June 20th, 1998

Tony Stark can barely believe he's made it this far. He should be dead. All the drugs, all the drinking, all the unprotected sex he's put himself through. There's no way he should even be alive to experience this day.

And then there's the part he's played in ruining the lives of the people around him. All the horrible atrocities he's committed to surpassing others, all the murderous weapons he's played a part in creating and the mass graves of death from wars he didn't start but didn't do any part in stopping. He doesn't deserve this happiness.

Every moment of his life, no matter how immoral and wicked, has brought him towards salvation on this extraordinary day of pardon. He has a chance to redeem himself. He has a chance to become someone worth marrying.

He stands in the small log cabin, adjusting his tie with his best friend by his side. It's a place he never thought he'd be - an air of peace he never saw himself worthy of. The gentleness of the lake surrounding them filling his heart with tranquility.

Tony can't help but frown at what he sees in the mirror, feeling undeserving of the love surrounding him. His hands tremble as he attempts to fix his tie.

You don't deserve this. You don't deserve happiness.

Part of him deep inside continues to scream, shouting at him to stop the reception, push away the only one he truly cares about, and call off the union. He would never leave her that way - there's no way he could ever hurt Pepper like that - but there's a part of him he can't escape that pangs him with pain and fills his head with the darkest swirl of thoughts.

He doesn't deserve all this compassion, or to be surrounded by loved ones. He knows Starks don't deserve to be happy when they've created so much destruction in the world - it's been deeply ingrained from his earliest days.

He has to ignore the thoughts. Tony can't listen to them anymore. He's already trying to be better - he's trying so hard to break the cycle of abuse - and become the kind of man that deserves to be marrying the literal definition of an angel.

He wants to be the best version of him possible. The kind of man Pepper Potts deserves. She needs to be showered with happiness and appreciation. Tony will dedicate every day of his life to her, giving their new family the best chance possible in an already ruined world.

"Are you excited?" Rhodey asks behind him, suddenly pulling Tony from his spiraling. He's well-timed - only Rhodey can see that look in Tony's eyes that warn of his coming panic.

The words are close, too familiar in Tony's pounding ears. They tug at him, and he doesn't have the escape of alcohol or drugs to fix it. He needs to work through the pain on his own.

Painful Words. And even more painful promises.

Tony forces a nod, his lips too dry to reply. Part of him is a nervous man, pulled through time to the night of his graduation when his heart was broken for the final time by the only person that ever truly cared for him, but he has no choice but to move on. There's so much more for him to live for now.

There's no sick stomach, no fear of the unknown, no broken promises.

All Tony feels is love for Pepper Potts.

Tony Stark stands at the end of the petal-tossed aisle, his heart beating rapidly in his chest as he waits for his fiance to make her way towards him.

He's a complete wreck. There's nowhere else he'd rather be, no one else he'd rather be marrying in the entire world, but he can still feel a complete panic writhing deep inside his chest. All he can feel the gaze of the guests. He's struggling not to sweat and ruin the photographs.

The water of the lake dapples gently behind him, the sounds of nature buzzing alongside as the vow master presents their forthcoming union to the aisles of friends and family surrounding him. Tony can barely hear the words. Everything is happening too slowly around him.

This is precisely how Pepper imagined their wedding - he knows because he was alongside her as she made every decision for their special day. Tony promised to hold nothing back for her - funds were never an issue for him - but she surprised him with the simplicity of her decisions.

All she wants is a simple, elegant family gathering, and he can't help but smile as she describes every detail of what could be. He gives her everything she wishes.

Someone is talking again, but Tony can barely make out the words - he can hardly find his breath inside his pounding chest. He just needs to see Pepper and feel the warmness of her smile, be calmed by the elegant display of her wings. He needs to be hers.

He takes a few seconds to fiddle his fingers together before adjusting his jacket, doing his best to force his heart into a steady rhythm. When he lifts his head once more, he finds Pepper entering underneath the arch of flowers. He's engulfed by her beauty instantly.

She's breathtaking. Her makeup is simple - natural would be the only way he could describe it - with her ginger hair braided elegantly down her shoulder. A simple crown woven with delicate pastel pink flowers rests on her hair like a halo.

Her dress is white and form-fitting towards the top, showing off the fitting curves of her body, but becomes wavy and loose towards the bottom. It's strapless, allowing her to carry a bouquet of matching flowers.

