"Johnny! Johnny wake up! Jarvis, contact Bruce and have him meet me at the hospital immediately, call the emergency room and let them know I'm bringing my son in! Johnny, please! I need you to wake up buddy, come on, wake up...please!"

"Dad?" The soft voice gasped. His pale lids fluttered then slowly opened, revealing rich, ocean blue eyes, clouded by pain and exhaustion. They suddenly filled with tears as he looked up into a face he'd missed for two months. "Dad?"

Tony let out a rough sigh, "Y-yeah buddy it's me. J-just...you hang in there Johnny, you're going to be ok, you hear me? I've got you and I'm not letting you go...ever."

"Dad? W-wha 'bout P-pete and P-pop? Did y-you f-find them? T-they were behind me. Did y-you s-see P-peter?" Johnny stuttered as he struggled to sit up, his gaze never leaving Tony's face as he tried to stop shivering.

Tony stared down at Johnny, he knew this wasn't something his son would joke about. He had adored his father and big brother and it had devastated him when the news had been delivered of their death. "Johnny, I-I haven't seen anyone but you."

"T-they're alive dad, p-pop and P-peter, I-I saw them..."

"I know buddy, I got the picture you sent me..."

Tony couldn't stop pacing the hallway outside of the operating room, his patience worn thin from worry, fear, and rage. Fear that he was going to lose the only link he had left to his husband and their oldest son, afraid that he had failed to protect Johnny just as he'd failed to protect Steve and Peter. He paused in front of the glass looking into the operating room. He tried to control the tremor that raced along his nerves. He was worried that if Johnny didn't make it, they will have lost their only chance of finding Steve and Peter alive. It had been pure coincidence that Johnny had been kidnapped two months ago, the same day Steve and Peter had been reportedly killed in a car accident, three years ago. Tony tried to quell the rage he felt building inside of him, gritting his teeth in frustration. He couldn't understand why they hadn't been told about Steve and Peter still being alive sooner. To find out from his youngest son that he had seen them, been able to touch them, talk to them again...

Tony let out a soft growl of anger as he turned away from the glass, fists clenched at his sides as he tried not to lay blame at anyone's feet. He tried not to be angry at the fact that for three years, he and Johnny had been led to believe that Steve and Peter were both dead. Only to find out now that it had all been a lie, perpetrated by the very group of people he was supposed to be able to trust the most.

"Tony?"

He froze, one of the two people he wasn't ready to face just yet was standing behind him. He could hear the tremor in her voice, the waver of hope and fear hidden there.

"Tony, i-is it true? W-what they're saying...they found Johnny? Steve and Peter...their both still alive?" Pepper asked softly.

Tony turned to face her and saw the hope and terror in her eyes but her face remained calm. The face she usually reserved for the press was now staring back at him. He nodded his head once and watched as the damn broke, the bright corn blue eyes filled with tears and fell. Walking towards her, Tony held his arms out and hugged her tight. "We almost lost Johnny, they took him on his way to school, Pepper. I-if it hadn't been for the tracker on his phone and Jarvis being able to sort out the extra bullshit..."

Pepper hugged him tighter as she cried softly against his shoulder. She tried to control her tears but was having trouble after everything that had happened in the past few months. "Johnny recognized them?"

Tony pulled back slightly, pulling his phone out of his pocket. He moved through a series of screens before a picture came up. "This is how I found out that my husband and oldest son are not dead." He handed the phone to Pepper, hand shaking as he tried to quell the surge of anger that shot through him.

Pepper gasped as she looked at the photo. "I-it's Steve and Peter! They look a little older a-and thinner but it's really them."

"The same assholes who obviously ran them off the road, staged the crime scene Pep. They had to, I had Jarvis scan the image more than once. I-it's real...it's Steve and Peter. Johnny used his phone to take the picture."

"Have you called Aveline, I mean does she know?" Pepper asked softly, still looking at the picture of Steve and Peter.

"She should be here within the hour, she didn't hesitate when I told her that Johnny had been found alive and that Peter and Steve were both alive as well." Tony tried to hold back his rage as he thought about how many years they had been kept in the dark. How many years Steve and Peter must have waited for them, thinking that Tony had given up searching for the truth...searching for them.

"We always knew something was wrong with that story. That's why none of us really stopped looking."

Pepper looked up to see Bruce standing there with Thor and Jane. She could tell the petite brunette had been crying from the red rimmed eyes and swollen cheeks. Moving away from Tony, Pepper hugged all three once they had reached them.

Tony looked at Bruce, anxious for any news about his youngest son. "Bruce...Johnny...i-is he..."

