Tony's world crashed around him, and he could only focus on one thought.
He's gone.
He's gone.
He's gonehe'sgonehesgonehesgone-
"Tony! You need to breathe!"
Firm hands jolted him back to the present, followed by the concerned eyes of Gloria, who pulled him inside.
It was surprisingly empty, and looked dusty, as if it hadn't been used in a long time.
She caught his bewildered look, sighing heavily as she sank to the couch.
"They're all gone." She stared at her hands. "Someone complained. Said that I was too old to be taking care of my kids anymore. CPS took them away from me."
A tear dripped out of her eye. "They put him in a foster home."
He could only stare blankly at the floor.
His kid-
His kid was gone.
In a foster home, who knows where, with who knows what kind of family-
"They told me the name of the foster parent," Gloria said softly. "But they wouldn't let me visit."
"Who-?" He managed. "Where?"
"Steven Westcott." She whispered. "It's a boy's home near Queens."
Tony shook his head. "Nope. Not happening. I'm going to get him."
"Tony-" her voice caught. "You can't. Your history- I didn't care, but they do- they won't let you!"
He inhaled deeply, clenching his fists. "I don't care. Pepper will help me. I'm going to get him."
"Just be careful, Tony, please?" Her voice was impossibly fragile, and for the first time he realized how old she really was. "I don't want either of you hurt."
He hugged her gently. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."
He strode into Pepper's office an hour later, surprising her as she talked on the phone.
Her eyes narrowed, and she pointed to a seat in front of her desk, then continued to talk.
"Yes, yes I know- I know what happened, but I'm not entirely sire that you do!" She slammed the phone back into it's cradle, then pointed her finger at Tony murderously. "Explain," she growled. "Now."
"Pep-" he faltered. "Pepper, I need you to understand-"
"I'm trying, Tony!" She nearly yelled. "You disappeared for three months and come back to drop a bombshell and then disappear again!"
"Please."
She had never heard him sound so defeated, and so she sank back, closing her eyes briefly. "All right. Okay, just- explain."
"I saw people- young people, killed by my weapons. Things I built to save them. I'm not going to do it anymore. We can focus on other stuff. Clean energy, stiff to help people- but jo more weapons."
Pepper leaned forward, crossing her arms over her desk. "Okay. I believe you. It was just a shock. But-" she hesitated, studying him. "That's not all, is it?"
"No." Tony shook his head. "No it isn't. I need your help."
The blonde shook her head. "Always. With what?"
Tony took a deep breath, trying to hold it together. "Remember Peter?"
"Your kid at the orphanage? Of course I do. You never shut up about him. I presume that's where you went?"
"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."