Author's Note: So I'm not really counting this as a new story. This is just a collection of one-shots connected to my Avengers fanfic 'Some Things Never Sleep'. They're just one-shots that will never make it into my story and that I've had lying around for a while so I decided to publish them for fun. I'm still completely focused on 'Some Things Never Sleep' and 'Rose Garden Dreams'. If you haven't read 'Some Things Never Sleep' then I suggest that you do otherwise these one-shots will probably make no sense whatsoever. These One-Shots will take place before Emma meets Peter since I skipped over a lot of things during the course of that story. Some One-Shots may even take place before Emma was born. It depends but I don't think Peter and Emma will be making an appearance together within this story. There will be a lot of One-Shots focusing on the different relationships between Emma and Steve, Emma and Bucky, Emma and Tony, Emma and her parents, and her relationship with the other Avengers. The one-shots will take place in no particular order. I decided to publish this on my birthday but I ended up publishing it at one in the morning so it's not my birthday anymore. I was just wrapped up in birthday celebrations but I'll try to have the next chapter of 'Some Things Never Sleep' out by tomorrow or Monday. We'll see how much I can get done by tomorrow. Thanks and I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think

The Pink Rat: When Tony met Mini Cap

Location: Rush Springs, Oklahoma

Year: 2001

Tony didn't want to have a "Family Christmas" like Steven suggested. No, he'd rather curl up with a bottle of scotch and a Brazilian model as his holiday celebration. Of course he'd throw a huge party at his mansion in Malibu beforehand and he might even get so drunk that he'd sing some really bad karaoke but somehow he wasn't in California. He was actually on the other side of the country and Tony could tell that there was definitely no Brazilians models in Oklahoma. The airport he had been in was small and there was no limos to pick him up. He instead settled for some hick who drove a Lincoln Town Car that was twenty years old. It was odd to Tony because the billionaire was used to new things…expensive things. The driver had dropped Tony off on the dusty dirt road, not even bothering to help him with his luggage. As soon as Tony got his suitcase from the backseat, the car drove off. Tony hadn't even tipped the driver…not that Tony thought the driver's service was worth tipping but it wasn't like Tony was cheap. God, he missed Happy.

The thirty one year old man stared at the farmhouse that was about a mile down the road. It was situated on what was perhaps twenty acres of land. He could see a big red barn positioned a ways away from the old looking two story house as well as a rusty old windmill. Tony wrinkled his nose in disgust when he saw all the cows grazing the land. He really hated animals and he especially hated the outdoors. His mother took him to a farm once when he was seven in an attempt to try and normalize him but the visit hadn't gone well. Seven year old Tony Stark had tried to pet one of the pigs when he slipped and fell into pig shit much to amusement of all the adults and other children at the farm. The scent remained in Tony's nose for close to a month and his father had nicknamed him 'Pig Boy'. His father had actually originally nicknamed him 'Pig Shit' but his mother had always banned bad language in the house. From then on, Tony had always had a distaste for farms and the outdoors.

As he began to walk down the road, dragging his suitcase behind him like he was someone lame like Rhodey or Happy, he thought about what brought him here to Oklahoma. Tony couldn't believe he was actually doing this…that he was actually in the middle of bumfuck nowhere to go visit his precious and perfect surrogate older brother. He meant that sarcastically of course because Tony could honestly not stand Steven Rogers Jr. at times but he was doing this because this was what his mother would've wanted. She was always trying to be the mediator, whether it was between Tony and his father or Tony and Steven. The only frustrating thing about Steven was that the older man wouldn't argue with him or dismiss him like his father used to. No, perfect Steven would always just smile at him in that amused way like Tony was still the nine year old kid who ate all the lemon bars the nanny made. Steven would seldom argue back and nothing frustrated Tony more.

