Author's note: Now, in no way do I mean this to be romantic in any sense at all. This is strictly a friend-comforting-friend deal. But, if you'd like to see it that way, be my guest.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Nocturnal Panic

Chapter 2: Unlikely Assistance

The silence of the Stark Tower was briefly broken by the long and heavy sigh that Pepper emitted as she walked down the dark halls. It'd been a long day of running around for Tony and the rest of the team while they again saved the city from another threat. Pepper couldn't be more proud of them, or more happy to help; it just got exhausting quickly is all. She was only one woman after all, trying to work for a group of superheroes. Jarvis helped out when he could and that took a world off her shoulders which she was grateful for, but even still. Pepper was just glad the day was coming to an end so she could curl up in her bed and sleep for hours.

The team had stayed up late that afternoon, celebrating a mission well accomplished. They all sat around the TV in the living room and watched and laughed and ate. It was nice to see everyone so loose and carefree; Pepper would be lying if she said she didn't wish for more days like that. It was the mess left afterwards that she didn't much care for. And when you have a god, a scientist, two assassins, a super-soldier, and Tony to clean after, well, to put it lightly, it is definitely not pretty.

'Just one more job.' Pepper thought to herself. Just clean the den and go to bed. Normally she'd have gotten a head-start on it, even before everyone was done leaving for their rooms around the Tower, but she'd been held back at a meeting at Stark Industries and didn't get back until late that night. Running a company for a superhero and being his personal assistant, wasn't easy, after all.

Just around the corner, quiet as a mouse so as not to wake anyone, Pepper tip-toed through the dark building, straining her eyes through the living room. The room was so dark, the only source of light being the moon that streamed around the window blinds; in the poor lighting Pepper nearly thought the room to be spotless. "Jarvis,". Pepper whispered. "Lights please. Dim." The lights turned on dim enough for her to see but not too bright that they blinded her, and she took a proper look around, only to stare in disbelief.

The room actually was spotless. Not a plate or napkin or crumb in sight. Pepper questioned if the team had actually stayed up late at all that evening; maybe she was remembering a different night they had, and had gotten the nights confused. It would make sense with how exhausted and burned out her brain was, to make that mistake. Perhaps she really needed to sleep now. A small, incredulous shake of the head, and Pepper turned to leave. That is, until a small grunt made her stop.

Pepper turned around slowly, scanning the room carefully for anything suspicious. She knew she heard something; maybe Tony had fallen asleep in the den again. Pepper looked, though there didn't seem to be anyone laying sprawled out on the floor like the last time Tony had crashed in the living room. Maybe he made it to the couch this time. Pepper slowly and quietly approached the back of the couch and peeked over.

There, laying along the couch with a cushion under his head and hands folded on his chest, was not Tony, but Steve Rogers. At first Pepper was surprised, but then it made sense; Steve was always the one to help her clean up after everyone on nights like these. This time it seemed he did her job for her and just accidentally fell asleep on the couch.

Pepper smiled down gently at the sleeping soldier; he was always so sweet and polite. Sometimes she wished Tony held such values; but then he wouldn't be Tony if he did. A small smirk tugged at Pepper's lips at the thought. She turned and quietly walked to a cabinet, retrieving a blanket. That's when she heard another small grunt from Steve. She frowned at the sound; it was quiet, but strangled, strained; as if Steve was in distress in some way.

Finally returning to the back of the couch, Pepper peeked over again to find Steve in a thin sheen of sweat and a hard grimace on his face. His breathing had accelerated significantly and his head tossed about fervently. Worry crept into Pepper's chest and she hurried around the couch to kneel near Steve's head, blanket forgotten on the floor beside her.

"Steve?" Pepper whispered in concern. She gently took his shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.

Steve's breath hitched, and his head tossed just a little more violently. "No." He groaned. "Don't."

Steve was having a nightmare, Pepper knew that much. She'd seen enough nightmares in her day; dealing with a stubborn billionaire with clear PTSD did that to you. What could have the super-soldier Captain America so frightened, was lost to her though. But she knew better than that; Steve wasn't some fearless, robotic figure like everyone thought he was. He was a human being that had been through more trauma than any one man could handle; enough for two lifetimes. He had a right to be a little messed up in the head, and scared once in a while.

