Fic: The Altar of Human Sacrifice Chap. 7, PG-13

[tresmaxwell.livejournal.com]

Universe: Movie
Rating: PG-13? Probably just PG.
Warnings: Some language.
Beta: None
Summary: Steve gets advice on Annika and Tony gets a surprise visitor.
Pairings/Characters: Steve/Tony, pre-established
Word Count: About 5,900

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The X-Men jet was much bigger than the one the Avengers flew to various missions. It was long and sleek, and capable of stealth as the girl pointed out getting onboard. The seating faced forward, unlike the traditional, military-style benches on the SHIELD jet. Steve picked a chair near the back, not bothering with the seat belts. He typically stood on a plane, but he wasn't sure how their pilot would feel about that. He'd learned in the forties that pilots were particular and if they wanted things a certain way, it was best that they got what they wanted.

The girl with the white streak in her hair took the seat beside him and flashed a friendly smile. As he returned it, she reached out a gloved hand, "I'm Rogue."

Steve took her hand, debating as he shook it delicately. His identity was not something he wanted spread around, but these people had seen him without his mask. Between that and the psychic that led them, Steve thought it might be wasted effort, "I'm Captain America, but you can call me Steve."

"It's lovely to meet you, Steve."

She had a thick southern twang that made Steve think of Georgia or one of the Carolinas. He'd never spent much time in the south, but he had men in his regiment from that area. They were always polite and well mannered, just never someone he wanted to make angry. The polite words didn't fade with rage, they just became pointed and underhanded.

Rogue tucked her hair behind her ear as the other mutants got strapped in. The jet hummed to life and Rogue grabbed the harness at her shoulders.

"Don't like flying?" Steve asked and slipped his shield off his arm. He balanced it on the floor in front of him, holding it in place with one palm.

Her smile thinned when she glanced at him, "It's not my favorite thing. Don't you want to strap in?"

"The straps slow me down."

"That's the idea, sugah."

Steve smirked and shook his head, "No, I mean, if I need to bail or we get attacked. They slow me down."

Her thin brows raised, but she didn't comment. The tall kid with bright blue eyes helped the professor into the copilot chair beside the borrowed SHIELD pilot. Apparently, Storm and Cyclops were the only ones trained to fly the jet, but the trade off was that they were also the foremost experts on Magneto. Fury had offered the pilot without a second thought. Steve tried to see who it was, since he knew most of the crew by now, but in the standard SHIELD gear and a helmet with a reflective visor, Steve couldn't tell.

After the kid got Xavier's chair latched down behind some cargo netting, he took the seat in front of Rogue. They shared shy smiles that reminded Steve of high school, and then he looked over at Steve.

"It's an honor to meet you, I'm Bobby. The grumpy one," he pointed up at Wolverine, who was occupying a chair near the front, "Is Logan."

The stocky, little man didn't glance up from changing the flint in his lighter.

Leaning as far as the shoulder straps would allow, Bobby had to raise his voice over the roar of the engines heating up, "Listen, sorry about what happened back there, I know the professor just wants to help. He's a good man."

Steve believed him, but Annika was still very young and barely settled in her life with them. Even if the professor was well intentioned, Steve wasn't comfortable with sending her off to boarding school. He knew Tony would nix the idea faster than the Hulk could fly into a fit of rage.

The jet lifted into the air vertically and the helicarrier shrank beneath them. When the thrusters kicked in, they shot west and the cabin noise died down. Steve could tell the acceleration was extreme, but the, what did Tony always call it, g-force applied to the occupants was minimal. Once they were up to speed, he could barely tell they were moving.

Rogue picked up the conversation where Bobby left it, "We're all sorry about what happened. A lot of parents reject their own flesh and blood when they find out they're mutants. Xavier's school is full of runaways, kids that have nowhere to go because no one understands them."

"You thought Tony and I would do the same," Steve filled in. Considering the sympathetic tone that suggested she'd lived the experience, Steve took a breath to stay calm, "Miss-"

"Rogue."

"Rogue, I don't think there's anything Annika can do that Tony and I can't handle. We're not exactly run-of-the-mill folks."

"Then y'all are better than most, darlin'," she drawled.

