A Bird Without Wings (Discontinued)

I wouldn't know what to do (I'd be lost without you)

"He wasn't there."

And now he sounded broken, stretched thin, and falling apart. "He wasn't there- Pep, they put him in a foster home."

Her mouth opened slightly. "So... what do you need me to do?"

Tony swallowed bile. "I need you to set it up for me to adopt him."

His assistant didn't even bat an eye. "Is that all?"

"Yeah." He sagged, suddenly bone tired, and remembered he was fresh out of three months captivity.

"Tony. Go. Get some sleep. You won't be able to do anything until tomorrow, at the earliest. You're not going to be able to help him. Not like this."

"Okay." His shoulders dropped. "Okay. Just- I need him back- so please don't let them take him."

Her smile was soft. "Tony. I won't. Sleep."

He slept undisturbed  for eight hours, not even waking when his phone rang multiple times.

What woke him up was the door opening, and someone striding in confidently.

"Tony! Tony Tony Tony."

If he had been fully awake he would have groaned.

Obadiah.

"Come on, wake up, we've got a lot to do! I need you to issue a statement refuting what you said yesterday, because you obviously weren't in your right mind-"

Tony pushed himself up, glaring at the older man. "No can do."

Obadiah stopped short, smile faltering. "Well of course you can."

"I could. But won't. Sorry, Obie, but I was serious. Still am. Now kindly get out of my bedroom before I call security."

The older man shook his head tiredly. "Tony, they messed with your head over there. You're not thinking right. Weapon making is our livelihood."

"Was. Was our livelihood. Sorry, Obadiah. I am perfectly sane, and have no intention of taking it back. Now. Go."

Obadiah hesitated, but Tony threw his legs over the edge of the bed, stood up, and grabbed his shoulders, pushing him out of the room.

Then he collapsed against the wall, rubbing his face with his hands. "Hey Jar. Has Pepper made any progress?"

The familiar voice sounded almost amused. "Go to the living room, sir. You'll see."

She was asleep in the couch.

Her hair was out of its usual neat bun, her jacket was unbuttoned, and her shoes were kicked off somewhere by the door.

A silver computer still sat on her lap, while she herself was asleep at an awkward angle.

Tony smiled softly at the sight.

Then he eased the computer off her lap, moved her to a comfortable position, and covered her with a throw blanket.

And went to make breakfast, which was toast, toaster waffles, and orange juice with pre cooked sausage that just had to be heated up.

Then he made a plate, setting it on the coffee table in front of her, and went to get dressed.

She didn't wake up for several hours, in which time he almost went stir crazy with nothing to do, and not knowing how to get Peter back.

Pepper stirred eventually, eyes fluttering open as she mumbled something blearily.

She shot up. "Tony!"

He leaned over the back of the couch, smiling briefly. "Hey Pep. You good?"

"Ugh. Yeah. Do you have coffee?" She dragged a hand over her eyes. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on your couch. I'm not going to apologize though."

"I wasn't going to ask you to." He pointed to the table. "I made you breakfast."

She laughed softly, picking the glass of juice up. "Thank you."

He nodded quickly, not trusting his voice, but having to ask. "Did you- what did you get?"

"I got a meeting with his social worker," she said simply. "In three and a half hours, if your clocks are right."

"Of course they're right," he said numbly. "They're self setting."

Her smile was sad. "They said he was taken to another home. The first one- the foster father was abusive."

Tony shot to his feet. "He hurt him?"

"Tony, relax. He's not okay, yet- I said yet Tony- but he will as soon as we get him. There's a very big chance we can see him either today or tomorrow."

He sank back into the chair, voice small. "What happened to Peter? Was it- was it-?"

"I'm sorry, Tony." She caught the sharp inhale. "It wasn't as bad as it could have been, they stopped him before it went too far, but- yeah. He's pretty messed up. Paisley, his social worker, said that he was in temporary housing right now, before they could find a suitable home."

Tony almost vomited. "That's with me."

"I know." Her smile didn't reach her eyes this time. "I'll make sure of it."