Chapter 2

A month before

Tony had changed since Christmas one reason was because he realized what life was really about, and for that reason he abandoned his suits and destroyed them. That reason was Virginia "Pepper" Potts, his personal assistant for eleven years before becoming the CEO of Stark Industries, when Tony did not think he would live due to palladium poisoning. Tony had had Bruce Banner living with him in the tower now that the villa in Malibu had been destroyed. Bruce AKA the Hulk was the only Avenger Tony knew the whereabouts of. The two had talked often and when Tony and Pepper decided to move to the tower due to the fact that their villa was destroyed Tony asked Pepper if she would mind having Bruce live with them as well. Pepper had realized the good a friend like Bruce would be when she, Jarvis and Rhodey couldn't be there for Tony and immediately agreed. Now Bruce and Tony where in the lab whenever Pepper was asleep or resting and trying to find a way to flush extremis out of the bodies of those affected. They had finally realized due to pepper remembering how Killian had said extremis took place in the brain, and with some help from Jarvis they had found a small abnormality on Pepper's brain that had never been there before. Bruce studied the scans then made a chemical mix that successfully flushed the virus out of her body. Pepper was cured in early February and since then Tony had been wondering about Harley Keener.

Sure he had given the kid a bunch of toys and gadgets for his workshop but he still wondered what had happened to the kid. Tony found a way to contact the kid's mother to ask permission if he could check up on Harley legally. He had finally got up the nerve to call the diner he had found out she worked at, he was left waiting as the phone rang, when someone picked up he asked

"Hello, may I please speak to Mrs. Keener,"

"Oh, poor Julie, so sad, her girl dead and her in the hospital since the attacks."

Tony was nothing less than shocked the kid didn't deserve anything like this and it was Tony's fault. His fault, the kid's sister was dead and his fault that the mother was in the hospital.

"Well sorry I can't help you, "Thank you anyway," Tony responded (see he has changed).

He hung up and realized he would have to tell Pepper what had really happened last Christmas.

As soon as Pepper, returned home from work and Tony greeted her with a cup of coffee, she grew suspicious.

"Tony, what's wrong, your usually in the lab with Bruce till dinner?"

"Well Bruce isn't here he went to go visit an old colleague."

"Tony?"

"Fine, it's time I told you what happened during Christmas."

Pepper was surprised Tony usually told her everything she had asked him many times over the last few months about what had happened an the usually talkative Tony just wouldn't talk about it. Pepper grabbed the coffee cup and plopped onto the couch and with that Tony began his story. Pepper was astounded, this was so unlike Tony to admit he needed help and then to get it from a ten-year-old boy. So when Tony told Pepper about getting permission to check up on Harley and finding out his mom ended up in the hospital because of the extremis attack brought tears to her eyes. She saw that more than anything Tony wanted to help this kid.

"So Pep, I'm asking permission to go to visit Harley's mom and see how she is doing I will ask her permission about checking up on Harley."

After a quick tears nod and hug Pepper told Tony off for not telling her sooner before arranging Happy to go to Tennessee with Tony on the jet. As soon as Tony got there he had Happy drive him to the hospital quick as possible. When he got there he walked to the front desk where a middle aged African American nurse, identified by the pin on her shirt as Janet looked up as he entered. In shock on seeing the billionaire at the small hospital she managed to squeak out "How may I help you?"

"May I speak to Julie Keener?"

Tony enquired politely (shocking right?). The nurse still blinking and pinching herself every other minute to make sure this wasn't just a dream, led Tony to the room Mrs. Keener was situated in.

"Julie," said as she knocked politely before entering,

"You have a guest."

Mrs. Keener managed to sit up and looked at the door, expecting Harley, she was shocked to see the man at the door.

It was Tony Stark, the multimillionaire, better known as Iron Man. She had known that Tony had met Harley and camped out in his garage and had gave Harley new tools as a thank you gift but he thought that was the extent of it.

"Hi Mrs. Keener, My name is Tony Stark, how are you doing?"

She snapped out of her shock,

"I'm doing ok, thank you for asking, thank you for the tools, Harley loves them."

"Actually, that's why I'm here how is he doing?"

Now Mrs. Keener was really shocked Tony Stark was not known for his manners. "Well, he's not doing so well, Lizzie is gone and I won't be here much longer, and we have no other family. Harley is terrified, he feels so alone."

Now Tony was shocked, the poor kid didn't deserve any of this.

"Well what can I do to help?"

"Just make sure he's happy, get him a nice family to stay with."

"I think I can take care of that, let me just make some phone calls."

"Oh, Thank you Mr. Stark, Thank you so much."

Tony had had and idea, a crazy idea, but a good one.

"Jarvis, call Pep."

When Tony explained the situation to Pepper, she immediately started crying.

" Oh, poor boy, nobody deserves that, what are you going to do Tony?"

" Well, Pepper, I was thinking, how would you like to be a mom to a ten year old genius."

" What?'

"I'm gonna adopt the kid, he's changed me, and now he needs me."

" Tony, are you sure about this?"

" I know what the kids going through, it's hard to lose the only person who cares about you, and I went through that, when I lost my mom."

"Well then Tony, I would be happy to be his mom."

"Thank you, Pep, I love you"