The next Avengers meeting was quiet, terse, and awkward.

Tony noticed right away the way Steve and Nick seemed to avoid speaking directly to each other and knew that Steve must have learned whatever secret Nick had been keeping.

Bucky and Natasha sat together, though she had been told implicitly to stay in bed, staring daggers at Nick as well.

Sometimes he hated being left out of the "so old I should be dead" club.

Nick and T'Challa were avoiding each other as well, but still spoke directly to one another. He wanted to yell out, ask once and for all what the big secret thing was but still held his tongue.

He realized he was afraid to know.

If it was so bad that Natasha didn't want to tell him and neither did Steve, he was so worried something was really wrong with the man he loved.

After the meeting ended he was about to go over to Steve when he saw Bucky heading towards him instead. Tony left, knowing he would only be brushed off anyway and followed Clint and Bruce.

Clint frowned at him. "Anything?"

He shook his head.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Even the great Tony Stark can't hack the computer system in this building?"

Tony narrowed his eyes at Clint. "You told him?"

Clint blushed. "He's my boyfriend! Of course I did! WE don't keep secrets from each other!"

He sighed. "If I know Nick, the files aren't even IN the system but I am going to go home right now to try and do that very thing Dr. Smart Ass."

Bruce blushed, looking away. "Sorry."

They had walked about ten feet from the Situation Room when he heard voices arguing. He stopped, shared a look with the other two men and began charging back inside.

He was going to get to the bottom of this once and for all.

As Tony got closer he picked up on the words the voices were saying.

"….and if you even THINK keeping this a secret is a GOOD thing, you're an idiot! You need to…"

Tony paused, frowning. He leaned against the back wall, listening.

"Tony doesn't need this eating away at him and I don't want either of you to tell him," Steve said calmly.

"Steven, Tony is worried for you! He knows something is wrong. If you would just…"

"No."

Silence.

Tony closed his eyes.

"If you do go back, don't look for me," Bucky whispered.

Tony's eyes snapped open.

"Bucky, I'm not going back. The past is just that. PAST. This is where I belong, you said it yourself! We belong here, with who we love! I would never…!"

Tony felt his heart being compressed and felt dizzy, nearly running away from the words going through his mind.

The past.

That's what the words had meant.

A project to send Steve to the past.

He got to their bedroom, ran to the bathroom and threw up violently into the toilet. He hugged the rim, retching as tears fell down his cheeks. When he was through, he lifted his head, sat down and leaned back against the cabinet beside the toilet.

Tony started to laugh, pressing his hands to his face and banging his head back against the cabinet till it hurt more than before.

Of course this had to happen.

Things had been going so well.

"Should have fucking known," he whispered to no one, his voice hoarse.

He leaned over and flushed the toilet, standing and closing the door locking it just as he heard Steve call out, "Tony, you in here?"

He turned on the shower and walked inside, fully clothed, letting the water run over his frame.

Tony pressed his forehead against the tile, closing his eyes.

Thor paced around Luke's bedroom, hands behind his back as he repeated the words in his head.

Lucas was not home but would be soon he was sure and he had to get up the courage to ask the question he wanted to ask for several days now.

Suddenly he smelled his lover's scent and smiled, turning as Luke came up the stairs.

"This is a nice surprise," Luke said, walking up to him and pulling Thor in for a kiss.

Their tongues teased for several seconds before Thor pulled back, pressing a kiss to Luke's forehead. " Lucas, I have a…request."

Luke blinked at him his face suddenly serious. "Okay?"

Thor took a deep breath and said quickly, "."

Luke was quiet for some time before he asked, "What?"

Thor sighed. "My parents, Odin and Frigga, have requested your presence at a banquet in your honor."

Luke's eyes widened. "Um…your…folks? They're throwing a party for me?"

Thor nodded, smiling a bit but still not happy. "I tried to explain that humans do not generally throw banquets for their lovers when they…"

Thor stopped when Luke grabbed his hands and said, "Sure."

