If They Knew All About You

Lost and Gone

He took turns checking his phone and his watch. It was later than he had thought. The meeting had run longer than planned and even 50 deadly stares in Obie's direction hadn't changed anything about that. Then he had to take care of a few more things in the office, but he shouldn't get there that much later than he had planned. Definitely before any of the guests would arrive.

"How much longer, Happy?"

"'Bout 10 minutes, boss."

Tony nodded to himself. That wasn't too bad. The car was speeding along the highway towards northern LA. He tried to distract himself to make the time go by faster. The weather outside was nice which was a good thing if you planned an outdoor kid's birthday party in February, even in Los Angeles. Everything should be set up when he got there. Pepper took care of all that so he wouldn't forget to bring anything. She did, right? He was pretty sure that he wasn't supposed to bring anything. He pulled out his phone and sent her a quick text message hoping to confirm that he couldn't have forgotten anything. Pepper had been lecturing him about how his son didn't need a big present, that time spent together, a vacation, trip to the zoo, stuff like that would be a lot more meaningful for Aiden. Tony didn't disagree but he couldn't not give his boy something and the kiddy car he had found would be perfect. Aiden would love it. Even if love for engineering wasn't hereditary, Tony would make sure to imprint that particular taste for engine oil and tools on his son. All those things that Tony learned to love more so to impress his dad that they never actually had shared in the end, all that he would extensively cherish with his own son. If Aiden wanted to, but he already loved the bots and the workshop and Tony would do everything to lean into that.

Happy pulled up in front of the entrance to the golf club they had rented for the occasion. The blow-up bounce house Pepper had secured was so big, it was looming over the clubhouse. He couldn't help but smirk. Aiden had probably already tested that excessively. There were a couple of nervous-looking ladies in the foyer when he stepped inside. One of them went straight for him.

"Mr. Stark. Sir, Miss Potts has asked me to bring you straight to her. She—"

He waved the lady off with a groan. "Of course, she did."

"Tony..." And there she was.

"I know, I know. I'm here now." He didn't think that he really deserved that level of exhaustion that was radiating off her. He had tried to get things at the company sorted as fast as he could. "I'm only like what... 20 minutes late. I still had to sign all that stuff you put out for me. I only read maybe every second page to get done faster. I hope I didn't sell anything important by mistake. Well, I'm here now. People won't get here for another—"

"Tony, I... can you... can you just come with me real quick."

He had been trying to see if he could spot Aiden anywhere outside. The kid should probably really lie down for a 20-minute nap so he wouldn't get cranky and Tony could totally use that nap himself. "Did Addy get to nap already? It's probably not the worst idea if we—"

"Tony, please, can you... can you just—"

"Pepper, are..." He frowned when he really looked at her. She looked almost shellshocked. "Are you crying? What's going on?"

She dragged him by his arm, dragged him into the closest room and slammed the door shut behind them.

"Pepper, what happened? Is—" His heart jumped painfully in overdrive. "You're freaking me out, what is—"

"Addy is... we... we can't find him. I don't know—"

"What?" His heart dropped down to his stomach like a heavy stone. "What do you mean you can't find him?"