A small shove had the last bag fitting perfectly into the only remaining gap, and Steve stepped back, arms crossing over his chest as he surveyed his efforts with a satisfied nod.

Everything was perfectly packed; nothing squishable beneath the heavier things, nothing likely to move about and cause damage or distraction, and most importantly, nothing forgotten.

He was sure that he had everything he would need.

Save one.

Unnecessarily brushing his hands off on his jeans, Steve breathed deeply in preparation of his coming task. Crossing the pristine garage floor, stepping into the elevator, he looked upward, speaking aloud, "Workshop please, JARVIS", and the floor shifted beneath his feet, taking him to collect the most important part of his plan.

For all his considerable size, Steve Rogers moved with unexpected stealth.

It was possibly a result of the serum, but Steve thought it was more likely a remnant of the first few months after the procedure, when he'd felt like an elephant trying to navigate the crystal-ware section of Macy's. After the second doorknob had broken off in his hand, and he'd shattered a third glass in his too tight grasp, his movements had become almost comically deliberate, as he'd carefully controlled his drastically changed body,

Things had settled as he'd eased into his new form, getting used to the increased strength and size, until everything that should have been unconsciously instinctual had returned to being so, yet some of his newfound stealth had remained.

But really, at 6'1, weighing in at a decent 200 pounds, and making no considerable attempt to stifle the sound of his approach, he wasn't exactly being quiet.

And even if the repetitive thud of his hiking boots echoing loudly in the silence of the workshop hallway hadn't been enough, he'd have thought his standing in the doorway and calling "Tony?" would have.

Across the far side of the room, hunched over one of his work stations, Tony hadn't even looked up. So apparently not.

Steve couldn't even blame the too loud music, if it could be called that, which usually assaulted the eardrums of anyone brave enough to venture within two floors of the workshop. The floor was quite this afternoon, the silence of the workshop itself only broken by the soft scrape of metal on metal as Tony did whatever it was Tony was doing.

Whatever it was, the genius was completely absorbed, so engrossed in his work that he seemed completely oblivious to the outside world, including the man trying to get his attention from the doorway.

Steve sighed a little, not of anger or upset, but more of exasperated affection, tinged with indulgent amusement. Cocking his hip, he relaxed into an easy lean again the door frame, one hand coming up to rub across his jaw, hiding a smile as he studied his unaware lover.

Tony was, as always, a vision. Burning intense and hot, a vivacious expression of life and living that never failed to take Steve's breath away. Graceful hands danced in a pattern known by instinct, eyes flashing molten heat with whatever brilliance was fighting to escape. Lips pursed, upturning occasionally into a small lilting grin of pure pleasure, or deep satisfaction, a pink tongue darting out to chase determination and resolve.

And yet, looking more closely, beyond the fraying mask that was Tony's public persona, beyond the 'Stark', Steve saw things that made his heart ache in equal pain to the pleasure he gained from just such an image.

Closer scrutiny, by one who could see, revealed lines drawn at the corner of tight lips, and vibrating tension settled deeply into hunched shoulders. The too intense sheen of unseeing blankness across focused eyes, with circles, dark and heavy beneath. Shadows of fatigue an almost tangible burden over the bowed figure.

Tony was often tired, sleep deprivation a seeming side effect of genius, or perhaps simply a result of being Tony. But this? This was something else, something much heavier, deeper and more worrying.

Tony was completely and utterly exhausted.

They'd had a busy few weeks, all of them, with four separate attacks all registering as 'world-ending' on their newly implemented scale, and then Clint had gone missing for a week, two natural disasters had called for super powered relief and Bruce had Hulked on national television.

Naturally, Tony had been present at all four attacks, providing much needed areal support. He'd barely slept during the week Clint had been missing, finally being the one to decipher the archer's lame-ass attempt at a coded message, and he'd planned the subsequent rescue. He'd not slept the four days during the tsunami clean-up in Thailand, and two days later they'd been called to the mudslide, which had been an unforgiving, filthy, hellacious task- Tony was still complaining about mud in the suit joints a week later. And questioning Natasha's sexual entanglements within the Avengers team, on national TV, was a truly bad idea. Especially in front of the man who turned into an enormous green rage monster. It had taken Tony eleven hours to get Bruce back, and a further four to get Bruce back to the tower. And then he'd had to deal with the press.

