Chapter four

Scars

Why the hell did she have to even exist?

Tony was on his second drink by the time everyone started to filter in. He saw Bruce first and walked over, patting the fellow scientist on the back. He even forced his signature grin onto his face, "Dr. Banner, good to see you. Any fun moments as an enormous green rage monster or did you smoke enough of that hidden weed stash to keep him on a leash?"

"Stark…Just as charming as always." He smiled his usually nervous smile, fidgeting only slightly- an overall better improvement on his part. His eyes flitted about the room while he subtly noted that something was off about the man in front of him. He was good at telling Stark's feelings- granted, if you paid attention it wasn't really all that hard. When it came to Tony Stark, if one knew what they were looking for, he was an open book. Still, Bruce knew it was infinitely better for the time being to keep his mouth shut. Tony was prone to blab it out sooner or later… He always did.

"I see we didn't have to go find you again, Dr. Banner… And it's a shame we didn't lose you, Stark." Natasha was the next to arrive, her red hair tied back loosely as it had grown longer while she was out abroad. Tony noted she sported rather light clothing opposed to that of her favored black suit.

"Mission in the sun?" Tony asked, his dark eyes flickering to see Clint striding behind her, dressed in similar clothing. "… Or a honeymoon?"

"That's none of your business, Stark." Clint told him with an even glare.

"Eh, I'm not really the marrying-type of guy. Why settle down with one when there are literally millions of women out there? I could do the math for you if you'd like," Tony told him, raising his glass to get a drink. As he let the alcohol slide down his throat, leaving the all too familiar sensation of fire in its wake the three gathered caught onto what was up with him. It was subtle but it was enough to get their attention and make them keener as to what the self proclaimed genius was rambling about. Marriage? That was the problem? Perhaps Pepper had hinted to him about getting married sooner and he was getting a case of cold feet?

Just as Tony was prepared to take the glass away from his lips he heard the sound of two more pairs of footsteps. His brown gaze immediately fell to the two people he dreaded seeing most- Cap and Stella. There was a brief pause before he tossed the entire drink down in one swallow, setting it on his bar with a loud CLACK! He slowly let his mask come on, the arrogant smirk, the haughty gaze as he took in their features. Sure enough, like he had anticipated ol' capsicle seemed pretty pssed, and Stella…

She actually looked kind of nervous, especially when she met his dark gaze. He couldn't help but feel a furious kind of glee at seeing her face pale. Oh? Was she scared? He wanted to chuckle. "And now with spangle britches and his mini-me who proves to be ever so charming and wholesome," he didn't fail to see Steve's jaw clench and Stella's hands ball up, her knuckles going white as she pressed her lips together, "we only need Thunderhead, right?"

"Rodger's 'mini-me'? Who is that woman and what are you blabbing about now?" Natasha asked, her brows furrowing as she took in the exchange. She ran her eyes over the new comer, noting that she bore a faint resemblance to…

"Don't ask me. Cap, why don't you tell them?" He smirked a bit more, leaning back.

"Dr. Banner, Mr. Barton, Ma'am," Steve began after casting Stark a dirty glare that spoke leagues for the old-fashioned man, "this is my daughter, Stella."

"Daughter?!" Bruce inquired, "but you were frozen for seventy years!"

"It's…complicated." Steve told him. "But she is my daughter and I would do anything to protect her," Steve let his eyes meet Tony's as he spoke.

"I see…" The three cast curious glances at the other three but said nothing. It was a long, uncomfortable silence as Clint, Natasha, Bruce and Stella watched the stare down between Steve and Tony. The silence was finally interrupted by JARVIS, of all things.

"Director Fury has suggested that those who have arrived go and settle in. He will brief everyone later."

"Sounds like a good idea to me… Same floors, right Tony?" Bruce asked.

"Yep." There was another awkward pause before the three shuffled out, albeit reluctantly as they were so curious as to the situation at hand, leaving the two men and the woman they were about to dispute over.

"Is there a problem, Stark?" Steve asked with a glare. "Or do you just enjoy being a pompous bigot?"

"I'm not the one with the problem, Cap. Why don't you ask your two faced lying slt of a daughter?" Tony retorted easily, though he wasn't usually one for insulting women. It wasn't his style but right now he was insanely upset. In the back of his mind he was starting to piece it together slowly but he didn't want to face the reality of the situation.

"Don't you DARE call her that again!" Steve snarled as he crossed to him.

"Well what do you call women that sleep with a man then leave them during the middle of the night?"

