The flight in the Iron Man suit went by so stupidly fast that it made Tony angry. Had Steve really been on the other side of the border without him even knowing? And what was so dangerous and urgent in Canada that Shield had to send a super soldier to take care of it. Tony was going to get all of his questions answered plus more, just as soon as he had eyes on Steve again. Because Steve had to be okay.

It was worrying when Fury's information led him to a hospital. But it was fine, since Steve was practically indestructible. He'd seen the man brush off an alien blast to the gut and keep on fighting. Tony would be met by Steve in a leg cast with a sheepish smile. That's all it would be.

But of course that wasn't all it was. He knew it the second he burst into the waiting room and saw the look on Fury's face.

"Tell me," Tony demanded as the suit came apart around him.

"He's alive," Fury replied stiffly.

"That's it? That's all you have to say?" Tony spat, striding up to the man and snarling in his face. "You did this to him and that's all I get? As if him being not dead is all that matters?"

"Stark, keep your voice down," Fury warned.

"No, I won't keep my voice down!" Tony shouted, balling his fists at his sides. "Steve is only here because of you and you look like you don't give a shit."

"I had nothing to do with Captain Rogers ending up here."

"Right," Tony scoffed.

"And in fact, I didn't even know where he was until this morning."

"So you sent him out on missions and didn't even keep track of him?" Tony hissed. He wasn't even involved with Shield and he knew more about what was going on.

"If you will calm down, I can explain," Fury said evenly, staring at him until Tony forced his breaths to stop sawing in and out like an angry bull. Whatever Fury was planning on saying to him, it better be good. Every second he spent in the waiting room was another second that he wasn't able to see Steve. He still didn't even know what happened to him.

"Make it quick."

"I haven't seen Captain Rogers since the day he left New York."

"Over a month ago? It must've been nice staying in your cushy office while he was out there busting his ass for your agenda," Tony accused harshly. Fury just gave him an unamused look until he calmed himself down again. "Go on."

"I haven't seen him since I wasn't involved in his missions. Captain Rogers isn't working under me anymore."

"What the hell does that mean? I thought you were the guy who pulled all the strings."

"Not anymore. At least, not when it comes to the disbanded Avengers."

"Explain," Tony demanded impatiently.

"I was the one who created the Avengers Initiative, but with no Avengers, there was nothing for me to run. I suggested setting Captain Rogers up with his own Strike Team for missions, but my idea was shot down."

"Why? What was so wrong with him having backup?"

"Shield isn't in the habit of explaining their decisions."

"Right. I remember the nuke," Tony grumbled. If he didn't like them before, he really hated them now. "Why couldn't he have at least gotten Romanoff or Barton? They were part of your initiative as well."

"Again, I wasn't apprised of that information. And after Captain Rogers was sent out, they blocked any access I had to any information about what he was doing."

"Why? What was the point? And who has that sort of power?" Tony mumbled, shaking his head in frustration. He wasn't a fan of shadowy figures manipulating things however they wanted. "Why did they contact you now?"

"Captain Rogers wasn't able to finish his last mission. They wanted me to find someone who could."

"Is that why you called me here? So I can go out on a mission for you people?" Tony asked incredulously. "You all can go screw yourselves! They don't get to try to replace the tool they broke."

"That's not why I called you, Stark," Fury muttered, pulling something out of his bag and handing it over. It was Steve's drawing tablet and Tony took it with a solemn frown. "I found this in his belongings. Have you been in contact with him?"

"So what if I have? Someone had to treat him like a person," Tony spat.

"I didn't think you guys had that sort of relationship."

"It's none of your business, is it?"

"Look Stark, I'm not here to fight with you. I'm going to have enough fighting to do when I go meet with the people running this show."

"So then why did you call me?"

"I think Captain Rogers may need someone to help him overcome his bloated sense of duty and learn how to say no when he needs to. And who better than someone who is so good at being contrary?"

"If I step in, you may never get him back," Tony warned. There was no way he was going to let Steve go back to what he'd been doing. That was for certain.

"If those are the only two options, I don't think yours is the worst one," Fury said simply, before turning and walking toward the elevators. Tony was about to yell for him to tell him where Steve was when he felt a sticky note on the back of the tablet. He flipped it over, finding a room number and alias printed on the scrap of paper. Steve Roberts wasn't the most clever, but they didn't need the wrong people knowing who was here.

Tony purposefully walked through the doors leading to the treatment areas and hospital rooms, not waiting for permission. There was no way he'd listen to anyone who tried to stop him. He'd buy the hospital if he had to, just to make his own rules. He finally stopped at the room that matched the number on the paper, relieved that it was private and out of the way. Probably Fury's doing. Tony took a deep breath before he opened the door, preparing himself for what he was about to find on the other side.