And that was just the Avenger related incidents. Stark Industries had also been through the grinder, with a workplace shooting in their Bangkok office, an issue with a stolen patent, a drop in stock value which no one could account for, the members of the board getting cold feet during a huge merger, and Pepper getting seriously ill with pneumonia.

And they were the ones Steve knew about.

To say Tony was exhausted was an understatement. Mentally, physically, emotionally, in every way possible, his lover was completely wrecked. And yet, Steve hadn't been able to get him to stop working for more than an hour or two.

And he'd tried. He'd taken Tony to lunch, to dinner, they'd done movie night with the team, a movie with just the two of them, a walk in the park, a visit from Rhodey, coffee, sex, cake… and each time, Tony had retreated back to his workshop within moments of finishing said activity.

Steve wasn't sure if it was over-tiredness, nerves, instinct, or something else entirely that was driving his lover to burn himself out completely, but whatever the case, Steve really needed him to stop, take a breath, and sleep for a good week.

And he planned to make it happen right now.

Asking wasn't working, and well, Steve always had been a man of action.

"Oh my g- what the fuck!" Tony's yelp of surprise morphed seamlessly into an exclamation of shocked confusion, both anger and amusement lying undeveloped beneath, waiting to for him to determine the situation.

Steve simply grinned, settled a hand at the small of Tony's back to keep the writhing form steady as the smaller man attempted to release himself from Steve's grasp. Unsuccessfully. Steve knew what he wanted, and he was going to get it.

"Oh hush." The captain said, patting Tony's hip as he turned swiftly, ignoring the startled shriek and sudden death grip two hands found in the back of his shirt.

As he stepped into the elevator, Steve felt Tony huff a breath against the middle of his back, and then half relax against him, as he fully realised that he wasn't in any danger. His voice was muffled against Steve's shirt, but mostly amused, as he said, "Okay. This is happening. Why is this happening?"

"Plans. I have plans. " Steve replied, chuckling when he felt Tony still his incessant fidgeting as curiosity got the better of him.

And that's how Steve Rogers found himself traipsing down the hallway toward the garage with Tony Stark draped over one shoulder, wailing, "Camping! But Ste- Camping. Like with tents? Campi- I don't- Camping, Steve?"

Steve tried persuasive, "It'll be fun-"

"-said no one ever. Nope. Down. Lots of work to do. " Tony cut him off, wriggling in a vain attempt to slide down Steve's body.

Steve tried bribery, "I have coffee…"

"We can have coffee here. Or in Paris. Or- " Tony shot back, pointedly.

Steve tried cajoling, "I've got us all packed and ready…"

Tony grumbled, poking Steve in the side as he kicked a foot half-heartedly, answering predicably, "Well, unpack and get unready. I'm not camping. I'm not a camping sort of guy."

Steve tried sweet talk, "But you're my sort of guy, and I'm a camping sort of guy, therefore…"

"You're logic is not sound." Tony replied flatly, although Steve could hear the smile underneath, and knew Tony was wavering.

Steve tried guilt, "I really want to go, and I really want you to go with me."

Tony huffed a breath, choking on his own bitten off answer, slumping against the sharp angle of Steve's shoulder, defeated, but not willing to admit it, "What if I put my foot down, and refuse?"

"I hardly think you're in a position to be able to put anything down" Steve replied, saccharine sweet.

"Oh, bite m- fuc-ow!" Tony yelped as Steve's teeth nipped against the fleshy part of his thigh, the sting felt even through the thin material of his sweats.

Steve just laughed when Tony's hand slapped at him with an accompanying "You asshole!"

"Just following orders" he blonde replied dryly, one hand coming up to rub soothingly at the smarting area, although he did seem to mostly just be fondling Tony's ass.

