I had the best of the fun writing this.

Hope you guys like it.

Overconfidence hides deep fears

New York's very busy at this time of the year. Christmas is coming sooner and the people's inflow on the streets increases majorly, but that isn't anything new for the New Yorkers. Tony squeezed between people and rushed along the streets, finally seeing the road before his eyes. He stretched his hand, hailing a cab. But, not just any cab.

"Hey there, Happy." He spoke as he climbed in the back seat.

"Hello, young man." The cab answered with the same joyful tone. "Same place as always?"

"Yeah." Tony told him.

Harold Hogan, or Happy as Tony nicknamed him, has known that boy for about two years now. He doesn't charge him the taxi fare whenever he climbs in the cab. Every two weeks on Saturday night he drives him to a gymnasium. Virginia's father (whose daughter he nicknamed Pepper for some reason) and his fellow coworkers have a small basketball team and they match other companies. He invites the boy to come along and watch and despite knowing where Tony lives he doesn't push him away or make Pepper ignore him as a friend.

During the game there's this one boy always shouting louder and occasionally misbehaving. When it was half-time break one of the players came to meet with the boy. Pepper had just got up to go to the bathroom and Tony was intrigued on the conversation between father and son.

"You're behavior is deplorable, Adrian." The man said. "If you're keep on doing this I'm not bringing you anymore. And I won't be buying any gift for Christmas." When the man gestured a little more, the boy flinched back. Tony froze too. "You're not being a good kid right now. Behave yourself, will you?"

After that, the man walked to his teammates and Tony eyed the boy. He looked around, to know if anyone had heard that. He found Tony's eyes staring him, but he understood how he was feeling. When he flinched back, he thought his father was going to slap him, something that Tony has experienced quite a few times. Adrian's father, much like him, wasn't the best one in the world.

And there was one sentence that stuck with him, even though his mind immediately evilly twisted because of his childhood fears. You're not a good son…

Tony shook his head and didn't give it much a thought anymore.

When Tony returned back to the theater he was exhausted and immediately lied down on his mattress. He wanted to fall asleep right away, and even though the others were considerate in being quieter but still they were loud. Tony realized then he'd have to run his mind to an exhaustion point so he'd fall asleep.

He started thinking about the good times he shares with Pepper. The two are good friends, occasionally she is his girlfriend and a bit more frequent they are rivals because they're both too stubborn. But all the memories lead to one single event. That night. That one sentence that stuck with him echoes in his mind.

Finally Tony fell asleep, lost in his favorite dream. The one where he is a genius billionaire superhero kid who builds armors and everybody loves.

All the suits are standing there. Thirty of them; the armors he built for the US military, Air Force and Marines. They await him for the presentation.

The big arena was ready for him. Everyone was overexcited for the young genius to show up. Tony straightens his suit and nods his head, satisfied with what he sees from afar. It's time.

Tony spreads both his arms and legs and adopts a relaxed posture, letting the machines put the armor on him. People wait for the Iron Kid.

"All done." He speaks, taking a deep breath as he's tucked inside his titanium armor.

The jets situated in the boots and the repulsors situated in the gauntlets fuel up and soon he's up in the air, flying to the arena. He abruptly lands with his back turned to the audience, almost kneeling on the floor but sustaining the weight of his body and suit by pressing his fingertips on the floor.

People cheer. Confetti burst and slowly fall on the ground. Lights and smoke make environment even more vibrant. Ballerinas, wearing short attires with the colors of the American flag, dance to the loud and bombastic music.

In the same way the suit was put on him, it's also removed. Young Tony then opens his arms and shakes his head, enjoying the sound of the applause and whistles. Everything is perfect.

"I'm the best." He whispers.

"Tony!" Thor shook him once more.

The boy was detached from himself and the reality, suffering from what's called depersonalization and de-realization. Tony felt his body being shaken once more.

The cheers stop and so do the applauses. Suddenly everyone is booing him and he swallows in dry, fearfully walking back. Everything starts spinning around, bright lights obfuscate him and he feels like he's going to faint.