Small silver beads line the front of the dress, adding enough contrast for the white of the dress to stand out against her flowing wings. Tony's enchanted as he watches the silhouette of his soon to be wife, her extensive wings forming a heart shape behind her.

He will never admit it but tears well up in his eyes as she slowly moves down the aisle. He just can't help the emotions surging up inside him. Tony's never seen a woman so beautiful in all his life.

"You look so stunning, Pepper," he mutters softly as she joins him.

He watches closely as she smiles in response, letting his words dance across her eyes in the form of amusement. There's always something magical in the way she presents herself.

"You're pretty handsome yourself," she says with a cheeky grin.

They take a few moments basking in each other's love, unaware of the audience rolling their eyes beyond them as they gush for each other. Then they join their hands together, and the ceremony can finally begin.

"Friends and family. We are gathered here today to celebrate the love of Anthony Edward Stark and Virginia Pepper Potts, two brilliant minds whose love burns with the heat of a thousand suns, their love so strong that it engulfs the room and can't help but warm the hearts of everyone around them. I know I can definitely feel it today.

"They've decided to intertwine their spirits, to become partners, to work together to overcome their problems and walk together on the path that is life together.

"We are here to share in their passion, to be a part in their future, and to celebrate their love. The couple has decided to write their own vows that they will now share with us."

Tony lets Pepper's hands slip from his fingers - he really doesn't want to, but she needs to grab the cue cards containing the vows she's written. Tony gives up gazing into her eyes for only long enough to let her check her notes.

He swallows as her eyes return, and she begins.

"Tony... I've always felt compelled to protect the ones I love. It's part of my nature to take care of others. I took care of my brothers and sisters, and the family that took me in as if I was their own child. And now, I vow to care of you as well."

Tony isn't sure he likes the implication of the words. As sweet as they seem, fear swirls deep inside him at her commitment. Fear only Pepper can see in his eyes.

"Do you remember the first night we met?"

Tony pauses in his spiral for a few moments before nodding. The night he fell in love with Pepper Potts. It's a night he will never be able to forget.

"There were so many women there. Throwing themselves at you, swooning over you, trying to get into your bed, but you only had eyes for me. And I was so sure… You handed me drink after drink… And your reputation…"

"I know. I'm so sorry, Pepper."

"No, Tony. You have nothing to be sorry for. The night ended, and do you remember what happened? You tucked me into a car with one of your private chauffeurs, making sure I got home safely. You didn't take advantage of me. You didn't want anything from me. You just wanted me to be safe."

Tony doesn't know what to say. He glues his eyes to the floor in shame for his past behavior, but the words coming from Pepper aren't angry - they're thankful. He's blessed by her presence and her forgiveness once again.

"That's when I knew I'd met someone special. Someone I wanted to be close to and get to know, even if it was only as a friend. I knew you'd fight to protect me with the same ferocity I dedicated to my own loved ones. I found my own guardian angel that night. I found you."

Tears dance across his eyes, blurring his vision. He wants to hide them, but there's no need to shield himself from Pepper. He can be vulnerable to her.

"I love you so much, Tony."

"I love you too, Pepper. More than anyone in the world."

There's an air of fondness that works its way over the crowd. The words are melting in nature, strengthening to the hearts of everyone surrounding them. There a few shuffles as people blow their noses and wipe their own tears, which gives Tony the chance to gather his own courage.

"There's no way I could ever beat that, but I guess I have no choice but to try."

A laugh echoes through the crowd, only reminding Tony that it isn't just him and Pepper. Others are sharing in this beautiful moment. He pushes down his dread and forces himself to continue the words he hasn't really written, but have been on the tip of his tongue all week.

"Pepper Virginia Potts. You are the reason I get out of bed in the morning. Heck. You're the reason I go to bed at all. How could I stay up all night, working in my lab, when I know you're there waiting for me?"

The wind around them is silent as he watches the corner of her mouth lift. The response to his little joke - her little bit of encouragement as she squeezes his hand - is enough to keep him going.

"I don't have any family left. They weren't stable people, Pepper. I'm not either really, but I'm at least trying to change. I want to be better. You make me want to be a better person Pepper.

"And if I don't have the best family, that doesn't really matter, because we all get the chance to create our own families. And I've found my own little perfect family in you. I promise I will do everything I can to provide for our little family: financially, physically, and emotionally."

Tony squeezes her hands back in return, reinforcing the words. He will protect and provide for his beautiful wife. He will keep her safe.