It had been over a year since Tony had last seen Steven. The last time had been when Steven introduced Margot to him over dinner. It was also when Steven announced that the two were expecting a child. Tony had been surprised since Steven was in his fifties, after all, but he was also surprised because he knew that Steven had once sworn off children. It was something he overheard(eavesdropped) Steven and his father arguing about when Tony was a teenager. It also came as a surprise when Tony learnt that Steven and Margot got married only about a month or so later. Steven who had never been married in all his decades on this planet but had married a particularly ditzy and bubbly redhead that was almost twenty years his junior. Tony supposed all men went through mid life crisis'…even men who were the offspring of a classic American icon. Which brought a certain woman back to mind. Margot Pierce.

Tony didn't understand Steven's interest in the redhead at first since Tony knew Steven's type which was basically the same type that he had. Beautiful women that they only slept with once or twice before quickly losing interest. Not that he didn't think Margot was beautiful but he thought she was rather cute. Like the kind of cute that your kid's kindergarten teacher was…a kindergarten teacher that you definitely had the hots for. It didn't take long after meeting Margot to know exactly why Steven had fallen for her. The redhead was perhaps the most witty and daring woman that Tony had ever had the pleasure of meeting and in some ways she was even a bit like Peggy Carter. She was also a woman that was completely immune to his charms which fascinated Tony even more. Margot Pierce had a strong distaste for him so you could imagine Tony's surprise when Steven called him up last week saying that both he and Margot wanted him to spend the holidays with them.

Over a year since Tony had met the couple but also about eleven months since Steven and Margot's daughter had been born. Tony hadn't been there for the birth and he hadn't even come down to see the kid since the birth. He only saw the pictures that Steven emailed him which showed what he thought looked like a pink, shriveled up rat. Tony didn't see what the big deal was. People always fawned over babies but he thought babies were kind of ugly. The picture had shown Margot holding the pink bundle in her arms in the hospital bed and Steven kneeling by the bed next to her, the both of them staring at the baby adoringly. Tony almost wanted to puke at how sickeningly happy they all looked.

They apparently named that wrinkled up little rat Emma Margaret Rogers. Emma for some book that Margot was a huge nerd about and Margaret for Steven's mother Peggy. At least it was a name that wouldn't give the kid any trouble in high school. Tony's own name had been relatively normal, although long, but it was more of him being much younger than his peers that got him bullied. Of course, since this kid was the offspring of perfect Steven, she'd probably be one of those annoyingly nice popular kids that you wanted to hate but couldn't because she was perfect…just like her father. Tony finally reached the front porch of the house after walking all the way up the dirt road. He was only thankful that it was December and he didn't have to walk in the blistering heat although it looked like the dirt road had ruined his designer shoes. No big deal…they only cost about as much as this old house that Steven had been slumming it in. Didn't that guy have his father's entire inheritance? What the hell was he doing living on a farm in the middle of nowhere? Tony would never understand Steven Rogers.

"Brat!" Steven greeted as the front door swung opened. Tony was taken back by the older man's sudden appearance but he should've known better. Steven had perfect hearing, didn't he? Tony stared at Steven through the thin screen door which was all that stood between them. He hadn't changed much since Tony had last seen him except for maybe a beard. It was probably the first time Tony had seen a beard on him other than the pictures he had seen of Steven's hippie days but that was before Tony had been born. "Glad to see you've finally made it."

Tony wanted to roll his eyes but he refrained from doing so. Pepper told him to be on his best behavior so that's exactly what he going to attempt to do…for her sake. He always thought that the boss was supposed to give their personal assistant the orders but not where Pepper was concerned. No, Pepper was the one who apparently gave orders and surprisingly Tony listened to her. Well, most of the time he listened to her.

"Yeah, I only had to hike about ten miles." Tony said sarcastically but Steven just smiled at the younger man.

"Always one to exaggerate, Anthony." Steven stated before giving him a knowing look. "Besides…a little fresh air will do you some good. It gets awfully stuffy in that little lab of yours."

"Whatever, Junior." Tony muttered, using Steven's childhood nickname. Obviously Tony and Steven hadn't grown up together, being twenty four years apart, but Steven's childhood nickname had always stuck. Even in his older age. It was a nickname that Tony's own father, along with the Howling Commandos, had affectionately given him. The most affectionate name that Tony's father had given him was, you guessed it, 'Pig Boy'.

