snarled as he pressed Tony harder against the wall. A small smile of satisfaction curling his lips at the sound of the metal bending beneath his hand. He squeezed Tony's throat, listening to the strangled sound that Tony tried to hold in. "You only say that because he's your husband but if you really loved him, you'd stop me...Stevie, please." Bucky turned to Steve, his eyes pleading with him. "Steve...stop me...please."
Tony gasped as the metal closed around his throat. He could see Steve struggling to his feet. The last repulsor blast he'd hit Steve with had finally put him down. Before Tony could check on him, he was being slammed into a wall by Bucky. His metal arm squeezing the throat of his suit. Looking at Steve, Tony tried to call out to him, to tell him one more time that he loved him. He raised an arm up, grasping the one at his throat. He needed to tell Steve one last time...
"Buck, let him go." Steve stood up shakily. His voice was strong, laced with steel as he kept his gaze on his best friend and husband. "I will make you if you don't release him now." Steve could hear Tony trying to talk through the speakers but Bucky was crushing his windpipe. Steve could feel the panic starting to set in as Bucky's hand tightened, counter to the look on his face, the pleading in his tone. "Buck, please, l-let Tony go." Steve slowly picked up his shield, moving toward the two men in front of him.
Buck tightened his grip on Tony, glaring at Steve. "No, I don't think so. You two will just turn me over or try to find someway to get rid of me."
"That's not true Buck, Tony can help you, he's helped me and so many others. I know Tony can help you but you have to let him go!" Desperation colored his words as he watched Bucky struggle with his decision. Until...
Buck snarled, hard blue eyes glaring at the Iron Man mask. "You took him from me, turned him against me just like the others. I'll see you in hell before I let you take Steve from me completely!"
Tony struggled to make a sound. "S-steve..." He gasped. Tony watched in fascinated horror as Bucky reached up and grasped the reactor. His body jerked as he felt the pull of the suit's power source being ripped from him. Tony lifted his gaze to Steve's, watching in slow motion as Steve's face went from shock to fear to rage.
"No! Bucky, don't do this!" Steve moved forward, still sluggish, as he watched Bucky grasp the reactor and squeezed the metal casing. He watched as the suit jerked, going stiff and the only thing in his head was he was going to lose Tony if he didn't do something. "Bucky stop!" Steve threw his shield, watching as Bucky pulled the reactor from Tony's chest. Steve watched as the blue light that once lit up his nights had just been snuffed out by his best friend. When the shield struck Bucky across the back, he turned and glared at Steve.
"I asked you to stop me." He released Tony, watching as the suit fell to the floor with a loud thunk. "I begged you to stop me before...before..." Bucky drifted off as he watched Steve kneel next to Tony, tears running down his face.
"Oh god, oh god Bucky what have you done!" Steve ran his hands over the suit, looking for the emergency catches. He knew Veronica wouldn't respond without any power source so it would take opening the suit manually. "Damnit Tony, how do I get you out of this thing!" Steve was shaking so badly he almost missed it. The soft huff of laughter from the man in front of him.
"I-I love you, W-winghead."
Steve could feel his body going cold, the feeling almost as close to when he'd gone down in the ice. "Tony?"
"N-no emergency...y-you don't have to worry. S-suit can take care of itself." Tony struggled to speak, his throat scratchy and sore from the pressure of Bucky hand.
"What do you mean, what about you? Tony, I need to get you out of the suit!" Steve could hear the panic in his voice, could feel the desperation running through him. "There has to be..."
"Not in this one, I-I knew what could happen. The risk I was taking, I knew it could come to this." Tony smiled behind his face plate. A surge of anger shot through him, he couldn't touch Steve, look at him with his own eyes. By the time his team figured out where they were he would probably already be dead.
"No." Steve breathed. "No, there has to be a way, Tony, there has to be. You wouldn't build a suit you couldn't get out of!" Steve ran his fingers over the suit again, looking for any small nick or catch he could use to try and pry the suit apart. "Damnit, Tony! Tell me what to do!"
Tony looked at Steve, tears in his eyes. "Stay with me? I-I know I should have stayed with you but I had hoped..."
Steve pushed his cowl back, staring at the Iron Man face plate. Tears blurred his vision as he listened to Tony. "I'll always stay with you, Shellhead. I was never going to leave you, I just needed your help in making sure Bucky was safe." Steve whispered.
