There is some strong language here and there, so...

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Stephen was worried.

REALLY worried.

It's been two days since Tony was taken...And he wasn't doing very well.  Stephen had noticed this morning how Tony wasn't acting like he normally would.  He was sluggish, and wouldn't eat very much.  His eyes also seemed unfocused and it took a few try's for Stephen to get him to respond to him.

Something's not right, and Stephen was getting more and more concerned as the day went on.  Now it was early afternoon, and Stephen had already laid Tony down for his nap.  The other Avengers had asked if they could stick around until Tony was normal again, and although Stephen preferred it to be just him and Tony, it helped him relax knowing Tony was well protected.

Stephen closed the book he was reading and looked at the clock, Tony should have been up twenty minutes ago.  Stephen's heart stuttered a bit as he hurried to his and Tony's room.  A noise made him stop dead just three steps from the door.  He drew closer to the a door and listened a bit more intently.  He heard weak wails and whimpers, and small pain coughs.

His heart stopped, and he burst through the door.  The sight completely broke his heart.  Levi was loosely wrapped around a shaking Tony, who was crying quietly.  His small, cute little face was wet with tears and was red with fever.

Stephen exhaled shakily as he hurried over and very gently placed Tony in his lap.  The small boy barely even responded to the movement, and Stephen was now scared shitless.  Half of his brain was panicking and pleading to find help, the other was running through Tony's symptoms, trying to figure out what was wrong with him.

Tony's weak wail snapped him out of it, and he held him closer.  His fear was besting him, and he was internally panicking.  Bruce might be able to help, but from what he was told, there wasn't a lot of medical equipment left here.  It had been moved to the compound.

Stephen cursed.  "Hurry, please, and get my phone," Stephen pleaded.  Levi nodded and zipped out of the room.

"Se...Sephen..." Tony whimpered.  Stephen hushed him softly, "Shhhh, Tony, I know.  You're not feeling well, I know."  Seeing Tony in such a way crushed him.  "Oh, Tony, I'm so sorry."

Stephen cradled Tony gently in his arms, not wanting to make anything worse.  Levi flew into the room and handed Stephen his phone.  As Stephen quickly dialed Christine's number, Levi carefully swaddled Tony.

"Hello?"  Stephen almost cried in relief.

"Christine, are you on shift right now?"  H e rushed.  Christine was a bit bewildered by his panicked tone, "Yeah, why?"

"Where are you? In the hospital I mean."  Stephen flinched as Tony coughed painfully.

Oh, Tony.  My poor Tony, my poor baby...

"I'm just outside the ER, why? What's happened?"

"Are you alone? I swear I'll explain, but just...Please..."

Christine was shocked stiff, Stephen was...begging?  Pleading?  Okay something was definitely wrong.

"Yeah, for now, but you might want to hurry."

The line went dead, and not two seconds later did a portal form beside her.  Out stepped a panicked looking Stephen, who breathed in relief when he saw her, "Christine, thank God."

It was only then did she notice the small toddler in Stephen's arms, the poor thing did not look good at all.  That was why Stephen was panicking, the poor baby was so sick.

"Who might this be?"  Christine asked gently.  Stephen took a deep breath to try and steady his nerves, which were practically on fire.

After Stephen gave the short version about everything that happened, from Tony turning into a baby to his recent kidnapping, Christine nodded and gestured for him to follow her.  Stephen tensed up as they crossed through into the ER.  "I-Is this really necessary?" He asked, his voice wobbling a bit.  Christine sent him an apologetic, sympathetic look.

"Yes, unfortunately.  You can stay with him through it, though, if you want."  Stephen just tightened his arms around Tony, making his point.  He's not leaving Tony.  Ever.

Christine called over another nurse, who Stephen recognized as Amelia.  She was kind woman, and she was in her early 30's, and she also loved children.

When Amelia saw Tony, she gasped, "Oh, you poor thing!  Come, come, let's get him fixed up."  Stephen followed them without argument, and decided to watch Tony instead.  Tears clouded his vision when Tony weakly gripped his T-shirt to pull himself closer.  Stephen adjusted him in his grip, so Tony's forehead rested against his neck.

Oh God, he's burning up...

"It's alright, it's alright Tony," he whispered to the whimpering toddler, "You're gonna be okay."  I hope, the thought was left unspoken.

They entered a small room.  "Sit down there," Amelia gestured to the bed.  Stephen carefully sat down, Tony again did not respond to the movement.  Stephen nearly sobbed as the boy forced his eyes to open.  His throat felt far too tight. 

"H-Hi, love.  It's alright," Stephen's voice cracked as he whispered to him.  Amelia and Christine began to gather equipment.  "You're going to be okay now, it's alright."  

