Disclaimer: All characters other than some friendly nurses don't belong to me.

Warnings: I don't know for sure yet but there might be some swearing in the next few chapters so I'm rating it to be sure.

This fanfiction will be set in the Iron Man 1 movie and pre-Thunderbirds so they won't play a large part in it, with exception of John. I hope I find the inspiration to continue it through the second movie and the avengers. If there are things unclear don't hesitate to ask me about them in a review, I'll always try to answer them.

So I now proudly present Life isn't always fair!

Jeff knew he was testing fate when he gave in to his wife. He never wanted a fifth child after four healthy boys. Never mind the age difference of seven years between his unborn child and his youngest son Gordon, or the age difference of twelve year with the oldest Scott.

But when Lucy found out that she had become pregnant again, after forgetting the protection one night, she was determent to keep her little miracle. No matter how hard Jeff tried, she wanted the unborn baby.

In the end, Jeff was right. Unlike his other sons, the newest Tracy wasn't born kicking and screaming but deathly silent. He hadn't even had the chance to look at his son before the doctors took the infant away leaving him and the gynecologist alone with the panicking Lucy.

Jeff's mother and the four boys found them after an hour when Lucy was settled in her hospital room, but there had been no news on the baby.

Finally after what felled like hours the doctor came in with the baby placed in a small crib. Lucy quickly ordered Jeff to place the baby in her arms before sending Ruth out to take the boys for some presents in the gift shop.

Virgil had barely closed the door behind him when the doctor, Jeff didn't even knew the man's name, told them the verdict. Heart condition, apparently there was something wrong with the newly born boy what made blood flow back to his heart. They had scheduled an operation for the morning, which had to be repeated as the boy grew. He would never be able to really play without getting trouble breathing and tiredness, and he would most likely never reach adulthood.

"What is his name?" the doctor asked, writing down some information on the chart.

"Walter Marty Tracy." Said Jeff before Lucy could say anything. They had argued a lot about the name but finally agreed on the tradition of naming the boy after the Mercy seven. Lucy still wanted to call the boy Alan, but Jeff refused to give in.

Jeff spend the night comforting Lucy.

IR-TB-IR

The surgery went without major difficulties and after two weeks, Lucy carried Walter into the living room.

"Mommy," Gordon was building something with blocks under the supervision of his elder brothers who were playing a game a little too difficult for the seven year old. "May I play with Walter, please?"

"I'm sorry Gordo." Sighed Lucy placing Walter in a playpen. "Your little brother is too fragile to play with right now."

The next year passed quickly, Lucy quit her job to take care of Walter full time. This was met with resentment from the other boys. Their mother was always watching the baby, worrying when the baby took his first step and fell down wheezing, worrying when he let out a little sneeze or even had the slightest fever. They weren't allowed to play with Walter afraid the baby would get hurt.

By the time Walter learned to speak and he wanted to play with his older brothers, the one and a half year old was met with a cold shoulder. It was also close to Walters's second operation which made Lucy more overbearing, pulling the boy away further from his brothers by her desire to protect him from illnesses.

Jeff let it happen, making sure he was hundred percent there for his other sons. Walter looked sadly from the safety of his mother's arms when his father was rough housing with the other four and the only thing he ever got from his father was a pat on the head before bed.

Under protest from Lucy went the family on ski vacation only a few weeks after Walter's second birthday and third open heart surgery.

Then fate hit again, while he and his boys were skiing Lucy took Walter for a walk. The two had been buried under several feet of snow and by the time the rescue workers found them, Walter had the better chance of surviving and Lucy begged them to safe the little boy.

Walter did make it, Lucy however did not.

And Jeff hated him for it.

He had four healthy strong boys and a beautiful wife until Walter came along. Then Lucy only had eyes for the sick boy who probably wouldn't reach puberty.

It wasn't hard to see that his other sons were in the same state of mind so Jeff made one of the hardest decisions he could make. He gave the boy up for adoption.

Claiming it was the best for his remaining sons, his only family, he left Walter in alone in the hospital, not even kissing him farewell.

IR-TB-IR

Antony Stark was annoyed, and nobody liked an annoyed Stark. The twenty-eight year old had been bullied in attending this funding thing by his assistant. Something about good press and karma.

