Hush Little Baby (Discontinued)

Ch. 5

It was only after a million days that his dad was found.

The grownups said it was only three months, but it felt like so much longer.

Mr Rhodey was already with his dad, and Pepper was going to meet them.

She said Peter could come too, if he wanted.

She also said that his dad would be tired, and hurt, and that they needed to be careful around him.

So Peter got dressed, by himself, and got in the car.

The driver was there again, Happy.

He didn't seem happy though.

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It took a long time, the drive seeming unbearably boring, but at last they got there.

The plane was landing, which was really noisy.

Pepper and Mr Happy waited by the car, with Peter bouncing behind the woman.

Finally, finally, Mr Rhodey came out with his dad.

Tony was limping, bruises and cuts visible on his face, with his arm in a sling.

Peter frowned, tugging on Pepper's sleeve. "What happened to him?"

She glanced down, then quickly returned her gaze to the two figures nearing them. "I'll explain later."

He hated when grownups said that.

His dad waved away the ambulance, and stopped in front of Pepper.

They studied each other for several seconds, with Pepper's smile getting bigger.

"Your eyes are red," his dad noted. "Few tears for your long lost boss?"

Pepper shook her head. "Tears of joy. I hate job hunting."

Tony's head tilted back, and his lips quirked. "Yeah, well. Vacation's over."

Pepper glanced behind her, to where Peter was waiting with Happy. "Come on, bud. Come say hi."

Peter stepped forward, suddenly shy, and stopped beside her, staring up at Tony, who returned the look.

They watched each other for several seconds in silence, then the side of his dad's mouth quirked up, and his eyes softened. "Hey Pete."

The boy darted forward, throwing his arms around Tony's waist, making him stumble back as Pepper reached to steady him.

He regained his balance, throwing a quick glance at Pepper, who was watching with a smile, before reaching down and squeezing Peter's shoulder. "What's the big welcome for?"

Peter grinned up at him. "You came back!"

Tony shot a confused glance at Pepper, who shrugged. "Yeah, I came back."

"You came back," Peter repeated. "My mama didn't come back after she left. And I thought you weren't going to come home!

He buried his face in Tony's stomach, before adding in a lower voice, "I didn't want you to go away like my mama."

Tony shot Pepper a helpless look. She sighed, and jerked her head at the car. "We need to get home."

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They stopped for cheeseburgers.

His dad said he wanted them, and Pepper got frustrated, but Peter wanted them too, and so they got them.

Happy got a milkshake.

Pepper got a coffee.

He saw her roll her eyes, and whisper something to herself that sounded like 'I'll need the energy.'

Huh.