A/N: Ok, please don't hate me. I'm sorry for the lag, I just had no real ideas until I sat down and made myself write. Words began to flow afterwords. I realized I never said Peter's age, and I never though about his age either ^^;
I think being around 8 months sounds good right, that would make him old enough to understand some of the stuff that's going on around him. Plus I wanna write about him saying his words to Steve and Tony. I know babies start speaking earlier than this, but they weren't there.

Also I'm supper dupper sorry that this chapter is shorter than what I promised before. I hate that, but I hope the ending makes up for it.

2 Weeks Later...

2 Weeks Later...

It was 3:45 pm and Steve was in the kitchen with Peter sitting in his high chair. Tony was off again tinkering in his lab, finally having a moment to work on the circuit for the latest Stark Phone. The first week with Peter had been chaotic with both of the new parents inexperienced and unsure of what to do. It also didn't help that Peter knew something was wrong; he knew that this wasn't his home; he knew that Tony and Steve weren't his real parents. There were nights were he would cry out all night wanting to see his mother and father. It pained Steve and Tony that they couldn't fix this; both would stay up all night trying whatever they could to sooth the infant. In the end Peter would fall asleep around 4:00 am when he finally cried himself out.

Somehow during the second week Peter began to accept where he was and he finally became comfortable in his new home. There were still occasional nights where he would wake up crying for his missing parents, but all the others he would stay asleep the whole night.

Steve's adjustment to parenthood was relatively smooth; he was still used to waking up in the middle of the night for missions, so Peter's cries weren't completely intolerable. He was grouchy after many sleepless nights, but it's no surprise.

Tony was the one to struggle. He was used to going nights without sleep while working on his latest project, but he didn't expect taking care of Peter to be such a challenge. He was grumpier than usual most of the time, and he kept thinking he was doing everything wrong, that he was being the bad father he feared. It also didn't help that he picked up drinking again after being sober for six months. Steve was there to help him though. When Peter finally started to feel at home Tony began to relax and believe that maybe he was wrong, and maybe he could be a good father. Needless to say Tony was still paranoid and had attempted to hide away in his lab. Steve would go downstairs and drag him back up, kicking and screaming all the way.

This day was an acceptation, since Tony had pulled his act together for the past three days and was actively taking care of Peter. He changed Peter's diaper all throughout those days, bathed him, and fed him too. As a reward for his effort, Steve let Tony work in the lab, since he knew Tony had been thinking up of a new project for a while now.

What both of them forgot was that it had been two weeks since they had taken Peter in. Social services was due for a visit.

xxOOxx

At 3:55 pm Steve had taken Peter out of his high chair and put him in the play pen in the living room. He then sat down on the sofa and turned on the tv using the remote that had been on the coffee table.

"Master Rogers I have received word from the lobby that Social services is here and wishes to enter the private elevator" JARVIS informed Steve.

Steve sat there for a moment trying to register what JARVIS had just said. He then replied "Wait what?"

"Social services is here for their two week visit sir."

"Oh, um... let them up I guess. Can I get a visual of them?"

"Right away sir."

A holographic screen came up in front of Steve and he saw the familiar face of Patty Morson, the social worker that had worked with them to adopt Peter. She boarded the elevator and that was when Steve finally began thinking, Tony was in the lab doing God knows what.

"JARVIS can you call up Tony, tell him about the social worker."

"Yes sir."

Ten seconds later Tony's face appeared on a screen next to the one that was streaming the visual of Patty in the elevator.

"Steve what's this about Social Services being here? This better not be true" Tony started but was cut off by an explosion in the background. Black smoke filled the entire room, filling the camera's view so Tony couldn't be seen anymore.

"Tony what was that?" worry and slight panic laced behind Steve's voice.

Another explosion "It's nothing really, just some modifications that aren't going so well."

"Tony I thought you were working on the new Stark Phone."

"I was… until I got bored and started working on the suit."

"You said-"

"Steve is now really the time to be going over this; isn't there some social worker coming up in the elevator right now?"

"Fine, get up here as soon as you can."

"Yes my loooove." Tony said the last word with sarcasm as he stretched out the vowel.

Steve rolled his eyes as the screen blinked out, and then he heard the ding of the elevator door. The second screen that had been monitoring Patty Morson blinked out too. Steve circled around the couch and headed towards the social worker as she stepped out of the elevator.

"Hello Miss Morson. I wasn't expecting a visit from you" Steve said as he extended a hand to the woman.

Patty shook his hand and said "Please call me Patty. This is standard protocol, a visit from a social worker every two weeks to make sure the child adjusts well and isn't being mistreated. I believe I told Mr. Stark that I would be coming in two weeks."