Bruce gave him a tired smile. "He's gonna be ok. A little bruised and banged up but once we get him back on a regular eating and sleeping schedule he should be fine. We reset any broken bones and put an arm in a cast and a leg in a sling, so he won't be playing sports for a while. He's also on some antibiotics, looks like he caught the flu." He offered Tony a small smile but could tell something else was bothering him.

"W-what about...d-did they try to..." Tony hesitated, unable to bring himself to ask if they had done more than just subject his son to beatings and starvation.

Bruce shook his head. "We didn't find any evidence of...of sexual assault. Johnny said that Steve and Peter made sure he wasn't touched but they, uh, they would use Steve in his place and make them both watch."

Tony recoiled, the news turning his stomach into knots, Steve was being raped and it had been done in front of the boys. "They must have...t-they had to have threatened the boys. Steve w-would fight back. H-he wouldn't just..." Tony swayed on his feet, feeling the room spin as he tried to process the information.

"Tony, hey you ok? Maybe you should sit down?" Bruce placed a hand at the small of his back and turned him to a group of chairs by the far wall. Looking up at Jane, he asked, "Would you get me a cup of water, please?" He gave her a small smile as she and Thor nodded then headed back the way they had come. Turning back to his friend, Bruce rubbed his back gently. "You saw the picture, Tony. You saw what they did to Steve, the serum..." Bruce paused then sighed softly. "Johnny said Steve fought back though, that Peter told him this wasn't the first time it happened but Steve always fought back. So I'm guessing they threatened the boys but Johnny said they never touched him or Peter."

Tony leaned forward, he couldn't focus...couldn't think of what to say or do. "H-has Avie made it yet?" He whispered, he needed to do something...anything to get rid of all the nervous energy building up in his system. The fact that neither of the boys had been sexually assaulted was some what gratifying. The fact that Steve was not spared the horror and pain was something that turned Tony's stomach. He tried to calm his racing heart but it wouldn't slow down. He could hear the whirring of the reactor as it worked double time to keep up pace. Taking a deep breath, he was getting ready to ask about his cousin again until the sound of Jane's shouts interrupted them.

"Pepper, Bruce! Tony! Come quick, they found Peter!" Jane raced back into the waiting room, eyes wild as she searched the room for the trio.

Tony's entire body jerked as his head whipped around at Jane's words. Peter, they've found Peter?! "Where is he Jane, where is my son?" Tony stood up from the chair and moved towards the brunette.

"They just brought him in, the EMT's said they found him walking up the highway." She was talking as fast as possible as they moved down the hallway. She knew Tony would want to know as much as possible before he saw Peter. "They're taking him to surgery..."

Tony frowned, "Why is he going into surgery, I need to see him first damnit! They can't just..."

"Tony calm down, they need to make sure they can reset any bones or anything else that needs to be done. They need to do it as soon as possible so nothing heals wrong. Remember, both boys have yours and Steve's genes." Pepper spoke up behind them.

Tony glanced back at her, fear running through him as he thought about his oldest son. It's been three years since he'd last seen him. Peter had been eleven going on twelve and Johnny had just turned nine. What if he didn't remember him? What if Peter had forgotten about him or thought he'd abandoned them? He wouldn't be able to handle that, not now, not after they'd finally...

"N-not until I-I see m-my dad! No, don't t-touch me! I-I want to see him first! I-I d-don't know you so until I-I see him I-I'm not going anywhere!" A thin, angry voice could be heard over the soft muted sounds of the doctors and nurses. "Y-you prove h-he's here! I-I want to see him o-or Johnny! Uncle Thor, w-where is my dad?!"

Tony took off, it was Peter and he was yelling. He needed to get to him as quickly as possible, he needed to protect him this time from whomever was a threat.

"Tony! Tony slow down you don't know what's going on!" Bruce shouted from behind him. He was trying to keep up with his friend but knew it wouldn't happen. Tony was hyped up on adrenaline and emotions and after the past 48 hours he didn't look like he was going to come down anytime soon. "Pepper, has Avie landed yet?" He glanced over at the red head who was talking on her phone.

"Her plane just touched down, Happy has instructions to bring her straight here as soon as she disembarks. Tony will be glad she's here and I'm sure you will be too." She gave the brunette a fond smile and knowing look.

Bruce flushed at the statement but remained silent. He turned when he heard Peter calling out to Tony.

"Dad!" Peter yelled, he had seen Tony coming down the hallway and now struggled to sit up on the gurney he was on. He kept his gaze on Tony until he had pushed through the crowd fully.

