AN~ Second chapter of the night!

In the end he does leave the tower, but only to go to the coffee place a few blocks over that he started visiting when he still lived in his SHIELD apartment.

He sits inside so that he can't see the tower every time he looks up and so that he can put his back to a wall and keep looking at this picture of his son.

His son.

'We have some fresh muffins, if you're interested, Captain?' the waitress smiles at him.

'Oh,' he hopes he didn't just pull a face, 'no, thank you, ma'am.'

'Ok,' she keeps smiling, 'let me know if you change your mind.'

He offers a small smile in return and looks back down at his picture.

Will he look like Tony or him? Brown eyes or blue? Blonde or brunette? What if he doesn't have the serum? Could he be sickly, like Steve was?

He has his phone out and is calling Bruce before he remembers that he's upset with the other man.

'Good afternoon, Steve,' Bruce answers on the second ring.

'Bruce...' Steve trails off.

'What's wrong?'

'Tony told me,' Steve glances around the café to make sure no one can hear him. 'About Jim.'

'Good,' he can hear Bruce's smile. 'Congratulations, Steve.'

'I...' he's smiling despite himself. 'Thanks.'

'I'm sorry you didn't find out sooner,' Bruce adds. 'It wasn't right.'

'That's...' he cuts himself off; it's not ok. 'Why didn't you tell me?'

The line is silent for a moment,

'Shall we do this in person?' Bruce suggests. 'Where are you?'

After giving Bruce directions, and hanging up, Steve orders them a couple of drinks. He gazes at the picture until the chair across from him is pulled out and Bruce sits down.

'Steve,' Bruce greets him.

'Hey,' Steve offers over the picture.

Bruce smiles at it gently before handing it back,

'I am sorry for not telling you.'

Steve shrugs a shoulder,

'Why didn't you? I mean, I know you and Tony are closer than we are, but...' he trails off.

'Tony is...' Bruce hesitates before visibly opting to change tack. 'Do you know how many times I have... Hulked out... since moving into the tower? When we aren't on missions, I mean.'

Steve nods,

'You haven't, I know. You feel safe here with Tony...' he trails off.

Bruce is shaking his head,

'Three.'

'What?'

'Three times. Tony just never opted to set off any sort of alarm when it happened.'

'What happened?' Steve leans forward.

'We have been working on a way for Jarvis to track me, and the other guy, in the event of my capture,' Bruce replies calmly, as if this is a common concern. 'Also the other guy tends to head off into the wilderness if he's upset and I wake up completely lost. If Jarvis and Tony can track me then they can come and find me.'

'Right,' Steve finds he can't really disagree so far.

'Right,' Bruce looks amused. 'Well, while experimenting with a subdermal chip we had a bit of a malfunction. It may have exploded, under my skin, when it came into contact with my blood.'

Steve winces sympathetically.

Bruce just smiles,

'I don't always remember what the other guy does, but I remember blinking down at Tony in the lab. I remember a pause and then Tony just looks irritated and tells me 'The signal wouldn't get through your skin anyway; we're going to have to completely rethink our approach.' And the other guy just huffs at him.'

Steve doesn't know what to say.

'I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Steve, but I can't break the trust of a man who gives it so rarely and for some reason has given it to me.'

'Ok,' Steve nods, 'I understand. I'm not exactly happy about it, but I understand.'

'That's fair,' Bruce sips his tea.

Steve looks at the picture of his son again,

'Is he healthy, Bruce?' he asks quietly. 'Whatever genetic stuff he's getting from me... Is he ok?'

'He's healthy; the serum changed you fundamentally,' Bruce reassures him, 'the illnesses you had as a child won't be passed on to your children.'

'Right,' Steve sighs in relief.

'I'm guessing you have some stuff to deal with, with Tony,' Bruce adds mildly.

Steve nods,

'I'm trying to understand this from his point of view... It's just hard to realise that the guy I was thinking of as my best friend apparently doesn't trust me.'

'Tony trusts maybe four people in the world, and one of those is an AI,' Bruce points out.

'There's that,' Steve smiles despite himself.

'He does like you,' Bruce adds.

'Not as much as I like him,' Steve sighs.

And then he realises what he just said.

He shoots a worried look at Bruce, but just receives a knowing smile in reply.

'Pretend I didn't just say that?'

Bruce shrugs,

'I can,' he agrees.

'What should I do?'

'For the sake of your son you need to come to some sort of agreement with Tony,' Bruce suggests.

'I don't want to see him right now,' Steve admits.

'So don't,' Bruce agrees. 'He's hurt you. Get some amusement out of whatever bizarre presents he sends to you to apologise.'

'He gave me a hundred muffins already,' Steve rolls his eyes.

'Well, that's less insane than the six foot ornamental fountain he had installed in my lounge.'

Steve just stares.

'In fairness it's quite soothing,' Bruce smiles.

Right…