December 13th, 2000

December is cold and piercing as it rushes over the landscape. The snow that year settles in thick and blankets everything too quickly for anyone to predict as it sets record temperatures over the fragmented landscape of New York.

Tony's fingers dance across Pepper's wings, frantically checking their temperature for the seventeenth time in the last hour. He knows how sensitive angels can be in subzero temperatures and how at risk the delicate limbs can be. Despite Pepper's protests, he's dedicated himself to becoming her caretaker in this dangerous time.

Even with the heater on full blast in the penthouse suite, Tony can feel the cold chill as it seeps through the high-rising windows. He wraps another blanket around his wife as shiver works its way through her and holds her close. His body heat is the best protection he can provide until a maintenance specialist can visit the tower in the coming days.

They both know the weather is dangerous, even more so for her, but it's become such a problem that the entirety of Stark Towers has shut down this weekend. Tony's systems are failing. Employees are unable to work. And Tony can't take even a second to figure out the bug that's currently plaguing Jarvis' system. It will all have to wait until after the storm.

The lights flicker in the tower once again. Tony rolls his eyes for only a moment before he pushes himself off the bed and away from her side, taking a few extra moments to adjust the blankets around her.

"I need to go check the backup generator. Will you be okay for just a moment?"

"I'll be okay. Just come back quickly."

Tony doesn't want to leave, even for a second, but he knows that if the backup generators fail, things will only get worse. The heater, even though it isn't providing much warmth, is the only thing keeping them from freezing to death. He has no choice but to leave his dizzy, teeth chattering, freezing cold wife alone on the bed.

The generator only takes a few quick moments to be adjusted thankfully, a single wire burnt from the overload of power, but every moment he spends away from Pepper leaves him on edge. He needs to see her safe and sound. He rushes quickly back into their room.

Blankets are scattered around the room, clearly thrown from her wings after a desperate sprint to the bathroom. Pity fills his heart as she's sick in the nearby bathroom. He knows how damaging cold can be to angel wings, but he's never seen someone so physically ill before. He wants so desperately to take away all her suffering.

When he approaches the bathroom, he lightly edges her wings aside. They're formed around her in a protective bubble, instinctively shielding him away from the disgusting sight of her sick. It only takes a bit of soothing for her to allow him into the bathroom.

Tony knows it. He can feel it deep inside. Her pain is more than the usual ache angels experience during the colder months. Her vomiting goes far beyond the flu. Something is wrong with his wife.

December 23rd, 2000

The doctor is annoyed by his presence, but Tony can't seem to find the sympathy to care. It doesn't matter if it's Christmas weekend and the doctor booked the time off to spend with his family. His wife needs to be seen right now, and this particular doctor is the leading expert when it comes to angel related health.

"She's been vomiting, a lot. She can barely hold food down. She can't warm up, no matter how hard she tries. At first, we were hoping it was just the storm, but it's starting to get worse. Look at her wings; she's losing the sheen to her feathers," he says desperately.

The doctor looks her over, carefully preening through the usually fluffy feathers. He takes some blood samples and a cup of urine, though overall there doesn't seem to be too much worry in his expression, something Tony isn't too keen on.

"How have you been feeling, Virginia?"

"She prefers Pepper," Tony quickly butts in, placing his hand out in protection in front of her.

"It's fine, Tony. He doesn't mean any disrespect," Pepper says, reaching over and squeezing Tony's hand to pull down his defenses. He can feel how weak she truly is, but he lets her move it anyway. He squeezes her hand gently in return.

"Not good, honestly. I don't usually do well in the cold weather, but I've never vomited like this before. Maybe it's just that flu that's been going around? I've just been feeling exhausted and really sick to my stomach almost all the time."

The doctor nods, scribbling some notes that Tony does his best to read, but fails. He eventually responds with some reassurances before leaving the room to try some quick tests.

"I'm sorry for being so defensive. I'm just worried," Tony says, tucking a strand of her beautiful orange hair behind her ear. "I can't lose you."

The rooms quiet. Pepper tries to reassure her worried husband with her eyes, but she just doesn't have the energy to comfort him beyond that. She's too busy focusing on her aching wings and darkened eyes.

When the doctor finally returns, some of the tension in Tony's muscles is released. The man doesn't seem too upset by the results as he flips through a clipboard.

