Hey guys, I'm really sorry it took me again so long to update. And I am ashamed to say I don't even have an exciting excuse. Just the usual. Real life sucks lately and I get distracted so damn easily, so if it takes again so long some time you have my permission to give me a swift kick
Anyway, here is the next one, longer than I expected, but I don't think you'll complain about that fact.
Hm, thanks for the attention the story got, followers, favourites and especially reviews ^^ they make my day.
Yeah that's it again. Hope you like it
Missing.
Gone.
Taken.
Somebody. Took. Tony.
That was all that was going through his head this morning.
And the day had started so positive.
Steve had gotten home yesterday evening and, as promised, he went by to the Stark mansion after a fitful night of sleep to see his godson.
The first night in his own bed after a long time away always feels heavenly and he always felt so well rested after.
He was in no rush for the day and had enough time to go trough his favourite routine. Going for a run, a nice hot shower and a good breakfast.
Yeah, Steve felt fantastic leaving the house today, making his way from his apartment, greeting his elderly neighbour on his was, to Howard's house, enjoying the signs of winter, leaving footprints behind him in the first, soft, blanket of snow this year.
Even as a small boy, Steve had always liked the snow, even though he could mostly only watch the flakes fall from the inside of his warm home, he had always been way too prone to illness and thin as he had been, the cold had never taken long to seep into his bones. Thank got that had changed. Even in his leather jacket he barely even felt the cold.
Cheerily he skipped the steps up to the front door and grinned in anticipation, happy that he would be able too enclose his little godson in his arms again. Unbelievable how fast he could miss that boy. The big bad Captain America was nothing but a softy. Oh well, as long as the news don't spread.
He rang the bell and listened. More often than not the first thing he would hear from the house were small feet thundering trough the house. If Tony knew he was coming at least. No, not today, but that didn't cease his good mood in the slightest.
Only when Jarvis answered the bell to let him in, and it was immediately obvious something was dreadfully wrong, then the smile did vanish.
The older man had a white bandage around his head, and favoured his right side even while standing.
The look he gave Steve send automatically a jolt of fear through him, cold dread spreading through his body.
Numerous things could have happened, he knew, but a gnawing feeling told him it was something to do with Tony, he was sure of that. But what?
"Jarvis?" For once, he didn't even think about his manners. No time for mister.
Never had he seen a look of such sadness, worry and…guilt? on the butler's face.
"Jarvis, where is Tony?"
The Butler closed his eyes a second and swallowed before he began to speak.
"They...Somebody took him, Captain Rogers. They took him from right under my nose. I…" he closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath to try to calm down, but Steve could see him shaking.
He did his best to swallowed down the rising panic for the moment, tried not to think about the little boy at the hands of some unknown kidnapper who could do who knows what to the four year old. As gently as he could mange for the moment, Steve steered the older man inside the house, pushed him on a chair in the foyer, placed there for visitors who had to wait for the man of the house, and crouched down in front of him.
Jarvis sagged down, so very unlike himself, and leaned his forehead in his hands for a moment.
Steve hated to push the obviously distressed man further, but he had to know. Had to ask.
"Who? When? Do you know who took him? Have you called the police? Where is Howard? Maria? What happened?" TonyTonyTonyTony!
All of it came out in an unstoppable rush. He hadn't meant to ask it all at once, wanted to go at this calmly and rationally, gathering information like he would for planning an attack in the Army. But he couldn't. This was unknown territorial. This was a personal thing. This was Tony.
The good thing was, Steve's showing worry seemed to calm Jarvis more, seeing that he was needed as the soothing presence.
The butler swallowed the unsettling feelings down for now and went into the calm, confident and almost fatherly role he usually displayed, at least around people he liked and respected.
"It was yesterday evening. Master Anthony and I were on our way home from his piano lessons, when a car came up and just…pushed us from the road. It wasn't a big crash, but I must have lost consciousness, for when I opened my eyes there was only a stranger, who tried to help me out of the car. Outside, on the passenger side were shoeprints, but none so small that they could have been his'." He swallowed as he remembered, "I don't even know if he was hurt."
