A/N- Okay, this is the real chapter, thanks so much for Kate McAlpine for pointing it out! There is a cliff hanger here, it had me in giggles. Literally the whole reason I even wrote this chapter. I only have one more left. and then the story is over. Hope yall enjoy this.
Chapter 9
Jarvis sighed ruefully, thanking his creator again for allowing him to choose his own personality. He carefully saved the last couple hours with Dr. Banner and the Hulk and placed it on his creator's personal server to be looked at when he was an adult again. It was unbelievable to him, how sweet and carefree the man was as a child.
And it wasn't the first time that he wished that Howard Stark hadn't been allowed to hurt Tony in the way that he had. He was a bit wary, not of the Hulk per say but of what the other Avengers would do. Bruce's room was still on lockdown mode and he kept it that way, because he knew how possessive the Hulk was. He sighed quietly as he waited for the other Avenger to return home.
~&~&~&Quinjet~&~&~&~&
"Tony was right, this was the fantastic four's battle. Tell Fury to call them and let them know that they owe us. We missed out on valuable time with that sweet little boy today," Clint remarked dryly as they all climbed back on the Quinjet after the fight.
"I will do that," Natasha said with a grin. "But he's not currently taking any of my calls right now," she added.
"Because you scared the shit out of him, remember that?" Clint laughed out.
"He deserved it, he terrified Tony," Steve said with a frown on his face as he remembered that.
"What did he do?" Bucky and Rhodey asked quietly.
"It's been taken care of, but he threatened to take the Iron Man suit and send him off to a foster home," Clint replied quietly.
"I see," Rhodey replied carefully before he stood up. "Tell Tony I'll be back later, I need to speak with Pepper," War Machine said quietly; this was so overdue.
"I will, but what are you going to do?" Steve asked slowly.
"Nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about Captain," Rhodey replied tightly before opening the door to the Quinjet and flying out.
"What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall when Pepper gets done with Fury," Clint said dreamily.
"You and me both brother," Bucky replied with smile, chuckling to himself as he remembered how fired up the redhead had gotten on Tony's behalf. That little boy had so many protectors, he wondered if he realized it.
~*~*~Bruce's Rooms*~*~*~*~
Tony woke up with a start, looking around frantically as he tried to remember where he was. He sighed in relief for only a moment as he realized that he was still being held by the Bruce's other guy.
"Hulk, I gotta go potty," the tiny tot whined out as he tried to get free from the Giant's arms.
"Tiny Tony need Bruce?" Hulk asked out quietly.
"Yes!" Tony replied anxiously as he wiggled around in the creature's arms.
"Hulk leave, Bruce come back," Hulk said with a firm nod of his green head. It didn't take long for the Hulk to shrink back and Bruce was there again. Though, now he was a bit more tired then he had been before.
"Oh my god! Tony are you okay?!" Bruce shouted as soon as he came back to himself. "I didn't hurt you did I?" He asked worriedly.
"No, the Hulk was fine, he just made me sweep," Tony explained before he grimaced. "I gotta go pee," he whined out again,
"On it buddy, just hold on a minute," Bruce said before slowly getting up and hurrying his way to the bathroom. Everything seemed to be okay, and he didn't want to ruin with the child having an accident.
He got Tony situated before leaving him to give him a little privacy and to make sure his rooms weren't on lockdown anymore.
"Jarvis, how long was the Hulk out for?" Bruce asked quietly, dreading the answer.
"3 hours, young sir and the Hulk took a nap for the most part," Jarvis replied truthfully.
"Can I see the feed?" Bruce asked softly. It wasn't that he didn't trust the A.I., it's just Tony made it, so he wanted to make sure he wasn't downplaying anything.
"Of course Dr. Banner," Jarvis replied easily before pulling up the video from the last few hours.
Bruce was horrified but at the same time in awe, he couldn't believe how protective the other guy had been. Tony had only been afraid for a moment, and he shook his head in disbelief as the little boy disobeyed Jarvis's orders to stay under the bed.
