~4 years after Armageddon that almost was~

"I will not have you speak about God that way, Young man!" A strict looking lady glare at the boy in front of her.

The boy, who is way too intelligent for his young age, returned the glare as he crosses his arms. "Why? Which part of what I said was wrong? Take the flood for instead, if God really loves all Her creatures then why did She kill all but one human family and two of each animal? Just because a group of humans displeased Her it is okay to kill all the INNOCENT children and animals? Why punish them for the sins of a group of adults? What have they done to deserve it?"

The lady takes a deep breath to calm herself and keep from strangling the child. "It is not for us to question God, What He does He does for a reason."

"That is stupid!" The boy throws his arms into the air in frustration. "The Snake from the Garden of Eden did not work hard to give us the knowledge of good and evil just so humans would blindly follow God!"

"That Snake was the devil himself! He did it to get humans to sin so he can have their souls!" The lady clutched her rosary she kept in her pocket.

"The Snake gave us the chance to think for ourselves! The freedom to decide what's good and evil!" The boy yelled as he stomped his feet. "And I have decided that I don't want to pray to a God that can be so cruel to the very people She claims to love!"

"Why you little..." The lady growled and would have raised her hand to hit the boy if his mother did not enter the room.

"Oh dear..." His mother whispered softly as she covers her mouth, she knows what's going on, this isn't the first time it has happened but she could not find it in herself to be angry at her son. She gives the lady a tired smile and gently leads her away from her son. "I am so sorry this did not work out, Mrs. Thompson. Jarvis will pay you for the day."

"This way please, Ma'am." Jarvis said politely as he leads the lady away and closes the door behind him.

The mother, Maria, sigh softly before turning towards her son and kneel down in front of him so they can look at each other eye to eye. "What's wrong, Anthony?" She asked softly. "Why are you so upset with this nanny? You can just pretend to pray if she asked, there's no need to get into an argument with her."

"I will not pray to any God, Mom! I don't care if it is only pretend, I am not doing it!" He closed his eyes as he turns away from his mother.

"You don't have to believe in God, Dear. Just pretend to go alone, this is the 5th nanny this month and you know we have important work to do so we can't always be here for you." She said calmly as she gently stroke her son's hair to calm him down.

Anthony turns to face his mother once he has calmed down. "You can always just leave me alone at home. I can take care of myself." He said softly.

"You are too young to be alone, Dear." It breaks her heart to see her little boy maturing so quickly before her eyes. When people say that children grow up in a blink of the eye she didn't think it would be this quick.

"I am old enough." Anthony said seriously.

And for a split second Maria almost believe him, his eyes...they are the eyes of someone who has seen too much in their lifetime and it doesn't belong on her son. "Tell you what, if you managed to keep the next nanny till next year I will talk to your father about turning a room into your own personal garden." She smiled when she saw his warm chocolate brown eyes light up.

"Really?" He asked hopefully, he has been asking for a garden for a long time and he didn't think he would ever be getting it, especially because his father didn't think he should be wasting his time gardening.

"Of course, Sweetie." She gently kisses his forehead before holding out her pinkie. "Mommy promise."

Anthony would rather shake on it to seal the deal but this is better than nothing. He hooks his pinkie around his mom's and smiled brightly. "Then it is a deal."

~A year later~

"Your plants are all so beautiful, they are the most verdant I've ever seen," Joseph said to Howard. "You have got to tell me your secrets."

"Oh, no secrets, Joseph." Maria smiled proudly as she places her hand on Anthony's shoulder. "Our little boy has a green thumb." Anthony did not chase away his nanny so as promised she talked her husband into making one of their extra room into their son's garden. And of course the minute he got his garden he chased his nanny away, he made a good argument when she had tried to take his garden away from him as punishment and in the end, she let him keep it. Howard said she is spoiling him but how can she take away something that makes her son so happy? Something he is so good at she just had to show them off to their party guests.

"If he doesn't want to take over the family business he can be a gardener." Obadiah joked.

Howard rolls his eyes. "Don't even joke about it, Obadiah. Anthony will take over SI when he is old enough." He said it like a fact, not giving his son a choice to be anything else.

"Now now, Howard, you can't force him to do it if he doesn't want to." Joseph said after seeing how upset Anthony looked.

