2010-08-28: Take 2 Call Me In The Morning

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Tony_icon.jpg Theo_icon.jpg

Summary: Tony gets a call for help from Theo, and he races to help the young man. After picking up a battered Theo, Tony tends to the young man then takes him over to Xavier's to get proper treatment.

Date: August 27, 2010 Note: This log directly follows Who am I protecting again?

Log Title: Take 2; Call me in the morning.

Rating: PG-13


/New York City/


Tony's phone rings, and when it's answered, it's Theo. "Hey Tony? Do you think you can come get me?" he asks in slurred speech. He sounds like he is tired, and drunk at the same time. "I don't think I can drive home." It's only a little past rush hour, kind of early to be boozing it up.

Tony puts down the tool in his hand as he listens to Theo. Something was clearly off, and that concerned the billionaire. "What's going on?" Even as the question is asked Tony is already tracking down the location of Theo's phone. Only a floor below the parking garage makes it a quick trip for him to get to his car.

Theo doesn't answer for several seconds. Just when it might be suspected that he fell asleep, there's an answer. "It's a long story, just get here," he says, sounding a little agitated. "The police are gonna be here soon, and I don't want to talk to them." His location is all the way in Brooklyn, so he'll probably have to talk to them, whatever the situation is.

This situation certainly just got more interesting. "I'm on my way." There's not much more that Tony really needed to say. If Theo was in trouble then he would handle it when he got there. Having the location down he realized that the fastest way to get there would be to take the Ferrari. As he pulled out of the parking space he sent a few messages off to those that needed to know where he had gone off to, and pulled out of the parking structure. Once clear of the structure Stark activated the flight abilities of the car and sped over to Brooklyn hoping that there would be an obvious place for him to set the car down.

The police are just arriving when Tony shows up. Theo is sitting in the mini-ferrari, and by some miracle, someone just pulled out of the spot next to him. It looks like they are talking to Caleb at the moment, and Theo wastes no time getting into the car with Tony. He looks like he just called Hulk a sissy. One eye is so badly swollen that it's closed up. Dried blood is on his nose and mouth, and coming from a gash on his forehead. "Let's get out of here," he says, without offering an explanation of what's going on still.

Tony is torn between finding out what exactly has happened and getting Theo some medical attention. The latter thought was chosen as it would be quite obvious to anyone in the area that Stark had been there. "You look like hell," he offers supportively. "I hope the other guy looks worse." The car smoothly lifts back up into the sky to travel back to the Towers where Tony can get Theo down into the lab, and see how bad the damage is.

Theo doesn't answer, but he looks unbalanced and angry. The bloodstained front of his shirt, however, may be insightful. 'I'm a homosuperior, you're just a homo', is written across it. He starts to nod off, which can be bad if you have a concussion.

"Hey, I know I'm old and boring but you can't drag me away from playing with my Erector set and fall asleep on me," Tony says looking across his shoulder at Theo. Taking a hand off the wheel he lightly shakes Theo's upper arm to see if the young man will snap out of it. If that doesn't work the Towers weren't going to do Theo much good at all. Tony would have to then drive over to the nearest hospital.

"Ow!" comes the complaint from the beat up teen. "That hurts, cut it out!" He's cranky, but then, most people are after they've been used as a punching bag. He tilts his head back. "I didn't even say anything to them," he grunts. The boy touches his swollen eye, but it is clearly sensitive.

The trip to the Towers is about over as Tony lowers the car back down to ground level then drives into the parking structure to where he parks his cars. "I take it someone took offense to your shirt?" Yeah, he'd noticed. "Not that I'm going to get all preachy on you but probably not the best thing to be caught in around the city. Too many that lash out instead of just carrying on with their lives."

Theo looks down at his shirt, covered in blood. "I guess. Taught them a lesson they won't soon forget though. "He grins, , the edges of his teeth lined with blood, but a satisfactory smile nonetheless. "Thanks to Caleb. I think you're right, I'm not gonna wear this around anymore. I think I have a concussion." Gee, what was his first clue?

Tony quirks an eyebrow as he turns off the car. "Caleb?" He then rattles off a vague description of the Caleb he knows while getting out of the car to come around and help Theo out. "Anything busted that I can't see? I don't want to make anything worse just trying to get you down into the lab."

"He was invisible for most of it," Theo answers. "I Think he goes to the Barnes Academy. You know, that's the second time he's saved my life. Like my own personal guardian angel or somethin'. But last time wasn't nearly so movie worthy. He shrugs. "I dunno. I ain't a doctor. I might've broken my hand. Everything hurts so much it's hard to tell." He holds up his right hand, which is rather swollen as well. "I hope you're as good at developing medical technology as you are at all the rest of the technology."

"I'm not a doctor but I play one for free," Tony teases Theo as they slowly make their way towards the elevator. He tells Theo along the way, while he offers him whatever support he needs, that he knows Caleb personally. As they reach the elevator and step inside he speaks softly to Theo so as not to give the kid even more of a headache. "I can do my best but if it's beyond my abilities where would you prefer to go?" Without a need to press a floor button the elevator begins the descent to the private basement level of the towers.

Theo is rather uneasy on his feet, and nauseated, but given the pain he's in, it's the least of his worries. He listens, and offers little input in response. "I dunno," the boy answers. "I guess you'll have to call the school. Just don't take me to a hospital. Those people are crazy." The last statement seemed to be almost fabricated, as if it wasn't part of the thought initially. "So, how often you get beat up?" he asks with a laugh. He knows that Tony is Iron Man, but never brought the subject up directly. "I've been pounded before, but now I know why pistol whipping knocks people out in the movies." Yes, there was a gun involved.

