The Mountain's Not So Peaceful Anymore
“Mr. Stark!! I can see the mountains! Look!! There’s a waterfall!!”
Tony grinned. “Yeah, Pete, I see it. Pretty cool, huh?”
“Yeah!!”
He watched with adoration as Peter stared wonderingly out the window. “D’you think we’ll see any animals?”
“Probably, kiddo. There’s a lot of wildlife around here.”
“Do you think we’ll see a bear? Or a deer? Maybe an owl?”
Tony chuckled. “I bet we will, Pete.”
~~~~~
It was getting dark, which worried Tony. He could still see the road pretty well, but the mountain path had dangerous twists and turns. The man tried to hide his concern for Peter, though, who was half-asleep, resting his head against the window.
“Mr. Stark? Are we almost there?” the boy asked blearily. Tony smiled at him reassuringly.
“Yeah, mimmo, we’re pretty close. The cabin’s about a half-hour away.”
“Okay. ‘M gonna sleep.”
Tony smiled softly at him, pulling his fuzzy Iron Man blanket up further.
But he shouldn’t have taken his eyes off the road.
He looked up just in time to see to cliff side in front of them, turn the car frantically, and send them flying off the side of the mountain.
They tumbled down, car crunching and glass shattering. For a moment they were both weightless, and the last thing Tony heard was Peter’s scream.
~~~~~
Tony came to with a gasp, jolting from his seat.
Peter
Oh god, where was Peter
“Peter?!" he shouted. He shoved the air bag from his face, but was horrified to find that Peter wasn’t in the car. Instead, his door was wide open and hanging from a hinge.
No no no no no
Terrified, he burst from the car, screaming for his son, his baby.
Peter Peter Peter
No no no
There he was
He fell to his knees and frantically felt for a pulse, his hand hovering over the boy’s mouth. To Tony’s overwhelming relief, his heart beat was there, weak and jumpy, but he was there he was alive
Alive
Oh god he was so pale
So so pale
There was blood, blood everywhere, Peter’s blood on his hands
Nonononono Peter please
Tony choked on a sob and gently smoothed Peter’s hair back. He didn’t know if he could move him, in fear he would make it worse.
He always made it worse
“It’s okay, Petey,” he murmured. “I got you. Dad’s got you. I’m here. I’m here, baby, please, please, hold on. Hold on, okay? Keep breathing for me. I got you.”
Please keep breathing. Please. Peter please.
No no no
This was all his fault
Please he needed him he needed Peter
Tony carefully tucked Peter’s Iron Man blanket around his limp body, kissing his forehead.
He hadn’t brought his suit. Why hadn’t he brought the suit
He didn’t know what to do
Tony could only hope that Peter… oh, god, that Peter would keep breathing, until Rhodey found them
Please, he had to
~~~~~
The night was cold, colder than he thought was possible after a warm summer’s day.
Tony had gathered more blankets and draped them over Peter. The boy was shivering and sweating.
He had an infection. There was a long, deep gash in his thigh. Tony hadn’t seen it.
What had he done?
Oh god
He gently kissed Peter’s cheek. “Please. Tesoro, please. Stay with me. Stay here. I got you, baby. I’m here. Just- just breathe. Breathe.”
Tony’s fingers were glued permanently to Peter’s pulse point.
Too fast, too weak
But Tony needed him
He had to breathe
Tony ached to hold Peter in his arms, to protect him.
But he couldn’t
He couldn’t even hold his baby
Tony wiped tears from his eyes. He talked to Peter, about nothing and anything. About how sorry he was. How he would make this better. How he would fix Peter. And save him.
He had to save him.