This one feels a bit choppier than some of the others, but I was forcing it to get through a block.

The series so far in chronological order: Family Meeting, The Rubble or Our Sins, Cut Up the Same, One Step Closer, Out Here in the Deep, My Calloused Heart, Nothing to Hide or: Earth's Mightiest Weirdos, Picking Up Pieces, Reach High to be Risen, Whispers in the Dark, As We Are, and You're Mine. This is a slow build Steve/Tony story.

Disclaimer: No money being made here. All our Avengers are belong to Marvel and Disney... as does my soul probably at this point.

Don't matter who you know,
don't matter what you do,
I belong to you.
Anywhere you go,
I'll be going to.
I belong to you.
I'm Yours - Joel Plaskett Emergency

Tony had to keep himself from rushing forward as Rhodey escorted his parents down the hatch of the Quinjet. He'd waited calmly at the facility while Rhodey had gone to pick them up, mere hours after they had returned from Afghanistan. The mission itself had been a success, with the Afghani officials moving in on several terrorist cells that had been disabled by the team that had been sent. Tony had been thrilled about that. No matter how things turned out, the needed work would be done. He couldn't help his smile as he spoke. "Radiant as ever, Mrs. Rhodes. Hope your journey wasn't too uncomfortable," Tony said. He hugged her close.

"I think Jim landing on the street in front of the house might have been a little excessive, Tony," she replied.

"Well he had to learn something from me," Tony said into her shoulder. He lingered in the embrace, and the scent of Roberta Rhodes' perfume. Her touch was warm and motherly, and everything that due to circumstances, his own childhood didn't provide him enough of.

"If the local authorities kick up a fuss, we'll just tell them it was official Avengers business," Tony said. He gently let her go and smiled again.

"I don't think it's going to be an actual problem, Tony," Mr. Rhodes said. He shook Tony's hand and gave him a firm hug. "You're looking better. Though you could stand to see that barber of yours." David Rhodes reached out and ruffled Tony's hair in a way that few other people would ever dare to.

"I know. I'm getting around to it," Tony whined, but his pout didn't last. "And thanks. I am feeling better. Not great or anything, but better."

"When is everything set to go?" Mrs. Rhodes asked.

"Pepper and Happy will be here soon, and everything is set for tomorrow. Pre-op first thing in the morning. I'm already on no food or drink. Which blows. I'm hungry momma Rhodes... Feed me?" Tony's face was mercurial though.

"You'll do what you're told," she said, and swatted his arm gently.

"More biscuits for me, then." Rhodey chimed in, as he set his parents luggage down.

"No biscuits for you until Tony is back on solid foods," Roberta said firmly. Rhodey faked an epic pout."

"Another thing he learned from me." Tony's expression was wry and happy.

"Only thing you're better than me at," Rhodey teased.

"Lies," Tony said.

"Fine then. Prove me wrong and take this," Rhodey retorted, and then handed Tony one of the suitcases he'd brought off the plane. Tony glared, but he was holding back laughter at the same time. He stuck out his tongue and then led the way into the facility proper.

"Hey kids! Grandma and grandpa are here!" Tony hollered as they came through the door.

Wild beeping came from around the corner, where Dum-E, Butterfingers, and U had been looking out the window, watching the Quinjet land. Mrs. Rhodes smiled and rolled her eyes. The bots screeched and piled around the corner like a pack of happy, overgrown, Labradors. David Rhodes was a little less sure with the bots, but Roberta found them charming. It had taken Rhodey a few tries to get them to understand just how smart Dum-E was, and that was why Tony's insisted that the bot always accompany them to Christmas dinner. And while they still weren't quite convinced given Dum-E's behaviour, they were pleasant enough to the crew of bots.

Mrs. Rhodes cooed over Dum-E's new tires while he chirped happily, and gently touched her hair and cheek. Butterfingers and U went through their celebration dance, spinning with cameras held high. "I will never get over how delightfully weird that is," David said. Tony looked back at him and grinned.

"They're my kids for sure," Tony said.

"How are you, son?" David asked.

"Tired. A bit scared... A lot scared, really," Tony admitted. David's hand went to Tony's shoulder, and he looked Tony in the eye. Tony remembered Obie doing the same thing many times over the course of his life. But coming from David Rhodes, it wasn't the oppressive gesture that Obie had intended. Whereas Obie had used it to force Tony down, hold him back, and tried to direct him, David Rhodes' touch instead felt like embracing support. Obie's eyes had held aggression and barely contained contempt, but David's were all warmth and compassion.