Tony slumped bonlessly, his weight negligible across Steve's shoulder, muttering beneath his breath, "Should have told you to 'kiss my ass' instead".

Steve of course, heard perfectly, and as he deposited Tony into the open passenger seat of the non-descript SUV, he replied, "Later. In our tent. Because camping."

He cut off any further complains by shutting the door in his lovers face.

Steve slid in behind the steering wheel, adjusted the seat, moving it back to allow greater leg room, fished for his seatbelt, clicked it home across his torso, repositioned the rear view mirror, checked the side mirrors and turned the key, the engine purring to life beneath them.

He turned toward his reluctant passenger, and taking in the wide eyed look of bemusement directed at him, he felt his smile become a grin become a laugh. Unable to help himself, he leaned across the expanse separating them, one hand curling into the hair at the back of Tony's head, pulling him in to meet halfway, capturing willing lips with his own.

He pulled back from the kiss, Tony chasing his lips for a second before he huffed, sitting back into his seat. Steve reached across, dragged his partner's seatbelt down and clicking it into place with a grin as Tony rolled his eyes and snorted.

"What about the Avengers? We're two of their main heavy hitters, and you're the Cap- we can't just-"

"Reed and Xavier are apprised of the situation and on standby." Steve shut him down with so little effort that Tony bristled.

"I am head engineer for a major Company, I can't just-" Tony tried, one last ditch attempt.

"I already checked with Pepper." Steve played the 'Pepper' card, and Tony knew he was beaten.

"Okay Captain camp-a-lot, roll on" Tony groused, settling back into his seat as Steve pulled out of the sunken garage driveway.

It became apparent, that while he'd reluctantly accepted the change of plans, Tony wasn't in the mood to accept defeat gracefully. For the next half hour, as Steve slowly escaped the city traffic onto the wide-open highway, he was treated to a constant barrage of sidelong glares, huffs of breath, eye rolls, fidgeting and various pulled faces.

Steve found it adorable more than anything else, although was careful to keep his amusement from showing too obviously, not wanting to push Tony from quarrelsome to outright belligerent.

Steve was the 'man with a plan' though, and he'd accounted for Tony's less than congenial mood. As he navigateg the last of the city streets, and passed out onto the freeway, Steve flicked the radio on, his pre-set channel pumping soft easy-listening music through the speakers.

Tony looked askance at the radio, but didn't change it.

Within 10 minutes, he was half dozing against the window as the road stretched out before him, and his lover grinned softy from the driver's seat.

He'd been right. Getting Tony out of the workshop, away from responsibility, and work, and even to a certain extent, away from their fellow Avenger's, was the right call. A chance to relax, without having to keep up appearances, or be the dependable host, because for all that they'd become a makeshift family to each other, there were some things in which Tony, as the home owner and to be honest, money provider, wasn't able or willing to share the burden of.

His lover had been strung tighter than Clint's bow for the past month or so, and sometimes even Tony needed his control taken away, needed to be able to be completely dependent on someone else, and Steve was determined it was going to be him.

A sideways glance showed Tony stifling a yawn as he puddled further into the rich upholstery, his fingers tapping along to the music slowly as his eyes dipped closed. Steve smiled, and thought about opening his mouth to tell Tony to get some sleep, but knowing his lover, he was pretty sure that Tony would take that as challenge to do the complete opposite, and fight to stay awake.

And really, with the unfocused eyes half hidden beneath lethargically blinking lids, Steve doubted he needed to say anything, it was just a matter of time befor-

Tony suddenly paled slightly, his eyes widening as he sat up abruptly, his alert brown gaze sharp as his gaze flew to Steve.

Something in those eyes looked a lot like panic, guilt, shame and Steve began looking for a place to pull off as he spoke, "Tony? What's wrong?"

The abrupt flash of overwhelming emotion disappeared as fast as it had come, but despite Tony's assurance of "Oh, nothing. I'm fine", Steve could see the wariness and upset in the still way Tony held his body.

