It Only Takes a Second

- XXIII -

Suddenly, the doors to the hospital room burst open, making both of them jump.

"Tony, we've got a problem," a ragged Steve said in the most breathless manner Tony had ever seen.

"What now?" Tony growled. He was just getting Harry to open up, and now there was yet another interruption.

"It's the wife. She's filing a lawsuit against us."

*

"She's doing what?" Tony rose to his feet slowly.

"She's pressing charges, Tony. Let's go talk outside though, okay?"

"No!" Harry cried as Tony took a step towards the door. "I'm tired of being left out. Please, just tell me. I can handle it."

Tony glanced toward Steve with a look of weariness, but Steve shrugged his shoulders.

"He's got a point Tone," Steve sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Okay. We'll stay here," Tony replied, caving at the pleading look on Harry's face. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought that Peter taught him the puppy dog eyes. They always worked like a charm on him.

"She's pressing charges. Breaking and entering, robbing the place, murdering her husband and..." Steve glanced up at the two. "Kidnapping."

"NO, THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY I'M LETTING HER DO THIS!" Tony roared, making Harry flinch in the bed, whimpering as he hunkered away from the yelling.

"I'm sorry Harry," Tony softened his tone a bit, but the hardness was still there, like a cement wall.

"She said that you took Harry without any permission, paperwork, anything. And then you broke into the house, and were caught attempting to 'steal' Harry's belongings, and then murdering her husband in his own home when he was 'defending' himself."

"Bullshit! All of those things are blatant lies!"

"Calm down Tony," Steve motioned discreetly to Harry who was staring off into space, frozen where he was.

"You're right. You're right, panicking isn't going to help," Tony muttered, shaking his head. "So what's the plan?"

"Pepper is on her way right now. She was at the police station helping fill out paperwork about Vernon when she got the news. She was the one that called me. The rest of the team is getting ready to head over. Peter's been begging to see both of you.

"From there, we've already gotten ahold of your lawyer, and she's on her way right now. It's going to be okay; you've got enough evidence and money to take them to court every day for the rest of your life."

"You're right," Tony sighed, but his hands were still shaking. Was it just the possibility that something could happen that could force Harry away from them?

Steve pulled out his phone and glanced at it as it begin to ring. "I'll be right back. It's Bucky."

Tony gave a wordless nod as Steve rose to his feet and excused himself from the room. Hearing a whimper behind him, Tony turned to see Harry shaking like a leaf.

"Please don't let them take me away," Harry pleaded, throwing himself into Tony's arms, holding as tightly as he could.

"Shh, I won't let them take you, I promise," Tony soothed, holding his kid with an iron grip, hoping that this was a promise that he could keep.

"She knew what he was- was doing," Harry hiccupped into Tony's chest, letting himself melt into Tony's embrace. He was safe here. When he was with Tony, he was safe.