Author's note: I was on a roll, so here is the next chapter. Thanks all, for the kind words and for reading. So, here it is…

Aftermath

Chapter 9

Sharon and Steve had awoken earlier than Sharon cared for and left the motel early. They had stopped at a local store to grab some food for the road, to cut down on potential stops, then got on the road to DC.

By the time they arrived in DC during the early afternoon hours, the city was a total madhouse. There was a major increase in traffic in and just people in general. Protestors were lining sidewalks everywhere – both for and against Steve Rogers. Steve was quiet as he steered the two of them through the city. He was extra careful to not make any eye contact when stopped for traffic lights.

Sharon messaged Tony, as he'd requested, and he sent her the hotel information back to her. She got Steve pointed in the right direction and in no time, they were pulling into an underground parking garage. The only other vehicle clearly belonged to Tony Stark.

As they climbed out and stretched. Happy Hogan joined them. He greeted the both of them warmly.

"Hi Happy," Sharon said before hugging him. "Is Tony upstairs, then? Or did he send you in a company car?" she was careful to hold her left hand where the diamond ring wouldn't be seen.

"Yes – Tony is here. He's upstairs," Happy told her. "How long has it been since I've seen you? It's been forever."

"It has been ages – it feels like," Sharon said. "And have you met Steve before?"

Happy extended his hand to Steve for a handshake. Steve gratefully accepted – it wasn't what he'd been expecting from someone so close to Tony.

"It is nice to finally meet you, Captain Rogers," Happy said while wearing a smile.

"Please, call me Steve," he answered. "And it's nice to meet you, too."

"I guess I should take you up there," Happy said.

"How is he?" Sharon asked as they were led to the elevator.

"Do you remember October 2005?" Happy asked her.

Steve Sharon go momentarily wide-eyed. "Really? That bad?"

"Well…"

"It's just everything all at once for him, I suppose," Sharon said ads they started moving up.

"Between the potential PTSD from New York, the Mandarin and Sokovia and the break up with Pepper, well…"

"Potential?" Steve asked.

"Well, I say potential because he's not agreed to have treatment for it," Happy said. "And this, well, he's pretty much…broken," he said quietly.

Both Sharon and Steve were silent.

"But he's been…better, a little, since you called, Sharon," he said. "He was very glad to hear your voice. He got dressed that day."

"How is Rhodey?" Sharon asked.

"Still recovering – still getting used to the bionic attachments Tony has been personalizing for him."

Sharon had not brought up Colonel James Rhodes and his extensive amount of injuries to Steve. She was sure that the others had filled him in and she knew Steve would feel badly enough without all the details.

"And you – how was your recovery been?" Sharon asked. "Happy, unfortunately, was caught by an Extremis explosion, back in 2013," she told Steve.

"I can tell when we're going to get rain, now, based on my knees, but otherwise I'm back to my old self," Happy smiled.

The elevator stopped and Sharon took a deep breath. Steve had told her that the phone call with Tony last night had gone just fine, but she was still wary of seeing Tony. Steve squeezed her hand to reassure her, but it was only partially helping. A massive knot had formed in the pit of her stomach and it didn't seem like it was going to go away anytime soon.

"Breathe," Steve whispered in her ear.

"I'm trying," Sharon replied.

They stepped off of the elevator and Happy pointed out a room down the hall.

"Did he buy out the whole place?" Sharon asked.

"Yes, he did," Happy nodded. "Did you expect anything less?"

"No," she shook her head. "No, I don't. In fact, I'm kind of surprised he hasn't bought out the whole block."

"Okay, well, Tony is staying on the top floor. You can go up when you're ready. Captain Rogers…Steve…this is your room and Sharon…"

"He wants us in separate rooms?" Sharon asked.

"I, uh…"

"The one room is fine for us, Happy," she said.

He nodded. "Then you can stay here in this room," he handed Steve the keycard. "Or this one," he handed another to Sharon.