"Something just went through your mind. You're worrying me here-" Steve pressed, carefully splitting his attention between the road and his partner.

Tony sighed, cutting him off with a self-deprecating laugh as he replied, "Really, I'm fine- I just…" Steve could all but see the blush rising on Tony's cheeks, shame or embarrassment, he wasn't sure which.

He didn't get a chance to think on it overly, before Tony continued, his voice full of hesitation and doubt, "Am I- Did I- Is it our anniversary or something? You're birthday?"

Steve's breath escaped him in a puff of relieved amusement, "Tony, my birthday is July 4th and our anniversary is December 12th. What's the date today?"

"Um…Thursday?" Tony hedged, the flush to his cheeks definitely embarrassment now, although he looked hugely relieved.

"Oh Tony. It's June. June 6th to be precise." Steve sighed, hopelessness colouring his tone, but his eyes were laughing.

Tony shoved Steve's shoulder lightly, grumbling, "Oh shut up. It's not my fault that Genius doesn't keep regular time-"

"-doesn't keep any time at all. And hands off the driver." Steve shot back, breaking his own rule while saying it by enclosing Tony's hand within his own, squeezing reassuringly as he continued on a more serious note, "I just thought it might be nice to have a weekend to ourselves, that's all. And, Tony, If you had forgotten, which I'm pretty sure will actually happen one day- it's okay. I'll be disappointed, and maybe a little upset…but you show me you love me every day in so many ways, that conventional reminders are little more than tradition. "

Steve could feel Tony staring at him, the weight of the near reverence in his gaze both disconcerting and a little heady, and Tony all but breathed, "What did I do to deserve you?"

Steve had so many answers for that question, on so many different levels, but he didn't think Tony was ready to hear them, and so, instead, he answered, "How did you put it? 'Revolutionised clean energy, privatised world peace, saved the world…breakfast time."

"God. Please tell me I didn't actually say that. When did I say that?" Tony moaned, ducking his head.

"Oh- right after, 'Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist'", Steve replied, his voice heavy with supressed laughter.

Tony sat back up, his eyes narrowing, his hand pulling against Steve's, no doubt with the urge to swat at his teasing lover again, and he shot back, "I did not. I never said that. I know I didn't say that."

"No, you're right. It was more 'Revolutionised clean energy, privatised world peace, saved the world…Captain America booty call time." Steve mocked, his hand tightening around Tony's as it pinched at his thigh.

"God- you're incorrigible! If only the world knew how innocent and pious you aren't." Tony bit back, but he was laughing, so Steve counted it as a win.

It was mid-afternoon when Steve finally coasted to a stop in the small deserted parking area, more a field that had been cleared of sticks and rocks than any officially designated spot.

It was a Phil suggested area, and so Steve had known it would be perfect, and just looking through the vehicle windscreen, he could tell the Agent hadn't let him down.

It was simply called Upper Valley, and the name hardly did it justice, excepting the fact that it was the upper of two Valley's, ringed on three sides by long mountainous ranges, casting inky shadow over the basin below. They'd traversed the only road into the little known campground, a good 100km of dirt track, with mountains rising up on either side and to the front of them, only the rear unobscured by vegetation.

And such vegetation, thick and overgrown, with the Valley's acting as a catchment area for the mountains, water was hardly ever scarce, allowing an abundance of flora and fauna to thrive. The campground itself was just beyond view from the parking area, but Steve already knew what he was likely to find. A small cleared meadow of vibrant grass, and a shallow trickling river that flowed deeper into the valley.

A simple paradise on earth, and for the next four days, it belonged to Steve and Tony alone.

Looking across to the passenger side of the vehicle, Steve smiled at the sight of Tony, still curled up against the window, fast asleep, as he had been for the last two hours of their four hour journey.

Loathing waking him any sooner than necessary, but not wanting to leave him in the car when the campsite was out of view, Steve reached across and ran his fingers through loosely snarling waves, speaking softly. "Hey, we're here", and watched as Tony slowly came awake with a soft whimper of reluctance.

