Kim was styling Quinns hair up. Quinn wincing. "Ow! Why do I have to have my hair up?" Kim sighed but smiled. "Because it looks pretty. Were going to a Gala, we need to look our best." Quinn grumbled, crossing her arms over her little red dress and matching dress shoes. Tony was in TJ's room,helping him into his own tux. "But I don't like these suits." "No one does son, but you have to wear it to places like this. Galas are fancy." He got the tie around TJ's neck, tieing it into a bow tie when there was a knock on the door. "Come in." In came Kim who wasn't ready yet. "Quinn's ready, I'm gonna start getting ready." Tony smiled. "Alright angel. There. How does he look?" Tony showed off TJ, turning him to face Kim. Kim smiled, walking closer to him. "He looks so handsome. No wonder all the girls love you." TJ stood straighter, chest puffed out but grinned. "It helps that the girls are pretty to." Kim gave Tony a look. Tony looked away, knowing those were his own genes talking. Kim sighed. "I'm going to get ready now." She ruffled TJ's hair, leaving the room. Tony smiled. "Your sister's downstairs if you wanna wait with her." TJ took off, nearly running. Tony sighed, walking out, straightening his tie.
Quinn was busy looking all over the living room, looking under everything. Gage was about to tell her where her converse were when Tony walked up behind him, TJ following into the living room. "There in the lab princess." Quinn smiled, running to the lab in her bare feet, her dress shoes abandoned by the couch. Gage chuckled. "Can't keep her in dress shoes can we?" Tony sighed with a smile. "No, we can't." Clint came down, adjusting his tie, making sure his weapons were secure and hidden under his tux, same as Gage. Tony looked over, now noticing him. He had to swallow. Clint looks damn good in a tux and it took a lot of will power to control his wondering eye.
Kim was following behind, now ready in a purple gown to match Tony's purple tie for the Purple hearts Foundation. Tony smiled, walking over to her. "You look beautiful." He put his arms around her, kissing her cheek. Clint had to look away. She smiled. "Thank you sweetie. Are we all ready to go?" Kim looked around. "Wheres Quinn?"
suddenly there was the patter of feet on the wooden floor, Quinn smiling as she ran down the hall to the living room, her red dress swooshing around her. "Here mommy!" Kim laughed, kneeling down in her purple dress. "You look beautiful. Just like a princess." Quinn smiled, moving to hold Gage's hand while TJ got off the sofa, standing by Clint, arms crossed like him. Tony smiled. "Looks like were ready to go. Poor happy's been waiting, lets go say hi." Tony lead everyone to the limo,Gage and Clint making sure to look out for danger as they got in safely. Happy smiled to them from the drivers seat, looking in the review mirror. "Hey guys. Long time no see." Tony smiled. "Wheres Pepper tonight?" "probably at the Gala by now. Being CEO of the company, shes doing interviews and whatnot." Tony nodded.
Once happy drove them there, they got to there seats fairly quickly. Once everyone was settled Pepper rushed over to Tony in her own purple dress. "Tony! Thank God you're here. They've been asking for you. I need you to to speak with some of the veterans here." Tony held both her arms. "Pep, calm down. You know I got this." Pepper gave him a look. "Yeah, just like you handled the Expo last year?" Tony rolled his eyes. "I told you we were running late." "By two and half hours! I don't care, just go mingle." She nearly pushed Tony away from his families table. Pepper went to Kim. "Sorry about that. Everyone's been asking about him." Kim smiled, sitting with TJ and Quinn on either side of her.
Gage sitting next to Quinn with TJ next to Clint. "It's fine Pepper. Believe me, I understand. Sometimes you need to push him." Pepper nodded with a small amused laugh. "I'm going to find Happy." She was about to walk away when she smiled. "That was easy. He's already hovering over Tony." Kim chuckled. "He is very protective." Pepper chuckled. "Even when he doesn't have to be. He let the "everyone-needing-a-badge-" thing go but he's still as over-protective as ever. That's good, Tony needs over-protective."