"Oh Stevie, I'm sorry." Bucky looked from Steve to Tony and back. "I don't...I'm sorry, Stevie I really am." Bucky whispered as he stepped back from them, Tony's arc reactor in his hand. He looked down at the piece in his hand, confusion in his voice. "What do I do, Stevie, how can I help?"
Steve stood up and grasped Tony under his arms. "Help me get him outside, there has to be someone who can help me get him out of this suit!" Steve struggled to drag Tony in the suit. "I'm not losing you again, not again do you hear me?"
Tony let out a watery chuckle. "Just as long as you stay with me. Remember our vows? For better or for worse, right? Well, this is definitely worse. Promise me Steve..." Tony tried not to groan in pain as he was lifted and carried outside. "God it's hot in here." He panted. "Promise me you won't leave..."
"I'll never leave you, Tony, never." Steve rushed out. He pushed the doors open and was greeted by Natasha and the full United States military. "Nat, please...Tony...the suit won't open. I'll do anything you say just get him out of the suit, please!"
Natasha nodded, turned to a group of agents behind her and motioned them forward. "We'll take it from here, Steve."
Steve nodded, his eyes still on Tony as the agents carried him away. He turned when an agent approached him, holding his arms out in front of him, he waited.
"Captain, I really hate to do this but..."
"Son, I understand what you have to do so let's just get it done." Steve interrupted softly. He turned back to where Tony was being loaded onto the back of a truck. Steve watched as they drove out of sight then turned to see Bucky standing next to him. "I'm sorry I let you down, Buck..."
"No, Stevie, I let you down. You never should have felt like you had to choose between your husband and your best friend. If Stark dies, that's on me not you. If I had known, I never..."
"I know Buck, I know. I should have told you sooner but..." Steve broke off. It was to late now for regrets, to late because he may have very well lost Tony for good.
~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~
"Are you fucking serious?! You really want to go in there and talk to him...alone?! You're going to get us all thrown in a mental hospital if we allow this." Bruce glared at Tony. "You barely survived the fight you three just had, what is going on in your head to make you want to go in there with him alone?!"
"Calm down Brucie-bear, I need to talk to him, to find out if what Steve is saying is true. Can he be helped? If so, who are we to deny him that opportunity? We have more to gain than if we lock him up and throw away the key." Tony looked over at Bruce, his voice scratchy, his throat burning as he talked but if there was a chance he could have his husband and still give him what he wants...
"You're doing this for Steve, aren't you?" Bruce asked softly.
"No, I'm doing this for all of us. It's up to us to make sure that we keep ourselves in check. As Avengers we protect the Earth from outside forces but what about here? What if we can't protect ourselves here? If there aren't any rules or limitations we'll never make it and anyone who comes along will find us easy pickings." Tony looked at the glass, staring at the brunette on the other side. "I'm not doing this just for Steve, I'm doing this for all of us. If there is a chance that he can be saved..."
"Then I'm going in with you, after what he did to James and you, I don't trust him alone with you." Bruce folded his arms over his chest, his angry glare daring Tony to refuse.
Tony nodded, his gaze never leaving the other man. "H-how is Steve, has anyone told him yet?"
"No, we were waiting on you before we did or said anything. Nat went to go talk to him, to see how he was holding up." Bruce glanced from the observation glass over to Tony. "You know, he was broken up at the thought of losing you. Blamed himself because he couldn't stop Bucky soon enough."
"I know, that's Steve. He's a hard ass when he needs to be but underneath it all he still has this huge heart." Tony looked over at Bruce. "I don't know if I should go see him, he may actually hit me and it might actually hurt."
Bruce let out a quick laugh. "That would be the understatement of the year." He smiled at Tony's soft huff. "Well whatever you decide make it fast because Ross is calling for Steve and Bucky's heads."
Tony let out a harsh sound. "He's just after the serum, has been for years and now he thinks he's found a legitimate reason to get it." Tony glared at the wall behind Bruce. "I won't let that happen."
"Then come on, let's go talk to your husbands best friend then you can go talk to your husband." Bruce sighed, shaking his head, he punched in his code to Bucky's cell and followed behind Tony.