"We'll be here the whole time," David said.

"Thanks," Tony murmured. He looked David in the eye, like he'd been taught by the man himself to do. It was another great difference between the Rhodes family and his own. Tony didn't make eye contact with Howard. It was usually best to just keep his head down. Jarvis had tried to correct Tony's behaviour, but even steady Edwin Jarvis would keep his head down around a raging Howard Stark for the sake of staying close to Tony. And some scars that Howard had left Tony with went deeper than others.

David Rhodes had seen the fear in Tony when he'd asked the lean strip of a boy to give him the respect of looking him in the eye. He had to gradually reteach Tony that doing so wouldn't result in violence or being berated. Tony did eventually learn, but outside of his closest friends, his eye contact was used as a way to get attention or display aggression. His lack of it was another layer of armour against those he didn't want to deal with. Being aloof meant he was untouchable. It had taken David years to get to there with Tony, but when he was with people he loved, it was now the window to his open emotions.

Tony didn't know if it was a good or bad thing that he was painfully aware of all of this. He still wondered just what the hell his chipped-shouldered, neglected and yet spoiled, rich-kid self had done to deserve to be taken in by a middle class black family from Philly, but he thanked his lucky stars for them. They provided the brightest spot he had in a very dark time in his young life. If there was any kind of afterlife, Tony wouldn't have put it past Jarvis to kick him in the direction of Casa del Rhodes all those years ago.

"So, Jim said superpowers," David said.

"Yes and no... After Extremis reboots, I will heal at an accelerated rate so long as my body has fuel to do so... And the part that is going to be weird for a lot of people will be the direct line my brain will have to the internet... I already do have that, but it's unwieldy to control. The new code in Extremis should make that much more manageable."

"Goddamn, Tony... That is..." David trailed off and shook his head.

"Weird. It's fucking weird. I know," Tony murmured.

"I was going to say remarkable or amazing. Because you've always been a bit weird, so that aspect isn't anything new to me," David said. Tony laughed and tried to convey how grateful he was with his expression. He passed David's suitcase off to Dum-E who took it so enthusiastically that Tony had to call to him to slow him down a bit. Instead of hollering down the hallway, he called gently to Dum-E with a soft voice and within the confines of his mind. Tony reminded the bot to be careful of things that weren't theirs and Dum-E pulled up, and looked back sheepishly. Roberta took Tony's arm and he led them off to their guest room, happily listening to Rhodey catch up with his parents.

Tony supposed that he was lucky that Pepper only showed up with one of the corporate lawyers in tow. She needed confirmation of his wishes should anything go wrong. Steve thought was a bit ghoulish, but Tony assured him that it was company policy given the experimental nature of the treatment he was about to undergo.

"It's just... You're so casual about it."

"Emotional separation as a coping mechanism, Steve. I have to think about the thousands of employees and their families directly reliant on Stark Industries as their livelihoods. Then there are the companies we subcontract to. If I, as head of R&D and the public face of the company, suddenly pass from this world, those people have to be looked after. I have to ensure that the incredible team I have assembled over the years don't jump ship. Because in that context, whether I'm here or not, doesn't matter. Stark Industries has a clean energy revolution to complete, don't we, Ms. Potts?"

"We certainly do, Mr. Stark," she replied affectionately. "And I would appreciate it if you were around to see that legacy come to pass."

"No worries on that, Pep," Tony assured. "I'm in for the long haul. It's why I'm doing what I am."

Tony signed off on several papers, including an updated will. Steve heard his name mentioned, but he'd been trying to distract the bots, who had been mostly polite, but cool toward Pepper.

Butterfingers had wailed forlornly upon seeing her and had attempted to follow Pepper everywhere. Pepper was well accustomed to wrangling the bots by now, and Steve didn't miss Pepper's momentary guilty expression. But Pepper put on a sweet smile and greeted Butterfingers warmly and calmly. She'd even tolerated the shadowing until it was time to get down to business.