After about a half hour of mingling with the Veterans that came to the charity it was time for him to go on stage for a speech. Tony walked up with Happy standing at the left hand stage entrance, watching with so much seriousness it was hard for Tony not to laugh. Happy just wasn't a serious guy, outside of protecting him and his family of corse. Tony smiled, waving to everyone, speaking into the Microphone. "Ah hello. And welcome to the 5th annual Stark Industries Purple Hearts foundation charity Gala. I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight. It really means alot-"Suddenly there was a huge blast on stage, a small fire starting in the curtains with other small blasts following around the Gala. Tony barely had time to react when one of the lamp bars from above fell, hitting him to the ground, unconscious.
Clint and Gage quickly held Quinn and TJ, trying to keep Kim hidden. Kim looked around in fear and worry. Swallowing when she saw Tony laying unconscious on stage. "He's knocked out! Clint! Gage, Tony he needs-" Clint turned to her, still holding TJ. Putting an arm around her. "You need us more right now. Com'on, lets get you to the car." TJ and Quinn were terrified, looking around as fires started igniting the purple curtains that decorated the walls of the room. Quinn cried, seeing everything around her. All the people that are now hurt then she saw her daddy on stage. "Daddy! Daddy's hurt!" Gage kissed her head, holding her tightly. "I know sweetie." Suddenly Gage saw movement, quick movement. He started to get his pistol when he felt a tazer hit his leg. He couldn't help the spasms, causing him to fall.
He saw Clint get the same, falling to the ground with TJ but with TJ's training he was able to jump from Clint's arms safely landing properly without injury. Quinn fell ungracefully with Gage, crying out when she hit her wrist. Suddenly two thugs came to them, kicking them over to face him. Quinn was shaking, watching. TJ growled as the other thug went for his mom. Kim yelped as one grabbed her hair with a smirk. "Think the boss would want her?" The other thug scoffed. "Please, what would he want with Stark's whore? The children are what we need. Get them." TJ started to attack the one holding his mom. "Let go of her!" The guy was much larger and even thou TJ had some very good hits in it barely stunned him. Kim cried, seeing TJ attacking him. "TJ no!" She was suddenly thrown , falling over the table, knocking it over with her, the glasses falling around her, breaking.
The thug picked up TJ, laughing when TJ was nothing but flailing. "Little pipsqueak, you can't do nothing." He spoke to the other thug. "Get the girl." Quinn was trying to hug and hide into Gage's head and shoulders, crying when she was suddenly taken away. "No! Gage! Mommy!" Gage and Clint could do nothing but watch as the effects of the tazer worked it's way thru. Kim watched in horror. "No! No! Quinn! TJ!" She cried. "Oh God.. My babies..." She sensed that the bad guys got what they wanted, making it safe to look for Pepper and help Tony. She saw Happy on stage, helping Tony, or trying to. She knelled down to Clint. "Oh God, are you alright?" He swallowed hard, looking pained. "Y-yeah...dammit...damn thing paralyzed me. Just now getting movement. Check on Gage..." She nodded, running her hand thru his hair worriedly before moving to Gage. She inspected him, nearly crying when his eyes were closed. Unconscious. "Oh God...He's knocked out...what do I do Clint?" by now Clint was able to lean up, putting weight on his elbows. "Nothing. He'll come to. That was a strangely strong tazer. Normally I can fight against them, him to. This one, someone modded it or something..Damn..." He groaned in pain.
Tony was just starting to come around, hearing Happy's muffled voice. "Tony! Tony wake up!" Tony groaned, his head was pounding and he was feeling nauseated. He knew he had a concussion. "What?..." Suddenly his eyes widened. "Oh God...The kids, Kim..are they ok?" He started to get up but nearly fell, his head woozy. Happy caught him, helping him up. "I don't know but you need to calm down. Your no good to them unconsciousness."
Tony nodded,looking up at him worriedly. "Get me to them then go find pepper." Happy nodded, helping him walk to the table they were at. Tony swallowed, seeing the table flipped over glass broken and his guards on the ground. "Oh God..." He could only think the worst. Suddenly he was engulfed in a hug by Kim. He quickly wrapped his arms around her. "Oh Angel..your ok...the kids..where are they? Are they ok?" Kim swallowed and he his heart dropped and froze. "They have them..." She bit her lip to keep from crying, nodding yes. He swallowed, his brain already formulating a plan. "Lets get home."
