Chapter 2

Tony's P.O.V.

"Come on, it won't be that hard to raise him!" I beg.

"He's a teenager! You can't just put him in a corner and expect him to live!" Pepper retorts.

"I'm not going to do that!"

"Tony you'll get tired of him. You'll treat him like one of your experiments gone Wrong."

"Pepper. He's my...son. I can't just- I won't treat Percy like my father treated me! I want to be there for him!"

"Tony-"

"His mother just died! He's all alone! You want to put him in an orphanage? He'll be all alone. Nobody to talk to! Nobody who understands. Nobody who wants him. I want him! I want him to know his father! To-to feel like somebody wants him and somebody cares! I want to be the person he goes to when he has trouble at school, the person he goes to to get money to show off for some girl. I want to be a dad. Kind-of. This kid, Percy, he's my son. I have a 15 year old son who never knew his father, me. Now he gets the chance to meet his dad, to know him and you want that to go away? Kids need dads! He needs a dad. I- I have someone I can spoil, someone I can show off. I never, ever, would have thought about having kids. You know. Too dangerous, but Percy. I have a picture of him look." I hand her a picture and point at Percy. "That's him. Right there. Just knowing he's mine. It makes me feel all wierd inside. I like that feeling. But look at his smile. It looks strained, like he's hurting, he's trying to keep it together. I want to end that pain. I want a real smile. Think of the way it will fill the place! We, you and me, we could have a small family. Maybe, maybe we could just try? Please? Not for me but for the kid whos out there right now hurting over the loss of his last living relative besides me."

Pepper looked at the picture tracing the face of the boy. "I want to meet him."

"Deal."

"I get to be part of his life too?"

"Only if you want to."

"I get to help pick his wardrobe?"

"Ummmm... I guess?"

"He gets his on room, his own lab, his own anything he wants?"

"As long as it's reasonable."

She stares at the picture for a few more minutes. "When can I meet him?"

"He's in the hospital, so I say tommorow morning. We could bring him chocolate or video games."

"Don't get too attached." Pepper interuppts.

"How could I not? Look at him! He looks like a baby seal!"

Pepper lookes at me with a little sadness. "And if he doesn't want to be around you?"

I grinned. "He'll love me, I just know it!"

She let it drop.

"Have you talked to anyone else about Percy?"

"...Yes."

"You hesitated. We can talk to everyone else later. Before Pery moves in."

"Who said anything about moving in?"

"I don't have to like him."

"Shutting up."

...

3rd Person

"Is it believeable?"

"Very."

"Okay how about this one?"

...

Tony's P.O.V

"Family Meeting!" I yell.

Slowly the entire Avengers, plus Pepper, get into the meeting room. Bruce and Cap sit towards the back, with Natasha hiding in the shadows, Clint hanging in the rafters. Thor sitting as close as possible, like an eager child. I turned away from them and turned on the projecter. The first image to be shown was a picture of Percy, his mom, and first step-dad. Baby Percy was just barely a year old, with his om hugging him tightly causing him to laugh, while the fat walrus of a step father was drinking a beer.

"This." I say pointing to little Percy. "Is a little boy."

"No really!?" Clint gasped. "I thought it was a little girl."

"Shut up Robin Hood." I flicked the next picture on. It was Percy on his first day of school. He had his eyebrow quirked as if to say "Is this really neccessary?" He wore a Hawian blue t-shirt with caki shorts and surfer boy flip-flops. His little back-pack hung beside him it was a plain green and looked more like a beach bag then anything else.

Cap let out a little laugh. "He looks like he's going to the beach, not school."

I nodded. "Kid has a thing for the ocean." I turned to Pepper. "Seahorses!"

Pepper looked confused. "Say again."

"He could have pet seahorses! Nobody else has them, he'll love it I'm sure!"

Bruce stood up his hands out as if to say "Pause this nonsense". "I'm I the only one who's completely lost? Why are we looking at pictures of a random kid? Why are we discusing seahorses and pets?"

Natasha nodded. "I'm willing to listen, but I want to know what this is about too." Natasha took the contoller from me zipping past the pictures. 10 years old, 11 years old. She paused at a picture of 13 year old Percy. He had a large red scar starting from the left side of his chin to a end at his left cheek bone. He was wearing a pair of badly ripped jeans and an orange shirt with the words 'I blew up a volcano and lived'. He had a confident smirk on saying 'Yeah I did that. What you gonna do about it?'

Natasha kept going until she ended on the last picture. Percy was getting his hair cut, looking like he was going to jump out of his seat. He was looking at the camera with mock anger.

Pepper let out a 'awww'. "He's so cute. Like a kitten."

