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The Lake House

Summary:

Just a little bit farther, a little bit longer, and his baby will be safe...

...

Tony Stark will do anything to protect his unborn child, anything! Even if it meant running away in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on his back... though he never expected, that he will end up fighting for his and his baby's life in a strange town that seems to hold more secrets then Tony can count...

Notes:

Author's note/Warning: This is a Yaoi story as in male x male. The pairing is Steve Rogers X Tony Stark. If it offends you, you might want to turn back now. For those that don't mind that, I hope you enjoy the story. All reviews are appreciated.

P.S: This is my first horror story in the MCU fandom and it has to be stony! I hope you like it! The story is Beta by the amazing "FluffyKittyCat2"!

Disclaimer: I will only say this once. I don't own anything and make no profit off this story.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Tony still remember those glowing blue eyes as they focused on him…

Freezing him in his place…

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...

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The sound of the door slamming shut made Tony give a wet gasp in relief, moving shakily and opened his good eye, looking around the place like a wild animal as he tried to calm himself down while curling on himself protecting his tummy, waiting… always waiting… to see if the sound of footsteps will return back once again. When five minutes passed and there was no sign of someone coming back, the teen sprint into action, standing shakily on his legs before taking his suitcase from under the bed, opening it and throwing everything of necessity to him in it, before slamming the suitcase shut when he was done and rushing out of his room hoping that he will be able to leave before He comes back and finishes what he was planning to do.

"Anthony…" The low voice behind him made him tense and for the hair on his body to stand on its ends, and he then turns to the person who called him, putting his back to the wall while putting the suitcase in front of him, protecting his midsection, heart pounding in his throat when he saw his mother's blank eyes looking at him, as much as the younger man wanted to talk to her, hoping to be able to sway her into taking his side, he knows that she will never do it, after all, how will she chose her idiotic son's side, her son who destroyed his life by falling pregnant (Even if he was forced without his consent) destroying a perfect arranged marriage with his father's business partner before it even happened.

Tears gathered in Tony's eyes, a lump stuck in his throat preventing him from pleading with his mother, hoping that she will pity him enough to at least give him a half an hour start before calling Howard. He swallowed as he saw his mother's eyes taking him in, not commenting on the bruises, the swelling around his left eye, or the cut on his brow that's still bleeding sluggishly, or his shaking hands and knuckles skinned and red-raw. And Tony's heart beat in his chest like a scared, caged bird with no way out, not being able to breathe a word, hoping against hope that he will be able to save his child. Please, God, please! Tony begged with himself as he saw his mother moving.

"Here…" Maria whispered as she throws a mini drawstring bag to him, making Tony shook a little as he looked at the bag, afraid that there will be a bomb inside. "There is enough money in here for you to disappear, also a new passport and identity…" Maria said as she looked with pursed lips at the grant stairs that dominated the first floor, his mother's words made the young man shake a little as he walked on shaky legs toward the bag all the while keeping his eyes on his mother, afraid that any moment now she will change her mind. "Words of advice, Anthony, never come back again." The woman said before throwing him one last look before she turned around and start walking away, telling Tony silently that this was his queue to run away, which the young man did without slacking back.

Reaching the garage Tony rushed toward his car, not fancy ones like his parents, but a car dear to him considering that Tony had to work two summers to gather enough money to buy it, a car that will make a perfect way for running away from this place, considering that no one knows about it. Gasping, Tony, revived the car and drove as fast as he can without attracting the attention of the people and police, all the same, gasping and wiping his tears away trying to focus on the road in front of him, putting as much distance between him and the nightmare behind him.

A choked laugh left the young man as he tried to calm himself, not believing that he actually succeeded in running away, and the best of it, his mother was on his side, the young man knows that his mother loved him deep down in whatever left of her that wasn't destroyed by pills and depression and her trying to get over her husband hating her and her son for no reason, but it warmed Tony's heart to think that his mother still cared about him enough to go against Howard for one last time, even if it meant getting hurt in the end. When Tony checked the bag his mother gave him when he was out of Manhattan, he cried as he saw how much money in the bag, the few pieces of jewels that lay around, his grandmother's precious ruby necklace, the passport, and identity that informed everyone that his name was Anthony Carbonell, a twenty-three years old, and not Tony Stark, the eighteen years old kid of Howard…

It's a thirteen-hour drive from New York City to Atlanta, Georgia… it could have been faster, but Tony didn't care about that he only wanted to arrive safely, but that didn't mean he didn't go faster when he thought cops weren't watching, he didn't care about the bone-crushing tiredness, nor the want to lay down and sleep. He had to reach Atlanta before the place he wants will be sold to someone else, he has to! For his baby's sake, he stops when he has to; pulling into gas stations along the road to refuel and gulp down bottle after bottle of water, hoping that he won't regret it in the next stop.