"Oh did you now? It must have slipped his mind. Please have a seat." Steve gestured to the living room area where the sofas were. "Tony should be up here in a bit."

As if on cue the elevator on the other side of the room, the one leading to Tony's lab, dinged and the doors opened. A bit of black smoke escaped into room and Tony shuffled out, wiping his face with a red oil rag. Even with his attempts there were still streaks of grease along his right cheek, forehead, and chin.

With that famous award winning Stark smile on his face, Tony strode towards Steve and Patty and greeted "Patty you are looking gorgeous today. Did you do something with your hair? You look positively radiant. "

She shook Tony's hand and responded "Why thank you Mr. Stark, but flattery only gets you so far. You should know that better than anyone."

"Tony please, Mr. Stark is too... formal. And is it flattery if it's true? Please have a seat." Tony motioned to the sofas.

Patty sat down in the single seater sofa chair to the right of the coffee table. Tony took a seat on the single seater sofa chair on the opposite side of the table. Steve sat down on the end of the curved sectional sofa closest to Tony.

"Thank you Tony. As much as I would love to argue that point, I'm on a tight schedule. I'm just going to ask a few questions and take a look around to make sure there isn't anything harmful to Peter here." Patty said as they all got comfortable in the living room area.

"Of course Miss- er, Patty, ask your questions and we'll show you around afterwards." Steve replied calmly and with a smile.

"Ok then, first question, how has Peter been settling in?"

Steve answered this one "Well, at first he would stay awake all night, like he knew this wasn't his home. But after the first week he finally got comfortable and he sleeps through the night."

"Perfect, that's good to hear." She scribbled notes on a notebook she took out of her bag. "Given the occupation you two have, is there anyone that would take care of Peter while you two are away?"

Again Steve answered "Well right now there is no threat, and if there was, this tower is completely secure. Peter's room is made to withstand the Hulk, and then there's another safety room in the garage that's the same as his room. If the tower should come under attack, S.H.I.E.L.D has the access codes to Peter's room to get him out and take him to the Helicarrier."

"Looks you guys were really serious about this; seems like you thought of the worst case scenario. How about I get that tour now? I'd like to see Peter's room." Patty said as she stood up, notebook in hand.

"Right this way then, Peter's room is upstairs. Tony do you mind grabbing Peter?" Steve said as he stood up and gestured to the stairs on the same wall as the elevator that leads to Tony's lab.

"Yeah, sure." Tony said mechanically as he got up and walked over to Peter. The eight month old in anticipation lifted up his arms, ready to be picked up, and making grabby hands too.

Steve's facial expression became serious for a moment, and then returned back to a warm smile. He knew something was wrong with how Tony was acting. Tony had been charismatic when he first saw Patty, what caused his sudden indifference?

Leading Patty to Peter's nursery, he pushed those thoughts to the back of mind. He would ask later, once Patty left. Once they reached the nursery Patty began to walk around taking in everything; from the furniture arrangement, to the contents of the crib, to the clothed in his closet, and even the supplies in the changing station.

"Everything seems fine, mind if I walk around the floor and look at a few things?" Patty asked as she finished looking at the pile of toys in the toy chest in one of the corners of the room.

"Go ahead; feel free to look at anything you need to." Steve said as he stepped away from the door he had been standing in front of.

When Patty had left the room Steve walked over to Tony who had sat down in the rocking chair. Looking down at him with his arms crossed over his chest Steve said "Tony, what happened? One minute you were in your element, you were calm and confident. Now look at you, you sunk back into that shell you go to whenever something bad happens."

Again in the same mechanical voice he had used earlier Tony responded "Can we not do this now, Patty might hear us?"

"Don't think I'm going to forget about this, I'm serous Tony we need to talk."

Tony just sat in the chair rocking back and forth gently, cradling a sleeping Peter, staring off somewhere far away.

Patty walked back in and said "Well up stairs seems good. That baby gate is pretty impressive, I'm guessing it opens to everyone except Peter right?"

"Tony I think you can tell her more about that." Steve said

Tony snapped his head up and looked at Patty "Yeah it does. I've designed it so it only activates when Peter can be found on this floor. The ground in front of the gate is weight sensitive, so anyone weighing more than a hundred pounds will set of the sensor and the gate opens automatically."

"That is impressive. Is there anything else you've modified?" Patty asked genuinely curious.

"As Steve had said earlier, the room is Hulk proof. Also I have JARVIS constantly monitoring Peter with the security cameras, as well as his vitals. If he starts to run a fever we'll know before Peter even starts to feel the effects of it. I'm also trying to modify a few toys by upgrading the circuitry and adding JARVIS if possible." Tony responded in what sounded like one long breath.

"Looks like Peter is in good hands. Let's head back downstairs I want to check a few things there." Patty said as she started heading out of the nursery.

