Just after eight in the morning, Howard left his bedroom and walked down the long hall to the bedroom Tony had chosen for himself as a teenager. He wanted to talk to his son about their new house guests, figuring that surprising him with something like this well, he could explain it so much better than Steve or Bucky could. He could make Tony see what a gift Bucky was, and he wanted to see his son's expression when he realized Howard had fixed that problem for the family. Knocking on the bedroom door, Howard waited a moment before letting himself in. Seeing a bag on the neatly made bed and no other sign that Tony had been there, he realized that his son was more predictable than he'd ever want to admit. Heading downstairs, he didn't waste any time, going straight past the kitchen and dining room without a glance, and towards Tony's workshop. Not bothering to knock, he stepped inside, able to hear the sounds of Tony's music, though it was a group he couldn't identify. He'd given up on music after the seventies, it all sounded like noise to him, which was why it was so much more satisfying to be the one to turn it off.

"Tony, I know you're in here," Howard said, looking around the room to figure out where his son was hiding, his best guess being over by the pile of metal he'd watched Tony bring in piece by piece. "This place is a mess."

"True," Tony yawned, sitting up from the opposite corner where Howard had guessed, still holding a screwdriver in his hand. "But I'm not cleaning it or I won't know where everything is. It's an overused excuse but…here we are." Ducking back down, he began to work on the robot he was working on, preferring that to a conversation with his father.

"Stand up, I'm not talking to air," Howard said sharply, heading over to look at what he was working on, wondering if it was something they could use, or if it's more like the chocolate milk machine Tony built when he was nine. Even he was surprised how big the explosion was. "What is this? It looks like a…table monster."

"It's for me when I'm working, you can't knock it over," Tony turned it on, picking up a half full water bottle, and setting it on the flat part. Taking out his phone, he walked it over past Howard on clawed feet, steering it up the wall as the table remained in place, until it was hanging from the ceiling. "See, it's doing that part okay, the part it's bad at…" Motioning for his father to step back, the robot came crashing down, the water bottle rolling under a desk as it went quiet.

"So you've developed a servant to hold your water bottle for you wherever you want?" Howard asked, leaning down to pick it up so he could examine it. "The joints in the legs, I think you could do with more."

"It's for tools too. Or tequila. Or hard drugs," Tony said as he ignored the criticism, picking the robot off the floor. Putting it back on his workspace, he brought a light down lower so he could fiddle with it. "Maybe we could get it to replace the Pope."

"Have you slept at all? What time did you get in?" Howard asked, ignoring his smart mouthed child, wondering how he turned out like that between him and his late wife.

"After two, and no, I'm not tired," Tony pointed over at the coffee machine which was still half full, an empty mug sitting not far away. "So can I ask why you're in here? Because you don't come in here. You text or send someone in here to get me, or you just wait until you see me."

"I have something to tell you, and I need you to really listen to me, because this isn't something small," Howard said, clearing his throat as he thought about the careful speech he'd been planning for fourteen years, thought for the life of him, he couldn't remember a word of it right now. "Tony, I have a solution to our heir issue."

"You mean your heir issue," Tony corrected him, pouring himself more coffee into his large 'Sexy Grandma' mug. "I already said no to the surrogate, I don't have time to raise a kid, and I don't want my kid being raised by a nanny. So, as I've been saying for years, no. You should have had more kids if you like them that much."

"What if I said you could have them with a man? That he could carry your child?" Howard stepped forward, watching the confusion form on Tony's face as he gave him a smile. "After you came out, I spoke to some doctors, and they devised a way for a male to bear children."

"Is the mysterious answer to this riddle trans men? I am aware of the existence of men with uteruses," Tony took a sip of coffee, a strange feeling of dread coming over him looking at Howard's expression. He was pleased with himself about something. "Look, Dad, I'm not looking to get set up with anyone. I'm sure he's very nice, but I'm not into dating right now, and that really wouldn't be fair to him. It's nice he volunteered but…"

"He didn't volunteer for this, Tony, we made him for you," Howard said, excitement in his voice as he was finally getting to reveal the fruits of this long process. "He's been waiting for you for fourteen years."

