Dec 16-17 1991
Dec 16 1991 5:15pm
It took Tony a surprisingly long time to realize that something had gone wrong. With his parents and Steve gone, there was no one Tony particularly wanted to be around in the house. So Tony choose to use that distraction-free time to bury himself in the lab.
About an hour after Steve had left, Barton came in a cleared the garage. Tony thought it was a bit strange but figured Steve had the agents being overly cautious now that they knew it was Hydra, they were dealing with. He just casually glanced at the other Agent as he went around to room to make sure he didn’t touch anything too hazardous or delicately calibrated. It wasn’t until Assistant Director Fury walked in shortly after five, that Tony knew he was even missing information.
He pretended not to notice the hushed whispers between the two other Agents. Clint nodded to Fury before starting for Tony’s workbench.
Knowing this was going to be serious, the teenager put down his torch and turned off the gas. “Are we ready to move? I think Cap wanted me to get started on the evidence he found asap. If I do a good job, he might even give me a kiss.” He wagged his eyebrows but Clint’s face remained stern.
Shit. Somethings really wrong. Clint usually would crack jokes with him about him and Steve’s weird relationship.
“Tony,” the alpha spoke slowly. “There was an attack on your parents' car. Your parents are at a secure SHIELD medical facility being treated for minor injuries.”
Tony swallowed. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“Steve-“
“That’s enough Agent Barton.” Fury said sternly.
Clint shot him a cold look and turned back to Tony. “Steve was shot in the chest, he’s currently in surgery.”
Fury rubbed his brow as Clint continued. “Agent York was killed. We’ve contacted his family and his mate is bringing in his codebook. But...”
Tony was reeling; he felt like someone had punched him in his sternum. But perhaps the punch was coming from his own heart racing as the gravity of the situation set in. “Codebook?”
Fury nodded “It's a coded file that contains safe house locations-“
“Last will and testament. And mission details.”
Clint looked up. “Did Steve tell you about them or who he might have given his too?”
Tony nodded. “I have it.”
Fury just stared at him bewildered. “Oh fuck. I’ll kill Rogers if he survives this.”
Tony took offense. “I’m not that irresponsible!”
Fury put his hands on his hips. “Says the pregnant teenager.”
He blinked. “What?”
“To decode the file you need a word or phrase which answers a question that only the file holder knows and a date. And considering the clue Steve put on file was ‘the name of the holder’s son’, I assume you’re pregnant or you’ve left something serious out of your personal file, Stark.”
Tony put his hand over his mouth. He couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. “Steve and I have never had sex. We haven’t even had an official date. It’s crazy but I already know what we’re naming our first kid.”
Tony started to sob. “Oh god. If Steve dies, we won’t-“
Clint wrapped Tony in a hug. “Hey, it’s just a precaution. Steve’s the strongest guy I know-literally- he’ll pull through.”
Tony nodded into Clint’s shoulder.
Fury motioned towards the door. “Come on. Let’s get you to the hospital.”
As they got into the car, Tony fought back the tears. “Clint, can...can you pick up Rhodey in case…” Tony bit his lip.
The older man nodded. “Yeah, I’ll get him.”
They arrived at the SHIELD medical facility, which looked like every other hospital Tony had ever been too. But most other Hospitals didn’t have such strict security measures and a key card/fingerprint scan combination to access the elevator. Fury led him and Clint to the Starks’ room.
Howard laid on the bed closest to the door. His foot was in a cast and he had stitches in his forehead. Tony was glad he was alive but he ignored him and walked to his mother’s bed.
Nothing outright appeared to be wrong with her other than a sprained wrist.
“Mom, are you alright?”
“Tony, sweetheart, I’m okay.” She smiled at her boy.” I have a sprained wrist and three fractured ribs. The doctors don’t want me to move too much.”
Tony took her hand. “Let me know if I can get you anything. I could see what books I have in my office at SHIELD.”
“Honey, I’m fine really.”
Howard piped in. “Tony, could you get a message to Obadiah for me?”
The omega ignored his father.
His voice grew stern. “I’m talking to you.”
Tony sighed before gruffly saying, “No.”
“No?”