Steve couldn't help the moment of weakness as he flopped to the floor, hand rubbing worriedly over his mouth.
He didn't have to have been there for the mental picture to form.
Little Tony, confused after the crash, scared, hurt? Trying to wake Jarvis, only to be dragged out of the car. Or maybe unconscious himself. Or…no.
"Who?" he asked out loud. "Do you know yet? Did someone make contact? What about the police?"
"I called for the police immediately, of course, but nothing yet. All they now is that the prints are from different sizes, but in a city that doesn't say much. There was no witness for the crash. No one made contact yet either." Jarvis went over the facts. "Mr Stark had to leave on a sudden business trip yesterday morning, Mrs Stark decided to accompany him, I tried to reach them, but without success. My only option was to leave a message. The police tires to get a hold of them as well, I presume."
Well, damn.
Yes, damn. Just because he chooses not to cuss, didn't mean he couldn't. A situation like this definitely requires cussing.
What now? He couldn't just sit here, biting his nails and waiting for the police to do something. Not while Tony…sweet, innocent, cheeky, active, exuberant, smart, loud, happy, dear, little Tony was at the hands of this…miscreant. Those Miscreants? Oh god, he didn't even know how many dared to take him. And Why? There weren't so many options. Ransom? Someone against Howard? Or…Steve scrubbed his forehead in frustration…someone against Captain America? They had been so careful not to make commonly known who became godfather to young Anthony Stark for exactly this reason.
Shit. What if someone really took the kid to have some leverage? Oh god, it would be completely his fault that Tony had to go trough this traumatic event.
Ok, that…was totally not helping right now. All goes around the question, what now? He was a man of action. Always had been, always will be. But what was the next best action to take? He had nothing to go on. Maybe if he put on his uniform, he could offer his help to the police?
"At the moment there is nothing to do, Captain Rogers." Jarvis startled him out of his thoughts, he had completely forgotten that the older gentleman still sat on the chair. "The Police had not been able to find anything. And with nothing to go on, we have, as terrible as it is, to wait for the kidnapper to make the next move." He said almost calmly, but Steve could hear the soft tremor in his voice.
The Soldier shook his head and clenched his hands in his blond hair, "But I can't just…"
"I know." The butler patted his shoulder and finally stood to go back to the kitchen, knowing there would be nothing to calm the Captain but Tony himself.
Steve stayed on the floor for a while longer, willing his heart to beat normal again. Or at least somewhat resembling normal.
No. He would go crazy just waiting here by the phone…yes. Phone was good. He could at least call for some support.
Climbing to his feet, he made his way to the expensive looking telephone and dialled a familiar number. His head fell against the wall as he waited for him to answer.
"Y'ello?"
"Bucky."
"Steve? Man, really? You knew I wanted too sleep in today." His best friend whined sleepily.
Yes, he did know. Bucky had been talking about nothing else yesterday when they got back home. He also didn't care right now.
"Bucky, I…it's Tony."
"What's the brat done now?" Steve could hear him huff.
To strangers, it might have sounded indifferently, like he didn't care for Tony at all, but Steve knew that was not true. Tony and Bucky were constantly bickering at each other, even with four, the child usually gave as good as he good, and it really seemed like they hated each other with passion most of the time. But the lord be with you if you ever tried to go between them. Before you'd even take a breath, they would have joined forces and, well, it's always better to leave them to themselves.
Further proof had been delivered when they'd went to the park when Tony was three. Bucky constantly complaining that he had better things to do in his free time, but he wasn't leaving either.
Tony had fallen from the swing, and…reactions went really differently.
Tony himself had just brushed it off, stood up and was ready to go for another round. Steve had calmly checked from afar that he didn't got hurt too bad, too used to Tony falling down or hurting himself another way by now, knew that children just did tumble once in a while. He was sure he'd be able to see if Tony was hiding something, and really, the fall hadn't been bad.
But Bucky, well, he was worse than a newly made mother. Running over to the child almost panicky, checking every limb for injury and especially his head.
While Steve couldn't help but laugh at the tough Soldier, Tony had felt embarrassed in front of the other children and wanted to leave at once.
