On Our Way To Nowhere

Peter tugged on his fathers hand. He was so tired and was having a hard time keeping up. “Daddy, my legs are tired.” 

Tony stopped walking and looked down at Peter. They had been walking for the past hour and Tony didn’t have any inhalers so he was trying to not move too fast, trying to accommodate for Peter's weak lungs and tiny little legs. 

“Come here, I’ll carry you for a bit.” Tony swung the other backpack strap over his shoulder and lifted Peter up, setting him on his hip. He began walking to catch up with Steve, Natasha, and Locke. 

Tony didn’t know how much longer they had to walk for. He wasn’t sure if they would be camping out there in the night or not, all he knew was that if this led them to the submarine to get back home, Tony was going to risk it. 

The walk so far had been pretty easy. 

It was across the hills and through the jungle. The only thing in the way so far were trees, branches and a few streams. Nothing they couldn’t cross. 

Tony and Peter had come across much worse from their many hikes into the jungle. 

Steve stopped walking just in front of a stream and looked around. “Let’s take a ten minute break before we start moving again.” 

Tony placed Peter on his feet and walked over to Steve. “Are you sure we’re heading in the right direction? This seems kinda far for Peter to have made it all the way here by himself.” 

Steve took a sip of water and walked down to the stream to wash his face. “I hadn’t been to Hydras campsite in almost three years but it’s North and we’re headed North.” 

“Daddy.” Peter tugged on Tony’s arm. “I need to go pee.” 

Tony ran his fingers through his hair. “Okay. Let’s go.” He grabbed Peter’s hand and led him into the jungle a bit so Peter got some privacy from the group. “Go here.” 

He sat down on a log while Peter tugged down his pants and relieved himself. Tony had no idea what would happen once they got to the others camp. He was terrified that they were going to take Peter from him again. He wasn’t going to let that happen. 

They had been planning this for the past two weeks and in that time, Tony expected them to come back and take Peter and they didn’t. Whatever agreement or deal that they had, must have been serious because there was no sign of any Hydra people. 

Peter finished peeing and pulled up his pants. “When we get there, will we go home straight away?” 

Tony pulled Peter onto his lap. “I hope so. That’s the plan anyways but things don’t always go to plan so don’t be disappointed if we aren’t on our way home by tomorrow.” 

Peter nodded. “I know, daddy.” He wrapped an arm around his dad’s neck. “I just really miss Pepper. Do you think she misses us too?” 

“I know she does.” Tony wished there was some way he could tell her that they were okay. They had been missing for over two months now and Pepper was most likely thinking that they were dead. He wished there was some way to tell her that they were trying to get home to her. 

Peter sighed. “The first thing I wanna do when we get back is… eat a cheeseburger.” 

Tony chuckled. That sounded good. “Oh yeah. With pickles smooshed down real flat?” Peter grinned so Tony poked his side until he burst out laughing. “We better get going. Want me to carry you or do you wanna walk?” 

“I can walk.” Peter jumped to his feet and walked back to the group with his dad. 

They were all on their way again. Tony kept a close eye on Peter, making sure his breathing stayed even since they couldn’t risk another asthma attack right now. Or ever again. 

They had been walking for over an hour when they came across a ravine and at the end of the ravine was a large cliff. They stopped in front of it and looked up. “We have to climb it.” Said Steve. 

Tony walked up to him. “Are you serious? Peter can’t climb this. We have to find another way around.” Tony looked around but there was nowhere else to go but up. 

“We have to. If we turn around, we risk losing daylight or getting lost. We stay on track.” Steve insisted and looked around. “Okay, I’ll go first, then Tony and Peter will come after so I can help Peter climb up.” 

Peter grabbed his dad’s leg. “I don’t want to climb it, daddy.” 

“I know. But we have to. It’ll be okay.” Tony reassured Peter and stepped towards the cliff. It went up at an angle so it wasn’t impossible to climb. There were tree roots sticking out of the fresh soil that they could use that as leverage to climb up. 

Steve started climbing first so Tony let Peter climb up and went straight after him, having to push him up by his bum to help him reach the next tree root to grab onto. Tony stayed right behind him the whole time but he couldn’t keep his hand on Peter the whole time which made it extra difficult for the both of them. 

Steve reached down and grabbed Peter’s hand, lifting him up easily and holding him so he didn’t fall until Tony got there. Once Tony did, he grabbed Peter’s arm so they could continue climbing but Peter started to slip. “Daddy!” 

“It’s okay. I’m right here. Just put your foot down.” Tony climbed up some more but the angle was too awkward to help Peter. 

Peter slipped again and screamed. “Daddy! I’m scared! I can’t do this! I can’t do this!” 

