The doctor went to that small coffee shop the next day, waiting for Tony. He knew he would be there. He already bought two coffees. He smiled when he saw Tony walking down to the shop. Tony looked up then smiled when he saw him. The doctor 's smiled faded. Tony had a black eye and bruise on the side of his neck. His dark messenger bag hanging from his shoulder. He must have just gotten out of school. "Doctor, why are you here? I didn't think we would meet until tonight." The Doctor smiled, ignoring the bruise for now. Handing him a coffee. "Oh I think we can bend the rules for a little bit. I've got something important to show you. A personal history lesson." Tony grinned, holding the doctors hand. "What are we waiting for? Lets go!" The Doctor smiled, leading him to the TARDIS in central park..
The Doctor lead him, looking down to him. "Those bruises, who gave them to you?" Tony didn't look up. The Doctor got a sense he was avoiding the topic. Tony spoke quietly. "Just some older boys at school. It's ok." The Doctor stopped, kneeling down to him. "No tony, that is never ok. I don't like bullies." Tony smiled. "You sound like Captain America." The Doctor smiled, getting his sonic out. "You like Captain America?" The Doctor spoke as he ran the green light up and down Tony's face and neck. The bruises fading."Uh-huh! I'm his biggest fan!" The Doctor smiled,putting the sonic away,starting to lead him into the TARDIS. "Maybe sometime we can meet him, would you like that?" Tony grinned. "Really? But he's dead. He's frozen in the Atlantic." The Doctor went to the console, pressing buttons. "Oh Tony you forget, I have a time machine, silly boy." Tony smiled, putting his bag on the couch, sipping his coffee while the doctor pressed various buttons and levers.
"So where are we going?" Tony spoke up. The Doctor smiled. "Oh somewhere in history. You'll see. It's a surprise. You like surprises." Tony shrugged. "When they actually happen to me, yeah, I guess." The Doctor went slack a moment. He knew what he would show him is terrible but it had to be done. He walked over, kneeling to him. "Well the surprise will come after. I have something I want to show you first and it's not going to be very pleasant." Tony frowned but was silent, letting it sink in. The doctor ruffled his hair with a smile. "But I promise, it will be a good day." He stood, waking back to the console. "The arctic planet of Tundra. I know, there not the most creative people but they make up for it with there snow." Tony raised an eyebrow. "Snow?" "Yes. There snow is the most colorful. Well, the only colorful." Tony laughed lightly. "The only color I've seen snow is yellow and that's not a good thing." The Doctor laughed, pressing buttons then pulling the lever. "Every snow flake that falls on that planet is a different color. All colors of the rainbow. Red, blue, green, purple. " Tony smiled, his eyes wide with wonder as the TARDIS starting to go thru time. The large crystal going up and down with that pleasantly strange sound. "Rainbow snow? How does it do that?" The Doctor smiled to him. "That my dear Tony, is a secret." "awww com'on!" Tony smiled, going to him. "Please? Please? Pretty please I promise I won't tell anyone. I don't even know anyone to tell."
A few moments later they were landed, the doctor got out two necklaces, kneeling to Tony, gently placing the necklace around his neck."Now Tony listen to me. You'll stay with me. It's more dangerous then you can imagine out there." Tony swallowed, looking scared but nodded. "Now these necklaces will protect us, there a perception filter, it'll keep us hidden but please, stay with me." Tony nodded, reaching to hold his hand. The doctor held his hand tightly, leading him outside the TARDIS.
Once outside Tony looked around in confusion. There was a fence, by the looks of it, an electric fence. There were people, they looked starved, dying yet they seemed to be working on something, carrying wheelbarrows, pots, various items. All in striped pajamas with a number. Some even had stars on them. "Doctor, what is this? Why are they working when there so sick?" Tony looked up, looking a mixture of fear and anger. The doctor frowned softly, still holding his hand.
"There prisoners Tony." Tony frowned. "Why? What did they do? They don't look like bad people." The doctor started to slowly walk with Tony, keeping him close as his young eye saw the cruelty of man at it's worst. "Your a very smart boy Tony. No. there not. There moms and dads. Brothers and sisters. Husbands and wives." "Then why are they in here? Doctor!" Tony stopped him harshly. His dark eyes watery. The doctor frowned, kneeling to him, holding his little face in his hands. "Because a very mad man put them here. He put them here because he felt they were lower,he felt they weren't even human. A waste of space. There in here because it's against the law to Be Jewish, gay, different in any form." A tear fell down Tony's face. "are they gonna hurt me? I'm different, Is that why daddy hurts me?" The doctors eyes widened. "What? You said it was bullies, Tony?" Tony looked away, tears going down is little face. "He likes to drink and sometimes he just drinks too much and I try to stay out of his way but somehow I always make him mad."The doctor frowned, standing, holding his hand.