Tony set down his mug with a shaking hand, staring back at his father with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. He felt like someone had dumped ice water down his back, his stomach settling in a knot.

"…what do you mean you made him?" Tony asked, mentally begging for this to be more innocent than it sounded.

"I mean, when he was three years old, we saved him after a car accident killed his family, and we brought him to Stark Industries. We put a synthesized womb inside him, cloned from his sister's, and we've housed him ever since," Howard said, frowning as Tony leaned on his work station, a hand over his heart. "Tony, what's wrong?"

"Please tell me you're not serious. This is a really fucked up joke…" Tony said, putting a hand over his mouth as he sat down on his work station, his breathing getting heavier and faster. "This isn't funny…"

"He's not a joke. His name is James, but he likes to go by Bucky, he's turning eighteen tomorrow," Howard said, walking over to Tony, putting his hand on his shoulder. "You're going to love him."

"Don't touch me…don't TOUCH me!" Tony pulled away, staring at Howard in disgust, nausea rolling over him. "What have you fucking done?"

"I've solved our problem!" Howard said with a little laugh, trying to play it off as nothing. "You get your man, I get my grandchildren, it's a win-win situation.

"And what does Bucky want?" Tony yelled back at him, burying his face in his hands as panic tore through his body. "I'm going to be fucking sick…"

"What does it matter what Bucky wants? Tony, he's not a person, not any more, he's been removed from the grid, he died when he was three," Howard said, shaking his head at his son's reaction to his wonderful news. "He knows he's yours, he's always known that."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up…" Tony didn't know what to do, he felt like his heart was being squeezed in his chest. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, he couldn't believe what his father was admitting to. "You stole a child, mutilated him, and locked him up…for me? And you didn't think that I would have a fucking problem with it?"

"I thought you might at first, but that you'd see sense," Howard said, figuring he was going to have to speed things up. "Come on, I'll take you to meet him, you'll feel better once you get to know him."

"Yes, I want to see him! Now!" Tony shouted, standing up, his brain throwing questions and fears at him faster than he could process them.

"Alright, I'll lead the way," Howard said with a relaxed laugh, trying to diffuse the situation as much as he could. Honestly, he thought Tony was just being dramatic, he probably needed to get some rest and some actual food. "Tony, once you meet him, it'll all make sense…"

Tony didn't say anything as Howard led him through the house, trying to make himself take long, deep breaths to keep himself from losing what little control he had left. He wanted to cry, his father, the only parent he had left, had done something so reprehensible that he had no idea what his next step was going to be. He didn't even know what they would begin to charge him with, or if Howard's lawyers would let him slip away. The only thing he could think was that he had to see Bucky, he had to make sure he was okay, and then he had to figure out how to right what Howard did to him. Walking into Howard's home office, Tony didn't compliment his father on a trap door well hidden as his desk moved to the side to reveal a stairway.

"When you meet Bucky, don't scream or act dramatic, you'll scare him, he's still in a bit of shock from his voyage here," Howard said as he lead Tony down the stairs and into a room much like the one Bucky was used to. Only this time, there was another bedroom sharing the space of the exercise room, with a small fridge and hot plate. "He's just fine, little nervous, but he's okay."

Tony stepped off the bottom stair, looking into the clear bedroom at a tall blonde sitting on a bed next to another person with their face buried against their legs. "…so which one? Why are there two of them?"

"Oh, the blond man is Steve Rogers, he's been acting as a handler of sorts to Bucky," Howard said casually as if he'd just introduced Tony to his new secretary.

"So let me get this straight, he's so okay he needs a handler?" Tony said loudly, demanding clarification and the truth from his father.

"I'm not his handler," Steve said at roughly the same volume from the other side of the clear plastic, keeping his arm around Bucky as he looked over at Tony suspiciously. "I'm his friend."

"See, they're friends, Bucky's just being shy," Howard said with a laugh, glad that Steve had unknowingly made things better for him. "Steve stayed down here to keep Bucky company, but we'll be giving him a bedroom upstairs."

"Uh huh. Steve Rogers, how do you get in and out of that room?" Tony asked, looking around until he spotted a control panel. "Which button?"

"The big blue one on the right," Steve answered, not moving from his spot.

