Battlefield ｡ Tony Stark

31 - THE TRUTH IS

It was heartbreaking hearing Samuel cry with black ash smudged along his skin and blood dripping from his temple, it was a sound I would not forget so easily. Groggily, I was sitting up, my arms dotted with blood from the glass. There was this terrible feeling lurking in the shadows of my mind, worrying that Tony hadn't made it out alive, not with the explosion. With a painful sigh, my arms slipped away from Samuel, letting him stand on shaky legs to call out for his father. Pepper was slowly pulling herself to her feet too, brushing away her red hair from her face and staring up at the broken building.

"Tony!"

Nothing stirred in the distance and with a lump forming in the back of my throat, a lone tear slipped down my cheek. Samuel was still yelling out, his voice sounding dry from breathing in too much smoke. I could hear the desperation in his cries and suddenly, I blamed myself for his pain. As a mother, I had allowed Tony into our lives and now, Samuel was breaking in half and that hurt too deeply. Pushing myself to my feet, Pepper was suddenly beside me and checking the cuts on my arm. Always quite concerned with everybody but herself. "Tilda, we really need to clear the area. By now, help should be coming...but we can't stand out here all night."

Samuel whipped his head around to glance at her face. Tears streaked his cheeks, mixing with the dirt and ash. "What about dad? He's still inside. He could be on the roof still. He could be buried under rumble...we can't just leave him." 

I could hear sirens in the distance, sounding an alarm that help was indeed coming. Despite wanting to stand outside Stark Industries all night, waiting for Tony to stroll through the broken glass, giving us a mighty grin, I feared that might not happen. With a heavy heart, I stepped towards Samuel but he could already see what shined in my eyes. "Samuel, honey, Pepper is right. We need medical attention and--"

"No." Samuel was shaking his head, his mind not working like my own right now. I was trying to be the responsible one, the person that held it together, despite wanting to crawl up into the ball and cry with the tragic events that had panned out tonight and how Tony could be dead somewhere. But Tony Stark's son had his recklessness sadly, and before I could stop him, he was sprinting towards the building doorway, or what was left it of. Rubble littered the pavement, small fires still trying to reach for the dark sky. 

Fear flooded my mind and I was chasing after him, screaming out his name. "Samuel, come back here!" He was just a boy, he didn't understand what danger he was running into. The whole building could collapse at any given second and he was running directly into the burning flames. Glass crunched under my shoes, yellow light reflected off the metal frames left standing as I weaved through the entrance. But before Samuel could make it any further, a figure was stepping through the smoke and fires. My heart fluttered, seeing Tony standing in his suit, his head mask removed and his eyes a little sad. 

"Do I need to remind you to always listen to your charming mother?" Tony breathed out with a very tiny smile directed at his son, who was throwing his body at the suit and hugging Tony tightly, a little awkwardly but it warmed my heart just the same.

Tears dotted my eyes and I stepped towards Tony, letting my fingertips run the length of his chest plate. His arc reactor was flicking but thankfully, Tony had enough strength to make it out alive, to make it back to me. To us. His family. "You had me scared to death, you know that?" I told him, allowing him to pull me closer, Samuel still hugging him. 

Tony nodded, "I myself was scared to death." Delicately, he placed his lips against my temple, planting a sweet kiss before drawing backwards, his free hand tangling in Samuel's thick hair as he gave it a ruffle. "How about we get some cheeseburgers? I could really go for it right now. You know, defeating the bad guy really builds up an appetite."