A/N: *waves* How have you guys been? Long time no see. I won't go into a long post about where I've been but let's just say I've had a hard past couple of years in my life. Anyway, here is a short chapter to help get me and you, my dear readers, back into the swing of things. I may post another chapter tomorrow/or the next morning (I work night shift now so my days and nights are mixed up. *shrugs* What can you do, but I'm much happier with this shift/my new job and that's all the counts. It also gives me more time to write than my other job ever did. Case in point, I wrote this chapter and the next 3, so yay). After I post the next chapter, I will try to go to weekly updates until this fic is finished, but I make no promises after I post the next 3 chapters that are finished as of today.

I also want to thank all of you for sticking with me that past 7 years to see this fic through. It means more than you can ever know! :-)

Beta: None, except by me.

Now, onto the chapter!

Cap's Confession

Ignoring Cap's worrying, Tony tried to remember, as he took his phone out, if Bruce was working in Tony's tower today, somewhere else, or if he was taking the day off.

"Jarvis?" he asked into his phone.

"Sir?"

"Is Doctor Banner working today?"

"He is working in the SHIELD lab today, sir."

"Thanks, J."

Tony started walking towards the elevator, he'd come back later to talk to Agent.

"Stark!"

"Not now, Cap."

Tony continued walking towards the exit, only slightly irritated that Rogers was following him. It was more important that he talk to Bruce.

He got in the elevator and let out a little sigh as Rogers got in behind him.

Neither of them spoke as the elevator door shut and descended down to the floor where the labs were. They also didn't speak as the doors opened and they walked towards the lab where Bruce was currently looking over something on the computer.

The doors to the lab opened and they walked in.

"Bruce, how's science going?"

"It's going fine, Tony. I thought you were going to be sitting with Agent Coulson today?"

He didn't look away from what he was doing on the computer.

"He's getting his daily sponge bath."

Bruce made a noncommittal sound.

There was silence for a moment, only broken by the sound of Bruce's typing.

Tony watched Bruce in silence while Rogers watched him – and boy could he feel that worried frown burning a hole in the back of his head.

"Before the Other Guy spit out the bullet, did you see someone called the Master of Death?"

He ignored Cap's sharp intake of breath, probably at the bluntness and rudeness of his question, and instead focused on Bruce, who was now deathly still, chest movement aside.

It was silent for a moment; Bruce's heavy breathing the only noise.

Bruce abruptly turned around to face both him and Rogers.

"No."

"Bu –" started Tony, not sure exactly what he was going to say.

"No."

It was said more firmly this time while Bruce looked at them defensively, daring Tony to argue. He was a second away from doing just that when someone else spoke.

"I did."

It was near whisper but Tony turned sharply to finally look behind him to where Captain Popsicle was standing.

"What?" Tony demanded.

"I did. I saw him, talked to him. The so-called Master of Death," Rogers said, looking a little loss.

Tony and Bruce exchanged a look, a look which confirmed to him that Bruce was lying. He did see the Master of Death, maybe not on the day that the Other Guy spit out the bullet but, all the same, Bruce still saw him and probably spoke to him as well.

"When?" asked Tony, knowing he was invading on something extremely personal and not caring at the moment.

Cap looked like he was a second away from not answering and just walking away before he noticeably changed his mind with a sigh.

"When I was in the ice."

"When you were in the ice? But you weren't dying according to the all reports done by SHIELD," Bruce said, which cemented it in Tony's mind – Bruce lied to him, which he could forgive for the moment in light of the Cap's confession.

Cap shrugged helplessly, like he didn't know how to explain it.

"We need to get the rest of the team here and ask them – Thor too somehow," Tony said as he started to brain storm.

This changed everything.