"Just like I expected. We will definitely need to work out a vitamin plan and keep an eye on her, but everything should be okay. Her body's just adjusting to sharing her nutrients. Her wings aren't a high a priority now that she's eating for two."

Tony stares dumb founded. He doesn't understand. Nothing is wrong with his wife?

"Congratulations Mister and Misses Stark."

August 10th, 2001

"You did this to me, Tony!"

Tony can only bite his lip as he gently squeezes her hand in support. He's doing his best to hold back his laughter at her words, but every part of him is just too delighted in the moment. Even her screaming outbursts fill him with joy.

"You put this baby in me, Tony! Why is it fair that I get to feel all of the pain?"

"It isn't Pepper. I would take all the pain if I could, though."

"You're only saying that because you'll never have to experience this."

He shakes his head to himself, raising her hand to kiss the back of it gently. He can feel his hand panging underneath from all of her squeezing, but he knows it's nothing in comparison to the contractions that are rushing through her.

"Any moment now we'll have a son, Pepper. And it will all be worth it."

Another contraction ends, and she lays back into the bed, letting her body a few seconds of rest. She takes deep breaths as she recovers. It won't be too long until the next one starts.

"I look like a mess," she huffs. "I bet you're never going to look at me the same again."

Tony nuzzles himself closer into her side and holds her close. There's no way he could ever change the way he thinks about her. He loves her too much for that.

"You're just as beautiful as the day I met you."

"My wings are ruined. What if they never return back to normal Tony? What if carrying this baby sucked every bit of nutrients from them, forever?."

"I didn't marry you for your wings, Pepper. I married you because I love you. Nothing will ever change that."

Peter Benjamin Parker Stark is born at 6:05 PM on a scalding hot Summer day.

The room has air conditioning, but it isn't enough to battle the blazing sun working through the windows, or the flaming heat rushing through Pepper's bottom half. It was a painful, grueling birth, but worth every moment as her husband wipes the sweaty strands of hair from her face.

Peter is quickly cleaned and inspected before being swaddled in a light blue blanket and handed into Pepper's waiting arms. She holds him close as she recovers.

Pepper can't help but release every bit of tension as she gazes into Peter's big brown eyes. All the pain, all the suffering of a long drawn out pregnancy, all the fear of the unknown - it was worth it to be blessed in this way. They've created a life.

"He's a perfectly healthy baby boy. Congratulations, Mr. Stark," the nurse whispers nearby.

Tony rests himself on the edge of Pepper's bedside, peeking through the opening of the swaddled blanket. Peter's thin brown curls already leak out of the opening of the blanket, framing his face. Tiny lips move as Peter's chest rises and fall.

He can barely believe how small Peter is, but he's relieved at a clean bill of health. There's nothing of concern for them in this moment.

With Pepper safe and recovering, and Peter nestled against the warmth of his mother's chest, Tony's never been more at peace.

Tony leaves Pepper's side for only a few moments.

It takes a little bit to find the doctor's office in the twisting spirals of the hospital hallways, but Tony manages to do so even in his sleep-deprived state. Once there, he forces himself in despite his lack of appointment. He doesn't have much time before his wife is discharged.

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Stark?" the doctor asks, pushing some paperwork aside.

"No. No. Everything's fine. Peter's perfect. I just had a quick question before we're discharged later today, and I didn't want to burden my wife by asking in front of her."

"I can't really release medical information about Pepper without her consent, but I'll do my best."

The rooms quiet for a few moments. It's clear that this conversation shouldn't be happening, but Tony just has to know. He has to clear his worries before he takes Peter home.

"Is Peter destined?" he asks, barely more than a whisper.

"You know we can't that tell that at this time, but his wings will surely start growing in soon if he is. They always grow in before the half-year timeline of a baby's development."

Tony thinks back to the droopy eyelids he was looking into only moments before, the doe-like chestnut eyes that matched that mirrored his own. They didn't really match Peter's innocent face.

Tony can't help but see all the pain and panic of his own expression - he sees his own broken past in his son's eyes. And it terrifies him.

"Isn't there anything we can do? A test? An X-ray? I just need to know he's safe."

The doctor is hesitant to answer further. It's clear the conversation shouldn't be happening, especially with the angelic wife only a few floors below. There's a fear in the way they're discussing the wings that are so usually seen as a blessing.

"There's nothing we can do. It's just a waiting game."

Tony wants to shout, demand the doctor take his worry more seriously and work harder at his job, but there's nothing more either man can do. Neither can change the situation. And he's currently trying to be a better person.