“Peter, calm down. Just put your foot down.” Tony instructed him but he couldn’t make it to Peter in time. Peter slipped and went to tumble down the cliff but Steve grabbed his upper arm, causing Peter to dangle above everyone. Tony’s heart fell out of his chest. “Oh god. Thank you.” 

Steve lifted Peter to climb in front of him so Tony caught up so he was behind Steve. Once he got to the top, he climbed over the edge and pulled Peter into his arms. “You’re okay. I’m so proud of you for doing that. You’re so brave.” 

Peter lifted his arms up to be held closer so Tony picked him up, pressing a kiss to his sweaty curls but he didn’t care. 

“That was scary.” Peter admitted. 

“I know. But it’s over now.” Tony reassured him and placed him on his feet, grabbing onto his hand. 

He waited for the rest of them to make it up while he approached Steve. “Thanks. For catching him and helping me get him up. I know you’re risking a lot for my son and I.” 

Steve patted his back. “I know what it’s like to lose a child. No one deserves to feel that pain and Peter needs to get off this island. If there’s something I can do to help you leave, I’ll do it.” 

Tony was so appreciative of that. 

They walked through some trees but what was on the other side was not what Tony was expecting to come across on the island. “Woah.” He pulled Peter closer to his side and tried to figure out what he was looking at. 

“What is that?” Peter asked, looking wide eyed at the tall metal pylons that were sticking out of the ground that had cup-like attachments on the sides of them. 

“It’s some kind of… security system.” Tony answered, still trying to figure out what it was. 

“You’re exactly right, Tony.” Said Locke, walking up past Tony and Peter to walk up to the fence. “It’s a sonar fence and it protects Hydra from one thing.” 

“What does it protect it from?” Tony asked, kinda scared to find out the answer. 

Locke walked up to one of them and looked up, putting his hands on his hips. “From the black smoke, of course.” 

Tony didn’t understand what that meant. “What black smoke?” 

Richard turned to him. “So you’ve never seen it. You are lucky. The black smoke is the monster. The security system to protect the island.” 

Tony remembered Steve mentioning something about that to him. “If it protects the island, why surround the Barracks with a sonar fence to keep it out?” 

“Because,” Steve said. “there’s a lot of bad people who don’t deserve to be on this island so they hide behind these fences.” 

Tony looked at the field in front of them where they were heading. He couldn’t see anything but grass and trees up ahead but that was where they were heading, to the bad people. He was starting to think he made the wrong decision bringing Peter along or even coming at all. 

“Peter and I got chased by that… thing a few days after we crashed here. It couldn’t catch us but… is that what the black smoke is?” Asked Tony. 

“Believe me,” Natasha walked past them to stand next to Locke. “If it wanted to catch you guys, it would. It just decided that you guys are allowed here, on the island.” 

Tony wanted to get off this island even more now. “Can we just get this over with? I need to get my kid home. How do we get through the fence?” 

Peter pulled away from Tony and ran ahead. “I’ll go first!” 

“No!” Tony yelled, racing to grab Peter but Locke grabbed his arm and yanked him back. 

“Careful! You do not want to go through the fence.” Locke warned him, pushing Peter towards Tony. “The waves could cause severe cerebral hemorrhaging to humans who passed through them and potentially kill them. I’ve seen it. Blood spurts out of their ears and nose and foam comes out of their mouth-” 

“Enough.” Tony covered Peter’s ears. He didn’t want him to hear that. He didn’t even want to hear that. “So then we go over it, if we can’t pass through it.” 

“Actually that’s a good idea.” Locke said and pulled his machete out from his holster. “I’ll find a small tree to cut down. Natasha, can you help?” 

Tony pulled Peter against his side. He didn’t like the idea of Peter having to witness everything, and possibly witness someone die from these sonar fences. He wasn’t totally sure it would actually work. 

He helped lift the tree onto one of the poles and tie an anchor underneath it to hopefully stop it from moving. 

Steve looked up at it. “I’ll go first. Let’s just hope this works.” 

Tony grabbed Peter and walked a few feet away from the perimeter. Steve braced himself on the tree then slowly started scooting his way to the top. He paused just before passing over the top of the sonar fence. 

Steve carefully passed over it and jumped down onto the other side, completely unharmed. 

“Okay.” Locke said, swinging his gun over his shoulder. “I’ll go next.” 

Tony picked Peter up and waited until Locke went over. He lifted Peter onto the tree. “Hold onto it and don’t move yet.” He instructed him then threw his leg over the other side and scooted up to Peter. 

“It’s really high up, daddy.” Peter pointed out, turning around to look at his dad but he almost lost his balance so Tony had to grab his arm to steady him. 

“It’s not high up. We’ll be on the ground soon.” Tony helped Peter make it across, hesitating at the sonar pylon. He knew it was safe already but he was over protective. He had to be, to keep Peter safe on this island for Peter and to keep him alive. 

