Thank you NocturnalRites for the fantastic Beta on this and all the chats! Thanks to everyone reading and for all the great reviews.

Chapter 7

Steve smiled as he finished changing into workout clothes. He'd had a great time with Felicity. She accepted him as he was and had been attracted to him before she knew he was Captain America. All those things were very good in his book. Tossing his dirty clothes at the hamper in the corner, he grabbed his phone and keys just as his phone started playing 'Shoot to Thrill'.

"Hi Tony," Steve answered, grabbing his gym bag and walking out of the front door and closing it behind him.

"Cap," Tony replied. "Dinner Thursday evening?" He made it sound like a question, but generally Tony just assumed others would fall in line. What Steve didn't get was that Tony was in New York at the moment and knew damn well where Steve was. "Pepper's coming. She needs to have you sign a couple of things for your portfolio." Steve was confused. Pepper had helped him invest all his back pay from when he'd been frozen and the generous 'settlement' they'd put in for him being frozen in the line of duty. Steve wasn't rich, but he was well off enough not to worry about money anymore so he saw no purpose in messing with a good thing. He'd left Pepper in charge of his finances. He couldn't be in better hands, but still, Tony's invitation made no sense.

"You remember that I'm on the other coast," he started.

"They have these modes of transportation called airplanes, Cap," Tony's words deserved more than the eye roll they got, but he didn't interrupt. "I know they had them before you did your time as a Capsicle. Is the memory starting to go, because that's often the first thing to go at your age or maybe you're blocking the knowledge of planes after having to crash Red Skull's plane and then surfing the helicarriers into the Potomac." Steve signed, the man barely took a break to breathe. His rambles were much less endearing than Felicity's were. "My therapist says blocking traumatic events is not unusual."

"You're flying in so I can sign papers from Pepper?" Steve asked, ignoring most of Tony's remarks. Them flying in made no sense. Pepper could fax the papers. Steve's internal alarm started going off. "What are you up to?"

"I'm hurt, Cap. Can't a guy want to visit with a buddy? You know the number of us good guys is dwindling fast. We need…"

"Stark!" Steve barely kept his voice below a shout. Tony was the one person that could rile him without trying, but then again he had the same effect on the other Avenger so it was probably fair.

"I've been asked to be the guest speaker at some Battle of New York event," Tony answered, "Thought I'd visit." There was a pause. "And my therapist says I'm ready to start confronting the Battle so I might as well do it there and let Pepper get her business out of the way."

Steve got it. Tony had been fighting nightmares worse than any of them had. Going through the wormhole and almost dying had shaken the billionaire in ways none of them had realized. It had all come out after Tony's home was destroyed and he'd fought the people who took Pepper a year ago.

Steve was still a little angry Tony had done that all alone and hadn't bothered to let any of them know what was happening until it was too late to help. By the time the Avengers figured out that Tony needed help and arrived, the danger was past. They'd done little more than help him with clean up and offer moral support.

Steve found himself looking forward to seeing his friend. They'd had a rough start, but battle had a way of making you see what the other guy was all about. Tony and he still rubbed each other the wrong way half the time, but the edge was gone to their fights and he would trust the other man at his back, suit or no suit.

"Oh crap," Steve blurted, realization hitting him. "That's the thing I'm taking Felicity to."

"Who's Felicity and I thought you were laying low. Showing up at an event that has your picture plastered all over it isn't incognito."

"Felicity is the girl I'm seeing," that felt weird but good to say, Steve decided. "She knows who I am. She has to go to the fundraiser for her work and wanted me to go. She said there aren't any pictures of me without my uniform."

"That might work," Tony said after a moment. "Introduce you as just Steve and you might get away with it." He'd stressed the 'might'. Steve sighed. He knew there was a chance someone would recognize him.

"I'm not advertising my identity, but if someone notices who I am, I'll figure it out." He wasn't good at secrets. So far he'd managed not to lie to anyone and he wasn't planning to start.

"So, dating and you don't even call," Tony interrupted. "Bring her to dinner," he ordered and started rattling off details. Steve rolled his eyes. He hopped Felicity wouldn't mind the change in plans. It was an excuse to call her tomorrow and ask, he decided, smiling at the thought. He was just finishing his conversation as he took out his keys to open the back door of the VA. He was grateful that, in exchange for helping out and watching the buildings, the director of the local VA let Steve use the facilities whenever he wanted.