That was when Steve had pulled out the ball and started a game of catch, which involved rolling the ball on the ground and ricocheting it off of various surfaces and feet to challenge the reflexes of the catcher. He'd seen Tony do something similar with them when he was deep in thought about something else. It kept the bots occupied, but Steve was thinking about Butterfingers' reaction to Pepper. He saw the betrayal in the bot's body language, and made a note to ask Tony about it later. He also vowed to take special care of all of the bots until Tony was feeling up to it again. The thought crossed his mind to get Bucky to help him with it as a nice distraction.

Dinner that night was quiet given the number of people in the kitchen and dining area. Tony wasn't eating before the surgery, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it. Steve watched as Tony hugged or touched everyone while he took turns speaking to them. He compared hair lengths with Bruce and told him to wait on the best barber in the world. He exchanged verbal barbs with Clint. He fawned over Rhodey's parents and introduced them to Vision as a proud parent might. He had already explained how Vision had come from JARVIS, but his affection for Vision was new to them. He shared a rare hug with Natasha, and softly kissed Pepper's cheek.

There was serenity to his focus that the rest of them rarely got to see. People were too willing to buy into the image of the manic inventor when it came to Tony. But the presence of others around him, and a solid plan of action had calmed him.

He even declared an early bedtime for himself, but told Steve to visit Bucky before he turned in. "I'll warm the bed up for you." Tony murmured and kissed Steve. He seemed quiet and pliable in a way that he rarely was with so many others around.

"You okay?" Steve asked. He was concerned about what was going on beneath Tony's surface.

"Yeah, mostly," Tony said. "Scared... but... look at all these people here, Steve. For once, maybe the first time, I actually feel like I'm not alone. You and all of these extraordinary people are going to be there when I wake up... And on the outside chance that I don't wake up, you'll all be there for each other. It's a legacy to be proud of, being part of this. Clean energy is revolutionary, it's good and it's needed. But this is what I'm really proud of." Tony's hand waved slightly, indicating the other occupants of the room. Steve didn't like when Tony got maudlin like this, but he had a point.

"And you'll be here doing this exact thing soon. It will be fine. And there will be biscuits," Steve reassured.

"Yup, probably," Tony said. His tone was casual and confident, but he was just so slightly hesitant when he leaned in to kiss Steve once more. "Go see James. Tell him I say hi," Tony whispered.

"You got it," Steve whispered in return.

Of course Bucky immediately picked up that Steve was worried, and he wouldn't let it rest until Steve had spilled his guts. He explained his concerns about the invasiveness of the operation that Tony was going to undergo. He glossed over Tony's past experience with involuntary medical procedures, but he didn't shy away from them completely. Bucky nodded, listening carefully and calmly.

"You really love him, don't you?" Bucky asked when Steve fell quiet.

"I really do... The shock of waking up to this world was overwhelming. Everyone I knew was dead or had moved on from when we were in their lives... But Tony... We got off on the wrong foot. We both have a lot of issues, a lot of mental damage... But he and Natasha are the main reasons I came to think I could adjust. Tony can appear comfortable and in control anywhere, even when the world is coming down around his ears. He could be crumbling inside, but you'd never know. One has to admire that kind of resilience," Steve said.

"Stubbornness," Bucky corrected and patted Steve's knee. He gave Steve a little smirk and Steve chuckled.

"Yeah, that too, I suppose. But we're both getting better at being open... vulnerable. And we can compensate for when the other is having trouble. But the best thing about him, and Natasha too, is that they took what I could only perceive as this too bright, too fast, too loud, and very lonely future, and turned it into a vibrant present. This is our now, and it doesn't have to be shitty all the time," Steve said.

"That's a good lesson," Bucky said. His voice was so quiet now that Steve was glad for the enhanced senses the serum had given him. "He said that the odds were good though, right? I remember that... And he's a genius like his dad... He knows what he's talking about when it comes to these things." Bucky looked dreamily off into the middle distance, like might slip off into recovered memories again. Steve avoided cringing outwardly at the mention of Howard and kept the conversation moving forward instead.

"All of the medical crew, and the living supercomputer with a gift for sarcasm say it's a pretty sure thing," Steve said. Bucky refocused on him.

"Then trust it to work out okay, Steve. You can't control this one. Nothing to be done for it now other than to let it play out," Bucky said.

"That's a very Zen thing of you to say."

"Zen?" Bucky asked, unfamiliar with the nomenclature.

"Aspect of Eastern religion... We'll get to that," Steve explained.