Pocketing the lighter, Logan wrinkled his nose and sniffed the air. He took the cigar out of his mouth and sniffed again, rotating in his chair to see Steve. His suggestive sneer made Steve's face heat, "You get lucky before take-off?"

Steve blushed scarlet and pulled his mask down over his embarrassment. Tony had cleaned the wet come off his uniform with his mouth, but the smell of sex always lingered. Managing not to stutter, Steve said, "That's none of your business."

Wolverine laughed, "Perks of marriage, even if you're both dudes. Do you always turn that red, or is it part of the uniform?"

"Logan, leave him alone," Rogue chided, though it did little to stop him.

"So, who takes it?"

"Logan!"

When Steve couldn't even look him in the eye anymore, Wolverine flashed a feral, toothy grin, "I change my mind, I'd rather have this guy than Scott. He's easier to tease."

Steve prayed for a short flight.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The school was impressive. It looked like an Ivy League college from above, the campus old and beautiful and well maintained. Steve was so busy looking at the stone masonry that he drew back from the window in surprise when they went underground. Layers of metal and concrete passed by as the pilot cautiously lowered them into the landing bay. Xavier guided him with quiet words, informing him of the depth of the bay and the side clearance. The tunnel widened to what looked like a combined aircraft hanger/garage. Cars and motorcycles were parked in even rows along the south wall, a pair of double doors set into the wall beside them.

As they touched down, Xavier looked at the pilot and said, "Now, if you would take off that helmet, Agent Barton, we can stop pretending you're someone else."

Steve got up, holding his shield by the edge, "Clint?"

The archer sighed and lifted the helmet off his head. His short, spiky hair was flat after the long flight, "Pretty sure you knew from the time I boarded, professor. You could've said something earlier."

"You had your reasons so I let you have your illusion, but you can tell the director his attempts to replicate Erik's helmet were unsuccessful," Xavier retuned with a slight curve to his mouth.

"And because the helmet was hotter than hell," Wolverine added as he stood and stretched. "Welcome to Passive Aggressive 101 with Professor X."

Xavier chuckled as Clint hit the toggle to open the back hatch. The archer was at the ramp before it had finished descending. He grabbed a black, rectangular case from a wall compartment and stepped out the hatch. Steve followed him. While everyone deboarded, Steve caught Clint's arm and pulled him off toward the line of vehicles. The garage bay had a massive arched ceiling, so no matter where they went their voices would carry. Steve kept that in mind.

He talked quietly, but firmly, "Fury didn't send you, did he?"

Barton pulled out of Steve's grasp and slicked his sweaty hair off his forehead. It stayed curled up like he'd used gel on it. His sharp eyes flicked over to the mutants, "No, I thought you could use some backup. Look Cap, Fury's dealings with these people have been a roller coaster. We never really know what they're going to do."

"But they're friendlies," Steve said uncertainly. Most of what Steve knew about the X-Men came from Tony hacking into Fury's files. Everything Tony shared with him suggested that these were the good guys. They fought to keep innocent people safe, and that made them okay in Steve's book. "Does Fury trust them?"

"Fury doesn't trust anyone."

Steve should've seen that coming. Rephrasing, he asked again, "Does Fury think they're trying to help us?"

"Yes," Clint answered eventually. "He has a lot of respect for Xavier and a huge interest in the school, but they'll do anything to protect their own."

"So will we," Steve deadpanned.

While Steve was upset with the way the X-Men handled Annika's mutation, he was just as irritated by SHIELD. At least Xavier wanted to teach her how to use her abilities because she could hurt someone unintentionally if she lost control. Fury's only interest in teaching her how to utilize her power was so she could be an agent one day. Steve chose this life, the life of a hero, and Tony stepped up to answer the call. It didn't mean their child had to do the same. As far as Steve was concerned, she could be whatever she wanted.

Clint unzipped the top of the flight suit, revealing his Hawkeye gear underneath, "I'm already here so you might as well let me watch your back."

By the plane, Xavier, Bobby and Rogue were waiting for them. Wolverine was gone, giving Steve the feeling that he did things on his own timetable. Steve wanted to wrap this up. Slotting his shield over his arm, he pointed at Clint. "Keep your mouth shut. I don't know what your problem is with mutants, but we could use allies, not more enemies. Clear?"

