Paris

Steve stepped onto the tarmac of the private airport, and made sure that T'Challa's plane was nowhere in sight before Tony arrived. Of course there were ways for Tony to find out where he had been, and what plane had brought him to France, but Steve hoped that Tony wouldn't be too petty and look into it.

Grabbing some food and coffee from the small café at the airport, Steve waited for the Stark Industries jet to touch down and started to run through scenarios in his head of what Tony could possibly want him for. Was Howard's son really going to set him up and sell him out to the government? Despite all the similarities and the differences between Howard and Tony, Steve knew deep down that Tony wouldn't betray him. Would he?

Steve finished his meal just as the jet touched down. He tensed his shoulders, collected his bag and walked over to the jet. Tony's face was the first thing out the door when it opened.

"Hey Cap. Not exactly the secret location I had pictured. Shame we can't stay in Paris, I know some great places to visit." Tony was still in the doorway as Steve approached.

"You're welcome to stay. I know I'm not exactly thrilled to endure a plane ride with you right now."

Steve brushed past Tony as Tony put a look of shock on his face. "That was just plain rude." Tony joked as he took a seat across from Steve. The jet sat on the tarmac for a while, while it was refueled and serviced. It was obvious that Tony had no time to waste.

"So, where are you taking me?"

"To a classified location."

Steve raised an eyebrow at Tony. The smallest feeling of panic was setting in, but Steve showed no signs of fear on his face.

"Hey, I don't even know where we're going. Only the pilot does, and he's SHIELD. Honest. I'm not here to trick you." Tony had his hands up in defense, which relieved some of Steve's worry, but not all.

The engines of the jet began to fire up, and Steve sat back in his seat. If he was heading into the hands of the government, there was no turning back now. He just had to accept his fate, whatever it was.

The two sat mostly in silence for half of the flight, Tony working away behind a myriad of tech, and Steve simply looking out the window, lost in thought.

Tony looked up from his tasks and decided to shut his workstation down. He turned to Steve and seemed to study him for a while. Steve took notice and looked to Tony.

"What's on your mind, Cap?" Tony was very clearly trying to smooth out the rocky situation between the two.

"Not sure it's even worth sharing. Sometimes, I feel like all my mind does is race. About things I could have done, should have done. Like with Bucky." Steve looked Tony dead in the eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about your parents. I thought I was doing the right thing, but honestly, it just feels like anytime I try to do what is right, it turns out to be really, really wrong. Howard was my friend. I shouldn't have kept it from you. You were my friend too." There was genuine remorse across Steve's face, worn with an expression of absolute sadness.

"I know. We do whatever we have to, to protect the people we love." Tony immediately thought of Pepper. "Was I mad? Of course. But I've had time, and I've started to think more and I'm slowly moving past it. And I still am. Your friend. Even though you make some seriously questionable choices."

Steve gave a small laugh and rolled his eyes. Tony always had to make a meaningful conversation comical in his own way.

Suddenly, the shades in the jet began to dim, making the cabin seem almost black inside. Steve looked around, ready fight off whatever might be approaching. The pilot's voice came on overhead.

"Gentlemen, we're getting ready to land. Please remain seated."

Steve and Tony buckled their seatbelts. "What's with the blackout?" Steve questioned Tony. "I told you, we're going to a classified location. SHIELD must have hijacked the tech settings in the control panel."

Steve could tell the pilot was flying them around in circles, deliberately to throw them off. After about twenty minutes of that, the pilot request permission to land. Before Steve knew it, they were on the ground, and the shades in the jet had returned to normal, letting in the natural daylight. Steve and Tony collected their belongings and made their way off the jet.

What was standing there waiting for them, was something that neither had expected.

"Hey guys."