Tony and Pepper – My Finest Creation

Dedicated to XxThe Penny TreasurexX

Tony gazed down softly at his latest creation that lay dormant in his hands. For years he had never thought that he would have created such a magnificent work of engineering. Absolutely perfect in every aspect. From design to fabrication, every step has been completely different, new, scary, but exciting.

"Tony?"

"Shh," Tony whispered not turning to see Pepper standing a few feet away from him. She was leaning against the doorframe with a look of happiness but slight annoyance.

"Are you going to come back to bed?" Pepper asked quietly even though she knew what the answer would be.

"In a little bit…," Tony murmured loud enough for Pepper to hear his eyes refusing to look up at her. "You said that last night, and then you didn't come back until four," Pepper retorted with slight anger.

"I was busy."

"Staring at her isn't being busy." Pepper glided across the room to the rocking chair where Tony was currently sitting on gently rocking it with the tips of his toes. A look of worry crossing his face as he lovingly gazed to the small child sleeping soundly in his arms.

"I needed to make sure she's okay," Tony confessed. "I can't sleep knowing that she might wake up scared and I won't be there." His voice broke on the last part and Pepper knew why. He's scared that Iron Man will take away from her forever.

"Tony she's not going to brake if you leave the room. You need to let her sleep by herself for at least one night," Pepper explained, trying to make an appeal to Tony's logic.

"I can't Pepper." He looked up at her with tears brimming on his lids.

"Tony. She knows that if she needs you you'll be there, no matter where you are. She knows that you'll come home to her, even if she can't say it yet. She knows," Pepper bent down kissing their daughter softly on the forehead before kissing Tony on his.

"I'm going to bed now," Pepper said in defeat, knowing Tony wouldn't listen to her. She was half way back to the door when Tony spoke.

"Wait." Tony slowly rose from the rocking chair, an antique belonging to his mother that he had brought down from storage to put in Charlotte's room when she was born a month ago. He gently put the slumbering girl back in her bed before kissing her goodnight and wrapping the blankets around her. He look back up to see Pepper smiling at him and her hand extended towards him. He gladly took and raised it to his mouth to kiss Pepper's fingers. This had lately become his nonverbal way of saying "I'm sorry for not listening to you." Pepper squeezed his hand gently in return. This was her nonverbal response meaning "I know you're sorry, and I forgive you."

Stopping at the doorway he looked back to the cradle before whispering, "Goodnight little Lotte." I'll never let her down or hurt her like I did to Pepper. I'm going to be the father that she deserves. Iron Man or no Iron Man, she comes before anything. Tony followed his wife back to their bedroom across the hall and slid into bed beside her. With his arms wrapped protectively around her waist Tony breathed in deep reminding himself that everything was real. His beautiful wife and their perfect child was not some figment of his imagination, but reality. No matter what I'll protect and love my girls, till the day I can no longer breathe in and out and even then I won't stop. Never. And with that thought Tony drifted off to sleep feeling at ease knowing tomorrow was another day and he a reason to get up in the morning, to save the world, and to be a better man, two reasons in fact.