Tony shoved his way through the group surrounding his oldest son. "Peter, thank god!" He leaned forward and hugged him, tears sliding down his face as he held onto him as tight as possible. "God, I've missed you. We've been looking for you and your father for three years." Tony pressed kisses against the crown of Peter's head. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry Peter. They told me you and Steve had been killed in a car crash. They said they never found the bodies and I-I didn't believe..." Tony couldn't stop the tears nor did he let go of Peter.

"Mr. Stark, we need to get him prepped and ready for surgery. He has a few broken ribs, and a number of open cuts and wounds that are infected. If you would, please, allow us to assist your son..."

Tony looked up into the eyes of the surgeon that had helped Bruce take care of Johnny. Looking back down at Peter he could see just how pale he was. Trembling, he looked over at Bruce, "Bruce..."

Bruce was looking over the clipboard in his hand. "I'm going with him so don't worry. Why don't you go sit with Johnny, I'll have someone come get you just as soon as we're done." Bruce stepped closer to the bed where his god-son lay. "Hey kiddo, it's really good to see you again." He smiled down into the pale face.

Peter turned his head towards Bruce and gave him a weak smile. "Hi Uncle Bruce, c-can I go to sleep now? I-I'm really tired." Peter laid back against the pillows and closed his eyes. Then sat back up immediately. "Wait! No, w-where is Johnny? I-I sent him ahead of us but when w-we finally got out he was gone!" He turned bright baby blue eyes to Tony. "Dad? D-did you find Johnny?"

"We found him champ and what do you mean by we got out? W-was your father with you when you escaped? Where is he now Peter?" Tony tried not to press him, understanding that he'd just undergone a very traumatic experience but he was sure Peter had said we...

"Pop was with me w-when we left the building. He was s-so sick dad, h-he couldn't move a-and I tried to h-help him! I-I swear I did b-but..." Peter gasped as he tried to breath.

"Tony we need to get him into surgery if he's going to be ok." Bruce placed a hand on Tony's shoulder, feeling the tension running through him. He gave Peter a worried look then turned back to Tony.

"Yeah, o-ok, just...Bruce, please, take care of my son." Tony looked at his friend, sable eyes pleading with the other to please, don't let anything else hurt Peter.

Bruce gave him a smile, waving over the medical team and directing them on where they needed to take Peter. "I'll be back as soon as I can, right now I'm going to help Peter. Why don't you try and find out if you can find Steve? Pete said that he was right behind him which means he has to be in the general area where they found Peter. Plus, Avie is on her way and she's going to want to know everything you know."

Tony's eyes lit up, "You're right, maybe we can find him if we go back out and look around?" His eyes followed the gurney Peter was on. Watching as he was wheeled down the hall and into an operating room. "Please, Bruce, don't let anything else happen to him." Tony stared after the group, fear in his eyes but there was also a look of determination, something that had been missing the past few years. "Pep, how soon before Avie gets here?"

"Happy should be pulling up in the next five to ten minutes." Pepper responded. "I'll sit with Johnny if you want to go out and search the area. Bruce can keep me updated as well so you won't have to worry to much. I'll have James come sit with us for added protection, you can take Thor with you, I'm sure Jane won't mind."

Tony looked over at the couple standing behind Pepper and blinked. "Thank you, Jane. I-I'm sorry for not saying it sooner..."

Jane waved her hand, "Don't worry about it. You two go and see what you can find then let us know. We'll stay here and watch over the boys." She gave Thor a kiss on the cheek and pushed him gently in Tony's direction. "Just...be careful out there, ok?"

Thor smiled at her, "We will be safe, you do the same. I should have Heimdall send someone to stay with you as well...I shall send for Volstagg and Fandral, they are trust worthy and..."

"She's here." Tony whispered as he looked out the large bay windows of the hospital. "Happy just pulled up with Avie." He headed to the doors, eager to greet his cousin before she made it inside.

"Tony!" Came the soft lilted voice. "Tony i-is it true? They've found both Johnny and now Peter?" She asked as soon as he was within hearing distance. "Please tell me they found Steven as well?"

"No but we're going out to where Peter was found to look around. He's in surgery with Bruce, Pepper and Jane are going to stay here along with a few of Thor's friends and Rhodey for protection."

"Where are Clint and Natasha, are they not aware of the latest developments?" She looked around the area and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary but wouldn't put anything past the two assassins.

Tony's face took on a dark cast as he slid into the back of the car, Thor following him. "They will not be joining us. They knew Steve and Peter were still alive and said nothing to any of us. They say it's because they didn't want to get anyone's hopes up but I-I don't...I can't believe that." Tony looked at Aveline. "Three years Avie, for three fucking years, we kept getting told that they were dead. There was nothing to trace but I still tried...I had to try...for Steve and Peter..."

