Chapter 4
“Tones, you need treatment,” Rhodey repeated. “Peter’s gonna be fine if you leave for a few minutes. Just a few minutes.”
Tony shuddered and squeezed Peter’s small, cold hand in his. “No. No, I’m not leaving him. No.”
“Tony-”
“No. I’m not leaving.”
Rhodey sighed in exasperation. “Tony, he’s gonna be okay. You can leave him for a few minutes.”
“No.”
Tony hadn’t showered in days, hadn’t even left Peter’s medbay room. He’d barely eaten, and what he had, Rhodey nearly had to force down his throat.
He didn’t know how his friend was still awake. He guessed it was the fear of a terrified, guilty father.
“Where’s May?” Rhodey asked finally.
Tony blinked, never taking his eyes off Peter’s pale face.
“She’s downstairs. Getting coffee.”
“Tony… it’s not your fault, man.” Rhodey sat carefully next to him.
“Of course it is,” Tony said mournfully stroking Peter’s soft curls. “It’s all my fault.”
“Hey, man, it’s okay.” He set a hand on his shoulder. “Peter’s doing fine, and when he wakes up he’ll try to convince you it wasn’t your fault too.”
When he wakes up. Not if.
Tony leaned forward and gently kissed Peter’s forehead. “I’m so sorry, Petey. I’m so sorry.”
Rhodey watched as silent tears ran down the man’s face.
“Tony,” he whispered.
“No. Please, just g-go away,” Tony whispered. “Please.”
Rhodey tried not to feel hurt. “I’m going, man. Be careful, don’t tear yourself apart.”
He shut the door behind him quietly.
A split second after, he heard Tony’s chair thud backwards, the rapid beep of a heart monitor, and Tony’s trembling voice, repeating Peter’s name over and over again.
~~~~~
Rhodey burst through the door to find Tony sobbing, his forehead against Peter’s.
He was relieved to hear the fast beep of the heart monitor. “Tones…?”
He could hear Tony mumbling. “You’re here, Petey, I got you, you’rehereyou’rehereyou’rehere. I got you, you’re okay, baby. I’m so so sorry. I’m so sorry. Oh Petey. Oh god.” He took a shuddering breath. “You scared me. You scared me so much. You’re here. I got you.”
Rhodey saw Peter’s small, shaky hand reach for Tony’s, who clutched in tightly. Tony shifted more onto the soft mattress, cupping Peter’s cheek.
“Petey,” he said reverently. “Petey. Peter. PeterPeterPeter. Oh, baby.”
Tony peppered kisses all over his kid’s face; on his squishy cheeks, his forehead, his button nose.
Peter’s big brown eyes were glassy and unfocused, but he was happy Tony was there. He smiled.
Tony wiped his tears away and rubbed his thumb on Peter’s cheek. He stared with wide eyes, as if he couldn’t believe Peter was really there.
But he was, his kid was there, alive and breathing, and his heart was beating, and Tony could finally breathe.
“Dad?” Peter whispered. Tony nodded, giving a trembling smile and blinked back tears.
“I’m here, mimmo. Dad’s here, I got you,” he assured.
“Dad.”
Tony sniffed. “Yeah, Petey. I got you.”
“I’ hur’s,” he whimpered.
Tony went so pale Rhodey worried he would have to catch him. “You hurt, baby? Tell me what hurts, sweetheart, okay? You’re okay, baby. What hurts?”
Peter blinked slowly. “M’ leg. Arms. An’… an’ m’ ribs? ‘S th’t okay?”
Tony nodded reassuringly, though looking frantic. “It’s okay, sweet Pete. I got you, you’re gonna be okay.” He turned to Rhodey. “Go get Cho, now! Hurry! He’s in pain, Rhodey!”
Rhodey rushed out, calling for Helen.
She hurried to him immediately. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Peter woke up, he told us his arms, leg and ribs hurt. Do you have anything that would help?”
She nodded, grabbing a needle from a table. “I thought that would happen.”
Tony cradled Peter’s face in his hands, looking up anxiously.
Cho smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Tony.” (Though that was like telling him “don’t breathe”) “This will numb the pain, but he’s going to be really out of it.”
Tony nodded frantically. He couldn’t stand his kid in pain.
Helen smoothly injected the clear liquid into Peter’s IV. She ran through his vitals quickly, then nodded to both of them. “You’re okay, Peter. Nothing unexpected. He’ll be okay,” she added to Tony.
Tony nodded, his attention now back to Peter. He smiled tremulously at his kid. “It’s okay, Petey. You’re gonna be okay, baby.”
Peter blinked sleepily at him, the drugs taking affect. “’Kay.”
Tony kissed his forehead gently. “You can sleep now, munchkin. It’s okay. I’ll be right here the whole time. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
Peter smiled loopily, his eyelids fluttering. “G’night.”
“Night, sweetheart,” Tony whispered, running a hand through his curls. It was only 5 o’clock, but it didn’t matter. “I’ll always be here, baby. Always.”
Tony would always be there for his kid.
“I love you Pete. I love you so much.”
Rhodey thought Peter had fallen asleep, but a small, sleepily voice whispered, “Love… love y’ too.”