So here he was, dressed in suit at the hospital. There was this thing where you could 'adopt' a sick kid whose parents were too poor to cover the medical bills. As rich person you were meant to support the kid, pay for his medical bills and maybe take the kid out for a day out the poor sick child will remember forever.

Pulling out his smartphone, he started an app filled with almost unsolvable puzzles. It probably wasn't the smartest thing to do when he was annoyed because as a genius (he wasn't bragging, he was actually a genius) he had finished most puzzles within the week. However there were a few he couldn't crack.

"Daiquiri." A soft voice said. Tony looked down to see a blond, blue eyed boy around three years old stand next to him. "It's a sugary rum,"

With a huff entered the millionaire the word. "You're wrong kid,"

"You spelled it wrong." Gasped the boy, Tony looked in concern at the blue tinted lips, but there were a lot of sick kids here. Had to be normal right? "Try, D-A-I-Q-U-I-R-I."

Grumbling he entered the word, his eyebrow rising when it came back correct. "Wow kid, I'm impressed and Tony Stark is never impressed, come sit with me." Without any second thoughts he lifted the kid on the chair next to him placing the cellphone of the table. "Let's see if you can help me with the others. You have a name kid?"

"I have, but I don't like it." The kid looked at the phone before moving his finger a few times over the screen solving the next puzzle.

"I'll call you Tony 2 then. It's a wonderful name Tony, the smartest man on the world is called Tony, and so am I but I am the smartest person so I guess I'm a bit biased." Rattled Tony.

The three year old but yet way too smart to be three years old looked up. "You're here for the fundraising?"

"Unfortunately yes." Sighed Tony, solving the next puzzle before pushing the phone back to the kid. "You're up for adoption, you're not that bad I guess and it will make Pepper really happy."

"Pepper?"

"My assistant." Explained Tony. "But sometimes I get the feeling she's more the boss than I am. Back to my question, you're up for adoption Tony 2?"

"Yes," nodded the kid. "But it doesn't really matter because I'll die anyway and I rather do it sooner than later."

"That's a real somber look you have there, Tony 2." The older Tony rose up. "But I don't care, you're kind of adorable and smart so not that bad company to hang out with. Let's find Pepper and safe my ass." Without second thought, he lifted Tony 2 from the chair and rested the light boy on his hip. Tony 2 grabbed his shirt in fright, clearly not used to be picked up. "Pepper!" he yelled to the red haired woman dressed in black. "Found the one I want."

Pepper looked mortified when her boss walked up with a child on his arm which, by the blue tint on the pale boys lip, was clearly in need of oxygen.

"Walter Marty! There you are!" a nurse who heard Tony yell ran over. "You shouldn't run away like that, come let's get you upstairs."

"Walter hé." Laughed Tony. "Now I know why you hate your name Tony 2. I wouldn't want to be called Walter either." Walter only stick out his tongue, Tony holstered the boy higher on his hip smiling charmed at the nurse. "I have him ma'am. If you want me to show his room."

"Certainly mister Stark." Nodded the nurse.

"Tony! Please tell me you didn't kidnap a sick child from his bed." Pleaded Pepper running after the two.

"He probably didn't." Snorted the nurse entering a single room. "Walter doesn't like people that much and runs away all the time. Was this another escape attempt Walter?"

"Don't call me that." Gasped Walter struggling with his breath, Tony looked concerned as he placed the boy on the bed.

The nurse placed a mask on the child face and attached the monitor to Walter's chest. "I don't know how you manage to shut them off without us knowing but when I find out…" she treated before palming the boy's cheek. "You can't keep running away like this little one. You might get hurt."

Walter rolled his eyes, leaning back in the pillows. He was fast asleep in seconds.

Tony surprised everyone by tucking the little boy in and kissing his forehead. "Tony 2 mentioned he was also in the fundraising program, I would like to help him. Can I speak with his parents about the arrangements?"

"I'm afraid you have to talk with the board, Walter doesn't have any family. His mother died when he was only two and his father abandoned him in favor of looking after Walter's brothers who were healthy." Said the nurse sadly. "He's been in and out of this hospital and foster care for a little over four years now."

"Abandoned?" asked Tony, running his hand through the blond looks. "Wait, four years? How old is he?"

"Six, his heart condition stunts his grow." Explained the nurse. "The abuse from the foster families he was send of too probably didn't help either. Luckily he can stay in the hospital until his operation the day after tomorrow and a few weeks after that."