"Zen" Bucky repeated the word slowly. "Sounds peaceful... Wait, Buddha, right? Like the Celestials." Steve pursed his mouth a bit.

"Yes, but the accepted term for them now is Asian American, or Chinese American, Japanese American... That kind of thing," Steve said gently.

"That's a big deal now it seems," Bucky said.

"Yeah. These days... I dunno, Buck, sometimes it seems worse than ever between the races. Especially between mostly white police forces and black citizens... But at least the language has changed. There are a lot of words that are considered derogatory now. Most of the changes make sense. Discriminating language based on race, gender, and religion isn't done anymore... I mean, prejudiced people still do it, but now it's considered the highest form of rudeness. In certain cases, it's a crime," Steve said.

"Oh... That's probably a good thing," Bucky said quietly. "So, Dr. Cho, She's Asian American."

"Technically she's a South Korean citizen, but if she moved here permanently, she would be."

"I like Dr. Cho," Bucky said absently.

"Yeah, I bet you do. Don't even say it, Buck," Steve teased gently.

"Say what? I didn't say anything. Just, she's nice is all... And I can play the up the wounded solider suffering from shellshock for a little while longer, right?" Bucky's face settled with the hint of a grin on it. Steve chuckled silently to himself.

"She seems very sweet, but still, I would not mess with her," Steve said.

"Yeah, for obvious reasons," Bucky was outright grinning now.

"I liked Peggy. I liked a lot of girls."

"You just preferred men."

"Yeah, I suppose so. Bisexual they call it now. Again, something that most liberal minded folks don't look down on anymore... Gay couples can even get married now," Steve said. Bucky had heard this from Bruce and on the news, but he still didn't quite believe it.

"We really are in the future, ain't we?" Bucky said.

"Yeah, but it's only very recent here in America... Canada's had it for over a decade now, and no one really batted an eyelash up there. I think they were something like only the fourth country to recognize it."

"But it is legal here now?" Bucky asked, trying to keep his facts in line.

"Yes, though some less than liberal minded people are vehemently against it, and trying to repeal it in certain states," Steve said.

"Sounds confusing."

"It can be," Steve agreed.

"What do you think about it?" Bucky asked. Steve chose to tread carefully, seeing that Bucky would follow his lead on most anything for the sake of harmony between them.

"What do you think?" Steve countered gently.

"I think you should marry Tony. I've never seen you so happy," Bucky stated after a moment's thought. Steve burst into light, surprised, laughter. "What? You don't think he should make an honest man outta you?" Bucky asked.

"You imply that he's made a dishonest man out of me," Steve said, though his tone remained light.

"You mean you look like you do, and he looks like he does, and you haven't yet? Is he simple when it comes to these things?" Bucky asked. Steve laughed quietly for a bit but soon calmed.

"He... He used to go too fast in relationships I think. He can be really intense, but he's beautiful, Buck. He wants us to last, and I want that too."

"That's great, but if you're both in it for the long haul, you're probably okay to proceed... I'm just sayin', Stevie." His voice was steady and so like the old Bucky he once knew, that Steve thought he could feel his entire body become lighter.

"I'll keep that in mind," Steve said.

"You should go see him. He's got a big day tomorrow."

"I will soon. He wanted me to make sure that you were okay," Steve explained.

"God, he's a keeper. I got a pretty doctor and pretty nurses to flirt with, and they have the best ways of turning me down I've ever heard. I'll be alright while you see about your fella," Bucky said.

"My fella," Steve said wistfully. He cast his eyes to the ceiling and smiled.

"Let me guess, people don't say fella anymore either... I'm gonna miss dame. That was a great word," Bucky mused. Steve laughed quietly.

"We can try to bring them back via social media if we're charming enough about it." Steve leaned back in his chair, still smiling.

"Social what now?"

"Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr... Websites that bring people new ways to shout into the digital darkness, and sometimes connect with others... We'll get to that too... With safe search on at first."

"Natasha's mentioned those... I'm going to have to figure this internet thing out some day. You'll show me, Stevie?"

"Sure, Buck. Count on it," Steve said.

"Good, now go be with Tony," Bucky said and picked up the TV remote. Asking FRIDAY still made him a bit nervous. He wasn't fond of disembodied voices. Steve went slowly into Bucky's personal space and hugged him. Bucky's right arm curled around him, and what remained of his left tried to do the same.

