And so, once again, it was Christmas. The city was brimming with the holiday spirit, with streets illuminated by twinkling lights and shop windows decorated with colorful ornaments. Festive melodies echoed through the corners, while people hurried with their gifts, enveloped in a sense of joy and anticipation. The cold air carried the scent of pine and spices, announcing the arrival of the most magical time of the year. For many, Christmas was indeed that: a time of togetherness, celebration, and generosity. Truly, the most special time of the year. However, for Tony, this time of year brought a very different feeling, a constant reminder of losses and loneliness.
Fifteen years ago, on a fateful December 22nd, a car accident took the lives of his parents. The date, which should have been one of festivity and warmth, became a marker of sadness and emptiness. The bright lights and cheerful songs couldn't penetrate the fog of his melancholy. Five years ago, another loss added to his pain: his difficult divorce. The separation happened just as the wounds of his past were beginning to heal, reopening them with even greater intensity. The brunet loved Sawyer; he swore she was the woman of his life, that they would grow old together and celebrate their golden years. But then, she became just a reminder of how everyone he loved always left.
That's why Tony found in the hospital a way to distract himself from the dark feelings that the end of the year brought. Volunteering to be on duty during the holidays was his way of keeping his mind active, focused on tasks and responsibilities, away from the thoughts that troubled him. It was a time when he could dedicate himself entirely to work, avoiding the silence and loneliness of his home, which only amplified the painful memories.
It must have been around 10 PM; he had just finished a clinical appointment when he returned to his office, finding the last person he expected to see there. The man stopped abruptly at the door, surprised by Virginia's presence. She was sitting in his chair, exuding a confidence that seemed to take over the space. Her smile, illuminated by red lipstick, was a stark contrast to the usual seriousness she wore daily. The dress, in the same shade as her lips, was as bold as they were, and Tony couldn't help but think she looked like a living flame — vibrant and impossible to ignore.
"Pepper? What are you doing here?" he asked, confused, closing the door behind him.
The woman shrugged, a gesture that seemed nonchalant, as she stood up and walked towards him. At that moment, he could fully appreciate her for the first time. And what a crime she committed just by existing, but in that dress… Heavens.
The piece was a true work of fashion art. Made of luxurious and flowing fabric, probably silk or chiffon, in a midi style. The cut was impeccable, hugging her curves subtly without being overly tight. The neckline was a deep V, but still elegant and sophisticated, providing a touch of discreet sensuality. The straps were thin and delicate, giving a glamorous air to the ensemble. Aligned with the vibrant red tone, which contrasted beautifully with her fair skin, the choice was more than perfect to destabilize anyone she wanted.
"It's Christmas Eve, no one should be alone," her eyes shone with a determination Tony knew very well. "I brought some of our dinner. Are you too busy, or can you join me, Mia, and Alex?"
"I… I didn't expect this," he paused briefly, smiling slightly. "I just need to finish a few things here first."
"So, is it a yes?" Pepper nodded, satisfied with the answer.
"It's a yes," Tony confirmed.
He watched his colleague leave, still surprised by the unexpected invitation. But at the same time, he felt a comforting warmth in his heart. Perhaps this Christmas wouldn't be as lonely as he imagined.
｡ ｡ 3 HOURS EARLIER ｡ ｡
The house had been bustling since early morning, with shouts of excitement echoing through every room. Pepper could hardly explain the level of enthusiasm coming from Eleanor and Theodore. Her children had always loved Christmas, that was evident, but this year they seemed even more excited. The kids ran around the living room, admiring every detail of the holiday decorations while helping their mother and grandmother with the final preparations for dinner. The ornaments glowed in red, green, and gold, and the smell of homemade food filled the air. It was as if all the magic of the festive season had concentrated in the house that night.
The twins' anticipation to open Santa's presents only grew by the minute. They could barely contain their adrenaline, jumping from one place to another while asking questions about what could be inside the wrappings. And when Ivy and Reed arrived, accompanied by their parents, the excitement reached a new level.
Gradually, the house filled with the same friends as always, plus Donna, Harvey, and their kids. Natasha and her boyfriend, Bruce, were there, along with a work friend and, later, Scott, another of Harvey's college friends. Everything was going well. While the adults enjoyed lively conversations, the children were completely immersed in their world, exploring every detail of their new toys. They ran around excitedly, showing everyone their new treasures. The sound of children's laughter blended with the atmosphere, creating a joyful and contagious environment.