While Tony and Bruce talked to Bucky, Natasha went to talk to Steve. Knocking on the door, she waited until she heard the sound of someone shuffling around in the room. "Steve, are you awake?"
"Nat, yeah, I, uh, I-I'm up."
Natasha unlocked the door, motioning the two agents with her to wait outside. "You look like hell." She said by way of greeting. She looked at Steve, taking in the dark circles under his eyes, the haunted look on his face. "You haven't been eating or drinking anything."
"Will you please tell me what's going on with Tony? I know there's something happening, is he...h-he isn't..." Steve broke off, unable to complete the statement. Watching Natasha, he slowly edged towards the far side of his cell. "Please tell me Tony isn't dead, Nat." Steve whispered softly.
"And what if he is? What if Stark is dead, what then Steve? You left your husband for your best friend, so why does it matter if he's dead?" Natasha regarded him with a blank stare, her blue eyes holding Steve's gaze.
"You think I wouldn't care if Tony died? You think that I don't know it was Bucky who took his life! Tony was my husband, I loved him! If he's dead it matters more than anything! If he's dead then you might as well take my life too. I promised him I'd stay with him, I promised I'd never leave him." Steve sank down onto the bed behind him. "I loved him, I needed his help to make sure Bucky would be ok. Tony would have helped him, I know he would have. He was that good, he had it in him if I had only been able to make him see..." Steve drifted off softly.
"It looked like you picked Bucky over Tony so how are we to really know you mean what you say?" Natasha sat down across from Steve. "Why didn't you just tell us that's what you were trying to do?"
"I did, I told Tony and we were working on a way to fix this then Ross came after Bucky and James got hurt..." Steve looked down at the floor. "It's been almost three months since the last time we saw each other in any place other than a battlefield. Three months since I've been able to tell him I love him and now...now he may be gone." Steve cried. He cried tears he thought he'd long run out of. The pain of not knowing, of wondering what was going to happen next ate at him. He helped Bucky in this, helped him take the one person he loved above all others. "We were going to fix this together, Tony and I. We could have found a way together if only Ross would have listened."
Natasha looked at Steve, a sad look that he'd never seen before. "You know, you two were always good together. He loved you, believed that there was another way, if he could only get you to see what he was talking about."
"I knew what he was talking about, what needed to be done but I couldn't let them lock Bucky up without trying to help him! To see if maybe there was still the man I knew in there, somewhere! You did the same for Clint when Loki attacked, you helped him, I had to try and help Bucky!"
Natasha nodded, standing up she leaned over and gave Steve a soft squeeze on the shoulder. "I'll be back later on, there's something I have to take care of. In the mean time you may want to think about your next visitor and what you're going to tell her." Nat waited until Steve's gaze had met her's. "She's not as understanding as I am right now and would much rather see you both in prison for trying to take Tony's life."
Steve jerked at the words, it wasn't true. It wasn't, someone would have told him if Tony had died, wouldn't they? For taking Tony's life...taking Tony's life...Holding in a sob, Steve looked up at Natasha. "I deserve everything she has to say and more." Steve closed his eyes as he leaned back against the wall. He jerked forward when another thought hit him. "W-what about James, I-I mean Col. Rhodes? I-is he...he isn't is he?"
"No, he's not dead just in a coma after what happened." Natasha stood by the door, her back to Steve. "Pepper isn't to happy about that either, it seems you took her family from her and she is demanding to know why. She wants to know was any of this worth it, what you two went through, lost?"
Steve curled in on himself, pain ripping his heart apart. For taking Tony's life. This is what he deserved, to live with this pain knowing that there was probably a better way. "It wasn't worth it, none of it was ever worth Tony's life." Steve hugged the small pillow to his chest, silent tears sliding down his face. He'd begged Tony to stay with him, just once since all of this had started. He needed Tony, more than anything and now...now he may have lost him because he hadn't been able to stay with him. "I promised him I'd never leave him, that I'd stay with him..."
Natasha turned to look at the silently crying man on the small cot. She didn't know what to say or do this time, wasn't sure if there was anything that needed to be said but tried anyway. "If it's any consolation, Tony had already been looking for ways to help Bucky. It never had to come to this, if you two had just listened to each other and talked about what was going on..."
