Chris woke up to lips surrounded by soft hair kissing down his neck. He smiled and opened heavy lidded eyes.
"You're back early," he said in a sleepy voice in the dark room.
"Shh," Tony whispered. "I'd like to finish telling you hi before they know I'm home." Chris moaned as Tony's hand slid under the waistline of his boxers.
"Tony,"
"I'm here, Bear."
"I missed you."
"No more talking," Tony ordered. Chris nodded and pulled Tony down to his lips.
Chris opened his eyes and stretched his arms. His hand came down to an empty bed and he sat up, frowning.
"Tony?" The door to their bathroom opened and Tony stepped into the room, freshly showered with only a towel wrapped around his waist.
"Morning. Did you sleep ok?"
"I did, especially once you joined me. I didn't think your flight was getting in until later today?"
"I…"
"Took your suit?"
"I missed you and the kids."
"Good. We missed you, too. And don't look like that, T. I'm not upset you took your suit instead of using the plane. With a wake up like I had… Definitely not upset." Tony chuckled and went to his closet.
"Scott told me yesterday that the kids didn't have school today-"
"When did you talk to Scott?"
"Promise not to get mad?"
"Tony."
"I got an alert that they were in-"
"They who?"
"Scott and MJ. They were in the training room having a pretty heavy makeout session." Chris stood up, his fury evident.
"They were what?"
"This is what I was talking about," Tony said, turning and crossing his arms. "He might have skirted the rules, but he technically didn't break any of them. We can't stop them from-"
"Tony-"
"I had him go to the lab and I talked to him. He told me he was ready to sit and actually talk, but he wanted to wait until I was home."
"I tried talking to him yesterday. He didn't say anything about-" Chris closed his eyes. "He said I treat him like he's Gabe's age when discussing sex."
"You do," Tony said plainly. "He's fifteen and we need to treat him like he's going to be an adult in about two years."
"I'm sorry, Tony. I… When it comes to thinking about him being active, I look at him and I see my little boy who hated wearing a diaper and would run around the house naked and laughing while we chased him. I see the messy ketchup covered cheeks and the mud pies and-" Chris stopped and turned his face, trying to blink the tears away. "I know he has to grow up. I just didn't think it'd be this hard. And with how I feel, I get how upset my dad was when he found out about my first time."
"Scott told me he won't have sex before he's sixteen. So at least there's that, right?" Chris nodded.
"Thank you. I'm sorry he doesn't feel comfortable coming to me about this, but I'm glad he has you to turn to."
"So I thought I'd take him out today for a few hours so he's not as tense with the kids being here and-"
"And me," Chris said sadly.
"He knows I'll be talking to you about it." Chris nodded and took a breath.
"Please let him know I'm happy to talk to him. If he'd prefer, he can write his questions and I'll write back an answer. Less embarrassing."
"I'll bring that up," Tony promised as he pulled out a pair of pants and a T-shirt. "I'll keep you updated with how it's going."
"Thank you," Chris said again. Tony quickly dressed and turned to his husband.
"We'll be back around lunch, most likely."
"Ok. Be careful, T."
"Always, Bear," Tony winked. He left their room and went to Scott's door. He knocked twice and cracked the door. "I'm coming in." He opened the door all the way and frowned at the bed that had clearly not been slept in. He looked around the room, realizing he hadn't been greeted by Shila.
"Chris!" Chris stuck his head out of their room.
"What?"
"Where's Scott?"
"What do you mean? He's in his room."
"No he's not. His backpack is on his bed, and his blankets haven't been touched. Shila's not in there with him, and-"
"Then he's got her outside. You know how demanding she can be-"
"Demanding enough that he wouldn't have made his bed before taking her out."
"He's fine, Tony. He sent me a text last night that he was watching a movie and then said he was going to bed after an exhausting day." Tony shook his head.
"No. Something doesn't feel right."
"T-"
"Chris!" Chris jumped at the intensity of Tony's voice. "Something is wrong."
"Friday, where's Scott?" Chris asked.
"I cannot find him." Tony pushed against the scar on his chest.
"Where are his glasses?"