He started to gently lead him to the TARDIS. "Come along Tony." Tony followed, holding his hand impossibly tight. Once inside, he knelled to Tony. Seeing tears roll down his face, it made his hearts break. He brought him in for a hug. Tony Clung to him, crying quietly on his shoulder. He rubbed his back and ruffled his a hair, letting him let it out. Then Tony spoke against his shoulder, his voice broken. "why does everybody like to hurt me?" It brought tears to the Doctors eyes, hugging him a little tighter.
Once Tony calmed the Doctor smiled to him sadly. "Hey, lets check out those rainbow snowflakes." Tony nodded, wiping his eyes, he looked deep in thought as he went to sit down next to his bag on the couch. The Doctor watched with a heavy heart. His determination growing with every second. He would protect Tony at any cost. He went over to the console, starting to press buttons of every shape before pulling the lever and taking off.
The doctor smiled as they landed, taking the necklace off, going to the doors. Tony got up, he had already taken the necklace off. He went to the doctor as he opened the doors. Tony gasped as he saw the snow. It was snow of every color. No patch was just one solid color, it was a rainbow of colors and snow was falling. He walked out, feeling the chill in the air, reaching his hand out, seeing a blue and green snowflake land on his skin. He smiled. "Can I take one home?" The Doctor smiled, ruffling his hair. There was his Tony back. " Of corse, just stay here. No wondering off." He quickly went back in. he had just the thing to preserve a snowflake.
Tony smiled, continuing to watch the colorful snowflakes. The yellow sun shining down only made it more beautiful as it glittered. He thought he saw movement, he looked and saw a horses back end until it disappeared into a white forest of snow covered trees. Tony smiled, his curiosity getting the better of him as he went after it. He had to know all about this strange beautiful world.
The Doctor came back. Container in hand, fiddling with it. "Sorry it took me, had to move a few things-Tony?" He looked around, seeing footprints go into the forest. He sighed in announce as he spoke to the container as he walked. "Just once, just once! I would like someone to listen when I tell them not to wonder off! Tony?! Tony!" He called out for him as he walked into the forest, putting the container in his pocket.
Tony looked around, walking then stopped, dead in his tracks. "You've got to be kidding me." It was a unicorn. They were much bigger then they appeared in books. Like Clydesdale horse but beautiful with pure white hair and almost sliver, glittering mane with a large sliver horn with a golden tip. He seemed to be lapping at the snow, the snow melting a mixture of colors on it's tongue and snout.
He picked up a handful, offering it. It looked up curious. It's eyes were golden as it started walking over. He held his hand out flat, the snow slowly melting. He tensed as the unicorn leaned it's head down, gently lapping at the snow. Thats when the doctor found him. "Tony! There you are!" The unicorn got startled, running away. Tony smiled. Going to him, pointing at the direction the unicorn ran. "That was a unicorn! A real unicorn!" The doctor nodded with a smile, he was glad he was safe. "Well technically it was a snowmare but I told you not to wonder off." Tony nodded. "I know, I couldn't help myself. I had to know." The doctor smiled. "Oh I know that feeling quite well. Too well. Come along Tony. Lets go explore." Tony smiled, taking his hand. They both started walking into the rainbow, winter wonderland.
It was hours later, back in the TARDIS. On the way to Tony's mansion, he had fallen asleep on the couch. The doctor smiled over at him. Maybe for once, everything would work out. Maybe he won't be lonely. And Maybe this little boy who is too smart for his own good yet so lonely himself, could finally have a friend.
The Doctor carried him in once again, finding the house empty. Again. The doctor frowned at that. Did they not care there child was missing? He didn't see any evidence in town of him being missing in this time. He gently placed him back in his bed, placing the captain America blanket over top of hm. He wondered around the house a bit. It was large, classical and show signs of the science that was clearly all the boy could think about. He walked over to a photo frame on the mantel. A name plate on it. "Howard Stark with Son Anthony, at the Scientist's Ball, 1971." The Doctor looked over the man. From just seeing his photo he didnt like him. He placed the picture back. "Oh Howard, there's nothing more important then your children and yet you wave yours away like he's the pet dog. " The doctor shook his head before walking out the door.