I Thought You Were Different: Part 3

Anthony

"Papa?"

"Yeah, buddy, I'm right here," Tony sighed in immense relief, jumping up from the recliner next to Anthony's bed. He had been sitting at his side for hours, in complete silence as he slept, and his little voice was the greatest sound that he could hear and it immediately calmed him. "You scared me, pal. How do you feel?"

"I'm tired, but I think I'm okay. Where's Mom and Dad?" The boy pushed himself up onto his elbows to look around the room, seeing that he was in his own bed at the compound and not in a hospital bed like he thought he would be.

"Well," Tony sighed, giving Anthony's leg a little tap for him to slide over, allowing him to sit on the edge of the bed, "your mom is in the infirmary, still asleep. Your dad is in a room where he can't hurt himself or anyone else, but Thor is keeping him company."

"And Uncle James?"

"He's with your mom, helping us watch over her."

"You mean that he's ready to fight her if she wakes up and is still one of them, don't you?"

"Yes," he answered straight away; there was no point in lying to him now, after everything. This kid was too smart, and would pick up on his mood too readily to even bother trying.

Anthony took a deep breath and dropped himself back down onto his pillow, closing his eyes again for a long time while Tony sat quietly and waited. "Why isn't she awake yet?" he finally asked quietly, keeping his eyes closed when he felt tears building behind his lids. "It's because of me, isn't it?"

"No, Ant, is not," Tony urged, much more animated now, "it's not your fault at all, okay? You did the right thing by stopping her so we could give her the help she needs. You did the right thing, I promise."

"Okay," he sniffled softly, "then what are you gonna do with Dad? Can I see him?"

"I don't think-"

"I just want to see."

Tony sat and looked at his equally stubborn little namesake for a few seconds as he considered what the worst thing to happen could be, talking himself out of his own resolve to keep the kid away from such an angry version of his father. With a quiet groan at his own weakness to say no, Tony stood slowly and pulled the blanket back for Anthony to join him. He held out a supportive hand which the boy took readily, finding that he was still a little wobbly on his feet with the fatigue that had a heavy grip on his muscles.

"Only for a few minutes then," he offered. Seeing that Anthony was unsteady as he walked to the door, Tony swooped his grandson up in his arms and helped him to crawl onto his back, smiling to himself when he heard the beautiful sound of the boy's laughter and felt the tight grip of tiny arms around his neck.

"Grandpa?"

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"We're gonna be okay."

~~~

"Steve, please, sit down," Thor urged his friend, standing outside of the cell that held him. "Your determination to find a way out has proven to be wasted to this point, and that outcome will not change. You had a hand in building this room, so I'm certain that it can hold you."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"I'm not. I was merely offering a suggestion so that you might stop banging your fists against the glass."

"Why?" Steve sneered, rushing forward to hit the barrier between them, just as Thor had tried to stop. "Does it bother you? Does it scare you that I might actually break through?"