"It's been eight days, Rhodey, you need to go get some sleep." Bruce murmured to the paralysed man as the two watched Tony's unmoving and almost lifeless body sleep on a hospital bed in the Wakandan palace.

"I believe it would be best for both of you to sleep." Turning the pair found T'Challa by the door with Shuri beside him, "Perhaps find Mr Parker an actual bed as well." The King added as he noticed the teenager sleeping uncomfortably in a chair next to the unconscious man, looking closely they all spied Peter's hand on top of Tony's.

Suddenly Peter jumped up, his eyes wide as he stared at Tony's hand.

"What's wrong?" Shuri asked,

"I…his hand moved." Tony's fingers twitched in response. Several silent seconds passed before Tony shot up into an upright position, chocolate eyes wide as he choked down as much oxygen as possible,

"Thank God," Bruce whispered as he rushed over to his friend,

"Are you alright Tony?" Rhodey and Peter asked in unison as they watched the man's eyes begin to flutter closed. The billionaire began to slouch backwards as the energy spike he clearly just had faded quickly,

"'m…fine…Pete…you…okay?" Is all the man said and asked before he fell asleep once more, of course, he had to check up on the kid he secretly wishes was his.

"Nothing seems to be wrong with him. Looks like he's just gone back to sleep now." Bruce said after doing some doctor checks.

—LINE BREAK—

"Careful, Mr Stark."

"I'm fine, kid!"

"No, you're not! You almost fell over, again." They all heard two people talking and coming closer from where they sat in the living area of their wing, "I didn't mean to be disrespectful, Mr Stark, but you had me -I mean everyone really worried." There was another pause,

"Thanks, kid. I'm sorry for worrying you." Finally, the two talkers entered the room and everyone took in Tony, who had an arm wrapped over Peter's shoulders. The older man's legs were quite weak -in fact, all of his body was quite weak and it was making it very difficult as his energy faded quicker than normal.

The pair looked up and found everyone staring at them. Several awkward moments passed before a familiar woman with ginger hair stood up with petite hands covering her mouth. She rushed over and wrapped her arms around Tony as Peter stepped away.

"Oh, Tony."

"Pepper." The tired man whispered back in relief, she pulled away, her hands on his cheeks and Tony leaned into one of them seeking the love and comfort. They shared a kiss before the man was swept up into Thor's strong arms as the god grinned at his old friend and colleague.

"It is good to see you alive and well, Friend Anthony!" Exclaimed Thor and once he was set down, the superheroes slowly headed over to Tony.

—LINE BREAK—

"…Hey, Tony…can we talk?" Came a hesitant voice and turning, Tony saw Steve standing there looking down at his feet. With an inaudible sigh, he nodded. The two walked into a quiet area for some privacy, "I'm sorry." Steve blurted out,

"You'll have to be more specific." Is all Tony said in response.

"For everything. For not telling you about…your parents and for just…just failing to be your friend and everything." The strong man had tears in his eyes as he spoke and Tony sighed once again only heavily when it became his turn to speak.

"I hate you." He said without malice though Steve still flinched, "I hate you for not being there for me, for throwing the accords back in my face -I knew they needed work but I was willing to perfect them for everyone so we still had our freedom. I hate you for abandoning me in Siberia with a broken suit, broken heart and broken body. Most of all? I hate you for not telling me about my parents. I had a right to know what happened to them. That fight would never have happened had you just told me." Tony hissed the final few words before scrubbing at his eyes and fighting off the urge to yawn, "But…but I forgive you. Despite everything, I actually forgive you." There was a long silence as Steve looked into Tony's eyes with genuine happiness as a tear slipped down his cheek,

"Thank you. Oh, god, Tony, thank you." Tony nodded and turned to leave feeling awkward,

"Bit of advice. Rhodey, Pepper and Peter don't forgive you. So I'd steer clear of them, they can be rather terrifying individuals when they want to be -that being said they are a million times more terrifying as a trio." With that, he wandered back to the living room only to run into Bucky Barnes, who also wanted a word.

—LINE BREAK—

"Mr Stark-"

"Call me Tony." He interrupted,

"Umm…Tony, I realise I never apologised for…for kill…for killing your…parents and I am so so sorry. I am so sorry. And for attacking you in Siberia, that was uncalled for. We should've tried to calm you down. You were emotionally compromised. I would've done the exact same thing, only I'd have probably gone in for the kill. That's not the point. I am so sorry. I really am." The man said softly,

"Bucky -can I call you Bucky?- I forgive you. I do, really. For their deaths. It was HYDRA. Not you. And yes, I'm sorry for attacking you but as you said I was emotionally compromised. I'm sorry for blowing your arm off." Tony added feeling slightly awkward -two apologies in less than ten minutes, Tony rarely ever got one apology let alone two.

—LINE BREAK—

"Did anyone know about…well…you know…the…stone…thing?" Peter (Parker that is) asked shyly as they all sat in a circle of sorts, taking up plenty of space on several couches.

"I speculated." Thor murmured, "I could sense something…perhaps different about Anthony. But I never expected it to be that. Though it makes sense, he is most definitely a worthy choice." Tony blushed bright red much to the surprise of some,

"I found out when I was going through time to find out if we won." Strange admitted, "For obvious reasons, I couldn't tell you."

"When I went to Vormir, the place that I was told held the Stone, the being on the planet said something about it vanishing. Like Thor, I never realised the Stone became someone."

"My dad knew something was well wrong with me." Tony snorted bitterly despite everything that had occurred in the Soul World, which he was still trying to wrap his head around. Several took note of the flinches that Steve and Bucky released at the mention of Howard Stark. "Ouch!" Tony yelped and turned to stare at Rhodey, who sat on his left, "Did you just smack me?"

"No." The man answered with genuine honesty and confusion as Tony rubbed the back of his head,

"Something just hit me." He grumbled not realising it was actually the Soul Stone, who wanted him to know that there was nothing wrong with the boy it grew up watching.

"What was it like? You know when the Stone…took over and…well killed Thanos?" Quill asked drawing attention to him as he broke the momentary silence,

"It was…well, it was weird. I could see everything. I could feel everything but I couldn't do anything. I know that sounds stupid but…"

"No. That's actually how it felt when Loki used the sceptre on me." Clint murmured directing a glare to the Trickster who blatantly ignored him, "Only, it was worse for me because of all the horrible things I was forced to do." Tony smiled softly at the archer who hesitantly returned the smile, "By the way, Tony…thank you for keeping my family safe." But the man just waved it off.

They mingled and spoke more about everything and anything and by the end of the night, most were passed out and/or heavily drunk. Though not everything between Tony and the Rogue Avengers had been resolved, things were getting there.

—LINE BREAK—

Once thing's went back to normal and the world focused on the next best thing. With Pepper fast asleep in their bed, Tony left to his workshop. After a bit of digging around, he found what he was looking for. Getting comfortable on the couch and patting Dum-E on his 'head' before focusing on the video playing.

"What is and always will be my greatest creation…is you." Tony watched the video until he fell asleep. He didn't know why, but he felt like he needed to. Several hours later, Pepper wandered down to find him fast asleep, she smiled gently and grabbed a blanket before wrapping it around him and cuddling up beside her fiancé and going back to sleep.