Steve watched as Shuri flitted between Tony and her machines mumbling to herself, but he didn't move until Peter had well and truly passed out from the exhaustion of the day, crying, and coming back from the snap. When he was sure that he wouldn't wake the boy, Steve rose cradling him like a small child and depositing him on the couch on the far side of the lab.

"What do you think, Shuri?"

Shuri set down her tablet and bit her lip as she contemplated her words. Sometimes Steve forgot that the brilliant princess, was still just a child. "It's not good. There are very high levels of Gamma radiation, which I am treating along with his other injuries from the battle, however he is currently in a coma. I am not sure when he will wake up. Or if he will at all."

Steve took a sharp breath and focused on keeping his mind from swimming to the worst outcome. A world without Tony Stark.

Instead he crossed the room in three large strides and pulled the girl into a hug. "Thank you for everything you've done. Thank you for helping him. Even if we don't know what will happen."

"Of course, Captain Rogers. You are a part of Wakanda and Mr. Stark is a part of you." She stepped away. Promising to be back to check in later. Leaving Steve with Tony's adopted son, his wife, and his best friend. It made him feel out of place. He loves Tony. But these people mean the most to him and deserve to be here more than him. He doesn't deserve to be in the same room as him. Not after the pain he had caused. But he can't leave. Its selfish really, but if these were Tony's last hours or days on this earth, Steve doesn't want to be anywhere else.

So, he pulled a chair up to the bedside and gripped Tony's hand like it was the only thing keeping him alive. Because for all the years they had been apart, knowing Tony was alive and happy had kept him sane. Now he was barely holding himself together.

As he took his place beside Tony, he looked across to Pepper. She had been silently staring at Tony's prone body for the better part of an hour. Only moving to step out of her suit and take a seat on the far side of the room. Away from everyone, even Rhodey who was pacing by the large window overlooking Wakanda. Steve understood the shock and pain she must be feeling at watching Tony save them all and nearly die doing it. That she might want to distance herself from that pain. But seeing the woman Tony loves not sitting beside him, not wanting to touch him. That made him feel antsy. Because he didn't know what he would do in this moment if he couldn't touch Tony. To feel that he was alive.

He pulled a pouch off the back of his belt, producing Tony's arc reactor. The one that five years prior Tony had thrust into his hands as a sign that he had truly fucked everything up. He fiddled with it anxiously, thankful for something to occupy his free hand and that it hadn't broken when Thanos had tossed him around like a rag doll.

They sat in silence for a long time, before Pepper finally spoke. "You love him." It wasn't a question. Not really. Just a blunt statement of fact. A true statement of fact.

"Yes." Steve murmured softly in reply. There was no point in lying. She could obviously see it written all over him.

Though he didn't expect her to abruptly stand and cross the room to where he stood.

He really didn't expect her hand as it came down hard across his cheek, but he understood. He deserved it. For loving her husband. For even being here. He wished that he could leave. That he had the strength to do that again. To leave because it was what Tony deserved. What he would want. But he didn't, so he just steeled himself. Prepared for Pepper to make him leave. To tell him to never come near Tony again.

But it never came.

"That was for all the pain you brought him. He deserved to know. About his parents and about this. Now, I need to go get our daughter. She should get to be with her father even if he isn't awake. I will be back as soon as I can."

Steve nodded numbly. Unsure why she wasn't kicking him out. Sending him back to the compound to aid the others with clean up. Or just forcing him on a Quinjet and sending him back into the ice.

Before she could leave the room, Steve spoke quietly. "Tony might want Harley here too. If that's okay. I don't know how close they are anymore."

Pepper hummed in response and then disappeared into the halls of Wakanda.

Steve cradled Tony's hand between both of his and pressed his lips to Tony's knuckles. He was startled out of his head by Rhodey speaking for the first time since they entered Wakanda.

"Thank you. For saving him. And it's okay. To be in love with him. Even after everything that happened."

"I would have saved him even if I wasn't in love with him. He matters. To us all. I've been in love with him for years. Even before our fight. He just deserved better. Especially after Siberia. And he has it. God, he has done so well. Morgan is smart, beautiful, and so sweet. His life with Pepper is great and I just want him to be alive. I won't interfere with their life. I swear. I just can't live in a world without him. I don't want to."

"Me neither."