“Sweetie, please don’t fight with your father while he’s in the hospital.”
“You’re here because of him!” He snapped.
“Tony! Don’t blame your father for this.” Maria protested.
“No, it’s his fault! He didn’t tell us who was after him even though he knew. If Steve had known it was Hydra…” Tony bit back the tears. “If he’d known, the security would have been so much tighter at least twice the agents! But you and your ego kept it a secret, now it hurts mom to breathe and Steve-“
Tony wipes his eyes. “If he dies, I’m never going to forgive you and I’m never going to speak to you again.”
Howard gaped at his son he had nothing he could say to that.
The teenager squeezed his mother’s hand.” I’ll be back, mom. I’m gonna go check on how Steve’s surgery is coming.”
Dec 16, 1991 11:32 pm
Clint tapped Tony’s shoulder. “Hey. They wheeled Steve out of surgery a few minutes ago; he’s in the room next to your parents for security purposes.”
Tony bolted up. He hadn't even realized he’d fallen asleep in the chair next to his mother. He walked out of his parents' room and looked to see which room Steve was occupying. On one of the nameplates, he spotted ‘Rogers’, and started to enter only to be intercepted by a nurse.
The other male omega was probably in his mid-twenties and stopped Tony in his tracks. “I’m sorry sir, but I can not permit you to enter. Only family is allowed to enter before Captain Rogers is awake.”
Tony crossed his arms. “Well considering, his parents died in the 1930s and he doesn’t have kids yet. I’m to closest thing.”
He gave Tony the fakest smile he’d ever seen. “Unfortunately, the Captain has you listed as a family friend rather than family. You’ll have to wait until he regains consciousness.”
Tony rolled his eyes. “I suppose being Steve’s secret boyfriend won't get me in there.”
“Not a chance.”
Tony huffed. “Listen, I’m an Agent-”
“Fortunately, SHIELD medical policy allows Doctors to override Agent Authority up to the Director level.”
Tony stepped into the other man’s face. “So you’re saying I’m not getting in that room unless Director Carter orders you to?”
The man smirked. “Or Captain Rogers says so. So if you would just go to the waiting room and we will ask Captain Rogers when he wakes up.”
“I’ll be back. Here in a few minutes, and you will let me through that door.”
“Not a chance in hell, kid.”
Tony bristled and stormed off, pulling out his cell phone.
Angrily he dialed, the director.
“Aunt Peggy?”
“Tony, sweety, I’m on my way. How are your parents?”
Tony pulled at his hair. “A bit banged up but they’ll be okay. I’m calling cause-”
“Cause Steve was shot.”
Tony nodded. “Yeah. They… the stupid nurse won’t let me in cause I’m not family.”
“You are his family. You’re his world.”
“I know;” he started tearing up again. “I just… I can’t lose him.”
“I lost him once, but I’ll be damned if I let you lose him. I’ll be there in a few. Just stay calm.”
December 17 1991 12:03am
The click of heels on tile flooring made Tony lookup. Peggy was walking towards him with purpose. The teenager rushed to meet her.
She intercepted him with a hug with a hand on the back of his neck. She pulled his head down to her shoulder. Tony let out a sigh of relief.
“Let’s see what I can do about getting you cleared to enter Steve's room.”
She moved so that she had her hand on Tony’s back rubbing circles as they moved down the hall.
They were intercepted by the same nurse from earlier, who looked surprised to see Director Carter.
“Director, ma’am, I’d highly recommend no one going in there until the Captain has regained consciousness.”
“Would you have barred Tony from entering if they were mates?”
The other omega shook his head. “No, but-”
Peggy cut him off. “Tony, you should go to see Steve now.”
Tony stepped around Peggy, walking past the nurse and into Steve’s room. It wasn’t very mature but Tony couldn’t help it; He stuck his tongue out at the nurse as he walked by.
Steve was perfectly still on the hospital bed, the rise and fall of his chest was the only thing that made him look like he was alive. His chest was bandaged, blood was being put into his arm and a breathing tube was placed in his nose.
Something tightened in Tony’s chest making him pause in the middle of the room. Captain America wasn’t supposed to be this vulnerable. He wasn’t this mortal.
