So here's the last chapter. Don't worry, there will be an epilogue. This was a pretty emotional one for me; put a lot of thought behind it. It's a long one too. This chapter was so important to me because I am a HUGE shipper of Stony (or Steve/Tony for all you non-shippers), so this is can either be seen as a pre-slash, or just a bromance chapter, it's up to you. I wanted to make this special, just for you guys! Anyway, read, relax and review!

Day 7

"A hero? Like you? You're a laboratory experiment, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle."

X

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony."

X

Tony Stark, the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist, couldn't believe what he was doing. "JARVIS, can you remind me again why I'm here?"

The AI replied in the usual cool voice through Tony's earpiece. "Sir, Miss Potts insisted that you visit Captain Rogers while he is still in his coma."

The brunette rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Right… but honestly JARVIS is it really necessary?"

"The rest of the Avengers had already visited the Captain, Sir. It would only seem right if you did the same."

"Don't remind me. They came here and didn't invite me. Now I have to do it all alone." Tony could already imagine the awkwardness that was going to build once he went into the room, and awkwardness was something that he could not handle.

"You'll have me, Sir."

"Yeah, you'll be great support." Tony scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. Some days he just wondered why he even put a personality chip in JARVIS's software in the first place.

He stepped in front of the bare grey door that bore only the Captain's name. "Guess I just have to get this over and done with." Then, a thought came to him. "JARVIS, if I say anything awkward in there, remember to delete it from the camera footage. But if I manage to wake Cap up, you know what to do. I'll need proof that I, Anthony Stark, can make miracles happen."

"Understood."

"Good." He sighed. "Well, here goes nothing."

Turning the handle, Tony entered the room by first poking his head around the door. Then he stepped in, silently shutting the door behind him. He walked up to Steve's unconscious body. To him, Steve looked like he was sleeping; the gentle rise and fall of his chest and his closed eyes. But the needle in his arm and the beeping machines around the bed begged to differ.

"What have you gotten yourself into…" Tony shook his head, sitting down on one of the chairs placed by the bed. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Hey, Cap, it's been a whole week since the accident and you're still not up yet. Don't know why. I mean… the bruises and cuts cleared up, your broken limbs are good again, and the internal bleeding healed. So why aren't you awake yet?"

Sighing, Tony looked away from Steve, his gaze falling on something he had brought in that he forgot about. "Oh… Cap, I brought your shield. It's been cleaned up and polished; dents are gone, so are the scratches. It's good as new." Carefully, he placed it on the Captain's torso, making sure not to hurt him. "Not sure why I brought it. Maybe it can bring good luck or something. I hope it does."

Suddenly, Tony, for the first time in his life, doesn't know what to say, and because of this, a thick silence began to crowd the room. As the minutes ticked by, Tony either looked at the wall or at the shield, willing himself to not look at Steve's face. But he knew that if didn't say something, the silence would only go on longer and grow more awkward. And the only way that he could think of something to say… was to look at the Captain.

The minute Tony glances at the Captain's face, it seemed like a million and one things wanted to spew out. But there were only a few worth speaking out for. "I don't why I came here today, Steve. Pepper told me to, and I could have just ignored her like I usually do, but I didn't. I told myself to come here even though I didn't want to. That's sounds stupid, doesn't it? I was fighting against myself, deciding whether to visit or not. My brain was telling me, 'Why do you even bother? You're just going to sit there like an idiot until time's up.' But somewhere, some part of me was saying, 'You have to go. Visiting the Captain will help you.' I don't know if that was my intuition or self-conscience talking, but I followed it. And here I am.

"I really don't understand how coming here will help me. You can't talk. Yet… the others said you helped them. They said that you helped them think about themselves, and how… how special they really are. I think they're exaggerating, but they were serious when they told me about it. Nobody cried, thank god, but… you helped them, Steve. In some magical way, you helped them. So maybe I'm here because I want your help. Now, I know that I, Tony Stark, have never asked someone for help, but this… this is different."

Tony leaned back against the chair, taking a look around the room. There were at least fifteen bouquets of flowers, ranging from carnations to roses. He never understood why people gave flowers to one another. They were all going to wilt away and die sooner or later, so why waste all that time and effort? And amongst the flowers were cards. Whether self-crafted or store-bought, hand-written or pre-printed, Tony never liked them. Cards were thrown away almost immediately after being read, and even if they were kept, they were just going to collect dust and take up space.

