Chapter 2-Tony
By: MysticFantasy
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Tony Stark sighed greatly as he drove his BMW down the street heading home.
He couldn't wait to get out of his business suit and drag whoever was home to the bar for a few drinks. Most likely it would just be him and Clint again but he knew that would be a bad idea since neither one of them knew when to stop with the drinks which could end up being very bad for them and everyone else.
He knew he would get an earful from Pepper when she found out.
Better find Capsicle when I get back. He'll make sure Barton and I get back with only minimal damage. Tony thought as he turned a corner and was about to pass a large church.
Normally he would have ignored it since religion wasn't too big a part of his life but the genius billionare quickly put that aside when he spotted a familiar motorcycle parked in front of the church.
It was Steve's. No doubt about it.
What's he doing here? Tony asked himself as he quickly parked his car a few spaces behind Steve's motorcycle.
Climbing out of his car, Tony looked at the large church that somehow seemed to have grown in size within the past few seconds. He couldn't really remember that last time he had been inside of a church and maybe that was why it looked a little impossing.
Giving himself a little encouragment, Tony walked up the concrete stairs and made his way through the large wooden doors.
The interior was beautiful to say the least. It was lit just right and had the air of security and comfort. Faces of saints and angels decorate the stained glass windows and statues of higher figures were placed about the room just right.
Behind the alter in front of a white taspestry was a large cross with the famous son of God.
The sight of the cross made Tony a little nervous. Almost like it was judging him by just being in its presence. Looking at his life and soul to see all of the things he had done since the day he was born.
Trying to shake the thought, Tony made his way to a lone figure in the center of the room. Reaching the center row of benches, Tony was about to speak when he realized Steve was praying.
The super soldier was on his knees, his eyes closed and his hands clasped together before him.
Normally, Tony didn't follow rules but considering where he was and who was in the church with him he thought it would be best to show as much respect as possible. He knelt toward the cross, bowed his head, made the sign of the cross and then quietly made his way to Steve.
He stopped about three feet from the soldier and took a seat, marveling how soft the bench cushion is and made a mental note to find out where it was made.
Tony looked over to Steve who continued to pray, his lips moving wordlessly as he did.
Honestly, Tony didn't think that Steve would need to come to a church. Sure he knows that the super soldier is the most religious of the group, probably the only one actually, but he thought that the older man was in control enough of himself and other matters to not ask for help from the highest power there is.
Maybe Steve was asking for help in letting go of his past and help in accepting the present.
Tony wouldn't be surprised if that was what Steve was praying for. Falling asleep and waking up seventy years later wasn't exactly something someone could just accept and get over.
To Steve it was like all he had done was blink his eyes and he found himself in a time and place he didn't understand and didn't seem to fit into.
Tony had basically been told Steve's life when he was younger. The few times that his father had paid attention to him was when he was telling a young Tony about the famous Captain America who had been born from a frail and sick man who only wanted to help.
Rejected by the army five times, Steve Rogers continued to try to prove that he could be of help. When he was picked to be the first, and only, patient for the super soldier process he had accepted without hesitation.
Howard had then told Tony about all of things Steve had done during the war after he'd finally been acknowledge as the super soldier he is.
Tony heard it all which had caused him to admire the super soldier his father personally knew and begged to be told more stories.
He heard how Steve had saved four hundred prioners of war, how he got his famous shield, forming the Howling Commando's, destroy factory after factory...Then Howard shared the stories of Steve between his missions.
He heard how Steve would help train soldiers, how the Commando's managed to drag Steve to the Stork Club and try to set him up with ladies that Steve turned down because they wanted Captain America and not Steve Rogers, how Steve travelled to different towns to meet fans but mostly spent time with young children and other war veterans, the high powered people Steve got to meet, awards he'd been granted, things he'd seen and learned along the way...
Tony had quickly seen how his father would change when he was talking about Steve. He seemed to change back to that person he was before Steve had gone missing. He turned into a kinder person and actually smiled as he remembered those days long gone.
Looking at the still praying soldier next to him, Tony realized that Steve had a certain affect on people that even the soldier himself might not be aware of.
His father being the prime example of that affect.
Howard had been arrogant throughout his life but when Steve came into the picture he changed. He was suddenly using his genius abilities to help Steve's cause and do anything he could become close friends with the super soldier.
