Author's Note: So much fluff and so fabulously beta'd now for ease of reading much thanks to ravingbeauty for doing such wonderful work!

Something Missing

Part 2 – First Date

Steve walked to the restaurant, worrying about Tony's odd comment just before he left. What had he meant by "if he needed anything"?

Sighing, Steve shook his head as he approached the restaurant. Allowing the hostess to show him to the table, he smiled his thanks and settled down to wait. He glanced at his watch – ten minutes early. Nervously drumming his fingers, he kept keen eyes on the door. The appointed meeting time came and went; Steve began to believe she wasn't coming at all when she finally stepped through the doors. Smiling widely, mostly in relief, he stood as she spotted him.

"Steve?" she asked hesitantly.

Nodding politely, he smiled, "Melanie?"

With a charming laugh the lithe woman hugged him and gushed, "It's so nice to finally meet you!"

Caught off guard, Steve patted her once before withdrawing, reminding himself it probably wasn't outside of the norm; women were very forward in this time. "Have a seat?" he gestured.

She nodded happily, looking very ladylike as she settled crossing her legs at the ankle. "This is a wonderful place, I've never been," she said as she smiled widely at him, large eyes seeming to eat him up.

Steve returned the smile, feeling a little forced. "So, umm…you're an actress?" he asked.

Melanie tittered, "Just a few parts so far. I'm still waiting for my big break." The soldier blinked as she began talking very fast, jumping from this to that and back, chattering about anything and everything. It didn't take Steve long to figure out her favourite topic was herself.

Usually he was used to following long, rambling, and at times disjointed monologues from Tony, but this was different; for all his public bragging, Tony rarely spoke of himself in private.

The waiter's appearance offered a Steve a brief respite from her constant chatter. As they ordered, he was surprised with his date's treatment of the waiter; she came across as very condescending. Steve couldn't help noticing that she ordered a rather expensive seafood dish as well as a bottle of wine.

"You don't mind, do you?" She fluttered her lashes becomingly as she simpered. He wasn't in the poor house, but he wasn't frivolous with his money either – that was more Tony's department. Ever a gentleman, though, he smiled and let it slide as she continued talking about herself.

Sometime later she excused herself to powder her nose prior to dinner arriving. Flashing him her best smile, she winked heading towards the back of the restaurant.

Steve let out a breath as she disappeared; he could feel a headache forming behind his eyes. She seemed like a nice girl and all, but there was no spark, no connection.

Running a hand through his hair, he made a plan; he'd have dinner with her, say goodnight, and wish her all the best. Satisfied with his decision, Steve thanked the waiter when their food came, eyeing his steak happily as he waited for his date to return.

As the minutes stretched on, worry began to gnaw at the back of his mind. After ten minutes more, he stopped a female waitress, "Excuse me, miss. The lady I was with… she went to the powder room some time ago. Would you mind checking if she is ok?"

Nodding brightly, the woman agreed only to return moments later, looking uncomfortable, "I'm sorry, sir, but there was no one there." She gave him a pitying look that spoke volumes.

Embarrassed, Steve mumbled a thank you.

"Can I get you anything else, sir?" she asked gently.

"Just the bill, please," he responded. Appetite gone, Steve just wanted to go home; he had never been more embarrassed in his life. The date was a bust; the woman left before dinner even came.

The soldier stared at his hands, barely glancing up as the check was delivered. Sighing, he reached into his pocket to retrieve his wallet, frowning when he couldn't find it; he could have sworn he'd put his wallet there. Then Steve tried his other pocket, finding his phone, but no wallet and no cash. Stunned, he checked his coat pockets as the truth slowly sunk in – his wallet wasn't there.

Groaning, he slumped forward; this night couldn't get any worse.

Steve was beyond embarrassed. Humiliated and low, he felt reluctant to call for help. Then a glimmer of hope crossed his mind – he could just charge the meal to the Stark account and pay Tony back later. He could have sworn though he'd put his wallet in his pocket.

The original waiter returned and Steve cleared his throat, "Could I, ummm… charge this to Tony Stark's account, please?" he asked hesitantly.

The server looked at him impassively for a moment, "Let me get my manager."

Steve wanted to curl up and die as the server spoke to a severe woman in a smart suit. They both turned and looked pointedly at him; then she approached, fake smile on her pretty face.

"Hello, sir. I understand you would like to charge your bill to Mr. Stark, but we would appreciate it if you would just pay for the meal," she said calmly.

Steve swallowed thickly, "I seem to have misplaced my wallet."

Her look got a lot colder, "Sir, if you cannot pay, we will be forced to contact the authorities."

Shocked, Steve stuttered, "No-no need… I'll… just a moment," as he pulled out his cell phone. Hands trembling, he felt somewhat outside himself; was this really happening? He pressed the talk button, calling Tony as the manager watched him closely.

