Tony woke up to the sound of someone whispering his name.

"Tony, wake up."

He blinked one eye and groaned at the pain. "You hit me."

Steve sighed and said, "I was angry with you. I'm not sorry I did it."

Tony winced, rubbing his jaw with the one free hand he'd been allowed while the other was cuffed to a long wooden pole in the middle of the empty tent. It was later than it should have been by the look of flashlight in Steve's hand and the quiet outside.

Steve handed him a piece of bread, looking away as Tony ate ravenously unable to stop staring at the man in front of him. "Why are you being nice to me now?" he asked.

Steve looked at him. "Why are you here?"

Tony swallowed the bread in his hand and looked down at the dirt floor of the tent.

"To bring you home."

Steve nearly choked on the anger he felt. "Are you honestly going to lie to me NOW of all times? Is there an emergency? Did Natasha go into premature labor? Is everyone fine?"

Tony looked at him. "I'm being honest Steve. I came for you. I…"

Steve grabbed the bread out of his hand then and said, "If that's the case, I'll get the com Nick gave me and send you right home. Goodnight."

He made to leave and Tony grabbed his hand. Just having Tony touch him felt like daggers on his skin and he hissed, pushing the other man off. "I will NOT go anywhere with you. Not now and not EVER."

With that he was gone and Tony leaned his head against the wood behind him, sighing.

Tony had expected Steve to be angry and almost wanted to make something up, lie about Bucky being shot or the baby being sick, but knew after the last lies he'd thrown in Steve's face he could never lie to him again.

He was just about to fall asleep when the tent flap opened again and he came face to face with the one person he had not wanted to meet.

Howard Stark looked him over with narrow eyes, the resemblance they shared pissing Tony off all the more with the lamp illuminating the younger man's features. "You don't look like a spy."

"That's what they all tell me," he said.

Howard sat on the floor in front of him and said, "Now, spy, tell me how my son came to be caught in the past and how daddy can help."

Tony's eyes widened. "I'm sorry?"

Howard grinned. "I know who you are, Tony. Steve talks in his sleep."

Tony lunged at him then and Howard stepped back just far enough that he couldn't reach him. "I'll kill you!"

The commotion was sure to draw the attention of unwanted company and Howard knew better than to be seen with a potential spy so he bowed. "Sore spot, huh? That clears up whether or not you were sleeping together. Not sure I approve, but…"

Tony spat in his direction and said, "Fuck you. I know what you're doing with him and if you hurt him I swear to god…"

Howard smiled. "You do, do you? Hmm. Goodnight son, hope they don't hang you in the morning."

He walked out of the tent and Tony bit his bottom lip to keep from screaming. He knew coming here might be dangerous but he hadn't expected anything like this.

Tony sighed, swallowing again and wishing like hell he'd asked Steve for a drink of water.

Steve paced back and forth in his tent, angrier than he'd ever been.

His mind kept replaying the night he'd left over and over, the hateful things Tony had said, how cruel he'd been, and how much pain Steve had felt. He stopped pacing and sat on his cot, lying back and trying to close his eyes.

There was a knock on the wood by his tent and he heard a familiar, "Decent, Rogers?" making him smile.

"Come in, Howard."

Howard Stark came inside his tent, whistling. "So…I met my son."

Steve's eyes widened. "I…what? He's not…your…how did you?"

Howard grinned. "I have my ways, my friend. He's a fiery little bastard ain't he? Wanted to take my head off when I sort of accidentally on purpose implied we were having carnal relations but I digress…"

Steve frowned. "You told Tony we were having sex? Why? We've never…wait, he actually believed we were? That, I would never, he…how could he even think that…?" he began stammering and Howard put a finger to his lips.

"Quiet. The point is, you need to get my boy out of there no matter how angry you are at him," Howard said seriously.

Steve sighed. "I'm going to send him home in the morning."

Howard shook his head. "Too late for that, they could take him before the Colonel and it would all be over. I have a better idea. Hide him in here!"

Steve shook his head. "No, no. Howard, I'm not…he's not…we're not anymore. Ever again. It would be awkward."

Howard thought for a moment, tapping his mustache. "Well it's not like I could hide him, he wants to strangle me, so other than letting him get killed by a firing squad or hanged you might have to."

Steve sighed, staring at Howard with narrow eyes. "Whatever you're trying to do, it won't work. He could sleep in my bed and it wouldn't work."

Howard grinned. "Eh…I ain't too sure about that, but regardless you need to spring him."

Captain America, pinnacle of manliness, was terrified of what Tony Stark would do unchained in 1943. The other part of him was so happy that Tony was here that he actually wanted to share a room with him.

He sighed and walked across the camp towards the Colonel's tent, knocking.

"Come in."

"Sir, I have a request."

The Colonel blinked at him. "At 2 in the goddamn morning it better be good. You're lucky I'm awake or I'd have you court martialed."

