NO SUSPECT HAD BEEN ELIMINATED

~5~

Steve glanced at Bucky. Sam stood behind the one way glass and laughed. Of course h was.

Tony hung his head in shame, and Bucky felt a small bit of pity for the ma in front of him.

" had you met before?"

"Yes." He replied in a small voice, not blue to reach their eyes.

"Okay than you mr Stark. You may go. Inner view need at 11.08"

Tony was lead outside by steve who took his phone number, address and passport. Steve too felt pity for th young man in front of him. From his time as a police man he had seen a lot of victims who were once prostitutes. He knew that they were unliked, but he also knew tey were still vulnerable people who felt like they had n choice to to turn to that line of work to survivr. Some thing must have happened to fore tony down that path. He would judge.

Steve gave Tony a small smile. Tony returned it and walked out of the station , with his head held down. He had never told anyone but his clients that before, and it was painful.

________________

tony looked at the grand gates of MIT and he felt like he couldn't breath. Finally everything he had worked for had payed off. H is father stood behind him and put a hand on hugs shoulder.

"Well down son. I'm proud of you."

Those words stayed with tony for a long time. He had finally down something to make his father proud of him. He looked back at he gates, and he couldn't imagine how this could ever go wrong.

Until it did.

Tony could hide it any more. It was who he was and he didn't want to feel so isolated anymore.
He would go to the local gay bar and send his evening there, but of course, h was Howard Starks son, there was always someone watching him.

For the holidays Tony was invited home to b with his parents over Christmas. Of course he was over joyed and surprised. He was never invited to be with his father over christmas and usually spent them alone.

With a skip in his step he walked up the pathway leading to his family home. He was greeted by his mother at the door, and was pulled in fr a hug. "I'm proud of you tony. I knew you could do it."

His mother was always supportive of Tony, and she was always there when he needed her. he smiled brightly and was ushered in side to meet the rest of the family and guests.

It went smoothly until diner. They were all seemed around a large table in the massive dining room, a with his father siting at th head of the table. Tony felt happy, but was put off slightly by his fathers hard face.

During dinner Howard had an announce met, he was already slightly tipsy and slurred his word a little.

" i have an announce ent to make, To my glorious son tony, who no one would suspect anything of." He said pouting at Tony who was already nervous.

"The son who managed to get into MIT at the age of 18. But it was all too perfect wasn't it." He gave an icy glance to tony and he just wanted to leave before anything got out of hand, if only he did.

Maria knew instantly ht there was something off and tried to get Howard to sit down, but he waved her off and continued his speech.

"My oh so perfect son is nothing but! Do you want to tell them tony or she'll i" his words were laced with poison, and tony looked like he was about to cry. He didn't know what was wrong or why his father had turned on him once again.

"Fine." He snared " do ou ant to explain these?" Howard pulled photo out of a brown envelope, showing tony walking Ito the gay bar, and kissing different men inside. By this time tears were freely flowing don his face. After everything he had achieved in going to MIT at such a young age, his father was enraged by his sexuality.

"Dad..."

"That's sir to you boy. Get out of my house, and do not ever show your sorry, pathetic face here ever agin. Because if you do, you will regret it."

Tony stood abruptly covering his mouth with a hand to stop the sobs from being heard. Hi mother stood to chase after him, but Howard's grabbed her wrist and pushed her backdown into her seat. She to was crying, and everyone else was too shocked and scared to do anything.

Tony never saw he is parents again, and was too scared to visit them in hospital before they died. His mothers last words were apologising to tony , apologising for not leaving Howard Before. He would never know of the apology.

Tony wasn't in the will, and so he was led with nothing. He couldn't afford to stay at MIT and was homeless with o one to turn to. He had no choice if he wanted to survive. He sold himself.