Pepper brought both hands to shake Steve's shoulder and spoke a little louder. "Steve, wake up."

Steve's breathing was reaching hyperventilation speed and it was worrying Pepper greatly. "Hold on." Steve mumbled. "Don't. . .don't you let go. I'm coming, I'm coming."

"Come on Steve." Pepper shook harder. "It's time to wake up now. Steve, wake up." She said forcefully.

"I'm coming." Steve repeated breathlessly. "Hold on, I'm coming."

"Steve!" Pepper was getting anxious now. "Come now, wake up! Steve!"

Finally Steve shot straight up with a panicked gasp. "Bucky!"

"Steve?" Pepper asked hurriedly, her hands now on his arm for comfort; an anchor in hopes to pull him out of his dream. "Steve, it's me. It's Pepper. Are you alright?"

Steve looked about frantically while he panted and gasped, the nightmare still fresh on his mind. The words didn't register until his eyes finally found Pepper kneeled in front of the couch with her hand on his arm. He frowned at her in disbelief, still working through the remnants of his dream and reality. Finally his face relaxed in recognition and he began to calm down, his erratic breathing slowing to a normal pace.

"Are you alright?" Pepper repeated, this time softer and more gentle; as a mother would to her frightened child.

Steve sat trying to steady his breathing, eyes now downcast and full of shame. He nodded quickly. "I-I. . ." He stuttered, and closed his eyes in slight frustration. He swallowed thickly and regained his composure, then opened his eyes to Pepper. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I didn't mean to fall asleep out here. I-"

Pepper rolled her eyes with a small smirk; same old chivalrous Steve Rogers. She patted his arm to cut him off. "It's fine, Steve." She said with a smile. "You don't need to apologize."

Steve looked to her but didn't return her smile, nor did he respond as he dropped his gaze.

Pepper's face fell sympathetic for the man. She stood and Steve immediately moved his legs over the side of the couch, allowing her to sit. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Pepper asked gently as she sat next to him.

Steve looked up at her briefly, and Pepper saw the deep-rooted sorrow in those haunted blue eyes, for once completely unmasked. He dropped his gaze to his hands in his lap and swallowed awkwardly. "I appreciate that, Miss Potts-"

"How many times have I told you,". Pepper cut him off gently, a playful grin on her face. "It's Pepper."

Steve finally offered a small smile back but Pepper could see the strain behind it. "But really, I'll be fine." He finished.

Pepper's face fell in disappointment. Just like Tony; they could face alien armies and life-or-death situations head on without hesitation, but come time to talk about their feelings and they high-tail it out of there as fast as they could. Pepper understood that boys needed their pride, but they also needed their sanity, and letting such stress eat them alive was just as hazardous as an army shaking the foundations of the city.

With a small sigh, Pepper changed the subject for the moment. "Thanks, by the way, for cleaning the living room. You're always so helpful. I wish the others had your virtues." She smiled sweetly at him.

Steve smirked the faintest as a flush of red tinted his cheeks, and he shrugged modestly. "Anything I can do to help." He mumbled. He subtly weaved his hands together in his lap, trying to stop them from shaking so much. Pepper noticed the action anyways, and laid her own hand on them. Steve looked back up at her to see one of the most gentle, caring and concerned expressions he'd seen since. . .well, since another time.

"What did you dream of?" Pepper asked. It wasn't a demand, she wasn't forcing him to tell her. It was just a curious question from a friend.

A friend.

Steve stared at Pepper for a moment longer, merely observing the care in her eyes. So much like. . . .he sighed heavily and dropped his gaze. "My other life, I guess." He said softly. "The war, the people." He shook his head gently, then shrugged.

Pepper squeezed his hand, trying to offer comfort even though she really didn't know how to approach the situation. Steve had been pulled out of a hard and terrible life, but at least it was what he knew. He knew how that world operated and worked. He had people and friends that he knew and cared about. Here, in this new century, Steve didn't even know how to live anymore. Pepper couldn't imagine what that must be like. She stroked Steve's hand gently with her thumb, hoping it would soothe the shaking in his hands a bit. "What were they like?" She asked gently. "The people you knew, the soldiers you fought with."