In the windowless van the bad guys of the week were using, TJ struggled, kicking and fighting the one holding him. He growled. "Let us go! Take us back!" The man holding him was getting annoyed. "Get something shut him up and keep him still." The other man rolled his eyes, getting out hand cuffs and duct tape. "God, you can barely handle a four year old. Why did we bring you?" TJ struggled as they cuffed his wrists, duct taping his mouth before holding his face roughly. "Now behave unless you want to be thrown out of this van." TJ growled thru the tape which brought him a slap to the face. Quinn cried, watching. "Stop it! Don't hurt my brother!" The man who was standing in the van, who duct taped TJ's mouth looked over to Quinn, kneeling down to her. "Aww the the little princess scared?" She swallowed. Now silent. The man smirked. "That's more like it. Silence because your not good for anything else. I bet when your older you'll be just like your father. A little whore." She cried. "Please, take us back home." The man chuckled. "Sorry, I don't call the shots. I just have fun." With that he took her sprained wrist, twisting it painfully.
Happy rushed them home. Pepper staying behind to do damage control and make sure everyone got any help they needed. Happy parked quickly inside the tower as paparazzi was already flooding the tower. Tony got out quickly, Happy getting out. Tony helped Kim out. "Sorry angel, I gotta go to the lab and track them." She swallowed tears. "Do what you have to do. Just find our babies." Tony nodded, kissing her quickly before rushing off. Happy following in worry for his bosses concussion. Clint and Gage were on either side of Kim. Clint spoke. "Con'on, lets go to the living room. Tony will find them." She nodded numbly, letting them help her upstairs.
Before she could sit on the sofa her cell in her purse rang. She picked it up automatically "Hello?" "Ahh Mrs. Stark. It is lovely to hear your voice." She paled, nearly wobbling from the shock. "Who is this?" Clint and Gage were right next to her. The voice spoke. It was smooth and full of business like charisma but the malice kept it from anything but soothing. "Well right now I'm the bad guy that has your precious children." She sat on the couch slowly, tears falling. "Please, don't hurt them." "Oh I won't. Not yet at least. You see, there what you call, leverage. If I don't get what I want then...well..." He railed off but Kim got the point loud and clear. "What do you want? Money? Power? We'll give it to you just give them back." He chuckled on the other end. "Oh it is not that simple Mrs. Stark. You see, it's what your dear husband has that I want."
Kim closed her eyes, already having a good idea. "And what might that be?" "Why his suits." She cried. He would never give his suits up. She was silent, not knowing what to say to it, tears continuing to fall. She heard rushed footsteps as Tony ran into the room, looking terrified. "It's him isn't it?" JARVIS had alerted him. Suddenly the voice on the phone chuckled lowly. "I'll be in touch." He hung up. Kim swallowed, looking up at Tony with teary eyes. "He said he would be in touch." Tony swallowed, looking at her phone. "I couldn't get a location on them. Wherever they are he's blocking it." He sat next to Kim, wrapping his arms around her, letting his own silent tears fall into her hair as she cried into his shoulder. There children were taken to God knows where getting God knows what done to them and he can't do a thing.
Somewhere in an abandoned building the bad guy by the name of John hung up his phone with a smirk. He turned to the two Stark children on the couch. The only light in the room from an old lamp. "Your mommies really worried." TJ glared, mumbling something covered by the tape. His hands bound by handcuffs. John walked over, ripping the tape off TJ's mouth. "Anything to say?" TJ glared. "Daddy and Clint and Gage. There gonna kill you." John chuckled lowly, kneeling down to them. "Oh I'm sure they'll try but you should start worrying about yourselves." Quinns hands were tied, her lip trembling, her writ bruised horribly. John looked over to Quinn who whimpered in fear. TJ growled. "Leave my sister alone! don't touch her!" John smirked over. "Or what? You'll throw a tantrum?" TJ glared, growling. "No." He quickly kicked his leg, hard. John yelped in pain before slapping him hard across his face. "Little brat!" Quinn cried out. "Stop! Don't hurt my brother!" She sobbed. The slap forced TJ to fall on his side with a grunt. He smirked, hiding his fear, looking up at Quinn. "It's ok Quinn.." John growled, getting duct tape, going to TJ, quickly taping his legs together. "Now that takes care of that." He added duct tape on TJ's mouth, adding a bit on Quinns mouth for good measure. He smirked. "There. Perfectly behaved." He chuckled lowly, walking away. He had another call to make.
AN: reviews please! Hope you all enjoyed this! :D