Tony knew he wasn't one for sentimental value, but Steve was. Steve had a whole box full of what he called 'treasured things' in his room. Every now and then he would open it up and look at the stuff inside. A trading card from the 40's, his first artwork as a kid, a letter written by his mom; those were things Steve looked at to remember the life he had. But Steve had some new things too: a Captain America action figure, the key to his old apartment, a picture of the Avengers. Tony would walk past his room to see him staring at those things, not saying a word with a look of nostalgia on his face.

Tony never got why he did that. To him, a person should only keep things that are of use. The only things that he stored were extra parts for the suits, nothing else. Items of no value should be thrown away. As that thought flashes past Tony's mind, he looked at Steve. "Is that what you're trying to tell me? That I should feel some sentimental value?"

The Captain's face didn't change. It hadn't for the past week. "This is starting to feel stupid. You're supposed to be helping me, Steve, so why aren't you?"

Tony squeezes his eyes shut in frustration. As he does, his mind starts replaying something that he nearly forgot about.

XXXXXXXXXX

A couple of days before the accident, Tony was walking to the kitchen to get a coffee. It was midnight, and he needed caffeine in his system to let him complete the final touches on the Mark VIII. As he started up the coffee machine, he noticed a light coming from the living room. Turning his head around the corner, Tony saw Steve sitting in front of the coffee table with pieces of paper around him.

He sauntered over to the Captain, who was deep in thought. "Hey, Cap, whatcha doing up so late?"

Steve flinched at the sudden sound and turned around. "Oh, Stark, it's you. Nothing, I'm just doing some reading."

"It's a bit late to do some read- wait a minute…" Tony bent down to get a closer look at the paper in Steve's hand. "Is that my profile? Cap, what are you doing with my profile?"

"I was reading all of our profiles. You just came here at the right time. And it says here that you're, what was it, 'volatile, self-obsessed, and don't play well with others.'"

The billionaire crossed his arms. "Yeah, I know what it says. I even have it memorised by heart. What about it?"

The Captain just shrugged. "I just think that it should say more than that."

"I tell you what. You say out something that should be on that list, and I'll tell you whether you're right or not."

Steve raised an eyebrow, but went along with it. "Risk-taker."

"Well, there might be space for that. It's true. Next."

"Alcoholic."

"Also true."

"Self-sacrificing."

"Hmm… it was just that one time… so, no."

"Obnoxious."

"Hey, I resent that… but I am."

"Fast-thinker."

"Really, you think I am? Thanks."

"Sly."

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on, what are you trying to do, Cap? Put me down or praise me?"

"Both, actually."

"Why?"

"Because I want to let you know that you're not as bad as everyone thinks you are, but you're not that great as you think you are."

"Stop right there. I know this is leading to a heart-to-heart talk, and I don't do those. So… bye."

Tony started to walk away back to the kitchen. Steve called out to him. "Tony, wait, I-"

Tony quickened his pace. "Goodnight Capsicle! See you tomorrow!" He poured his coffee into his mug and sped off, leaving Steve with his unspoken speech.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tony looked up from the floor and stared at Steve's face. "Is that how you were helping me? By telling me that I'm not who I think I am? You don't have to tell me that; I know it myself. That's how you helped the others, isn't it? You let them reflect on their worse imperfection to help them realise that that's who they were meant to be? How does that even help? You were trying to get me to do that, weren't you? Well then, I suppose I should just do it now…

"I'm a risk taker. So what? That doesn't make me a better or worse person. I take risks because I follow my instinct. I'm not saying that you don't, Cap, but your instinct is to plan and strategize before you go into action. I just do the first thing that comes into my head, which normally ends with me getting hurt. Whether that's good or bad, I don't know, but… somehow, you find that a good thing. Maybe because it means that I'm less afraid to do more things.

"I know I'm obnoxious. I can tell by just the way the rest of you look at me. Natasha, Bruce, Fury; all of them just find me annoying. Especially you, Cap. You don't like me because I don't follow orders; I go by my own rulebook, whereas you, on the other hand, believe that everything has to be done according to the law or whatever. Well too bad; maybe I'm obnoxious, maybe I'm annoying, but it's for a reason. Life is enjoyed best with freedom, not by being tied down by rules. You, of all people, as Captain America, should understand.

"… Cap, don't you think that when I hear people call me 'self-obsessed', 'volatile' or whatever, that I feel upset? I feel bad, but even if I change, it'll still come back, because that's who I am. That's who Tony Stark is. I know I'm not as great and awesome as I think, and I'm not as self-centred or spoilt as others see me, but those things are what makes me… me. If I try to change myself according to what others want me to be, won't I just be another face in the crowd?