She read the number that was on the envelope. "This is two floors up."

Happy shrugged. "Don't shoot the messenger."

Steve clapped him lightly on the shoulder. "This one here is great. Thank you."

"Okay, well, I'll be going then. I'll let Tony know and you can get settled in," the man said.

Sharon hugged Happy. "Thank you," she smiled. "And don't worry about telling Tony about us staying in the same room. I'll do it," she said.

"Thank you," Happy laughed.

He shook Steve's hand and headed back to the elevator. Steve opened the door and they entered the suite.

"This is bigger than the apartment we had in Chicago," Sharon said as they walked in.

Steve wasn't surprised that this was where Tony had elected to stay. He was good at throwing money at things and his money had found an over the top hotel that perfectly suited Tony.

"Maybe he wanted you to stay somewhere nice…" Sharon trailed off.

"In case they put me in jail and throw away the key?" Steve said.

"I…"

"You're fine, I'm joking," Steve replied. "This place is amazing."

"He has to know we're back together," Sharon said.

"I think you might be focused on the wrong part of this," Steve replied.

"He's such an idiot," Sharon replied to him.

"He loves you – he's just being protective of you."

"Because you're so terrifying?" Sharon said. "Are you going to break my heart?" she asked as she stretched up to put her arms around Steve's neck. "Should I be wary of you?"

He dipped down to kiss her. "No. I'm not going to hurt you."

She kissed him again. "Good," she whispered against his lips.

"Sharon, as much as…" he said slowly while using all of his available willpower. "I think we should go talk to Tony sooner rather than later."

"Really?"

"Don't you think we should check in with him?"

"No."

"Come on," he said, tilting his head.

"Do you really want to see him?" Sharon asked.

"I think he needs us," Steve said. "Hogan – he was right – Tony is….for lack of a better word…broken. He nearly died in New York and the Mandarin almost killed him. Pepper broke up with him and then the information about his parents. People who aren't Tony Stark would have given up ages ago."

"I know."

"And I wasn't eager for an olive branch before – because Stark always has his own agenda. But I'm starting to understand what he was trying to accomplish. I misjudged what Tony was saying," Steve said. "At least now I know where it's all coming from."

Fifteen minutes later, Sharon was summoning her courage to knock on Tony's door. She paused, hand in the air, and looked to Steve. He nodded and she put her hand to the door. Tony had opened the door in an instant.

He pulled Sharon into a tight embrace and held her there for a long while.

"It's so good to see you, little girl," he said into her shoulder. But his demeanor changed when he looked up to Steve. "Rogers."

"Mr. Stark," Steve said back.

The two men shared a tense handshake once Tony had let go of Sharon and she wondered if she would have to break them up.

"Tony, I do appreciate everything you've done for this," Steve said.

"Are your rooms satisfactory?" Tony asked, changing the subject. He was focused on Sharon who was doing her best to hide her engagement ring.

"We're only using the one room," Steve told him.

"So, you two – you're back together...as a couple?" Tony asked.

"Yes," both Steve and Sharon answered him.

"And…"

"And I've asked Sharon to marry me and she's said yes," Steve said.

They both saw the color drain from Tony's face, but he did not lose eye contact with them.

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order, then," Tony replied.

"Thank you," said Sharon.

"And, when did this take place?" Tony said.

"Friday night," Sharon answered.

"Interesting."

"We wanted to tell you in person," she added.

"Sure, sure," he nodded. "Well, you all should come inside and sit down. We can discuss tomorrow's details," he finished.

Tony moved aside to let them into his hotel room. He sat down in an armchair and Steve and Sharon sat opposite him on the sofa. He stared intently at the lack of space between their two bodies.

"So…"

"So…explain to me how you plan on getting married?" Tony said, staring at them. "Because I thought your plan tomorrow was to turn yourself in and I don't think they allow for conjugal visits."

"Maybe we shouldn't have…" Sharon began.

