I used to call it home

chapter 5- what's the point of running

It has passed 5 months since Peter made his departure from home. Does 5 months were hard for everyone, the money that Peter brought was long gone in his first weeks between paying for the motel his meals and eventually finding a place to stay, but luckily he managed to find a job in a small shop that he worked long shifts but the pay barely cover any of his expanses not leaving much for food.

He lived in a beat down one-room apartment in the shady neighborhood that had no hot water and the power outages were regular. But no matter how small and old and moldy it was, it was still expansive for his small paycheck to cover.

One thing that the paycheck didn't cover was three meals a day forcing Peter to reduce his meals to only lunch and still he could only manage a small non-nutritious lunch.

The lack of food was already taking notice on his body in the first two months his ribs were already visible and his arms were thinner and thinner and in this five months the boy looked like he could be blown away by the smallest breeze.

The lack of food was also affecting his asthma, he was getting attacks more often that he used to probably because his medication finished in the first month but the problem was that he was almost out of his inhaler and that worried Pete.

Peter changed a lot not just in his weight but in his face. His face took a sickly pale tone, and his eyes lost all color and his smile rarely appear.

Peter would be lying if he told he didn't miss his family, in fact he considered a lot of times going back home especially when the hunger pains hits the most, but the thought went away when the image of the lifeless man eyes flashed in front of his eyes.

His new life was tough, but he would get by, he would survive.

But these 5 months weren't hard just for Peter, his brothers and father changed too. If everyone feared the Stark's before, now it was even worse so worse that if someone breathed a little too loud was meet with a bullet in his head.

Before the other mafia families thought that Peter was the Stark Family weak spot. But now they quickly discovered How wrong they were, ever since Peter ran away the Stark's conquered even more land, killed more enemies, become more ruthless. The only thing that the mafia world wished was that the youngest Stark returned home.

During that time the Stark's never once stopped looking for Peter, but the boy was smart and knew how to hide, but they knew that sooner or later they would find him since they had a major part of their man in the field looking for him.

And that day finally had come.

It was a recently contracted that manage that feat. It was completely coincidence that Barton found him.

It was another Friday, late at night he was tired and hungry, but the only place opened was a small dinner that had nobody inside and since nothing else was opened he decided to go in to have a bite and return to work.

His entrance marked by the small bell in the door broke the silence in the shop.

"Take a seat I'll get you in a second" said a young raspy voice coming from the kitchen he presumed.

Grabbing a seat in the conner of the shop he took his phone out to send another report to his boss of another failed day. He wondered what would happen if the boy would never be found, the Stark's would probably kill everyone that failed to do so, and probably him as well, he just hoped they would find the boy till then.

"Goodnight sir, what can I give you tonight"

Clint was startled by the waiter stopping him in the middle of sending his report. Looking up he had to do a double take to the person in front of him, he couldn't believe it, it was him, it was the boy everyone was looking for stood in front of him. Sure he looked very different from the picture that he was given, instead of the smiley boy in front of him was a completely opposite of that the boy was thin, with bags under his eyes, looked deadly pale with the exception of his flushed cheeks a clear indication that he was probably running a fever

"Sir?" the boy spoke again breaking his line of thought.

"Oh...just a coffee" Clint responded still not believing what he was seeing.

"It will be right up" Peter said turning his back to make his order.

"Aren't a little too young to be working at these hours?" Clint asked making conversation with the boy, trying to make conversation.

"No, I'm 21 just look younger" The boy responded forcing a laugh at the end.

"I see, I had the same problem when I was your age, always asked for my ID in the bar. D you like partying...hm what's your name again?"

Putting his coffee in front of him the boy responded

"Benjamin.. and no I'm not really the party guy, have work and stuff"

So he used a fake name, Clint noted

"I see, any family you live with?"

When asked that a sad expression took over the boy's face when reminded of his family

"No, just me"

"That's tough, I have to get going, see you around Benjamin" Clint said putting the money on the counter

"Goodnight sir"

Leaving the store, he immediately took out his phone calling the number that was given to them to call if they ever had any clues about the whereabouts of the boy.

It was late but the stark house was still up and running, the twins and their father were sitting in the office reading the multiple reports written by their guards trying to find a clue about the youngest when a phone rang breaking the silence.

It was Tony that pick it up without looking at the number.

"Yes?" he answered in a bored tone.

"Sir, I think found him Peter" The voice in the other line responded waking him up in that second.

Noticing the change in his posture his father and brother both looked at him with a question look. Putting the phone in speaker mode he continued.

"Where?"

"In a small dinner in Queens the danger part, he is using a fake name, Benjamin" Hearing that the other two notice what was going on, widening their eyes.

"What did you mean by 'think it's him'?" Tony asked him.

"Well sir, he's definitely different from the picture you gave me" the other voice said hesitantly.

"What do you mean?" Howard asked alarmed.

"Well, he is thinner and looks like he is sick, probably as a fever" Barton responded.

The room was meet with silent, their angel was ill and probably didn't had a full meal in ages and it was all because of them.

"Sirs?" the other voice asked waiting for instructions.

"Stay there, if he moves follow him, don't let him out of your site, we will be there as fast as we can. I'm calling a nearby team to help you" Tony said hanging up the call.

"Let's bring our boy home."

The three of them quickly got up getting in the car preparing to bring Peter home.