The station attendants don't comment on the bruises, the swelling around his eye, or the cut on his brow that stopped bleeding. They stare at his shaking hands as he pulls off his gloves and hands over the money, the knuckles skinned and red-raw. He pays in cash only, anonymous and untraceable, and keeps his head down. There are cameras everywhere, and maybe its paranoia, maybe the bastard's reach doesn't extend as far as he claims, but Tony isn't taking any chances. He pays in crumbled bills, hoarded over years and months for this moment, and then he kept on moving, never staying in one place for more than it takes him to refuel and go to the bathroom.

If the landscape isn't enough of a clue that he really was out of New York and away from the hell he lived in for more than eighteen years, the gas station attendant is. He is old and bad-tempered, his features craggy and rumpled, the name Phillips neatly embroidered on his shirt. He comes out of the little convenience store as Tony was about to fill his car, scaring him by his loud tutting. "Give me that!" He snaps as Tony tries to unhook the nozzle from the gas pump. "There's a trick to it." He shoves Tony out of the way, which made the teen purse his lips, but he took a step back, hoping to look smaller than he already is, as to not attract the man's attention any more than he already did.

"It's the power to displacement ratio that's the real problem on these things." Phillips finally announces after a while of awkward silence which made Tony look up at him, making the man pursed his lips a little after taking a good look at him. "You need a Band-Aid or something?" Tony looked around before biting his lower lip nodding his head, not daring to ask for aspirin, not knowing what it could do to the baby. Phillips lets out a soft breath of air between his teeth and finishes up, leading Tony into the store, and the teen tenses his body a little, but he relaxed when he didn't see any cameras in the store. "You on the run, boy?" He asks over his shoulder, looking at Tony with a knowing eye, making the teen swallow and shake his head at that, causing Phillips to hum, sounding unconvinced as he goes around the counter and punches the price of gas into the old cash machine. "What are you doing in this neck of the woods?" Philips finally asked which made the young man fidget, even more, wanting to just thrust the crumbling bills at the man and high tail it out of here.

"Moving." Tony finally says when Phillips looks at him expectantly. "I saw an old cabin on sale just outside of Atlanta." Phillips pulls a battered little first aid kit out from under the counter and pushes it towards Tony, which the teen took it gratefully going to the bathroom in the back where the old man pointed, thanking the man in return, grimacing when he looked at his face in the bathroom's mirror, and start cleaning and dressing his wounds as best as he can.

"Remind me again, the whereabouts of your staying?" Phillips asks curiously after Tony left the bathroom, which made Tony tense after he returned the kit, trying to be subtle in backing away, but knowing from the man's eyes that he wasn't at all, which made Tony swallow at that. "Didn't think there was anything on the market, not since the Jones' cabin was sold yesterday, it is just outside of Atlanta in Fairburn, someone by the name Stane bought it." The old man said after he took the kit from the teen and put it back in its place, and Tony froze at that, looking at the man with wide eyes, which made the man hum and nod his head at that. "Sorry kid seems that you are late." The man said in what Tony wanted to say was the least sympathetic voice he ever heard in his life.

Tony wondered to himself if he was going to start crying any minute now because there was no way… just no way, that Stane and his father already knew about his plan, no way! Tony's lips start trembling at that and he was sure there were tears in his eyes by this point, and the teen wouldn't care if he starts crying, because his dream was just turned into dust once again by his father and Stane, he can't go to Atlanta now, not after Stane buying a cabin there, it doesn't matter if there were a million others there, he can't be seen by Stane or his father!

"You know, there is another place, two hours' drive West of here." The man said gently, in a voice Tony didn't think the man was capable of, which made the young man raise his head to look at the man expecting this to be one of his father's many traps, thinking that Tony will be desperate enough to take the bait, but the thing is, there was a slim chance that the man doesn't know about his father, a chance that the man was genuine, a chance that he will be able to save his baby! "Do you know about a town called Shield?" The man leaned toward him and asked that question, making Tony furrow his brows and shook his head slowly, the possibility of the man being a lair and one of his father's people who were paid increased by the second. "Here…" The man nodded as he gave Tony a map, which the young man took slowly and opened it, looking through the map, raising an eyebrow when he saw a circle on one part of the map.

