Regrets

In retrospect, putting his suit on and getting ready to break out of the plane was not the smartest decision that Tony could have decided on, but to give him credit he was just informed that his baby boy was sick, in the hospital and more than likely crying out for his daddy and papa.

It was chaos before any one of the heroes had been able to calm Tony down and drag him out of the suit so he could explain the reason behind his panic.

“Peter’s at the emergency room. He’s sick, vomiting everywhere. Curled up on the bathroom for almost four hours. Jarvis had to call paramedics to the house,” Tony revealed, taking a deep breath before looking up at his husband who had turned alarmingly pale as everyone else gasped and Tony let out another strained cry, “Oh God, Steve. Our baby boy’s in the hospital and we’re hundreds of miles away. I know the suit can get there faster, much faster.”

Steve sucked in a huge breath, reaching out with a shaky hand to grasp at his husband’s and gripped it tightly. He looked into Tony’s eyes and gave him one stern command, “Go.” Tony did not need to be told twice.

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Stationing his suit right outside the entrance door, Tony ran into the emergency room, cursing as he tried to not body slam into people. “Peter. Peter Roger-Stark. I’m his father, Tony Stark,” Tony gasped, taking deep breaths as he leaned against the desk in the waiting area. The nurse hardly look unnerved, taking her sweet time checking her computer. Tony felt like his chest was about to explode before she finally spoke up.

“If you want to wait-” The nurse began and was startled when the disgruntled father slammed a hand onto the counter.

“If I don’t see my son in the next ten seconds, I will make your life a personal hell. You know who I am, you know I can,” Tony threatened. Usually he was above making these threats, but when his baby was called into question, Tony did not have any line he would not cross. If Steve, his amazingly level-headed husband, had been here he would have earned a deserving smack across the back of the head, but he wasn’t and Tony was using that to his advantage.

Sure enough a few seconds Tony was being personally escorted through the secure double doors and each passing second felt like another year off his life. He was lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t realize the nurse had stopped walking and nearly rammed into her.

“The doctor should be in in a little bit to talk with you,” The nurse told him before turning right back around. Tony didn’t let another second go to waste as he threw the curtain off to the side and stumbled into the room.

“Oh, baby,” Tony cooed as his eyes landed on his son. He was abandoned, all alone in the room, curled up bed with a heavy blanket thrown over his small frame. He traced an IV line to one of his tiny hands while a blood pressure cuff and heart monitor kept steady observation of his son. Peter gasped softly, raising his head as much as he could and his eyes fell onto his dad. Tony never hated himself more than in the moment when he saw his baby boy’s swollen red eyes and tear stained cheeks.

“Daddy!” Peter cried, breaking into sobs once more. Tony ran forward, wrapping his arms around his son as gently as possible. Even though the action jolted Peter, the little boy could not care less because his dad was finally there.

“Oh sweetheart. Oh, baby. Daddy’s here. Daddy’s here now,” Tony reassured, peppering kisses onto the top of Peter’s head and face. Peter pressed his face against his father’s chest, while his arms held onto his father as if his life depended on it.

“Daddy, want to go home,” Peter whimpered out, having to take deep, shaky breaths before each word could be let out.

“Just as soon as you’re better sweetheart,” Tony promised, letting go of his son for a second so he could meet him eye level and gently cupped his cheeks.Peter wept softly, shaking his head, desperate hands grabbing onto his father’s shirt.

“No, daddy please. No hospital. Uncle Bruce can take care of me. I just want to go home. Just want you and papa, please,” Peter sniffled and Tony felt his heart break into even small pieces. Peter in that moment finally noticed that his Papa was nowhere to be seen and he quickly sought out an answer.

“He’s still in the plane, baby, flying home. I flew here in my suit,” Tony explained, running his fingers through his son’s wavy locks.

“Why didn’t you come sooner? Jarvis tried and tried,” Peter murmured and before Tony could apologize and explain, his son let out a heart wrenching cry as he doubled over in pain, grabbing his side desperately.

“Daddy, please make it stop!” Peter wailed and Tony started calling out for help, all while making sure Peter did not fall off the bed as he withered around in pain. He couldn’t imagine the pain Peter had been going through when he was home all alone.

Tony was about to start blasting the walls of the hospital before a doctor walked in, an apologetic look on his face. By that time, the pain had subsided and Peter had collapsed from exhaustion in Tony’s arms.

“Why the hell aren’t you giving him anything for the pain he’s in?” Tony seethed, pressing his son to his chest as gently as possible.

“I apologize, Mr. Stark. We suspected that your son had appendicitis when he came in and we had to refrain from giving him any medication in case he would be going into surgery. I just got the CT results back and it is indeed what we thought. But, it hasn’t ruptured which is a very fortunate thing. We’re going to be moving him up to surgery as soon as the OR is prepared which should be about roughly fifteen more minutes.”

Tony barely managed to swallow the bile that had threatened to come up when the doctor was informing him of everything.

His baby boy.

Appendicitis.

Surgery.

Tony was living in a nightmare.