Disclaimer: I do not own General Hospital, nor Ironman. This are for amusement only, and nothing else.

Summary: "You find things that matter and you hold onto them. You hold onto the so tight, and you don't let go. No matter what."

Pairings: Tony Stark/Elizabeth Webber, mentions of past relationship

Timeline: 2009, set directly after the Avengers

Need to Know: It's before Lucky and Liz reconciled.

Inspiration: I've been doing at lot of X-Men/General Hospital stories lately, but I wanted to do something a little different. I found an old picture of the original Cameron, and noted that he looked like he could have played RDJ's son. That was where this plot bunny was born, so I hope you all enjoy it.

Inspired by the songs:

"Take Your Time" by Sam Smith

"Dust to Dust" by the Civil Wars

"Two Ships" by Stephanie Lynn

I want to thank, ilovedana53, trini12180, for the favorites!

I want to thank, Twist Musalih, Wonderwomom, bookfreak25, cyn13013, ilovedana53, jenmatl9, trini12180, for all the follows!

And I want to give a special thanks to all the reviewers, trini12180, ilovedana53, jenmatl9, CandyHearts22!


The Things That Matter

By ThroughtheMirrorDarkly


CHAPTER TWO of TWO

The slap echoed through the hospital, and if anyone hadn't been staring at the man in the iron suit, they certainly were now. Everyone waited with baited breath as Elizabeth Webber looked up thunderously at Tony Stark. Her jaw shook and her eyes were filled with angry tears.

"She slapped Ironman," Spinelli whispered out, sounding as if he might faint. He and Maxie had came around the corner just in time to witness the slap in all it's glory. Maxie just arched a brow, if she didn't hate Elizabeth Webber so much she would ask her for lesson. Like or not, the woman had one mean slap.

"Ow! What was that for?" Tony demanded, rubbing his aching cheek. "You called! I am here!"

"You have to ask," Elizabeth snapped, her hand twitching as if she might slap him again.

Tony saw the gesture and had his face plate slid into place to protect his face. "Now, Elizabeth," his held a mechanical timber to in when he was in the suit, "let's not be hasty. Put the hand down, and we can talk."

"Talk? Oh, so now you want to talk! Two years, Tony!" She snapped, her voice raising several octaves. Her blue eyes stared at him, and they were glassy with tears. She hadn't meant to breakdown like this, to get angry at him at all. She had called him, asked him to come and he did. However, seeing him standing there released years worth of anger and pain. With her emotions running high, she had no chance in reigning them in. "Nearly three, and I haven't heard a single word from you! Where the hell you were you?"

Tony ran a hand down his face. He knew that this fight was coming. It was always a worry that his enemies would discover his son and the mother of his child. He didn't know what to do if something happened to Elizabeth, or Cam. Or even the new baby, because he was a part of Elizabeth therefore he was already important to Tony's heart. He released a heavy sigh. "It wasn't safe."

"Safe?" Elizabeth's expression hardened. "It wasn't safe?" Her voice was suspiciously quiet, and her hands curled into bloodless fists. His words bit into her heart, and her stomach seethed at the very word.

"No," Tony told her, sharply. He ran a hand down his face, the metal clinking together noisily. "After the debacle with Ivan Vanko…I was reminded that I will always have enemies out there, and I didn't want to put a target on you back than I already had."

"Right." Elizabeth's expression twisted into something sour as she crossed her arms over her chest. "That seems to be a favorite excuse with you men lately."

"Huh?" Tony sounded confused.

"Did you even think of telling me what you were feeling? Talk to me about what was going on inside of your head before you just disappeared out of my life? I lost my friend when you decided to stay away, the person I confided in! The person I trusted more than anyone else in the world, and in one of my hardest times of my life you were gone!" Elizabeth wiped away the tears stubbornly before they could run down her face. She felt like she had been gutted, then all the parts hastily put back in all wrong. "Danger…it's everywhere. In everything! I could get hit by a bus, or get shot, or Helena Cassidine might show up! Life isn't safe, and you are completely deluding yourself if you think it is."

Her chest was heaving up and down with deep breaths. She ran her fingers through her hair, and she looked at him with lips pursed. "If you are going to be here, Tony," she told him, quietly. "Then be here. If you aren't, then just walk away and don't look back. I've been jerked around by the people in my life over and over again. I never expected you to be one of them."