Steve let out a broken sound, Tony had been looking for ways to help Bucky. He should have known, he should have known Tony would help him, he never would have thrown Bucky to the wolves. "He never told me, he never said anything."
"He wanted it to be your choice, coming in. He felt that if you did then Bucky would too. That he could help if it was a decision made by you both not forced on you." Natasha gave Steve a sad smile. "Even when you thought he didn't understand, he did. He loved you enough to go against what the military wanted in order to save you."
Steve cried once Natasha left the room. His heart breaking as he thought about what he'd lost. The man he'd loved more than anything had been trying to save him and instead, Steve had watched as Bucky killed him. Steve pulled his legs up as close to his chest as possible. The room was cold but he didn't care, the pain of losing Tony hurt more than the cold. Steve cried from his pain, the heart ache of having gone through so much and for what? "Oh, Tony...I'm so sorry..."
~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~
"You think that I'm going to believe you after lying to Steve?"
"I haven't, technically, lied to Steve. I came to talk to you first then I'm going to see my husband. Anyway he's not your main concern right now, right now I need to know if you can handle the agreement we've come up with or not." Tony glared at the silent man across from him. It had taken the better part of the day to get Bucky to agree to the terms of his release.
"Why the fuck are you doing this Stark? To make yourself look good in front of the world? To show off how benevolent you can be when you want to be?" Bucky glared at Tony, anger making his voice harsh.
"You should be happy he came up with that or else I'd have to step in for him." Bruce glared at Bucky from behind Tony, making sure he got his point across.
"Ok, gentlemen let's relax." Tony sighed, rubbing his chest he looked at Bucky. "I didn't do this for the fame or glory, I have enough of that without tearing down the entire city fighting my husband and his murdering best friend!" Tony stood up from his chair and walked over to the window. Taking a deep breath, he continued to rub his chest. It hurt, the pain hadn't completely eased and until he saw Steve, he knew it wouldn't. "Look Barnes, I'm giving you a chance to do what's right. I don't want to lose Steve because you can't get your head out of your ass and think of him for once. Put him first."
"You think I haven't been thinking about him? Do you even know what he means to me?! I'm the one who took care of him after his mom died and yet here he is married to a Stark of all people! We spent most of our lives avoiding people like you and now you waltz in here saying you can help me? How, how can you help me?! You couldn't even help yourself, so how can you help me?"
"By not having you killed. Steve believes there is a chance you can get better, remember who you used to be and work from there. He feels that if you had the chance to reconcile both your lives with each other then you can finally fix whatever Hydra did to you. That's why I want to help because the people who took you from Steve took my parents from me and now, with them being exposed they are trying to take my husband and I won't allow it! So, do you agree to the terms or not?" Tony turned back to Bucky, his sable gaze dark and piercing.
Bucky looked back down at the paper in front of him then back up at Tony. "Will I," Bucky broke off as he dropped his gaze again. "Will I at least get to see Stevie?"
"Not for the first thirty days, the doctors want you to acclimate yourself to your surroundings then they will consider visitors." Bruce said softly.
"I'll be in a glass cage then." Buck said resentfully
"It's better than the cage they had for me. You will have furniture, I had a floor." Bruce gave him a crooked grin.
"If I do this, what happens to Stevie? Will he have to stand trial?" Bucky looked up at Tony, waiting for his answer.
"Ross is going to demand one, I can only supply the lawyers and money and anything else Steve will need but whether or not he can convince the jury will be all up to him."
"But will this help? I mean, will this show that he was trying to do right but I was making it difficult?" Bucky flipped through the pages, scanning each one again. "He doesn't deserve to be punished for trying to help me."
Tony nodded, "It will at least explain why he went as far as he did. Maybe not for everything but somethings it may help. I can't tell you the future I can only tell you what I can do and I'll do anything to protect Steve."
Bucky looked between Tony and Bruce. "I-I'm sorry about your friends, I never meant...sometimes it just happens and I can't control it. Steve is my best friend and if this will help save him then I'll do it."
Tony let out a small breath, nodding as Bucky signed where Tony had shown him. Glancing up at Bruce, he gave him a single nod then turned to the door. "I'm going to see my husband now, he'll be happy to know that you're doing what you feel is best, Lt. Barnes, not being forced into it." He closed the door gently behind him, certain that Bruce would be ok alone with the Winter Soldier.