The archer lifted his chin, an argument hovering in his eyes, but he nodded, "Clear, Cap."

Clint spoke as he turned to go, "Wait a minute, about earlier... I didn't mean..."

"Leave it. We'll talk later," Steve said and stalked toward the waiting mutants. He heard Clint following him.

They moved to the other side of the bay after they'd rejoined the group. An elevator with rounded, silver doors opened for them without anyone touching a call button. It was almost as big as Tony's freight elevator, allowing them all to fit inside relatively comfortably. Steve did have his elbow in Clint's side and the archer had to hold his bow case against his chest so he wasn't hitting anyone with it. Rogue and Iceman weren't bothered by the closeness, using it to their advantage to wind their hands together discretely.

On the main floor, the young couple broke off at Xavier's urging. They disappeared up a flight of wood paneled stairs. When they were almost out of sight, Rogue laughed and broke out into a run, Bobby on her heels. It reminded Steve how young they were.

"They are young, perhaps too young to be on the X-Men, but we lost an important team member and they wanted to help," Xavier answered Steve's questioning thought.

Clint provided the name, "Jean Grey. Fury was sorry to hear about her death."

"Your director was sorry to lose a potential agent, he didn't know Jean," the professor's retort lacked venom. It was tired, regretful. Steve knew the tone, he'd used it himself more than once. Xavier felt responsible for her death.

Thinking of Bucky, Steve glanced into a classroom as they passed by. The desks were empty, but the writing on the chalkboard was some fairly complex chemistry. Tony or Banner would probably think it was beginner's stuff. The setup was nice, Steve noticed. There was a small collection of desks clustered in the brightly lit space, giving the students a higher chance of individual attention.

"We're officially a boarding school," Xavier mentioned, slowing his mechanical chair so Steve could get a longer look in the classroom. "But a girl as young as yours should be home at night. I know your husband has been searching for an appropriate school for Annika, perhaps you could give me another chance to explain our benefits?"

Clint opened his mouth and Steve shot him a look.

"I'm sure it's nice, professor, but-"

"Please, let's dispense with the formalities. Call me Charles."

"Charles, then. We want what's best for Annika, she didn't have an easy time her first few years and we want her to know that we're here for her. Sending her away to school doesn't send a good message to an insecure five-year-old," Steve said, walking beside Xavier as he continued down the corridor.

They passed other classrooms, spaces there were clearly converted from other purposes. One was a large, airy solar with glass walls, another a library with the smallest grouping of desks Steve had seen so far. The plaque beside the door read C. Xavier, Principal. Steve was impressed that he personally taught classes on top of running the school.

"You're absolutely right. I don't think boarding school is a viable option at her age. Our dorms are available to the children that don't have a welcoming family to go home to," Xavier waved his hand, "And I know we're not a short drive away, but I believe we could help your daughter understand her power. The choice is up to you, of course."

Steve nodded, aware that the psychic was gleaning his concerns from his mind. Ever since the conflict on the helicarrier, the thought that someone would take Annika from them circled his head. They would fight it, but the truth was that Steve didn't know if he could teach her how to reign in her abilities. He understood control considering how careful he had to be with his strength, but accessing other parts of the brain to manipulate the surroundings was completely outside his knowledge base.

Tony could teach her science and math, but Steve didn't think he knew the best way to approach technokenisis either. What Tony didn't know, he learned. The genius taught himself Japanese two days before a conference he was attending in Kyoto, so Steve knew he'd find a way. No matter what it took, they weren't going to let her go.

"I am not asking you to release her into our care, Captain, only to consider us in your search for a school," Xavier mentioned softly.

Steve nodded, "And you knew convincing me will be easier than convincing Tony. That's why I'm here, isn't it? That's why you asked me to come."

"You volunteered," Clint mentioned. The crease in his brow smoothed as realization dawned on his face. He looked down at Xavier, "Oh, you are good. We thought your abilities were limited to reading minds, but you can push stuff into them too."

"I merely extended an invitation. I doubt I could force your Captain into doing anything, he's extremely strong-willed."

A group of four kids ran by them, a preteen girl with short, black hair chasing them with multi-colored flecks of energy sparking off her fingers. She froze the moment she saw the professor, her eyes widening dramatically. The colorful sparks puttered out and she hid her hands behind her back.

