Tony knew what would happen if this had gotten out. He knew. That's why he had been thorough in keeping it hidden, well, as thorough as he could have been in that situation.

His phone sat on the brown leather seat next to him, ringing for the tenth time in the last five minutes, Peppers face smiled up at him. He remembered when he took that picture. He had rented a lodge up in Alaska for the weekend, they both needed to get away from the responsibilities, the press, the world. They were taking a walk when he dropped back. When she turned around, a snowball hit her square in the chest. In her shocked stupor he had taken the chance to hit her again. War was declared. When it was over her face was flushed from the cold and fight and her eyes shown with happiness complimented by the grin that took up half her face and the laughter still bubbling up out of her. She was so beautiful that he snapped a picture. It was his favorite photo of her.

He smiled as he remembered that time, before they realized that it wasn't going to work and broken up.. Before she had fallen for Happy. Before he had fallen in love with Steve. Steve. The name brought him up from his thoughts, guilt twisted his insides. The phone had stopped ringing, he had a minute of reprieve before it started again, this time it was Rhodey. Taking a steadying breath he answered the phone

"Hey! Rhodester! Long time no" Tony paused "hear." He could hear Rhodeys breath through the speaker. The silence stretched on for what seemed to be an eternity. Finally he spoke "What happened, Tony?" Tony's stomach dropped. "What do you mean?" It sounded strained , even to his own ears, especially to his own ears. There was silence from them both. After a minute, Rhodey broke the silence. "Check the news" Tony froze.

Nothing good ever came with those words.

Slowly, ever so slowly, he pulled out his spare tablet from the hidden compartment in the passenger side seat. He stared at the blank screen for what felt like forever, but at the same time, none at all. During this time his brain screamed at him No! No, don't do it! Put it back, you don't want to see this! ..."Tony?" Tony started, he had forgotten about Rhodey.

"What? Yeah, uh" He swallowed, his mouth felt like it was stuffed full of cotton "JARVIS, the news, please." The screen came to life showing a man in a suit and tie, underneath him in large white lettering resting on a deep red background making it all the more vivid is the headline 'Tony Stark caught cheating on Captain America'. He stares numbly at the headline, only half listening to what the man was saying.

"Everyone knows of the relationship between Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, also known as Iron Man and Captain America, since they shocked the world by coming out as a couple a year ago. Now, that relationship may be over. Scandalous photos were leaked earlier this morning of Tony Stark engaging in sexual intercourse with another man.. Now, we are about to show some of these photos which may be graphic to younger viewers"

The screen changed to show an enlarged still frame. In the frame, Tony lay on the ground, propped up by an elbow. Over him leaned another man, their mouths connected in a fierce kiss, hands grabbing at each others. Their cloths were in complete disarray, the Arc Reactor in full view.

Tony sat there dumbly staring at the tablet in his hands. The world sped by outside the window, but inside the metal casing and felt and leather it was like nothing else existed. Nothing but the headline and the photos that were still appearing, each photo showing less and less cloths and more discriminating evidence. And the nausea. Finally it got to he point where they had to start to blur out parts of the photo.

"...Tony? ...Tony!" Rhodeys' voice faintly drifted through the fog of his brain "Tony, what happened? TONY!" The thin wall separating him from the outside world shattered. Staring at the tablet in horror Tony chucked it to the other side of the car like it had burned him. Ending the call, he turned off the phone and let it slip from his fingers to hit the floor of the vehicle with a dull thud. Leaning forward, he placed his elbows on his knees and rested his had in his hands. He recorded it. That asshole recorded it. And put it online! what am I going to do? I can't... I can't. Not even Steve, oh God, Steve! Has he seen this? What does he think? Everyone has seen... but they don't...How am I going to fix this? Can it even be fixed? I could... No! No. I can't. I can nev "Boss?" Happys' voice snapped him out of his thoughts and his panic "Boss, we may have trouble." Great how much more trouble can there be? He didnt see how it could get any worse. But of course it can, and will. And of course this fuckery can be summed up with one word. Paparazzi.

In front of the mansion gate a crowd of people had gathered. Half a dozen news vans were parked off to the sides, cameramen and reporters scattered around for a good view, the photographers doing the same. He even spotted Peter in the crowd having no doubt Jameson had sent him. At least, from what he could see, he looked uncomfortable and guilty.

Hesitating for a moment he looked apprehensively at the crowd that had gathered at the front of his house, deciding wether he wanted to face them or tell Happy to turn around and take him to a hotel, the airport, anywhere but there. The accusing stares, the judgement so clear in their voice, on their face, in their eyes Seemed too much. People always compared them to piranhas, but they were more like mosquitoes. Piranhas aren't the frenzied meat eaters that they're made out to be. That happens at some points, when they're starving, when the water is low and they can't find food, but the reputation is undeserved. Mosquitoes on the other hand are parasites. They swarm you, feed off you and leave you miserable. But Steve was in there, and he couldn't run from him. Never him.

"Boss?" Happy turned in his seat to look at Tony. Sunglasses covered half his face, hiding his eyes and expression. For that, he was grateful, he didn't know if he could take that look from someone as close as Happy is at right this particular moment. At any rate he already looked closed off and cold, just like any other bodyguard he's had over the years.

Tony nodded his head, a small movement, barely anything at all, but Happy understood and, steeling themselves, they walked into the hellblaze.

Chapter 2 Preview: "What happened, Tony? Was it me? Did I do something wrong?"
"You've seen."
"Of course I have. It's all people are talking about!"
"It wasn't you. You didn't do anything wrong"