"It is ok cousin. We will go out to this new area and see what we can find. Do not worry, if we don't find him tonight we will find him soon."

Tony looked at his cousin then turned to Thor, who agreed with her statement. "I hope so because I don't think I'll be able to handle raising both the boys without Steve." Tony turned to look out the window, watching the passing scenery but not paying it much attention. "I-if we don't find him..."

"We will cousin, think positive, You've been searching for them for the past three years. We will find him just have faith."

Tony nodded his head, not turning to look at Aveline. "I hope so, god, I hope so because it's been hell without him and Peter. For both Johnny and me, it's been a living nightmare and I'd like to finally wake up from it."

They rode the rest of the way in silence with Aveline sending an occasional text to Bruce or Pepper about what was going on and how Tony was holding up. When they pulled up to the area that Peter had been found it was swarming with S.H.I.E.L.D agents.

"Fuck," Tony growled. "They would make it a point to get out here before anyone else. If they find Steve I'll never see him until they are through with him. Hey Happy, get us as close as possible to the spot Peter had been found. I have a feeling that Steve isn't to far if he was right behind them."

"Sure thing boss. Do you want me to stick around while you guys look for Captain Rogers?"

"Yeah but don't make yourself to obvious, I don't want them thinking they have the right to tell us where we can and can't go. Jarvis, record everything you can and make sure you find out what information S.H.I.E.L.D has."

"Yes Sir."

Thor looked out the window then said softly, "Anthony, it would appear that we have company." He tilted his head in the direction of Clint and Natasha, both headed straight for the trio in the limo.

Tony growled low in his throat, his face taking on an angry scowl at the two approaching the car. "I don't give a fuck what they have to say. Right now, I'm here to look for Steve and damn anyone who gets in my way." Tony opened the door of the limo just as Clint was reaching for the handle. "Get the fuck out of my way, Barton." Tony snarled at the blond archer. He was still angry with them for not telling him about Peter and Steve sooner.

"Look Tony, we're not here to fight. We heard that Peter had been found and wanted to help find Steve." Clint looked at his friend, could see the anger in his eyes and the hard set of his jaw.

"Then you should have said something before Johnny was kidnapped, my son was almost killed because you two couldn't be honest about what had really happened to my husband and oldest son!" Tony yelled at them. He glared at Clint then turned on Natasha, "Don't either one of you stand here and tell me you want to help when you could have helped by letting me bring them home sooner!" He turned his back to both of them and looked into the backseat of the car. "Avie?"

She looked up from her phone with a smile, "Bruce says Peter has made it through the worst and now they are working to get his body nourished. Johnny is still sleeping but Pepper says that he asked for you then drifted off before she could answer." Aveline blinked, then looked behind Tony, tilted her head to the side in silent question and waited.

"They want to help find Steve." Tony frowned, it would be good to have them help. Both Clint and Natasha had been friends of Steve's as well as Tony. "We could use the extra help..."

Aveline shrugged, "It is your call cousin, I only wish to see you reunited with your family." She slid out of the car, Thor following behind.

"It would be a true benefit if they were to aid us in our search for our friend Steven." Thor stated softly. He knew of the anger Tony held for the two spies but also understood that with their skills, the search for Steve may go faster.

"He was our friend too, Tony and it wasn't as if we didn't want to tell you. If we did, it would have put you in danger and if we couldn't protect Johnny how could we protect you?" Natasha asked softly. "He's our god son, both boys are our god sons. You're not the only one who lost something three years ago, we all did. We all suffered when we got the news and if these people had been close enough to get to Johnny with us watching him..." She drifted off as Tony turned to look at her.

"You still should have told me. Steve is my husband and Peter is my son, I had a right to know!" Tony snarled. Taking a deep breath he released it slowly, "Look, I don't have the time to stand here and argue with you two. I need to find my husband." He stepped back from the car and pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Jarvis, give me the area that Peter was found then look for any type of man holes or pipes, anything that Steve may hide in. Make sure to use thermal imaging if you need to."

"Scanning now Sir. I am detecting one heat signature to the south of us, close to the area where Master Peter was found. There are also two more life signs, about fifty yards north. The life signs of the first one seem, however, to be fluctuating, Sir. "

Tony looked around the area trying to determine where to start. "Tell me where the closest entrance is, give me something to work with J."

"It appears to be in the opposite direction from where Master Peter had been found."

Tony looked in the direction Jarvis mentioned. "Then we'll start there." Tony stated, looking over at Aveline and Thor he nodded his head and walked off. He didn't care what Natasha and Clint did right now all that mattered was finding Steve, no matter what he had to do.