"Somebody call Nick, fast." Natasha yelled, kneeling next to Tony. Bruce and Loki run out the theater, going to call Fury.

Thor was still trying to aid him but he seems to be delusional, forcefully trying to get up as Thor held him down. He was sweating, breathing heavily, his cheeks colored in a red tone, as red as blood; he was probably feverish, having some sort of attack.

His heart is beating fast and he shakes. He cannot believe his eyes. "You're not a good son." His father speaks from the midst of the crowd.

"No!" Tony shouted, getting up fast. No one can hold him still. "You're dead, you're dead!"

"You were never a good son." His mother reinforces.

"Mother, don't say that." He cried.

Tony breaths heavily as he sees somebody else. He cannot believe his eyes. He feels like he's being smothered. He feels weak and helpless.

"I'm here to finish you, Stark."

"No! You're not real!" Tony continued to chase after ghosts, running around in the theater. "You're in jail."

Steve tried to get hold of him, but as soon as he grasped his arm, Tony rebelled and pushed him. His eyes darkened with fear and anger as he's still trapped between his delusional world and the present world.

"Tony, you're gonna be okay." Natasha spoke softly, trying not to startle him even more.

"I'm not insane!" He shouted, still running around.

This time it was Clint who tried to grabbed him so they could calm him down, but, much like the other attempts, he was not successful.

Stane walks to him, making Tony walk back more and more until he stumbles. Sitting on the floor and seeing that Stane wouldn't stop coming closer, Tony starts to crawl backwards as fast as he can.

"Get back!" The boy's loud scream echoed on the whole room. "You're not gonna kill me."

Hot flashes run his entire body as he realizes there's nowhere to run. Tony can't breathe anymore. He's wheezing, having Stane two feet away from him.

Tony started yelling, collapsing on the floor. At that moment Fury rushed in through the door, running immediately to him. He grabbed Tony strongly by his forearms and forced him to stand up, but he didn't have strength to hold himself on his legs.

Fury shook him. "Get yourself together, Stark!"

"You're gonna kill me…" He mumbled, tears rushing down his face. "You're gonna kill me…"

"All of you," Fury spoke, looking at the others, skeptical and scared staring at Tony's pitiful behavior. "leave. Now!" He raised his voice since no one was following his order.

From outside the theater they listen to Tony yelling and crying, something scary for them. They're so used to him so playful and cocky and now he was succumbing to a dreadful thought haunting his soul.

After some minutes there's silence.

Fury walked out and was not to speak a single word until Bruce asked him, perhaps more scared than any other. "What happened to Tony?"

"He had a panic attack." He briefly informed. "He's getting better; do not talk to him. Let him be alone."

The six entered the theater, finding Tony lying down on his mattress, wrapped on his blanket. His breath was still troubled and he was shaking like a leaf on the wind.

"Brucie, don't." Natasha spoke in a low voice as the youngest started walking up to the stage.

Bruce lied down on his mattress (that actually happens to be the one on the left Tony's) and whispered. "It's gonna be okay, Tony. I used to get this scared too but they won't hurt us anymore."

"I-I know, bu-bud." Tony stammered.

At the same time the two shut their eyes and tried to have a dreamless night of sleep.

Tony awoke up in the morning recovered from last night's panic attack. Yet, everyone was eyeing differently, pitiful of him. Hop on the Tony's mockery train while there's still room on board was all he said to them. They all understood it'd be better to mock him; it was what he wanted, so they'd never talk about it. So they all got a turn to mock him (Clint pocked fun of him three times though) and they all had fun with it, even Tony. Still, the only one who didn't find it funny was Tony's (adopted) little brother, Bruce who stood in front of him, saying the others were being mean for mocking him.

Alright, I had a ball writing this chapter but it isn't much original. It portraits something that has happened on Iron Man 3, but still, it's something I wrote and it's different from the movie scene!

Leave a review, it'd be a good Christmas gift! ^_^

P.S.: Chapter title came from a Muse's song...