Steve smiled. "Sir, I…the man that was brought in."

The Colonel frowned. "Oh yeah. Him. I was gonna send Fury in there and just slit his throat but Stark convinced me to wait. What about him?"

Steve swallowed. "Sir, I…request the prisoner be let go."

For a moment Phillips looked at Steve like he'd grown a second head. "Seriously?"

"Yes sir. I…am familiar with him. I was just angry and lied when he arrived."

Again Phillips looked skeptical. "How do you know him? Is he one of your…helpers?"

Steve blushed. "Yes."

The man who had never believed in him, or even wanted him around suddenly laughed. "A genuine spaceman in my camp! Wow, Rogers you sure know how to pick 'em. Fine. Take him under your custody. But you get him back where he belongs ASAP. Got that?"

Steve's eyes widened.

He couldn't believe that had actually worked.

"Yes sir."

Phillips handed him the keys and Steve caught them.

Then he headed for the prisoner tent, nodding once to Nick who leaned against the tent his body in shadow save for the light of cigarette. "The Colonel said I can take him," he said.

Nick smiled. "Didn't know you still swung that way, Rogers."

Steve blushed. "Let me pass, Nick."

Nick moved and Steve came up to Tony, who had since fallen asleep. He held a flashlight in his hand and hit him over the head.

"Ow."

"Get up, we're moving," he said tersely.

Tony eyed him oddly and held out his cuffs but Steve bypassed him, unlocking the one around the pole and led Tony out by the other end towards his own tent.

Tony walked in first and Steve said, "I talked with the Colonel and told him that I…"

"Steve, you have company," Tony whispered, looking miserable.

Steve turned and swallowed. "Hello Peggy. I didn't…what are you doing here so late?"

Peggy sat on his cot wearing a very pretty dress that left little to the imagination. "I was…coming to surprise you. I see you have other guests. I will take my leave."

She tried to get passed them and Steve let go of Tony grabbing her hand. "Peggy, I'm sorry. The Colonel wanted me to look after the prisoner, I didn't…if I'd known you were coming…"

Peggy leaned in and kissed him, so Steve kissed her back as much as he was able.

"There will be other times, soldier. Goodnight."

With that she was gone and he was broken out of his thoughts with Tony clearing his throat. "That's her then?"

Steve frowned at him and said quietly, "Yes, that's Peggy."

Tony was quiet as Steve got into bed, standing awkwardly in the middle of the tent.

Steve sighed and pointed to the unmade cot against the tent edge. "Sleep on that. Goodnight."

He listened to Tony struggle for a few minutes, smiling as the other man cursed, and then said, "Help?"

"No, I got it."

Several minutes more and he asked again, "You're sure?"

"Yeah, I…shit."

Sighing Steve sat up and took the bed from Tony, setting it up and then turning his back on him again, lying down before blowing out the lamp at his feet.

In the dark he could hear Tony breathe, which he remembered from other nights with just the two of them. Tears threatened to leak from his eyes and he tried to hold them back but one fell before he asked, "Why are you here, Tony?"

"To bring you home."

Steve was quiet again, swallowing his tears. "To who?" he asked miserably.

Silence answered him and Steve did cry then, pulling the thin sheet up to his mouth to keep any noises he made quiet.

"To me," Tony whispered, startling him.

Steve lie awake the rest of the night with those words echoing in his head.

Steve rolled over and saw that Tony was still asleep, the handcuff hanging off the side of the cot. He smiled, feeling tears in his eyes at the sight in front of him.

God how he'd missed him.

How could you love someone so much and hate them at the same time? He was finding it hard to resist having Tony so close but remembered how it had felt when Tony touched him earlier.

He wasn't sure he could stomach having him close again, which was why he needed to get Tony back where he belonged.

Steve sat up, stretching out his muscles. He hadn't slept a wink after hearing Tony say he'd come to bring Steve home to him, not wanting to believe in anything the other man said.

When he turned, groaning he nearly yelled when he saw Tony was watching him avidly seeming to enjoy the show. Steve put his arms down, pulling his shirt down as well. "You're awake."

"Good morning," Tony said, sitting up.

Steve ignored the greeting, grabbing a shirt to put over his tank and pulling on some new pants pretending he didn't know Tony's eyes were on him as he dressed. The prickly feeling was a familiar one, though it didn't have the same pleasurable feel it once used to.

He turned after buttoning his pants and said, "Time to go, Tony."

Tony frowned. "I have one of those com things too, I don't need yours."

Steve glared at him. "You're leaving today, Tony. No arguments. It's bad enough you've been here for almost twenty four hours. You've already changed enough history what with your father…"

"You're one to talk about changing history," Tony mumbled, pulling on his shoes.

Steve narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean?"