Then, a few weeks ago Bucky had gotten back from a mission he had taken separately from Steve and it had been a success, but his friend had lost many fellow Soldiers in this fight, so, understandably, Bucky had been down for a few days, not really eating or sleeping. Steve asked him over a lot, even if Tony was already at his godfather's, he knew the kid didn't mind.
When his friend had finally agreed to come Tony had been especially nice to Bucky, and only goaded him in to a few squabbles.
One evening, Steve had to go to make some last minute shopping at the grocery store, and had come home to an sleeping soldier on his couch and an equally out cold child, sprawled on said mans chest.
So yeah, Steve knew Bucky cared and knew he would be a good help now, even if he really could do nothing but wait.
"He's been taken, Buck. Snatched away…while I wasn't there." Steve whispered despairingly, not ashamed to show weakness to his friend. After all, Bucky had already seen him at his worst.
"Shit." Yeah. Exactly. "Fuck…ok…where are you? You at Stark's?"
Steve nodded. "yeah." He quickly added when he realised Bucky couldn't see him.
"Ok. Good. Wait there, I-I'll be right over." He could hear rustling, Barnes was probably already pulling on his clothes.
"Bucky. I don't…I don't know what to…I"
"You do nothing, pal." Bucky breathed hastily and suddenly began to cuss after Steve heard a thud. Something about a stupid cord, which actually elicited a small smile from Steve. Then he was back and sounded more out of breath. "You do nothing but wait patiently for your best buddy here, alright?"
"Yeah, Alright."
"Good, good. Now, I'm on my way. So, uh, don't worry too much, the kid is a tough one."
"I know, ok, I'll see you then. And, uhm, thanks."
"Don't mention it."
Ok, that was good. Bucky would be here shortly and together they could…
Steve sighed in frustration and ran a nervous hand through his hair. Nothing. They could do nothing. It would hardly be advisable to go from door to door and see if Tony was in there. New York was just a little bit too big for that.
Not wanting to sit and further wallow in depressing thoughts he decidedly pushed away from the wall he had been leaning against and slowly made his way to the kitchen to see how the butler was holding up.
The sight that greeted him made him smile a little, but sad as well.
Jarvis was busily mixing ingredients in a bowl, and Steve knew enough that it was going to be a dough.
This in itself wasn't that unusual. But considering that there were already some baking in the oven, a still steaming baking plate on the counter and 4 jars already filled to the brim with cookies, it was a bit off. Enough to feed a whole army, and how had he not noticed the sweet smell in the air when he came into the house?
All of them chocolate chips cookies. Tony's favourites.
"Don't say anything." Jarvis said in a tight voice.
"Wasn't going to."
"Master Anthony will be hungry when he comes home." Not if. Never if.
"Yes."
Looking at the cookies he couldn't help but think back to that one time Tony made Steve sneak down to the kitchen with him, to steal the last cookies from the jar. It had ended with both of them getting a light smack with Jarvis wooden spoon on their hand. And no cookies until after dinner.
Steve blinked away a threatening wet film from his eyes and turned to leave again. Maybe it would be best to wait outside for Bucky.
He stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed a woman in the doorway. She was leaning against the frame for support, even if she didn't seem hurt. Her brown hair that must have once been tied in a tight bun was loose in some places and silent tears made their way down her cheeks.
She was wearing the uniform the cleaning lady's did here in the house. Steve had seen her before, but didn't know her name.
Before he could offer any help to the distressed dame, she began to speak.
"I'm sorry, may I speak to you Captain Rogers?" her voice was surprisingly steady.
The soldier frowned curiously, but quickly offered her a chair at the kitchen table. "Of course. Please, sit down."
Jarvis, who didn't hide his interest in the conversation at all, handed him a kerchief which he passed on to the woman.
"I… it's maybe nothing…but…" she pressed her hands to her face for a moment and took a calming breath, then continued while dabbing away her tears. "You see, the thing is I heard what happened to young Anthony. And well, m-my boyfriend he… Alexander, he is really a good guy, but lately he is…a bit down on his luck, lost his job and really, he is…a good guy, that is. But, this new…friend of his, George, he is always hanging out with my Alex, mostly at our home, and, well, George has changed him a bit, they are always joking around about how they'll be rich some time, even though they are both not working at the moment. And I know, everybody has the right to dream about a better future, I never thought anything of it."