"His glasses are in the Tower."
"Where is his phone?"
"His phone is disconnected."
"Who was he watching the movie with last night?"
"Captain Rogers-"
"And where is Rogers now?!" Chris demanded.
"Captain Rogers is in the training room."
"Tell him we need to see him," Tony said.
"I'm calling MJ, and I swear, Tony, if he's there-"
"He wouldn't have gone. Not after yesterday." Tony opened Scott's backpack and started going through the pockets. "His condom is still here."
"That doesn't-"
"Chris! He's too smart for shit like that, ok?"
"Tony?" Steve called. "Is everything ok?" Tony walked out of Scott's room and towards Steve.
"Have you seen Scott?"
"Not since last night. Why?"
"When did you last see him?"
"I don't… It was between dinner and ten. Sam gave me a list of movies that are-"
"I don't care about your list!" Chris said, joining them. "When did you last see my son?!"
"I fell asleep before the movie ended. When I woke up, he was gone."
"Rogers-"
"Ask Diane. She was there, too." Tony held up his hand.
"Was she there when you woke up?"
"No, but she did tell us that she was waiting for Sam to get back." Chris went to Sam's door and started banging on it.
"I'm coming!" Sam called. He opened the door and tiredly looked at Chris. "Kit?"
"Where is Diane?"
"Home, probably."
"She didn't stay with you?"
"Why would she? She was closing again last night. She doesn't stay here when she closes." Chris narrowed his eyes.
"Yes she does."
"No she doesn't. Kit, she lives right above the restaurant where she works."
"She was here just the other night while I was waiting for Tony to let me know he'd landed in Paris. It was two in the morning when she walked in."
"Then she was gone before I woke up, because she hasn't slept here for several nights. What's going on?"
"She was here last night and she, Rogers, and Scott watched a movie together. Rogers fell asleep, and when he woke up, both were gone. Now Scott isn't here-"
"Then track his shades-"
"They're here."
"His phone?"
"Disconnected."
"Shila?"
"She wasn't in his room," Chris said, shaking his head.
"Chris, he doesn't go anywhere but school without that dog," Sam said seriously. Chris felt his eyes glaze over. "Shit! Tony!"
"I've got him," Tony said, helping lower Chris to the ground. He gently tapped his cheeks. "Bear? Answer me, babe. Chris. Chris!"
"I'm going to get Claire," Steve said, his eyes wide at the scene.
"Sam, get Deborah and Phil." Sam nodded and took off. Tony picked Chris up and carried him to the couch. He gently lowered him and then looked around. "Friday. Where is Shila?"
"With Peter, Boss."
"Wake him up and get him out here. Warn me when Alex, Gabe, and Annie start stirring. Get me Bruce and Rhodey, and get Scott's team here-"
"They are with Ms. Romanoff and Mr. Barton."
"Get them, Friday."
"Yes Boss. Anyone else?"
"Xavier and his students. Tell them it's the Stark family that needs them, not the Avengers."
"On it."
"Where are Scott's glasses?"
"My sensors say they're right beside you." Tony started feeling under Chris and in between the cushions.
"We were woken up to see you feeling up our son?" Phil asked angrily. Tony looked at him.
"What's wrong?" Deborah asked after seeing the expression on his face.
"Scott's glasses are here. I need them."
"Why are his glasses out here and not-?"
"Because he's missing!"
"Phil, get dressed," Deborah ordered. "Tony, what is wrong with Chris?"
"Shock, I think." Tony dropped to his knees and started feeling under the couch. "Got them!" He slid on Scott's glasses. "Mick, report. Start from when Scott sat down to watch the movie."
"Scott's anxiety peaked while eating popcorn. His heart rate spiked at-"
"Why didn't you inform us?"
"You were in a different country and Major Summers was unavailable."
"He was not unavailable, Mick."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark. Major Summers is hardly available lately. I have attempted to override the availability. Occasionally, I am able to, but by then, Scott is in his presence."
"I thought we'd taken care of that," Tony said, wiping his face.
"Major Summers kept the same phone number, sir."