"You think that I feel better talking about myself like this, Cap? Do you wanna know how I feel right now? I feel…" Tony felt like saying that he felt worse, that it was so irritating, but he couldn't, because if he did, he would be lying. He sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Fuck… Damn it, Steve. I do feel better. I don't know how you did that, but you did. Our imperfections really are what make us special. You helped the others see that, and now you helped me." Tony scoffed, leaning back in his seat. "God… I can't believe you helped me get an epiphany… no one has ever done that. You've just broken that streak, you idiot."

Under normal circumstances, Steve would have been smiling at how Tony was angry at himself. But now, Steve was emotionless, or least that was what his face showed. Tony leaned forward again, resting his arms on the edge of the bed. "You have to wake up, Cap. You have to. Why can't you; it's so easy. Just open your eyes. Open your eyes and you'll be brought back to reality where we're waiting. It's not fair that you're asleep. How can it be, that while the rest of us are going on with life, facing all kinds of crap there is, but you're just sleeping? You have to wake up, because I'm not going to let another 70 years pass without you having to go through it and suffer with the rest of us.

"Steve… we miss you. The team misses you, SHIELD misses you; even the mansion misses you. Knowing that no punching bags are being smacked across the room, and that the jogging track is unused, that you won't be there to greet us in the morning at breakfast… it just kills us. We can't stand it. You should see us Steve. Every night during dinner for the past week, your seat's been empty and we can't help but look at it. And when we do we just can't eat anymore. We need you to come back. Clint misses his gym partner, Thor misses his TV buddy, Bruce misses the one person who doesn't annoy him and Natasha and Pepper misses who they call 'the only true gentleman alive'. Even Fury misses you. He says that you're the only one who listens to him. And, even as much as I hate to admit, I miss you too. I miss having something to tease. I miss your lack of modern knowledge, I miss how everything can remind you of the 40's, and I miss how you always remember to brew an extra-large pot of coffee in the morning.

"Remember you told me that there isn't always a way out? I nearly started to think that, but I can't go against what I believe, and what I believe in is that there's always a way out. No matter how bad the situation is, or how tightly you're squeezed into a corner, there will always be a way out of it. So you have to trust me when I say that you have a way of getting out of this. You do, it's just that you can find it yet. And when you do, you better grab onto it and come back. I know you can find a way; you just have to search harder.

"Steve, we need you. It might not seem like that before, but we do now, more than ever. You said it yourself that you will never hurt family, but can't you see? That's what you're doing right now. Being in this coma, you're hurting us far worse than anything else. We're a family, Cap, all of us, and you never give up on family. We aren't giving up on you; we know you'll come back… We'll need you to. You're not alone in this world anymore, Steve; you're part of a team… and the team needs their Captain."

Glancing up at the clock, Tony ran a hand through his hair. "Guess it's time to go…" Before standing up, Tony decided to do one last thing.

"Steve, before I leave, I just have to say that I… I'm… I'm sorry. I'm sorry for saying that everything special about you came out of a bottle. I take that back. Your kindness, loyalty, bravery, faithfulness; those and so much more can't come from a bottle. I know you would have let go if you didn't slip; that kind of self-sacrifice can't be created. Underneath your shield, strength and suit is something so pure, so genuine that can't be changed, can't be removed, and can't be destroyed. No lab in the world, no scientist however smart can create that from a test-tube. You're no experiment, Rogers; you're a person. Not a perfect person, but a good man. And not just good; it's… it's… indescribable. I realise that now, so I'm taking it back… I'm sorry."

Tony got up from his seat and adjusted his jacket. "Thank God you can't hear me, because I cannot apologise to your face. Hope it got through somehow, because I am never saying that again."

He walked towards the door. Just as he touched the handle, he heard a noise behind him.

Turning around, Tony saw Steve in his sleeping position, but something wasn't right. That's when he notices. Steve's arm, which should have been next to his body, was now hanging over the side of the bed. Tony wasn't there to move it, which only meant one thing…

"Cap?" Tony rushed back over to the side of the bed. He grabbed the side of the bed so tight that his knuckles were turning white. Peering into the Captain's face, he spoke with caution. "Steve? Can you hear me?"