Steve listened intently, he had a feeling where this was going but he had to force himself not to interrupt the dame, wanting her to finish her tail, and not frighten her by shaking it out of her, which was a disturbing urge in itself.
"But every now and then they'd talk about the Stark family, especially when there are news about Mr Stark. George asked me as well sometimes, how the Starks were doing and all…I didn't tell him anything of importance! Not that I'd know anything of that anyway.
Anyway, the thing is, Alexander didn't come home yesterday." She began to sniff and more tears trailed down her eyes. "He didn't come home, and I can't reach him, and now little Anthony is gone…since yesterday. I know this…doesn't have to mean anything, but…"
Any other time it might have made him uncomfortable to see a dame so upset in front of him, but at the moment, as bad as it sounds, he didn't really care about it.
"Ma'am, this may mean anything. I think I'd like to talk to this George fallow. If you can't reach your boyfriend, do you know where one could find George?"
A lead. A lead. This coincidence would be too much. Finally there was something he could do.
Sniffling into the kerchief, she told him the address the man lived at.
"Jarvis-"
"I'll inform the police, don't worry."
"Alright. I'll go and check out this George fella."
This was all a pretty big leap, and George must be a bit stupid, should he have kidnapped Tony in the first place, and secondly if he actually keeps him in his own house. But Steve prays it is just that easy. That he can just find his godson there and take him home. And god help whoever will be standing in his way.
Determined, with finally something to do, he started for the front door but was halted by a shaking hand on his arm.
"Please. Alex he- Please he's a good guy." She repeated again.
"I'm sorry Ma'am. I am grateful for your help and believe me when I say I will not cause any unnecessary trouble, but if they really have Tony, and resist, then I can't promise anything."
Steve isn't a fan of lies, and he won't promise her that everything will be fine, even if that is what she wants to hear from him. That wouldn't be fair.
She began to cry anew but nodded and took her hand away.
He nodded to Jarvis on his way who gave him an encouraging smile and left.
The Captain just slammed the door shut behind him when Bucky stopped in front of the house in his rather beat-up car.
Without letting his friend exit, he jumped in through the passenger door.
"You know where he is?" asked the newcomer with obvious hope in his voice.
"Maybe. We'll have to have a chat with this one guy."
Steve rambled off the address he had gotten from the crying woman and Bucky threw the car into gear, leaving with squealing tires.
Hold on Tony, we are on the way.
"Alright. As much as I believe it, we don't actually know if Tony is here. So we cannot just charge in there. Clear?" The blond had filled his friend in on what he knew on the way to the house they were parked in front of now.
It was a rather big one, with two floors and a large garden. It must have been beautiful once, but now the paint was discoloured in places, the roof looked like it had some missing shingles and the flowers were all dried and withered.
But then, the whole neighbourhood seemed to look similar.
"uh-huh" Bucky nodded and reached in front of Steve to retrieve a gun from the glove box, loaded it with practiced ease and stuffed the weapon in his waistband.
At Steve's raised eyebrow he did his best to look harmless, "What? I just want to be prepared. In case the good man decides to do something unwise."
"Right." Steve acknowledged and got out of the car, Bucky following suit.
For the first time the super soldier noticed that the front door to the house stood wide open and halfway over the street he halted his eager companion with a unyielding arm. Two man running out of the house, one looking quite angry, the other rather nervous and afraid.
The sight started to ring alarming bells in both Steve and Bucky.
It wasn't hard to understand the two, since they didn't seem to give a damn about their surroundings, didn't even seem to notice the two still standing in the middle of the street.
"-iots! I told you to be careful with him. He has more brains than you and John combined, you incompetent mushbrain!" yelled the angry one. He was taller and thinner looking than the other. His hair was unruly and already greying in some places.
"I'm sorry, he surprised me, George." The smaller man with brown, neatly combed hair tried to placate the other, "He just kicked me and run."
"Even more embarrassing that he didn't have to use his brain very much you idiot. Fuck. I knew we should have just finished him off. way too much trouble. His old man would have paid anyway and we would have been gone by the time they found the stupid brat. Do you know how much money is just now running away from us?!"
