A/N: Hey! I'm glad that people are showing interest in this story. I got the idea from the song Hero by Skillet, so go listen to that if you are so inclined! The chapters will become longer as I progress but for now I'm going to keep them semi-short while I wait for more feedback. Please, please review! I appreciate all the support.

Tony pressed a hand to the large glass window and looked out over the bustling streets of New York. The city was a buzz with the prospect of a new day. He could see people, small as ants, making their way to work, job interviews, restaurants and shopping outlets. They all had some place to be and they had to get there as quickly as possible. Perhaps this is why Tony despised this city, all the rush. He wished that things could just slow down and relax for a change. He figured that if the world could be still for just one day, maybe he could fix things and work out all his problems. If the world could only take pause, his life could return to normal.

The billionaire stepped away from the window and walked back into his living room. He couldn't help but feel like a prisoner here. Despite how large and grand the penthouse was, it just wasn't like his Malibu home. Stark plopped down onto the couch and chewed mindlessly on his fingernails while he anticipated the events that were about to come. He did not want to go to therapy; in fact, he would rather get thrown out a window than attend such a ridiculous thing.

"Jarvis, what time is it?" Tony questioned his AI.

"It is noon, sir."

With a groan Stark fell onto his side on the couch, he had to wait another five hours before he could get this over with and he couldn't drink because he knew that if he showed up drunk it would prove he had a problem and Steve would probably kick his ass for putting him through that.

Tony curled up on the couch and decided that sleeping for the next few hours didn't seem like a very bad idea at all.

~.~

"Dammit, Tony!" A rather angry voice yelled whilst shaking the semi-conscious man, "Wake the hell up. We told you to be ready to go by 4:30."

The now awake man shoved Steve away from him and sat up, rubbing his still tired eyes, "I fell asleep; you're just pissy you weren't there to sleep with me."

"There is no time for your snarky remarks. We have to get going."

Sighing dramatically, Tony stood up and stretched his back out, "Okay. Let's go, Captain Asshole."

Steve's eyes narrowed and he turned and walked briskly to the elevator. He hated having Tony call him Captain, or Cap, or Captain America. Yes, he was very proud of his country, yes he had served in the military and maybe it was true that his room and wardrobe consisted of our flag's colours but that was beside the point. His name was Steve Rogers and he wished to be addressed as such.

"Oh, stop your pouting, Steve." Tony grinned at his friend while rolling his eyes as the elevator began its descent, "You know I'm just fucking with you."

"I really do not understand your need for ridiculous nicknames, but I know you just like to get a rise out of me."

The billionaire made a point of looking him up and down very slowly, "You know that I would like that."

A light blush touched Steve's cheeks and he stuttered under Tony's searching gaze, "Wha-? That's not what I meant!"

Tony laughed loudly as he stepped off the elevator, god it was just too easy to make Steve uncomfortable, it was not even a challenge for him anymore! Still grinning to himself, Tony left the building and slid into the car that was parked outside waiting for them. A few moments later, a still flustered looking Steve Rogers got into the vehicle beside him.

Happy glanced over his shoulder at the two men, making sure they were buckled in, and then he started off to their destination. Steve had already given him the directions before he had gone upstairs to retrieve Stark.

Tony, who now realized that this therapy thing was really and truly happening, looked out the window, all traces of his smile gone. It pissed him off that they did not trust him to take care of himself and it also infuriated him that he was being forced into this. Besides being handed things, Tony's least favorite activity was being pressured to do something that he did not want to do. He knew that they were all trying to look out for his well being, but he couldn't bring himself to feel touched by this. The closer they got to the place, the more Tony wished he could have a drink, or two, or ten.

"Tony, we're here." Steve said, unbuckling his seat belt.