With that she turned around, and stalked away.

Ironman stood there feeling like a complete jerk, and fool. Quite a feat for Tony Stark.


Jason was trying to find Trevor Lansing, figuring since the man brought the biochemical into the hospital to give to the Russain before everything went to hell, that he might have a cure on him. Everyone was running around, and no way to tell who would drop ill next until they passed out onto the floor. He paused in step when he saw Elizabeth fly down a hallway, but not before he saw the sheen of tears on her face.

His heart clenched in his chest, and he wanted to go to her. Everything in him told him to go after her, to comfort her when she was so clearly in need. Instead, he swallowed the feeling down and walked away. Like he always did.


Tony had gotten out of his suit, needing to be out of the metal prison right in this moment. It felt too hot, and blistering. Or maybe that was the ache in his chest where his heart should be. He should have expected that reaction out of her. Hell, he had expected it. He knew how much Elizabeth hated abandonment, almost as bad as he did. He had just…just seen so much damage wrought by the decision he made, and he just didn't want her or her boys to become a causality of it.

He had longed to call her. To talk like they usually did, about anything to chase away the bad things away if only a little bit. He had kept an eye on her, saw all that she went through with Luckless, the bastard, and then with the mobster with a heart of gold, Jason Morgan. He should have stayed in touch, he knew it. Everyone knew it. Pepper had told him, Rhodney had told him, Happy told him. He bit back a violent curse, and paced the length of the floor.

"Is…the Man of Iron…unwell?" Spinelli inquired, hesitantly.

"Maybe that slap knocked something loose," Maxie said, sarcastically. Spinelli looked horrified about the very idea.

However, no one got another word in when Lucky came into sight with Sam firmly attached to his side, and when he saw Maxie standing there, he figured that he could get some information out of her. "Hey, Maxie…do you know Cameron's room number?"

Maxie opened her mouth, but Tony cut her off. "Don't answer that," the billionaire pointed a finger at the blond while giving Lucky a decidedly narrowed eyed look.

"Excuse me? Who the hell are you?" Lucky snapped.

Sam's eyes widened. "Oh, my God. You're Tony Stark," she gasped out. "The billionaire."

Tony resisted the urge, just barely, to say something nasty. Of course, she would known how much he was worth. Isn't that Sam McCall's method operandi? She went after rich men, and then bleed them dry? Why wouldn't she know the name of a billionaire on the off chance she might a chance? He doubted that this waste of space was even with the cop because she cared. It was probably more to get back at Elizabeth.

If he had been a lesser person he would have shot them both out of the window. However, he would settle for making sure Lucky Spencer could never use Elizabeth's kids to manipulate her and drain every ounce of Sam's money that she had stolen leaving her penniless while giving an anonymous tip to the states who still had warrants out for the con artist. It wasn't nearly enough because this woman had hurt someone very important to him, but it was a start.

"Listen here, soon-to-be ex Officer Spencer, you aren't going anywhere near Cameron, Jake or Elizabeth," Tony took a threatening step forward. "Are we clear?"

"You have no right-" Lucky's face turned red.

"Actually after what I found out, I have every right to protect the people I care about. So let me repeat myself, you won't be going near Elizabeth and her children," Tony said, with a tight smile. "I've already arranged for you to be striped of any rights you had to them, what little few you had, and it will be a snowy day in hell before there's anything you can do about it."

"Who the hell do you think you are? I don't care if you're a billionaire playboy flying around in his toy suit," Lucky snapped, angrily, "but you have no right putting your nose into my business."

"That's where you are wrong, peaches," Tony stated, sarcastically. "I have every right seeing how that is my son lying in there on that hospital bed and that the mother of my child is worried again for children because of you."

"What?" Lucky pulled back, shocked. Sam looked just as stunned as he did while Maxie had it figured out like five minutes ago. The resemblance was freaking uncanny, one just had to look at Cameron and then Tony Stark, DNA test not needed.

"Uh, not to correct the Great Man of Iron, but we were under the impression that the former Zander Smith was the father of the wee one?" Spinelli hesitantly stepped forward. His voice shook ever so slightly because he was in front of one of his idols.