"He thinks that you're dead and that it's his fault."
Tony bit back an angry retort. "Can you tell me why you would let him think something like that?" If he walked a little faster who cared? If his hands clenched with the desire to call for his suit, who noticed? The thought of Steve blaming himself for something that hadn't happened bothered him.
"He asked, I answered, just not the answers he was expecting. Barnes signed the papers?" Natasha asked softly.
"Yes, with some minor changes. His biggest concern is what's going to happen to Steve." Tony glanced over at the red head next to him. "How was he doing?"
"Crying, he hasn't eaten or slept since we brought him in. He asks about you or Bucky but mostly you."
Tony nodded, stopping in front of the door to Steve's room. Taking a deep breath he glanced over at the guard, "Open it, no one is allowed unless I call for them."
"Tony, are you sure..."
"He's my husband, Nat, what's he going to do, kill me?" Tony let out a sardonic chuckle.
Natasha frowned in agitation. "He tried before didn't he?"
Tony frowned back, "That wasn't him that was Bucky and his multiple personalities."
"Could have fooled us. You know Pepper is pissed, right?"
"This is one time I can't worry about that. I need to talk to Steve first." Tony watched as the door to the room slid open. Walking in, Tony listened to the soft sobs coming from somewhere in the dark. "Steve?" Tony stopped near the desk, listening for any sound or movement. "Steve, a-are you awake?"
"Tony?"
Tony turned to his left, squinting at the figure curled up on the cot. "Steve..." He stepped back as the shadowy figure seemed to uncurl and move towards him.
"You're not dead. You're not dead and I get a second chance to get it right. To show you I love you." Steve stared at Tony. He tried not to blink, scared that if he did Tony was going to disappear.
"Hey, uh, hi?" Tony watched Steve's face. "I, uh, Bruce said I was out for awhile. Not sure what all you've been told..."
"I don't care just as long as you're alive that's all that matters." Steve watched as Tony walked around the room. He glanced at the three trays of uneaten food then the small cot Steve had been lying on.
Tony looked at Steve, the pain in his heart increasing. "You look like hell, sweetheart. You need to eat and get some rest."
"I'll be ok." Steve said softly. "A-are you ok?"
Tony gave him a tired smile. "No, I'm ready to go home and I want to take my husband with me. The problem I'm running into is the fact that the General has a hold order on you and not even I can override it."
Steve felt his shoulders drop, Ross was going to make sure that Steve paid with his life for what happened to Tony. "I can stay here, Tony, I don't have the right..."
"You promised you'd stay with me, Steve. Fuck, does nothing I say or do mean anything to you? You're willing to give up and give in to everyone else just like it's nothing?!" Tony turned turbulent sable eyes towards Steve. "I just made sure Bucky will get the help you've been asking for and you decide cause Ross won't willingly let you go that you'll stay. What about me, Steve? When can I get you to..."
"Y-you helped Bucky? After what he did, you still helped him?" Steve looked confused as he cut Tony off.
"Of course, you asked for my help. I'd do anything to keep you with me...anything, Steve. I love you damnit, when will you realize that? I didn't marry you for kicks, I married you because I love you!" Tony tried to control the tremor in his voice, to hide the naked emotion flowing through him. What more would he have to do to prove to Steve that he loved him, needed him, wanted him in his life?
Steve could feel his eyes welling up with tears. "I know how you feel Tony, I love you too and I'm only trying to make sure I don't make things worse. You almost died in front of me! The suit almost became your last resting place! How can you expect me to be ok with everything after what almost happened!"
"The same way I'm not ok with it but I am! If you love me then just love me, you promised you'd stay, Steve, you promised and Captain America never breaks a promise." Tony stared up at Steve. His childhood hero, his teammate, his best friend and lover, and now his husband. He pulled Steve closer by the straps of his suit. "You love me?" When the blond head nodded, Tony grinned. "Then trust me when I say you're not staying in here another minute."
"Tony, what do you..." Steve jerked at the sound of an explosion. Turning towards the door then back to Tony he frowned. "What's going on, what have you done?"
"What I needed to do in order to keep you and Bucky out of Ross' dirty, slimy hands. Now come on, Pepper and Clint can hold them off for only so long and Nat has to pilot the jet. Hill was given the night off."
