Sorry that this chapter is a bit rushed...just had to get it out of my head...

It was Monday, tomorrow was going to be Steve's birthday. In fact, it would be his first birthday since becoming Captain America that he didn't have to work or sleep through. He didn't have anything planned, he was thinking of inviting his friends out to dinner at his favorite restaurant. Nothing fancy or over the top, just the way Steve liked it.

He figured he'd call Natasha first and invite her and Clint. He looked at his cell phone and dialed her number.

"Yes?"

"Hi Natasha." Steve laughed.

"Oh, hey Steve. What's up?"

"I, uh, was wondering if you and Clint wanted to go out to dinner on Tuesday..."

"Tuesday?" Natasha's voice rose slightly. "We can't sorry, Fury stuck us babysitting the new recruits...what's the occasion?"

"Huh...oh, nothing...just wondering, that's all. Have fun with the recruits. Try not to scar anyone for life, okay?"

"I'll do my best. Bye Steve."

"Bye."

Steve sighed, he hadn't pressed the issue because he didn't want to make Natasha feel bad. If Fury told them to do something, they had to do it. Steve was a soldier, he knew how it was.

Let's see, Steve thought, Thor's back in Asgard so I can't call him...Bruce should be home.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bruce."

"Steve, how are you?"

"I'm good, thanks. Hey, do you want to go out to dinner on Tuesday? I just thought it'd be nice to hang out." For some reason mentioning that it was his birthday felt like he'd be pressuring his friends and hs didn't want to do that.

"I can't Steve, sorry. I'm leaving tomorrow for a yoga retreat in Mumbai. How about when I get back? We can hang out then."

"Sure, that sounds good. Have a good trip."

"Bye Steve."

"Bye Bruce."

It sounds good, but then it won't be my birthday, thought Steve dejectedly.

Just then Tony walked into the living room dressed in a sharp suit and carrying his portable armor.

"Hey, what's with the frown? You know I forbid frowning, especially when it's you."

Steve didn't answer, he was processing Tony's appearance. "Where are you going?"

"Sorry, emergency meeting in LA, they can't do a damn thing without me."
"Will you be back by tomorrow?"

"I doubt it. Why what's tomorrow?"

"...nothing...just wondering..." mumbled Steve. "Have a safe trip."

"I will. Hold down the fort, huh?" Tony leaned down an kissed the top of Steve's head. "Love you."

"Love you too."

After Tony was gone, Steve finally indulged in some well deserved self-pity. He was a nice guy, always there when needed and often even when he wasn't needed he helped anyway. He wished all his friends well in the very activities that took them away from him on what should have been a special day and here he was alone.

Steve put in most of Tuesday in the gym working off his disappointment. They all had legitimate reasons as to why they couldn't go out so Steve couldn't really be upset with them. What really was bothering him was that Tony, his husband, had forgotten his birthday.

Steve knew everything about Tony, favorite food, music, car, how he liked to sleep, the way he wrinkled his nose up when he laughed...his birthday...

He jumped in the shower to clean up and relax. When Steve got out of the shower he found that the clothes he'd laid out on the bed were gone, in their place was his army uniform.

"What the...?"