"He will be serving his country, protecting his fellow Americans and giving them weapons they need to win." Howard narrows his eyes and glances over to Anthony. "He should be proud that that is his future."

"Howard." Maria hissed softly. "Please don't do this now, this is supposed to be his early birthday party." She reminded him why they are having this party now instead of on his birthday itself. Howard had only been at Anthony's first birthday, he is far too young to remember it, and they are celebrating today because Howard would be gone tomorrow, they don't know when he would be back and they don't want him to miss another celebration.

"It's fine mom, I'm going to grab something to eat," Anthony said softly and made a quick escape, he doesn't actually care about what Howard said. He saw someone he had forgotten until now and he is upset with himself, how could he forget him until now? Guilt is such a horrible feeling.

He followed the teen into the garden and called out to him when he saw that he is trying to climb up the fence. "Get down from there, you're going to hurt yourself."

He surprised the teen so much he lost his footing and fall onto his back. "Ow..." He hissed in pain as he slowly pushes himself up.

Guilt grew as Anthony rush to the teen's side. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He checks him over and frowned when he saw that he had cut himself when he falls. "Come on, we have to get this cleaned up." He said as he grabs his uninjured hand and pulls him up.

Of course, the little boy would not be able to pull up a teenager and the teen doesn't have to listen to the kid, but something inside the teen is telling him that he should listen to the kid so he stood up and follow the child back into the mansion. "Where are we going?" He asked softly when he saw that they are avoiding the ballroom where the party is being held.

"To clean up your cut, we won't want it to get infected," Anthony said softly as he leads him into a bathroom. He closed the toilet and climbed onto it so he can reach the sink, he opens the mirror cabinet and takes out the first aid kit. "Come over here, He- Sir." He quickly catches himself from letting on who he really is. He takes the teen's injured hand and gently washes the cut under the running water.

This is all too familiar to the teen...something from his past... The teen quietly let the kid clean his cut and wrap it. All the pieces clicked into place when the kid leans down to kiss his wound and said. "There, all better." Before looking at him with a smile he has seen many times before on the person he loves more than his mother. But it couldn't be, first off she is female and second, she is so much older than the child in front of him. "Do...do you have a Nanny named Ashtoreth?" He asked with hope in his voice, it must be the reason why it has to be...it is his only chance to see her again.

Anthony is quick to hide the guilt on his face as he shakes his head. "No, sorry. I don't think so...my name is Anthony, by the way, what's yours?" He asked even though he doesn't have to.

"Warlock..." He closed his eyes sadly, of course, she won't be here...why would the universe make things easy for him?

"Hi, Warlock, that Nanny of yours must be really good if you still remember her. I don't even remember the name of my last one." Anthony smiled sadly as he clutches his shirt so his hands won't find their way to Warlock's hair to comfort him.

"She was the best Nanny anyone could ask for." A fond smile grows on Warlock's face. "A bit odd but she was the best. She would tell me that living things are only fit to be ground under my feet and I will one day be strong enough to grind them under my heels. And there is Brother Francis, he would tell me the complete opposite thing and called every living thing brother or sister." He laughed softly. "I was so confused as a child but I love them. And now that I am older I think I understand what they are trying to do."

Guilt is starting to become one of Anthony's permanent emotion when he heard the last part. "What do you mean?" He asked curiously, they fucked up royally and he doesn't see how Warlock won't need a therapist.

"Nanny Ashtoreth was teaching me to be tough and confident while Brother Francis was teaching me to be kind and caring, they did it in a weird way but it worked." Warlock smiled softly. "I just hope I turned out the way they wanted and I didn't disappoint them..."

It isn't tears in Anthony's eyes and the guilt is definitely not digging deeper into his heart. But he is glad that Warlock found something good out of the mess they made of his childhood.

Warlock panicked when he saw the tears in Anthony's eyes, he doesn't know what he said to make him cry and he doesn't know what to do... "Dammit." He whispered as he pulls Anthony into his arms and gently rubs his back the same way his Nanny used to when he is upset. He doesn't know what to say that would calm him down so he sang the song that used to help him sleep. "Go to sleep and dream of pain. Doom and darkness, blood and brains. Sleep so sweet, my darling boy. You will rule when Earth's destroyed." He sang softly.