"Get some sleep, Buck," Steve murmured.

"You too... Or, don't." Bucky waggled his eyebrows. Steve chuckled to himself all the way out of the medical ward.

Steve asked FRIDAY where Tony was, and she supplied that Tony was in his room. Steve picked up his pace a bit, only slowing down when approaching Tony's door. He tapped on it twice, and entered the unlocked room. Tony was curled up in bed, surrounded by Dum-E, Butterfingers, and U, working out something on his tablet. Tony looked up at Steve and a smile lit up his face.

"Honey, I'm home," Steve said softly.

"I can see that," Tony said and kept grinning. He tapped the tablet a few more times and set it on the bedside table.

"Family meeting?" Steve asked. The bots were tucked in close to the bed, and didn't appear to be going anywhere as Steve bent over to unlace his boots.

"Yeah, sort of... Just some bonding time with the kids. We're finalizing the designs for Bucky's prosthetic. Starting the build will give them something to do if they get bored while I'm under. It's about as good as it's going to get with the existing hardware in his body."

"That's incredible, Tony. I don't know how you manage to work so quickly." Steve set his boots neatly by the door, and then did the same for Tony's cast off sneakers.

"It's simple, really. Guys like Captain America put my shoes in order for me... You don't have to do that for me, Steve."

"It's not a problem. I would expect a lot worse out of a genius inventor," Steve teased. He went over to the bed, stepping nimbly through the forest of bots, and sat down on the edge. He leaned in to kiss a very receptive Tony.

"I believe I am very much getting used to this," Tony said after their lips parted. His eyes were heavy-lidded and his expression was sweet. "Keep it up, and I'll get outright demanding, Rogers."

"In this very specific case, I am totally fine with that," Steve replied.

"How was James?"

"Loves the TV. FRIDAY still makes him a bit nervous though."

"He'll come around to my lovely Irish rose," Tony mused.

"Such a charmer." FRIDAY teased from above their heads.

"You had to get it from somewhere," Tony said and grinned.

"The nursing staff told me that he's in love with something called The Muppets," Steve said. Tony's face brightened further.

"Oh man, me and Rhodey used to sit around in our underwear eating breakfast cereal, and watch that religiously on Sunday nights," Tony said, smiling and laughing at his former self.

"Something else I will have to add to the list," Steve said. Tony grinned. He had only seen the small notebook that was always in Steve's pocket a few times, but he knew that a few things he'd suggested had made it on it.

"The Muppets or sitting around in your underwear eating breakfast cereal?" Tony asked.

"Either sounds good to me. We could rekindle your tradition of combining both. Natasha might object though."

"She'd love it. Wanda and Maria might object. And if Wanda didn't, Pietro would," Tony reasoned.

"You're probably right." Steve gave Tony a wry grin.

"We'll add it to movie nights. Vision will probably enjoy it too. I know Barton will."

"I'm... I'm really happy to see that-" Steve cut himself off, trying to find the words. Steve pulled himself up off of Tony, but took Tony's hand in his. Tony sat up as well, but made no attempt to pull his hand away.

"Happy about what, love?" Tony asked.

"That... That you're making plans," Steve murmured. "It sets my mind at ease. I know we're all scared of what might happen tomorrow, but the fact that you're confident enough to want to plan movie nights, and leave designs not quite finished, is a relief. I'm glad that overall you're not really trying to put your affairs in order, you know?" Steve looked into Tony's eyes.

"Steve... I've got every reason in the world to pull through. You here with me like this, with my silly yet brilliant bot children, and my family such as they are, all snug and safe in this building, is everything I could ever hope for. I have people infinitely smarter than me at this stuff planning the whole thing. Am I scared? Sure. Am I weirdly confident? Also yes. Deep down I feel like a man about to be set free from a very particular prison, that I've spent nearly a decade wrongfully held in. I wouldn't change it now... Maybe a few things... But I never deserved this punishment. It made me a better person, sure... But I never deserved it. So I am going to ride that feeling through this mess, and then, I'm not even kidding, we're taking a vacation." Tony leaned forward and pecked Steve on the lips to emphasize his intentions.

Steve smiled, and brought his hand up behind Tony's head to hold him close. He could feel Tony's warm breath on his cheek and neck and took comfort in its steady rhythm. "We can't leave Bucky yet," Steve said.

