Guarded Hearts (A Team Iron Man Story)

Chapter 1

A/N: Hey everyone! I still don't own Marvel. WARNING!!! : There is a brief flashback to Tony's verbal abuse in this chapter. Nothing too intense, though. I promise.

Tony stared at the TV in front of him with shock and fury. "Tony Stark Revealed to Have Been Abused by Father" stood out boldly on the screen, written in thick, black letters. How could the media have found this out? Howard had buried this secret deeper than all the others, paying off maids and guests who might have an inkling of what was going on inside their seemingly perfect family home. Nobody else had ever known, ever suspected anything. 

His mother had turned a blind eye to what was happening, not wanting to get hurt herself. Mother had been so afraid of Howard, she'd been willing to overlook the bruises and cuts that'd littered his pale skin. He'd never really blamed her, but sometimes he couldn't help but be angry with her. 

Rhodey and Pepper knew. How could they not? They were both so good at persuading him to reveal his secrets, especially when they found him drunk and sobbing, curled up in a corner of his workshop. It'd happened more than once. Rhodey or Pepper would find him, tears running down his face, clutching a bottle of alcohol like it was his lifeline. Pepper, especially, was great at comforting him with soft words and light touches. When he'd gained his composure again, he could never help but begin to speak. The words just poured out of him like a rushing river, never slowing until he was done.

Nobody else knew. Not Bruce. Not Vision. Not Rogers or his team. If he was seeing this, then he knew they had to be seeing this too. Oh god. His worst secret exposed to the world. His breath sped up as the realization dawned upon him. The whole world, his friends, his enemies, they now knew exactly what had happened in the Stark family home.

The news reporter continued to speak. "A maid who worked in the Stark Mansion has finally come forward with information on the abuse. She stated, "I could no longer remain silent about this issue. I felt the world needed to hear this." We do not yet know if Tony Stark was consulted about this before it happened. Angela Everett, the maid, claimed that as a child, Stark was always shying away from his father, and was clearly scared. She told us that she saw the bruises on his skin, but never said anything. Everett also stated that she regularly received a large sum of money to keep quiet about anything she saw. Everett told reporters that she is ashamed she accepted the money and kept quiet about thing horrible things she saw in that house. "

Tony desperately tried to tune the words out. Memories he'd tried to push back into the darkest corner of his mind were suddenly pulled to the front. He didn't want to remember. He didn't want to...

Howard's sharp voice assaulted his ears, throwing vicious insults as he stormed into the room. "You pathetic fool. You showed them that terrible invention to try to undermine me, didn't you?" Howard's voice rose. "That's it, isn't it? You want to undermine me, you little freak! You want to take over my work, my company! I don't think so. No, no, no. You're never gonna do anything like this again, you hear me? Never again!" Howard's expression was livid. "Out of my sight, now!"

Tony ran from the room as fast as his 8-year-old legs could carry him. He continued to run, tears blinding him, until he hit something hard, face first. Not a wall, thankfully. "Young Anthony, are you all right?" Jarvis asked, pulling him gently to his feet after he fell over. 

"Jarvis," Tony said, relief evident in his voice. "C-Can you take me to my room? I want to go. I want..." He trailed off, looking at his butler with uncertainty. 

"Of course, Master Tony." Jarvis took his smaller hand gently, and smiled softly at him, but Tony was a genius. He could see the anguish hiding in Jarvis's eyes. Jarvis knew what'd happened, Tony could tell.