I Thought You Were Different: Part 3

Awake (Finale)

"Slowly," Steve whispered as he held your hand, his free hand resting against your back to help you sit on the edge of your bed for the first time since you had woken up. Your three children were sitting together on the far side of your hospital room, watching you eagerly, with Tony next to them by choice to keep himself from interfering and to allow Steve to take the lead. He wanted nothing more than to be at your side as well, but at least from here, he had a perfect vantage point to watch your every move.

"I'm okay."

"I'll be the judge," he answered softly, glancing up at Tony for just a second with a slight smirk, "you've been known to push."

"You've been known to overreact."

"I think this time I've earned the right."

You stopped with a squeeze of his hand, feeling slightly off balance with the shift in position, your head heavy enough to close your eyes to try to wait it out as he watched anxiously. "Maybe I shouldn't push..."

"Hey, Tony, did you hear that?" Steve chuckled slightly. "She just said that I was right."

"Yep, sure did, Cap," Tony agreed readily, "we all did."

"I did not!" you tried to argue, but it was falling on deaf ears.

"Semantics. It's what you meant." Steve turned to stand in front of you with his hands moving to your shoulders to hold you steady. When you looked up at him with heavy eyes and a gentle shake of your head, he wrapped an arm around you and another under your legs to swing you back into bed easily. "Alright, that's enough for today. It's only been a few hours, and even you don't heal that fast."

You stayed quiet while he pulled your blankets up and around you, making sure that you were covered and comfortable before taking his seat next to you just as he had done for every day that you had been there. "Steve," you turned to him quietly, "can we get a few minutes alone?"

"Of course. Hey, Tony, could you maybe take the kids to grab lunch for everyone?" he asked as he stood again, quickly crossing the room towards the group. "(Y/N) wants to talk about something and asked to clear everyone out," he explained in a low voice, "so we just need a little while if you don't mind."

"You got it, Dad," Anthony answered for him, "we can keep Grandpa busy."

"Thanks, bud. Here," he paused, pulling out some cash from his pocket, "grab whatever, we're not picky."

"You're serious?" Tony laughed. "Please, Steve, I've got it. You're forgetting that the entire team is in the lobby, and kindergarten rules apply with this group. Gotta bring enough for everyone."

"Right, thanks."

Stark stopped and looked at Steve for a moment, taking in the weariness and exhaustion in his frame. The two men hadn't yet had the chance to talk about anything since your surgery was complete, but just standing with each other in the silence, they both knew that they had so much to discuss; he knew a little of what Steve had been through to stop you, but Tony couldn't shake the pangs of jealousy in himself that he hadn't been the one to do it. "Steve, the only thing that you have to focus on right now is her, so you let me handle everything else, okay?"

His only reply from Steve was a quick nod and a firm pat on the back in agreement. Steve hurried back to your side once the group had gone, taking a seat on the edge of your bed with your hand in his as he waited patiently for you to begin.

"I remember it all," you finally sighed, keeping your gaze lowered, "and how I almost gave up, even when you were right there asking me not to. I thought it was just a dream that I was remembering at first, like from anesthesia or something, but I've been watching you and noticing how you look at me, and I realize that it wasn't a dream at all. You were there."