"Thank you Jarvis, that's all I needed to see. I need to go an talk with Tony now," Bruce said quietly.
"Of course, and Dr. Banner, the rest of your team is on their way," Jarvis said, letting him know what was happening.
Bruce sighed softly, feeling quite proud that the Hulk didn't hurt the child, but at the same time hurt that Natasha would think that she had been right this whole time.
~*~*~*Common Rooms~*~*~*~*~*
"Jarvis, where are Tony and Bruce?" Steve asked as he looked around the obviously deserted living room.
"They are aware you are here, Dr. Banner is just scolding young sir for his disobedience today," Jarvis stated cryptically.
"Jay, what aren't you telling us?" Bucky asked slowly. "What happened?"
"There was an incident, Dr. Banner was attending to young sir when the arc reactor started to cause him pain. As he removed his shirt to get a better look of the damage, he saw the scars on young sir's back," Jarvis replied quietly.
"From Howard?" Bucky asked tightly. "He saw the whipped marks?" He asked, he himself had already seen them when he had given Tony a bath last week.
Steve choked at Bucky's words, anguish in his own tone. "Whipped marks?" He whispered out in horror.
"Yes, he found himself suddenly overcome with rage at the sight," Jarvis answered, after a moment.
"He hulked didn't he?" Clint asked when it became apparent that no one else was going to ask it. It was the obvious elephant in the room, and it needed to be said.
"Yes he did, but he did not hurt young sir. Before I even allow you to see them, you will watch this video feed, you will not hurt my creator with your thoughtlessness," Jarvis said sternly.
"Jay, I wasn't jumping to any conclusions, I know what it's like to not be be able to control a part of you," Bucky said with a shrug.
"I know you do soldier but that warning was for Miss Romanov," Jarvis stated plainly.
Steve turned to look at Natasha and he himself could agree with Jarvis's assessment. She looked all fit to say 'I told you so'. He wasn't sure exactly where all of this hate was coming from, didn't she like Bruce?
"Let's see the footage then," Clint finally said, not sure what was going on with his partner but wanting to see Tony safe and sound.
~*~*~*Bruce's room~*~*~*~*
"Awe dey going to be vewy angwy wiff me?" Tony asked softly from where he was in Bruce's arms.
"No, they're going to be angry with me," Bruce said with a sigh.
"But you didn't do nuffin'," the tiny tot said with a frown.
"I hulked out Tony, I put your life at risk. That isn't okay," Bruce said quietly.
"But you didn't huwt me, he was nice. He hewd me and made me sweep," Tony stressed out, little tears springing into his eyes. He didn't want Bruce to get into trouble.
"I know, but they won't see it that way. They'll only see the monster," Bruce replied softly.
"Hulk isn't a monstew and niethew awe you," Tony said stubbornly.
"I appreciate the thoughts Tony, but I know the truth," Bruce said with a shrug.
"No you don't, I know da twuth," Tony said before he turned and buried his face into Bruce's neck.
"No one is going to hurt you Tony, you know I and both James would never allow that. Let's never forget Jarvis, he has you first and foremost to protect," Bruce told him seriously.
"It's not me I'm wowwied about," Tony whispered out softly.
"I will be fine buddy, words don't hurt me anymore," Bruce promised him.
Tony nodded but he wasn't too sure, as he lived with Howard and he knew words sometimes could hurt the most.
~*~*~*Common Rooms~*~*~*~*~
"That was strangely anticlimactic," Clint said with a shrug. "Hulk really is just a big softy and he's very possessive of little Tony," he added.
"It's kinda hard not to be, the little bugger worms his way into your heart," Bucky said fondly.
"Doesn't change the fact that some could have happened," Natasha said with a frown.
"What is your deal Tash? Nothing happened, Hulk was in total control," Steve said, taking a moment to realize that he had never said those words before.
