————-

With no sleep whatsoever and almost three pots of coffee consumed, Tony was suiting up. He and Nat had a plan. Despite their frequent messages screaming 'save my husband and son' and 'emergency! Captain America and Spiderman have been captured!' there had been no contact with other heroes. Some made sense like Bucky and T'Challa since they were both in Wakanda, but the others just weren't responding.

"It's pretty rude, ya know?" Tony complained as he laced up his combat boots. "My husband and son have been missing for over 48 hours and I haven't gotten a single text or call from them. I'm just so pissed!" He slammed his hand down on the table covered in guns and knives. Despite his random outburst, Natasha was calm.

"Are you pissed they aren't responding or because Hydra is back and now has your family?"

Tony thought for half a second before saying "both. I'm mostly pissed that my family's missing but those other stupid heroes won't return a damn phone call!"

Even though he was fuming and liable to explode in a tiny ball of anger, Nat didn't hesitate in wrapping her arms around him. At first, Tony stiffened at the contact, but then he began to soften and relax into the warm, friendly embrace. When he was no longer planning on hunting down the other heroes to kick their asses and then force them to kick Hydra's with him, Nat began to speak.

"I'm sure this is scary,"

He scoffed softly but didn't say anything.

"But you have to stay calm. I can't babysit you while we're at the base. You are the strongest person I know, but you have to act like it. If you let your emotions get in the way of this mission, there is a good chance of failure. So please, I am begging you, don't be impulsive. If not for me, do it for Steve and Peter. They are counting on you."

Tony was silent after Nat finished her pep talk. He thought about what she was saying and what he needed to do. It took him a second, but he began to nod his head in agreement.

"Okay."

-----------------

Steve and Peter were left alone in the dank and dark cell for a while. 32 hours and 27 minutes to be exact according to Peter's watch. It had been 49 hours and 12 minutes since they were captured. 51 hours and 2 minutes since they last ate. 56 hours and 48 minutes since they last saw Tony.

For the most part, they tried to sleep. They stayed silent except for the occasional "what time is it?" and "how long have we been down here?" Peter was propped against Steve's chest, his head moving slightly up and down with every breath the super soldier took. It was calming in a way. It helped remind the teenager his dad was still alive and very much not dead. At least not yet.

Despite his time in the war with cots seemingly made out of concrete and boulders, Steve couldn't sleep. Normally he could sleep anywhere at any time. He wasn't sure if it was the damp floors and the damp walls and the damp atmosphere or the chill in the air or the worry of survival or hunger or the need to watch over Peter that caused his inability to sleep. But something was keeping him up.

If he had trouble sleeping at the tower with Tony laid in bed beside him, the billionaire would say "If you can't sleep, it means someone is thinking about you."

"Oh, yeah?" Steve would respond. "who's thinking about me at 2:54 in the morning?"

Tony would smile and whisper "Me. It's always me 'cuz I'm always thinking about you. And if I'm asleep, then I dream about you. It's always you."

In the present, Steve's heart ached to see his husband again. It was only when his vision blurred that Steve realized he was crying. He quickly wiped the tears away and took deep breaths. Peter couldn't see him like this. So weak and sad. How would Peter feel knowing his dad would cry just because he remembered something silly Tony would say? Steve couldn't do that to Peter; he didn't want the teenager, so young and innocent and pure, to worry. Steve had to be strong. If not for his own sake, then for Peter.

"Dad?" His voice was small. It nearly broke Steve's heart. "What's wrong?"

Even while sitting in a cell after being kidnapped, Peter always our others first. Steve gave a small smile at that. He raised his free arm (the other being crushed under Peter's body) and wiped at his face, trying to rid all evidence of tears away.

"I'm fine" no I'm not. "Go back to sleep" don't leave me. "I'll protect you" I will. Whatever it takes.

Peter couldn't see his face. But he knew without even seeing his face that Steve was not okay. "You're lying" he said after a minute. "Don't lie. You're probably gonna be the last family member I see before I die and I don't want you to lie to me"

Steve was speechless. Sure he had thought about dying but he had never thought about Peter dying. At that, the tears began to flow freely down his face.

"Don't talk like that" he choked out. "We'll be fine. Both of us. Okay? You are not gonna die. You'll be fine"

"I'll be fine or we'll be fine?"

Goddammit. Steve hesitated. He didn't want to lie to his son and say both would survive only for him to die. But he couldn't outright say it. Peter couldn't know that there was a risk of death for both him and Steve. He opened his mouth to say 'sure' but was interrupted by the sound of a door opening.

In an instant, Steve was shoving Peter behind him, completely covering his son from whatever was on the other side of that door. Both hearts were racing but both ignored it. The door swung open to reveal four people in Hydra gear.

"Let's go" a gruff voice ordered as they unlocked the cell.