I snatched the remote from Natasha, but not before getting a look. "Anyway." I snapped. "This is Percy Jackson. He's 16 years old." A birth certificate showed up on the screen. "His mother's name was Sally Jackson and-"

Cap suddenly looked outraged. "Please tell me this isn't going were I think its going."

There was a short laugh before a slight intake of breath, Clint came slamming down onto the table wheezing badly. "This-this" He said between laughing and wheezing. "you have a son?...This is halarious! How even!" Clint kept laughing for a few more minutes. He rolled onto his stomach putting his chin on his face. "Do go on."

"Like I said, this Is Percy Jackson. He...He's my son and his mother just died. So I'm planning on takng him in and letting him live with us. I need to know if you guys are on board with this. Cause if you aren't, I can arrange a place for you to stay until you know if your willing to give him a chance."

CLint looked slightly amused. "So you aren't going to go throw him into a boarding school and be done with him?"

Bruce nodded. "It does (No Offense) seem more your style than taking care of him."

Cap looked at them, looking flabbergasted. "Are we just going to skip over the fact that he had a kid when he wasn't married? Is that part not important?"

Natasha looked over towards him. "Get with the times Rogers. This is a different world." She switched her gaze over to me while Cap continued to stutter. "What about our line of work?"

"I think he'll be suprised his dad is afreakin superhero."

"How do you plan on preparing him for that. Knowing his dad might not come home when ever he gets called. Or when people realize you have a son, how do you excpect him to react when he gets kidnapped for the first time? What if Bruce looses control when Percy's around? What should he do? Or if he's tortured for information? HAve you thought of any of this?"

"I have." I pointed at Clint. "He's going to need someone to teach him to defend himself. Clint can teach him that with Natasha. You, Natasha, can teach him to hide or sneak, or whatever it is you spies do so yoou don't get caught. All of you could teach him something to help him. I could teach him how to use the suits in case of emergaincies. We can all bring something to the table."

Thor took this time to speak up. "Why have you not learned of your son until now Son of Stark?"

"His mom never told me about him."

Cap butted in again. "And Pepper is okay with this? Your wife is okay with you having an illegitamet son?"

I sighed. "Are you in or not Captain?"

Everyone stared at him, waiting for his lead.

He growled before sitting back in his seat. "I'm in, but after this we are having a long talk about this."

Thor slammed his hammer down. "I too, am in."

Bruce nodded. "As long as we come up with plans on how to handle a teenager in a house full of superheroes. Then I'm in too."

Natasha and Clint shared a long look before Natasha put her hand in. Clint grinned happily. "I've always wanted to be an uncle."

Everyone quickly put there hands together in the center of the table."Than it's decided. Welcome to the Avengers Tower Percy."

...

"It seemed believable to me." Natasha said.

"That's cause you can lie." Bruce said.

"It was fine. Everyone did fine." I butted in slughtly.

"Percy can lie right?" Pepper asked.

"Great liar. Tested him. Almost made me think he was a merman who got legs. Though the kid seems to have a thing for the ocean." Clint nodded to himself.

"He's a freakin son of the sea god. What do you think he's going to like? Dry land?"

"Shut up Tony."

"Right back at you Clint."

"So is he in the hospital waiting to meet his dad?"

"And Fury, and Pepper, and the avengers."

"Get your nervous act on Fury's going to be here in 5 minutes."

"Why do I have to be nervous?" I asked.

"Your meeting your son for the first time ever. What if he doesn't like you? What if he hates you? What if he runs away? What if he hates you for leaving his mom alone with an abusive man? What if he's scared of you? Trumitized by childhood events? He's first step-father abused him, leading him to have a fear of men. What if when you raise you hand for a high-five, he finches back scared your going to hit him? He'll forever stay away from you and when your drunk he'll get scared and get this look of fear in his eyes, he'll hide behind Pepper. No he's going to grab Pepper hide her behind him and wait for you to hit him or throw your bottle at him." Natasha was really good at installing fear in someone.

"Holy %#)(*%!" I started to panic slightly. "What did you do to me?" I freeze staring at Natasha. "How do you know all this stuff about Percy anyway? Were you just making examples or something?"

"I wasn't kidding. I looked into it and Percy had a step-father who was an alchohalic. Drunk all the time. Percy would end up in the hospital with broken bones all the time. More Percy than his mother. I placed an alcholic beverage in front of Percy and he sckooted away from it like it was a desease. Have you ever noticed how he slightly leans away from males when they get to close. He always sits by me when we eat together. He keeps his eyes on all of you and if one of you makes a violent move or when one of you waves your arms around wildly, he almost immediatly jerks as if he's expecting you to hurt me and he's going to keep you from doing so."

I threw out the rest of alchohal just as Fury came into the room. He raised an eyebrow. "This boy must have a big influence on you if your throwing out you alchohal."