"You don't know that," Natasha said angrily. She was unsure of where this anger was even coming from, but also couldn't understand why they couldn't see the point she was trying to make.
"We are all dangerous in our own right, we all have the ability to hurt Tony if we really wanted too. But no one here does, you know why? Because we are his family and none of us ever wants to cause that little abused child in there anymore pain," Bucky stated frustrated that he constantly needed to say this.
"I watched the same video as you, and Tony was in no danger," Steve said seriously.
"And you all seem to forget that I had modes that you would never even dream of in my codes. I can incapacitate you in a second, if I thought my creator was in true danger," Jarvis added.
"Don't I know it Jay," Bucky said with a shake of his head.
Before anymore words could be said the doors to the elevator opened and Bruce walked out with Tony in his arms. The little boy smiled when he saw Bucky but it quickly turned into a frown when he got a look at Natasha.
"And you better not huwt my Bwucie," Tony pointed at her with a pout. "He didn't do nuffin,"
"Tony, are you hungry?" Clint asked carefully. "I know how to make this amazing macaroni and cheese," the archer said slyly.
Tony nodded eagerly, reaching out for Clint to pick him up. "I awe hungwy," he stated, the fight in him gone as he was distracted with food.
"You coming Bucky?" Clint asked as he made his way towards the kitchen.
"No I'll stay here, and make sure nothing gets out of hand," Bucky replied, his eyes on Natasha, unsure of what her plan was.
"If you need me, let me know," Clint replied as his eyes also went to his partners before he disappeared to the kitchen.
Once in the kitchen, Clint quickly started grabbing the things that he needed to get for the dish, but keeping Tony in his arms. He didn't hear yelling, but he knew how loud voices could be for an abused child or any child really.
"What do you want to want to drink buddy?" Clint asked trying to keep the child engaged, instead of letting his mind wander.
"I want appwe juice pwease," Tony requested happily.
"Can you go grab your cup from your cabinet?" The archer asked, finally setting the child down as the water on the stove bubbled. He didn't want to risk Tony getting burned.
"Yup," Tony replied as skipped over to the low cabinet that had his toddler sized dishes in and grabbed a sippy cup. He set it on the counter by Clint before his little ears heard the muffled sounds of Bucky's voice. He wanted to make sure that Bruce wasn't any trouble, he would vouch for him if he needed too. He knew Clint had done this on purpose to distract him but he needed to get free, but how?
"Come away from the door buddy, can you grab your silverware for me?" Clint asked.
"Yeah, and den can I go potty?" Tony asked softly, as he grabbed his toddler spoon and set it on the table.
"Yes but go this way, stay out of the livingroom," Clint told him, pointing to the other door in the kitchen.
"Kay," Tony replied before he skipped out the door the archer told him. But he knew his tower, this was his own, and he quickly went around so he could hear what his teammates were saying.
~*~*~*~Living room*~*~*~*~*
"I don't understand why this is such a big deal, it was the same situation with me," Bucky replied with a sigh. "Why is it so different?"
"Because you are at least human, we could subdue you, with the Hulk we can't do anything. He's a wild card," Natasha said with a frown, but her eyes telling a different story.
"No, it's something else, I can see it written all over your face. This is personal," Bucky said with a frown now as he stared her down.
Bruce shook his head refusing to look at Bucky or Natasha. So this is what it was coming down too, that one moment led up to this. "I don't know how many times you want me to say this, but I'm sorry, you have to let it go," he stated quietly.
"How can I?" Natasha spit out. "It's the whole reason why it's complicated in the first place."
Bucky looked to Steve and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure what's going on, but is it going to affect how we work as a team?"
"That's my line Buck," Steve said dryly before sighing. "Well?"
"I think you should ask Natasha, she's the one who seems to be having the problem," Bruce said with a shake of his head. He couldn't give into his desires, who knows what the Hulk might do.