"We'll bring him with us. I have an island," Tony replied.

"Of course you do."

"Don't look at me. Howard bought it after the Vietnam War. Do you know how hard it is to put an island on the real estate market? Then you have to deal with the rich assholes that want to tromp all over it, checking if it will be a sufficient monument to their egos. Property taxes are cheaper than helicopter fees to fly potential buyers in and out," Tony said.

"So what did Howard name it? Because I know he wouldn't buy an island and not name it," Steve said.

"Mom did, actually. Starkadia, I believe. She said she was doing it ironically."

"Seriously? Starkadia? Like Arcadia?" Steve asked and chuckled.

"Again, not my fault. I didn't name it," Tony asserted. "And I doubt that anywhere Howard and mom cohabitated ended up as a Utopian model... Though mom saying the name was ironic does make a lot of sense that way."

"Where is it?" Steve asked gently, guiding Tony away from unpleasant things this close to bed.

"Near the Caymans."

"So, not a cheap island."

"Not hardly," Tony said. "But I've been a few times. It's beautiful and it's very quiet."

"Didn't you promise Harley a trip here?"

"Yeah, he can come here before we go. I am sure that no matter how quickly I heal, that Bruce and Helen are going to want to keep me around for lab rat duties... Can you call Harley tomorrow and keep him updated on how things are going?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, Tony. Sure," Steve said, and squeezed his hand around Tony's warmly.

The next morning Steve walked Tony down to medical early, the bots trailing behind them, before even Mrs. Rhodes was up and moving. Tony had told Steve that he couldn't face anyone for fear of not going through with it. "Are absolutely sure you want this, Tony?" Steve asked.

"Yes," Tony said without hesitation. "I want it. I need it. I just need to not lose my nerve because of someone else's hesitation. I am so used to doing these big things on my own. It's hard to get used to having people care so much. I don't really know what to do with it. How to accept it," Tony said. Steve took Tony's arm gently.

"And you wanted me here with you," Steve reasoned. He smiled warmly.

"Well, you're an early riser, and you were already in the room with me, and-" Tony's self-deprecating rambling was silenced by Steve kissing him.

"I love you," Steve whispered. His lips were still close enough to brush over Tony's. Tony tasted of toothpaste instead of the scorching hot black coffee he would have at this time of the morning. Tony looked up the few inches into Steve's eyes.

"I love you too."

"Good. Quit downplaying this. It means a lot to me," Steve said.

"Okay," Tony replied and nodded. Steve quirked an eyebrow up toward his hairline.

"That's it? Okay?" Steve asked.

"Well, you believe it, and I want to believe it... so, okay. It means a lot to me too," Tony reasoned. Steve smiled and kissed him again.

"It's going to be fine," Steve murmured softly. He held Tony close, soaking in the moment.

"Yeah, I really do think so," Tony agreed. Steve offered Tony his hand and Tony took it without any wariness and they walked into the surgical ward together. Steve and the bots stayed as long as the medical team, which included Helen, Bruce, and Vision, allowed them. Steve relaxed when Tony started making comments that Vision looked great in scrubs. He kissed Tony goodbye, and ushered the bots out into the waiting area.

The mood in the waiting room was quiet, despite how crowded it was. Every Avenger and major supporting staff member was present. Pepper was conducting a meeting quietly in the corner via her phone and tablet for the visuals she needed. Happy and Rhodey were nearby, sucking back coffee, with stoic looks on their faces. They'd lived through this before.

"Steve," Mrs. Rhodes said. "Come sit by David and I. Did you eat yet?"

"Uh, no. I normally have breakfast with the team, but Tony wanted me with him this morning."

"Well, let's see..." She reached into a sturdy bag that looked to hold knitting, magazines, and other objects crucial to survival in a waiting room. She produced an apple and two biscuits.

"I knew it! I knew you were holding out," Rhodey exclaimed, his face cracking into a short burst of laughter.

"There will be more. Relax," she said. "And you, eat. No arguments." Steve nodded.

"Yes ma'am," He said and earnestly tucked into the offered food. Dum-E rolled in close to Mrs. Rhodes, and gently started investigating her bag. In a matter of moments, he had sorted the balls of yarn and had Butterfingers and U unraveling enough to get her started on her project. Roberta gave Dum-E an appreciative pat, and picked up her needles.

