Chapter 3
Maria watched with Jarvis as Howard puled the small ten year old through the mansion. Through the haze of alcohol, Maria could feel a small pang at the thought that this wasn't how she expected her life to turn out. With a sigh, the woman sat down in the parlor, knowing she was powerless to her husbands rage.
As Howard pulled Tony to the garage Jarvis followed, wary of Howard and what the angry man believed Anthony had done this time. As he got closer the butler could hear the strained breathing of the younger and the angry breathing of the older.
Howard pushed the child into the garage, not particularly caring when Anthony stumbled and fell onto the cold, hard, concrete. The boy scooted backwards until his back was against the black car which was used for family outings, when they rarely happened. Howard stepped forward in his favorite stance, one hand on his hip, the other pointing accusingly at his cowering child. “You!” He shouted, eyebrows aching closer as he scowled at his only kid. “You're a freak! You're a freak and I'll be damned if I let you stay her any longer!”
The boy gathered his wits, looking up to try and address the intimidating figure in front of him. “Dad, I swear! I swear, it’s not what you think! I-I don't know what you're talking about! I-I'm completely normal!”
“No you're not! You're a freak! And a pathetic one at that! And I will not have a, a mutant-” The word sounded vile on Howard's tongue, and Tony experienced a full body flinch. “-in my house. Get in the car!”
“Sir, perhaps it would be better if I come along too?” Jarvis commented neutrally from the garage door, moving closer to the now crying child.
Howard made a noncommittal gesture and moved towards the front seat as Tony jumped forward to meet Jarvis. “Just get him in the car.”
Jarvis leaned down to gather the boy into a hug, whispering in his ear as he did. “Young Anthony, I know that this is a scary time, but I need you to be brave for me, okay?” The young boy nodded, as tears ran down his face. “We must get in the car now, okay Anthony?”
With that Jarvis grabbed Tony's hand and led him to the back seat of the car. Usually the car was driven by a driver, with the family in the back seat, so a sound proof divider separated Anthony and Jarvis from Howard.
Jarvis grasped the two tiny hands of the boy he had watched grow up in this godforsaken house.
This child deserved so much more, he would do wonderful things one day. Even if he never saw this child again, the butler would always remember the smiles Anthony gave Jarvis, and only Jarvis. No matter what Howard decided to do, he would always love this child.
Tony got all this just from the simple touch, and then proceeded to throw his arms around his ever faithful butler. Though sobs ransacked the tiny body, Tony managed to say something surprisingly coherent.
“Ja-Jarvis?” The boy looked up at the man who had watched over him for years now, who had stitched up cuts that were to suspicious to warrant a visit to the hospital, and who was perhaps the only one in his ten years of life who had actually loved the child.
A gentle smile washed over the face of the old man. “Yes Master Anthony?”
The exhausted boy collapsed into the chest of his protector, but not before uttering four words that pulled on his heart. “I love you t-too.” And those pained words reminded the butler so much of the first time he experienced Tony's power, and he couldn't understand why Howard would care so little over the boy as to have him banished from his own house. He could only hope that Howard would not leave the child in a field, but instead a place that would allow him to grow and become the person Jarvis knew he could be.