Chapter 13

Captain America and Iron Man landing in the center of the Starling Renaissance Hotel gardens was going to be impressive. Oliver didn't want to admit that, but he felt a little chill race across his skin when Iron Man flew over and dropped Captain America from about a five story height.

In Oliver's mind, it was hard to reconcile that the man that landed in a crouch, the edge of his shield buried in the ground a few inches by the force of his landing was his friend Steve Rogers. At that moment Steve was very much Captain America. Dressed in a uniform that was similar to the ones Oliver had seen in the news reports of the fight in DC, the Captain looked impressive.

The silver star emblazoned on his chest, a helmet that covered most of his face and the iconic shield covered in red, white, and blue, Captain America was truly larger than life. Oliver wasn't used to feeling intimidated. It simply wasn't in the Queen DNA to feel that way. He glanced at Felicity standing beside him and saw a look of awe on her face. He couldn't have asked for anyone better than Captain America to date his EA, but the feel her look gave him settled like a rock in his stomach.

"He was showing off," Sara pointed out bringing Oliver's attention back to her. He sighed and ran a hand down her arm, pulling her a little closer.

"He's pretty good at it," Diggle pointed out from the other side of Felicity. "Wonder what Iron Man will do."

As the national hero stood up from his crouch, Iron Man came in at a fairly high rate of speed, buzzed the crowd and made an attempt to buzz Captain America. It was obvious that he wasn't trying to hurt Steve, just showing off at Rogers' expense. It would have been easy to duck and that's what Oliver expected his new friend to do, but the man surprised him and braced before throwing up his shield almost casually above his head. Iron Man wasn't able to compensate for the last minute move and bounced upward a little at the glancing contact.

If Oliver hadn't picked that moment to glance back to Steve's face, he wouldn't have seen the half smile that seemed to always appear about the time Steve's sense of humor was kicking into high gear. Steve Rogers had an evil side. Oliver felt himself relax and chuckle a little as the billionaire Avenger landed a little less than perfectly, having to crouch and dig his hands in to stop his sideways slide.

Recovering quickly, Iron Man stood up, glanced at his fellow Avenger, who was standing calmly next to him with a look that clearly was a challenge before turning back to the crowd.

Shoot to Thrill, started blasting from all the speakers in the garden area right before the Iron Man suit burst open down the front with confetti and red and gold fireworks shooting up and lighting up the sky over the hotel. Dressed in a trendy, perfectly tailored suit, Tony Stark stepped out and strutted forward. "Starling City, what are you waiting for? Let's start the party rolling," he shouted, holding his hands out to the crowd to include them.

There was a round of applause and everyone moved towards the center area. Oliver didn't flow with the crowd. He moved to the side where Dig and Felicity were standing.

"That was quite the entrance," Dig was mentioning. Felicity was still busy looking at the two Avengers in the middle of the crowd of top executives and others that had been able to afford the pricey tickets for the charity event. There was a cheaper event tomorrow, but it was not a dinner nor were the Avengers going to be in attendance.

"Are you sure we're not a little out of our league?" Roy asked, coming up behind them for a minute. Oliver wasn't so sure, but he wasn't going to say anything. He'd been out of his league when he'd ended up on the island and it had honed him into the Arrow. Being out of his league might just be the place that made him a match for Slade. At least it gave him a little feeling of hope.

"I think we'll manage," was Oliver's only answer to Roy. The young man looked doubtful, but nodded as he drifted back off to join Thea and Moria in the people being introduced to the Avengers. Oliver had seen his mother trying to motion him to join her, but he wasn't in the mood to play 'loving son' today. She'd made him complicit in her lies about Thea's parentage. He didn't think he could stand being in her company any more than he had to.

Steve listened politely as the woman that had introduced herself as Isabel Rochev, Co-CEO of Queen Consolidated monopolized both his time and especially Tony's. She was a beautiful woman even if she wasn't his type so he was surprised that Tony seemed more annoyed than flirty. It wasn't glaring. Steve wouldn't have picked up on it two years ago, but they'd been fighting side by side and living in the same building enough that he could see the annoyance in the inventors stance.