"Jubilee," Xavier greeted, his tone doing the scolding.

The girl flinched and sidestepped them, scuttling away with a quick, "Sorry, professor!"

Two of the boys she'd been chasing peering around a wooden column. The one with a dusting of freckles and a wide gap in his teeth blurted, "You're Captain America!"

"Yes, I am," Steve gave him an automatic smile.

"Cool," the word was so long Steve thought it would never end. "Kurt saw you on TV. You're awesome."

When Jubilee called to them, they ran off, talking excitedly. The freckled boy claimed the right to be Captain America in their play and the taller boy yelled that he should get to be the captain because he was older. Steve didn't hear how the argument ended before they bolted outside.

As Steve walked past Clint, he pat his shoulder, "Don't worry, some child, somewhere wants to be Hawkeye."

"Hey, I have a loyal Facebook following, and they're all grown women."

Steve raised an eyebrow, not bothering to ask what 'Face Book' was. He'd heard Tony throw the term around before, but usually with a note of disdain. Whatever it was, Steve knew it was part of the vast virtual world of the internet, a place he preferred not to tread. "I'm sure Tasha loves that," Steve said.

Clint only shrugged

Xavier didn't comment on their verbal sparring. He continued down the corridor, going to a set of wooden panels that slid away to reveal another elevator, "Come with me, gentlemen. I'd like to show you Cerebro."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I'm not a surgeon," Bruce repeated, possibly the twelfth time in an hour. "Or an anesthesiologist."

Tony rolled his eyes and motioned at the holographic display floating above his desk. Brilliant green and blue lines depicted rows of chemical names and dosages, "How hard can it be? All you have to do is follow the textbook instructions. You can handle that. It's all based around mass and age."

Bruce crossed his arms over his chest, "I know how anesthesia works, Tony. I also know that I could put you in a coma with the slightest misstep. I don't like this. We should bring in a medical team. An actual, honest to god medical team."

A stainless steel table Tony typically used for welding was set up beside them. It was empty and sterile, a tall toolbox on wheels at the head of the table. Instead of wrenches and screwdrivers, the drawers were filled with scalpels and clamps and suturing equipment. The new arc and smooth, black casing sat in a paper lined tray on top of the toolbox. The loose wiring coiled on the white tissue like entrails.

Though the graphene bonding process took some trial and error, Tony was certain it would fill the shoes of the gold-titanium very nicely. His initial calculations were correct, the new suit would be ultra light, a streamline version of Iron Man. The material didn't take well to paint, so the suit would also be black. Tony wasn't sure how he felt about that. Gold and red were his signature colors.

"We're not bringing in a surgical team. You've got the brains, Banner. Suck it up and let's do this," Tony said sharply. As Bruce shook his head and retreated to the center of the workshop, Tony tapped his knuckles on the desk with a frown. "I trust you with this."

"Yeah, that's what worries me," Bruce mumbled.

Coming around the table, Tony continued, "You know the tech, no one else does. If something goes wrong, you're the only one who can fix it."

"What if..." Bruce pointed his folded glasses at the table, "What if I get too worked up and I lose control while you're under?"

"Banner..."

"What if... he comes out in the middle of surgery?"

"Seriously?"

"You'll bleed out, or he'll crush you, or-"

"Bruce," Tony raised his voice to cut through Banner's tirade. Putting a hand on either of the doctor's shoulders, Tony sought Bruce's nervous gaze. When their eyes caught, he said, "You're not going to lose control. You'll be fine. If you can deal with me awake, you're not going to Hulk out when I'm unconscious. I'll be quiet for once, you'll be able to think."

Bruce chuckled, the sound thin and forced, "True. And I won't have to deal with any screwdrivers jabbing my ribs."

"That's another plus." Smiling, Tony led the jittery doctor to their makeshift operating table. "But you can't leave me on the happy gas after you're done. I know you appreciate the quiet, but I have to make sure Annika gets lunch."

"Tony, after major surgery, I don't think-"

Jarvis interrupted them, making both men tilt their heads toward the ceiling, "Sir, Ms. Potts is here to see you."