Tony's brows pinched. "Do you always talk like that? Is that a thing?" He asked, rather bluntly. He was all for techno geek. Hell, he was the techno geek, but he had a thing about stereotypes. He didn't like them, even though he played his part of the playboy billionaire rather well.

"This…is how I normally speak?" Spinelli looked confused.

"Uh-huh. That explains a few things," Tony stated.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Maxie crossed her arms over her chest, ready to defend Spinelli if necessary.

"You are?" Tony arched a brow.

"His girlfriend," Maxie gave him a cold stare.

"Really?" Tony looked faintly impressed. "Good job," he told Spinelli, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Thank you," Spinelli smiled, brightly. His smile dimmed when Maxie shot him a look. "Though to be rather truthfully the lovely Maximista has made all the overtures in our relationship thus far."

"In that case, do something good and something fast. Women don't like doing all the leg work, though you do have the legs to pull it off," Tony pointed a finger at Maxie.

"Thank you…I think?" Maxie wasn't sure how to take that.

"Alright, so you're Cameron's father," Sam commented, with a half smirk. "Wow. You know I knew Elizabeth was some piece of work, but to have lied to another man about his child-"

"Time out." Tony rudely interrupted the brunette before she could get going because if he let her finish he might not be able to keep his cool. "I'm going to stop you right there. For one, the whole jealous bitch look, not a good one for you especially with your overdone tan," Tony slipped his sunglasses out of his pocket, and put them on. "Not that it is any of your business, but I've always known that Cameron was mine. Elizabeth has never lied to me, and never will. As for that cretin Zander Smith, may he rot in hell, the only reason he has ever been assumed to be Cameron's father is because we, Elizabeth and I, thought it would be safer than announcing he's my son when a bunch of terrorists were out to gank me. Now if you don't mind, I believe I wasted enough of my time here on the likes of you two. I would like to go see my son."

He made to the turn, then paused as if he had forgotten something. "Oh, by the way Luckless," Tony curled his hand into a fist and punched Lucky as hard as he could. The cop was down on the ground before he knew what him. Tony rolled the pain out of his wrist while looking rather nonchalant.

"You…dare…" Lucky's voice was muffled by him covering his blood nose. Tears of pain were streaking down his face, and Sam was down at his side, holding him to comforting him while giving Tony a dirty look.

"Always." Tony gave him a blistering glare. "My son and his little brother were perfectly safe at their grandmother's house. Instead, you had the bright idea to pick them and bring them here right into the middle of a bio attack which by the way is your fault because you pissed off some angry Russians and Trevor Lansing. Not to mention the cheating, drugs and all the other stuff you put her through. You're fortunate that I am not in my suit, and all you got was a punch. Now pick yourself up, and quit crying. There is no crying in baseball."


Elizabeth had her head in her hands.

She knew she shouldn't have gone off on Tony like that. In a time like this, no one needed to be fighting. It was so hard not to give into her emotions right now. After fighting off the biochemical herself, she was tired and exhausted. The only good thing that came from it was the fact she could sit with her son without being wrapped up in scrubs, and face masks. Jake after blood tests had been cleared and taking by Patrick to a secure level. Knowing that one of her boys were safe gave her a level of comfort, and she stared at her little boy.

His dark curls matted to his forehead as his fever broke, but it had broke before only to start again several times. He was being so strong even though he didn't know it. Elizabeth ran her thumb across the back of his tiny hand as she held it.

He had to make it through. He had to. She didn't know what she would do if she lost him. She blinked her tears eyes, and she looked up to find Tony standing in the doorway. With a sniffle, she brushed away the tears. "What are you doing here? You could get sick," she admonished him, quietly.

Tony gave a humorless quirk of his lips. "Don't worry about me," he told her, quietly. His brown eyes stared at his son who looked so small in the big bed. "Save it for him."

Elizabeth almost smiled. She stared at the man, and heaved a sigh. The reason she had gotten so angry with Tony is because he was the only person that had never treated her like she was too weak to handle her own life. He had always treated her like an equal never like something less than that. To here he walked away because of danger hurt her more than Jason leaving had. "I'm sorry…for slapping you. The rest of it though," she told him, with a light shrug.

"I get it. I understand it," Tony swallowed harshly.