I whirled around panic written on my face. "He doesn't like it! He's stepfather was abusive and a drunk! He can't see me like that! He'd be terrified of me! Forever!" I grabbed my hair, tugging it the way I had seen Percy do when frustrated. "He's going to hate me isn't he? He won't want to be near me. He won't want to live with me. He won't even want to know me. He's going to like never actually like me. I bet he hates Iron-Man. No! What if he turns out to hate heroes. What if he's a gang-member?"

"He's going to love you Tony, just calm down." Pepper came in wearing a black and grey pant suit. "what do you think? Too intimadating?"

"Intimidating is good." Clint said showing of his outfit the same way Pepper did. "Natasha and I are going to install fear into his heart."

Pepper crossed her arms. "He's a kid."

"Yeah STARK'S kid. He's going to need to learn not to mess with us."

"Go change into something that won't freak him out." Pepper looked at Natasha. "You too." She glanced at Fury. She narrowed her eyes. "Is everyone in here trying to scare the poor boy? J.A.R.V.I.S.! Find something normal for Fury to wear."

"Third Floor, Room 16, cabnit 9, to the bottem left. THere should be something there that fits Direcotr Fury."

Pepper shoved everyone out of the room forcing them to go put something else on. When everyone came back Pepper inspected their clothing. Natasha was dressed in a pair of loss jeans and a plain blue blause, Clint was in jeans and a butten up t-shirt, Pepper was wearing a pair of shorts with a pretty purple shirt with a flower design at the bottem. Fury was still in the same clothes as before.

"Will you at least put on a pair of sunglasses to hide your eyepatch? We're trying not to attract attention." Pepper handed him a pair of sunglasses and, with much convinsiong, put them on.

"We have somewhere to stop before we go pick up the kid."

"Don't tell me..." I groaned. "I like the guy, but why does he have to meet Percy. What if Percy's scared of HIM?"

"The kid's got a target painted on his back thanks to you. Someone's going to need to take care of him when your of saving humanity from itself."

"So your going to teach him to be like Clint?"

"No. Self defense, that's it. I don't need another person like you and Clint running around the Heliarrier."

`...~...

Percy P.O.V.

Sitting in a hospital room and laying on a hard bed was seriously starting to get boring. After losing so many people in life I quickly got used to the fact that my mom was dead. It helped that Nico had come by and told me that my mom was happy and with Paul in Elysium. I learned that Will and Nico had finally went on their first real date. (THIS WAS FOR MY BROTHER WHO SUPPORTS IT WITH A PASSION!) It went great apperently because the went with Calypso and Leo and Jason and Piper. I thought about how much Annabeth would have liked to have gone. I quicky stopped thinking about it and turned to wierder thoughts.

I didn't understand why the Avengers wanted to take me into their home, I still had other places I could live. The seemed really really egar, well Tony anyway, to have me play the role of new found kid. It seemed like a good idea, but how was I supposed to react? Natasha said I should glare at Tony like I couldn't believe he actually dared to meet me. Wouldn't it be better if I acted like I didn't care? Like when I first met Posidoen.

"Persues?" A small nurse asked. "There are some people here to see you... they're... they're the Avengers sir!"

"Let all of them in except Tony Stark." I said putting a pout on my lips the minute she left. When the door opened again, the Avengers, minus Stark, plus 2 others came in.

I stared at the one-eyed man for two seconds. "No way! You got me a Pirate? Best get well present ever!"

He snorted. "Just like Stark."

I scowl immediately. "No I'm not."

"Don't like him?" He looked at the door where Tony was pressing his face against the glass, a look of sadness destroying his usually happy face. "Is that why he isn't allowed in?"

I glare at Tony making him jump back away from the door. I let venom seep into my voice. "He left my mom with a monster and he didn't even care. I hate him. I don't care if he's rich or famous or a freakin hero. I don't want him in my life." I crossed mu arms and pouted like a normal teenager would. (I looked it up appeantly normal kids are pouters.)

A muffled please was heard from outside. Other words followed it. "what's he saying?" I curiously looked over to were he was standing. He had his face pressed up against the door talking as quickly as possible.

"You could invite him in and he could tell you."

I snapped my eyes on the man by the IV stand. He had thinning light brown hair and a slightly aged face, he had smile lines, telling me he wasn't always grim faced.. He wore a black suit and a grey tie with it, when I looked around I realized almost none of them were in costume, meaning someone convincied them to stay on the down low about it. I noticed a women in the back she was standing there acwardly in the back. She ware a small smile that widdened when she saw me looking at her. She started to move to the front of the room. She had reddish blonde hair that shinned wierdly in the light. She walked toward me and swooped me into a hug. " I'm Pepper. Tony's wife."

