Authors note: OKAY I GIVE IN! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, and inboxes demanding more chapters.

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Thank you to all of the 1200 plus of you who have read this as well.

Please keep it coming, your reviews make me cry in a really good way.

PS A little steamier this chapter, enjoy.

Bitter Suite

Chapter Five

Coulson and Pepper walked into the room the next morning, carrying a tray of coffees and doughnuts for everyone. Followed closely behind by Tasha and Barton, with Banner bringing up the rear. "Oh my goodness." Pepper exclaimed at the sight they found.

Steve was rolled on his side, Tony was still sat on the chair, but slumped over onto the bed. One of Steve's hands wad curled in Tony's hair, the other snaking around his side. Tony's hand was laying lightly on Steve's hip, they looked so happy together, so adoreablely together in every sense of the word. Money exchanged hands behind her as debts were called in. Pepper smiled, "Its about damn time you two." she muttered, shooing the others out of the room to let them sleep in peace. Even the nurses were tiptoeing around trying not to wake the sleeping couple.

Sometime later Steve opened his eyes and saw who was half laying on the bed with him. Tears filled his eyes as he realised that Tony had stayed the night with him, keeping him protected. It was more then he had ever hoped for between them. Stroking Stark's hair, the other man moved in his sleep, a look of pure contentment on his face.

The fight came back to Steve's mind, and the reasons behind the crash as he woke up fully. He checked himself over, he was already mostly healed, sometimes his new body had its advantages. He knew that he was lucky to be alive, without the serum he certainly wouldn't have been.

Yes he was angry at Tony for the fight, how could he not be? The ache in his heart from the rejection unbearable, added with the growing confusion at the position they were both now in. Could it be that Tony really did care? Or was he just fooling himself into believing it? It was something he had wanted so very much, to have the other man so close to him. It set him on fire, he wanted to kiss Stark so very badly right now. To claim that stubble shaded mouth as his very own.

He must have moved slightly, and disturbed Tony as a few seconds later the other man's eyes opened and he blinked a few times trying to work out what was happening. He felt the hand resting on him and smiled happily, not lifting his head , enjoying the sensation. His back ached and he tried to pop it back into place. "I'm getting far too old for this." Tony muttered.

"You and me both, old man." Steve commented with a smile, stroking his hair.

Tony shot back from the bed, pulling his hand away when he realised that Steve was awake starting to panic. He blushed a deep scarlet, realising the very suggestive positioning they had just been in. Trying to stammer his way out of it. "I erm...I must have dozed off...erm... how do you feel?"

Steve saw his reaction and his heart sunk, maybe he had been wrong after all. Maybe he should tell a little white lie here to save them both a little of the pain? It went against the grain, but he would try to. "What happened, how did I get here?" he asked, Lord forgive my sin he thought.

"You don't remember anything?" Stark asked.

Steve shook his head, trying to look innocently. "I think I remember you being angry with me." he tried to edge around the subject tactfully.

"I could never be angry at you, I was a stupid, idiotic fool. I shouldn't have let you ride away from me, I knew that you would get hurt." Tony exploded, pacing the small room not able to stay still.

"It wasn't your fault Tony, it was mine. I should never have got on on that bike, I was in not condition to drive, please don't blame yourself" Steve begged.

"Of course I blame myself, it was my responsibility to make sure that you were safe! I should have said something to keep you there, not stood there while you poured your heart out." Tony answered, breaking off before he said too much and condemned them both.

Steve wrestled with his internal feelings and lost the battle to keep up the pretence. He gripped Tony's hand, and tried to pull him back to the bedside. "Tony, you saved me! You ripped me from the wreckage, you never gave up. That's the only important thing here. You told me that you were never going to let me go, and you didn't. You stayed with me, you were there when it mattered the most. At least if I had have died, I'd have been with the one person I wanted to be with the most when it happened." he was on his feet now, and out of the bed. Completely mindless of the boxer shorts and tee shirt he was dressed in.

Tony tried not to stare at the man's toned and half dressed form. "The thought of losing you, I didn't, I couldn't." his voice broke, tears fresh on his skin.

Steve couldn't bare to see his beloved in such a state, in two steps he'd pulled him into an embrace. Comforting him, stroking his back. "Its okay, I'm not going anywhere." Steve promised, "I won't leave you again."

Stark rested his head onto the other man's shoulder. This was a mistake, such a bad idea and he knew it. He should move away before he fell any further, but there was no where else he wanted to be right now. The warmth of Steve's body removing the chill from his skin. This was the happiest that he ahd felt in so very, very long. Hell he never thought he had ever felt as safe as he did right now. His eyes closed as Steve shhh'd him, rubbing Starks back as the tears fell. Tony tried to hold them back, but he couldn't, not anymore.

Steve wiped away his tears, "I'm not going anywhere ever, its you and me now, okay?" He brought Tony's face up to look him in the eyes. "Do you believe me?" he asked.

Tony looked back at the raw emotion in the other man's eyes and nodded slowly. Not trusting his speech right now.

Then Steve pushed things just that little bit too far. He reached up and brought Tony's lips to his in a soft passionate kiss. The other man froze for a moment then melted into the heat of it. The dream hadn't come anywhere close to the reality of feelings he was now experiencing. Steve darted his tongue into Tony's mouth, searching, tasting. Tony's met it in a heart beat, sinking deeper into the mans embrace, his arms locked around Steve's back. He had lost the ability to think, to know this was wrong. All he could do was feel, and enjoy it.

Steve slammed him firmly against the wall, a hand slipping under Tony's shirt to stroke his chest. Tony groaned at the light touch against his skin. Steve nibbled down Tony's neck, just hard enough to scratch the skin. His eyes closed in sheer bliss, giving himself over completely to Steve's control as his emotions rose. Steve egged on by Tony's soft sighs of pleasure, and the total trust of giving himself carried in kissing, tempting.

Until they were disturbed by a cough behind them. They sprung apart, to see a stern looking nurse stood there, glaring at them.

"I should go." Tony muttered, beat red.

"No don't, please." Steve begged.

Tony wouldn't, couldn't even look at him, he dived out of the door without looking back.

Steve went to go after him, but stopped realising he was only half dressed. "Damn it!" he muttered, "Where are my trousers?" he demanded off the nurse.

"You aren't going anywhere until you have been examined." She snapped, "Your boyfriend can wait."

"He's not my boyfriend, oh never mind." Steve said slinking down onto the bed. He'd been so damn close to sorting things out, and now Tony would close back down again and he'd never have another chance at breaking through that armour. He'd nearly had to die for this one shot. He closed his eyes, trying to blot out the pain in his aching soul.