For five whole seconds, there was no response. Tony almost thought he was seeing things and wanted to walk away. Then, in what seemed like a miracle, Steve's eyes fluttered open slowly. He squinted in the artificial light.

"Oh my God… Steve, you're up." Tony muttered in shock and disbelief. "I can't believe it; I'm a miracle worker!"

"What?" Steve's voice came out hoarse and raspy, so much so that Tony didn't hear him. He cleared his throat and tried again. "What? Stark? Where am I? What happened?"

"You're in the hospital. During a mission you fell off a Quinjet and got yourself into a coma."

"A coma?" Steve rubbed a hand against the back of his head. He stops when a thought flashes through his mind. "Wait, how long have I been out?"

Tony internally smiled to himself, but on the outside, he looked serious and solemn. No better time to tease the Captain. "It's been years, Cap. You took forever to wake up."

Steve buried his face in his hands. "What?! Oh my God, no… not again."

Tony placed a hand on his shoulder. "Chill, Cap, I'm just joking. It's only been a week."

Steve lifted his head, pushing himself into a sitting position. He glared at Tony in a way that made the billionaire remove his hand. If looks could kill, Tony would have been dead ten times over. "Stark, so help me God, if I wasn't in this condition, I will…"

"I know, I know. You will kick me, punch me, stab me, murder me, and etcetera… Sorry, I just had to do it. Anyway, on a more serious note, I'm glad you're back. We missed you."

The Captain had calmed down, and he was looking around the room. The flowers, the cards; he didn't knew people cared so much. His eyes then fell on Tony. "You haven't answered me, Tony? Why are you here?"

Tony crossed his arms. "To visit, obviously. I'm not the only one; the rest of the team came too."

"They did?"

"Yep. We had to, after all that you've done. And we brought along some things. Clint brought you your sketchbook, Natasha bought those flowers on your bedside table, Thor and Bruce brought you that fruit and muffin basket, and I brought your shield!"

Steve looked down at his lap. His shield was there; clear and perfect, not a scratch anywhere. He ran a hand over the cool, polished metal. "Thank you, Tony. Tell the others I said thanks."

"I'm going to do more than that. I have to tell them you're awake. They're going to think I'm amazing; I woke you. Is there nothing I can't do?" Tony cheerfully got up and headed to the door. "Might as well tell the doctors you're up too."

"… Tony, wait."

The brunette looked over his shoulder. "What is it Cap?"

The blonde smiled at him. "Thank you for saying it."

"What did I say?"

"That you're sorry."

Tony's face turned ten shades redder. His eyes widened in shock. He started stuttering. "What… I… said nothing. You're… wrong… I…"

"It's okay, Tony. I accept your apology."

The billionaire swallowed hard before talking again. "What are you talking about? What apology?"

Steve laughed, finding Tony's expression and defensive stance amusing. "I heard you say that you were sorry, that you take back what you said about me. I'm glad you did; it means a lot. Never in a million years would I expect Tony Stark to apologise."

"You have no proof!"

"Excuse me?"

"Shit." Tony muttered, realising he was just digging a deeper hole. "I mean… I didn't say anything like that. You can check the camera footage."

"I wouldn't bother. JARVIS would have deleted it."

Tony walked up to Steve. He leaned close to his face, voice lowered to a threatening tone. "I swear, Rogers, if you tell anyone, I will-"

"I won't."

"You won't?" Tony jerked back in surprise.

"Cross my heart and hope to die. I promise." Steve saluted him. "A Captain's promise."

Tony narrowed his eyes but moved away. "Fine." He walked away towards the door. "I'm just going to find you a doctor…"

Just as he opens it, Steve shouted. "Again, I accept your apology!"

Tony glares at him. "Do you want the whole goddamn world to know!? Just keep quiet, okay?"

As Tony closes the door behind him, Steve shouts to him yet again. "Thank you for taking it back!"

Right before the door shuts, Steve could hear Tony shout, "Shut up!"

The Captain leaned back against the bed, feeling proud of himself. He was sore and tired, but he was, undoubtedly, happy. He ran over his shield once more, waiting for the doctors to arrive to do checks and examinations on him. He wasn't looking forward to that, but once the doctors could put him in the clear, he could go home. Back to his team, back to his friends, but more importantly, back to his family.

Okay, so since this is the last chapter before the epilogue, can you guys please review? It would mean so much to me! Can I get at least five reviews that aren't just about updating faster? If that happens, I will write the best damn epilogue that I can squeeze out of this head of mine. The review box is just right below; don't hesitate!