"No! You already broke the no one gets hurt rule. You can not kill the boy! He's just a child."
"Shut up fool! We have no time for your weak morals. I hope for you that Johnny already caught him again. Now, which way-urgh"
Steve and Bucky just stood there to listen, getting their suspicion proofed without any work from them.
The godfather's heart started to beat faster with the realization that Tony wasn't far, and obviously alive and on the run.
He turned to Bucky, who had already drawn his gun, to confirm with him that they would take charge now, but when he heard things like 'off him', 'broken no-hurting rule' and a 'Johnny already after him' Steve wasn't able to keep the calm cool-headedness he prided himself usually in battle.
Before he knew it he had thrown the famous George to the ground, stunning him with obvious pain.
With one down he turned to the other. He must look livid indeed, since the other began too shake, and if he looked nervous before, he was scared shitless now. Steve didn't care.
"Which way?" he growled the question the man on the ground had asked before.
Without hesitation the other man, most likely Alexander, pointed left down the street.
One quick glance reassured the Captain that Bucky had his gun trained at the kidnappers.
"Go get him, Steve. I got them covered."
That was all he needed before he dashed down the street, not for the first time so very thankful for the serum that allowed him to run fast at all, not to mention the extra speed.
Steve didn't hear the police sirens in the distance, or wonder at the fact that the whole street was empty, no people around at all, but what he did hear was shocked him to the core. A gunshot, not far from him, and sadly not behind him, so not Bucky.
He pushed further on, refusing to believe he'd be too late to save Tony, snow falling in his face but that didn't slow him at all.
Adrenaline coursing through his body and naked fear for his godson, he almost run passed an alley where a man was talking.
"Come out kiddo, I'm tired of playing hide and seek." He almost sounded creepily friendly, which just send a shiver down Steve's spine, in his hand the man held a gun, and the soldier had no doubt that this must be Johnny.
Purposefully, Steve grabbed the lid of a trash can standing at the corner, and strode down the alley. By the time the idiot noticed him, the Captain was ready to throw the lid in a move he had done countless times already. His weapon of choice could be in no way compared to his beloved shield, but it did it's job, hitting the gunman's arm with a force to break bones.
Johnny howled in pain as he dropped his gun, he didn't even have time to recover from the shock before Steve was on him, pushing him against the wall of a house, fists buried in his lapels.
Again he cried in pain when his head hit the unwelcoming brick wall, and his eyes blazed in surprise and fear when they met Steve's angry blue ones.
"Who the fuck are you?!" he screeched, toes scratching on the dirty and wet ground.
"I'm his godfather, bastard," he emphasised with a shake, "and you better hope he is alright, or there will be no place for you to hide." And before his morals could make an appearance trough his worry and anger, he gave the kidnapper one last punch, knocking him out, and let Johnny fall to the ground.
Danger averted, Steve leaned one hand at the wall for a moment and took deep, calming, breaths.
Reasonably calm, he finally turned back to the alley, scanning it for the first time. It was narrow and short, a dead end on the other side, dumpsters on the left wall. Not a lot places to hide.
"Tony?" he called out as reassuringly as he could manage over his beating heart, "Buddy, you can come out now, it's ok."
He held his breath to listen and it didn't take him long to hear some rustling from one of the dumpsters further back.
Then he saw a small hand emerging from under the container, and he had never felt so relieved as he did when Tony's dark mob of hair came out as well.
Red rimmed brown eyes met him, and Steve shook off his stupor to scoop Tony in his arms, squishing him to his chest without getting a protest from the four year old, who was clinging to him equally tight. The short arms thrown over Steve's broad shoulders, one small fist bunching in his jacket. Tony's face was buried in his neck, like so many times before, but so much more intense.
Now that the adrenaline, and fear, and anger left him, Steve felt unusual weak for a moment, he slid down the wall of the alley, but kept a tight hold on his godson, left hand stroking the small back while the other was buried in the kid hair.
For the first time today it felt like he could actually breath. He closed his eyes to relish the moment.