Tony smiled coldly. "I've read the books, Steve. I've seen the pictures. I know what's going on between you and good ol' Howie out there. Or if it isn't already, it will be. I didn't make you leave so you could start fucking my dad."

Steve felt the anger rise up in him as he lunged at Tony, knocking the other man off his cot and to the dirt. He grabbed his shoulders and hissed, "How dare you even judge anything I do when I'm here? According to you, I'm a free man now. You don't have any control over me just as I have no control over you anymore. If I want to have sex with Nick Fury while your father watches I'll do as I damn please so don't even THINK about telling me I'm in the wrong here," he finished in a quiet angry voice.

Tony swallowed. "Steve, I didn't…"

Steve moved to stand and Tony grabbed his arm. "Tony, let me go."

Tony shook his head, standing as he declared, "I won't let you walk away from me. I made that mistake once, I won't do it again."

Steve said quietly, "You didn't let me walk away, Tony. I ran."

Tony reached out and touched his face, making Steve shiver.

"I feel like I've never really met you before I got here," Tony whispered.

Steve pushed him off, ignoring his words and said tersely, "Ready?"

Tony nodded and they left the tent, climbing into an army jeep and taking off. The drive was quiet, which suited both men fine and when they got to a spot far enough away from camp for no one to see the comm work its magic.

They got out of the car, both men standing apart but close enough that Tony was able to grab his arm and say, "Steve, I…"

Steve ignored him, taking out the comm and frowning at it.

"What is it?"

He held up the small device for Tony to see. It looked like a garage door opener but with numbers on it. "The numbers won't change on mine."

Tony took out his own and pressed it, expecting something to happen.

Nothing did.

"Shit," Tony mumbled, staring at it.

"Is it broken?" Steve asked.

He hit it on the side of a tree.

"Don't break it!" Steve said.

That's when a piece of it fell off onto the grass and Tony saw what was on the other side.

HAVE FUN. 4/14/43~N

Tony paled. "Um…Steve?"

Steve was busy trying to press buttons on his own and answered, "Yes?"

"What day is it today?"

"Thursday. Why?"

He swallowed again. "What day exactly?"

Steve looked at him. "Why?"

When he turned the piece of plastic around the other man cursed. "Damn you, Nick," he paced as he mumbled to himself.

"Steve? Date?"

Steve stopped, sighing. "It's March 16, 1943."

Tony suddenly laughed and Steve glared at him. "Hell, I didn't want to leave and I guess now I can't anyway!"

Steve stomped back to the car angrily, not saying another word as Tony climbed in next to him. "What are we gonna tell the other guys?"

"Howard will think of something."

Tony bit his tongue.

They pulled up and Peggy happened to walk out just as they did. She frowned. "Steven, where were you with the prisoner?"

Steve sighed. "Peggy, he's not…"

Tony held out his hand. "Nice to meet you. Tony Stark. I'm Howard's brother."

She looked at him for a moment before she seemed to notice the resemblance. "Ah, yes! You should have told us, we would have never…well go on in and see your brother, he's in his lab. Steve, can we talk?"

Steve looked torn between protecting Howard from Tony's wrath and explaining himself, finally when Peggy pulled him away he had no time to argue.

Howard Stark seemed to notice the moment the air around him changed and ducked just in time to miss being punched in the back of the head. "Long time no see, kid! You're sticking around I see."

Tony narrowed his eyes at him. "I want to hit you, but Steve would be pissed at me so I can't."

Howard grinned. "You really are my son, always worried about getting some tail."

Tony growled, "He's not just…!" just as Steve came into the room looking uncomfortable.

Howard frowned at the other man's expression. "Something wrong, my friend? You look pretty piqued."

Steve shook his head. "It's nothing, just female troubles."

Tony wanted to yell out that Steve was his, that there was no reason for him to even look in Peggy Carter's direction anymore but knew he had lost the right to that argument. Instead he asked, "She pissed about last night?"

Steve shook his head. "No, she understands now that she knows I was entertaining Howard's 'brother.'"

Howard laughed, hitting Tony on the back in jest. "Great idea, old man! Couldn't have thought of a better one myself! C'mon, now I want to show you some things."

Tony looked positively murderous but seemed genuinely interested, following his father out of the room and into another. Steve watched them and smiled, happy that Tony was getting the time he'd always craved from the one man who never had the time for him in the future.

Again Steve felt that familiar longing and tried to push it down, but couldn't help it this time.

Tony suddenly looked at him, their eyes locking and familiar warmth spread all down his body and he fidgeted, looking away and declaring, "Enjoy yourselves, gentlemen," nearly running out of the lab.

After he'd fled Tony smiled, sighing, and feeling like maybe there was still some hope left for him to fix things. He had been happily zoning out that he forgot that his father was in the room with him and when Howard waved a hand in his face and asked, "Still alive, kid?" he batted the hand away.

