Mending the Broken

All Hell Breaks Loose and a Trial Commences

Howard Stark watched as his son got into a silver 1970 Thunderbird. He followed the car to a small, but nice little neighborhood. He followed the car to a house, not small, but not large either. He watched as his son got out with a blond, smiles on their faces, and laughing. The blond looked familiar. Almost like-

It hit him. His son was hanging out with the Rogers family. The Rogers and the Starks used to be friends a while back. Howard was sure that Maria, when she was alive, still talked to Sarah. Why his son was staying at the Rogers was beyond him. He was furious.

There was no one home but the two. Howard waited for a few minutes. Then, he turned off the car, got out, and stormed up to the house. 

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Tony and Steve were just getting settled to do their homework when there came a knock at the door. It sounded like a semi angry knock. Steve answered the door, what Tony saw made him freeze.

"Anthony Edward Stark, you are coming home with me," Howard said.

"No he's not," Steve said. "And you're not welcome here."

The tension in the room was high enough it could have been cut with a butter knife.

"And who are you to stop me? Let's go Anthony."

Tony put his head down, the smiley teen now resolved to this unconfident and terrified stance. "N..no," Tony stuttered. His tone was quiet.

"What was that boy? Speak up!" Howard yelled. Even Steve flinched a little.

"I'm...not..not going with...with you," Tony said. "You kicked me out anyway."

Howard pushed through Steve, marching over to Tony. "Leave him alone!" Steve yelled as he tried to fight against Howard. That got him nowhere but on the floor, moaning in pain, holding his head. Howard had turned around, punching Steve, hard.

"Stay out of my way!" Howard yelled at the same time Tony said, "Leave him alone!"

Howard was now right in front of Tony. Steve, once he got over the pain, pulled his phone out and called the police, telling them of everything that was happening. Howard, who knew none of this, kept yelling at his son. Steve flinched at some of the words he was yelling at Tony.

Steve's head was pounding, not only was he hit hard, he also hit it on the floor when he fell down. It was getting harder to focus. Steve could do nothing but watch as his best friend was being yelled at and more. Anytime he moved, it would send a bout of nausea and dizziness through him. Steve was sure he had a mild concussion at the least. He pushed through the dizziness and stumbled over to where Howard was, pulling the unsuspecting man away from Tony who was huddled on the ground. Howards icy glare turned on him, causing Steve to be rooted to the spot.

Howard pushed Steve back, the blond fell into the wall, passing out. Once again, Howard Stark, took advantage of his son's vulnerable position. Tony begged, pleaded, once again...it didn't work. Howard kicked Tony in the ribs, the head, the stomach, anything he could reach. Tony felt his ribs crack painfully.

"So my son's a fag, eh? You like this..?"

Many things happened at once. A door was slammed open just as Howard was beginning to unbutton his jeans. Howard was ripped away from his son. Yelling was involved, Sarah Rogers came in with and expression, only a worried mother could wear. Joseph Rogers was the embodiment of fury, but not the pure anger that Tony saw from his father, it was a worried anger.

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Tony

I could hear the blood rushing through my ears. I couldn't stop shaking. Everyone kept trying to touch me. I couldn't breathe, my chest was too tight, too painful to breathe. Steve was hurt because of me. Everyone around me gets hurt.