Steve nodded, clutching the hand that pulled him towards the door. He followed Tony, until the smoke filled hallway, then he moved in front. "You may be Iron Man but right now you don't have the suit on so you're a sitting duck."
"That's why I have my own super soldier. He makes sure nothing bad happens to me." Tony grinned up at Steve, his hand holding onto the larger one. He raced behind Steve, telling him which halls led to the exit. It wasn't until they'd reached the last hall did Steve come up short. "Steve, what the fuck?"
"There's an entire firing squad standing in front of us, Tony." Steve whispered behind him.
Tony tried to push past Steve, to see around him. When he spotted General Thaddeus Ross standing with the group he couldn't help the sneer. "That pompous asshole. I bet he didn't even wait for the ink to dry on Barnes' paperwork before trying to charge in after you." Tony felt Steve's body tense, "Calm down big guy, let me try and handle this." Tony gave Steve a gentle pat on the back, rubbing soothing circles across the tense shoulders. "Ross, just what the fuck do you think you're doing?"
"Making sure that neither the Winter Soldier or Captain America escape. I know how hard it's been for you to accomplish this task, Stark and I just want to make sure that all of your hard work doesn't go down the toilet."
Tony let out a soft growl, there was no way he was leaving Steve in the hands of a man like Thaddeus Ross. "Well General, if you had checked your memos you would have known that the Winter Soldier has been given a last chance by the president and that Captain America has been released into the hands of the Avengers..."
"A group that his husband also belongs to, yet you can't seem to keep up with things on your ends as well. I've been ordered to execute Captain America on site, no matter what your presidential orders say."
Tony felt Steve stiffen in front of him. "Honey, move, let me in front of you."
"No, if he's trying to kill me he won't hesitate to go through you." Steve could feel his blood rushing through his veins, the adrenaline making his body tense. "I almost lost you once, I won't take that chance again."
"I understand that but if I can reason with him..."
"Stark, either you've been taken prisoner or you're aiding and abetting a wanted war criminal. Which is it, do we shoot you and your husband or just your husband?!"
Tony gripped Steve's arm. "Steve, please, let me handle this, let me in front of you."
Steve shook his head, "I won't use you as a shield or a bargaining chip. He can shoot me if it will save your life, Tony." Steve glanced back at the man behind him, memorizing every detail of his face. "I love you, Tony and I'll always be with you whether it be in life or death, I will never leave you."
Tony looked at Steve, a feeling of dread sliding through his veins. "W-what are you talking about, you're going home with me. We're going home together, Steve..." Tony was cut off as Steve grabbed him by his upper arms. "Steve?"
Steve looked down into the confused sable eyes, pulling Tony closer, Steve kissed him hard. "Never forget what I told you, never forget that you mean the world to me. No matter what, never forget that I will always be with you." Steve pushed Tony back behind him and turned back around. "General, if I let Tony go, you have to promise not to shoot him."
"No! No, Steve don't do this! I can protect you, you know I can! Just give me the chance..." Tony grabbed Steve's arm, trying to stop him from moving forward.
"Well, Captain, if you can convince your husband to move out of the way, I guarantee that he will not be harmed." Ross gave Steve a malicious grin, his cold blue gaze watching the scene in front of him.
Steve turned back to Tony. "Go, Tony, if Ross keeps his word you will be ok, so go and make sure you fight for us, for what we deserve, for what is right. Don't let men like Ross take from us what we've worked so hard for."
Tony resisted the hand pulling him forward. "No, Steve, you promised you'd never leave me." Tony whispered. He tried to keep up a brave face but this was Steve...his husband, best friend, his life. "I-I can fix this, I know I can..."
"Not like this, Tony, not with them ready to fire at any sudden movement. Go, go and make sure that you fix this for all of us." Steve leaned down and gave Tony a soft kiss on the lips. Tears slid down his face as he pulled back, looking into the broken expression. The pain and love there twisted his heart and turned his stomach. "I love you, Shellhead."
"I love you too, Winghead." Tony stared up at Steve, until he was suddenly pulled to the side. Turning, Tony tried to pull away from the hands on him. "No!" He shouted in anger. "Steve...Steve, don't do this!" He tried to get back to Steve but was being dragged down the hallway and away from where he could see Steve. "No, Steve! Steve you promised!"
