A/N: Sorry this took so long! School started back and it has been crazy busy! I love the thoughts and questions that people have been bringing up and I hope that you like the way I handle these different and difficult topics. If I have any Team Cap fans, I don't want you to feel like Steve is being attacked. Each will get their fair side, but the Mini-Tony in my brain insisted that he was going to monologue… Mini-Steve forgot to tell Mini-Sweets that before he started.

Nobody Can Save Me

It was two days later when Tony walked back into Sweets office. Sweets had a long list of questions of areas that he needed more information in.

"Tony, how would you say that you are on a scale of 1 to 10 today? One being life is the worst. Ten being that life couldn't be better."

Tony looked at Sweets like he was an idiot but he answered, " A four I suppose. Rhodey is doing better and Pepper is really pleased with me actually talking about this."

Sweets glanced at him, "Uh, Tony if I had asked you that during our first session what would you have said?"

Tony shrugged, "A two maybe? Afghanistan will always be 1."

Sweets mentally winced, he had thought Tony had PTSD, anxiety, maybe heart problems, but that he had missed depression was concerning.

"Alright, well I can already give you our first homework assignment is for you to do something as self-care. Maybe having a relaxing time with friends, reading a book, journaling, or something like that."

Tony sighed, "Does working in my lab count?"

Sweets looked at him, "Normally for a scientist I might say yes… But I suspect you use your lab to hide, am I right?"

Tony reluctantly nodded, "That's what I figured, so no Tony, your lab does not count. That means you take care of yourself. Not work yourself harder to make time for it."

Sweets caught the subtle wince, he mentally nodded, he had thought that Tony was more similar to Dr. Brennan than Agent Booth. It looks like he was right.

"Alright, so Tony can you tell me who all is on your team? You don't have to give me actual names or anything. But you and Steve keep referencing people that I have no idea who they are. So give me something to work with please?'

"Well there's me and Cap or Steve, I guess is how you're familiar with him. Then there was Rhodey although he's paralyzed now. Then there's Sam, Nat, Clint, W or Wanda, Bruce, Thor, Peter, T'Challa, Scott, and Vision.'

Sweets slowly blinked, "Oh, it's a bigger team than I expected."

He shrugged, "In the beginning, it was Nat, Thor, Steve, Bruce, and Clint. We've grown since then."

Sweets nodded, "But that hasn't been enough to make you feel safe for the next generation of special ops?"

Tony's bitter laugh made Sweets feel bad for Tony. Tony answered though, "Why should I feel better? Sam is almost 40 and Rhodey is almost 50. I'm right behind Rhodey but with more injuries. Clint is right there with me. No one knows how old Nat, Bruce, Thor, or Steve is nor how long they'll live. Nat, Bruce, and Steve were all experimented on. They could live twenty more years being able to fight in the field or could have to drop out tomorrow. Thor and T'Challa have other responsibilities. I don't trust Wanda even though the team does. She refuses to accept responsibility for her actions. She messed with our minds and blamed me for her parent's death. Even I know that isn't right! Vision will be fine, but he doesn't always read social situations right and playing right with people is part of the job."

Sweets nodded, "So Scott and Peter are also able to work with Vision?"

Tony shrugged, "Peter's still too young to be used in anything but an emergency like when we ended up fighting with Steve to protect others from him."

"You've said several things that are very interesting. You mentioned that Peter is too young? Protecting others from Steve? As well as Wanda blaming you for her parent's deaths? Can you explain any of these?"

Tony nodded, "Peter is a bit young to be fighting but with the 48-hour deadline I had, I had Peter come to use his talents to hopefully detain Steve and the others so that the death squads wouldn't be sent out. I didn't want more people injured or killed because of the difference in strength levels. Steve, Nat, Bruce, Thor, Vision, and others sometimes forget that they have abilities that most people just dream of. They deal out blows that can kill a normal man."

"How do you survive then Tony?"

"My toys and a mask to hide my face."

Sweets were unable to completely hide the look of horror on his face, "Do they not remember that you're all human?"

Tony shrugged, "Don't you get it Sweets. I'm not human, I'm a man in a suit that provides them with what they need when they need it. I don't have emotions. I just mess up and get debugged like one of my machines."

"That's a terrible way to view yourself, Tony. You are not a machine, you are a brilliant man."

"And that's all I'm good for in a nutshell. You asked about Wanda's parents didn't you? Some rebels got ahold of some of my weapons and shot them in her home country. It killed her parents and she spent two days staring at the side of a bomb that read "Tony". Do you know what makes it even better? We went back to Wanda's country and fought. We tried to save as many lives as we could but couldn't save them all. Months passed and I went to a presentation to give out scholarships. There I met a mother of a son who we didn't save. It never ends don't you see? It's always my fault, if I had just reached higher, done better, they'd stop blaming me."

"Tony, look at me. Tony!" Sweets was genuinely afraid that Tony was having an anxiety attack but Tony finally focused back on him.

"Tony it's not your fault. You cannot save the world. It's unfair of people to even expect you to try. You're a normal man, a very smart one granted, but you are one man. You cannot do everything you've mentioned in these sessions and not die. You have to be exhausted. I know that you don't believe it yet. But this is not your fault. Now, why don't you tell me about your other responsibilities?"

"Well as stated I help run my dad's company, I work as Q for the US government, I work as a special forces operative, I am in charge of my company's R&D department, I help administer scholarships and foundations, and for a while, I was dating Pepper."

"And are you pretty good at that?"

"Pepper's better at the business side of things and I don't understand how she or anyone would actually want to date me for me. But I don't do a bad job of things, I guess."

"Do your other team members juggle these responsibilities?"

"Well, Thor and T'Challa are heads of state for two separate countries. Nat and Clint do other jobs separately for special forces. Bruce works in my labs before he disappeared. The others just train really."

"So you're measuring your ability to handle things based off of a majority of people who aren't even working full time?"

Tony shrugged seeming sheepish, "It does sound odd when you put it like that…"

Sweets transitioned the topic to Tony's inventions. It appeared that Tony was emotionally exhausted for today.