It rang twice, the billionaire picking up on the third ring, "Hey, Rogers, how's the date going?" Steve opened his mouth, closing it again as a small whimper took him by surprise. "Steve, what is it? Are you ok?"

Tears of frustration were threatening to fall. "No," he whispered, barely holding himself together.

Tony asked nothing more. "I'll be there in five minutes," he assured Steve.

Thankful, Steve looked down at the phone for a moment before slowly glancing up at the manager, "My friend is coming." Satisfied she moved away from him, but not far.

Steve closed his eyes and tried to breathe; things hadn't gone this badly since his pre-serum days.

-#-#-#-

Tony was worried, all sorts of terrible scenarios running though his mind. Panicked, he didn't even bother to change before leaving, just threw a black hood over his white tank. Arc reactor concealed, he jumped in his convertible and peeled out on the way to the restaurant.

Pulling up before the place, Tony tossed his keys to the valet as the man glanced from his torn and dirty jeans to the six-figure car; from the look he got, the kid probably thought the car was stolen. Tony arched a brow as he stared him down. "Just park it," he growled as he moved into the establishment proper.

Tony spotted the despondent figure immediately, his heart turning over painfully at the sight. He barely registered the untouched meals as he focused entirely on the blond, "Steve?"

Suspiciously moist eyes looked up at him, Steve's relief a palpable thing. "Tony," Steve stood, wanting to hug the man desperately.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked, not missing the icy look from a woman who was clearly the manager.

"I… she left, went to the bathroom and left. Then my wallet was gone, and I thought maybe I could charge it to you and pay you back, but they didn't believe me, and they wanted money. They said they would call the authorities." It all came out in a tangled, rambling jumble but Tony got the gist, immediately angry.

"Don't worry, I got this," Tony comforted. Then he turned to stalk directly towards the manager. Steve followed meekly after, feeling rather small next to the confident, larger than life man.

The woman eyed Tony warily. "Are you here to settle the bill?" she asked.

Dark eyes pinned her with a chilling glare, full of disdain, a look he rarely used. Pulling out a thick, black Amex card, he handed it over. The woman raised an eyebrow as she accepted it; few people had cards with unlimited credit.

Then, glancing at the name, she froze. Eyes widening in horror, she slowly looked up at the billionaire again, "Mr. Stark, I umm… I am…" She stumbled all over herself, realizing the utter faux pas she had committed.

Tony crossed his arms over his chest, "Yes, and you have treated my good friend extremely poorly. I don't think that I or any of my friends will be returning to this establishment."

The woman was all but weeping now, "I am so sorry Mr. Stark, we didn't know."

Causally glancing at his dirty hands, Tony shrugged, "Not my problem. But I will make it my problem if you do not give Captain Steve Rogers, a war veteran, a patriot, and a close personal friend of mine, an apology."

Nodding, she turned to the blond, "I am so sorry, Captain Rogers. Please accept my sincere apologies. May we offer you a free visit in the future?"

Steve watched, amazed, as Tony calmly and effortlessly put the woman in her place. He wasn't a vindictive man by nature, but it was a little gratifying to see after the kind of night he'd had. He also couldn't help the warmth that filled his chest at Tony's words.

Accepting the apology, Steve watched as the lady scuttled off to run the card. Still stone-faced, Tony quickly winked at him before turning back, looking unruffled by the whole episode.

Bill paid, they headed out of the restaurant and back to the car, where Steve was finally able to collapse in relief.

"So… how was your night?" the dark haired man teased.

Steve groaned, closing his eyes. "Awful night," he mumbled, his sentiment echoed by the loud growling of his stomach.

Chuckling, Tony glanced at him, "Didn't even get to eat? I'm pretty hungry myself. Let's go get something, shall we?" Steve smiled wanly as Tony headed for a greasy spoon diner several blocks away. "This place has the best burgers, I promise," Tony assured him.

As Steve listened to the smaller man chatter away, he began to feel calmer, more collected, and more confused by the whole chain of events.

After parking they headed in and settled in a corner booth of the bustling diner. Steve's stomach growled even louder as he caught a whiff of something delicious and no doubt greasy. Laughing, the inventor glanced at his companion amused, "You're always hungry."

Steve looked almost forlorn, "One of the more annoying side effects of the serum."

Still chuckling Tony glanced at the menu, well aware of the amount of food Steve put away. He made it a point to ensure the kitchen was well stocked, though he was still trying to figure out who ate more, Thor or Steve.

The waitress came over, pen and paper in hand. "What can I get you boys?" she asked, snapping her gum. They both ordered burgers, fries, and beer, Tony giving the older woman a charming smile that had her blushing like a schoolgirl.

