The small scientist sat in Tony's living room, looking over his glasses at the pages and pages of chicken scrawl sitting in front of him. Sherlock's writing was barely legible. Bruce Banner stayed silent as Tony began to explain the situation to him. Steve sat with John directly beside him. His arm around the shorter man. John didn't take his eyes off of Sherlock. Sherlock stole glances at John as Tony explained to Dr. Banner, the importance of the tesseract and how Loki's final plan would involve a lot more than just a small team of heroes. It would involve organized crime fighting.

Sherlock's mind was elsewhere. On Steve's hand as it ran up his companion's thigh. On Johns mouth as it curled up involuntarily at the touch. A knock at the door broke Sherlock's uncomfortable thoughts and he sprung up to get it, not saying a word.

John watched Sherlock squirm, playing the part. He knew exactly what would happen. Sherlock thought he was so high and mighty when in fact, Sherlock was just so ordinary sometimes. The extraordinary didn't blanket the fact that Sherlock had a heart, no matter how selective it may be. It was there. And John knew he had it. He thought for certain that Sherlock would acknowledge his feelings when he mentioned his own. but instead Sherlock recoiled. Something was stopping him and whenever Sherlock looked away, John could tell that Sherlock was hurting. No matter how little feelings Sherlock held, John assumed that they took up all of Sherlock's being. It was obvious that Mr. Sherlock Holmes was obsessive, possessive and sometimes it was too much for him. Those feelings. He had seen Sherlock afraid, he had seen Sherlock vulnerable. And there were those nights when Sherlock would just look at him in a certain way and John knew. John was so certain. And yet, one confrontation and its almost as if they were just colleagues again. And now Sherlock was dying inside and John wondered if his tall hero was indeed alright. John did the only thing he could do, he nuzzled himself closer into Steve's muscular body and looked away from Sherlock as Sherlock walked by him, pursing his lips.

Tony watched Steve's charade with the army doctor. He wasn't a stupid man, nor was he one to be particularly jealous, but this phoney show that the two were putting on was driving him crazy. Tony shot Steve a look and Steve grinned back at him as if nothing else was happening. He was like a little boy who stole a cookie from the jar and hadn't been caught yet. As if he wanted for Tony to make the first move. It was harder and harder for Tony to keep quiet. He watched as John moved closer and closer to Steve. Steve made direct eye contact with Tony. He raised his eyebrows. Tony was surprised to see so much mischief in Steve's eyes. This was a side to the captain that Tony hadn't seen before. Tony pondered the idea of a night in bed with the muscular man and found himself starting to consider Steve honestly. He knew those feelings were there and he watched as Steve listened intently to Bruce as he tried to make corrections to Sherlock's hypothesis. He watched the door open to reveal a fiery Natasha Romanoff.

She eyed the room cautiously before landing her gaze on John. She sighed as she half heartedly sat herself down in Sherlock's armchair, she surveilled the situation and shook Dr. Banner's hand carefully as if he may break.

"Nick Fury had to run an errand. He'll be on his way."

"What kind of an errand" Tony prodded

"The secret kind" Natasha shot Tony a look

"We have the potential for the best organized crime in the whole world. If we joined forces with Loki, we would be unbreakable. And Nick Fury just let us set up in my living room. Have a chat why don't you, sip scotch and reminisce about the good old days when you were living in with all of your friends drinking at pubs and trying not to get the crap kicked out of you. Or when you had a functional family up in your lala land planet Asguardian whatever and you could actually talk to your brother. Before he was a psycho. How about you Mr. Banner, how's the secluded life treating you? Any progress on a cure? Or you, Natasha, how's your boyfriend doing? Not to mention the fact that we would take over the world in twenty minutes flat without batting an eyelash and he just leaves us here like we won't"

"You told me you were a philanthropist, Mr. Stark. I assumed that means good things. If I'm wrong, this is the time to correct me so I can take this gun and shoot you through the head with it now, before this becomes a problem." The deep male voice echoed through the room.

Bruce smirked and got to his feet. He shook Nick Fury's hand. "As much as I agree, I would think you'd want me in a closed quarters. I don't want to risk anything."

"We'll get to that when we get to that. We have the best organized crime fighting in the whole world, remember? I just hope they're still in practice."

"In practice enough to take on... him?

"God, I hope so." He said before plopping himself on the couch.