"I wish it didn't have to be this way," she said before shaking her head to clear it, before looking over at Bruce. "All I was saying is that if you're going to treat yourself as a monster that's fine, but don't be angry when everyone else starts to agree with you," Natasha said before turning around to walk out of the room. She wasn't going to do this here.
"Natasha we aren't' done here," Steve called out.
"I am, I'm so done with here," she called out before she left the room, to who knows where.
"What the hell was that about?" Bucky asked in confusion. He wondered if he should go after her, or give her some space.
"I don't know," Steve replied slowly, wondering if the super spy would be back.
Tony backed up quietly to run so he could catch up with Natasha, he hoped she wasn't leaving. Didn't she know that spots on the Avengers weren't permanent? He caught up with her as she was about to go down the stairs.
"N'tasha awe you coming back?" Tony asked softly.
"Of course I'm coming back," Natasha said with a smile firmly on her face. It was easy to lie to children, they weren't yet jaded like the adults were.
"You'we wying," Tony replied, horrified to realized that tears were yet again springing into his eyes.
"I will be back, just not today. This is my home isn't?" She said smoothly.
Tony nodded, even as an ominious feeling planted itself in his chest. "Can I come wiff you den?" He asked hopefully.
"Not this schatje, maybe next time," she replied before kissing the top of his head before quickly disappearing down the stairs.
Tony gasped softly, hoping he might be able to catch her and convince her to stay. He turned and ran to the elevator, placing his hand on it to accelerate down to the bottom. He had only been outside the one time he snuck onto the Quinjet so he hoped that Steve wouldn't be too angry with him.
"Young sir, just where do you think you are going?" Jarvis asked carefully.
"To find N'tasha, she was angwy," Tony said smartly.
"Come back upstairs please," Jarvis instructed.
"I will aftew Jarvis, don't teww Stebe nuffin," Tony added as an afterthought.
When the elevator finally got down to the bottom floor, the lobby, he didn't see her. But he figured she went out of the doors and hurried out them, hoping he might be able to catch her. He ended up on the sidewalk, with a lot of people rushing around him, as if they were in a hurry. Tony found himself, moving along with the crowd as nobody noticed a little boy in the midst of them.
He couldn't see anything due to the mass amount of people around him, but when he ended up at an intersection, he was finally able to see where he could go. He couldn't see Natasha anywhere but that was fine, he could however see a park not that far from him. And he wondered if they had swings and slides like the ones that Jarvis used take him too.
The toddler watched the light, knowing that unless it was on green he couldn't walk yet. He wished he had thought to grab a coat, his little arms were cold but it wasn't too bothersome. He figured once he made it to the park he would warm right up as he started running, and that sounded like a lot of fun. With his mission in mind, Tony headed towards the park hoping that they're might be kids who would want to play with him. He didn't even stop to think about the adults he left back in Avenger's Tower.
~*~*~Kitchen*~*~*~*
"Tony? Your mac and cheese is ready!" Clint called out as he set the cooled down pasta dish in front of a booster seat on the chair.
The archer frowned before making his way out of the kitchen and to the living room where Bucky and Steve were talking a quietly.
"Have you guys seen Tony?" Clint asked curiously.
"I thought he was with you," Bucky said slowly.
"He was, but then he said he needed to use the bathroom and I told him to go. He never returned to the kitchen," Clint said with a shake of his head, as a sudden feeling appeared in his chest.
"Okay, nobody panic, he's probably with Bruce," Steve said easily before hurrying out of the room to make his way to the Doctor.
"Bruce, is Tony with you?" Steve asked letting himself into the man's room and looking around himself.
"No he's not, I thought he was with Clint, in the kitchen?" Bruce said carefully.
"He was, but he said he was going to the bathroom and never came back," Steve said a feeling of dread appearing in his stomach. He gestured to Bruce to come back out to the living room with him.