"Ms Rochev," Tony began, stepping to the side in preparation for leaving the pushy young woman to her own devices. She countered his move and put herself so that he really had no escape, except this was Tony. The man knew no social boundaries and she'd just irritated him.

"It's not that I don't enjoy your company Ms. Rochev," Tony began, then blinked at his own words and inclined his head slightly sideways. "Well actually, it is, but I have been trying my hand at diplomacy. You know, Pepper has been going on and on about how I should try the diplomacy thing." He turned to Steve. "You saw it Cap, didn't you? I tried subtle diplomacy first."

"Was that what that was?" Steve didn't like the woman any more than Tony did from being in her company for a few minutes, but he also couldn't resist the opportunity to give Tony a hard time. Tony rolled his eyes. Ms Rochev was looking back and forth between them now.

"You're going to back me up with Pep though right?" When Steve didn't say anything right away, Tony sighed heavily. "Fine," He spun back around to the stunned woman in front of him. "Ms Rochev, I appreciate that you've chased off most of the guests and saved me the trouble of doing it, but we're here to mingle not to talk business ventures. If you want to make an appointment with Pepper Potts in my main office, She can send you our people and you can send yours and we'll have them call each other, maybe do each other's hair..." She looked confused, which was a standard response to Tony quite a lot of the time.

However he'd done it, Tony had done a great job of drifting away and taking Steve with him as the woman looked caught between confusion and irritation. "You're an ass, Tony," Steve pointed out, no heat in his voice.

"Fair assessment," Tony agreed. "But in this case would you rather I leave you behind?"

"Never leave a man behind enemy lines.".

"That's what I thought, Spangles," he agreed slapping the back of his hand companionably against Steve's side then shaking it as if he'd hurt it and glaring for a second. "So where are these new friends you've been making and the girlfriend that finally has you saluting the flag?" Tony's question caught Steve by surprise. He almost spit out the soda he was taking a drink of. That was the second time today someone had done that to him. Did they purposely wait until he took a drink before making that type of comment? Felicity's remembered remark about groping his butt in public sent a flush of embarrassment and heat through his gut. He barely kept from rolling his eyes at himself.

"You do remember what I told you about not making it obvious she and I are together don't you, Tony." Thank goodness the billionaire hadn't gotten wind of Oliver's secret identity. That could be disastrous. Steve knew Tony wouldn't betray the secret, but he certainly would push Oliver's buttons just because he could. Starling's vigilante didn't need that kind of aggravation.

"I got it. Bruce briefed me. You don't want to make her a target so lay low at the party. I respect that." After what had happened to Pepper and how close she'd come to dying from the Extremis, Steve knew Tony was all about protecting families. With a nod, Steve worked his way over to where Oliver, Sara, and Felicity were all standing. Diggle wasn't in the group. He'd seen him walk toward the kitchen a little bit ago.

As they approached the group, Steve and Tony were careful to mingle with most everyone they came across. After so many Avenger benefits and command appearances, they had the drive-by greeting down to a science. Where Steve would get caught talking to someone, Tony had no qualms about pulling him away with a lame excuse. Steve normally fought it and made sure that he gave as much time to each 'group' of people as he could, but today he allowed the greetings to be quick.

Looking up as they made their way past the last group standing between them and Felicity, Steve watched a tall young woman dressed in an expensive blue dress step into the group and pull Sara with her toward the other side of the room. That left only Oliver and Felicity. Steve pushed down the little spike of jealousy that poked at him. He wasn't blind to the looks that Oliver sent Felicity's way every now and then or the way she flushed when she happen to catch him in one of them. Felicity insisted that there was nothing between Oliver and she but friendship. Steve chose to believe her, but sometimes his own insecurities raised their ugly head.