The doors to the elevator part silently and Tony doesn't seem inclined to talk as he guides Theo towards the secure door leading into his lab. With a quick scan of his hand, the system sending an electrical impulse to the lock chip in his forearm, the door locks pop and Tony pushes the heavy door open then guides Theo through to the far side of the lab where he gets the man onto a small bed that protrudes from the wall. "I take quite a few hits, Theo. Some are more painful than others." A mediscan starts from Theo's feet and slowly climbs towards the head, data spitting out on a monitor that is fixed into the wall over the bed. "How many people were involved in this?" He is asking questions for information but also to keep Theo talking.

Line after line reveals the damage. Bruises too many to count, from his torso up, but most of them to his head. A boxer's break in the right hand. hairline fracture in the jaw. Major concussion. Broken nose. Impact laceration to the forehead.
"There were two of them," Theo answers. "I had just come out of the restaurant, and they followed me out and dragged me into the old warehouse next door. They just kept sayin' how mutants were evil abominations and all kinds of garbage like that. Then Caleb showed up. I think one of them might have gotten away."

Tony is frowning at the read out and knows that this is going to be beyond his ability to fix. Even though he is aware of this he starts pulling things out of various metal cabinets while talking to Theo, "Was anyone nearby at all? Anyone see what was about to happen that you recall?" First thing was first, Tony went about gently cleaning the blood away from the laceration to see how bad it was. Small strips are placed to press the wound together then he cleans away the rest of the blood on Theo's face.
"Hey, let me know if I make something worse alright?" With Theo's face cleaned up the best that Tony can he places a cold cloth over the damaged eye. Tony may appear calm and meticulous in what he is doing but the truth was he was very worried about Theo and a great deal of anger was rolling just beneath the surface. He was not angry with Theo but at the situation that found the young man on the slab in front of him.

"It's Brooklyn, there was probably a few dozen people who saw it and aren't sayin' anything. Tony, you know I'm a mutant, I wouldn't be at Xavier's if I wasn't." Theo never talks about being a mutant around Tony, but in this situation, it's been brought to the front. "People hate mutants. You hear about all these good equal rights stuff, but it's all bull. People talk a lot, but when push comes to shove, they just don't care." He winces as the injury is cleaned.

Tony sighs heavily as he reaches for another cold cloth to drape over Theo's broken nose. "I of all people know how things are but as long as there are those that will stand up for others then things seem less dismal." He offers Theo a half smile that the boy probably can't see very well given all the compresses. "I know you've never talked to me about Xavier's but if you ever do want to you know that I will listen. I know a lot of students from there, and you can probably guess that some of my closest friends are mutants." Now Tony is trying to gently immobilize the broken hand as best he can with the supplies he has. "Going to try and get the swelling down a bit, give you something for the nausea and then I'll get you over there."

"I don't like talking about it," Theo answers without a thought. "Everybody is always asking about everybody's powers. I feel like they're asking me how long my jimmy is. It's private." He takes a sigh of his own. "I don't suppose there's anyway you can tell Scott I fell down the stairs or something?" he says, already knowing the answer.

Tony snickers, "Yeah, I can see that. I just want you to know that you can talk to me about anything if you need an ear." A gel pack is grabbed and lightly placed down upon the bandage job on the hand before Tony wraps a few bands of gauze around the whole thing to keep it together. "Bet me a Benjamin that the first thing that gets said is that it is my fault," Tony smiles as he fishes out the small pills that will help with the nausea Theo is suffering. "Gonna help you sit up to take these. Got a little bit of water to help out." Tony helps Theo up then holds the items out for him to take.

Theo clenches his teeth as the bandage goes on his hand. "Man, and just before school starts. Maybe I can get out of those lame danger room sessions." He takes the pills in his hand as he props himself up. He takes the pills, and slumps back down. "He might. He thinks I'm some crazy psycho though, so he'll think I picked the fight."

"He thinks you're a psycho?" Tony stands in disbelief. "What the hell is going on over there?" To say that he isn't thrilled by this revelation is an understatement. Tony goes about tossing medical supplies back into the cabinet he got them out of then returns to stand where Theo can comfortably see him. "I'll handle whatever comes from this situation. Leave the adults to me and that includes the police if they come knocking."

Theo shrugs. "I don't get along well with authority," he admits. Though Bob hasn't had any complaints. Theo is always on time and works as if he were about to cure cancer. "It's hard being someplace where everybody around you is…" he pauses. "Well, you know. Not quite as bright." Says the boy who wore an abrasive shirt out in public and got beat up.

"Hmm, you don't get along with authority, you feel everyone is a few fries short of a happy meal, and you have terrible fashion sense," Tony rattles off a short list as he walks away for a moment. "No matter how exceptionally gifted we may be you can always learn something from others. You may not believe that now but you'll see, Theo. Do me a favor, and take a few steps back before you do something. You may see a different path you hadn't noticed before. Like, a different shirt!"
Deciding against alerting the masses that he was about to show up at the school, Tony simply returns to Theo's side and tells him that they are going to go back up to the car and land on the schools lawn. "Lesson two, always make a grand entrance because you're going to get glared and growled at regardless of how you show up."

Theo smiles groggily. "I can work with that," he says to the second. "Truth is, I can't explain it, but deep down I actually wanted to get in a fight with that shirt. I didn't want to lose the fight. I dunno, I'm talking crazy." But maybe it's true all the same.

Tony knows that with a concussion such as Theo has that the young man may or may not realize what he is saying. "When you're in your right might we'll talk, kid. C'mon, got to get you to the real medical help before you conk out on me. By the way, I'm glad you called me to come help you, just so you know." With that he helps Theo slide off the bed, and up to the car. Already Stark is pondering who to alert over at the school as Charles was not present, and he had not heard from Beast in some time. Perhaps he would have to see if he could get a hold of Emma.

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