Tony slammed down the shot glass, the liquor burning his throat as he shot it back. He gasped in relief as his body hummed with the alcohol in his system.

The bartender gestures to the empty glass in front of the billionaire. "Another, sir?" He asked with a cock of his hairy brow.

  Tony smiled drunkenly. He shrugged. "Why not?!" He cried. "I haven't felt this way in a looonng time. I'll pay for the next round, how 'bout dat?"

  The bartender pursed his lips. "Sir," he started, sighing heavily. "You're the last one here. There's no one else to pay for."

  Tony blinked and burped. "What?" He chuckled. "All light-weights, huh?"

  The bartender swiped away the empty glass between them and leaned down so he was eye-level with the Stark. "No, sir, it's nearly 2am. They aren't light-weights, just have jobs to get to in the morning. And if you have one too, i suggest you leave now."

It took a moment for those words to sink into Tony's alcohol-induced brain. "Oh," he breathed, emotions switching in an instant. "Oh, shit. You're right. I-my kid's in the hospital. What am i doing here? Shit-fuck. Do you have a cellphone i can borrow?"

The bartender didn't seem fazed, just pointed to an old-style telephone on a wire hanging up on the back wall. Tony mumbled his thanks before stumbling over there and punching in a number. It didn't even ring once before the line connected.

"Tones?"

A rush of relief surged over the drunken genius at the sound of his best friend's voice. "Rhodey..."

"Why are you at the bar, Tony?" Rhodey almost sounded disappointed, but not surprised.

Tony sniffed. "I freaked..i think. I can't remember anything after my seventh shot if I'm being honest."

Rhodey audibly caught his breath. "Christ, Tony. Are you alone?"

Tony glanced around, not even sure of anything anymore. "I think," he said quietly. He passed a hand over his face. "Rhodey, i think i fucked up. I fucked up."

  Rhodey chuckled lightly on the other line. "I think you did too. Hold tight and don't drink anymore! I'll be right there."

  Tony nodded although he knew Rhodey couldn't see him. "Thanks, buddy."

"Yeah, yeah." And the line went quiet.

  Tony held on to the phone for a moment before hanging it back up on the wall. He leaned back, feeling very heavy on his feet all of a sudden. Knowing Rhodey was on his was to pick him up, he didn't want to go. He didn't want to go back to his broken home full of broken bodies and broken relationships. He wanted to stay in this lovely little bar off the corner where the worst thing that could happen is a few broken shot glasses.

  "You need anything else?" The bartender said from behind Tony. "A bucket, maybe? Not many can hold down ten shots."

  Tony nodded as he retook his seat at the bar. "Yeah, a bucket sounds nice."

***

Rhodey put the phone down and rubbed down his worry lines. "I gotta go get Tony," he said, glancing towards Pepper who looked back over the top of her glasses.

"Where is he?" Pepper asked, setting down her magazine. "I haven't seen him since the funeral now that i think about it.."

Rhodey sighed heavily. He placed at hand on Peter's arm gently. The kid had gotten out of surgery about two hours ago and amnesia had worn off an hour ago, but he still hadn't woken up. The doctors had said he could wake up at any time, but that didn't stop Rhodey from worrying that maybe he wouldn't.

  "At the bar," Rhodey said and stood up. "Steve said he freaked out about what happened and disappeared. I just..."

  "Didn't think he'd resort to alcohol?" Pepper finished for him. "Children do those kind of things to you."

  Rhodey nodded. "I really hoped he'd shown up, though. Peter could wake up at any second and he's somewhere getting wasted-!"

  Pepper shushed him. She stood from her chair and placed both her hands on Rhodey's shoulders comfortingly. "But Peter isn't awake yet," she pointed out. "He still has time. And given its Tony, he won't waste it."

Rhodey glanced back at Peter. He looked so small laying in the hospital bed hooked up to multiple tubes and machines. Pepper had tried her best to make him more comfortable by covering him in blankets and propping him up on pillows, but even then he still just looked...so small. So unbelievably small. Like a spider in a swimming pool. Rhodey looked away.

  "He better not," He said, pulling up the collar of his jacket. "Let's hope he sobers up before Peter comes to."