"If it helps, Pepper's wings don't make any difference. He has the same chance as every other person. It's more likely he'll be just like you."

That doesn't sound any better in Tony's mind.

September 23rd, 2001

Tony smiles fondly as he listens to the giggles slipping through the hallway.

He's in the kitchen focusing on making some coffee for the newly exhausted parents. The beverage the only hope he has left at staying awake tonight, after almost three straight days of his newly restless son.

He wouldn't have it any other way. His wife is well rested and healing from her rougher than usual pregnancy, his baby boy is healthy, and he has a few more months until he's forced to return back to work. He feels genuinely happy playing stay at home dad.

As he rounds the corner with the two coffees in hand, he watches his two favorite people play through the bedroom doorway. Affection rushes through at what he sees.

His eyes draw first to his beautiful wife, currently messy with her hair scrambled and tucked into a messy bun. She bears no makeup - only dawned with a pair of dirty grey sweatpants and a too large MIT t-shirt that Tony only keeps as spare pajamas.

He couldn't care any less about how she's dressed right now. It's the embodiment of motherhood, and his heart swells as he thinks of the family he's built together. It's everything he's always wanted.

Her wings are wrapped around her form, gently covering her face with her long white feathers. It's a gesture he's seen many times before when she's trying to hide her emotions, but her muscles are much looser this time. He can tell she's just playing a game.

"Peek a boo," Pepper says, revealing her face once more, giggling along as Peter reaches towards her hands. He's fascinated by his mother's movements.

"Don't let him get ahold of your feathers. The little guy's got quite the grip," Tony jokes as he hands her the coffee and gently strokes a hand through her down.

"I know. He's got his father's thing for wings. Don't you, Peter? You just love your mommy's wings? My little angel loves playing with his mommy's wings?" she coos.

As long as he doesn't grow his own wings, he can admire wings as much as he wants…

"You're looking a bit tired. I can play with him for a bit if you want."

"Tony, you've been doing everything but feeding him, and that's only because you don't have the proper equipment. I think I can take care of my own son for a while. You need to sleep too."

Tony shrugs. He's used to working long shifts twice as long in his workshop. This isn't any different. He'd do anything to take care of Peter.

Instead, he takes a seat in front of his son, forcing Pepper to scoot over by jamming his butt into her side. She just rolls her eyes in response as she sips her beverage.

Tony grabs Peter's tiny hands inside oh his own and makes cute little noises to grab his attention. When Peter looks up at him with his large wonder-filled eyes, Tony hides his face.

"Where's daddy, Peter?" Pepper chimes in playfully.

"Here I am!" Tony cheers as he pops back up and kisses Peter's tiny hand.

Peter beams - a real smile that stretches across his petite face for the very first time. He's tried before - Tony's seen him almost smile many times - but this is the first time he's ever reacted so naturally to his parent's praise.

"Is that what I think it was?" Tony asks softly.

"It was. He's such a little happy boy. My happy little Peter," his mother beams.

Tony lifts Peter up and holds his little bundle of joy across his chest, keeping him as close as possible. He's so proud of Peter and can barely believe that something so magical came from him.

He'll do whatever it takes to give Peter the life he deserves.

January 12th, 2002

Tony can't take the crying any longer. It's too much.

It isn't that the noise upsets him. While it does grate on his ears, he knows Peter can't help crying so much. Tony's actually become extremely patient when it comes to his family and the chaos they tend to create. He's become the dad he could never rely on.

The one thing he can't handle is his son in pain. And the cry coming from his room isn't one of hunger or exhaustion - little Peter is clearly wailing from pain.

"I'm on the phone with the doctor now," Pepper echoes from down the hall. "He says it could be his wings coming in since he's still under six months, but there would be small bumps on his back. Is there anything like that Tony?"

Tony has to force himself to stop rocking the baby he's holding so tightly in his arms. The movement is mostly for Tony's sake at this point - it clearly isn't calming Peter, even if it isn't making Peter any worse either.

He places baby Peter on the changing table and tries to ignore the way his heart is pounding rapidly in his chest. It's the moment Tony's been dreading all along. Every night in bed - praying to a god that may not even exist - wishing to keep his son free from any predetermined destiny.

Tony slowly undoes the top few buttons of Peter's onesie and slides the fabric down his son to inspect his back. The tension in the room is insufferable for Tony and the baby is only picking up on his father's nerves as he cries louder.