"It's just…I don't understand why none of you can see it. You don't shove people away. You don't push them out of you life because they matter to you," Elizabeth said, tears rolling down her cheeks. She was still very much angry, but she didn't know who she was angry at more. Him, or herself. "You find things that matter and you hold onto them. You hold onto the so tight, and you don't let go. No matter what."

Tony stood there, wordlessly. A novelty for him. He looked over at Cameron, and his expression softened. "I synthesized a cure on my way over here. I had Jarvis send it to your good old friend, Robin Scorpio. From my calculations, it should be done in an few hours," Tony assured her, with a slight nod. "He's going to be okay."

"You're serious?" Elizabeth looked up at him. Her blue eyes filled with so much hope and despair that it physically hurt him to see it.

"I wouldn't joke about something like this," he stated, quietly.

"I know…I know that you wouldn't. I just…" She sighed, softly.

"I know what you meant," Tony said, softly. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked into the room. His brown eyes stared down at his little boy. He felt a knot in his throat, and he looked down at his feet. He hadn't been the number one father. Hell, he wasn't sure if Cameron would even call him 'dad' anymore. Being MIA for the last couple of years didn't exactly endear him to his son, nor to his child's mother.

"I'm an idiot."

Elizabeth paused, and shot him a look.

"I'll admit right now, I'm an idiot with hardly any redeeming qualities, and I made the hugest mistake of my life by pushing you away," Tony admitted, speaking rather quickly like he always did when he was slightly uncomfortable. It wasn't uncomfortable for him to bear his soul, not to her. It was uncomfortable that he was so comfortable with it. He had hardly realized how much he had fallen in love with her over the years, until the moment his heart stopped beating. "I died today. I was in a huge battle in New York against an alien army and I died saving the world. Some may say that calls me a hero, but how can I call myself that when I can't say that I am my son's hero? Or your hero?"

"Tony," Elizabeth looked at him, her heart twisting in her chest. She stood up, and walked over to him. Her hand quivered before she placed it over the arc reactor that kept him alive, that kept hundred of piece of metal from tearing into his heart and killing him. "I didn't need you to be a hero. I just needed you to be here. I needed the man that I…I care so much about in my life. These past two years, I didn't know what to do without you. I had no one to call when I felt like my world crashing down, no one that understood how it felt to be standing in a crowd of people yet feel completely alone? If it hadn't been for my two boys…I don't know how I would have made it."

"You would have," Tony told her, softly. "You're a fighter. Just like me. Just like Cam. Just like Jake will be. When the chips are down and the odds are bad we still fight because that's who we are, we are fighters. We are survivors."

The two sat there for several moments in silence, the only sound the beeps of the machines and the small puffs of air that Cameron let out. "He's so tiny. I don't remember him being so tiny," Tony whispered. He blinked his eyes rapidly to hide the glaze of tears that started to rise.

"I know," Elizabeth nodded. "He has this big, bubbly personality…it's so hard to see him laying there so still and quiet. It's…it's just not right. I wish to God I hadn't agreed to let Lucky back into my life. I knew it was a bad idea, but I felt so guilty because he seemed to genuinely care about the boys."

"He cares about them," Tony said, his lips twisted downward. "He only cares about himself more. The need to constantly be a hero by any means trumps the care he has for anything else."

Elizabeth just sighed, sadly. "I made mistakes. I made so many mistakes, and I don't know how to make them stop," she breathed in harshly. "I could deal with it when it was just me, but now…they are affecting my children. I don't want my life to be one big mistake that screws them up."

"That's not realistic," Tony told her, with a wry grin on his face. "You don't stop being human, and being human means making mistakes. Big ones and small ones. We live and we learn."

"What if you don't learn?" Elizabeth asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then you keep going until you get it right," Tony told her, simply. "Something take longer than others, and I am speaking from personal experience here, but in the end you find a way to get it or you go out fighting. Those are the only two good options, and I know they are the only two you would allow yourself to do. You're an honest woman, Elizabeth."

"Not always," Elizabeth countered, quietly.

"Just because you don't tell the truth doesn't mean you aren't honest. There are several different types of honesty, and you're the most important one," Tony told her, pointedly. "When everything is on the line, you are there. You give one hundred percent and then some, not a lot of people can say that."

Elizabeth gave a light huff of amusement. "When did you become so profound? Is this a new thing?" She asked him, with her eyebrows raised.