"What… what do I own you?" Tony finally whispered after fifteen minutes of silence, as he took the map and looked at the man, his mind warring between running away from this place and this man and believing him, but the thing is, Tony doesn't know how long he has before his father catches up with him, he is already running out of time if Stane is already this close to him… but if there is a chance that what the man was saying to him was true… then there is a chance of Tony saving his baby and raising them in peace, in a place, not even his father knows about!

Phillips watches him as he reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulls out his wallet, which made Tony fidget but held the man's gaze, making the older man's lips twitch up at that like he wanted to smile but wouldn't. "What's your name, son?" The man asked which made Tony blink up at him, hesitating a little before giving the man a small smile in return.

"Tony Carbonell." Tony finally said with a sad smile, remembering his mother's sacrifice for him, his words made the man hum and waving Tony when he gave him the money, telling him to get moving already if he wanted to reach the town before dark, which made the teen give a small smile before rushing toward his car, shaking all the way when he rushed out of the gas station, feeling like someone was following him but there were no cars behind…

Tony hoped he didn't fuck up, for his child's sake…


It took Tony three hours of driving through the forest to reach the town that was called 'Shield' a strange name for a town… one that wasn't mentioned on any map so far. Tony blinked when he finally spotted the town, relief taking him over when he realized that what the man informed him of was true, and not one of his father's many mind games. The village was quiet and lively at the same time. As Tony drove through it, he saw people stop and look at his car every time he passed a place, giving Tony the chills, wondering what kind of shit he's thrown himself into.

But Tony had to be true to himself, it was a beautiful town, if badly named, wide streets and tall, red-painted buildings, with beautiful houses. With so many lakes and rivers running around, that Tony passed through on his long drive, and there are a few running through the town. It will be a beautiful place for his baby to grow up in, and he has enough money from his saving and from his mother that he will be able to live a luxurious life for the rest of his long one with his baby.

Shield Real Estate is easy enough to find, with the town being small and all. Tony parks and removes his gloves, leaving them on the passenger's seat while he brushes his hands through his hair and tries to look slightly presentable. He glances at his reflection in the review mirror and stops trying. His right eye is red and puffy, pushing his eye shut. His hands don't look much better. He lets out a sigh, and hopes for the best, hoping to still have some leftover from the luck that made him able to run away without being caught to help him here, too.

With that Tony got out of the car, ignoring the people that were eyeing him and whispering to each other, going to the office and tries to open the door, finding it unlocked and peers inside, hoping to see someone, twisting his hands together when the place was seemingly empty. "Hello?" Tony called out as he entered the office and looked around the place in nervousness, hoping that he will find someone before he chickens out and runs away.

"Hello." A voice called behind Tony and for the second time in the past twenty-four hours, the young teen jumped and turned around to see who was the caller, blinking his eyes when his sight fell on a brunette woman in her forties who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow and an amused look on her face, making Tony uncomfortable for so many reasons. "Can I help you with something?" The woman asked which made Tony clear his throat at that.

"Yes, yes, well, you see Ma'am, I am looking for a house or something of that sort to buy… hopefully moving in it, too, by today or tomorrow in the latest…" Tony's words trailed off, already knowing that he probably sounded crazy to the woman's ears, and Tony won't fault her if she called security on him, the police chief maybe? Though the woman just hummed and went to her desk opening her computer and looking through it after a few clicks on the keyboard, pointing to Tony to sit down on one of the chairs near him.

"OK, Mr.…" The woman looked at him making the teen flush in embarrassment and mumbles his name to the lady, making her hum and look through her computer once again. "My name is Peggy Carter-Barnes, but you can call me Mrs. Carter." The woman said after she throws him another glance and returned to her work, only to frown after five minutes and swallow, throwing him glances now and then as her eyes returned to the computer. "OK, Mr. Carbonell, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that yes, there is a house available, a mile north from here outside of the town, a beautiful two-story lake house, with its own boathouse, and a few acres of lands, with a cheap price too." Mrs. Carter said making Tony's heart flutter with happiness at that, the chance to start all over again. "The bad news, the place is abandoned, meaning you have your work cut for you repairing the place, but don't worry, I will have my husband handle it, you just have to wait for a few months before the house is complete." Peggy said as she showed Tony the pictures of the house, making Tony's eyes widen at the rooms and furniture, and Tony nearly shouted out 'No' at the woman, after all, he won't waste his chance, even if the house was nothing but a box of scraps, Tony will buy it and modify it to his heart content.

"There is no need, Mrs. Carter, I can fix it, can I go and see it, please?" Tony asked trying to stop himself from jumping up and down in his chair, as he went through picture after a picture of the house he was going to buy, his own house, and remodel it like how he wanted, a beautiful gift for his baby for when they will come to the world, a place that they will love and adore, living a happy and healthy life in a place like that, without Stane or Howard's poisonous influence!