Thor blinked. "You will go?"

Luke smiled. "If you want me there, I'll go."

The smile that Thor displayed was almost iridescent and he kissed Luke with such force that they both fell onto Luke's bed.

There was no more talking after that.

Steve almost waited for Tony to finish showering but decided against it for fear he would let his emotions show all over his face. He took one of the SHIELD vehicles and drove somewhere he had never been before.

Peggy Carter's grave.

He had studied the map and knew the exact spot to park, walking towards the area with his head down. He had so many things he needed to say to her, so many things to explain. Just as he got passed the tree he remembered he looked up to see someone else was already there.

"Sharon," he whispered.

She looked up and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Captain Rogers."

He held out a handkerchief and she took it, dabbing her eyes. "I told you to call me Steve."

Sharon laughed, reminding him again of her grandmother and suddenly he missed Peggy so badly his chest hurt. "I'm sorry, I just…tomorrow is her birthday."

Steve looked at the grave and sure enough, it was.

Somewhere he knew the universe was laughing at him.

"She always used to make such a fuss when my mom wanted to celebrate. It was a pointless day, she always said. I…I miss her very much," she whispered.

Steve leaned down, pressing his hand to the stone. "I barely got to know her."

"She loved you anyway. She spoke of you all the time, how you were the one who got away before she could love you properly. Like you deserved."

Steve looked back at her. "She said that?"

Sharon nodded. "Steve, I…I know about the portal."

He looked away, running his hand along the letters of Peggy's name.

"Then you know why I'm not going to use it."

"If that's the case, why are you here?" she asked.

Steve looked at her. "To say goodbye."

Sharon smiled. "I guess it's fitting. She said on the day they buried the empty coffin at your funeral she went home and cried for a month. She didn't even say goodbye until she was about to get married."

Steve felt his chest ache. "Sharon, please stop."

Sharon was quiet and then whispered, "I'm sorry I don't mean to…"

Steve felt tears on his face and whispered, "Are you sure you don't? I know you dislike Tony."

She was silent.

"I love him, Sharon. More than I ever thought I could love anyone. He's…"

"I know you do. That's why you should go back to the mansion right now and tell him everything," she said plainly, making Steve look at her in surprise.

Sharon smiled. "I knew you would come here, Steve. I wanted to do what I know Grandma Peggy would have wanted me to. She only wanted you to be loved like you were meant to be and I've seen Tony Stark look at you. He loves you more than even he knows."

Steve smiled, the tears flowing openly now and he stood, kissing his palm and pressing it to the stone. "Goodbye Agent Carter," he whispered, turning and running to the car.

He drove like a madman, narrowly avoiding head on collisions dozens of times and when he pulled up to the mansion he ran inside without even closing the door of the car. He threw open the door to their bedroom only to find it empty.

Frowning, Steve looked around only to see that Tony's suitcase had disappeared as well.

He smiled, sighing.

He had gone home. Their real home.

Steve ran again into the hall and crashed right into Clint Barton, who nearly fell over.

"Sorry Clint, I just…I have to go. I…"

Clint smiled. "Tony left about an hour ago, I was coming to tell you since you ran in here like a bat outta hell. He said he wanted to sleep in his own bed tonight."

Steve smiled back. "Yeah, I guessed. Thanks Clint."

Clint nodded and Steve ran off again.

Clint's smile disappeared as soon as Captain America turned and left.

"Tony, you stupid bastard," he whispered to no one, walking straight towards Bruce's lab and finding his boyfriend deep in concentration.

He watched as Bruce stopped, sniffed the air and then smiled at him for a moment before frowning. "What's wrong?"

Clint shook his head and kissed Bruce roughly, grabbing on to the other man like a lifeline. When they came up for air he whispered, "Don't ever leave me, Banner. Promise me."

Bruce frowned. "Clint, what's happened?"

Clint shook his head. "Say the words, Bruce."