"Oh, Steve," Tony choked out, taking in the sight of his young friend. Steve was unnaturally still, save for the ventilator forcing his chest up and down with every pump of supplemental oxygen. There were so many tubes and wires stuck to him and in him that it made Tony feel dizzy. He stuck his Iron Man helmet on his head, demanding that Jarvis run a scan and tell him everything. Tony didn't trust the hospital report.

"Captain Rogers is suffering from severe head trauma with a slight skull fracture, and there is evidence of a recently healed brain bleed. His right clavicle is broken, along with his right scapula. Eight ribs were broken, resulting in both lungs being punctured, but those have been surgically repaired. There were also small tears in the stomach, liver, and intestines, which have been repaired as well," Jarvis listed off. "Would you like me to keep going?"

"No," Tony whispered, feeling overwhelmed by all of that information. How was Steve even alive? "Log everything in the system. I'll look at it later."

"Very well, sir."

"Just- can you tell me if he's going to be okay?"

"With the medical support being administered, along with the serum, I expect Captain Rogers to make a full recovery," Jarvis replied. Tony sagged a little at hearing the news, thankful that it was good, but also not quite able to appreciate it yet. Not while Steve still looked like this.

Tony took off his helmet, not wanting anything between him and Steve. The man looked even younger than his age like this, so broken and vulnerable. It turned his stomach to think that Steve had been alone when this happened, only surrounded by people who wanted to hurt him. Who even found him and brought him here? Tony should've pressed Fury for more details, but he'd been too angry. And that was assuming he actually knew anything. Tony hadn't even considered that Fury hadn't been steering this ship the whole time. Why hadn't Steve told him?

Tony stood at the side of the bed, staring down at Steve. His hair had grown about an inch since he'd last seen him and it was flopping over his forehead. He couldn't help reaching down and brushing it out of his face.

"Oh, Steve."

He wasn't sure if it was his voice or a reaction to being touched, but Steve's eyes flew open and Tony jolted in surprise. Steve laid very still for a few moments until he tried to take a breath, and then it was chaos. Alarms started blaring around them as Steve choked on the tube in his throat. He started shifting on the bed and Tony was impressed that he was able to move so much with his injuries, but also terrified. There was no telling how much damage Steve was causing his body. Tony had to do something.

"Steve. Hey, look at me," Tony said, practically climbing up on the bed with him. He cupped Steve's cheeks in his hands, pointedly ignoring the spots of blood he could see forming in different spots on the blankets. "It's Tony. You're okay." Steve made a whining sound in the back of his throat, still not coherent enough to understand that he was in the hospital.

"Sir, we need you to leave the room," a doctor demanded, pulling at Tony's arm. He shrugged them off, needing to calm Steve down himself. If Steve lashed out and hurt someone in his stupor, he'd never forgive himself. Tony could handle it.

"Steve, the tube in your throat is to help you breathe. I know it doesn't feel like it, but you are getting oxygen. They won't be able to take it out if you keep fighting," Tony said, glancing at the doctor for confirmation. She nodded and Tony was glad he hadn't just lied to the man. "I've got you, okay? I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Steve was blinking rapidly, but his eyes finally locked onto Tony's. There was still pain and confusion in them, but also more recognition than there had been before.

"Mr. Roberts, we're going to remove the ventilator now," the doctor said, trying to nudge Tony aside again. He moved willingly this time, until a tight grip around his wrist stopped him from going far. Steve was latched onto him and his heart rate ticked up again at the prospect of being left.

"I'm not going anywhere," Tony assured him, moving so he was out of the way, but still kept a comforting hold of Steve's hand. Steve was not the type to ask for help, so Tony was going to give his all when the opportunity presented itself.

The staff got to work, giving Steve quiet instructions as they moved around him. Tony saw a nurse checking under the blankets at his other wounds, but she didn't look too concerned by what she saw. Steve made a horrible choking noise as they finally pulled the tube out of his throat, but Tony was so relieved by it. If Steve could breathe on his own, things would be okay.

Tony stayed where he was as the doctor finished her check, asking Steve a few questions here and there. He answered in nods and head shakes, looking too exhausted to do more than that. Tony wanted him to stay awake, but he knew rest was more important.

The staff finally left and Tony moved back to stand on the side of the bed. Steve's cheeks were a bit pink from the whole ordeal, but the grotesque tube that had been down his throat was gone. His eyes were closed and he was breathing evenly, which gave Tony a bit of solace. He would wait for as long as it took for Steve to get better.

"I'll be here when you wake up," Tony murmured, moving his thumb back and forth along Steve's hand. Tony felt the tiniest squeeze in response and he smiled, staring down at Steve as his lips formed a barely audible word.

"Tony."