Chapter Text
"I think hell is something you carry around with you, not somewhere you go."
~ Neil Gaiman
~~~~~~
Tony grimaced as he, Pepper, and Peter watched the news.
He held Peter closer as they listened to the reporter "Another tragedy has occurred within the lgbtqa+ community. The child of another celebrity ally has gone missing only two days after the confirmed death of Actress Jeanie Watson's son. More updates will be provided as they become available. Stay tuned for more news after the break."
Peter frowned as he said "I wish that I could find whomever is doing this. They don't stay in any particular place around New York City or anything! They've been all around the East coast for the past two months! Why can't anyone figure out who they are?"
Pepper rubbed his shoulder and said "It'll be okay, honey. They'll figure out who the person is eventually. Even Tony's been aiding in the search with his search and defense drones."
Peter nodded and sighed while saying "Yeah. I just hate that I can't help."
Tony then looked at him and said "I wouldn't want you helping right now anyways. They're targeting the children of known allies and members of the LGBTQA+ community, and I qualify, therefore, you may be a target."
Peter bit his lip and nodded then said "I know that, Tony. That's why you upped the security around me a few weeks back before school let out for summer and after the first victim was taken from around Manhattan. That's why I've been staying here instead of May and I's apartment in Queens. I hate that she's by herself right now."
Tony sighed and said "I know, kid. May and I both talked about it though, and both of us worry. We agreed that it'd be safer for you to stay with us for a little while until the guy's found. Just always remember to wear your panic button and things. I can't help but worry, I've been an official parent to you for a few months now, and it's been public since then."
Pepper snorted and said "Tony, I'm pretty sure that he's been your 'official' kid for quite longer than those documents provided legal evidence of you being one of his guardians. Now, enough of this scary talk, let's relax and watch a movie. We've had enough of the news for now."
They relaxed back on the couch while Tony curled his arm around Peter. Tony's mind continued to swirl with worry, and he knew that that worry wouldn't go away until that monster was caught.
~~~~~~
Hotch sighed as he reviewed the case concerning the murders of celebrity children that have been occurring over the past two months across the East Coast. His team had been assigned the case about a week ago, but they hadn't made any further progress in finding the suspect yet.
Not even Penelope could find out where the videos had been taken or anything about the kidnapper's vocal patterns. Hotch's team was at a loss, and all they could do was keep working to try to find the latest missing child, hoping that they'd find the killer before another child was lost.
~~~~~~
Devon Dennison grimaced as he watched the drugged child shake within his bonds. He had a little bit of sympathy for the child, and he knew it wasn't the child's fault, but he couldn't let the child's parent corrupt the child's mind any further. He also had to show the parents that their philosophies were completely wrong.
Devon sharpened his knife as the child continued whimpering. It was starting to become annoying. He then sheathed his knife and grabbed his tripod. It was time to shoot the first video for the sinful parents.
~~~~~~
May listened to the news that was playing on the television while she was on break at work. She grimaced as she sipper her drink. Another child had been found dead, and it had been less than a week since Jeanie Watson's child had been found dead.
May was worried as she continued thinking about the news. She knew that Tony would take care of their kid, but she still worried. She quickly got her phone out to send him a text. She couldn't understand how someone could be so sadistic as to torture anyone, much less children.
~~~~~~
Peter sighed and glanced at his phone. He had received a notification from one of the news apps he had subscribed to, so he knew what had happened to the poor kid. He knew that May would be texting him to check in as soon as she saw the news.
He calmly read her message and smiled. He wished that she wouldn't worry so much. He typed a brief message of reassurance and sent it to her. He then put his phone back in his pocket and went to the living room. It would be a couple of hours before he could patrol under Tony's watchful eyes.
~~~~~~
Tony cursed when he saw the news. It had been a few hours after the official statements had been issued. He had missed the initial announcement because he was working in his lab. It hadn't been quite as productive because Peter had been working in his own lab on a biochemistry project.
He hadn't bothered to pay attention to his phone's notifications, and F.R.I.D.A.Y. hadn't informed him of anything because he hadn't marked it as highly important. He'd have to change that setting.
He had finally seen it after he had come out of the lab and cleaned up for dinner time. Pepper had insisted on them keeping a regular schedule.
He quickly sat on the couch and greeted Peter, who was sitting across from him and fiddling with the television remote.
Tony smiled warmly and said "Kid, what are you doing? You could just ask F.R.I. to play something."
Peter shrugged and replied "I know. I just like using a remote and browsing."
They both looked over towards the elevator as Pepper exhaustedly entered and headed towards she and Tony's room. She looked like she had had a hard day.
F.R.I.D.A.Y. then spoke "Boss, Miss Potts is requesting your presence in your room. I must also inform you that she is not pleased with how you forgot to look over the new employee profiles."
Tony and Peter cringed simultaneously. They both knew that Tony was about to be reprimanded by his fiancee.
Tony groaned as he stood and said "Well, wish me luck kid. You'll know how it went when we get back in here, because we sure as heck aren't going to turn off our sound proof settings."
Peter snorted and said "You hear one harmless thing through the walls one night, and suddenly your enhanced hearing becomes a problem and requires sound proof walls!"
Tony rolled his eyes and said "Yep, especially when that one thing happened to be Pep and I discussing the gift we planned on giving you for the finalization of the adoption papers."
Peter laughed and said "Well, I wish you luck either way."
Tony smiled warmly and went to talk to Pepper.
~~~~~~
Pepper sighed as she continued brushing her hair out as Tony closed the door behind him.
Tony was quick to say "Hello, my lovely fiancee. How can I make up this mistake?"
Pepper sighed and said "Maybe you can actually look through the new employee profiles next time. Maybe you could actually look through prospective employee interviews. I actually had to make the decision on who to hire for a position that you approved, Tony. You told me that you were going to handle everything with that position, but the deadline was today, and I ended up having to review all of the interviews and decide who to hire."
Tony cringed and said "I'm sorry, my love. What can I order you for dinner tonight? Perhaps I can get you your favorite dessert as well."
Tony then approached her and hugged her from behind as he smiled. Pepper smiled softly as Tony then gently kidded her neck.
She then said "Oh alright. I should be used to this by now, but you do need to be more cognizant of your duties sometimes. Don't barricade yourself in the lab all day. I really need to set up some boundaries with F.R.I.D.A.Y. concerning that."
Tony nodded and said "Sorry, honey. If I may ask, what position was it again."
Pepper snickered and said "It was the Assistant Security Officer position you put an ad up for concerning Peter's security detail."
Tony's eyes widened as he cursed and said "Crap! I wanted to be there! I can't believe that I forgot a position as important as that. Did Happy at least approve of the guy that was hired?"
Pepper nodded and said "Yeah. Happy screened all of the applicants before anything even made it to my desk. The guy's background check came back clean. He's extremely experienced. He'd been working as a personal bodyguard for a while before he applied for this. He lives close to here, and he has experience guarding the kids of celebrities."
Tony nodded and said "Okay. So long as he's been approved by Happy and you, I think that he'll be good. What's his name?"
Pepper calmly replied "His name is Devon Dennison."
Tony nodded as Pepper stood and they left for the living room. Neither of them ever expecting what Dennison was actually up to when not working.