"I will never leave you, Clint. Ever."

Clint nodded, tears in his eyes as he kissed Bruce again. "Things are about to go down, Bruce. I'm ashamed to say I was a part of it, but Tony is one of my best friends and I…"

Bruce grabbed his shoulders. "Tony is going to do something," he said.

Clint nodded, wiping his face. "You could say Tony is going to be Tony, sacrificing the one good thing that he's ever had because he's a fucking idiot."

The scene played over and over again in his dreams for the next several weeks but when he first walked in seeing it for the first time was much worse.

Steve saw Tony's car parked right out front and smiled as he pulled up right across from it, nearly running to the door not surprised to find it unlocked.

What did surprise him however was the discarded dress shirt at the door.

He picked it up, smelling Tony's cologne and grinning.

Steve walked slower then, almost in anticipation, and saw a tie next. He sighed, his body getting warmer as he turned towards their bedroom. He stopped short when he saw something he didn't expect.

A black dress.

The blood that had been rising in his body turned cold and he very slowly walked to the door, opening it only a bit to find Tony wearing only his boxers locked in a passionate embrace with a very beautiful brunette who was giving as good as she got.

He swallowed and cleared his throat, causing them both to break apart.

The brunette's eyes widened before smiling. "Someone to join us, Tony?"

Steve felt the anger rising up and curbed it, whispering, "Tell your friend to leave, Tony."

Tony looked pale, Steve noticed, as he said, "Maria, time to go."

Maria frowned, slipping off the bed and walking passed Steve grabbing her dress as she went.

Steve let the breath he'd been holding out, then inhaled again. "Tell me it isn't what it looks like," he whispered.

Tony looked serious and not at all ashamed. "I can't do that."

Steve felt the tears falling down his face as he hissed, "What about last night? You weren't going anywhere? Is this where you planned to go? Home to screw some floozy in our bed?"

Tony's eyes were tearing up as he said, "I don't know."

Steve came at him then, launching across the room and pinning Tony down as he yelled, "WHY? THIS ISN'T YOU ANYMORE! I KNOW THIS ISN'T YOU!"

Tony refused to meet his eyes when he said, "Maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do."

Steve pushed him down, a sob escaping as he whispered hoarsely, "You told Clint to send me here."

Tony sat up, rubbing his chest where Steve had pushed him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Steve grabbed his shoulders and squeezed. "You KNOW. You want me to hate you so I'll leave. I KNOW when you're lying, Tony."

Tony refused to meet his eyes again and Steve shook him. "LOOK AT ME!"

Tony did, tears still in his eyes but none seemed capable of falling. "I want you to go."

Steve let him go, backing up. "Why? Is this some stupid, I don't deserve you crap again? Like when I thought…"

Tony stood and walked over to him before declaring, "You deserve BETTER than me, Steve. This…you've always wanted a wife, kids, a LIFE. What we have…it's just…"

"LOVE, Tony? What we have, it's LOVE. I…I didn't even KNOW love before you! I…god…how can you say you're not the best thing that's ever happened to me?"

Tony put his hands on Steve's shoulders and said, "Just because I took advantage of you being a naïve, inexperienced virgin doesn't mean…"

Steve hit him then, sending Tony to the floor as pain radiated through every nerve in his jaw. "FUCK YOU, TONY! You want me gone? Then I'm GONE!"

Steve turned and left, slamming their bedroom door behind him and running out the door. He got to the car door he slid to the pavement, his head in his hands as he sobbed.

His phone rang about three minutes later and he looked at it, answering without speaking.

"Steve, I'm coming."

Bucky.

He didn't even wonder how his friend knew he was in trouble, just nodded and let it fall from his hands.

As soon as he heard the door close Tony felt his heart constricting, feeling broken in half. He began sobbing in earnest, digging his nails into the wood to stop himself from getting up and running after Steve.