“I’ll catch him, Tony. Just help him jump.” Steve stood under them, preparing to catch the eight year old. 

Once they were over, Tony pulled Peter closer to him. “Steve will catch you.” He told him as he lifted Peter’s legs over the side of the tree but Peter tried to cling onto him. 

“No! Don’t let me go! Don’t drop me!” Peter was so scared. He was so high off the ground and he didn’t want to leave his dad. 

“It’ll be okay. I’m jumping down right after you.” Tony reassured him and looked down to make sure Steve was ready. “Are you ready? I’m gonna send him to you.” 

“I’m ready.” He responded and caught Peter in his arms as Tony dropped him down. 

Tony swung himself over and under the tree then dropped down, taking Peter into his arms to reassure him again. “You did so well. Good job, Pete. We’re almost there now.” 

As Natasha was making her way over the sonar pylons on the tree, Tony looked around. He had no idea where to go from here but it was becoming so much more real. They were going to negotiate with Hydra and he had no idea how it would play out. 

Would they try and take Peter again? Would they kill them all? He had no idea and the fear of the unknown was the worst. 

He placed Peter on his feet and grabbed his hand to start walking across the field. “How much longer until we’re there?” 

Steve pointed over to the hill and to some trees. “Just beyond the hill there. Maybe fifteen minutes. That is if they don’t come to us first.” 

“Well… what happens if they come to us first?” Tony asked, really starting to have a bad feeling about this whole plan now. Even though he convinced everyone to come. 

Steve continued walking, not even looking at Tony as he spoke. “Let’s just hope they don’t.” 

That didn’t make Tony feel any better. He held onto Peter’s hand tighter and continued walking, constantly looking over his shoulder to look for anyone in the bushes or anyone pointing a gun at their heads. 

“Daddy?” Peter tugged on his hand. “What if they take me away from you again? I don’t want them to.” 

Tony didn’t want that either. “I won’t let them. It’s gonna be okay, buddy.” 

Peter sniffled. He wasn’t so sure. 

Just before they got to the hill, Steve stopped and gestured for everyone to stop walking as well. “We’re here. Look, we’re breaking the agreement and we’re on their side of the line. We put our guns down and listen to them.” 

Tony wasn’t so sure about that. “I’m not letting them take my kid again. I won’t just lay down for that.” 

Natasha placed her hand on his arm, showing him the first sign of affection since he’s met her. “We won’t let them take Peter.” 

He nodded. He would kill every single one of Hydra if they even tried. 

“Let’s do this.” Steve swung his gun behind his back and went first. 

Tony reluctantly pulled Peter along, over the hill and through the trees. He immediately spotted the yellow houses Peter was talking about. It was a small village with people walking around, doing somewhat normal things. 

There must have been about twelve houses, all the same shape and size. It was no bigger than eight hundred square feet with tiny gardens out front. Tony couldn’t believe his eyes. 

People actually lived on the island. 

“This was where they took me, daddy.” Peter whispered to Tony but it was a loud whisper so Tony quickly had to cover his mouth, feeling bad. 

“Shh.” He let go and looked at Steve. “I’ll go out first. I’m the one who needs to talk to them.” He whispered. 

“No.” Steve took his gun off his shoulder. “I’ll go. I’m the one who has history with these people.” He stood up. “This used to be my home after all.” 

Steve walked out of the bushes with his hands raised up. Four men with guns were immediately running towards him, aiming their guns at his head for him to kneel down. “Rogers, are you on a suicide mission?” 

“No, sir. I want to speak with Ben. I believe him and I have some catching up to do.” Steve looked behind the man to see Ben already emerging from one of the houses. 

Ben waved men off. “Steve. I can’t say I’m not surprised. Especially after everything that happened.” He stuck his hand out for Steve to stand up. 

“I’m just here to talk. I’m not armed.” Steve told him but Ben wasn’t looking at him. “You can even check.” 

Ben looked towards the bushes where Steve came from and pointed at it. “Get them out. They can chat with us too.” 

The four men walked towards the bushes and forced Tony, Peter, Natasha and Locke out. Tony picked Peter up and placed him on his hip, trying to shield him from everyone’s eyes but it was obvious Peter was there. 

Ben saw Peter and a flash of surprise crossed his face. He recovered quickly and nodded a greeting to Tony but Tony gave him a dirty look. He already wanted to punch the man in the face just for taking his kid. 

The man wasn’t offended. He walked towards the group so Tony turned his body so he couldn’t see Peter. “You’re not taking him again so back off!” 

Ben held his hands up in a surrender. “Why would we take him when we already have him, Mr. Stark. Thanks for bringing him back to us by the way.” 

Tony felt sick. He was starting to regret this whole thing now. 

“Take the rest of them to the room. I wanna talk with Tony.” Ben ordered and the four men grabbed a hold of everyone but Tony, Peter and Steve and led them away. 