To Tony, his father always sounded like he was making Steve sound like the son he always wanted and never got. Instead he got a brilliant genius son who would eventually become teammates with the long lost soldier.
It was then that Tony realized that he had also been affected by Steve's personality.
Steve somehow seemed to bring out a new side of Tony that none of them had been aware of.
He'd always claimed that he didn't work well with a team but after the battle against Loki, Tony realized that he had worked well with the other Avengers. By following Steve's lead, they had all succeeded in defeating Loki and his army and he himself had shown everyone that he was willing to lie down on the wire.
In truth, Tony had been surprised himself by his actions. He'd re-drected the missle and saved thousands of lives. He'd proved Steve wrong but really it hadn't brought any kind of comfort to him.
He figured that he'd been working for the same approval from Captain America that he'd been looking for from his father. To hear Steve say that he believed Tony didn't know the meaning of sacrifice was a little disheartening.
But once everything had calmed down and they got to have some shwarma, Tony and Steve got to know each other a little better.
While Tony believe Steve had thought of him as being selfish and self-absorbed, Tony had thought Steve to be an old man stuck in the time he'd been born into with his morals that rarely anyone followed anymore.
But Tony knew that Steve was doing everything he could to accept that he was in a new time period with new people and new personalities. He was slowly accepting that things were very different from his time and, even though he didn't like it, he was accepting the way things were done these days.
Steve was caring, considerate, thoughtful, protecting, trusting, loyal, respobsible...
Perfect. Tony thought to himself and noticed that Steve was finishing his prayer.
"Amen." Steve whispered before making the sign of the cross and sitting on the bench. "Thought you believed in sciene."
Tony tried not to look surprised. He didn't think Steve realized he was there.
"I do." he answered. "But I saw your bike outside and thought I'd pop in for a while."
Steve remained silent as he gazed at the cross before them.
"Did the war keep you from mass?" Tony asked.
"More than what I felt comfortable with." Steve answered. "But there was almost always a priest when we returned to a base so we were able to make those. Any time that I was in a town or city I found out where a Catholic church was and tried to make those services before I'd have to leave. Bucky always went with me."
"What are you doing here Cap?" Tony asked looking at the soldier.
Steve lightly sighed, knowing that Tony would want to know why he'd come to the church and what he was praying for.
"I came to ask for strength and peace." he answered. "And for the safety of the people I've met in this time."
"For us?" Tony asked, his surprise leaking into his voice. "Why?"
Steve lightly smirked.
"I know that all of you can handle yourselves but I'd like to know that you're being watched over. That all of you will have peaceful minds and souls and that you're not haunted by the things you've seen or done. I asked the same thing for my first team and I'm doing the same now."
"I'm touched Capsicle." Tony said with a smirk of his own before becoming serious again. "But why peace and strength?"
"As you can guess, finding myself seventy years ahead of my time isn't something I thought would happen to me." Steve started. "It's both amazing and frustrating how things have turned out from what I knew. I was just asking for the peace of mind and strength I might need to overcome the shock of it all. It's tricky accepting things like this when you're alone."
Tony felt his breath catch inside his body. He hadn't realized that he hadn't been putting any effort into making Steve feel like he was his friend.
Steve had made it obvious that he thought of all of the Avengers as close friends. Yet, as far as Tony could tell, it seemed that Fury was Steve's closest 'friend'.
Steve radiated perfection so much that it made Tony queasy at times. But he believed he found a flaw in the super soldier.
He was alone. Everyone he knew was either at rest or was close to it. Even if they were still alive, there was a high chance that they wouldn't remember the brave captain or believe that he would still look the same after seventy years.
So Steve was basically the last man of his time. He didn't have anyone he could relate to and no one understood his time enough to understand where he was coming from.
Still, Tony decided to try.
"Hey, you got us Capsicle." he said. "I know that we're still working on getting to know each other but you know that you can come talk to us. No offence but I bet sitting alone in an empty church can only do so much."
Steve lightly chuckled but realized Tony had a point.
"Thanks Tony." he said.
"Any time old man. Now what do you say we get out of here and take Clint to get the biggest hangover of his life?"
Steve lightly chuckled as he began to follow Tony out of the church.