"Tony Stark," Steve began. "This is Oliver Queen, CEO of Queen Consolidated," he introduced. "And this is Felicity Smoak, his executive assistant." Tony shook Oliver's hand before turning to Felicity.

"Ah, I've heard quite a lot about you." Tony was not subtle. Felicity blushed and caught Steve's eye almost shyly. He smiled, trying to give her confidence as Tony prattled on. "Felicity Smoak, graduated from MIT with a masters in Cybersecurity and Computer Sciences," Tony recited. "I looked you up after Capsicle mentioned you. Pulled yourself up and educated yourself with nearly nothing but hard work. Multiple awards, top of your class, you're quite the IT catch for any company. You deciding to leave IT to be an Executive Assistant doesn't really fly for me. What's the real story." Tony's blunt question had Steve stepping into Tony's space.

"Leave it, Tony," Steve's Captain voice was in full force. Tony glanced over at him completely not intimidated. Steve felt Oliver bristle beside him.

"Queen," Tony had obviously decided to change topics. Steve had no illusions that Tony had accepted his order. Off the battlefield, calling his listening to Steve a 40/60 shout was optimistic at best. "I met your Co-CEO. I see why you look so angry." Tony paused for a second. "Well unless that look has something to do with my questions about your EA." Tony allowed.

"Go with that latter thought," Oliver suggested, his voice holding no warmth. Steve looked at Felicity who rolled her eyes at the two billionaires and gave him a smile before holding her hand out to Tony.

"There's no special story here, Mr Stark," she told Tony. "Mr Queen needed someone he could trust in his corner. He knew he could trust me and I wanted to help. Its as simple as that." Tony didn't look convinced, but he nodded at her statement. Steve smiled at her, trying to convey his apologies for Tony. He wished he could take her aside and talk to her, but he knew he shouldn't take a chance. He opened his mouth to try to change the subject when both his phone and Tony's went off. His ring tone told him Nat was calling. She rarely called. He picked it up as he heard Tony answer his.

"Excuse me a moment," he apologized. "Rogers," Steve answered.

"I've tracked a ship passing by Starling City on its way further north," Natasha started without preamble. "There have been several references to 'Asset retention' and the ship was chartered by a shell company that traces back to HYDRA." Steve's heart rate picked up. He'd learned not to get his hopes up, but Natasha's information was rarely wrong. Maybe he'd stopped looking just in time to stumble across Bucky by chance. "I know this is unexpected, Steve, but you're going to have to hurry," she was telling him. "I've sent you Clint. He's calling Tony and will meet you at Starling's private airport in 45 minutes to fly you in."

"Are you going to be there?" Steve asked her though he was already pretty sure he knew the answer.

"No, I'll be along later," she answered. "Be careful. If they've recaptured him there are going to be a lot of guards." She paused for a minute as if considering her words. "And Steve, Barnes doesn't know you."

"He will," Steve repeated hoping it was the truth. That statement hadn't gone as well as he'd hoped aboard the helicarriers when Bucky had almost killed him. Having his best friend be a brainwashed assassin was bad enough., Having him try to kill you was worse. Not being able to get through to him was a pain Steve didn't know how to categorize.

"You have to fight back, Steve," Natasha's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Even if it's just to protect yourself. You are no good to Barnes if you're in the hospital again." Somewhere in his head he knew she was right. Not fighting back after he'd done his duty and saved the world in DC had gotten him hospitalized with a lot more recovery time needed than he could spare again. Right or wrong, fighting the man that had been with him in the beginning, when he had nothing was going to be the hardest thing he'd ever done.

"Thank you, Nat," he finished and hung up without making any promises. Felicity was looking at him, concern evident in her eyes. She didn't know what was going on but she obviously had picked up enough from his side of the conversation to know he was upset. Oliver's face showed his concern as well.

"You OK, Cap?" Tony asked. "You ready for this."

"You don't have to come, Tony," Steve reminded him. "This isn't your fight."

