If They Knew All About You

No Parole

It had been 10 months that his son had been part of Tony's life again. Only 4 of them, Tony had been aware of that fact. Over that time, he had battled a good many of his inner demons. His need to shield his kid from everything he could; even before, if he was honest with himself. Right from that moment Pete had turned up almost bleeding out on his balcony. At least Tony had tried to keep him safe, even if the illusion of safety had burst so long ago.

But nothing had taken more out of him than those 6 days that he had taken Pete to Daniel Clarke's murder trial. It had been hard enough to find himself in the witness booth once again and watch helplessly as Pete had gone to pieces. Though they were prepared this time, it hadn't made things much easier. It had been hell for him to watch while Pepper had pulled his kid out of the room.

The least Tony could do was to be there with him, make sure to catch him. The guilt Pete was struggling with wouldn't just blow over and it was Tony's job as his dad to make sure he'd come out on the other side of this. Five more days of the trial, Pete had sat between Pepper and him in the spectators' area. Stoic, eyes on the back of Clarke's head, staring daggers. It was eerie, how quiet he had grown, turned inward and Tony had no idea what he was musing about. How to get his hands on Clarke? How to make him pay the old-school way? At least that was what had been going around in circles in Tony's mind.

Maybe Natasha had had the right idea about this, no matter how wrong it was. Maybe he had messed up not ending Clarke when he'd had the chance.

They came home that last day of the trial after the verdict was read. The car ride home was quiet, the tension that Tony had hoped would finally be lifted by the end of the trial was still persistent.

It had been a long day. Well, a long year. They would need some time to recover so Tony had made sure that it was only them in the penthouse. He wouldn't complain if he didn't see a single person other than his family for the rest of the year. Even with the trial on a fast track as it had been, the whole process had been exhausting. FRIDAY had ordered dinner and thankfully Pepper hadn't even made an attempt to talk him out of some greasy comfort food.

Pete had been in his room for most of the late afternoon, ever since they had gotten back from the courthouse. Tony was going to insist that if he wanted to have dinner he should come and join them but Pepper just gave him a look.

"He just needs some space." She put down a tray, sliding a few slices of pizza onto the first plate.

"We've given him space. He doesn't need space , he needs to know that we're here for him."

"He knows that, Tony!" She added a bowl of the chicken-fried-rice, some cookies, and a soda.

Tony couldn't even pretend not to watch as she carried the food to Pete's room and entered after a soft knock on the door.

It wasn't like Tony was all into enforcing table manners on a day like this, but how could he ever know that Pete was okay? If he was coping after everything he had heard and seen that week? After the verdict that had been read that afternoon?

Of course, forcing him out of his hideout for dinner wouldn't magically make him okay but still, it seemed there was nothing Tony could really do to help him through this and seeing his kid suffer was agonizing.

"Just leave him for now," Pepper sighed as walked back into the kitchen, picking up her purse. "I have some things to look over for SI still. You should shower. Wait for me in the bedroom." She pressed a kiss against his lips and ran a hand through his hair, leaving it in a messy wave. "Or you know, play with your tools."

He grunted against her lips, trying to salvage the put-together look of his hair.

"Just trying to keep things realistic." She smiled, pressing another kiss against his cheek before she was off towards her office.