"Friday, get a new number for Chris' phone," he ordered, pinching the bridge of his nose at the simple mistake. "Update all of our phones with the new number."
"Of course, sir," Friday said.
"Ok. Scott's heart rate spiked. Then what happened, Mick?"
"His glasses were removed."
"Did you see who removed them?"
"I did not. I tried to alert both you and Major Summers. Your system was focused on flying, and Major Summers was unavailable."
"And when I was home?"
"You were not to be disturbed. As I could not prove it wasn't Scott who removed his glasses, I was unable to override your orders." Tony put his head in his hands. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he glanced at it, following the arm to the face and saw Rhodey kneeling beside him.
"Wilson and Rogers told me what was going on. What do you need from me?"
"I don't know."
"Diane isn't answering," Sam told them, pulling his phone away from his ear. "I'll keep trying-"
"Friday, trace her phone."
"Her phone is in the Tower, sir."
"Of course it is," Tony said. He looked up and saw Claire standing next to Chris with a blood pressure cuff around his arm. He put his hand on Chris' leg. "We'll find him, Bear."
"Amanda and I are going to take the children to the common room," Deborah said, now dressed. "Phil will remain here to assist with whatever you need. MJ is on her way-"
"She didn't need to-"
"Scott is her boyfriend," Deborah told Tony. "He is your son, but he is important to her. She should be here."
"Black Widow and Hawkeye have arrived with Iron Fist, Nova, and White Tiger," Friday announced.
"Peter?"
"Right here, Pop," Peter said from off to the side.
"Did you hear from your brother last night?"
"Not directly," Peter said. "I got a text from him asking for help with Shila. He said he…"
"He said what, Peter?" Tony asked.
"He said he was sneaking MJ in and that I owed him."
"What?" Tony said, standing.
"He covered for me when you and Dad got married. I'd never asked for permission for Liz to come… And even with everything that happened, he didn't tell you guys. I thought that's what he meant. But he… It was a weird text."
"Weird how?" Rhodey asked, trying to keep Tony calm.
"Scott always uses proper grammar and punctuation when he texts me, but the text I got used shorthand and numbers. I guess I thought he was just in a hurry to get to MJ."
"When did he send these?"
"Around seven," Peter said, holding his phone out to Rhodey. "I was patrolling- I mean, Ned and I-" Steve shook his head.
"We had just started the movie at that time. He was here-"
"But he left while you were asleep," Tony said. "He could have just snuck to his girlfriend's house-"
"Ms. Jones is on her way up, Boss."
"There you go," Deborah said. "We can ask her if she's seen Scott." The elevator doors opened and MJ hurried in, her clothes and hair disheveled.
"Have you found him?" she asked.
"He wasn't with you?" MJ shook her head at Deborah.
"You won't be in any trouble," Tony said. "I need to know what happened yesterday."
"I- We were making out in the training room. I left and let him know when I got home. Around eight, I got a text from him saying he was ending things with me. I tried calling, but they stopped going through after 8:30."
"Where was his phone last pinged?" Ava asked in her White Tiger suit.
"Friday?"
"Outside of the Tower," Friday said.
"Shit," Tony said. He looked around at the room and saw his teammates in their uniforms, and Scott's newly formed team in theirs.
"Scott wouldn't just leave the Tower," Falcon said. "He can't drive, and he knows better than to get a ride from someone he doesn't know."
"Friday, get Happy to check the logs of the cars going in and out of both garages. And look through the cameras around the Tower. Follow all of Scott's movements." Nova looked at Tony.
"Is that all you're doing? He could be out there and hurt! We need to actually look for him! You know how he is about using his powers-"
"Are we absolutely sure he didn't leave on his own?" Iron Fist asked. "He doesn't always like being cooped up-" Nova shoved him.
"You know he wouldn't go anywhere without letting one of us know. If not one of the Avengers or his dads, then one of us-"
"But we were gone," White Tiger said. "He wouldn't have been able to reach us. I'm not saying it isn't plausible that he was taken, but it is more likely that he needed a break before he snapped, and since half of his team was gone-"
"He's smarter than that," Nova argued. "He'd have texted me, even if he knew service was bad, just so someone had a record of his location." Nova looked at Tony. "He wouldn't have just left. You have to know this. I've gotten enough of his location texts that- You know he wouldn't just leave, Stark."