"It's the team's fight," Tony was quick to point out. "Avengers team bonding, yay. Besides, you didn't do so hot against Freeze and Thaw the last time you, Nat and Flyboy decided to give him a go."

Steve glanced up at his teammate. Tony was a good man even if he was annoying as hell and Clint would be there.

"What can we do to help?" Felicity asked, carefully sliding a hand across his arm in comfort. She didn't hold the contact long, still respecting his wishes not to advertise their relationship to the world quite yet. He appreciated that and her comfort more than he could say in that moment. He thought about the picture she'd seen of Bucky in his sketchbook and the research she'd done on him. He'd have to fill her in more, but at least she knew the basics. What she didn't know, what hadn't made it to the public yet was that the Winter Soldier everyone saw trying to kill him in DC was his brainwashed best friend

Bucky Barnes. He would explain it when he got back, hopefully with Bucky in tow.

..

Oliver watched Steve's face go pale during his phone call. Stark's conversation had been a lot shorter. It was disconcerting to see Steve go silent and worried. The man was a powerhouse of not just strength but stability. Seeing him so obviously worried made him seem more human after watching him land from 4 or 5 stories in the air and then bump Iron Man slightly off course with little effort.

"Anything you need, Steve?" Oliver reiterated Felicity's question, being careful to carry himself with the stance of Oliver Queen, rich playboy rather than the Arrow's loose limbed, battle ready stance for Tony's benefit as well as anyone that might be watching the little group. Stark didn't need to know who he was. If Steve needed the Arrow, he'd find a way to say so without alerting his fellow Avenger.

"Why don't you suit up, Queen?" Tony's statement brought Oliver's thoughts to a dead halt. "It'll be fun. See what you got, stretch your legs, play with the big boys, loose a few arrows at some unsuspecting HYDRA scum." Oliver swung around at Steve. He had trusted the man. He didn't like the feeling he got in his gut. He didn't want to think how much having someone to talk to that wasn't dependent on him meant or how bad it felt to know he couldn't trust Steve.

"Before you say a word," Steve began. "I didn't tell Tony" I "I wouldn't do that."

"Then how?" Oliver spat out, turning back to Stark."

"It's Tony," Rogers stated as if that explained everything.

"I repeat, Stark, how?" Oliver knew his voice had turned menacing. A part of him realized he was standing in front of Iron Man trying to intimidate him, but he was too angry to care. How many other people knew? This man had announced his own identity as Iron Man in a news conference before the entire world! What would he do with Oliver's secret?

Stark didn't seem inclined to answer. He looked at his watch and tapped it. "Time's a wasting, bad guys to fight, frozen friends to thaw, shall we?" The man was impossible!

Oliver startled as a hand settled on his shoulder, steadying him. He realized he'd been about to slam Tony Stark into the wall behind him and demand answer. He wasn't sure if Steve's hand was meant to offer comfort or hold him in place.

"Tony," Steve's voice was full of command. Oliver glanced at the man beside him in surprise. "Oliver has the right to know how you found out and who else knows."

As Steve allowed his hand to fall away from his shoulder, Oliver realized he was a bit calmer. He actually trusted Steve to help him get to the bottom of this. It was a little bit of a surprise.

"Fine," Stark relented. "When Cap moved here I checked the place out." Tony shrugged like it was no big deal. "Saw a vigilante was hanging out in town and wanted to make sure it wasn't something Rogers needed to be worried about." Damn, what was up with the way these people protected Steve Rogers? First his partner Natasha might or might not decide to investigate if she thought Rogers was in danger, now a man known for his arrogance and self-centered personal life did a background check on the city Captain America had chosen to move to just to make sure if was safe. Didn't any of them get the fact that he was Captain America?

"And you just assumed I was the Arrow."

"Makes sense," Tony shrugged. "Simple equation, you arrive, the Hood arrives. You disappear, the Hood disappears except for a few sightings with a completely different MO. I'm guessing your bodyguard, driver suited up to keep people guessing?" Tony raised his voice in question and paused, but Oliver didn't answer so he continued. "There were a couple of other tells as well, like you reporting you'd been on an island alone but the police report from your booking showing scars that clearly said you'd been tortured. The police arresting you, they question your IT genius. It all made sense, but I wasn't completely sure until your face when I asked you."