"As you wish, Mr. Carbonell, I will drive then." The woman said as she stood up, Tony following her not that far behind a smile made itself home on his face as he could do nothing but hope, happy that he finally made a life for himself and his baby, away from the pain and hate and fear…

This was going to be a new beginning for both of them!


"So what brought you to this neck of the woods, Mr. Carbonell?" Mrs. Carter asked after a while of driving which made Tony, who was looking outside of the window trying to memorize the way, blink and turn to the woman, giving her a small smile as he returned his gaze outside.

"Call me Tony, please, and well, me and the kiddo thought that it will be a good start for a change, you know what I mean?" Tony said as he glances at the woman seeing her hum not taking her eyes off of the road, saying something under her breath as they finally left the town behind and headed to Lake House, it made Tony smile and return his gaze outside.

"Do you have a family, Tony? A wife?" The woman asked once again which made Tony blink at that wondering why the woman will ask something like that and why did she sound as if she was choking on something, and it kind of made Tony tense a little but he tried to calm himself down and turn to the woman, watching her for her reaction.

"No Ma'am, it's just me, no family or a wife... I am a carrier, as for the kiddy I just confirmed the news with a pregnancy stick two days ago." Tony said trying to joke but failing at that miserably, especially when he saw the woman clench the car's wheel tightly after he said those words, which made Tony fidget and turn his gaze to the greenery outside. They followed the curve of the lake, the path leading down to the water's edge, and the house.

The trees had been cut down around the path leading up to the house, so it sat in a clearing, there had once been a garden of some kind it seems, but now the flowerbeds were choked with weeds and the grass has gone to seed, but Tony was sure that he will be able to restore the garden in no time, though maybe he will leave that to after autumn and winter pass. The house was smaller than Tony had expected from the outside but it looked homey, a small building with a porch out front overlooking the lake. By the shore, there was a deck, the wooden boards jutting out over the water, it was worn but still in a good condition, and a small stretch of private beach sloping down into the still, dark water... a house with so many potentials.

The scrubby grass stretching from the shoreline to the cabin was torn up and ragged, with deep gouges in the damp earth; Mrs. Carter looked around the place humming to herself. "There's a boathouse around the side. I am pretty sure there's still a boat inside, after all, it's rare that someone comes here, a quiet place for relaxation though." Mrs. Carter then headed to the porch with Tony following behind her, and Tony was grateful for the woman because Tony could swear that when he stared at the lake, it stared right back at him… maybe it was the autumn air? "The last owners were the Rogers family, they left the place thirty years ago, and they didn't take the furniture with them so you can help yourself with it." The woman hummed as she goes up the small flight of stairs before talking once more. "On the first floor you got a living room, a kitchen, plus a bathroom and a bedroom, the second floor contains two bedrooms and a bathroom, you also have an attic of a sort." The woman unlocked the door and push it opened grumbling at the rusted hangings. "There's a fireplace in the living room, so make sure you've got plenty of fuel stored for winter and… Dear lord!" The woman gasped out in horror which made Tony sidestep the woman to look at what caused that reaction.

The previous owners of the property had left the place years ago with a few bags of their most valued possessions, leaving everything else behind, that's what Peggy told them, something about the family not being able to handle their son's death. The pictures Tony had seen on the Real Estate website had shown the inside of the house, stained pinewood walls, and a selection of simple, homely furniture included in the price. But now… here… everything, every dish, and plate, every piece of furniture, has been destroyed. The sofas had been overturned, the coffee table smashed, splinters of pine scattered across the floor. The boxy old TV that had been on an occasional table in the corner has been… crushed. Like something had wrapped around it and squeezed. The dining table that separated the kitchen and dining room was in fragments.

Peggy picked her way through the debris, swearing to herself, and went to check the state of the bathroom and the second floor, hearing the woman swear made Tony focus on the British accent in her voice, which brought a pang in Tony's heart. The young man follows, looking over his shoulder, and sees the bathroom suite is still intact. A bath, toilet, and sink, all unharmed amid the devastation, though there are streaks of mud across the walls, and several inches of murky looking water in the bath.

Tony went over to the kitchen while Mrs. Carter circled the lounge, picking up pieces of furniture and looking despondent, the oven seemed to be working when Tony checked it and there are a couple of cabinets still standing; the ones that had been attached to the wall torn off, leaving screws and fragments of chipboard standing out sharply from the pine slats. The tall barstools that were arranged around the breakfast bar in the photos are lying on the floor; their hollow metal legs twisted up like paperclips, making Tony take a deep breath at that.