"Shut up," he mumbled, starting on the metal cylinder that Howard had asked him to weld.

Howard laughed and hit him exactly where the ARC in the middle of his chest happened to be located. When his fist connected with the hard metal he yelled out, holding his hand and staring at Tony with wide eyes. "What the hell is on your chest?"

Tony grinned and lifted his shirt off, revealing the lighted machine keeping him alive.

Howard stared in awe, walking up to him slowly and placing a hand on it. "What is it?"

"The only thing keeping me alive," Tony whispered, running his hand over the circular machine.

Howard Stark smiled at him. "Can I take it out and take it apart?"

Tony pushed him off. "No! Idiot."

The younger man laughed, slapping Tony's bare back and making him wince. "I was just kidding, kid! We want to keep your ticker goin' don't we? I'm surprised no one's asked about it yet."

Tony stared down at his chest, frowning. "I didn't even think about it, I'm just so used to it…"

"And it never runs out of batteries? Like, if you get in a fight or something?"

Tony swallowed, his throat suddenly very dry. "I didn't…it's only happened a few times, I usually…have a spare."

Howard frowned. "You didn't bring it?"

Tony looked at him. "I didn't even think about it. I was so desperate to get here I came with the clothes on my back," he explained, holding up his shirt, "I didn't…it's not going to happen. The ARC is a perpetual energy source, it will be fine."

Howard looked skeptical. "If you say so."

Tony put his shirt back on and asked quietly, "Could you not tell Steve about this?"

The other man stared at him silently for what felt like decades when he responded with a slight nod and said, "Of course, kid."

Tony let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and got back to work, conscious of Howard Stark's eyes watching him as he did so and trying desperately not to think about anything but the task at hand in front of him and the task that lie ahead.

He was going to get Steve to trust him again. He had a month to do so and was not going to go down without a fight.

He finished welding the cylinder and said, "Done. Look I'm gonna go find Steve," he said quickly heading for the door.

"Good luck!" Howard cried out as the door shut behind his son and once it was closed he ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

He thought about the machine had seen in Tony's chest and the piece of glowing crystal he'd had from the weapons Steve had found not so long ago that had nearly blew him to kingdom come.

They were too similar not to be related.

Howard smiled, stroking his mustache and began welding something completely new.

Steve sat on the cot in his tent; head hanging low as he tried to calm his emotions.

Tony had been in 1943 for not even a full twenty four hours yet and here he was getting all hot and bothered without any means to curb his passions.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

There was a knock on his door and he called out, "Who is it?"

"It's Peggy."

He nearly told her to leave but thought better of it. "Come in."

Peggy entered his room slowly, taking the scene in. Their eyes met and she smiled warmly at him. "I thought we could…talk."

Steve swallowed. "Well I…," he began to think of a thousand excuses in his mind but she did something that stopped them all.

She kissed him.

The part of him that was full of unreleased desire kissed her back quite passionately, pulling her down into his lap and running his hands up and down her back. The part of him that knew it was wrong, that he didn't really love her and that doing this would only make things worse seemed unable to stop him from pulling away from her lips and kissing down her throat.

Peggy sighed. "Oh Steve, how I dreamed of this…of us."

His kisses began traveling back up her throat to her chin and he anticipated feeling the growth of hair that was so familiar to him, but when he did not suddenly Steve snapped back to reality.

Which happened to be about the same time that Tony walked in on them.

He heard a throat being cleared at the moment he pushed her back, though by the look on Tony's face he'd been standing there for much longer. Peggy held closed her top, which Steve was surprised to see he'd broken a few buttons off of.

Tony's glare was stone cold as he whispered, "Howard requests your presence Miss Carter."

She blushed, pulling her shirt together before kissing Steve quickly on the mouth and scrambling out of the tent.

When she was gone Tony walked over to his cot, lying right down with his back to Steve.

Steve swallowed, licking his lips.

He had no reason to feel guilty, or even ashamed. Tony had broken them apart and he was free to do anything and be with anyone he wanted.

"You have no right to be upset," he said, the declaration deliberately aimed to start a fight.

Tony didn't answer.

"She came in here and kissed me, I couldn't not…"

Tony turned and he felt all the heat that had disappeared with Tony finding them and Peggy leaving suddenly reappear. "I don't, you're right about that. But even seeing you kissing someone, touching someone, is enough to make every inch of me want to throw you on the ground and fuck you until you remember who you belong to. But again, like you said, I have no right to even feel angry."

Steve swallowed again. "Tony…don't."

Tony shook his head. "I said I wanted to, not that I would. Not without your permission, and definitely not without an invitation."

Steve could feel himself hardening against his pants and bit his lip. "I don't think you should stay in here anymore," he whispered.

Tony stood then, grabbing his cot and walking out of the tent.

When he was gone Steve shuddered, closing his eyes and trying to think about anything but the mental image Tony had supplied.