Amelia ran a stethoscope on Tony's back, the boy whimpered as the cold metal touched him.  Stephen hushed him softly, whispering everything and nothing to him.  Amelia pulled away with a frown.  Christine cataloged Tony's stats, and she wore the same expression.  Stephen was getting more and more scared the longer they were silent.

What's happening to him?  What's wrong with him?!

Christine sighed as she saw his expression, "From what we have here he seems to have a near lethal case of the flu and a side case of pneumonia."  Stephen stopped breathing and his heart thundered in his ears.

Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God... 

"We're going to have to keep him here Stephen, so he can be treated."

N-No...

When Christine went to take Tony from an all too still Stephen, the little boy was suddenly hyper aware, and clung to Stephen.  Practically making a nest in his T-shirt.  Stephen's mind reeled back, and his arms gripped Tony tightly.

Not leaving, not leaving, not leaving, I'm not leaving, you can't make me...

Christine sighed, "Alright, but you're going to have to lay down, so we can work."  Stephen was down on the bed in a nanosecond, his hold on Tony was strong and Christine had to convince him to move his arms so she could work.  He was scared, both of them were.

Tony was sick and he was in a place he didn't know, being poked and prodded at by people he didn't really know, and everything was so bright and loud.  Stephen was terrified, Tony was so much worse than this morning.  He'd gotten even worse in the last half hour, and it scared Stephen shitless.

Tony was hooked up to a few machines, and the heart monitor read a slightly elevated and irregular heartbeat, but a heartbeat nonetheless.  Stephen was laying down at a forty-five degree angle, with Tony's head on his chest.

Stephen breathed deeply, trying to calm himself down completely.  Tony barely even moved since they had changed to this position.  Stephen started humming random tunes that came to mind, hoping Tony would sleep.  After about ten minutes, Tony finally seemed to fall asleep.

Stephen decided to relax too, now that Tony was taken care of, and he was safe with him.  Stephen drifted off, falling into a deep sleep.

Christine and Amelia walked in on them like that, and they silently awed at the sight.  Well, Amelia had to keep herself from squealing.  They were finally able to do some proper work on Tony, and the toddler was deeply asleep, which was good.  Tony seemed to be improving well after a few hours, which was REALLY good considering the condition he was in when he was brought here.

Christine and Amelia took turns checking on them, both remained asleep until mourning.  When Christine and Amelia had clocked in and went to check on them, Tony was waking up.  He looked much better than he had last night, and both were relieved.  Tony sat up a bit, and realized he was on Stephen's chest.  The sorcerer was still sound asleep.

Tony stared at him for a moment, before crawling up and nuzzling Stephen's jaw.  He stirred and his eyes blinked open.  "Hmmm, wha- wait Tony?!"  Stephen sat up, eyes wide as he examined the boy.  Tony giggled, and Stephen's heart soared.

"Sephen!"  Tony said happily, hugging his neck.  Stephen, for the life of him, couldn't hold back his tears of happiness and relief.

"Oh, Tony, my love!  My baby!"  Stephen hugged him tight, eyes closed as he laughed in ecstasy.  Amelia and Christine also had tears of happiness.  Stephen was rambling a little bit, but for the lack of better phrasing, he didn't have any fucks to give.

"Oh Tony, my sweet Tony.  I love so much.  You had me worried there for a while, Jesus, don't do that to me again.  My heart has already had a beating over you.  Oh, I love you so much.  I was honestly terrified of what was happening to you.  My Tony, my love, oh my God, you have no idea how much I love you."

Stephen knew that he had to find a way to turn him back, and soon.  But for now, little moments like these, they were more than enough.  Tony was still a little under the weather, but it was only a low-grade fever and a slight cough.

When they arrived back at the tower, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.  "We were starting to think the worst," Bruce told Stephen.  Stephen smiled softly.  "I did for a minute, too," he looked at Tony, closed his eyes, and nuzzled him.  "But now there's nothing to worry about."

Tony giggled, humming peacefully as he rubbed his nose against Stephen's, the sorcerer chuckling softly.  The all awed over the sight, Clint once again slapping a hand over his heart.  "I'm gonna die from cuteness overload!"

Stephen laughed, rolling his eyes.  He brought Tony back to their room, laying down on his side.  Tony was eye level with him, the little boy shuffled closer to where their noses were touching.  Tony curled up against him, closing his eyes.  Stephen wrapped one arm around him, and draped the other across him.  He watched Tony for a moment before closing his eyes.  "My Tony.  My baby," He whispered, both of them smiled before falling asleep.

Peter found them like that just after they drifted off.  He snapped a picture of them, and brought it back to the others to show them.  No one could deny it, they were a perfect pair.