Labor of Love
Tony & Pepper
"Tony I can't do this anymore!" Pepper cried out. She peered up at Tony with tears streaming down her pale face in rivulets, ruining her mascara.
"Please, Pepper you can't give in," Tony replied frantically grabbing her hand.
"I'm tired of this, all of this," Pepper said in a strangled tone. "I'm not strong enough." She tried to remove her delicate hand from Tony's, but to no avail. He tightened his grip not allowing her to let go.
"Pepper, you are strong," Tony said while brushing her strawberry blond bangs out of her face. He looked down at his Pepper with a slight grimace. He was the reason for her pain and he could do nothing to change that now. Tony gave a quick glance to the doorway and hoped like hell that the doctors would come back. I'm Tony Stark, I shouldn't have to wait for anyone. Just as the though flitted through his mind Tony saw the doctor strode back into the room.
"Well Mrs. Stark it appears that you are definitely going into real labor this time."
"YOU THINK I DON"T KNOW THAT???" Pepper screeched at the man.
Tony gave the doctor a look of pity, but the well seasoned doctor raised a hand in response to him showing that he took no offense.
"Let's get you moved into the maternity ward then," the doctor said with a slight smile.
"Fabulous," Pepper snapped.
Tony stroked her hair softly to try to calm Pepper as the nurses came in to unhook Pepper from the IV. As soon as they were done they started to roll Pepper's bed out the room so they could move her into the room where she would soon be giving birth to the next generation of the Stark family.
"It's going to be okay, Pep. I'm going to be there through the whole thing," Tony said while walking next to the moving bed still clinging to Pepper's hand.
"You better," Pepper growled. "This is your fault you know. You and your stupid penis."
Tony chuckled softly.
"You won't be saying that when you see your daughter," Tony remarked. "You know that when you see her that all this pain will be worth it."
Pepper looked up at Tony with disdain gracing her normally serene face.
"You try shoving something the size of a watermelon out of your body, and then tell me how happy you feel."
"If I could to take the pain away from you in any way I would," Tony said with pure honestly in every word. Pepper although searing with pain, she still managed to melt inside at Tony's words. God I love this stupid man.
Finally they made it to the birthing room and Tony had to leave to get cleaned up and change into his scrubs.
"I'll be right back," he said, kissing Pepper's forehead before swiftly exiting the room.
I never though I would be in this much pain. At least I haven't for a few years. The last time I felt this much pain was the Rhodey called me to say Tony had been kidnapped while in Afghanistan. Pepper shuddered. If I could survive those three months, then labor will be a piece of cake in comparison.
Tony reentered the room now donning blue scrubs complete with a video camera that was shooting her lying in bed.
"TONY STARK, IF YOU WANT TO LIVE TO SEE THIS CHILD BORN THEN YOU WILL TURN THAT OFF!" Pepper roared.
"OKAY, OKAY!!" Tony replied turning the video camera off and putting up his hands up in front of him as if trying to prove his innocence. He strode over to Pepper's bed and grabbed her hand pulling it to his mouth to give it a kiss.
"This will be over before you know it," Tony said with a loopy grin on his face.
20 Hours Later…
"I HATE YOU TONY STARK!!" Pepper screamed loud enough for her to be heard three floors down.
Almost an entire day had passed since her water had broken in Tony's workshop and he raced her to the hospital in the Audi. After twenty hours later she felt that she was no where near the end of giving birth to his child. Pain was shooting through her body as she tried to force this stubborn child out of her body.
"Come on Pepper, your doing great. It's almost over!" Tony said to her in encouragement.
"YOU SAID THAT TEN HOURS AGO!!!"
Tony was beginning to reach his wit's end. He didn't think that it would take this long to give birth to a child. God I've never felt so helpless. Not even when I was in Afghanistan. At least then I had a plan and I stuck to it. But this has not gone according to plan. Tony took the cool washcloth in his hand and continued to stroke Pepper's forehead lightly. Tony looked frantically at the Doctor his eyes conveying his worry to the older gentleman.
"Mrs. Stark, at this point we are going to have to do a C-Section if the baby does not come out within the next few contractions," Dr. McAdams said with a calming tone.
"No!" Pepper said defiantly. "This child will not be born through a surgery!!!"
"Pepper, we have to listen to what's best for you and the baby," Tony said in defense of the doctor.
"NO!!!" Pepper screamed.
As another contraction ripped through her body Pepper pushed herself with a newfound strength she didn't know she possessed. As Tony moved around closer to the doctor he could see that the doctor's words had an effect on Pepper.
"I can see her head!!" Tony exclaimed.
"One more push, Mrs. Stark. Just one more," Doctor McAdams said encouragingly.
As the next contraction came Pepper pushed herself even more then before.
The next few minutes were the best of Pepper's life. At exactly 1:32 AM Emily Maria Stark was born into the world. The nurses immediately swooped in to clean the child up and wrap her in a blanket. Once done the nurse gave the child back to Pepper.
"Hello beautiful," Pepper cooed, but before she could say anything more sleep overtook her and she gladly succumbed to it.
Tony was instantly captivated by the small child in his arms. Once Pepper had fallen asleep after seeing her daughter for only a minute Tony took over control of the room. He graciously thanked her doctor for putting up with them for nearly a day and for all of Pepper's screaming and rage. Tony asked for privacy and the staff gladly respected it. Once the room cleared save for Pepper fast asleep in her bed. Tony held his daughter in his arms and refused to let her go. Hours had passes unknowingly to him as he talked to his daughter, telling her stories of his childhood and telling her all about her mother and the story of their unconventional romance. After finishing the story of his and Pepper's wedding Tony glanced over to see Pepper laying still in her bed, save for the gentle rising and falling of her chest.
She deserves a metal for this. In fact I think I'll make her one once we get home.
Tony smiled as he realized that life didn't get much better then this. To think that once a life of alcohol, partying, and one night stands was the epitome of a perfect life. I was so stupid. But now I have another reason to be a better man, a better husband, and now a better father.
Hours later just as the sun was rising over the skyscrapers in Los Angeles, filling the room with soft light Pepper opened her eyes to see her husband holding his daughter, slowly rocking her in his arms singing softly.
"Hey," she whispered. Tony looked over to his now awake wife and quickly stepped towards her. Placing the little girl into her outstretched hands Tony stepped around to the other side of the bed before settling into the hospital bed with his wife.
"I was right." He whispered smugly, eyes closed with exhaustion as he rested his head on the pillow.
"You usually are, but about what this time?" Pepper whispered back.
"That when you finally see her you will know that all the pain was worth it," Tony remarked with a slight yawn.
"You're right." Pepper said smiling at the tiny child in her arms. "She was worth it."