It had been a week since they had found Tony. In that time Stark had been in and out of dazed consciousness. It was only yesterday that Pepper had informed him that Tony spent almost the entirety of the day lucid and awake. Steve was desperate to see Tony and talk to him, but he was careful to keep his distance. Peter was being the ultimate bodyguard and though the boy was grateful to the Avengers he was not ready to risk his father's recovery over their late apologies.

Steve shifted uncomfortable in his sear the crinkling from the plastic cushion breaking the suffocating silence of the room. The captain didn't know what was keeping him in the hospital waiting room, he felt twitchy and anxious like an assassin was waiting in the shadows. So, he kept his silent vigil until he knew the billionaire was safe. The whirling of mechanical doors alerted Steve, eyes flitting to the door he could see a familiar red head enter the room. Dressed in a business suit and stiletto heels Pepper looked the powerful CEO that she was. Pepper approached Steve, the clicking of her heels echoing in the empty room, exhaustion plain on her face.

"Captain Rogers, good, you're still here." Her voice betrayed no emotion causing Steve to raise his tired eyes to meet her. He was prepared for her anger; in fact, he was surprised he hadn't received it earlier, but this was the first time they had been in a room alone.

Pepper shifted and Steve winced slightly expecting the long overdue slap to the face. Instead Pepper put a gentle had to his cheek and lightly kissed his brow, shocking the soldier to his core.

"Thank you." She murmured, pulling away.

Steve stared dumbfounded at the woman in front of him. "Why…..After everything…how can you thank me?"

Pepper smiled sadly, plastic crackling as she sank into the seat next to him. Reaching out she gripped his hand in her own. "Believe it or not Steve I don't hate you." She ducked her head catching his down cast eyes with her own. "Hear me and trust me when I say this. Tony doesn't hate you either."

Steve chocked as he tried to hold back a sob, feelings like relief, confusion, regret, and disbelief flooding through him. He shook his head, hand shaking in Pepper's. "I'm sorry but I can't believe that. After everything that I did and took from him, how could he not?"

Pepper sighed softly, wiping gently at a tear rolling down Steve's cheek. "Well, alright then." The CEO stood abruptly and extended her hand to the captain. "Best you go ask him yourself."

Steve's eyes popped wide in surprise. Pepper couldn't be serious, could she? She certainly looked serious. Raking his brain Steve couldn't think of a reason why Pepper would mess with him like this. Or maybe this was Tony's way to get him alone to yell at him, he deserved that he supposed. "Are you sure? Peter has made it clear that no one other than you and him should visit."

Pepper rolled her eyes at that. "Peter is just as neurotic and overprotective as his father. Besides Tony has been asking for you specifically." Pepper gestured to her extended hand again and this time the soldier accepted. She gave it a small reassuring squeeze before leading him through the whirling doors to Tony's room.

Outside the room the soldier halted his steps, his enhanced senses picking up the steady beeping of the heart monitor and the smell of antiseptic and blood. It was all becoming real in that moment and he felt a small wave of panic creeping in. Tony was on the other side of that door laying in a hospital bed. A bed that he helped put him in.

Doubt replaced the panic and Steve stepped away from the door. Pepper paused looking back at Steve. She could see the inner turmoil raging within him. "It's ok Steve, you can do this." Pepper squeezed his hand. "You both need this now more than ever to heal the wounds you've been carrying for so long."

Steve could understand her logic, unfortunately that didn't make this any less easy. Taking a shuddering breath, he glanced one last time at Pepper. She gave him an encouraging smile before opening the door and he stepped inside.

His heart was racing as he slowly moved into the room where a hanging curtain obscured his view. Stopping just behind the curtain Steve peered around to get a look at Tony. Tony sat propped up by pillows gazing out the window. Steve thought the man looked good considering the recent torture the man had just endured.

Tony was still pale, but his eyes were bright and full of life. Bandages covered his arms and forehead. The bulge if his torso indicated that his abdomen and back were just as heavily bandaged. What skin was visible was painted by brutal bruises. Steve could only imagine the pain the genius was in, he wished he could take if for him.

"How long do you plan on lurking in the shadows, Capsicle? I know I am handsome and all, but I hate to break your heart, I have a fiery fiancée that I don't think you want to mess with."

Tony's voice broke some of the tension, driving Steve the rest of the way into the room. "Hey, Tony, it's good to see you."

Tony snorted, a slight grin crossing his split lips. "I find that hard to believe since you look like I just kicked your favorite puppy."

Steve shuffled his feet stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Well you know, we didn't exactly part on the best of terms."

"The best of terms." Tony murmured, eyes drifting back towards the window, seemingly lost in thought. The beeping of the monitor seeming to tick along with mounting tension of the room. "You must mean when you left me to freeze to death in an abandoned bunker with an open chest wound."

There it was the elephant in the room. Steve had been prepared for it but that didn't make it hurt any less. "Yeah, that. Tony I just want to say,"

Tony raised his hand halting Steve's rushed explanation. "I forgive you." Steve's mouth dropped open in shock. Tony would have laughed at his ridiculous expression if this were any other situation. "It took a long ass time I must admit but it's true."

Steve snapped his mouth shut as he stumbled back falling into a chair. "I don't understand how or why."

Tony ran a tired hand over his face sinking further into his pillows. "Anger takes a lot of time and energy. I have a family that needs all of me and mostly I'm tired of being angry all the time. After a while I realized it wasn't anger, I was feeling it was hurt." Tony watched Steve hoping that he would understand. The super soldier still looked shocked and weary. Tony noticed that the man in front of him seemed older and sadder. The guilt was written plainly all over him, yet Tony couldn't find any satisfaction in it.

"You said we would do this together, that we were a team." Tony continued, emotion bleeding into his words. "I know I could have handled the situation differently, but you were shoot first ask questions later. You didn't trust me enough to process the situation, to grieve. You didn't stop long enough to check the damage you left behind. I forgive you Steve, but I don't know if I can trust you."

Tears were steadily falling now, and Steve could feel his chest heaving. "I know I messed up. I didn't think there was time, everything was happening so fast." Steve rushed out trying to get Tony to understand his point of view during that time. "Tony, I had to help him, after everything we have been through, I owed him. He is my friend, my family."

The last few words hit Tony hard, pain curling in his chest. The genius closed his eyes breathing deeply trying desperately to hold onto his calm. Tony had known from the beginning how Steve had viewed his wayward friend. What he hadn't known was what lengths Steve would go to protect him. Tony thought back to their first argument when Steve had accused him of being reckless and putting the lives of others in danger. He had told Tony that he wouldn't be the guy to make the sacrificing play. It was almost comical that almost everything he had hated about Tony in that moment he had done himself.

Steve's head snapped up as Tony's sad laugh echoed through the room. It was a broken sound that held hurt and a twinge of bitterness. "I was your family too, at least you were mine. I though saving the world together twice at least constituted us as friends."

Steve felt those words as a punch to the gut. "Tony, you are my friend."

Tony shook his head as sad smile on his face. "If that were true, we wouldn't be sitting here right now having this conversation."

Steve bawled his hands into fists. Tony had a point no matter how much he wanted to deny it. He couldn't explain why he hadn't been able to trust Tony that day. He had rationalized that the genius emotions would have stopped him from saving Bucky but now he wasn't sure. Still he wanted to try to mend these open wounds. "So, where do we go from here?"

Sad brown eyes met his own. "I don't know.

Authors notes: So much angst and emotions in this chapter! We are nearing the end my friends, I'm not quite sure how many chapters are left, three is what's looking promising but who knows. Peter will be back in the next chapter and we will get some much needed father-son moments. Let me know what you all think, take care!