Anthony can't help but smile softly when he heard the song. "What kind of song is that?" He asked even though what he really want to ask is 'You remembered the song even after all these years?'

Warlock blushes slightly as he rubs the back of his neck. "I know it isn't the nicest song but Nanny was always able to help me calm down enough to sleep as a kid when she sings it and I thought it would work on you too."

Anthony's smile grows as he wipes his tears away. "You have a beautiful voice."

"Thank you." Warlock hesitates for a while before saying. "I'm sorry if what I said had upset you." He doesn't understand why he feels so comfortable around Anthony, the only other people he has ever felt comfortable around was Nanny Ashtoreth and Brother Francis.

Anthony shakes his head. "No, there's no need to apologise. I was just upset and a little jealous that you have such a good nanny and gardener." He lied smoothly. "And you know what? I know if they can see you now they would be proud of you."

"...You really think so?" Warlock asked softly.

He nods his head. "I know so! They love you as well and no matter what you do they would be proud and happy for you as long as you are happy." He said honestly.

Warlock smiled softly as he sat down at the edge of the bathtub. "That is a nice thought, I hope it is true...and I wish I would be able to see them again. I was very upset when my parents let Nanny Ashtoreth go when I was 10 because I am too old to have a Nanny and Brother Francis quitting to follow her." He can't help but giggle softly. "No matter what they say they are definitely in love with each other, I hope they had stopped being so stubborn and get together already."

Anthony did manage to fight back the blush that is treating to cover his face. They were not in love with each other, thank you very much. "Maybe they are busy working on building a relationship together and will visit you once they managed to work it out?" He said even though it is a complete lie.

"I sure hope so! I would definitely want to be the best man at their wedding!" Warlock smiled. "Well we better get going, won't want to miss out on the cake." He said as he stood up.

"Unless they are planning to cut the cake without me I doubt we would miss it." Anthony said as he jumps off the toilet.

"Wait, that means...you're Anthony Stark!?" Warlock's eyes widen in surprise, the very child he was trying to avoid so his dad won't try to force him to befriend a kid is the very same one in front of him?

"That's the name my parents gave me, now come along. Let's go get you some cake." He gently holds Warlock's hand and leads him back to the ballroom.

Warlock was so shocked he didn't realise that Anthony said 'you' instead of 'us'. If he had it would not only be weird but it would be another thing that would remind him of his Nanny.

~Day before Christmas~

"Do take care of each other, I'll come back immediately if anything happens." Jarvis said as he hand Warlock his number.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Warlock smiled and wave as Jarvis walk away.

Anthony wave as he tries to not feel too guilty at what he is about to do. "Can we take a look around before going to the hotel?"

"Well...I guess it won't hurt to take a quick look around." Warlock gently holds Anthony's hand and grab his luggage as he leads him out of the airport. "We can go to the park and feed the ducks." He always enjoys it when he was young.

Anthony nodded his head, it is close enough for him to get there quickly and for him to be able to have a quick chat to explain everything before Warlock shows up. "Yes, let's do it."

Warlock smiled as he leads to the park while chatting about random things. He is still trying to get Anthony to tell him how he got his plant to grow so well, he is trying his hand on gardening but his plants aren't growing very well.

Anthony doesn't really want to reveal his secret, not like this, so he just gives him normal gardening advice while smiling mysteriously. "I'll tell you if you get me a vanilla cream cone." He said when he saw the ice cream man.

"You better." Warlock warned before ordering one for Anthony, letting go of his hand to take out his wallet to pay the man as he hands the ice cream to Anthony. "Keep the chance." He told the ice cream man as he keeps his wallet before turning to hold Anthony's hand again only to freeze when he saw the spot next to him is empty. "Anthony? Anthony, where are you?" He called out as he looks around for the boy.

Anthony made a run for it after getting his ice cream and he only slows down when he is far enough. "Sorry, Warlock." He said as he licks his ice cream. He walked with a location in mind, to everyone, it would be a miracle for him to reach the little bookshop seeing as he is an American who has never been in London and he didn't even walk past it before, but he made it to the bookshop without any trouble and look up at the sign with a smile on his face. "I am home." He said as he pushes open the door and step in.