"Get in here, Anthony." Steven told him as he opened the screen door, inviting Tony inside the house. Tony didn't fail to notice how Steven continued to call him Anthony which had always annoyed him. Anthony just sounded so proper and preppy which Tony could never stand but Steven still insisted on calling him that. Tony stepped in the old farmhouse and was immediately greeted by a sweet pastry scent, making him think that there was a pie or something baking in the oven. The front door immediately led into the living room which was spacious enough with a comfy looking couch and television. The only thing that threw the place off was all the baby stuff taking up the living room. There were various toys scattered on the ground and an empty bounce chair. Tony could see that the kitchen was just beyond the living room. He decided then that the house was perhaps the smallest house he been in. To be fair, he usually visited the mansions of executives that worked at Stark Industries but still.

"I'll bring your luggage up in a minute. You'll be staying in the guest bedroom upstairs. It's right next to Emma's bedroom so I hope she doesn't keep you up all night." Steven informed him and Tony gave the older man a smirk.

"Don't worry, Junior. It wouldn't be the first time a woman kept me up all night." Tony said jokingly and Steven just shook his head at him as he chuckled.

"Don't let Margot hear you joke around like that." Steven told him light heartedly. "I can't even mention sex without her covering Emma's ears." Tony smirked at the older man.

"Sounds like it's going to be a long road for you." Tony quipped and Steven sighed.

"Believe me...it has been." Steven said although it clear that the man was only joking. Tony chuckled despite his reluctance to be there. Another thing that annoyed Tony about Steven was how easy it was to get along with him. The guy could be very charming and nice when he wanted to be. The two men didn't get that much time to be acquainted when Margot abruptly walked out of the kitchen. It was no secret that the redhead found Tony to be very annoying but she still gave him a welcoming smile as she walked towards him. However, it wasn't Margot that held Tony's interest. No, it was the eleven month old baby that Margot was carrying in her arms. The kid had significantly grown since the picture that Steven had sent him. Emma was chubby as all babies were at that age but what struck Tony was how much she already looked like her father. Between her blonde locks and her captivating blue eyes, it was clear to Tony that this kid was going to take after Steven. The little girl was dressed in a simple Winnie the Pooh shirt and a pair of diapers with little animal designs printed on them. Tony actually thought the kid was kind of cute. She didn't look like a shriveled up rat at all.

"Emma, you wanna say hi to your Uncle Tony?" Margot said softly as she looked between her daughter and the awkward looking billionaire. The baby just stared at him without really seeing him. It was almost like she was staring into space. Tony wondered what the hell even went through a baby's mind.

"Poor kid." Tony said as he stared at Steven's daughter. "She seems to have taken after her ole' pops in the looks department. I feel sorry for the kid." Margot glared at him while Steven just gave him an amused look.

"Very funny, Brat." Steven told him but didn't look offended at all. Before Tony could even respond to Steven, they were interrupted by Emma who was pointing at him. Tony gave the mini me of Steven a confused look because she happened to be pointing directly at him.

"What hell are you looking at, Chubby?" Tony demanded and Margot just gave Emma an amused smile before looking back at Tony, mischief sparkling in her green eyes.

"I think she's pointing to that thing on your face." Margot said in reference to Tony's goatee. Tony glared at the redhead as he rubbed his goatee self consciously. Margot then moved closer so that Emma could somehow satisfy her curiosity. Emma Rogers was very curious for an eleven month old baby. Tony eyed the child with an unsure expression on his face as her hand reached out towards him.

Steven gestured for him to move closer so that he could be at eye level with the baby. Tony reluctantly did so as he smiled awkwardly at the girl. This was probably the first time he had ever been this close to a real living and breathing baby. Tony didn't know how this would go. The blonde haired baby then touched his face and Tony sincerely hoped that this kid's hands were clean. Didn't babies pick their noses or suck on their fingers? Gross…Tony didn't really need to be thinking where this kid's hands had been. Not when she was touching his face. The girl then began to stroke his facial hair and Tony realized that Margot had been right. Emma seemed to have some sort of weird interest in his goatee. Weird kid, he thought to himself. Well, her parents were a couple of weirdos themselves so he supposed that made sense. Tony felt stupid bending down as the kid petted his facial hair but what else did he have on his agenda for today?