"Fabulous," Tony said sarcastically, hitting the button before going to open the door, standing outside of it. "Okay, you're free, I suggest you get the fuck away from my father. I'll set you up with what you want and you can live anywhere in the world, just not in my basement. Come on, get moving, this isn't happening now or at any point in time."

He'd expected to see Bucky scramble for the door, but he didn't move from Steve's side, not even peeking to get a look at what was going on. Tony's eyes moved to Steve's next, looking for an answer he didn't think he wanted to hear.

"He's got a chip in him somewhere that…your father says if he crosses the threshold of the house, he'll be electrocuted, and it will just keep getting worse until he gets back in the safe zone of the house, or….or he dies," Steve began, immediately liking Tony more than Howard, feeling sure that things were going to be better with him around already. "And if he gets pregnant, only your father's people can treat him, neither of us has any idea what he's done to Bucky, not really."

"…Jesus CHRIST!" Tony swore, leaning on Bucky's dresser as he ran a hand through his messy hair, trying not to throw up on the floor as he gave himself a moment to process this. He wasn't doing well, he just wanted to go upstairs and empty the liquor cabinet and forget that his father had done something so reprehensible that Tony didn't know if he should shoot him or call the police. "You've got to be fucking kidding me…you've got to be fucking KIDDING me!"

"Tony…" Howard started, walking over to him to calm his son, not wanting him to scare Bucky on their first meeting.

"DON'T!" Tony snapped, standing upright again, looking over at Steve and Bucky, not sure what he could possibly do or say to fix this situation. Walking over to the bed, he knelt in front of Bucky, not speaking for a moment as he watched the young man hug his legs tighter. "Bucky, I'm sorry, I'm not yelling at you, I don't mean to scare you. I can't even begin to imagine what you've been through, and there aren't enough apologies in this world for what has happened to you. I'm going to make things better for you."

As Bucky looked up, his bright blue teary eyes meeting with Tony's dark ones as they met each for the first time. Tony couldn't ignore the feeling of his heart aching in his chest looking at the beautiful young man, guilt aching in his chest at the thought that he'd had to give up his entire life just to be a solution to a problem that Tony didn't even care about.

"I never would have let him do that to you…" Tony said, reaching out to touch Bucky, looking at Steve for a moment to okay it with him, waiting for his little nod to put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Bucky, I'm going to do the most I can to give you a wonderful life. I'm…I'm so, so sorry…"

Tony hadn't expected his tears until he heard his voice crack under the pressure of them, his eyes staring into Bucky's for what felt like forever, until Bucky slowly let go of his legs with his left hand. Reaching out with his own hand, Tony squeezed Bucky's tightly, the lump in his throat growing when Bucky squeezed back.

"See, Tony, he's-" Howard began, his hand ready to squeeze Tony's shoulder.

"Don't you fucking touch me. You have lost that right," Tony said with a snarl, keeping his voice as low and even as he could for the sake of Bucky's nerves. "Get out of here, or I swear to god, you will regret having me."

Steve watched Howard back out of the room and head up the stairs, his arm not leaving Bucky's shoulders as he clenched his teeth. He'd always tried to look for the good in people, but as far as he was concerned, he hated Howard Stark with everything in him.

"I'm moving you two upstairs today, do you want to share a room or do you want separate rooms? And this can be a temporary as you want it to be, I will get that chip out of you, Bucky," Tony said, watching as Bucky relaxed a bit with his father gone. "You're not going to live in a cell for a moment longer. Do…do you trust me?"

Bucky's eyes moved to Steve first, waiting for him to nod slightly, before he nodded at Tony himself. Letting Tony help him to his feet, Bucky wiped at his eyes with his sleeve, holding his other hand out for Steve.

"Let's get you out of here," Tony said, leading the other men up the stairs into his father's office, hoping that Howard had made himself very scarce. He still needed to figure out what he was going to do with him, he had to make sure he couldn't get out of it somehow. "Bucky, do y-oh no, are you okay?"

Bucky stared at the large window behind Howard's desk, floor to ceiling with a beautiful view of the back gardens around the waterfall that fell into the pool, and he couldn't tell if the water or the sky was more blue.