Stark blinked and focused his eyes on the outside world. He had been so deep in thought that he had not even noticed the vehicle had stopped moving. With a sigh he followed Steve's actions and unhooked his seat belt then got out of the car. He nearly slammed the door behind him while his eyes looked over the building before him. The place was not very big but could not be classified as small either. It was located along the outskirts of the city by a body of water, Tony did not know, and did not care to know, which one it was. The building itself was made out of soft brown stones and had many windows littering its walls. The grass was a perfect green and it had a few stone paths leading around the sides of the place. Tony could not help but wonder if this was also a live-in rehabilitation clinic; it seemed much too large to be just a place for group therapy. Either way, it was a pretty nice stretch of property and there really wasn't anyone around, so he supposed he could count that one as a plus.

Steve had already began walking over to the front doors, so Tony followed after him slowly, he did not want to look like he was happy about being here, nor did he want to give Steve the satisfaction of being able to put him in a rush.

He entered the building behind his friend and followed him up to the front desk, taking in his surroundings. The colour of the walls was just a shade lighter than the outside of the building. The whole place seemed to be made up of gentle greens and browns, as if this calming scene would help the troubled people who came here.

"Hello," He heard Steve saying to the woman at the desk, "I have Tony-"

The other man instantly cut in, upon realizing how cute the lady was, "Tony Stark, and I have to say I must be in the right place. Only crazy people see angels and there is one right in front of me."

The woman, Linda according to her name tag, stared at Tony blankly before looking back to Steve, "Hello. I have his papers already filled out and I can take him back to the group room now. The session will be over at 6:30, you can collect him then."

Steve nodded to her and turned to Tony, "Try to behave yourself." He spoke in a low tone before turning and heading back the way they had came.

Stark rolled his eyes before looking back at Linda, "My, my, you are cold. Would it help if you pressed your body against mine?"

Once again, she completely ignored his advances, and walked around to the front of the desk, "If you'll just follow me this way…" She trailed off heading to a door on the right hand side of the room.

Tony groaned internally as he followed after her, this woman was already getting on his nerves. Usually those lies would have worked at least slightly, but she did not even seem flustered.

The man followed her down a long hallway whilst subtly glancing at the rooms around him. He realized that his earlier thought about this place also having live-in residents was true. Every door in the corridor led to, as far as he could see through the small windows, a bedroom. Tony couldn't help but think that living here would absolutely blow.

Linda held open a door for him and nodded her head, "This is the group room, and where we part. Good luck."

Tony decided not to try another pick up line and simply nodded his head then stepped into the room. He looked around to find that there were many people in the room already, all of which had stopped speaking and had focused their eyes on him.

For a brief moment he feared that someone would comment, but they all quickly looked away and went back to conversing amongst themselves. Tony raised a single eyebrow and realized that Pepper was right about no one paying the other people any mind.

Everyone in the room was sitting in chairs that were arranged in a slightly spread out circle. Tony could not help but think how much this felt like a kindergarten classroom. Sighing softly, the man made his way to the one of the open chairs by the window. Once seated, he looked around at the people in the circle. There were five people there, excluding himself. Two of those were women and the other three men. Only one of the men appeared to be younger than him while all of the women defiantly appeared to be at least five years younger.

Tony found himself ignoring nearly all of the people in the room, save for the one man who looked younger than him. This man had long slicked back black hair and impossibly green eyes. His facial structure was that of a model with his high cheekbones, strong jaw and flawless skin. This man was more beautiful than any of the women in the room.

Tony considered moving to sit beside him, as another open chair was to his left, but decided against it. Everyone here had some sort of vice and he was not so inclined as to bring home anyone with some crazy addiction, no matter how stunning they were.

The door, which Tony had entered in only moments before, opened again and a woman with graying hair and kind brown eyes stepped into the room. She walked briskly over to the chair beside the gorgeous man and sat down before addressing the people around her, "Hello, everyone. I am Dr. Cheyenne Larson, and while I know a few of you have already met me, I see that there are a couple new faces here today. So let's go around and do introductions."

If Tony could have facepalmed he would have at this moment. 'Good god, it really is like kindergarten.'