"I do know," Tony said as he and MJ stared at the teen. "I'm getting as many people together as I can to go look for him."
"Professor Xavier has arrived, sir. Mr. Hogan is checking security cameras now, and I am going through the Tower's system."
"I don't understand why there wasn't an alert that he'd left," Sam said. "You follow every other aspect of their lives-"
"Because I'd never expect him to go without his phone or glasses," Tony defended. "And with the shit going on with Chris' phone, it wouldn't have mattered."
"Mr. Stark," Charles Xavier greeted as his chair wheeled into the apartment. Following him was Ororo, Kurt, Jean, Warren, and Bobby. "I received a call saying you needed us? I apologize that Hank was unavailable. He has been out of town since-" Charles stopped and looked around the room. "It would have been easier if you had come to us."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Falcon asked, his arm around Peter.
"It means I have unmoveable assistance in my home that would allow me to amplify my powers and find him."
"Find who?" Kurt asked, his tail waving in the air. "Vhy are ve here?"
"Where's Scott?" Jean asked, eyes darting around.
"He's missing," Tony said. "His phone is off, last pinged right outside. His glasses are here. If he gets emotional or stressed, or if he soaks in too much radiation that a normal sunny day causes, his powers are going to make themselves known."
"With the power he packs behind the blasts, he can cause catastrophic damage," Bruce warned. "Almost as much as the Hulk, and in less time."
"So time is of the essence," Nova said, his arms crossed and his body tensed. "Let me out there. I'll find him and make sure he's safe." Jean and Bobby looked at him.
"Who are you?"
"Nova. You?"
"Marvel Girl."
"Iceman."
"Are you mutants?" Jean asked.
"I really don't see how this is going to help find Scott," Nova said, looking at the other teens. "Does it matter if I have an X gene or not if we still find him? Which is impossible to do, by the way, if we don't go look."
"Nova is right," Tony said. "Tigress, MJ, and Nat. Go back to Mutant Manor. Take them in the Quinjet. We can return their car later. Go." The three left with Xavier and his students.
"Danny and I can swing or jump around to see if we see the red blasts," Peter offered.
"Keep in touch with me or your uncles," Tony agreed. "Go on."
"Where do you want me?" Nova asked. Tony frowned. "I know how I come across, Stark, but I can do this. I'll find him."
"I get that, but you seem a bit too emotional to handle this-"
"He's my teammate. Of course I'm emotional. But he was also my charge while I was with SHIELD, and this is the kind of shit I was supposed to protect him from. Now give me my orders or I'll be forming my own search party, and I'll bring in every Nova available in the galaxy and even the neighboring galaxies."
"Would you like for us to fly and look for Scott?" Rhodey asked, putting a calming hand on Nova's shoulder.
"Yeah. You, Nova, and Vision. Wanda, you and Clint and Steve scour the ground- normal clothes." Nova nodded and followed Rhodey to the now open window and flew out without another word.
"And me?" Sam asked.
"While you flying would help, I think Chris needs you more." Sam nodded and watched the rest of the team leave.
"Boss, the children are stirring."
"That's my cue," Deborah said. She kissed the top of Chris' head and looked at Phil.
"I'll keep you updated," he promised. Deborah nodded and left to collect the three younger children.
"Tony," Chris said quietly.
"Yeah, Bear?"
"If he was taken for money-"
"They can have it all." Chris nodded and Tony grabbed his hand. "He's going to be ok. We're going to get him back."
"When we catch whoever did this-"
"And we will," Tony promised.
"- you will pay whatever you need to whomever you need and destroy them."
"Happily. Nobody kidnaps a Stark and gets away with it."
A/N: Hello everyone and thanks for reading and following and favoriting this story. I'm currently working on ch 130 and it's finally starting to head towards an ending. It might be 150 chapters? Maybe 160? Idk. However long it takes for me to wrap it up. But it's getting there. Thanks for sticking it out with me :)