"Tony, I'll be the first to admit that the timing is…terrible."

"That certainly is an…interesting…way to put it, Captain. And, I think, a significant understatement," he said in a sarcastic tone.

"I love Sharon," Steve said. "It's just that simple," he added.

Tony's eyes were watery – it was uncertain if it was because he was touched by the emotional sentiment or because Tony was simply exhausted.

"Have you been sleeping? Eating regularly?" Sharon asked.

"We're not talking about me," Tony said defensively.

"I think we should," Sharon said.

Tony was up and out of his chair and was pacing back and forth in front of the two of them. He did look thinner and exhausted.

"No, this isn't some kind of intervention for me, okay?" Tony said. "I'm fine. And we have the large matter of you idiotic plan to deal with," Tony yelled.

Steve was instantly on his feet. "Don't yell at her," he said.

Sharon jumped up in between the two of them.

"The both of you will behave like the civil superhumans you are," Sharon demanded. "You don't have to like each other; shit, you don't even have to tolerate one another. You just have to respect each other, okay? And I know you both do, so you can cut the pissing contest short," Sharon finished. "All right?" she asked Tony.

He nodded, wearing a bemused smirk. "She's gotten kind of demanding," he said in a low voice.

"And Steve?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said, mimicking Tony's smirk.

"I'm glad to hear it, gentlemen. Are you both ready for a civil discussion? With no name-calling?" she asked while looking straight at Tony.

"I'm fine," Tony said, taking a seat once more. Sharon and Steve followed suit and sat back on the sofa.

In a matter of hours, and a few more small arguments, Steve and Tony had discussed the entirety of Steve's plan. Tony filled them both in on what the UN was planning on demanding of Steve and any incarceration was still up in the air.

Sharon felt her body relaxing as their discussion continued through dinner. She was able to keep her eyes open through the meal, but finally she succumbed to sleep when they were done eating. She retired to the sofa while both Tony and Steve continued to talk. Both were still on opposite sides, but they were making it work for the time being.

…

Trevor Samuels was on edge. He was antsy and anxious. He'd woken up from a nap earlier in the day and couldn't quite remember why he was in Washington DC. He'd tried to wake up his grandfather and realized suddenly that he was one of those life-like robots.

He knew he would calm down with a glass of his grandmother's lemonade, but he found the jugs he'd brought with him totally empty. He'd drunk all of one and the other had tipped over and spilled. He began to breathe heavily; it felt like his tongue was too big for his mouth and he thought he could feel his throat closing up. He tried to open a window for fresh air, but they wouldn't budge. He sat down on the floor and rocked himself forwards and backwards. He felt thirsty and like he was drowning, all at once. He was freaking out.

He reached for his phone and dialed the only person who could help him: his grandmother.

"Grandma?" he whispered when she picked up. "Why am I here? Why am I in Washington DC?"

"You had better be joking!" she shouted.

No…I, I, I…I can't remember why I'm here. I can sort of get glimpses of memories, but… And has Grandpa Gary always been a robot?"

"You listen carefully to me, boy…" Cathy said as she delved into the entire plan. While Trevor was still rocking himself back and forth, the LMD version of his grandfather was powering up. Cathy was controlling him from back in Michigan.

In a matter of seconds, the robot Gary was upright and standing over Trevor. Trevor had only mere seconds and he spent them yelping before Gary put the syringe into Trevor's neck. In an instant, Cathy's grandson was perfectly motionless and unconscious on the floor of the hotel room.

The LMD of Gary stooped and picked up the phone from the man on the floor. He placed it to his head. "It's done, ma'am."

"You're so much better at minding than my actual husband," Cathy said. "But I'm not surprised. You don't have a mind of your own. I'm going to need you to carry out the plan, now," she told the man on the phone. "Now, repeat it all back to me."

"Yes, ma'am."

…

A/N: so, we're getting near that time. And while Tony & Steve are getting along, Tony definitely has something up his sleeve…