A ghost of a smile graced Steve's face, the reminder of his old team seeming to bring a small enough calm to ease his shaking hands and tense posture slightly. "The best." He answered proudly. "They never hesitated, they always looked out for each other, and still kept each other sane. Even in the middle of war, there were times we'd have long nights of just sitting and waiting for orders or opportunities to strike; those were the best nights of the war. We'd all just sit in our camps and talk and laugh; some would talk about their families back home, others would describe what they'd do once the war was over. They always had their spirits up, always optimistic that the war would end soon and they'd be back with the people they loved."

Pepper smiled at the sentiment, and at the small light in Steve's eyes that briefly chased away the darkness hidden in them.

"They were brave." Steve went on. "They were resourceful and determined. They were selfless and loyal. Those were the heroes of my time; not, Captain America." He said with a hint of distaste. "Those normal, everyday human beings were the real heroes out there. They were my heroes."

"They sound wonderful." Pepper said sweetly. "And I'm sure they all thought the same about you."

Steve smiled at her briefly, then waved his hand idly. "We weren't thinking about heroics out on the field. Sure we always had the alertness to watch each other's backs in the back of our minds, but mostly we just spent time bonding with each other, getting to know the people we were laying our lives on the line for. We became best friends, brothers; a real family out there."

Pepper squeezed his hand again as he trailed off. The room fell silent for a moment longer, until curiosity won out and Pepper dared the question. "Who's Bucky?" She asked as softly as she could.

Just as Pepper feared, Steve went stiff, his expression hardened the slightest, and his hands shook a bit more as he squeezed them together. Pepper kept her hand on his, rubbing soothing circles with her thumb to try to keep him grounded.

"H-how did-" Steve started shakily.

"You were talking in your sleep." Pepper explained gently, solemnly.

Steve nodded in acknowledgment, staring at his hands and trying to stop the shaking.

"Steve,". Pepper said just above a whisper. "It's okay." She leaned a bit closer to him, holding his gaze with as much care and gentleness she could muster while squeezing his hand.

Steve eyed her for a moment, an inward struggle playing through his mind. The memories, that dream. . .he'd never talked about stuff like that before to anyone, and he wasn't sure if he could now. But he knew Pepper was a kind lady; perhaps one worth trusting.

Steve let out a heavy sigh, feeling Pepper's thumb speed up slightly in its circles and smiled lightly at the effort. "Bucky. . ." He sighed, a sad chuckle tailing the end. "He was my brother before I even joined the army. He was always looking out for me. I got into a lot of trouble back then, but he was always there to bail me out. He was my best friend, and a real good soldier."

Now Pepper understood. Steve's best friend; that's who he was dreaming about, and that's why he was so distraught.

"What happened. . .to Bucky?" Pepper asked softly. She knew she was treading dangerous territory, but obviously this was eating Steve alive, and he needed to get this stuff out in the open if he was ever going to start to heal.

Another heavy sigh, Steve kept his eyes trained on the floor. "We. . .it was a mission. . .to stop Hydra, and Schmidt. There was a train. . ." He closed his eyes as the memories flooded his mind and threatened to swallow him up.

Pepper brought her other hand and surrounded his in hers, rubbing them gently to offer comfort and security. "It's okay." She whispered.

Steve nodded, regaining his composure. "We were hijacking this train; it held Schmidt's assistant. We were going to take him in for questioning; find out where Schmidt was. Bucky and I went first, through a storage car I think, I can't really remember. There was this man. . .the weapon he was using. . .it wasn't normal; wasn't human."

"The Tesseract?" Pepper asked. She'd read the files; she knew about Johann Schmidt and the Nazis and Hydra. She knew as much as Tony did about all the Avengers, as it was kind of in her job description.

Steve nodded with a bitter twist in his features. "Schmidt did something; something not human. He created those weapons and was going to use them on the rest of the world. They wouldn't have known what hit them."

Pepper nodded in understanding. She knew Steve was bitter towards the man who had put millions of lives in danger. She rubbed Steve's hands again. "What happened on the train?" She gently steered the topic back.

Steve sighed. "Bucky and I boarded the train. We ran into some men and got separated. I finally found Bucky pinned down by a couple of men and we took them down together. . .but we let our guard down."

"The man with the super-weapon." Pepper clarified.

