Facing your own allies (Tony Stark/Iron man and Steve Rogers/ Captain America)

Desperate

That night Tony had worked through the whole day, not stopping for anything. Steve had told Pepper about his recent conversation with Tony. Pepper was worried about him, more than usual. She knew of course that Bruce was his close friend, maybe even his best friend next to Rhodey. Pepper walked down into the lab, faced with Tony, head down a top a, paper covered, steel table. She didn't know if he was exasperated or just plain exhausted. He was most likely both. Pepper dropped her purse at the door and walked in. She walked over next to Tony and began running her slender had through his dark brown locks. He moaned lightly and stirred a little, waking himself from his light doze.

"Hey, Pep," he said, groggily, as he straitened his position and rubbed his eyes.

"Hey," said Pepper, warmly, picking up and examining the file that Tony had previously been laying on. "Did you find anything new?" Tony grunted quietly.

"No, nothing. I know these people are suppose to be good, but it's more like their ghost's, invisible." Pepper flipped through the file slowly.

"I suppose that they'd be good at covering their track's by now," Pepper observed. Tony started to saunter about the room, slowly.

"It's like there's no track's to follow. I can't get a read on anything, nothing!" Tony angrily plopped down on one of the stool's in the lab, he hastily poured himself a drink and downed it quick. Pepper put down the file and walked over to Tony. She watched as he re-filled his glass again. She slowly wrapped her arms around him as a re-assuring gesture.

"They must have been extremely thorough, but there has to be some kind of indication. I know Bruce is out there somewhere and I also know that if anyone can find him it's you. Tony," Pepper took the scotch filled glass out of Tony's hand and slid over to sit a top the bar. "We're gonna find a way to bring him home." Tony breathed out. For a moment there was utter silence.

"Then I better get back to work," he said, suddenly hopping off the stool and back over to the monitor.

"Oh, nope," said Pepper, slipping off the bar and moving to cut Tony off. "You know that your at you best rested-"

"Caffeinated."

"Rested," Pepper countered again, "The sharper you are the faster you can get this done." Pepper downed the scotch from the glass that she had stolen from Tony. "Come on, let's go to bed." Tony lightly smirked and followed her out.

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Steve sat out on one of many balcony's of Avenger's tower. It was amazing how much you could see from 26 floor's up. Steve liked the view. He liked the subtle noise of the thriving city from this height. He liked to examine the different skyscaper's the surrounded the tower. He liked to occupy himself with menial distractions when a tense situation was at hand. Steve would sometimes sit out there and draw. He still loved to draw, he was quite the artist too. Commonly his pictures revolved around member's of the team, more lately to one in particular. 

Natasha crept up onto the terrace. She watched as Steve's pencil practically danced about the page. He seemed to have quite the amount of focus.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything," she said lightly. Steve turned to see Natasha Romanov, probably back from an assignment and still in a little black dress with a thigh slit. Something that made Steve loose his train of thought for a while. 

"N-no," Steve cleared his throat, "not at all." Natasha grinned and threw her shawl and clutch off to the side, making Steve seem to squirm even more. "What are you, uh-"

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" She asked, sounding innocent. Steve blushed as she edged closer.

"No, of course not." Natasha nearly laughed at his skittishness. She lightly kissed him and then suddenly his whole face blushed red. Natasha watched as Steve then helplessly fumbled over his words. It was, finally, then that she decided to change the subject. 

"I've got a solid lead."

"On Banner?" Steve asked, hopefully. Natasha nodded. Steve's mind started to race.

"Good news and bad news on that though. First, He's not on the run and even more good news, he's alive. And on the bad, I'm afraid this is a more personal affair, Natasha explained, bitterly.

"In other words-"

"I know who kidnapped Bruce."