Peter lifted his head off of Tony’s shoulder and looked around. He spotted Ben and then looked into the distance and spotted May. He leaned his head back on his dad’s shoulder and clung onto him. He didn’t want to be taken away from his dad again. Tony placed Peter on his feet, holding him close still. 

Ben patted Steve on the back after the rest of his group were out of sight. “Steve, as we agreed, you were not supposed to pass the line. You do know what that means now, don’t you?” 

“I’m not joining Hydra again. I left for a reason.” Steve narrowed his eyes at Ben. “You’re a hypocrite. What you do here, what you research, it’s murder.” 

Ben stood in front of Steve and took off his glasses. “What we are doing here is to make a future for children on this island. So they can come here to have a better life. Better than anything out in the real world.” 

“What you’re doing here is murdering children and accomplishing nothing!” Steve yelled and backed away from Ben, getting worked up. 

Ben placed his glasses back on. “Very well. I’m not going to try and change your mind again. Let me just ask you this one thing, if you were given the chance to have been able to save your son, wouldn’t you have done anything? That includes the work we do here-” 

Steve body checked Ben onto the ground and punched him in the face. “Don’t you ever mention my son to me again!” 

Peter jumped back so Tony covered his eyes so he didn’t see it although he was already too late. 

Steve got off of Ben and ran a hand through his hair before walking off somewhere. Tony looked back to Ben who spit out the blood and stood up, wiping the dirt off of him. “Sorry for that. Shall we go somewhere to talk?” 

Tony stared at him. “No. I’m not going anywhere with you.” 

Ben sighed. “Tony, it’s very important that we talk. Now, I’m sorry you had to witness that but it’s not true. The work we are doing here is critical for the future survival of children on this island.” 

“By kidnapping them and killing them.” 

“No. We aren’t,” Ben sighed again. “Look, can we talk? In private? May can watch Peter, she has before.” 

Tony picked Peter up. “Are you serious? No. No way am I handing my kid over to one of you guys again.” 

“Very well.” Ben began walking but turned around to see if Tony was following him. “Can you please follow me? I’d still like to talk to you.” 

Tony looked around. Everyone in the yard had stopped what they were doing and was staring at them. He didn’t know where else to go so he decided to follow Ben. He stayed a safe distance as he led them into one of the yellow houses. 

Peter lifted his head up and looked around. “This is May’s house.” 

Tony didn’t respond to him. He walked into the house and looked around. It looked normal. The front door was shut and he didn’t know what he was expecting it to look like inside the houses but it definitely looked like a normal home. 

He would never be able to guess they were on an island. There were couches, a dining room table, pictures on the wall and a kitchen with an oven and a fridge. He couldn’t believe it. 

He looked over at a woman walking down the hallway and saw the tiny wave Peter gave her. 

“Tony, this is May. She’s the one who took care of Peter while he was staying with us.” Ben introduced them but it made Tony incredibly angry. 

“You mean when you kidnapped my son from me and held him hostage.” He placed Peter on his feet and looked around the house a bit, not moving from his spot. 

Peter was holding onto his hand but May brought a basket into the room and kneeled down in front of it. Peter’s eyes went wide. He tugged on Tony’s hand. “Can I go play?” 

That surprised Tony. He reluctantly let go of Peter’s hand. “Uh, yeah.” Peter walked over to May and kneeled down as well, Tony watched him pull out a dump truck from the basket and push it across the floor. 

For a few seconds, Tony was lost in the sight. It’s been so long since he’s seen Peter play with a toy that wasn’t a rock or a stick or make something in the sand. It was nice to see, despite the situation. 

Peter reached into the basket and pulled out another toy. This time it was a fireman action figure. He placed it on the dump truck and drove it over to Tony’s feet. “Look, daddy. It’s my truck again.” 

Tony kneeled down and caressed his cheek. “Yeah, baby. I can see that.” 

“May can watch Peter. I’d really like to talk to you, Tony.” Ben said, more desperate this time. 

Tony considered it. Peter seemed to be happy. He gently tilted Peter’s chin up to look at him. “Will you be okay if I leave for a few minutes?” 

Peter’s smile fell. He looked back at Ben and May then grabbed onto his dad’s shirt. “Will you come back?” 

“Of course, baby. I promise you I will.” Tony pressed a kiss to his face but still waited until Peter either said if it was okay or not. 

“Mmm, fine. But don’t be too long.” 

Tony chuckled softly. “Okay, Petey. I’ll see you soon.” He stood up and walked towards Ben, speaking barely above a whisper so only he could hear. “If anything happens to my kid while I’m gone, I’ll kill every single person here and then I’ll kill you.” 

Ben nodded. “You have my word he will stay safe.” 

“Good.” Tony looked back at Peter one last time. “Okay. Let’s go then.”