"He's out of the way, General, it's just you and me now." Steve ignored the shouts from Tony. The tortured cries for Steve to stay and to not leave him. He wanted to turn around and take Tony and run but he knew he couldn't, that it would only make things worse. Squaring his shoulders, Steve stood up to his full height of 6'3" and glared at the four star General in front of him, waiting for Ross to make the next move.
"Well, Captain, nice to know all I had to do was ask and you would stand down." Ross replied sarcastically. "You can do this the easy way or the hard way, either way will be unpleasant for you."
"As long as you don't hurt Tony, I don't care what happens to me." Steve tilted his chin up in a last act of defiance.
Ross gave him a dark, leering grin. "Don't worry Captain, Stark will be very well taken care of. Gentlemen, if you will stand ready."
Steve faced the firing squad, shoulders straight, head held high. He remembered the promises he'd made, to all the people he'd made them to. He'd been able to keep them all except one...the one promise he'd made and wouldn't be able to keep would probably break his streak but Steve didn't care. The fact that this promise had meant more to him than all the others is what he cared about. He wouldn't be able to keep his promise to Tony...to spend forever with him. Taking a deep breath, Steve planted his feet and waited. The last thing he remembered before hearing the words fire, was the sound of Tony's voice. That voice that had whispered in is ear three months ago. I love you, Steve, always.
Steve jerked awake, his breathing harsh, his heart racing. He tried to calm down, to forget the dream but he was having trouble. He felt as if he were suffocating while encased in the ice again. Only this time Tony had to watch as he was put to death, frozen, then dropped into the ocean. His punishment for his crimes against the nations. A prison of ice and water, in the deepest, darkest place they could find.
"Steve?"
Steve jerked at the voice. "Tony?"
"H-hey, are you ok? You sounded like you were having a nightmare." Tony yawned as he stretched next to Steve. "Wanna tell me bout it?" Tony rolled over until he was facing Steve, wrapping his arms around the trim waist.
Steve ran a hand through dark, chestnut curls. Shaking as he tried to regain his equilibrium. "N-not right now, maybe later? I just...c-can I hold you?"
Tony yawned again, moving closer to Steve. "Honey, if it will hep you calm down then I'm all for it. Come here, scoot down so you're not so high up." Tony mumbled. He and Steve moved around in bed until they were both holding the other. "Better?"
Steve nodded, tears filling his eyes. "I died, Tony, after you tried to save me I still died. We were fighting a-and I thought..." Steve broke off as he tried to forget the pain he'd felt, the loss of a love meant to surpass time. "I love you, Tony."
Tony hummed against Steve's chest. "Love you too, sweetcheeks. Now, can I stay for breakfast or will that be assuming to much?"
Steve smiled, "You can stay for as long as you like, Tony."
"Good, cause that trip to Vegas took a lot outta me. What with you being insatiable and everything." Tony grinned at the soft huff from his husband.
Steve could feel his face heating as he thought back on their night. It had been spur of the moment but they had both been ready, both wanted to get married and hadn't wanted to wait. "Always for you, Tony, only for you. As long as you promise me something."
Tony stretched again, rubbing his face against Steve's chest, enjoying the soft rumbling sound he emitted. "Anything for you sweetheart."
"Promise me that no matter what, you'll stay with me."
Tony nodded, "For better or worse, Steve, in sickness and in health, till death do us part. I will always stay with you. No matter what, there is nothing anyone can say or do to change that."
Steve nodded as he rubbed small circles across Tony's back. "Thank you, Tony." Steve whispered, he tightened his arms around his husband, holding him as close to his heart as possible. "Thank you for staying and letting me love you."
"No where else I'd rather be, sweetheart." Tony snuggled closer to Steve, humming in contentment. "As long as you want me, honey, I'll be here."
"Then you'll stay forever? I know all of this with Bucky is taking a lot out of you and I'm sorry but I can't do this without you Tony." Steve looked down just as Tony looked up.
"I'll stay for as long as you want me, Steve, promise."
Steve grinned, the dream not forgotten. He grinned because he thought Tony had left, that he was on his own this time only to wake up and find out that when he'd asked Tony to stay this time...he did.