This was my first time actually meeting Pepper. She reminded me of my mother, her words were gentle and kind, yet I could tell she wasn't one to be denied, but she wasn't cruel, motherly yes. I sat there waiting for her to let go, my throat had gone dry and my eyes felt watery just thinking about it. I tried to say something but couldn't make anything come out. I turned my head to the side and looked out at Tony, he had an unreadable expression on his face. It was a mix of faked sadness, confusion, and... pity? Pepper waited another few minutes before pulling away realizing I wasn't going to hug back. Tired a let myself fall back against the pillows. I felt numb as a looked at them. "I guess." I swallowed. "I guess he can come in."

The mystery man came up to me, looking me up and down, trying to figure out of I was strong of fit or worthy of his attention. After deeming me worthy enough he stuck out his hand . "I'm Agent Coulson, The Avenger's Baby sitter. Meaning anything the do they have to tell me and I tell Fury. I watch over them, that now includes you in the group, and make sure they don't destroy something."

"I don't need a babysitter. I haven't needed one since I was a toddler." I stated. "I can take care of myself."

"I'll be taking you to safe houses when the Avengers are out and about and cant take you with them. Think of me as a body-guard that only shows up when the world is in danger."

Percy snorted just as Tony finally came in. He seemed to edge around the bed, trying to play off a smile. Tony turned out to be great acter, I watched as he opened his mouth but closed it again. "Your stepfather was a drunk, an alchoalic?"

I stared at Tony in shock. I never told anybody about Smelly-Gabe. If the subject ever came up I just avoided it by talking about my mom. I looked at Natasha. It was obvious she had told him. "Maybe." I mumbled.

Tony's face paled slightly. "What was he like? When he was drunk?"

At first I didn't say anything hoping the subject would drop. But after a long silence I realized this was supposed to be the make or break of me and Tony's relationship, both the fake one and the real one. "Smelly-Gabe wasn't the best step-father."

"Did...did he ever hurt you?" Tony asked.

"Does it matter? It happened years ago."

Tony looked at me demanding an answer. "It matters to me. I could link him to so many crimes that he would never see the light of day again."

I glared at him. "What would that change? What's done is done. You can't change it no matter what. Forget the past, look to the future, that's what mom always said."

"Does that mean he did hurt you?"

I looked away from them trying to keep my anger in check. "It doesn't matter." I looked out the window, seeing reporters coming up the hospital steps, I ignored them. "He's dead anyway. His fatness and stupidity caught up to him." I grinned wickedly. "I love Karma."

"I drink." Tony said loudly.

Though I had known the fact I looked at him. This must be the reason for his sudden care about what Gabe did when drunk. He found out and was suddenly freaked out about it. I had never seen Tony drunk, but I was guessing he wasn't like Smelly-Gabe when he was drunk. He continued to look at me, waiting for the look of fear or discust to appear in my eyes.

I looked at him honosty shinning in his eyes. "Your not the only one who did research."

He looked at me confused. I rolled my eyes. "Once I found out you were my dad, I looked everything I could find on you. You're Iron-MAn, your married, and you get drunk...a lot. But what I found out about that was suprising... I guess. When you get drunk you just get delierious and then pass-out. I looked up every report about it. Not a single time were you violent."

Tony still looked confused.

I sighed. "I already know you were a fan of alchaol."

"But you don't mind?"

"Oh I mind. If I live with you, you never drink when I'm around. Deal?"

Tony grinned shaking my outstretched hand. "Already done. Every alchaolic beverage in my house, well tower, is gone, thrown to the trash."

Pepper came up and rapped her hand around Tony's. "Guess you're my bargining chip then. Any time I need something from Tony I'll just ask you to get it for me."

Now was the time I played my puppy-dog eyes. My favorite weapon of all. If I was going to be forced to be Tony's kid he was going to have to do a lot more then just stop drinking. I quickly donned the puppy eyes and looked at Tony.

.../...,...

Bruce's P.O.V.

The minute Percy's eyes got big, pouty, and shiny everyone's attention was on him. It was like looking into a baby seal's eyes, nothing but innocence shone through them. It almost made me want to give him things. I know if he tried those on me I wouldn't be able to say no.

"Tony..." Percy asked his eyes getting bigger. "My skateboard broke a few weeks ago, I don't have any money to buy a new one."

I could feel the question coming and I know Tony was going to try to resist saying yes.

"Can you get me a new one?"

Tony sat there for a few seconds clearly wanting to say no but not wanting the eyes to get to beggy. "Of course! Anything for my son!"

"Anything?" Percy asked his eyes getting shinneir.

Tony frowned slightly. "Well not everything."

Pepper snorted. "He has you rapped around his pinky finger." She winked at me. "He has me rapped around it too."

Fury raised an eyebrow. "This is going to end badly I can tell. Coulson?" Together the 2 agents left.

Coulson looked back at Percy. "See you around kid."

Percy grinned. "This is going to be a fun month yeah?"