Steve nodded. "He knocked me down. I lost the shield, and. . .it was all disorienting. I wasn't really sure what was happening. Bucky had my shield then, he was shooting at the man, but the man wouldn't fall. He shot that weapon and. . .Bucky was knocked out of the train, just barely hanging on by a broken metal rod. That's when I got up and took the guy out. I ran to Bucky, and I tried to climb out to him. . .I reached for him, but. . ."

Pepper felt her heart sink with realization. "He fell." She finished softly, horror and shock clear in her voice and on her face. She may have read Steve's file, knew nearly everything that happened back in the '40's, but that was all from the views of a documenter. Steve was telling her exactly had happened through his eyes, complete with the grief and heartache.

Steve closed his eyes again, dropping his head into his hands. "I tried to reach him." He said softly, his voice shaky and pitchy and muffled. "He was right there; if I had just gotten to him faster-"

"No no no, shhh." Pepper quickly wrapped an arm around his shoulders, squeezing gently and rubbing his arm. "It's not your fault, Steve. You can't blame yourself for what happened."

"If I had been stronger. . ." Steve raised his head to stare distantly ahead of him, revealing red-rimmed and watery eyes. He rested his clasped hands against his lips, staring out in front of him. "If I hadn't gone down, Bucky wouldn't have needed to go in. He wouldn't have been shot at. If I had just done my job-"

No, Steve." Pepper said sternly. "It wasn't your fault. Bucky did what he did of his own will; he chose to stand up and defend his fallen comrade."

"He shouldn't have had to." Steve mumbled bitterly.

"Now you listen here, Steve Rogers." Pepper demanded, turning his shoulders to face her with a determination. "Bucky was a good friend, and a good soldier, just like you said. He put his life on the line for the world and for you; just like you always do. You save people on a daily basis, without complaint. Now, I have no doubt in my mind that Bucky is incredibly proud of you, for everything you do. If he's as good a friend as you say he is, then I'm sure he doesn't blame you for what happened to him."

Steve sniffled, dropping his gaze, though Pepper kept a firm yet gentle grip on his shoulders. She just reminded him so much of. . . .

Pepper's face softened and she tilted her head to meet Steve's eyes. "You can't change the past." She said softly and gently. "But you can always remember it, and learn from it, and commemorate it. Honor the people who fell by living for them; honor Bucky by remembering what he did, and being the best you can be at protecting what he was protecting."

Steve sniffled, then finally looked up to meet Pepper's gaze with teary and sorrowful eyes. But he allowed the smallest of smiles that was more genuine than anything Pepper had seen from the man since she'd met him. It allowed a small flutter of hope in her chest. "Thank you, Miss-" Steve croaked out.

"Ah!" Pepper reprimanded playfully.

Steve chuckled lightly, the sound music to Pepper's ears. "Pepper." He corrected. "Really." He added gratefully.

Pepper smiled, rubbing his shoulders again. "Of course. Now off to bed mister." She teased as she patted his arm.

Steve chuckled again as they stood, and he allowed Pepper to guide him towards the hall. They stood to part ways, and Steve bowed his head slightly. "Ma'am." He offered as farewell.

Pepper smiled at his courtesy, then she stepped forward, offering her arms out. "May I?" Without waiting for a reply, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gently squeezed him. She could feel his body stiffen at first, but he finally relaxed and returned the embrace, resting his hands on her back. She could feel the tension in his body slowly start to dissipate. Pepper rested her hand on the back of Steve's head, stroking it softly. "Sweet dreams." She whispered. They pulled away and she smiled up at him.

Steve smiled back down at her. "Thank you." He whispered again, deep sincerity in the words.

Pepper rubbed his arm comfortingly before she finally turned and headed to her bedroom.

"Pepper." Steve called back, and waited for her to turn to face him again, a small confusion and joy in her eyes at him finally calling her by her first name, without prompting. He smiled as she met his gaze. "We're lucky to have you." He said softly.

And right there; those were the moments that made Pepper's job all worth it. They may all be big and messy superheroes, but they still appreciated Pepper and all she did, and she was grateful for every one of them. A red flushed her cheeks and a goofy smile tugged at her lips as they both turned and headed for bed.

Author's note: Again, no romance intended, but if you want to, you can read it that way. Last chapter's up tomorrow.