Stepping forward, Tony pulled a chair next to his bedside. He stared at the cuts and bruising clearly from a fight splattered across Steve’s knuckles. Captain America may be immortal, but Steve-Steve wasn’t. The still unhealed split lip was enough to remind the younger man of that.
Tony swallowed before reaching forward and taking Steve’s hand in his own. “Steven, If you can hear me. Don’t you dare die on me and make me read this awful book. I… I know you don’t believe me when I say it but, I can’t go back to you not being there. If you’re gone, I have nothing else in this universe. And...and I’ll find some way to bring another Captain America to this one just to chew you out.”
Tony sniffed. “I love you, Steve.”
Tony kissed his palm before laying his head on the bed next to Steve.
December 17, 1991, 2:40 am
Steve awoke to a loud thump, followed by a string of ‘stupid book-that son of a bitch had to make it this thick’. He smiled to himself. Tony.
Slowly he began to open his eyes, blinking them open as they adjusted to the poorly lit hospital room. In the dim glow of machine lights and half-lidded eyes, Steve could make out Tony kneeling on the floor.
He remained still for a moment, his back to Steve.
“Oh my god.” He finally whispered.
Steve could see what caused the reaction, he could see the faint reflection of metal and the dossier book lying open on the floor.
Tony sniffed and started to sob. “You asshole, a ring you leave a ring for me to find while you’re dying.”
“‘M not dying,” Steve mumbled.
Tony’s head whipped around. “Steve!”
He smiled and tried to sit up only for searing pain to keep him on his back. “Hey, Tony.”
Tony bolted up and stood over, Steve and grabbed his hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I got hit in the chest by a rhino. Don’t cry over the book, I’ll get you a new copy.”
Tony huffed. “No, but it is if you got shot in the fucking chest, Steven. And you don’t get to make jokes right now.”
The alpha rolled his eyes and reached for the fist which held the ring Tony had in a vice grip. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.”
Gently he pried Tony’s fingers open taking the ring from him. Tony dropped the ring into his hand and moved to sit on the side of the bed.
The older man sighed and contemplated the ring. “This wasn’t how I intended this to go.”
“Did you intend for me to find that only after you died?”
Steve grinned. “I thought you’d peek well before then.”
“You underestimate how much I dislike Howard.”
Steve reached across with his other hand and took Tony’s hand in his. “Tony I tried. Are your parents?”
He squeezed his hand reassuringly. “They’re fine, Steve. Agent York, however-”
“Is dead… I saw his brain come out of his head. You don’t recover from that. Why aren’t you with your parents?”
“I can’t even look at Howard right now. If he’d have told you-”
“We can’t think like that. Also, I wouldn’t know that Bucky is alive.”
“Bucky- as in Sergeant Barnes.”
Steve nodded.
Tony wagged his eyebrows. “Maybe after you get out of here, the three of us could give that ticker of your a stress test.”
Steve closed his eyes. “Just the two of us. Forever. I have no intention of ever sharing you with anyone.”
Tony gave him a strange look. A comment about Steve’s jealousy danced on his tongue but died out.
Steve held up the ring. “Anthony Edward Stark. I have fallen in love with you twice in two separate universes. No matter what time-what dimension-what universe- I will always fall for you. you will always be the one for me- and no one else. Upon turning eighteen, would you mmm-”
Tony lunged forward and kissed him before he could get the final words out. He threw his leg over Steve’s hips and continued kissing him. “Yes. Yes. You insufferable man.”
Steve ran his hands up Tony’s thighs as Tony continued to cup his jaw and kiss him.
A few seconds later, the nurse from earlier came storming in with a crash cart. “MR. STARK. Engaged or not, if you continue to endanger my patient I will throw you out. You can’t raise a man that just had open-heart surgery's heart rate rise that fast.”
The teenager hummed against the blond's lips. “That’s not all I can make rise.”
Steve huffed. “No sex in the hospital. Engaged or not, no sex until you’re eighteen.”
Tony threw his head back and groaned, before dismounting from the bed. “You’re ridiculously old fashioned, Rogers.”
Steve slid the ring on Tony’s finger. "If it's any consolation, I have no problem with you hyphenating your name.”