God, but how he loved this impossible, difficult, brilliant man.

Twenty minutes later and Steve was kind of wishing that he'd left Tony to sleep in the car.

"I don't think that peg goes there." Tony said matter of factly.

"If you're so sure, why don't you come help?" Steve asked, reaching for a second peg.

Tony started as if to move towards him, and then slumped back as he exclaimed, "I'd love to, but only Ironman does menial labour, and unfortunately, my boyfriend conveniently left him at home."

Steve sighed, but then he'd known that this would come up at some stage, best just get it over with, "If I'd believed you could go four days without tinkering, I might have brought it. I didn't bring the shield either, or our cells. I've got the emergency signal, but that's it. Tech free weekend."

"Of course a tech-phobic savage like you wouldn't know where to put that peg", Tony shot back, the tiny twitch of his lips the only indicator that he wasn't actually being nasty.

Steve ignored the comment from the peanut gallery, and slid the peg into the spot that it definitely belonged, no matter what Tony was saying.

"I am an engineer, you know. I build things for a living. And that peg doesn't go there." Tony explained, leaning back against the tree he was standing beneath, looking quite cool and content, despite the dry heat of the early onset storm season.

Extending the second part of the peg, Steve brushed the beading sweat away from his forehead, and then fed the material of the tent over the frame, sliding it gently over the exposed metal. He was unable to resist shooting a smug look in Tony's direction when it snapped into place and was decidedly tent shaped.

"Well, if I'd known you were trying to build a tent…" Tony replied, cocking his head to inspect Steve's handiwork, "I suppose it's structurally sound."

Steve just shook his head, and moved to sort out the rest of their belongings, spreading their sleeping bags out neatly in the open tent, and piling the cooking utensils and miscellaneous things that he'd obviously though they might need, into a pile around the coolers that held their foodstuffs for the weekend.

"Of course, If I'd designed it, I'd have put double sided zippers. Or at least a warning for blond people, about making sure the canvas isn't inside out." Tony continued.

Steve looked at Tony, looked at the tent that he'd, yes, put together inside-out, and then looked back to the boyfriend who'd watched him put it together inside out.

Three seconds later, Tony wasn't so much leaning against the tree, as flat on his back below it, with Steve pinning him to the ground, both of them laughing between kisses as Tony was thoroughly punished for his cheek.

Very thoroughly.

When he pulled back several minutes later, Tony was panting slightly, sprawled out in a languid puddle beneath him, his skin flushed from a combination of arousal and heat, his kiss swollen lips softly pouted in a silly smile.

Steve was sure his own smile matched.

Feeling sweat drip an uncomfortable line down between his shoulder blades, Steve sat up further and turning toward the creek that trickled invitingly at the far side of their camp area, he said, "I'm going to get cooled down and cleaned up before bed- join me?"

It was a gamble, Steve knew, and he felt Tony stiffened a little beneath him, before relaxing again, as he turned brown eyes on the softly flowing expanse of water several feet away. It wasn't very deep, probably waist high at its deepest, and it did look ridiculously inviting in the cloying heat.

So much so, that anyone who hadn't almost drowned three months ago, hadn't been water boarded, didn't wake up screaming at night unable to breath, would probably already be in the water.

"It's okay if you don't want to- I brought wipes, and there's bottled water, or I don't mind if you go native-" Steve reassured, not wanting any tension or fear to dampen what he hoped wold be a perfect weekend.

Tony's hand covered Steve's mouth, stopping the flow of words as he said, "One question. Will you be there? Naked?"

Steve grinned, but hearing the true question, he stood, offering a hand to Tony and lifting him to his feet, replying with a sly grin, "I'll be there, but if you want me naked, that's something you'll have to take care of."

Tony's reply of "Not a problem", was probably the most honest thing he'd said all week.

Steve shifted slightly, dislodging an uncomfortable pebble from his right butt cheek, before settling back into his makeshift armchair, formed by a hollow in the creek bank.