Something must've satisfied Emma as the little girl began to smile at him before pulling her hand back. Tony felt a conflicted feeling coming over him at the sight of the almost toothless smile. Seriously…he could only see maybe two or three teeth in there. This kid had the smile of an old lady. Still...there was something about the almost delighted look on her face that caused Tony to smile the smallest smile right back at her. It was like her smile was infectious or at least something close to infectious. Steven and Margot exchanged a knowing look without Tony noticing.

"It looks like someone likes you, Anthony." Steven said smugly as he patted him on the back. Tony then snapped out of his slightly dazed state as he stood back up, the smile now gone. He feigned an oblivious look as he looked back at Steven.

"Yeah, well, she's just a little rat in diapers. What does she know?" Tony said casually but the adults in the room knew better. It seemed like the eccentric billionaire actually did have a heart, after all. What amused the two new parents even more was the fact that their daughter had the power to wrap anyone around her little finger…even the arrogant and sarcastic Tony Stark. It didn't look like there was anyone immune to her charm.

"A hell of a lot more than a spoiled rich boy who thinks he knows everything." Margot shot back as she kept Emma nestled against her. It was clear that Emma had lost interest in Tony's goatee by this point and was now playing with her mother's hair. Tony glared playfully at Margot.

"So rude, Miss Pierce. What would daddy think if he could hear you now?" Tony asked and Margot rolled her eyes at him.

"Well, he's not here. Thank God." Margot replied before the oven beeped in the kitchen. "That would be the roasted chicken. Could you take Emma while I get dinner ready?" Margot asked Steven and the older man smiled brightly at her.

"As if I could refuse spending time with my favorite girl." Steven said as he took Emma from Margot who raised her eyebrows at him. "What? She's not as high maintenance as you are."

Margot just shook her head in amusement at him before walking back into the kitchen, leaving Steven, Tony, and Emma alone with each other. Tony turned back to Steven who was currently caught up in Emma. The older man smiled down at his daughter adoringly as her little hand wrapped around his finger. Tony stared at the two in wonder because he couldn't remember the last time he had seen Steven smile like that. Steven had turned somewhat more bitter and even more serious in his old age…so much that Tony couldn't recall him ever looking that happy. Maybe in the days when everyone was still alive but after everyone that helped raise him passed away, he was never quite the same.

The Howling Commandos had all passed away long ago with Gabe Jones, the last one left, passing away just shy of seven years earlier. Steven had lost his stepfather a couple years ago as well and Tony knew that it had been hard on him despite the multiple disagreements Steven and his stepfather had. Then there was Tony's parents and especially Tony's father who had been more of a father to Steven than he was to his own son. Still…something seemed to change in Steven after meeting Margot and now Tony could see he was even more changed after having Emma. The way the older man looked down at his daughter proved that Steven Rogers was very happy.

"So…Tony, how's life back in California?" Steven inquired and Tony was snapped out of his thoughts. Steven's ocean blue eyes were now focused on him as Emma started to play and tug on her father's shirt. Tony shrugged.

"It's fine, I guess. I've been working on some things down in the lab. Nothing too exciting. Obadiah's been nagging me to make something bigger than the designs I've already created. It's always bigger with that guy." Tony said nonchalantly. Steven pulled a face because he had honestly never liked Obadiah Stane. He had known the man since he was a teenager and never had much taste for the man's greed and money hungry ways. Well, they didn't call Obadiah a business man for nothing although Obadiah had to be one of the slimiest businessmen out there. Steven didn't know how Tony put with it. Although that may have had something to do with the fact that Tony drank and partied way too much so it wasn't like he noticed much anyways.

"Well, what about dating? Have you met a special lady recently?" Steven inquired and Tony smirked.

"Oh, I've met a lot of special ladies." Tony said as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Steven just rolled his eyes at the younger man.

"Don't you think it's about time you got serious?" Steven asked him and Tony snorted.