Meanwhile, Christmas carols played softly in the background, adding a festive touch to the setting. Stories were told, plans were shared, and the atmosphere of harmony and happiness filled every corner of the house. It was truly a special moment, a place where anyone would want to be. So, what was wrong? Why, while everyone around her celebrated Christmas with joy and enthusiasm, did Pepper feel an inner emptiness, a sense that something essential was missing? Her thoughts wandered incessantly to the past weeks, to Mia's case and Alex's loneliness at that moment. Even surrounded by the apparent happiness of the occasion, her mind kept returning to the doctor, whose presence had been persistent in her thoughts for so long.
"Are you okay?" Natasha asked at a certain moment, noticing how distant her friend had become.
She could have said yes, but she knew that everyone there knew her too well to tell when she was lying. And if she were to be honest, she was getting tired of it. "Would you be very upset if I stepped out for a bit?" she answered with another question.
Of course, the other redhead smiled, because she also worked at Metropolis Mercy Hospital and was certain that was where her friend was headed. She had been waiting for this for a long time, and the fact that Tony was on duty that night and Pepper chose to go there meant much more than it seemed.
"If you don't go now, I'll kick you out!" Nat joked, and knowing that Pepper was too nervous about the whole situation, helped her prepare a small dinner and came up with a medical excuse to justify her sudden departure.
Naturally, Donna needed only one look to know the truth, and if the children had been excited before, now she managed to surpass them.
Pepper didn't allow herself to think much, put on an overcoat, and called a taxi — because she hated driving in the falling snow. It took only a few minutes to reach the hospital, and as she made her way to Tony's office, she ignored all the stares and comments that now seemed even more pointed. She was very nervous because, deep down, she knew it wasn't just the discomfort of Mia and Alex spending that night alone; it also had a lot to do with her colleague, and admitting that took a lot out of her.
But she took a deep breath, sat in his chair, and allowed herself to smile, noticing how much the woody scent of everything there calmed her. Everything had his characteristic scent; it was intoxicating. When the door opened, revealing the image of the man, the expression on his face almost made her melt. She was absolutely sure that there was no point in trying to run anymore. And she didn't want to either. Luckily for her, he had always been more decisive than she was. And she was finally beginning to see the advantages of that, because Tony didn't hesitate to say yes to her proposal.
｡ ｡ NOW ｡ ｡
Two hours had passed since the redhead arrived at the hospital. With Tony's help, she managed to get some plates and cutlery from the cafeteria, which allowed them, Mia, and Alex to have a minimally decent meal since the doctor had forgotten that somewhat important detail. They talked, joked, and told stories. The four had spent so much time together in the past few weeks that it became impossible not to form a connection, and perhaps that's why the adults noticed something was wrong with the younger ones. They seemed apprehensive, anxious about something. And although they were trying to give them the time they deemed necessary, it was hard to pretend they didn't notice something was happening.
But then, surprising them, for the first time, Mia decided to share what had actually brought her there. Perhaps it was the Christmas spirit, perhaps it was the fact that they were having a small dinner in a hospital room, maybe the fact that Alex's hand was glued to hers, the fear of what would happen now that everything was so uncertain, or simply the fact that she felt she could trust her doctors. The point is, she felt comfortable speaking, but nothing could prepare Tony and Pepper for what came next.
"No one will believe me, no one ever did," she pondered.
"We know you're telling the truth. We know you've been abused," the neurosurgeon said, trying to make her feel safe. In their search for clues, they used all the medical data they had, and talking to the orthopedic colleagues, they learned that the abuse she had suffered must have been happening for a long time. At least since she was four years old, and it had become recurrent since then.
"The x-rays we took when you arrived told us a lot about what was happening to you due to the accident, but also a lot about what had happened long ago," Pepper explained. "You know, I understand how it feels not to trust anyone. People lie, but our bodies don't."
"Mia, it was clear how you had spent years suffering physical abuse. Extensive fractures in the ribs, subperiosteal bone formations in the femurs and humerus, linear fractures in the skull with various levels of remodeling..." Tony listed. "At first, we were doing isolated analyses, but when we put everything together, it was easy to understand why you never wanted us to call your parents... And of course, you wouldn't trust us after everything."