Back downstairs Patty found what had caught her eye earlier. She walked quickly over to the lavish bar, a frown formed on her face as she looked over the vast stock of liquor.

"Mind explaining this to me? Tony, your past is no mystery to anyone, but for the past year or so you haven't been involved in any incidents. I want to assume that this bar is more for show and entertaining guests, am I right to assume so?" Patty questioned as she stood in front of the bar with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You're right for the most part. I don't really use the bar the way I used to. I do have a drink here and there, but I have more important things to do and take care of than to sit around getting drunk." Tony responded coolly, he tone was even and he said it without pausing.

"I was hoping to hear that." Patty relaxed and walked away from the bar."I just have one last question. Tony, what were you doing downstairs? When you came up there was smoke in the elevator."

"Downstairs is where my lab is. I was working on a few projects, one of which didn't go so well. There was a small explosion, but nothing too bad. The lab is several levels down and nothing can get in or out unless it has my pass-codes. There is no way Peter can even use the elevator to reach the lab without my permission; I also don't intend on taking him down there myself either."

"Looks like I have nothing to worry about then. I'll be back in another two weeks, and if things go well like they did today I can extend my time away to a month." Patty said with a smile as she started heading towards the elevator.

"That's great to hear. I'll look forward to your nest visit." Steve said as he walked towards the elevator with her.

Tony trailed behind and waved good bye with his free hand as the elevator doors closed. When the doors had closed all the way, he walked back to the sofa and sat down with Peter in his lap. The infant at that moment had become fascinated by Tony's goatee and began to grab at it and run his fingers through the stubble. Steve used this chance and walked in front of Tony with his arms crossed.

"Tony we need to talk."

"Really? About what?"

"Don't play stupid, you know what."

Tony didn't answer since in that moment he became oh so very intrigued by the pattern on Peter's shirt.

"Look, I'm not mad, really I'm not. It's just… I thought we had moved past this. I thought you were going to trust me more and tell what you were thinking more often. This is one of those times where I can help, just talk to me." Steve sat on the coffee table in front of Tony; he rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, eyes focused on Tony's face trying to read any emotion that would slip through.

For minutes the only sounds that could be heard were Peter's sound of fascination when he learned how prickly Tony's stubble was.

Tony ran a hand through his hair and said "Look it's nothing; I just started thinking about stuff and forgot to pay attention to what was right in front of me again. That's all, it's no biggy."

"No, it is a big deal. I know you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. So just listen; you didn't mess up, you're doing fine right now. They're not going to take Peter away, heck if anything Patty was really happy that he's here and not somewhere else." Steve took Peter out of Tony's hands "I'm going to go feed him. Fix whatever it is that exploded in the lab and come talk to me when you're ready." And with that Steve left Tony on the couch and went to the kitchen.

Once Steve was out of sight Tony got up and headed towards the elevator.

xxOOxx

The clock read 2:35 am and Tony was barely coming out of the lab; not having left since the afternoon. He walked over to the bar and sat on one of the stools. Thoughts of what had happened that day were running through his mind, and all he could do was bury his head in his hands. After allowing himself a few minutes of self pity, he stood and walked to the other side of the bar and began to pull down all the glass containers of liquor that were on display. He set them on the ground and opened a cabinet door close to the ground. There he place of the bottles he had taken down, and once all where in the said cabinet, he closed the small door.

"JARVIS"

"Yes sir"

"Lock that door will ya. And no matter under any circumstances are you allowed to unlock it. No scratch that, that door is to stay locked until I can pull my head out of my own ass."

"Understood, and done. Do wish me to inform Master Rogers of this?"

"No that's not necessary." And with that Tony walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. In there was a sandwich on a plate with a note on it that read:

For my favorite genius, billionaire
playboy, philanthropist. Don't forget to eat

Tony took the sandwich out and started heading back towards the elevator. He stopped and contemplated actually going to sleep after eating the sandwich, but then he remembered that he was working on something very important and it had to be done soon.

I'm working on it, but I don't even know Steve's ring size. For a genius I can be so stupid sometimes. I guess I'll go work on the bear then. Tony thought as he walked into the elevator and headed down. It was going to be a very long night.

A/N: Again sorry for the lag, I hope this chapter makes up for that...

Any who... I think I royally screwed up the description of the tower and where all the furniture is. If you guys want, and I kinda hope you do, I can draw up a layout of the tower. Ya know like something basic, I'm a pretty decent artist so it shouldn't be too confusing. There's a link to my DA on my profile so you can check for yourselves. PM me or leave a review if you think it's a good idea.

Any comments, complaints, ideas? I'm all ears. Plus i hope you did enjoy the little surprise at the end. And since I'm finally inspired again, I'll have another chapter up within the next few days or something.