Chapter 11

Tony's eyes shot opened. He sat bolt upright. Bloody nightmare about Hammer and Killian killing him in the forest. Where the hell did that come from, Tony thought. In a forest, what the fuck, Tony thought. He shook his head and took a deep breath. He slowly pulled himself back to reality. He rubbed his face with both hands. He needed a drink.

He looked at the massive clock on the wall. 1 am. Wow he had really zoned out. He walked over to the bar and bent down to look at the bottles of alcohol he had. Scotch, Vodka, some red wine Pepper loved so much, a bottle that Tony couldn't even read the foreign name of but it was nice alcohol. He settled on his friendly buddy scotch. He pulled the bottle out of the cooler. But with his shaky hands the bottle slipped and crashed on to the floor. Glass flew everywhere, cutting his feet. The liquid slipping around the floor.

'Fuck!' Tony whispered loudly. He looked down at the blood on his feet. His hands were shaking very badly. He took a deep breath, his feet stung because of the scotch on them.

'Stark?' Someone called out through the darkness of the room. Tony jumped and slipped on the wet ground. He fell onto his bum, his hands flew behind him to stop him falling and the glass cut his hands. He squeezed his eyes shut.

'Sta- What happened?' The voice said. Steve. He heard Steve walk over to him and felt Steve's hands on his arms, pulling Tony up to stand. Tony didn't protest against him. Steve sat Tony down on the chair at the kitchen island.

'I didn't mean to scare you,' Steve said. Steve walked to the sink and got the dishcloth and wet it. Tony opened his eyes as he felt something wet on his right hand. Steve was cleaning his hand, taking the glass out of it and wiping away the blood. Steve noticed Tony's hands were shaking in his.

'Are you ok?' He asked. Tony blinked, it took him a while to register what Steve had just said.

'I'm… Erm…. I'm fine,' Tony eventually said, his voice sounding a little too harsh then Tony wanted it to be. Steve looked him in the eyes.

'Are you sure? Your hands are shaking really bad and your bouncing your legs,' Steve said. Tony glared at him.

'I said I'm fine, just leave it ok,' Tony snapped, losing his patient, trying to control his shaking and not being able too. Steve was rinsing the dishcloth in the sink.

'I was only asking Tony, you're a little too jumpy,' Steve said, his voice quite.

'I said I'm fine Rogers,' Tony said getting off the stool. 'Just leave it ok.'

'Ok fine,' Steve said. 'Sorry for being concerned for you.' Steve whispered.

'You're not concerned for me, couple of hours ago you hated me so shut up,' Tony said, his voice cracking towards the end which Tony wanted to punch himself for. Steve looked at him.

'Tony, you were annoying and shoved a bowl of popcorn on my head, I would be annoyed with you. But your hurt, you've still got glass in your hands,' Steve said, putting the dishcloth back in the sink and getting more water onto it to clean Tony's hands.

'Please… just… just...' Tony grabbed hold of the counter, his eyes closed shut. The glass slowly pushing back into his hands. 'Just…'

Tony couldn't find the words. He can't have a panic attack in front of Rogers. Steve will think that Tony is weak. Tony took a shaky breath. He couldn't stop it. His legs buckled and he fell onto his knees. His hands still holding on to the counter.

'Tony,' Steve said 'Tony, are you ok?' Steve's words came at muffled. 'Can you hear me?' Steve asked. Tony shook his head. Tears in his eyes. Why couldn't Steve just leave him alone, let him have his moment in silence and just go get Pepper.

Tony tried to push back the memories of Pepper falling but it wasn't happening. Tony's eyes shot open and he stared at the cupboard's handle. Steve was next to him, his hand on Tony's back, kneeling on the floor next to Tony.

'Tony, are you ok? Can you hear me?' Steve whispered. Tony snapped his head towards Steve.

'DO I LOOK OK TO YOU ROGERS?!' Tony shouted. Steve jumped at how loud Tony was shouting, he was going to wake everyone else up.

'I'm sorry I was ju-' Steve whispered but only to be interrupted with Tony shouting.

'YEAH, YOU WERE JUST ASKING!' Tony shouted. Tony stumbled to get up. 'BY THE WAY, I'M NOT OK!' Tony shouted. Seconds later the elevator door opened to reveal the two assassins their guns pointed up. They looked at Steve and then at the broken glass and then at Tony's bloody hands and feet.

'What happened?' Clint asked. Tony turned away from them, tears in his eyes. He walked away from them and towards the window. The elevator opened again and Pepper came rushing out followed by Bruce.

'Jarvis told us something was wrong,' Bruce said. Pepper looked at the broken glass on the floor and then at Tony, who was shaking pretty bad, his back to everyone. She quickly walked over to Tony. She pulled him into a hug.

'It's going to be ok Tony,' Pepper said. 'Everything is fine honey. Just breath, ok,' Pepper said.

