Safe. For years that word was not in Bruce Banner's vocabulary. He'd been on the run for a long time because of the Hulk and had found himself constantly looking over his shoulder.

Now he stood bent over a microscope in the biochemistry lab Tony had built for him. He looked up and around still amazed at how his life had turned around.

After the battle with Loki he had been shocked to hear all of the good the Hulk had done. He knew he and the Hulk were on better terms but to save Tony's life? To defeat Loki?

Who was he and what did he do with the mindless, green, rage monster he was so used to dealing with? Had the Hulk finally been tamed?

Bruce snorted and smirked a bit. Tamed? Yeah right! Somehow the Hulk was able to distinguish friend from foe and would take orders.

He smiled as he realized why. Tony Stark, the genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist, had shown no fear of him or the Hulk. In fact he had even admitted to liking the Hulk and ever since the battle he pressed the point home several times that the Hulk had saved his life.

Who was he to get rid of someone important? Who was he to disappoint Tony?

Bruce smiled as stretched the kinks out of his neck and body. He hadn't Hulked out since the battle. For the first time he felt at peace and safe.

The door to the lab opened and in stepped Tony. His eyes went WIDE when he saw the black eye he was sporting and darted over! "What happened?"

Tony winced. "Ran my mouth one time too many!"

Bruce frowned as he examined the eye before going to get an icepack. "To who?"

Tony winced as Bruce gently held the cold pack on his eye. "Fury. We got into a heated argument."

Bruce could hear the Hulk growl and promised him that he'd get his chance to avenge his friend. "What about?"

Tony looked a little guilty. "You and Steve. He's not too happy that you two are living here. I told him to shove it and we started yelling. Natasha and Clint came in and separated us."

"Ok…me I can understand but Steve? Out of uniform he's harmless."

Tony sighed. "Fury wanted to train him to becoming another assassin. Needless to say Clint and Nat had a few choice words for him!"

Bruce's jaw clenched. "He's been through enough."

Tony nodded. "Agreed. He still has nightmares about his days in World War Two." He frowned. "Speaking of. JARVIS where's Steve?"

"Captain Rogers is currently in the gym after seeing a documentary on the History Channel about the war and his part in it. After it showed an interview with Miss Carter he went to train."

Both men looked at each other. Margaret "Peggy" Carter had passed away only day's prior to Steve waking up. Steve had kept stoic until the funeral that had been rescheduled after the attack.

He had come back to the tower, gone to his room, and broke down. They had had a feeling that those heartbroken sobs were not only for Peggy but for Bucky as well and the life he had lost. It was raw pain and anger.

"Does Steve know?" Bruce asked.

Tony shook his head. "No and Fury's given up on that notion. He shouldn't know. At least not yet unless Fury goes to him directly which I made it known that it would be over my dead body."

Bruce nodded feeling a wave of protectiveness for the both of them. Steve may be the eldest out of all of them technically but he and Tony saw him as a young man…a younger brother. "And he'll have to face a VERY angry Hulk!"

Tony smirked and nodded as he looked at his intelligent friend and saw the green tint in his eyes. "And that I'd love to see!"

The tint was still there but Bruce's eyes crinkled as he smiled and gently squeezed the man's shoulder. "Come on lets go see if he's ok. Maybe he'll finally be ready to talk. I have a feeling we have yet to meet the real Steve Rogers."

Tony nodded as he stood up and the two walked out of the lab and navigated their way to the enormous training room.

Once there they watched as the man out of time beat the punching bag. His blue eyes were hollow and sunk in. His body shown with sweat. They knew that all physical scars healed easily on him thanks to the super serum he'd been given seventy years ago and had a feeling that that was what kept him alive in that ice.

It was the super soldier's mental and emotional scars that worried them. Those were going to take time.

Feeling eyes on him Steve stopped and turned around. His eyes took in Tony's black eye and he stared for a moment. "What happened Tony?"

Tony shrugged. "Eh you know me. My mouth…"

Steve was by his side in a minute. His jaw clenched. "Who?"

"Uh…" Tony wasn't sure if telling an already pissed off Captain America would be a great idea but the look on his face broke no arguments. "Fury but let me tell you it will be the last time he and I come to blows. I made my point quite clear."

The blonde's eyes narrowed. "What point? Tony what's going on?" He looked at Bruce. "Bruce?"

Brice winced. "Long story but got resolved."

Steve looked at them before his entire body seemed to sag with fatigue. "Me?"

Tony looked at him. "It's not your fault. Fury wanted to use you as…"

Steve shut his eyes. "A weapon?"

Both of them frowned. "Steve?"

"No Tony. I'm used to it. I was a weapon then and that hasn't changed." Steve turned and went over before picking up his shield. He looked at his reflection on it. "I thought for sure that by volunteering to be injected I'd do something good…be someone better. Before the injection I was a weak little nothing that wanted to do the right thing. After the serum I'd look at my reflection and finally see someone worthwhile…someone that could protect Bucky the same way he protected me in those Brooklyn streets. I wanted to beat the bullies…never thinking that seventy years later I'd turn into one."

Bruce sighed. "Steve you're not a bully."

"The way I treated Tony suggests otherwise. A good person does not say what I did on the helicarrier."

"Funny…that same person saved my life by pulling the lever in time and risked his life in the meantime," Tony said looking at his friend.

Steve looked up at him.

"Steve, Captain America was to be a symbol for hope and he still is. There have been a few over the years that tried to wield the shield but all were disasters. They were all cocky and only had fame in their sights. They tarnished the image…or tried to but it didn't work. You are the one and only true Captain America."

Steve clenched the shield before hurtling it at the wall. His breathing quickened as it hit with a clang before clattering to the ground. His face showed only little anger now. More pain…lots more pain. Tears were threatening to fall.

Tony went to the shield as Bruce went over to Steve. The doctor gathered the soldier in his arms and just held him as Steve Rogers finally let go.

Tony went back over and set the shield down in front of them before getting on Steve's other side and joining the hug. The only sound were Steve's heart wrenching sobs. He and Bruce held him tightly.

When he finally calmed down he blushed. "I'm sorry guys…"

Bruce shook his head. "You may be superhuman but you're still human. We'll never try to replace Bucky or Peggy or all those you've lost. If anything we feel that they entrusted you to us."

Tony nodded in agreement. He tilted the shield so that Steve could see his reflection. "We see the strongest and bravest man we ever knew. We see a true hero who has compassion and is one of the few truly good people out there. We see that young boy from Brooklyn who had to enlist several times to he could serve his country. We see the young man that the war has shredded and spit back out in another world. You have navigated this world very well considering the circumstances. Give yourself time and give yourself a break. Don't worry about being used as a weapon again because that's not going to happen ever again. You are under my protection now."

Steve didn't say a word as he looked at his reflection again. This time he saw Tony and Bruce there comforting him. He took in a shaky breath and let it out. "Thank you…both of you."

They only smiled and helped him up.

Steve wiped his eyes and turned to them. His eyes seemed clearer now and as he looked at them his lips curved into a smile. It was small but it was sincere. "Ya know Tony you and Bucky would have gotten along great."

"Oh yeah?' Tony asked with a grin.

"Yeah. He had the same infuriating way of making me smile when I wanted to hit him!"

All three laughed as Steve took back his shield and they exited the training room. They went to the television and Tony flipped through the channels before finding an old 1940s movie. Steve lit up and said that he had wanted to see it when it came out so they watched it.

Towards the end Tony and Bruce looked at the now sleeping soldier and smiled at one another.

It looked like they were finally going to meet the real Steve Rogers.