"It must have been the kids..." Tony said weakly which made the woman purse her lips and clenched her hands into fists, and Tony hummed as he went to the bedroom on the first floor, whoever had wreaked havoc in the rest of the cabin had not forgotten this room either. The mattress had been dragged from the bed and eviscerated, padding and metal springs trailing across the floor. The bedside table and wardrobe had been crushed. The bed frame, a sturdy double, made with thick lengths of pine, has been snapped in two across the center; it sagged in the center of the room like a broken bridge.

Tony found the brunette on the front porch, talking with someone on the phone, clicking the phone shut when she saw him. "I checked the second floor and there is no damage like the first…I'm so, so sorry. I will take care of it, as soon as I can…" The brunette said as she returned back to her phone, which made Tony hum and turn to inspect the front door. The front door was wide open, and Tony ran his fingers down the door frame. There's no sign of forced entry, and the door had been locked when they arrived, he even watched Mrs. Carter struggle with the keys not moments ago.

Tony looks out over the lake, the water still and dark... he should get out, he knows that he should go back into town with the brunette, apologize for taking up her time and gets the fuck out of Shield… but where would he go? Tony looked down at his hands, at the bruises on his knuckles, and sets his jaw. "Can someone give me a hand moving the stuff outside? Hopefully tomorrow…" Tony asked the woman seeing her eyes widen at his words as she looked at him like he lost his mind, but her face returns neutral a second later.

"So you are staying?" The woman asked getting a nod from Tony, making the woman hum at that and look at her phone. "My husband is coming to help you tomorrow, with the repairs and moving things… you shouldn't lift heavy objects while being pregnant." The woman said sending a pointed look toward the young man, making the teen flush at that and nods his head a little at that.

Tony blinked as he checked over the house once more before getting out and letting the brunette woman close the door shut and lock it… he was tired and sore, he hasn't slept in over twenty-four hours, ever since he ran away from home, and in all honestly, he needed real food and a bed, hoping to crash for a few hours before returning here, hoping to fix the house and be able to remodel it as best as he can.

"Come on, dear, I know a good diner just around the corner, and I am sure a good night's sleep will bring back the blush to your cheeks." The woman said which made Tony blink and flush a little, grumbling to himself as he followed the woman to the car. "You can sign the papers tomorrow, don't worry about the mess, it will be all cleaned before we get back here tomorrow, by then you could tell my husband what kind of remodeling you want, also if you want I have a room in my house that can serve as a temporary guest room, we don't have motels here, as you can see we don't usually have people who drive in through the forest to reach our town." Mrs. Carter said, talking about this and that which made Tony hum to himself as he nodded his head walking beside the woman toward her car.

Tony blink his eyes and turned his gaze to the house, a small smile taking over his face when he saw the sunset turning the lake surface into canvases of yellow, oranges, and reds, taking Tony's breath away, the brunette woman cleared her throat making Tony blink and turn to the woman with a sheepish smile and rushed to sit in the passenger's seat, putting his seatbelt on and closing the door behind him. Tony looked across the road at the path leading back to the cabin.

"Beautiful…" Tony said under his breath which made the woman turn to look at him, making the small teen smile. "Nothing…" Tony said with a head shake, already making a mental list of the things that he needed to buy, his baby's room, his room, maybe turning one of the bedrooms into an office, or a lab? He wondered if the boathouse has a normal rowing boat or a speeding boat, thinking of all the possibility he has right now, planning to send a 'Thank You' basket to that man Philips who gave him directions to this town, a small town away from everyone, a town that probably everyone in it knows the other, and will know of any outsider coming in… a small town perfect for raising his baby... and most importantly it wasn't mentioned on any map…

Pepper! Tony grinned to himself, he needed to call the woman and tell her where he was, maybe she and Rhodey can come here on Christmas, celebrating Tony moving into this beautiful house, he has to call her, and maybe persuade her into smuggling Dum-E here, after all, he did leave him with her for safekeeping three years ago, while lying to his father about him disassembling the robot, maybe Jarvis will like to come too. Tony was sure that the AI got bored of being a computer, maybe he can wire him into the house, making him a security system that will protect the house in his absence.

So many possibilities and so much time in his hands that he was finally free! Something moves through the trees, which made the brunette look up as the car moved; the branches were shaking, spilling yellowing leaves which made Tony smile, thinking that it was nothing but a squirrel…

It followed the line of the road until the car is out of sight.