"It's alright. It's ok. Everything's good now. Don't worry you're safe." He soothed, but wasn't sure if he did it just for Tony's benefit. "Shit." He couldn't stop the relieved curse.
"Language." Came the mumbled reply, muffled by his neck, and Steve laughed breathily.
"Right, sorry" he pressed his cheek to the side of Tony's face and was contend to stay that way for now.
He spared a moments thought for his best friend, but he was sure Bucky had things under control. If anything, the impatient man may have beaten the others up, but well, is not like they didn't deserve it.
Finally there was a matter Steve couldn't ignore any longer, so he carefully pushed Tony away a bit, ignoring the little protesting noise, just enough so he could see the kid.
"You ok?" he asked gently over the boy's cheek, very cold cheek. For the first time he noticed that Tony wasn't wearing a jacket…and no shoes either. Quickly, he shrugged out of his leather jacket and threw it over the kids shoulders. Not perfect, but good for now.
Tony held on with his right hand to Steve's shirt and nodded, but at the same time lifted his left hand into his godfather's view. "Hurts." He admitted in a whisper.
The cause for the pain was obvious, three of the fingers looked very swollen and the pinkie was at an unnatural angle. Steve didn't know if that happened in the car crash or if those bastards broke them on purpose. In any case it would be their fault and Steve almost hoped Johnny would stand up to attack, just so he could beat him up again.
"Okay." The soldier put the arm carefully down, "I'll get you to a doctor. He'll make it stop. Something else?"
Again, Tony shook his head, and this time didn't point anything out.
"What about your head?" Steve's hands cradled the boy's face, fingers gently going over two bruises, one on his forehead, and one on his cheek.
"Don't hurt."
"Good." Steve gave a soft smile. "Don't worry now. Before you know it I'll have you home."
He run a hand trough Tony's snow spangled hair and decided it was probably time to leave this ally behind. Sending the police to collect this dirtbag and getting Tony to see a doctor.
But when Tony began to tremble in his arms, Steve was sure it wasn't from the cold, so he carefully pulled him back against his chest, wrapping his arms around him securely. Minding his hurting hand of course.
"Sh, it's okay now, buddy. All over. You've been brave." He could feel tears sting in his own eyes when he felt the wetness of Tony's against his neck. To think he could have very well lost his godson forever today. "So brave. I'm so proud of you."
The boy breathed heavily, choking sobs escaping once in a while.
"They killed Jarvis, Uncle Steve. Jarvis is dead," He began to cry in earnest, "he wouldn't wake up."
"Oh no, Tony," Steve reassured at once, "no, don't worry, Jarvis is fine. He banged his head a little, that's why he wouldn't wake, but he is fine. Already at home waiting for you. He was very worried, still is. And he has made you cookies. Enough to last months."
"You promise?" the child sniffed.
"Have I ever lied to you, buddy?" The head shook against his shoulder. "I definitely won't start now." He reassured, pressing a kiss against the dark hair.
Hearing steps from the mouth of the alley, both tensed at once. Tony out of fear, and Steve ready to defend in case of an attack. But both relaxed instantly when they heard a familiar voice.
"Wow." Bucky said tipping his boot lightly against the unconscious bulk of Johnny, "You really did a number on him." He grinned at them. "Good."
"Hey short-stuff," Barnes came over with long strides and crouch down at their side, giving in to stroke Tony's hair as well. "Good to see you."
Tony turned his head on his godfather's shoulder to give his friend a teary smile. "Hey Bucky."
"The law is here and is taking care of the two idiots I was waiting with," he said to Steve, but let his hand stay in the wet locks. "What to you guy say we leave here, before our little one turns into a chunk of ice."
"Yeah," Steve relented, "that's probably a good idea." Slowly he pushed back on his feet while keeping a hold of Tony. Not that it was necessary, he could probably completely let go and Tony would stay exactly like he was now, so tightly was his grip with arm and legs.
They made their way over to the still unconscious man and looked down contemplatively.
"There are only two officers. They thought they'd just ask some questions. So we will have to take the sleepy head here with us."
