AN: This is post Iron Man 2/Avengers and IM3 did not happen in this story's verse!

Ethan Walter Howard Stark's entrance into the world proved to be a dramatic, difficult experience for both him and his mother. The little guy's heart rate had dropped a little too low during the delivery for the doctor's comfort and so the decision was made to get him quickly delivered by C-section. .

A few hours Ethan's birth, when mother and baby had been settled comfortably into their private room, indeed private floor as Tony had bought out the entire floor for the duration of his family's hospital stay, Rhodey had shown up with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers for Pepper and an Air Force uniform donned teddy bear for the baby. It was no secret he was hoping he'd be asked to be Ethan's godfather, and after he'd been holding the baby for half an hour, his wish was granted. Tony was the one to tell him they wanted him to be Ethan's godfather because although Pepper was nodding to show her approval, she was also fighting to keep her eyes open.

Of course Rhodey takes note of her exhaustion when Pepper begins losing her battle with the sandman, and cuts his visit short. He is on still on cloud nine as he carefully lays his new godson back into his father's arms, thinking for a moment just how natural it looks to see Tony cradling his son against his chest. He's been friends with Tony Stark for such a long time now and he's pretty certain that he's never seen such a look of what can only be described as true contentment on the billionaire's face as the one he is seeing right now. It is in this moment he knows somehow that fatherhood was going to be good for his friend, and more importantly, he knows Ethan is going to have an amazing dad even if Tony doesn't know it himself yet.

In the same moment Rhodey left, Pepper's eyes slid shut as she finally gave into her exhaustion with what sounded something like an apology to Tony. With a smile he leaned over carefully, and gently pressed a kiss against her brow. "It's okay, Pep, you're exhausted and if anyone's ever been entitled to a nap right then it is you, babe. And you'd better get some sleep while you can, 'cause our man's going to be hungry in a couple of hours and of the two of us you'll be the only one who can help him out with that problem."

Once he was certain that his wife was asleep, Tony walked over to the window and looked outside awhile as he tried to organize his thoughts before looking once more at the sleeping face of his son. In a quiet, low voice he began saying, "I hope you won't mind, little man, if you and I have our first father and son talk because there are some things that you need to know about the man with who you got stuck with for a father because there's a real chance I am going to suck at being your dad."

Tony had to paused as he pushed back against the strong emotions that always threatened to overflow any time he spoke of or remembered Howard in a more than just a transient way.

"You see, champ, I didn't have a relationship with my dad. Everything about whatever it was between us, because it certainly was not a relationship, sucked! There's no other word to describe it and it's something I have never admitted it aloud to anyone before this moment. When I say anyone I am including your mom too, because it's just something I can't talk about, not even with her even if she is the most amazing woman in the world. I've also never admitted to this aloud either but the lack of having a real relationship with him or knowing firsthand for a fact that my dad loved me hurt a lot in the past.

Whoever said time heals all wounds lied because for once in my life I am going to be completely honest and admit that not having a relationship with my dad still hurts, although it doesn't hurt as much as it used to. I really wish I could have known my dad in a way that went beyond how the world remembers him as Howard Stark: Brilliant inventor extraordinaire, member of the Manhattan Project, and founder of the multi billion dollar, then weapons manufacturer, Stark Industries!"

Ethan began stirring in his arms, opening his eyes a little and it was then Tony realized that anger had slipped into his voice with that last part. He had spoken the truth when he said that his dad had hurt him but there was also a deep rooted anger in there too because there was no chance for him to every know his dad any better. While he gently rocked his son to hopefully keep himself asleep and allow Pepper the rest she needed.

When he continued talking to Ethan a few minutes later, his tone was much gentler, and the anger was gone.

"Although you are not going to remember this I want to take this opportunity to apologize to you now, kiddo, for all the mistakes I am going to make as your father. I mean just because your dad just happens to be the world's coolest superhero on the Earth's mightiest team of superheroes, doesn't mean he's not going to ever screw up big time! Again, you can thank my own dad for that, because by not having a real relationship with him, I haven't got a single clue how to be a dad.

But there is one mistake that he made that I promise you will never have to worry about me making and that is whether or not I actually love you. It took me almost twenty years after he died before I found out that yeah maybe there was a small chance that he did actually love me, and that maybe he never knew how to tell me that when he was still alive."

What is and always will be my greatest creation... is you.

Even as he made his promise to his son, Tony was aware it would not be an easy one to keep. He'd always deny it to other people that he was anything like his own father but when it was just him alone with his own thoughts, Tony knew that he could not deny there were similarities between him and his father. He knew that one of those similarities he shared with Howard was the fact he had always found it difficult to tell people in his life how much they meant to him with how long it had taken him to tell Pepper how much he loved her would always be a prime example of this.

"I promise you, Ethan Walter Howard Stark, that when you look back on your childhood, it won't be like mine. You are going to have memories, lots of memories of me saying the words 'I love you', and what's more you are going to know that I mean it. I do love you, you know. You and your mom are my world, my everything, and without you both I've got nothing."

End Notes: If you find it strange that one of the middle names for Tony and Pepper's son is Howard because of what Tony said about his father to his son during this, well let's just say I have at least one reason figured out as to why his father's name would be included as part of his son's.

Aside from my own reason for it is the fact I read in at least one version of the comics Tony had a son named Howard Anthony Stark, and in that version sounds as though he did have a better relationship with his father in the comics than what the movies hint at.

Also I quoted directly from IRON MAN 2 and no copyright infringement is intended by using the movie's dialogue!

Last if you wonder where the name Walter comes from in Ethan's name, that is the name I've given Pepper's father as I looked but could not find one given for him in the comic books.