He was well and truly beyond pruned, and well and truly beyond caring. It was quiet, peaceful, with a certain tranquillity present that didn't exist in any city, and Steve savoured it. The gentle flow of water just reached his underarms, washing away the lingering heat of the day, and he revelled in the cool perfection of the creek.

And the contrasting warm perfection that was Tony's sleeping form, cradled in his arms. With one arm looped laxly around Steve's waist, and the other curled between them, palm splayed flat over his lover's chest, Tony was fast asleep, with his head pillowed against Steve's shoulder, his eyelashes and breath a soft occasional flutter against over sensitised skin.

Tony had been cautious at first, staying to the edge of the creek, at its shallowest point, knee deep in places, but not beyond. Slowly though, tentatively, he'd ventured out further, although Steve was pretty sure he'd been the lure that had driven Tony from his shallow safety, and had deliberately stayed to the slightly deeper sections.

Within minutes, Steve had found himself knocked from his feet, Tony a laughing, splashing propellant, cannoning into his chest to take him down, and Steve had returned in kind, laughing and splashing in the water, gentle and careful and observant.

Horseplay had naturally devolved into very wet making out, with Tony straddling one of Steve's thighs and pulling him down into a kiss heated enough that Steve was sure the water should have been sizzling around them.

Making out could have easily turned into sex, but instead had gentled into nuzzling and quite intimate talk, Steve thanking Tony for coming with him, and Tony admitting that maybe this whole camping thing really wasn't all that bad. Eventually, Tony had simply stopped answering, his head dropping to Steve's shoulder, his eyes closing as much needed sleep claimed him.

Just three months ago, and Tony hadn't even been able to stand the mere sound of their shower, and here he was, trusting Steve in water so different, and yet so similar to that in which he'd drowned.

Steve couldn't find the words to express how absolutely proud he was, of Tony's resilience, his courage, his indomitable nature.

Or how so very, very grateful.

Shaking away the thoughts that still legitimately terrified him, Steve turned to the horizon, noting the shadowy haze; the sun was beginning to set. He thought about food. And the effort it would take to prepare something, and the effort it would take to release his hold on Tony, and decided that he really wasn't all that hungry anyway.

In the end, he simply stood slowly, lifting Tony with him, careful not to splash, knowing that really wouldn't be a good way to wake Tony. He didn't bother with towels, or clothes or any of the other things he probably should do, but instead he just crawled into their tent, slumped carefully into the centre of their sleeping bags, pulled Tony to his chest, tangled their legs and let his mind wonder, and eventually, sleep.

Steve woke some five or six hours later, which indicated that Tony wasn't the only one suffering from lack of sleep. Even so, having over slept his usual four hours, Steve still felt tired, almost drowsy, and wondered what had woken him.

Tony was still fast asleep beside him, half on top of him, one hand curled under Steve's arm, and the other resting against his hip, and while it was possible the he'd murmured or shifted in his sleep, Steve didn't think that was what had woken him. It wasn't a call of nature, and he wasn't overly hungry or thirsty.

It could have been the unfamiliar terrain, or a noise from their natural setting, but something just felt off, and Steve grew more uneasy the longer he contemplated.

Eventually, knowing he'd never get back to sleep with how worked up he'd gotten himself, Steve slipped out from beneath his lover, smiling when Tony murmured something unintelligible and curled in on himself.

Pressing a kiss to soft, river clean hair, Steve got to his knees, crawled the few feet to the tent opening and unzipped quietly, stepping outside, stretching to stand as he exited.

For a second, everything was fine, nothing seemed out of place, the creek still trickled softly to the left, and the stars twinkled overhead.

Then he breathed deeply, and the smell hit him.

Smoke. Thick, cloying, choking.

And behind him, the entrance to the valley burned.

Chap 2 Preview:

Above them, almost obscured by the dark density of the water, the sky burns red as flames rollick over the surface and lick at the rock wall behind them. Steve knew, if they surfaced now, if they breathed the superheated air above them- they'd burn from the inside out.

So he held Tony down. Trapped him beneath the water.