"Yeah. Hey Tones, Bucky will take you for a moment, okay? I have to put my super strength to use for a moment. You know how he complains when he has to work on his day off." Steve huffed in mock annoyance, making Tony laugh softly.
"That's because I have no power left after I took missions with your Uncle Steve," Bucky defended and went to take the boy in his arms. "If he wouldn't always push so much, things would be very different, kid, believe me. I'm a tough guy, but everyone has his limits. He is definitely mine."
"Watch his hand." Bucky frowned, but did take a look at the fingers when he took Tony in his arms, and just like that the lightened atmosphere was gone again and he looked angrily at the kidnapper, now being hefted non too gently on Steve's shoulder.
When Tony settled in his arms, Bucky arranged the leather jacket more securely around the small form, lying trusting and tiredly against his shoulder.
Together they trudged back to the run down house and more importantly the police and Bucky's car.
It took an eternity until they were finished with the doctor, the police, everyone, but finally Bucky parked the car back outside the Stark mansion.
Tony woke from his slumber on Steve's lap, a cast on his arm and bundled up in Steve's jacket and a warm blanket from Bucky's car.
"Alright kids, we are back, now out of my car, so I may do something actually fun in my remaining free time."
"You're not coming back in?" Tony yawned and rubbed his eye.
"No brat. You take your Uncle Steve, and I'm sure your butler is still waiting. But, you know, I'm glad you are ok." He held out one finger warningly, "Don't scare us like this again."
"I try." Tony pushed a little from Steve to give Bucky one last hug, which was gladly returned.
Steve just smiled at the two of them and opened the door to leave when they finished.
"Thanks, Buck." He said as a goodbye, making the other roll his eyes.
"I said don't mention it." He grinned, and Steve grinned back.
The front door opened before Steve's hand came even near the bell and Tony practically jumped out of his arms to fall into Jarvis'. Tears falling on both sides.
Steve had never seen the butler as emotional as today, it just made the older man more likeable.
After a few heartfelt moments Jarvis sat the boy gently on the carpet in the foyer.
"Good to have you back, Master Anthony."
"Thank you."
"You may have one cookie, before dinner."
"But dinner is still two hours away! And Uncle Steve said you made lots." Tony whined.
"Dinner will be earlier tonight, you need something warm in you. And a bath. Definitely a bath. And so much sleep, those rings under your eyes…"
"You are fussing again, Jarvis." Groaned Tony, and Steve laughed. Both turned to him, as if just noticing that he was still standing there.
"You may have a cookie as well, Captain Rogers." The butler said and went back to the kitchen.
"That's very generous, Mr Jarvis." Steve picked Tony back up and followed.
Thankfully the youngest Stark didn't say anything when he saw the now 6 full jars of cookies, but he smiled at Jarvis, who was already busy at the stove.
"You ready to sleep now?" Steve asked and gently pulled the blanked over the kid who just looked so exhausted.
Tony yawned and nodded but took a grip on Steve's shirt. "Can you stay for a bit?" he asked a bit uncertainly.
"Of course." The soldier settled down beside his godson, who immediately curled into him, still gripping the bigger mans shirt.
"I was scared when Jarvis didn't wake up and they pulled me from the car." Came the whisper after a moment of silence, and Steve tightened his arms around Tony at the mental picture. "I was scared the whole time."
"Understandable. I was, too."
"But I knew you would come for me."
Steve's heart swelled at the faith Tony had in him, and hoped he would always deserve it. "Always." He bend to press his lips to the boy's forehead, "and don't you forget it."
They continued to lay in silence, and Steve almost thought Tony was already asleep, when he mumbled.
"I did tell them they would be in trouble when you come."
Steve chuckled, "Yeah well, serves them right for not believing you. Now sleep, Tony." He smoothed down the small back. "I know you are tired."
"k. Night."
"Good night."
"You stay?"
"I'll be right here." That was all the reassurance Tony needed to finally fall asleep.
Steve stayed the whole night, not caring that he was still fully clothed. Way too relieved that everything turned out alright.
A/N Yeah, on second thought maybe not so believable that Howard was completely unreachable, but I didn't know how to bring him in. And the no people as witnesses could be unbelievable as well, but…yeah. hope you enjoyed anyway.