Everyone tiptoed around Bruce. Hoping they weren't the one to make him break. He was like a bomb except you couldn't cut a wire to disarm it. Tony on the other hand, was hell bent on making him act up. If he wasn't making snarky eyes in Steve's direction, he was desperately trying to get the scientist to turn green. It amused Dr. Banner more than anything else. Sherlock just smiled. He knew what was going to happen eventually.

"Now can someone explain the midget and the ghost man please?"

Sherlock shot up out of his seat, eyeing the eye-patched man up and down. "My name is Sherlock Holmes, I am the worlds only consulting detective"

Nick looked over at Tony who shrugged "Mr. Stark, is this man registered?"

"No, sir"

"Has this man's background been checked?"

"No, sir"

"Is this man even an american?"

"Apparently not."

"Then you better have a good excuse or so help me god both you and him will not have three of your toes, and half your hair do you understand me?"

Sherlock smirked "Mr. Fury, you probably don't understand how valuable I am to you in this instance, but I sincerely hope you shut up and listen for the next five minutes."

"Did you hear a word I said, mantis-man?"

Sherlock scanned Nick Fury and made his deductions. "I deduce. That's what I do. Listening is not part of the program"

Nick got to his feet and made towards Sherlock, threateningly, "Then you have better learn, because I don't trust you, not yet and probably not ever. You have three minutes to scram and bring the small one with you."

Sherlock smiled with corner of his mouth. He shot a look to John who gave him a warning look. "How was the conference Mr. Fury? I'm sure Mr and Mrs Richards were pleased to see you."

Nick Fury looked unwaveringly at Sherlock "That's confidential"

"It always is"

"You have five minutes. Talk fast. If I don't like you or your ideas, I will shoot you. And I already don't like you."

Out of the corner of his eye Sherlock watched John grasp Steve's hand once again. Sherlock smiled. He knew John's plan was rubbish. He was the world's only and greatest consulting detective, Sherlock knew exactly how John felt. But he let his jealousy play out. He knew John like the back of his hand and although it wasn't very flattering, the level of oblivion that John assumed about the great consulting detective, that wasn't what bothered him. He saw the inevitable.

If Sherlock left, John may not end up with Steve but he would end up with someone else. Someone sweet and supportive and he would fall in love with them and he would be happy and Sherlock knew that in the end John would forget all about him. All about sad old Sherlock, the man who offed himself and broke his heart. One step and Sherlock would be dead. And John would be there. He would be there for it all and John couldn't deal with the sorrow and he would find support in a partner. A better partner. One who wouldn't jump off of a hospital. Sherlock wouldn't be able to bear it any longer.

A crash surprised everyone. Tony turned to see a very confused Thor looking at his hammer and the window as if it was the key to entering the room safely. Shattered glass sat all over the floor. He stepped bravely threw it, grinning. Sherlock circled him, poking and prodding at the Asguardian God's extremities. He grinned and made a note on his notepad, sitting.

Steve brought his arm down, around John's waist.

Sherlock cringed.

The Captain moved his lips down to John's cheek. He planted a peck.

Tony bolted to his feet and crossed the small room taking Steve gruffly by his collar into the hall, closing his front door angrily behind him.

"Mr. Stark, about the other night I -"

Tony pushed the strong man up against the wall, crashing his lips against Steve's. Steve held his breath, feeling Tony's lips sealed against his own. His tongue exploring his mouth. His hands everywhere all at once.

Breaking the kiss, Tony laughed, keeping the Captain loosely pinned against the door.

"Don't play tricks on me Mr. Rogers. I can take you down in an instant."

"I'd like to see you try" Steve grinned. Tony put his lips against Steve's again, more softly than last time, before opening the door behind him, making the war hero stumble. The rest of the room was engulfed in Sherlock's deductions. Sherlock looked up from his papers for only a moment and a small smile danced on the corners of his lips.

John was fixated on Sherlock's face. Watching for any sign of movement. It dawned on him how ridiculous he was being. How completely and utterly childish he was.

He heard the door opened behind him to reveal a very flushed Steve Rogers and he realized the game was up. He had no cards left. He just had to accept it and move on. John looked Sherlock in the eyes, openly and honestly and Sherlock read something that he hadn't read before.

John sighed, standing and smiled sadly towards his love. He wouldn't be staying. He still could catch a plane if he wanted. He could go back to his life in the clinic and forget about the brilliant Sherlock Holmes. He said a short good-bye and gave Sherlock one last nod before picking up his ready suitcase and walking out into the world, away from Sherlock.

But John's plans never went the way he'd hoped.