"I did a whole juice zen cleanse for about a week. Very fulfilling spiritually," Tony said, with out missing a beat. "Look there is a kind of beauty that can't be destroyed because it's on the inside…that's what you are Elizabeth. Forget all the mistake, and bad choices…never lose sight of that. Never lose sight of the fact that you are a mother, a nurse, an artist…you are so much more than your mistakes."

She looked at him with those blue eyes that always seen too much of him, seen right into the places that he hid beneath sarcastic smiles and witty remarks. The places that no one else was supposed to go, but she waltzed in like she owned the place. "I wish you could see that, too," she told him, there was a catch in her voice.

"I see it when I'm with you…" Tony admitted, on a deep breath. He brushed the hair out of her face gently, then placed each palm on either side of her face. "I kept away because I was afraid," he whispered out.

"Tony…" Elizabeth started to withdraw. She didn't want to hear the fear speech, especially not from him. It would hurt worse than anything else ever could.

"Let me finish," he said, his tone pleading. "I kept away not because I'm afraid that my life will hurt you. There are no guarantees in life, and I get that. I really do. I used it as an excuse because I'm afraid of myself." His brown eyes filled with anguish, and his voice laced with pain. "When I am with you…these moments like this…it makes me want everything. Not some phone calls, not the occasional visit. I want to wake up everyday to find you by my side, and that scared the shit out of me.

"I'm not a man who makes commitments easily, if at all and the fact that I wanted that from you…" Tony breathed out, his throat feeling tight at the admission. "It crept up on me. Slowly through the years, you became such an important part of my life and I didn't realize it until…"

"You're important to me, too," Elizabeth whispered out. She had strong feelings for Tony, but she had never thought it right to act on them. She didn't want him to think her feelings stemmed from the child that they shared, or that she was after his money in a Carly-esque way. She knew that Tony would never think these things, that they were her fears conjured from her own insecurities and doubts. She had to admit over the years she had fallen in love with Tony, even though she had never admitted it outloud.

Not that she didn't love Lucky, or Jason. It was just…a different type of love. The love she had for Lucky was that innocent first love that was never meant to last, and had became toxic when the two couldn't reconcile the fact that they weren't those fifteen year old kids anymore. The love she had for Jason was the dream, a safe place and if given the chance could have been something great. With Tony…it was everything. It was this all encompassing thing that could not be describe with words. "When you weren't there…when you wouldn't answer my calls, or message with anything more than a quick excuse," Elizabeth licked her lips. "I felt like a piece of my life just shatter. I didn't know how to live without you in my life, and it hurt. It hurt worse than anything else I have felt in my life. So…if you are going to be here, really be here because my heart can't take it if you leave again."

"I won't. I can't because I'm a wreck without you. Worse than usually, because seeing you here right now, being with you in this moment…it makes me realize how bleak my life has been without you," Tony told her, his voice stark with emotions. His brown eyes bore into her blue ones as he rested his forehead gently against her. "And God, has it been bleak these last two years. It's colorless without you. You paint my world in light and brightness and so much good. You are my best friend, and I am sorry I made the mistake of walking away from you once."

Elizabeth gave him a watery smile, she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his neck. He rested his chin on her forehead and held her just as tightly. For the first time in a long time, Elizabeth felt whole.


After tracking Trevor and finding out from Robin that there was a cure in the making, Jason finally headed out to find Elizabeth. He had been worrying about her in the back of his mind. However, when he got to the room where Cameron was being treated, he stopped short when he saw Elizabeth in the arms of some man. Pain speared through his gut, Jason stared at the man and he knew in his heart that this man was Cameron's father. The resemblance was too uncanny, and it was obvious…that Elizabeth cared deeply for the man. She held him like she never wanted to let go.

She used to hold him like that, a traitorous thought raced through his mind and he swallowed shakily. Jason had always thought that while Lucky had a place in Elizabeth's heart, that Jason was the one that had been holding it. He now saw that he and Lucky had places in her heart, but this man…this man was the one holding it. It could have been me, Jason thought, his heart clenching painfully in his chest.

It could have. If he hadn't been such a fool to walk away…he could be in this man's place instead. Now it was too little, too late. He bowed his head, and stepped out of the room quietly. He made it about fifteen feet before a voice made him halt in step. "Its hard…isn't it?" There was a red headed woman in a white suit with paperwork in her hands. She was beautiful, and statuesque. Her pale green eyes looked into the room at the people who painted the picture of a happy family.