Tony went rigid. After only a second of hesitation, he got in his office chair and rolled over to the desk. His fingers drummed on the glowing keyboard projected on the glass, "Keep her at the door and run a biometrics scan, looking for any anomaly in her physiology. There has to be a size-weight disrupt for-"

"Sir, she has already entered the tower using an override code. She's in the elevator now."

"Tony, what should-"

Tony got out of the chair so fast it rolled halfway across the workshop. Dummy tracked it with the ocular sensors built into the claw hand. When the chair bounced off the skeleton frame of a car, the robot arm trundled over to fetch it and push it back to the desk. Tony was at his suits before Dummy could get the seat to stop spinning.

"Annika should be in her room, I gave her a new book on particle physics so she'll be glued to her chalkboard. Go stay with her," Tony shot at Bruce as he grabbed the gauntlets off the MARK VII. He jammed his hand in the right glove, running the auxiliary power cable to the arc. "Try to avoid letting the big guy out to play. I don't want my house torn up for months."

Banner was barely through the door before Jarvis politely delivered the results of the scan, "Sir, her biometrics do not match my stored data package for Ms. Potts."

Tony finished hooking up the second gauntlet, feeling a rush of adrenalin when the repulsor whined with a building charge.

"She has reached the workshop door. Should I deny access?"

"No," Tony said and took aim at the entrance.

The soft click of the lock disengaging was a gunshot in the silence. Tony narrowed his eyes as the door swung open. Her belly preceded her into the room, round and hugely pregnant. Pepper gasped when she saw the glowing port of the repulsor, "Tony! It's only me."

Tony lowered his hand a fraction of an inch, studying the woman in front of him. Her strawberry blonde hair was cut in a bob, the ends brushing the edges of her jaw, and her clothes were extremely casual. Despite the skinny-leg jeans and plain maternity top, this Pepper felt more real to him than Mystique could ever hope to mimic.

He still wanted to be safe, "Prove it."

"Really? I think that the fake me wouldn't put on twenty pounds of baby weight just to trick you," Pepper waddled into the shop, holding her back like she was fighting a chronic ache, "Dummy, would you bring me that chair?" As the robot changed directions, dragging the rolling chair behind it, Pepper said, "I could give you a detailed work history, but I bet she knows all that."

"It has to be something personal."

The redhead sank into the cushioned seat with a relieved sigh, "Okay. I once found you wearing a woman's bra after one of your parties. It was lacy and you'd stuffed a sock in one cup. It was a good look on you. Or there was that other time in Vegas that you left the hotel room na-"

"What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, Pepper."

"Well," she pursed her lips, "at least I caught up to you before you got to the elevator."

Tony didn't want to think about Vegas. There were a lot of sorry stories attached to Vegas and he'd probably being paying their power bill since the late eighties with as much money as he'd lost there. The city was lucky he liked to gamble drunk or he could be a real hazard to their profitability. Card counting was child's play.

Convinced, Tony removed the cables from his chest, "You're pregnant."

"Don't worry, it's not yours," Pepper said with a sad smile and tucked some hair behind her ear. "So, speaking of children, please tell the Enquirer is just lying like always and you haven't adopted a child from Spain or France or wherever."

"Russia," Tony filled in, smirking at her shocked look.

"Wh- what?"

"I know."

Pepper sat up and braced one hand low on her belly, the movement automatic to deal with the weight shift, "Anthony Stark, you stop lying to me. Did you really?"

Tony suddenly realized that he hadn't seen her in over a year. If the last contact they had was the day she left, it had been almost a year and a half. For the months between Pepper and Steve, Tony was too upset to consider tracking her down. But after that, he could've found her and he didn't. He let one of the few people who mattered to him walk out of his life. The fact hit him hard.

"I missed you," he said abruptly, meaning every word.

The trace of sadness she'd carried in the room with her came back, centering in her clear, bright eyes. "You had her," she made it sound accusatory and Tony heard what she really meant, 'How could you believe that she was me?'

Tony shucked the gauntlets and let them clang on the nearest surface, "No, she wasn't you. I knew something was wrong, but I thought it was us. I thought it was the breakup making you-"

"I'm not staying."

Tony dropped into silence, his chest tightening at her statement. He didn't need her to explain, he could see her meaning in the moisture gathering in her eyes. Just being in his presence hurt her.

