The Child Who Changed Tony Stark's Life

A Terribly Sad Goodbye..

"Hey buddy, what's up?" He questioned looking at the other adults.

"Daddy and Ms. Pepper need to discuss something and work, so daddy said I get to spend the day with you!" Peter exclaimed and Rhodey raised an eyebrow at the older male, before smiling down at his nephew.

"That's great!" He grinned and set Peter down. "How about we get you changed?" Peter nodded and grabbed his Captain America onesie, causing the adults to chuckle at the cuteness. Rhodey pulled Peter out the door and Pepper shut it behind them, turning to Tony with a glare and arms crossed. She became slightly flustered seeing him strip, but kept her composure thankfully.

"You found his mother." It wasn't a question, but a statement and Tony paused his actions, frowning. He finished getting dressed and motioned Pepper to follow him to the lab. Once there, he sighed and turned to her.

"Yes, I did." He grimaced and ignored the anger bubbling inside of him at the memories.

"Well?" She already knew what went down, but wanted to see what Tony would say or do.

"She berated him Pep. She didn't even have remorse for leaving the kid out in the cold to die. She seemed glad that he was gone." Tony said with pain. This incident reminded him of his relationship with his father, but Howard never kicked him out or left him to die. He resented Howard, but he can say his father never intended to do anything that would harm his son. Tony was his flesh and blood and Howard would never intentionally hurt his flesh and blood, that crossed an unspeakable line that no one should ever cross.

"What are we going to do about this?" Pepper questioned, blood boiling and Tony shook his head.

"Nothing. She's not allowed near him. How are the legal papers coming along?" Tony asked and Pepper sighed. To be honest, she wanted to go kill a bitch, but Peter wouldn't want that and she wasn't about to be the reason Peter lost his mother; even if she didn't deserve him, Peter cared about his mother a lot.

"They're still being put together. Tony, what if she tries something?" She was concerned. Tony obviously wasn't seen as fit to the public to be a father and if they were taken to court, the outcome may not be in their favor.

"We'll handle it if she tries anything. Considering how much malice she had with me, I'm not sure she will." Tony shook his head and Pepper hugged him, seeing the anger towards the mother and sadness for his own son. Expressions are the one thing Tony was known for hiding, but in this moment, he was too angry and sad to notice. Rhodey and Peter were currently munching on some grilled cheeses seeing as it was lunch time and Peter couldn't stop talking. He always had so much to say and Rhodey didn't have the heart to stop his ramblings. The kid was very bright for his age, Rhodey came to realize and smiled when he heard the kid talking about his dad. That smile quickly vanished as he saw the change in Peter's expression.

"Mommy always told me that no one wanted me. She said that I'd be better off dead and that no one could ever truly love a street rat like me. She was angry that I had gone off on my own. I-I was just trying to find food for mommy... I know she loves me, and she said that out of worry.. Right, Uncle Rhodey?" Rhodey's eyes softened and he was conflicted. He knew what Tony told him, but he couldn't tell a 5-year-old the truth. He couldn't tell the little boy with a mop of brown curly hair on his head and big brown doe eyes that his mother was hoping he died. He couldn't be the reason the boy in front of him felt less than his worth, just because his mother is a good for nothing scum on the bottom of your shoes.

"I know it's false hope.." Peter sighed and Rhodey's frown deepened.

"What is?" He asked concerned and Peter looked down.