"What?" Jason looked at her confused.

"Being a part of their lives, but not being their life?" The red headed woman commented, with a sad smile on her face. She looked at him, and Jason saw the same pain in his heart written in her eyes. "I know how it feels. Years ago, I screwed up. I didn't see that every time Tony acted out, getting drunk or sleeping with someone, it wasn't to hurt me. It was him screaming out, 'Help…help me. I'm standing right here, and I'm drowning…can't you see me?' But I didn't. I pushed him away, kept my distance and by the time I finally realized what he was trying to say…he found her."

Jason swallowed thickly. His hands were clenched tightly, and there was a light tremor in his jaw. He should just walk away, and leave this woman to her pain so he could go drown in his. But he just stood there, silently and continued to listen.

"And I don't hate her," the red head shook her head. "I don't. Elizabeth is this wonderful, compassionate woman and she is a good friend to me. And she's good for Tony, she makes him…brighter. She makes him more human, and for that I will always be grateful."

"But it still hurts," Jason commented, his voice barely more than a whisper. "To see what could have been, if only you opened you heart to them when they wanted to be let in."

The red headed nodded, sniffling slightly. She delicately wiped away the tears before they could even fall, and she turned towards him with a big smile plastered on her face. She held out her hand. "Pepper Potts," she introduced herself.

"Jason Morgan," Jason clasped her hand. She had a delicate hand, but her grip was confident and firm.

"Jake's father," Pepper said, recognition flickered through her gaze.

"How…?" Jason blinked in shock.

"Elizabeth…she doesn't lie to Tony or I. She wanted someone to know just in case anything ever happened that way…Jake would be with you, if you wanted him to be," Pepper said, softly.

"Oh, I didn't know that…she did that," Jason whispered out. His throat felt raw as if he had swallowed down a bunch of broken glass.

"Does it surprise you? She is the woman who tries to take care of everyone," Pepper said, with a lopsided smile.

"No…no, it doesn't," Jason said, his blue eyes flickering back to Elizabeth. He let out a deep breath, and ran his fingers through his hair.

Pepper stared at him for a long moment. "So…know anywhere to get a good drink?" She asked, a hand on her hip. "You look like you could use one, and God knows I could use one right about now."

Jason looked at her with his deep blue before the corner of his mouth lifted just a fraction. "Yeah, I know a place." He stared at the red head for a long moment, then inquired, "Feel up for some company?"

"Wouldn't mind it," Pepper said, with a half smile. "Lead the way."

The pair of the headed towards the elevator, and the elevator doors slid open. Carly walked out, and as soon as she seen Jason, she made a beeline for him. "Jason! Thank God! I have been looking everywhere for you," the blond said, latching onto his arms. When she saw some unknown red head standing too close to Jason, she added, "Michael has been so worried about you! You should come and see him."

"I will see him tomorrow," Jason promised. "I have plans."

"For dinner? We can join you," Carly said, her eyes narrowed at the red head who hadn't moved off. The red head woman didn't react, save for the slight arch of her brow and faint trace of amusement on her lips.

"I'm going out for drinks," Jason sighed.

"Then I'll join you," Carly said, brightly.

"He already has a drinking partner," Pepper said, taking pity on the poor man. "So…what's the name of the place were going?"

"Who the hell are you?" Carly sneered.

"A friend," Jason said, his tone sharp. He couldn't believe Carly was being so rude. No, wait. Yes, he could. He pulled himself out of Carly's grip and used Pepper past her into the elevator. "It's a little place, but it's a good bar."

Carly stared in disbelief because there is no way Jason just chose that scrawny ass ginger over her, and marched forward only to be stopped by the elevator doors shutting in her face.

As the elevator started going down, Pepper leaned over ever slightly to whisper, "Why do I get the feeling that woman is trouble?" Her green eyes filled with dry amusement when Jason winced ever so slightly.

"Because she's Carly."

"Ah. Elizabeth told me all about her."

"I bet she did," came the amused reply.


END OF CHAPTER!

Hope you all enjoyed. Up next…the Epilogue guest starring the Avengers.

Rrs are appreciated.