He covered his mouth so Steve wouldn't hear his screaming, barely able to do more than convulse as the pain in his heart met the pain in his jaw. He crawled to his bedside table, opening the cabinet beneath it.

Tony pulled out a bottle of Everclear that he'd bought just before calling Maria and inviting her over. He pulled off the cap and took a long swig, nearly choking.

His body was still shaking and the tears didn't stop coming, but that didn't stop him from taking another swig before taking his phone out and dialing.

"Tony?" Natasha asked concern in her voice.

"Steve is outside my house, you need to come get him."

There was a pause. "Oh my Tony what did you do?"

He hung up the phone and then called out to the computer that ran his home.

"Bar all the doors and windows Jarvis."

"Sir, do you think it wise? I detect a large amount of alcohol in your system, dangerously close to the lethal limit."

Tony laughed. "I'm not gonna kill myself Jarvis. Just do it."

"Yes Mister Stark."

Tony took another swig, shuddering. "That would be too easy anyway."

Bucky drove there on his own and when he saw Steve lying in the grass, he stopped the car midway up the driveway getting out and running towards his friend.

He put his arm around Steve's neck. "Steve? Hey Steve it's me."

Steve looked up at him with bloodshot eyes. "Tony doesn't want me here anymore. See?" he gestured over Bucky's shoulder and saw that the windows all had metal on them like Stark was anticipating a war. If he looked he assumed the door would be as well.

Bucky lifted Steve easily and the two of them walked to his car. He opened the door and Steve crawled inside, laying his head down in the back seat.

He closed the door and leaned against it, angry tears filling his eyes.

If he got the chance he was going to stick a knife in Stark's chest.

Bucky went to the driver's side and sat down, turning to look at Steve.

"Steve?"

"I don't want to be alone again, Buck. I…I think I want to go home now."

Bucky turned, pressing his face against the steering wheel closing his eyes. "We're gonna go there, Cap. Just give me a sec."

He started the car, barely missing Steve's whispered, "Not that home."

They drove in silence, Bucky trying not to ask any questions but guessing most of it anyway.

If Stark was the man Bucky knew him to be, he'd broken Steve for one reason and one reason only.

He knew about the portal.

"Steve?" Bucky asked as he pulled the car up to the mansion.

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna go, aren't you?"

Steve was quiet.

"He wants you to, that's why he did whatever he did. You have to know that," Bucky whispered, his knuckles turning white as he held the steering wheel.

Steve whispered, "I know. He did…all of that…to get me to leave. He…he doesn't know me at all."

Bucky parked the car and turned to look at Steve. "He does, Cap. That's why he did it."

Steve sat up, shivering. "He brought a woman to our home, our bed, and made me see that. Them touching, kissing…."

Bucky grabbed Steve's arm. "Did you, Steve? Did you see Stark kiss her? Or was she kissing him?"

Steve looked down at his hands. "I…I know it wasn't real, he wanted to hurt me. But the things he said, Buck. He…he made it seem like we only got together because I was too stupid to realize it was a mistake."

Bucky was quiet. "Steve, I'm…"

Steve reached out, touching his face. "Things would have been so much easier if you were gay."

Bucky laughed, tears filling his eyes as he looked down. "I know."

Steve kissed his forehead. "I need to go, Bucky. Tonight. Before I…before things…"

He started to cry again and Bucky got out of the car, opening the door and Steve did the same. They both got out and hugged tightly.

"I'm gonna miss meeting your baby," Steve whispered.

Bucky nodded against his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Bucky," Steve said, kissing his cheek before running towards the mansion.

Bucky wiped his face and took out his phone, dialing.

"Oh darling, I need you," he whispered, swallowing tears.

"James, no…oh lapochka…"

It took her a bit longer to get there than it had taken him, but when she did, Natasha took one look at his face and began crying in earnest. He pulled her close and they cried in each other's arms.

A/N: Sorry for being so mean, if you didn't already guess by what's come before, I thrive on drama. Expect A LOT more to come. =)