"You're one to talk, Junior." Tony stated as he gave him a knowing look. "Despite what poor old Aunt Peggy thinks, you're not nearly as saint like as your father. You've been around too. Don't get all judgey on me." Steven just sighed as he prepared himself to try and talk some sense into the man he saw as his younger brother.

"Look, I know getting old is scary. Believe me…I know. However, maybe it's time you start thinking about settling down." Steven said rationally as Tony listened to him. "Don't be like your dad and I. Having kids when we're much too old to be raising children. God, I hate to think how old I'll be when Emma graduates from high school."

"You'll be seventy three." Tony said bluntly and Steven gave him a dirty look.

"Thanks a lot, Brat. I could've gone the next seventeen years without thinking about that." Steven told him and Tony looked rather smug as usual.

"Don't worry. Mick Jagger's still having kids so who knows? Maybe you and Margot will have another little blonde haired rat." Tony quipped and Steven ignored him intentionally as he continued to speak to Tony about his future.

"Anyways, my point is that you should really start thinking about these things. I was like you and never lingered on thought of marriage or children…until I met Margot. Now I'm the happiest I've ever been. It's like the both of them have been with me the entire time." Steven explained as he tried to get Tony to see the bigger picture. "I just wish that I had done all this a lot sooner. Now I wonder if I'll ever live long enough to see Emma graduate college or get married…have children of her own. You shouldn't wait as long as I did. You're still young but maybe you should start thinking about your future a little more. I'm not saying right this minute or anything but at least think about it." Tony sighed heavily as he looked back at a worried looking Steven. He didn't think he had seen Steven this worried in a long time. Not since Tony's more rebellious teen years.

"Look, Steven, I get that you're worried and everything but I'm honestly fine with the way my life is right now. I'm having fun and I can be focused on my work. I can't do that if there's a bunch of little Starks running around." Tony told Steven honestly. "The settling down thing seems to be working for you but we're not the same. I don't think I'm cut out for that kind of life." Steven seemed almost disappointed as he looked at Tony which almost made the billionaire flinch. Steven's disappointed look was even worse than the one his father used to give him. Maybe it was because Tony spent a lot more time with Steven growing up and Steven had been the only male role model in his life…the only one that hadn't ignored him at least.

"I just don't want you to be alone, Anthony." Steven said quietly, looking worried for him which only made Tony feel worse. "I know that you're afraid because of your father and you but I think you'd be a great father. You're a good man."

Tony wanted to snap at Steven for mentioning his father in all of this but he didn't want to start anything after just arriving at the farmhouse. There was also the fact that Emma's eyes remained glued to him and for some reason he couldn't be angry with her watching him. She looked at him in a completely innocent way. Most women either seemed to hate him or love his money. However, this one just seemed to look at him like she saw something she liked about him. Tony looked back up at Steven and gave the older man a tight lipped smile.

"I'm fine, Junior. Don't worry about me." Tony said shortly and Steven's look of concern was unwavering as he continued to stare at him. He looked like he wanted to argue with Tony about that but before he could, they were both interrupted.

"Guys, dinner's ready!" Margot called from the kitchen, snapping Tony and Steven out of their staring contest. Steven just nodded as he began to walk in the direction of the kitchen and Tony silently followed him. There wasn't really any more to be said on the topic and Tony was completely okay with that.

Tony felt eyes on him as he followed Steven and noticed that he once again had the attention of the youngest of the Rogers' clan. Her big blue eyes were focused entirely on him as she smiled at him from over her father's shoulder. Tony felt that familiar tugging of his heart at the sight of the kid's smile and those ocean blue eyes which were the exact replica of her father's. Maybe Tony could see what all the fuss was about concerning babies. Maybe he could even see what the fuss was all about concerning this one in particular because she was kind of cute…not that Tony would ever admit that he thought babies were cute. Most babies weren't cute but Tony thought Emma Rogers was probably the only one who was actually kind of adorable. He even found himself smiling back at her, one of his rare and genuine smiles that not many could say they'd seen. Tony winked at the little girl who smiled even wider at him as she continued to stare at him.

One thing he knew for sure was that Steven and Margot sure made one hell of an interesting kid.