Pepper struggled out of the chair. When Tony rushed to help her, she waved him away, "I just came to make sure you were alright. There was nothing on the news, no word from any of the hospitals..."

"I'm fine," he responded instinctually, but her gaze went to the bandages at his shoulder and she gave him the look he hated. The Look, where her lips tightened and her eyes threatened bodily harm if he didn't tell the truth. Tony groaned, "I'm a little banged up, but I've had worse. Cut me some slack, Pepper. I have too much to do to let a couple of bruises stop me."

"You should get some rest."

"Well, you sort of lost the right to demand that," Tony regretted the words the moment they hit the air. Why couldn't he have one conversation where he wasn't flippant and dismissive? He really didn't have a clue.

Hurt crossed Pepper's petite features. She put her hand at the small of her back to deal with real pain as if it would take some of the sting out of Tony's statement too.

"Pepper…"

"No, you're right. I should go," she said and turned her face. Even if there were no tears that Tony could see, he could hear the tightness in her voice. "I'm glad you're alright. Stay safe."

Tony hesitated as she waddled in the direction of the door. No scientific or mechanical problem ever stumped him. If he didn't know the answers, which was extremely rare, he could find them in minutes. People were different. Anyone who thought thermodynamics were hard to comprehend had never dealt with a woman like Pepper Potts.

The one thing he was sure of was that he couldn't let her leave on bad terms. Tony jolted forward like a sprinter at the starting shot, cutting between Pepper and the door, "Wait, wait!"

Pulling back at his sudden appearance, Pepper blinked and wiped at her eyes with a balled up tissue from her pocket, "Move, Tony. Please."

"Not until you help me understand why you're acting like I'm the one who left you. You walked out, Pepp. You left me and we were doing fine."

"You love him," she murmured, the emotion so raw her words bled. "That's why I left. You love him. I could see it happening- I…" A tear escaped and rolled to the end of her eyelashes. It clung to the pale lengths, brushed away by her tissue before it could fall.

Tony opened his mouth, his throat working over silence. There was nothing he could say. It was true. Tony was deeply in love with Steve and probably had been long before Pepper took action. He thought it was sad that she recognized the signs when he didn't even know his eyes lingered on Steve every time the soldier entered the room.

But there was another truth Pepper wasn't considering. He loved her too. It might not be the same kind of love it was when he kissed her the first time, but it was still there. She'd put up with his lost years and his startling transformation and even his flustered, ill-timed affections. She understood his eccentricities and loved him for who he was and not the money in his bank accounts. Tony couldn't forget all that.

"I was with you," Tony pointed out and stepped closer. "You could've ignored what was going on and I would've stayed. I didn't recognize what was happening between Steve and me until after you left. Some would say, extrapolating through probability here, that I might've never noticed if you hadn't changed the course of our lives."

Pepper sniffed and shook the soiled tissue at him, "Don't you dare make this into a math equation. If you'd stayed, you would've been miserable. I loved you enough to let you go. Now, if you'd return the favor…" She motioned at the door.

Tony watched the tissue with undisguised revulsion. If it got any closer to him, he might dodge out of the way for the sake of self-preservation. He didn't have any idea how long the wadded up tissue lived in her pocket, or possibly even her purse before that. Not taking his eyes off of it, Tony leaned to the side to pick up a brushed steel trashcan. He thrust the cylinder at her and wiggled it. Her lethal glare made him set it back down.

"Pepper, lets skip all the back and forth and blame throwing and get to the framework of this… are you sure you don't want to throw that away? No? Okay…" Tony winced when she crossed her arms over her chest. He continued, "I don't want you to go. I mean, you can go. Today. It's not like I'm going to lock you in the tower, but I don't want you to cut me off. I appreciate that you aimed me at Steve, I know that wasn't easy, and I'm glad you saw what I didn't. I just… don't want to lose you again."

Pepper's expression slowly unwound from guarded to surprised. Her eyebrows crawled up her forehead, "What? No witty follow up? Just an honest, open statement?"

Tony shrugged.

"What has he done to you? Was there a trick to training you that I missed? Should I have been rewarding you with scotch when you did something good?"