"I'm sorry, I really am! I had my reasons… If I could explain them to you, you would understand…" Stella told him, her face bright red.

"I don't want any of your excuses." Tony told her.

"Tony, please…."

"Are you so pathetic that you have to hurt a woman just to make yourself feel right again? I wonder if that is why Pepper left you." Steve snapped. He watched as Tony's face twitched before he looked in Steve's face, his eyes cold, emotionless.

"That," he spoke calmly, "is none of your business. Go to your floor before I kill you."

Stella sensed things were going downhill and she crossed over, placing her hand on her father's arm. She watched as Steve glanced over at her, his face softening some. "Go ahead, I'll find you later. This is my mistake and I need to fix it."

"Stella-"

"Please, Steve." Stella looked in his eyes. She watched as he nodded slowly before turning his gaze back to Tony.

"If you hurt her I swear to God that I will personally end you, Stark." He didn't wait for a reply, instead turning quickly on his heal and leaving the two in silence. Stella looked at Tony, recalling the night before when he smiled with her, laughed and let his eyes sparkle at her. Now this was a totally different man and she knew she was the reason for it.

"Out of innate curiosity, Ms. Rodgers, what exactly was your reasoning for leaving without so much as a goodbye?" Tony stared down at her, his voice and face controlled though he could feel his insides bubbling and boiling with rage that was just waiting to come spewing out like molten lava.

"Tony, last night was a mistake," Stella began, sighing. "I don't know what I was thinking. I've been around men for most of my life and I've never had someone get to me like you did… So when I was lying there beside you, I… I got scared."

"Scared? What was there to be scared of?" Tony asked her, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Like I said, no one had ever gotten me the way you did. I…. I knew if I had stayed it could be a real possibility that I could possibly…"

"Go on." Tony prompted, crossing his arms and partially hiding the glow of his arc reactor. He watched her beautiful features screw up slightly with distress before her blue eyes met his.

"I could fall in love with you."

Those seven words hit him like seven tons of brick… Or an angry Hulk. Whichever hit harder.

Love? She was afraid because she could love him?

Was he just that horrible to love?

"Tony, this isn't going to work," Pepper sighed as she looked at him, her eyes red from crying. "I can't take knowing that I will always come second."

"Babe," Tony pleaded, holding her hand, "you're not second. You're my world, Pep, you know that. Come on," he faked a smile, "you can't possibly leave this now, can you?" He was joking, desperate to keep her with him. He hadn't lied when he told her she was his world and if she left… he'd be lost.

"I should be married and have children by now, Tony, not getting gray hairs from wondering if you are going to come home in one piece. I love you, I do, but this just isn't working. It's over," Pepper told him, stepping back, "from now on I am just your employee, maybe your friend. Nothing more."

"Pep…" Tony's voice rasped. "C-can I just have one more night?"

Pepper reluctantly agreed and Tony had made love to her one last time, his heart feeling like it was being drug by barbed wire through salt and broken glass. When it was over he pulled her into his chest and fell asleep, holding her close to him.

When he woke in the morning he found his strawberry blonde world gone.

I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut
My weakness is that I care too much
And my scars remind me that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel

It was twelve forty seven am when Tony had his fifth scotch. He looked over the ever active city, watching all the lights and the cars. Over twelve hours ago he had learned that the reason he was abandoned because the woman didn't want to fall in love with him.

"It just wouldn't work." Where had he heard that before?

Tony supposed it had made sense why it had bothered him, the same colored hair, those eyes… It was easy to fool himself into thinking that for that night he had the love of his life back. "Drunk and I'm feeling down, And I just wanna be alone, I'm pssed cause you came around, Why don't you just go home?" Tony's voice rasped perfectly to the song, his eyes closed. He closed his eyes, refusing to let tears fall from them. When had he become so weak? "Cause you channel all your pain, And I can't help, you fix yourself. You're making me insane, All I can say is-"

"I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut, My weakness is that I care too much," a softer, alto voice stole the words from him, causing him to turn. There she was again, like an eerie reminder of the past. "And our scars remind us that the past is real, I tear my heart open just to feel, I tried to help you once, Against my own advice," she was beside him now, her hand on his shoulder, I saw you going down, But you never realized, That you're drowning in the water, So I offered you my hand, Compassions in my nature, Tonight is our last stand," Stella whisper-sang to him, taking his face into her hands as she kissed him. There was a pause before he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him as he sank down onto the rooftop, never ceasing in kissing her. As the two made love out in the night air they both realized they were using one another again- both to fill the empty hole inside of them.

It wasn't going to work like that.