"I never thought I might not be their daughter. But then I found some documents and discovered that my birth certificate was fake. With those blood tests we do in biology classes, things got even more serious. How was it possible for them to be AB and me O?"
"We took all the names we found on those documents and did a detailed search in every place we had access to. None of those people existed; there was no record of any adoption, nothing. Absolutely everything was falsified," Alex added. "The more we searched, the worse things got."
"I couldn't tell anyone. No one ever listened to me before; I knew it wouldn't be different now. So, when we found this loose name, Oliver Sinclair, I decided I couldn't stop. I needed to know who he was and what he knew about me because I didn't know anything. I know nothing."
"He and Charlotte are married and currently live in Sleepy Hollow. Since we didn't find much online, we decided to travel the weekend of the accident to try to meet them. But Mia ended up going without me and didn't tell me anything. I knew something had happened, but I couldn't talk about it with anyone, so I started my own search, calling hospital after hospital in every city she could have passed through. It took a while, but it worked."
"I thought I saw James' car, and that suffocating feeling of having called him 'father' for so long, all the fear, all the anger... I don't know what happened, I lost control of the car. When I woke up here, and you didn't know who I was, and no one showed up... It was a relief."
"We wanted to tell you earlier, we really did, because you were the first people to care. But we couldn't risk it. My foster family never cared who I was with or what I was doing as long as I showed up for the meeting with the social worker. But not giving any sign for all this time? We were crossing all the lines, you understand?"
"I'm so sorry. But I just wanted answers," she said amidst tears.
And Tony made an effort not to let his own tears escape, while Pepper, on the other hand, didn't even try. At that moment, the line between what was ethical or not had already been blurred. Of course, they knew they needed to take this to the authorities; the teenagers also understood the situation. But the doctors were too involved to pull back now. On the contrary, all they wanted was to be there to ensure that things would turn out right. That they would end as they should.
They spent a few more hours with the young people, and when Mia fell asleep, with Alex also clinging to the chair beside her bed, the adults gathered all the things they had used, leaving the room behind. It was already late, but the redhead didn't even notice the time and soon got in touch with Donna and Harvey, as they were the ones who best understood the legal world and could help them in that regard. Meanwhile, Tony was sending a gazillion messages to the detective still working on the case. More than ever, they needed to know who Mia really was. She deserved a happy ending.
"I can barely believe everything that's happened in the last hour," Pepper sighed, letting her head fall against the couch in Tony's office.
"Of all the things I thought they could be involved in, a child abduction never crossed my mind," the man agreed, taking a deep breath.
"What do we do now?"
"We wait for the authorities to do something."
"Do you think Mia and Alex might be in trouble? They've withheld important information all this time," she observed.
"Given the situation, I highly doubt it."
"How can something like this happen? And so close to us?"
"It feels like something out of a movie, doesn't it?"
"I can't even imagine the pain she or her real parents must have felt."
"Indeed, it's not something we can imagine," Tony said, knowing how difficult the topic must be for her, given she had two young children close in age to Mia when it all began. He allowed himself to move closer and embrace her. "They'll be alright, all of them. You'll see."
And the surgeon truly believed in what she had said to the teenager earlier. People lie, but in Tony's arms at that moment, all she could think about was how safe she felt, how he gave her certainty.
"Should we tell Cora about this? It's bound to draw a lot of attention to the hospital," Pepper questioned.
"We definitely should, but not right now. It's Christmas," Tony joked, then pulled back a bit to look at her and smiled. "Hey, it's already past midnight! Merry Christmas, Miss Potts."
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Stark." He laughed. "I hope you've been good this year or Santa won't visit you."
"Oh, you have no idea how good I've been. Do you believe I only had to go to HR 5 times?"
"Wow, just that? What progress!"
"You have no idea." He chuckled, pulling her into another hug. "But then, shall we head out? It's already past 2 in the morning."
"Of course, I'll call a taxi," she replied, hating the distance between their bodies.
"Taxi?" He looked puzzled. "What happened to your car?"
"It's at home. I hate driving when it's snowing, so I took a taxi here."
"Well, after everything, I think the least I can do is give you a ride."
"Our homes are on opposite sides of the city. You don't have to do that."
"And the least you can do is accept." He was firm, talking over her, and Pepper laughed, feeling obligated to agree.
How could she refuse?