"He hasn't been outside since he was three," Steve explained lowly, watching as Bucky walked over to the window, his hand hovering over it as if he was afraid to touch it. "Your father says he made him, made Bucky call him Father, had him living in an over regulated environment. He couldn't even have a cupcake without having to burn it off on the exercise bike. There was a picture of you on his wall, and he was told he was just yours to use."

"Please, I'm not my father, he's…" Tony covered his mouth for a moment, unable to stop watching the wonder in Bucky's eyes as he stared out at the back yard. "I'm sorry. I don't know what it's worth, but I am."

"I believe you had no idea this was going on, but, did anything seem weird fourteen years ago?" Steve asked, hoping to get some more answers, looking for any kind of logic to what happened.

"Uhh, no, not really, I mean, I came out around then," Tony said, turning his head to look at Steve again, wishing he'd met him under very different circumstances. "I left home to go to school around then too, I wasn't around my dad to see if he was being evil."

"I don't think there's really any way to guess your father is up to something like this," Steve sighed, wondering if he should go to Bucky's side, or give him a minute on his own to process his first steps to freedom.

"No, I suppose not," Tony didn't care if this wasn't his fault, it was still done for him, and he couldn't forget that. "…does he hate me?"

"Uhm…" Steve took a moment to think about how to best put this, not wanting to upset Tony more than he was. "He doesn't hate you, but he was afraid you'd use him, take the kid, and leave him in his cell. You have to understand he probably thought you were like Howard."

"I am-I am NOTHING like him," Tony insisted, still keeping his voice low. "I will figure out a way to make this right, as right as I can, and I'm starting with calling the police and getting my father out of this house." He looked at Steve again before walking over to Bucky, his heart aching at the tears running down Bucky's face as he stared forward, looking like he was in a state of shock. "Bucky, anything you want, anything at all, you can ask me for it and I'll do anything to make it happen."

"…I can't imagine wanting something more than this…" Bucky said in awe, finally letting the tips of his fingers touch the glass, surprised at how warm it was. "Except to go out and touch it, that would be…can I have some grass? In books they talk about the smell of grass, but I can't even begin to picture it."

"You can have all the grass you want, Bucky. Give me a bit of time and I'll have you out there lying on it in no time," Tony promised, bringing a hand to rest on the small of his back. "I'm turning my father in to the police, I can't think of what else to do so that's how it's going to be, and they're going to want to talk to you and Steve, but I'll try to do this so you don't have to go through too much, I want you as uninvolved as possible. You deserve to have someone look after you for a change."

"I'll talk. I can do that much," Bucky said, his voice small and afraid, though his determination shone through his expression. "What's going to happen to me though?"

"You can stay here as long as you want, you and Steve, my home is open to you," Tony answered, giving him as comforting as a smile as he could manage, hoping that it worked even a little. "I'm sorry, Bucky, you will never be my property, you never should have been told you will be, but that doesn't mean you're not important to me. If you want to leave here, I will make sure you have everything you'll ever need, but this can be home for as long as you wan-."

Tony held his breath for a moment as Bucky leaned his head against him, pausing for a moment before his hand on his side, hugging him closer. Looking beside Bucky at Steve, he hoped the other man didn't think he was trying anything, he just wanted to comfort Bucky, and he was pretty sure that's what Bucky was asking for.

"I will never hurt him…" Tony said softly, making eye contact with Steve as he kept his arm around Bucky. "You have my word."

"I know you won't, because I'll be here to stop it," Steve replied, trying to keep his voice smooth rather than threatening. "It's not that I don't trust you though, it's that I love him."

Tony turned back to the window, nodding a little as he pretended to be interested in the landscaping. "I'm glad you'll be here, you're as welcome to be here as he is," he said finally, taking his phone from his pocket, thinking of what he'd say exactly to explain what his father had done, hoping the police didn't think he was insane. "I'll earn your trust."

Steve wanted to call Tony arrogant and tell him that the were leaving the second the chip was out of him, but he couldn't fault a single action Tony had made since they met. He was willing to save Bucky, he was willing to let him free, and Steve felt a bit guilty that he'd never considered that to be a possibility. He'd damned Tony before they'd even met, unfairly so, so the other man deserved a proper second chance.

"I'd like to see you try," Steve said honestly.