"Operation?"

"Walter has a rare heart condition, the walls of his heart are very weak and the surgeon has to operate almost every year to strengthen them, it's only temporary because his heart gets weaker every surgery. Walter doesn't want to do the surgery, preferring death over another year of pain waiting for the next one. So he tries to run away. You've heard it in stories before but to see a six year old choosing death over foster care…"

"Can't he get a donor heart?" asked Pepper. "If his heart is too weak, why not replace it?"

"His body will never accept it, the gen in his DNA will always weaken the heart walls, no matter what heart is beating."

"Poor child." Sniffled Pepper.

Tony rose from the bed, guiding Pepper from the room. The redhead excused herself to go to the bathroom and Tony turned around to face the nurse. "Can I come back to visit him tomorrow?"

"I think that Walter would like that very much, he never gets any visitors."

IR-TB-IR

So the next morning, or well in Tony's case morning for others noon, the billionaire walked into the small hospital room carrying a plush bear twice Walter's size. Last night he had filled in the paper work to pay for the little ones medical costs allowing the genius to walk in whenever he wanted. "Hey Tony 2. I brought breakfast, or in your case lunch."

Walter placed the book he was reading on the nightstand. Under his nose there was a small tube helping him breathe but other than that he looked healthier than last night, the pale bluish tint had left for now. "Sir? What are you doing here?"

"Bringing you food better than the hospital crap you get here." Tony grinned as he placed a happy meal in front of the child. "You looked like a chicken kid so I got you nuggets. And please no sir, it's Tony."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to have breakfast with another human being for the first time in years." Tony grinned. "Now eat up."

After they finished eating, Tony went with Walter over his schoolwork. The kid was indeed bright, he should have been in first grade but easily did fourth year's work. Walter just shrugged. "Can't play sports without losing my breath and nobody wants to play carefully with the sick kid, there aren't much other things I could do without getting bored."

"You want to go on a walk with me, Tony 2?" Tony asked suddenly, "It's a sunny day."

"It's always sunny here." Commented Walter, he pulled the nasal cannula away closing of the oxygen. "But I want to go out."

A brunette motherly nurse came in carrying a plate with lunch. "Next time you better inform the station you brought lunch Mr. Stark, I hate walking in unnecessary."

"Miranda. We're going for a walk." Walter said excited.

"I don't see any problems with that." The nurse, Miranda said. "As long as you keep the oxygen on and you better keep an eye on our little runaway. His surgery is tomorrow and he really wants to miss it. And you little man, if I find you running away from Mr. Stark, I'll cuff you to your bed."

"Yes ma'am." Chorused the two man, Tony placed the nasal back under Walter's nose and lifted the boy from his bed into a wheelchair ignoring that the kid was still wearing his pj's. While Miranda attached the oxygen tank to the chair.

"Behave." Called Miranda after them as Tony pushed Walter out of the hospital and into a park.

"So what do you want to do?" Tony asked. "Slide or swing? Maybe play ball?"

"Can we play soccer?" asked Walter. "I never played soccer before."

"Off course." At one of the stands, Tony bought a light ball. Walter let the chair be, removing the oxygen line and running after Tony. After twenty minutes of playing Walter slowed down, it didn't take long before Tony noticed the bluish tint retuning around Walter's lips. "Uh Tony 2, shall we sit down for a moment? You look kind of pale kid."

When the only answer he got was some gasped breaths, he scooped the light child up and sat down on the wheelchair with Walter on his lap. With one hand he rubbed the small back while the other opened the oxygen thank fully to deliver the child the air he needed to breath. The adult was cursing himself for getting the kid into this situation. Whatever others may say he was an adult and had responsibilities. Miranda had said that Walter needed the oxygen.

"I'm fine." Gasped Walter, tired leaning back. "Just never played like that. Takes some time to get used to it."

"How about we call it a stop for today and get some ice cream." Holding Walter with one arm on his hip the billionaire pushed the chair with his other to the ice cream stand. Half way through his ice cream, Walter fell asleep. His head rested on Tony's shoulder and soft puffs of breath were tickling Tony's neck as he slumbered on during the walk back to the hospital.

Carefully placed Tony Walter on the bed and placed the large bear next to him. The little boy wrapped his arm around it and let out a sigh of content. Tucking the blanket around the small shoulders Tony left the hospital feeling strangely satisfied.