"Jarvis, is Tony in the tower?" Steve asked.
"I'm not at liberty to say, Captain," Jarvis replied tightly.
"Call Natasha Jarvis," Bucky said, eyes glancing over at Bruce before it went back to the ceiling.
"Romanov," Natasha answered briskly.
"Natasha please tell me that Tony is with you," Bucky asked, his tone taking on a pleading tone without his knowledge.
"No he's not, I left him in the tower. Why what's happened?" She asked, on high alert at his tone.
"He's missing and Jarvis won't tell us where he is," Bucky said seriously.
"I'm literally around the corner, I'll ask down in the lobby if they saw a little boy leave. Ask Jarvis again, and look at the video feed. I'll call you when I find something," Natasha replied before she hung up. Her heart was in her throat, and she knew that the little boy probably left to chase after her.
"Jarvis, is Tony in the tower?" Bucky asked as soon as the call ended.
"No, young sir has left the tower about 15 minutes ago," Jarvis replied quickly.
"Why didn't you say that when Steve asked?" Bucky asked, getting frustrated at this point.
"My young creator told me not to inform Steven," Jarvis replied ruefully.
"Of course he did," Bruce said before turning to the other Avengers. "Clint and I will take the Quinjet, you and Steve aid Natasha on the ground. He couldn't have gone far," he said with a sigh.
"I hope so Bruce, no telling what could happen out there," Steve said as he and Bucky ran for the steps.
"Come on Clint, time to fly," Bruce said before they too ran towards the flight deck.
~*~*~Central Park*~*~*~*~*
Tony beamed happily as he finally made it to the park, he had thought that he would never get here. The playground looked extremely school and he didn't waste any time running over to play on the equipment. He went up and down the slide until he couldn't catch his breath, his little hand coming to grasp the reactor under his shirt.
Tears sprung into the toddler's eyes as he realized he once again couldn't catch his breath. What on earth was going on? And why did it hurt so much. Tony walked a bit, until he came to a bench and climbed up on it, his hand never leaving his chest. He just wanted Bruce to make this pain go away again.
He took a shuddering breath, he didn't want to cry but he needed help. Whimpering softly, the little boy curled into himself, wishing that he hadn't left the tower.
"What ails you little one?" A quiet British voice asked.
"I'm wost and I can't bweathe," Tony whispered out.
"Maybe I can be of some assistance," the stranger replied kindly.
"How?" Tony asked tearfully.
"I should be able to heal you," the man answered warmly.
"Will it huwt?" Tony asked worriedly.
"Not at all," the stranger answer honestly.
"Otay, den you can heal me," Tony said trustingly.
"Come with me, I can't do it here," the stranger replied sheepishly.
Tony gave the man a skeptical look, before looking around the park and then shaking his head. He had remembered Jarvis telling him not to ever go off with a stranger. "I can do dat," he said softly.
"Why not?" The man asked curiously.
"I'm not 'llowed to go wiff stwangers," the little boy said truthfully.
"Oh well then I have good news. I'm not a stranger, we've met before young Anthony," the stranger told him good naturedly.
"How do you know my name?" Tony asked in disbelief.
"Like I said little one, we've met before," the man repeated graciously.
"Oh, well you can call me Tony. Only Thwor calls me Antony," Tony chirped out.
"Thor? Is he around here?" The stranger asked curiously.
"No he's on Asgawd wooking for a cuwe fow me," Tony said ruefully.
"What's the matter with you?" The man asked quietly.
"I'm bwoken," the tiny tot whispered out.
"You are far from broken child," the man answered with a shake of his head. "Come along, I'm worried about that thing in your chest," he told the child before standing up.
Tony nodded, and carefully slid off the bench, reaching his hand out so he wouldn't get separated from his rescuer. "You nevew told me your name," the little boy said after a moment as they headed out of the park.
"I am Loki, Prince of Asgard," Loki replied with a wide smile.