"I don't know, you'd have to ask him," Tony relaxed as the tension between them finally broke. "But I think I'd remember if he used one of those dog clickers before he handed me scotch."

"It has to be scotch or sex, those are the only two things that catch your attention," Pepper smiled. It was still sad, but the traces of warmth gave Tony hope.

They looked at each other for a long moment before Pepper leaned awkwardly to kiss his cheek. Her big belly pressed softly against Tony's abdomen and one of his arms. The child moved at his touch and something that felt suspiciously like a heel pushed on him. Tony dropped his eyes, his hand coming up to rest on Pepper's stomach.

"He could've been yours," Pepper whispered and covered his hand with hers.

The rest went unsaid. It was the argument they had a million times. Tony didn't want kids, but Pepper was ready for one. There was so much to consider when raising a child, so much mess. It involved a change in lifestyle, in sleeping habits, in everything about Tony's day-to-day existence, so he remained adamant with Pepper through the entire relationship.

He hadn't planned on Annika. Every one of Tony's concerns came true, having her in the tower had changed everything, but she made it all worthwhile. She lit up Tony's world in ways he never imagined.

Clearing his throat, Tony asked, "Who does he belong to? Does this guy treat you well?"

"That is classified information because I do NOT need him getting a visit from you."

"Aw, come on-"

"All you need to know is that he's very nice and he comes home when he says he will." There was an undeniable bite to her voice that made Tony flinch and glance at his sneakers. Pepper stroked a thumb over his cheekbone and he slowly raised his eyes. Up close, Tony could count her freckles, the pattern so familiar to him, "But, maybe when I'm ready, we can all get together and have dinner. Alright?"

"Square deal," Tony said, his voice so quiet it was almost a whisper.

Pepper lifted her hand and gave his face a light tap, "Good. Now get back to whatever you-" she froze, her wide eyes going to the door.

Tony turned, finding Annika peering cautiously through the doorframe. Chalk dust powdered her hands and dress. She left ghostly fingerprints on the door when she bolted from the safety of the frame to the safety of Tony's legs. Tony stroked her hair as she scrutinized Pepper from around one of his thighs.

"This is Annika. I'm sorry you two haven't been properly introduced before," Tony explained, directing his next sentence at his daughter, "Annika, this is the real Pepper, not the blue woman who changes shape. Say hello."

"Hi," the dark-haired girl squeaked. It was the best Tony was going to get until she trusted Pepper more.

"Sorry, she's a little antisoc- Pepper?"

Pepper closed her mouth and somehow managed to compose herself, "You weren't kidding… about Russia?"

"No, I wasn't kidding about Russia." Suddenly realizing that there was someone missing, Tony's stomach did a flip, "Annika, where's Dr. Banner? Did you tell him you were leaving?"

At her innocent 'me? Do something wrong?' expression, Tony went out into the hall. The last thing he needed was the Hulk raging around his multi-million dollar home.

"Jarvis, would you kindly inform the doctor that Annika is fine and he fails at babysitting?" Tony said as he hurried through the house. He wondered if any of the Avengers were capable of watching Annika without losing her. They could save the world, avenge the world, but they couldn't keep tabs on a five-year-old. Typical.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

TBC…

Oh, Pepper. I have Tony Pepper feels, not going to lie. I think they're cute together, in a dysfunctional, argumentative way. So I had to throw some of that in.

From this point on, there be violence. Lots and lots of violence.

Comments

[queenclo1.livejournal.com]

I love love love this fic! You captured Tony and Pepper's relationship beautifully, especially given how long they were apart. And Logan making fun of Steve was perfect! This is amazing. Can't wait for the next chapter.

[tresmaxwell.livejournal.com]

Oh yay! I really wanted Tony and Pepper to have a good interaction. They have so much history together that it's hard to capture O_O Tony didn't ever get any real closure for the relationship, so they needed a moment together!
And I think Wolverine would be merciless to Steve, until Steve finally stepped up and told him it was enough. Or possibly punched him. And then they'd be good friends XD

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

I am loving this story so much- I just caught up on the most recent 2 chapters-- but I think maybe the numbering is off? This is Chapter 6 and Chapter 6 is also the one before it?

[tresmaxwell.livejournal.com]

Oops, you're absolutely right! I fixed it!