Chapter Three:
"Babe, what's wrong with them?"
Steve's look of despair turned to one of desperation and slight annoyance as he stared at Tony.
"Wrong question to ask there boo."
"What? I don't understand, but seriously, why are they so upset?"
"One, the question you should be asking is 'where is my baby boy? I haven't seen him all day and he wasn't with you three, so where is he?'. Two, they're upset because they can't find their little brother!"
"Shit."
"Shit indeed. Where was he when I asked you to go spend time with him whilst I took the middle ones down to spar?"
"Double shit."
"Tony?"
"I didn't actually spend time with him. I didn't even see him. I was still talking with Bruce about the new metallic composition he wants for the bow and arrows he's making and he said he wanted it finished before Friday. I asked him why and he told me I'd forgotten. I asked what, he said it's Clint's birthday on Friday and then I said I knew I was forgetting something. I then told him what you'd told me and he said that it's bad advice. It is by the way. I told him he should tell that to you, so he said no because he didn't want to be grounded and banned from the labs due to insolence. We both agreed on not telling you and then went out for lunch."
"So you didn't even say hi to him?! Was he watching you when you were saying all of this?"
"I don't know, I didn't see him."
"Boo, haven't you learned? He's so quiet you never see or hear him until he's about to give you a heart attack!"
"Shit! He probably heard that I'd forgotten his birthday and that me and Bruce didn't even say hi to him. Babe, I bet he thinks we don't care!"
"We need to find him."
Tony nodded and looked up to the ceiling in despair.
"Sirs?"
"Not now JARVIS!" Tony snapped.
"It's about Master Clint, sir."
"Go on." Steve prompted before shooing Tony into the living room to comfort the kids.
"Master Clint has been hiding on the roof for the past 54 minutes and he was rather upset when he set off. May I suggest that you go and collect him before it gets dark outside?"
"Shit, it's nearly seven now isn't it? I'll go and get him. Actually, Tony can go get him."
With a final nod to the ceiling, Steve made his way into the living room and headed over to the sofa where Tony and the three older children were cuddling and two out of the three were sniffling. Stroking a hand through his 10 year old's long hair, he briefly caressed his eight year old's curls before squeezing his 12 year old's shoulder. He leant down and whispered in Tony's ear the location of their youngest and then took over as comforter to the young girl and two boys.
Tony virtually sprinted to the elevator, sliding in and tapping his foot impatiently as it took him to the top floor. He sped through the glass doors and up the outside staircase before leaping onto the roof and letting his eyes scan the surface in search for his baby boy. Nothing. The roof was empty.