"You were just fishing?" In a room full of people that could overhear, Stark had decided to test his theory about Oliver's life. "Are you completely insane, Stark?" Oliver hissed under his breath.

"Jury's out," Tony quipped, like the question had been sincere. Oliver felt his temper rising even more. He wanted to feel the bow in his hand or Stark's neck between his fingers.

"No, Tony it's not," Steve stated, moving to stand between the two men, no trace of doubt in his voice. "It's really not."

"Thanks Spangles," Tony shot back. Steve rolled his eyes.

"Oliver, as much as I don't agree with Tony's methods, you can trust him not to advertise your secret." Steve told him with a long-suffering look on his face. It was apparent that the two men did not agree but the trust between them was also apparent.

Tony held out his hand. "Cap's right. I wouldn't step on anyone's right to wear a mask and indulge their inner hero. When Cap moved here I checked the place out, simple as that." Tony shrugged like it was no big deal.

"I think Oliver helping is a good idea," Felicity interrupted. "Sounds like you could use all the help from friends you can get." She'd turned to Steve and was looking at his face. Steve nodded.

"If you want to come on board, your help will be appreciated." He told Oliver.

"Do you have anyone running comms for you?" She turned her question to Stark who didn't look surprised. He pulled out a hotel card key and casually reached for her hand.

"It was so good to meet you Miss Smoak. I'm going to try to steal you away for Stark Industries before I leave this town." Oliver glanced over and saw that they were starting to attract attention. The Avengers had stayed talking to their group too long. Tony dropped his voice so that only the four of them could hear. "Go to my hotel suite, there is a computer set up on the desk. Jarvis, my AI is hooked up to it. He will run everything through to you. I'm assuming this isn't your first rodeo."

"Not at all," she was quick to volunteer, releasing Starks hand and coming discreetly away with his hotel key. Oliver didn't like her involvement and was about to say so when Steve spoke up.

"Jarvis can lead us through if we need anything," Steve was saying.

"He can," Tony interrupted. "But…"

"But he doesn't have to," Felicity interrupted Tony before he could finish whatever he was about to say. "Because you've got me and I'm good. So good luck everyone, be careful and I'll see you all when you get back." She didn't wait for an answer, just turned and walked toward the bar. Oliver smirked at the look on Steve's face.

"You'll get used to it," He pointed out to Rogers. "She really is the best at support and she doesn't like to be left out." He glanced over at the bar to see that she wasn't there. She'd slipped out. She'd done a good job of not making it obvious that she was leaving the party. It was scary how good she was getting at some of this stuff. Oliver made a mental note to do better about keeping her out of the field. He didn't need her hurt, he needed her behind her computers where it was as safe as anyone helping him could be.

"And we don't want anyone to feel left out." Tony jumped in.

Steve looked toward the bar. For a minute it looked like he was going to argue, but obviously he could see he was outvoted so Rogers shut his mouth and nodded. "Oliver, suit up and meet us at the Starling South Private Airport in 20 minutes." Steve told him. Oliver nodded and went to find Digg to let him know he was leaving. He'd let Digg tell Sara so she didn't ream him a new one for leaving her behind and Digg could keep an eye on Felicity. That would keep everyone safe. This wasn't an Arrow fight and the Avengers being part of it, he wasn't sure that it wouldn't get more intense than the usual stuff they fought. He didn't want her hurt.

Adrenaline suddenly flooded Oliver's system as he walked toward Digg. It hit him that he was about to go fight with a few of the Avengers, side by side with Captain America. Unbelievable. Oliver found himself very much looking forward to fighting an enemy he could see coming rather than what Slade was doing to him. It might just blow some steam off and feel pretty good, if he could get past the slight case of nerves he found he had but never intended to admit to.