Leaning back, Tony stretched out in the booth casually, watching the man before him; Steve was worrying over something. "What's on your mind, Spangles?" he asked.

Blue eyes regarded him for a moment, "I was just thinking… I'm sure I brought my wallet tonight."

Tony hummed in agreement, "You did. I'm pretty sure you were the victim of a scam, Steve."

Shock registered on his handsome face, "Scam?"

"Yup," Tony nodded as he sipped his water. "Your date, no doubt, has done this before. Probably picks out men online, sets up a date, and steals their wallets. You said she went to the bathroom and never came back, right?"

The man from another time looked utterly scandalized. "A woman?" he breathed.

"Yeah, a woman," Tony repeated. He sometimes forgot Steve had only been awake a year. He had adapted so well to this time, but he still retained much of the naivety of his own time. "A woman can be just as conniving and scheming a criminal as a man."

Steve nodded slowly; he supposed that could be true. He had always respected strong women in his time; it stood to reason that there were not-so-nice women in the world, too.

"I'm sorry, Steve, for not warning you…" Tony apologized; he had been feeling guilty since the man had left earlier that night. "There are some dangers associated with meeting people online."

"What do you mean?" Steve asked.

As the meal came then and they dug in, Tony explained, "The advent of widespread internet use had been both enlightening and terrifying. It allows users anonymity; you can be anyone or anything online."

Steve chewed thoughtfully, quickly understanding, "People can lie about who they are."

The dark haired man grinned, "You got it, Cap. And I think we should put an end to 'Melanie' and her scam." Pulling out his phone, he quickly tapped it a few times before setting the device aside.

"What are you going to do?" Steve asked with a smile.

Grinning, the genius took a swig of his beer, "Trace her computer's IP address. Shame on her for stealing from Captain America."

After they finished dinner, Tony watched with a wistful smile as Steve ate dessert; if Steve's face was anything to go by, each bite of cheesecake was practically orgasmic. Captain America, he had noticed, had serious sweet tooth.

A beep interrupted his thoughts as his phone completed the trace. Grinning, he held it up so Steve could see the screen, "We got her."

After paying the bill they were off, headed for an address in a rather nice part of the city. The apartment building even had a doorman who eyed them balefully. Tony Stark, however, weaved his magic and soon they were headed to the tenth floor.

Standing outside the door, dark eyes met blue as Tony knocked jauntily on the wood.

"Just a minute, baby!" the voice called from inside. Then the door opened and Steve was once more face to face with his date. Eyes wide, she froze in shock and stared at the two men on her doorstep.

"Not 'baby,'" Tony smirked and arched a dark eyebrow.

Gathering herself, she was about to slam the door when Tony grabbed it, "Nope." Terrified she backed away, wringing her hands. Steve felt bad for scaring her, still a little unsure if Tony was right about her stealing it.

"Look," Tony said. "We're not here to scare you, we just want the big guy's wallet back." Her face fell and her shoulders slumped as she dragged her feet over to her purse; the blond surprised when she did indeed pull out his wallet.

Reluctantly she handed it over, eyeing Tony speculatively. "You're Tony Stark, aren't you?" she asked, all traces of fear gone.

"Don't even think about it," he said, moving away from the door. "I expect to see your profile gone from that dating website by tomorrow or the police will be getting an anonymous e-mail about a scam being run through a dating site."

Her face twisted into something ugly, her fun apparently ruined. Crossing her arms defensively, she dismissed them, "Yeah, fine. Whatever."

Tony gave her a winning smile, "Goodnight then, Stephanie." She jolted, all but slamming the door in their faces.

Finished, they moved towards the elevators, Steve still staring at his wallet in his hands.

Tony said nothing, just allowing Steve time to process as they headed back to the Tower.

Steve finally found his voice again as they parked. "Thank you, Tony… for tonight…"

"I hope it doesn't put you off dating," the shorter man said with a reassuring smile.

Steve snorted, "No, I just need to be careful, I guess."

Tony patted his leg, "That's the spirit." As he exited the car, Steve looked at the place on his knee Tony had touched, feeling a little tingly and nice. Then the pair headed up towards their rooms, bidding one another good night as they parted.

-#-#-#-

That night Steve lay in bed, mulling over the events of the evening. It hadn't started out very well, but he couldn't be upset; dinner with Tony had been nice.

A small smile crossed his face as he fell asleep thinking about the genius.

Down the hall in his room Tony sat propped up in bed, absently scratching his chest and tapping away at his tablet.

Tonight had been… well, he wasn't sure what tonight had been. Eye opening? A revelation?

It had turned out to be a pleasant evening, the nicest date he'd been on in a long time. Pausing in his work, his mind latched onto the terminology he'd used – "date." Had he been on a date with Captain America tonight?

Such a question should have brought automatic denial, rejection, but it didn't. Tony Stark didn't mind at all.