'No, it's not going to be ok...it's not,' Tony mumbled. His eyes closed, knowing that his team mates were all staring at him. He didn't care that they were looking.

'No it's going to be fine. Your safe Tony, ok your safe, no-one is going to hurt you or me,' Pepper said. Tony shook his head.

'No… it's not ok, w'ere not safe... Pepper you fell, I said I was going to catch you… I-I-I promised I would… but you... fell…' Tony mumbled. Pepper stroked his back gently.

'No, I'm here. I'm fine. It wasn't your fault Tony. We both safe now ok, were in the Stark Tower,' Pepper said. Tony nodded. Peppers phone went off from the living room coffee table. She most have left it there. She walked over to it, making sure she could still see Tony in the corner of her eye.

'Hello Pepper Potts speaking,' Pepper asked.

'Pepper it's me,' the voice came over the phone

'James, hello, no mean to be rude but...why are you calling at this time?' Pepper asked.

'Jarvis called saying that something was wrong with Tony,' Rhodey sounded very concerned.

'No, he's fine just…' Pepper said. Pepper sometimes really was a crap liar.

'He had a panic attack right,' Rhodey said. Pepper sighed.

'Yes, but he's fine now. It's ok James,' Pepper told him.

'You sure, I can come if you want me to,' Rhodey asked. 'I'm near by.'

'No, it's fine. He's fine,' Pepper said.

'OK then. Is he alright to talk but if not you can call me if anything else happens,' Rhodey said still sounding concerned.

'I promise I will call if anything else happens. I don't think he is in the mood to talk right now. Goodbye James,' Pepper said.

'Goodbye Pepper,' Rhodey said and the phone went dead. Pepper hung up the phone and put it back on the table. Tony was still stood up where Pepper had left him. Pepper looked at the other Avengers. They were still stood there staring at Tony, except Bruce. He had been kind enough to not stare at Tony as if he was crazy and had just finished cleaning up the broken glass and scotch off of the floor.

'Thank you Bruce,' Pepper said as Bruce poured the broken glass in the trash. He smiled. Pepper knew that Bruce knew about Tony have panic attacks. They weren't that bad anymore though. He normal had one twice a week, which was better than he use to have. It used to be every night. Pepper walked over to Tony.

'Tony love can you hear me?' She asked looking him in the eyes. He blinked and his eyes re-focused and looked at Pepper. He nodded. Tears still trickling their way down Tony's face. Pepper brushed them away with her fingers.

'That was my best scotch,' Tony mumbled. Pepper chuckled knowing Tony was coming back around. She hugged him. Tony loved Pepper's sent. Tony pulled away and looked at the rest of the Avengers. Natasha had the emotionless mask on her face. Clint looked very confused about the situation and Steve. Steve looked guilty, confused and upset all in one. Tony breathed out shakily.

'Talk about in the morning,' Tony whispered and walked to the elevator with Pepper by his side. 'Bloody Steve making me smash my favorite scotch,' Tony mumbled to himself as they climbed into the elevators. The doors closed and everyone looked at each other.

'What the hell just happen?' Clint asked. Steve looked down at the floor. Clint looked over to him. Steve looked up and stared at everyone.

'Explain.' Natasha simply said sitting down on one of the bar stools. Steve sighed.

'I couldn't get to sleep so I went for a walk around to Tower trying to clear my head and I was walking down the corridor and I heard a smash and then someone swear. When I walked into here and saw Tony stood with the glass of scotch smashed on the floor so I said his name and he jumped and slipped on the floor. I cleaned him up but he started to shout at me for helping him and… well you know the rest.' Steve said. Bruce nodded then looked at the floor.

'Oh good, I thought you both trying to kill each other,' Clint said.

'Tony is annoying but I would never ever kill him,' Steve said defending himself and sounding upset and shocked about what Clint had just said. Clint nodded.

'Yeah, yeah I know. Chill out,' Clint said putting his hands up. Steve relax a little.

'The thing is he was acting… he was very jumpy and shaking a lot,' Steve told them. Natasha frowned a little and then looked over to Bruce who was being quiet.

'Do you know anything about this?' She asked him. Bruce shook his head as if to say that he wouldn't say anything.

'This is Tony's business, if he wants to tell you then he will and I won't be the one to say anything,' Bruce said and with that he walked out over to the elevator and went back up to his floor to go to bed. Clint sighed.

'Come on, I'm tired,' Clint said to Natasha. They followed Bruce into the elevator. Steve just stood in the kitchen alone.

Tony was acting wired. He has been acting like himself, but he was a bit too jumpy tonight. Steve wonder if Tony was actual ok or if he was just putting on an act. Tony was annoying and a prat yes, but he was human. Steve shrugged to himself and walked to the stairs, not really liking the lift that much and headed to bed. Hopefully this time he could get some sleep and not be plagued with nightmares.

Harley will be in the next chapter guys I promise. Hoped you liked this chapter, please review I want to know what you think. Thanks for reading.