"Well, they're occupied. What are the rest of us going to do all day?" Clint piped up to fill the silence in the room.

"You're going to stay?" Steve asked, surprised by the devotion.

"We're all staying until he's through the surgery," Natasha said. "You and I should probably check on Barnes at various intervals though." Steve nodded his agreement.

"Okay, but Bruce and Helen said this would take hours," Steve said.

"We'll get meals delivered," Maria chimed in, looking up from her tablet.

"All right then... Anybody got a deck of cards then?" Steve asked and smiled at the rest of the team.

"Strip poker. I like how you think," Clint said and laughed.

"Why you always trying to get me naked, Barton?" Steve retorted. Mrs. Rhodes looked up from her casting on, trying to appear scandalized, but her eyes were laughing.

The swinging doors to the waiting room burst open, and everyone's face lit up on seeing Thor step over the threshold. "My friends... Eric sent world to Jane that Stark was ill."

"And how the hell did she get that to you?" Clint asked. He was smiling though, and shook Thor's hand, embracing his forearm like Thor preferred to greet fellow warriors.

"Jane and I make sure to visit regularly, and Heimdall pays special attention to her requests."

"Really? Because that would be handy for the rest of us," Clint teased. Steve tossed his apple core and went to say hello.

"I do have a kingdom to help run, you know. I do not spend my time in Asgard at leisure," Thor teased back. Clint laughed and hugged Thor.

"Glad you could make it, buddy," Clint said.

"I am too... How fares Stark?" Thor asked

"He should be all right... We hope he will. But there's risk involved," Steve said. Thor hugged Steve firmly to his chest.

"It is good to see you." Thor said.

"Good to see you too. We've missed you around here," Steve said, a little breathless from the force of Thor's embrace.

"Asgard is ever busy. I have assumed many administrative duties for my father after my mother passing, and I spend most of my time patrolling and defending the borders. I cannot stay very long, but I wanted to know that I stand in solidarity with Tony, and with all of you," Thor said.

"You didn't happen to bring a deck of cards did you?" Clint asked. "Asking for a friend," Steve snorted and laughed.

Tony looked around the operating room, reassuring himself one more time that he would be fine. He met Bruce's eye, and then Vision's. He let himself trust. Vision's presence was gentle, at the edge his mind, asking for any doubt. Tony gave him a grin, and then a thumbs up. Tony nodded at the anesthesiologist, who lowered the mask over his face. He counted along and breathed slowly, his eyes locked on Vision and Bruce as everything went dark.

The next thing he was aware of was a blinking grey light in the darkness... Tony slowly roused himself, curious as to the source. He felt groggy and heavy-limbed, and it took considerable effort to start moving. He blinked a few times, trying to clear his vision, but all he could make out was the grey blinking dot. Sitting up, or what felt like sitting up, as he couldn't see his own body, took tremendous effort. But the dot called to him. It was the sign of a task that needed completing. He staggered up, and into motion toward the dot.

The visual became clearer, and Tony had to keep from laughing outright, as it would have taken too much effort at that moment. Suspended in the air, in that great, echoless dark, was the letter C followed by a colon, a backslash, and a forward facing angle bracket. "A goddamn DOS command line? Really?" Tony whispered to himself. "Oh V, you are fucking hilarious." Things were becoming clearer now. He looked at the visual, and remembered how Vision and the bots had taught him to command the programming for his virus protection at a thought. He took a moment, and then concentrated on a run program command.

The command line shuttered for a moment, and then the world exploded around Tony. He flinched, worried for a physical form that he was coming to realize wasn't actually there. He saw, without really seeing, a tumult of code cascading around him, embracing him, filling him up. He panicked momentarily, not knowing if this would be the end of him. He hadn't experienced it like this the first time he'd booted up Extremis.

"Sir, please relax. Everything is proceeding as expected. Please let me help you adjust to this." Vision's voice was a balm. The panic died down almost instantly, and Tony could feel his need to embrace the code around him. He took a moment and then opened himself up fully to the experience. As the code settled in him and around him, visuals became clear, most likely being translated from raw binary code into things he could comprehend more easily by Vision.

Vision himself was next to Tony, his hand outstretched and holding Tony's. "Ah, there you are. Welcome back." Vision said.

"How long have I been out?"

"Three days to initialize the reboot." Vision guided Tony into his arms, giving him a focus away from the code whirling around them.