Steve was looking forward to his sparring session with the Arrow. Starling's vigilante was good. He wasn't at the level of some of the top guys on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s strike team, but he wasn't that far off either. Training the Arrow wasn't just helping the Vigilante hold his own with his enemies. If HYDRA ever came to Starling, the man would be able to hold his own. It made Steve feel better about staying in the area besides the workout was just what he needed to work off some of the energy he had left from his date.

As he pushed open the back door, he was surprised to see John Diggle walking across the gym floor. "Steve," John called in greeting. He looked surprised to see anyone else there as well. "I forgot my jacket the other day, thought I'd stop and grab

it." John said, holding up a grey suit jacket. The former soldier moved toward him, glancing at his watch. "You having trouble sleeping?"

"I thought I'd get a workout in while no one is around." Steve answered, turning toward one of the lockers that lined one wall. He'd claimed one as his own. He often worked out after hours. It was common knowledge at the gym. Glancing at the clock,

Steve as glad to see he'd have time to warm up before his sparring buddy arrived.

"How did your date go?" John's question shouldn't have surprised him, but it did. He knew John and Felicity were friends. He guessed he should have expected her to mention their date.

"Very well," he told the other man as he took out a roll of tape and began wrapping his hands. The punching bag was his favorite warm up. "Felicity is a very nice girl." The thought of her made him smile.

"And a very close friend," John pointed out, "More like family." Steve stopped what he was doing and turned to his friend. He kept his face neutral when the man stepped slightly into his space. "I'd take it personally if she were ever to be hurt."

Wow, he'd been threatened twice tonight by Felicity's well-meaning friends. It felt sort of like what he thought normal dating might be like. Bucky used to talk about fathers and older brothers threatening him when he picked up a date. Steve had never been faced with that before. He was surprised to find that it actually felt good.

"Understood," he replied, hoping his voice was appropriately weighted and making sure to meet John's eyes.

"Good," John clapped him on the back and turned for the door. "See you tomorrow," he tossed over his shoulder. "Have a good workout."

Oliver was just heading up the stairs to leave the foundry when Felicity opened the door to come in. He froze in place and waited for her to notice him. He was trying to get better about startling her with his 'sneaky sneak'. Her remembered term made him smile which quickly turned to a chuckle when she looked up and jumped, clutching at her heart despite his attempt not to startle her.

"Oliver!" She shut the door behind her and took a deep breath, obviously trying to calm herself. "I thought we talked about not scaring your IT girl to death." Oliver frowned as he took in her appearance. She looked really nice, but also a bit disheveled. Her makeup and hair was done more elaborately than her normal work look, but it was her hair that caught his attention. Her hair looked like someone had run a hand into it. He felt his stomach clench a little. Had she been on a date? Had someone been kissing her, holding her in place? A surge of… something raced to sit sourly in his belly at the thought.

With a deep breath, Oliver mentally reined himself in. He was with Sara and he'd decided a long time ago that someone like Felicity didn't deserve someone as broken as he was. Besides, he reasoned, it was only 10:30 at night. If she'd been on a date that got serious enough for someone to have their hands tangled in Felicity's hair, she wouldn't be back this early.

Not liking the direction of his thoughts, Oliver stepped aside to let Felicity continue down the stairs. "I was waiting so I didn't startle you," he informed her. "We need to work on your situational awareness." That came out a bit more harshly than he meant it.

"Where are you off to?" Felicity blew past his remark at the same time she brushed past him and headed for down the stairs. She'd noticed his Arrow attire.

"I'm going to do a quick sweep. Nothing I need help for." Oliver internally cringed as his IT genius' step faltered and she spun toward him. Sometimes he wondered how she managed to stay upright in the shoes she wore, but he'd seen her sprint in them before.

"You haven't gone out to just 'patrol' since Slade showed up and started making with the super villain threats, Oliver." She was suspicious. He didn't want to tell her that he was going to spar with a stranger that he'd just met or that he was scared he couldn't beat Slade on his own and was hoping that he'd gain an edge working out with Rogers. They all looked to him to have the answers, to have a direction. He didn't want to let them down or let them realize just how many doubts he had about who the winner in this battle Slade had set up might be.

"Then it's about time I get back to it." He turned and slipped out of the door before she could say anything more or notice that his com wasn't on. Oliver pulled out his phone. Turning it off, he grimaced as he thought about what the conversation was going to be like when he got back. Felicity was not going to be happy when she realized she had no way to track him.