Two other guards moved into the cell and roughly grabbed the prisoners. Peter winced slightly at the tight grip but ignored it as much as possible. He hoped Steve didn't notice but of course he did. Steve shot his son a silent glance saying are you okay?

Peter ignored it.

The group began to walk from the cell up two flights of stairs and through a maze of halls and corridors. Steve tried to memorize the way in order but gave up after the fifteenth turn.

They ended up in a white room. The tiles on the ceiling and floor were white and the walls where white. It hurt Peter's eyes it was so bright. The guards moved Peter and Steve to two poles in the middle of the room, seemingly unnoticeable as they blended in with the back walls and floor and ceiling. The guards made quick work of tying the father- son duo to the poles. They gave a small chuckle and left the room.

The door opened again and two guards stepped in. They each had a nightstick in their hands, bouncing it against their palms. Even with masks on, the large smiles on their faces weren't hard to see. The guards glanced at each other before turning to face their prisoners and raising their weapons.

——————

30 minutes away, Tony and Nat were in a miniature version of the Quinjet named Stark Naked. Pepper and Steve had been absent the day Tony named it. Even at top speed, it would take another half hour to get tot he Hydra base. Even then, they couldn't be 100% sure Peter and Steve were there. Even then, they had no backup. It was impossible to tell how many Hydra soldiers were at the base so it was essentially a blind mission.

It was silent during the ride. Tony didn't want to talk. He had made that clear by ignoring Natasha whenever she tried to start a conversation. She didn't get angry at the cold shoulder, though. She knew he was scared and angry. So she let him be in silence.

The ride passed slowly, probably due to Tony's impatience. All he wanted was to save his family. Every minute that went by was hundreds of paranoid thoughts caused by his anxiety. How do we know Steve and Peter are at this base? Are they alive? Are they in pain? Have they been turned like Bucky was? Will we make it in time? Will all four of us survive this attack? How many guards are there? What if something happens? What if what if what if what if?

Tony was dragged from his thoughts when Natasha announced they were landing. It was about a ten minute walk from Stark Naked to the base which Tony greatly minded. If they needed a quick get away they would have to run to the ship and he wasn't sure what condition they would be in at that point.

Without another word, Tony pressed the button to open the ship's door before stepping out into the woods, Nat following close behind. It was time to get his family back.

——————

Peter whimpered in pain as the guards dragged him and his dad back to their cells. He didn't even bother to bury his hurt. Steve, on the other hand, didn't make a sound. Neither were strong enough to walk on their own so they each had a couple guards not so gently dragging them along the cold, hard, concrete floor.

The cell door opened and the two were roughly tossed into the dark room. Peter cried out as he landed on his broken wrist. Tears streamed down his face for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. He didn't know how he was still able to cry; Hydra hadn't bothered to feed them and had only given a couple cups of water since their capture.

Steve wipes the blood off his head and stood shakily on his legs. He took one step, two steps, and collapsed. He tried to stand again but couldn't. Knowing it was pointless to waste his energy like that, Steve got on his hands and knees to crawl over to his son.

Gently, he picked the teenager up and set him in his lap. Peter instantly curled against his dads chest, sobbing uncontrollably. He began to mumble something but Steve couldn't make it out.

"Peter, I need you to stop crying, okay? Tell me what's wrong. I'll try to help" Steve's voice was rough from screaming on end. He ignored it.

"I-I. I'm so-orry" Peter sobbed.

Steve's heart ached at that. "Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong"

Peter shook his head, arguing. "I-I wasn't strong. I sh-should've been stronger"

"Hey, you don't have to be strong all the time. Okay? I'm your dad. It's my job to take care of you. I was never as strong as you, especially not at your age. Peter, you're the strongest person I know. It's okay to show weakness, especially in times like this."

Steve's voice was soothing to the distraught and aching teenager. Peter wiped his tears away with his good hand and looked up at his dad with a small smile on his face. "Thanks, dad"

Steve returned the smile. "I love you, Peter. I'll always take care of you"

"I love you too" he curled up against Steve. If he had to be kidnapped, at least he had his dad to watch over him.

It was silent in the cell for a moment, save for the water dripping from the ceiling and the sound of gunshots in the distance. Peter tried not to think too much about the sound of blasters shooting. It was probably just Hydra torturing or murdering people.

But then he heard the unmistakable whooshing of the Iron Man suit. He instantly shut up and began shouting "Dad dad dad dad dad!"

"What? What is it?"

"I think I heard-" his voice dropped to a whisper "the Iron Man suit"

Steve's eyes widened. "Are you sure?" He whispered back.

Peter nodded excitedly. His eyes had a sparkle of excitement and hope. Steve noticed the twinkle and the smile faded off his face. "Peter, don't get your hopes up. I'm sure Tony is coming for us but if he isn't I don't want you to be disappointed"

"Peter?! Steve?!"

Both Steve and Peter whipped their heads to face the voice.

"Dad?!"

"Tony?!"

————-