"And the surgery?" Tony asked.

"Successful so far. You were put on bypass for two days, but your heart is beating on its own now, and the net seems to be functioning and bonding with your tissue quite well. The arc reactor unit is working within acceptable parameters, and the nanobots in your system have been successfully replenished using the port in the RT," Vision said. Tony sagged against Vision for a moment.

"Oh thank fuck," he murmured.

"Congratulations, sir," Vision replied.

"We're still not out of the woods yet, V. Gotta see if the new code works."

"I would wager it's working rather well already." Vision stroked Tony's hair, and pulled back a little. Tony realized that the code had settled, and that his mind was finally quiet. Well and truly quiet. He felt Extremis working in him, but it had finally ceased trying to pick up every wireless signal, and present it to him like a cat with a dead mouse on the doormat. Tony's jaw slacked a little.

"Wow," he said softly to the quiet darkness that surrounded them.

"What do you think?" Vision asked.

"Wow," Tony said again. "Where is everyone? How do we wake me up? Is everyone okay? Where's Steve? Has Potts declared me brain dead yet?"

"It would be advisable for you to remain sedated for a few more days while Extremis kicks in and heals your body. You did just have open-heart surgery, Tony... Steve is splitting time between your bedside and Sargent Barnes'. Ms. Potts is still here, and is displaying only minimally higher levels of stress than normal. Everyone is still in house, waiting for you to wake up, and Thor has arrived from Asgard, worried about you. Myself, Dr. Banner, Dr. Cho, and the surgical team have assured everyone that you are well within normal limits of healing, and that some time will be needed."

Tony grinned and chuckled. Vision was the one person who never seemed to be bothered by Tony's barrage of questions. "Okay, that's good... So, what? Do I sit here bored for a few days?"

"Certainly not." Vision said. He waved a hand, and the visual of the stacked files of the internet appeared before them. There was no hardship or fear to the transition this time. "We can go anywhere, so to speak. Would you like to see what they're looking at with the Hubble Telescope this afternoon? There is also an undersea expedition surveying the Great Barrier Reef at the moment."

"I... Can I talk to the rest of the bots? Can I go that far yet? It's not dangerous is it?" Tony sounded a little unsure and afraid.

"I shall make the connection directly," Vision said warmly. The next thing Tony knew, three, no four, very human-looking forms were launching themselves at him. They were squawking and hollering around him, with human voices and actions. Tony looked bewildered at Vision for a moment, and realized that the fourth, which looked to be a girl in her late teens and had freckles and wild red curls (so unlike Pepper's tamed locks), was indeed FRIDAY.

"Hey boss! Howareya?" She said all in a rush.

"I'm... I'm okay. I... FRIDAY?" Tony asked. He blinked in astonishment.

"Yeah, Tony. I told you it was something we were working on." Dum-E said. He had pulled back a little, but Butterfingers and U were still partially hanging off of him and Tony at the same time. Tony looked down at Butterfingers and U, who appeared to be early teens at most. U looked very similar to a young James Rhodes, and Butterfingers reminded him of an old black and white photo of his mother from her childhood.

"So, what do you think?" Butterfingers asked. Her voice was a clear chime.

"I think I am going to bawl like a baby," Tony said and sniffed. "Why... Why human? The human form is so inefficient."

"You taught us to learn, and to attempt to think like a human... Not to be efficient. We're yours. We should look like you," Dum-E said, as if this were the most obvious conclusion in the world.

"Fuck, I love you all so much," Tony whispered.

"We love you too, Tony," U said. Tony turned to him. U's voice was as steady and serious as the rest of his personality. But it brokered no room for argument.

"Oh god, I'm going to cry. How can a digital projection of me cry?" Tony said. The bots all pulled in close again, book-ended by Vision.

"You're crying on the outside too... But please don't worry, boss. I told everyone what's going on." FRIDAY said. Steve is trying to wipe his own tears knowing that there is fully functional brain activity in here.

"Tell him I love him, would you? That I'll be up soon," Tony said.

"On it, boss." FRIDAY said.

"Well, now that the family reunion is handled... What does everyone think I should know about all this?" Tony asked, looking up at the expanse of beyond them.

"Vision and I have come up with an itinerary," FRIDAY said.

"Of course you did," Tony said, and smirked. "Let's get started."

The End (for now)