Bitter Suite

Chapter Eight

Author's note: WOW that killer ending went down well! I've been sat here LOVING the reviews and wondering when I upload this chapter. I made sure that 8 was nearly done as soon as seven hit. I'm glad to see how much you guys enjoyed it with me. I was nearly in tears writing it. Sorry this is a short chapter, but I wanted to leave you guys on another good ending. More soon xxxx

Steve enjoyed the fresh air as he bombed along the road on his newly fixed bike. It was the first time he'd felt truly free, truly happy since the kiss. He wanted to thank Tony for the touching gift, both of them. Hopefully now Tony was finally willing to talk to him and sort this out. Steve headed towards Starks home, slowing down drastically when he reached the tight bend that he had nearly lost his life to a few weeks beforehand. He didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

As he took the curve, he saw a figure standing at the edge of the cliff. It chilled him to his bones when he realised exactly who it was. He was off the bike before it had even stopped completely, the bike slid along the ground already scratching the fresh paintwork. "Tony NOOOOOOO!" he shouted as the man put one foot over the edge. Steve run as fast as he super powered body would allow him to, but it was too late, Tony had already jumped.

He threw himself to the ground and just managed to grab Tony's arm in time to stop him from crashing to the ground far below. They hung there for a few moments, until Steve managed to pull Stark up and drag him to the solid ground. Tony lay there winded, not saying anything just staring straight at the other guy.

The Captain's emotions were working on overdrive now, "What the hall are you doing Tony?" he demanded, "Is this all some sort of sick joke? You just turn up after weeks of nothing, give me two of the sweetest and most touching gifts I have ever been given. Making me think about how much you care for me, and then a second later you try to kill yourself! And here of all places!"

Tony sighed, "This wasn't about you, it was about me, my own choice."

"And what about you is so god damn bad that you need to say goodbye to me, and then die!" Steve snapped.

"That's none of your business." Tony answered.

Steve shook his head, "You really are an arsehole Tony, you need to grow the hell up and start thinking of others before yourself." He stood the bike back up, fussing over the slight scratches. "You know what Tony? You want to kill yourself then fine, feel free. Just don't expect me to stand here and watch you do it."

Tony reached out a hand to him, but he still couldn't quite bring himself to say the words he needed to. "As you wish, Steve." he said softly.

"I don't believe you Stark." Captain answered, "You really do have no heart anywhere inside of you at all, just a blackened husk where it used to be."

"God damn you Steven Rogers, if I had no heart then why would I be trying to save you from being hurt?" Tony exploded.

"Oh and killing yourself is really not going to hurt me?" Steve snapped back, "Taking away the one and only thing that I actually care about in this screwed up insane modern world."

"You love me, I can't say the same thing back. I don't think I actually can love anymore. Hell Pepper certainly said as much and I had thought that I was completely in love with her. I can't say I don't care about you, because I do a hell of a lot, more then I dare admit even to myself. When I saw you, when I thought you were dead, I thought I had died as well. I've done things, seen things that aren't in my file. Because I hacked in and took them out, I don't want people to know. I'm a broken man Steve, I'm not fit to be alive. I just blindly carry on in my father's footsteps, drinking my way through this hellish world." Tony answered, "Just trying to escape the pain."

Steve looked at him for a long silent moment processing what Tony had said. "You've got shellshock haven't you?" he asked more calmly.

Tony's eyes went wild, "That's none of your concern, my problems are my own to deal with."

"Not when they effect us they aren't." Steve commented, "It all makes sense now, the drinking, the self destructive tendencies, the false bravado, all of you. I don't know why I didn't see it sooner, I saw so many good men suffering back in the war."

"You have no idea what you are talking about!" Tony snapped, "You are the one with shell shock. Nothing wrong with me that a good bottle of scotch can't fix."

"Oh that's right, go and get drunk again Stark, cause that always just makes everything better. Walking your way through your life in a drunken haze, its easier then admitting that you actually care about something or someone." Steve snapped.

Tony squared up to him, "Don't you dare judge me you know nothing about me."

Steve threw his arms open, "Well I'm here, you are here, so damn well tell me then. You haven't got anything else to do, I'm sure your date with death can wait another hour."

Tony glared at the man and shook his head, "Its my problem to deal with not yours."

"Tony for Christ sake let me in, just this once let someone else help you." Steve begged.

"I can't!" Tony said softly, eyes on the floor, "I don't know how anymore."

Steve reached for his hand, "Then let me show you please."

"Leave me alone." Tony said, pulling away, "I don't need you I don't need anyone."

"Yeah just keep telling yourself that and one day you might actually start to believe it." he answered.

The next thing they knew they were being fogged with some sort of gas, and then Tony felt something heavy connect with the base of his skull, a flash of something big and green moving past. He blacked out, slumping to the ground. Steve caught him,, trying to keep him safe staring around to see what was attacking them. Seconds later he was struck from behind as well, and collapsed.

Fury stood over their bodies as the fog cleared, looking at Clint Barton, Natasha Romanof and the Hulk standing there. "Take them away where they can't hurt anyone else." he ordered.