"What do you see Tony? Is there any swelling or red or painful looking?"

Peter's back is perfectly smooth and pale like the rest of his skin.

"There's nothing there. He's perfectly human."

For now…

That only leaves the parents even more confused. Tony quickly does Peter's onesie back up and takes him back onto his lap, holding his writhing body against his own.

It only takes him a few moments of him draining out Peter's screams before something clicks into place. Peter's back isn't the only place where bones could be pushing through Peter's sensitive skin.

"Pepper. Can you ask the doctor if it's possible that Peter could be teething?"

"He says it's a bit unlikely for that if he's still eating regularly, but anything's possible. Can you check his mouth?"

Tony carefully runs his thumb alongside Peter's gums. It only takes a few moments to find what he's looking for, a swollen pulsating lump towards the back of his mouth.

"I think he's getting his first tooth. We'll take drive him in now so they can take a proper look at it though. Get your coat on Pepper, and I'll get Peter properly dressed."

Tony is exhausted. His heart hums for his baby, and the concern of angelic wings still swirls in the back of Tony's mind, but at least everything's okay for now.

He can help his son's suffering in this moment. He'll have to worry about Peter's future another day.

February 10th, 2002

"I know you have to go back, but this has just been so perfect. It's going to be hard to let you go. I've really enjoyed the time we've spent together."

Tony snuggles himself into the crook of his wife's neck, his arm resting over her body, further tucking into the downy of her wings. They've become quite the stress relief to him in the passing months, especially since they've started to become soft and healthy again with his wife's returning health.

Baby Peter sleeps softly in between the couple, so Tony speaks extra softly as he replies to his wife.

"I know, Pepper. If I had a choice, you know I'd rather be here with you. It isn't easy to just leave Peter here alone."

"I know. I'll be here taking care of him though. You don't need to be worried. But I'll miss you too. So much."

Pepper jostles her wing around her family and holds them close. Baby Peter only slightly adjusts himself towards the warmth of his father's form in response.

"I can't believe he's already turning six months old," she whispers against Tony's chest.

"And no wings," Tony breathes in reply. It's almost a full exhale, a breath of fresh air that's complete relief on his lips. There's promise in the father's words.

"That wouldn't have been so bad you know. It just would have meant he's destined for greater things. Like I am."

"I know, Pepper. I don't mean anything by it, you know that. I'm just relieved. I don't want him to suffer any more than he has to. He deserves better than that."

Pepper tries not to take his words too personally.

March 15th, 2002

Tony just wants to get home and see his family free from danger.

This trip has been abnormally long, even for Stark Industry standards. The plans to move the business away from weaponry and towards renewable energy has been a pain in his ass, to say the least. It's taken meeting after meeting to even convince stockholders he knows what he's doing. That Tony is sure, this is the proper step towards a better planet.

He's finally home, standing in the elevator, making the ascent towards his family suite. He's impatient though; even the speed of the small box seems slower than usual.

"Can't this thing go any faster, JARVIS?"

"The elevator is already operating at the fastest speed possible according to safety protocols."

Tony huffs and sticks his hands into his pockets, forcing himself to remain calm. All he wants to do his see his wife and son so that he can settle the churning feeling that's been growing inside him all weekend. Is it really too much to ask?

It feels like forever when he finally reaches the final floors of the tower and can hear the echoing sounds of Peter crying with the full entirety of his lung capacity, shattering every hope of Tony calming down anytime soon.

"JARVIS. Why didn't you say anything about Peter crying? What's wrong with him?"

"Peter has been in mild discomfort for the majority of your trip, likely from teething. Pepper said she had it under control and ordered me not to contact you."

"He cried like that for the majority of my trip? For fuck sakes, JARVIS, does that sound like she has it under control?"

As soon as the elevator doors open, Tony finds himself rushing into the apartment and towards the sound of Peter's tears, which happen to lead him into his own bedroom.

Peter's swaddled in the middle of their large king sized bed, with Pepper laying next to him. She's moving her wings above like a mobile and trying to soothe a pacifier into Peter's sore mouth, but his son just is too overloaded to react.

"Daddy's home, Peter. Everything's going to be okay," he murmurs softly as he joins them. There's no point being angry now. That would only upset Peter more.

"I've tried everything, Tony. The frozen pacifiers, a frozen washcloth, he won't even take his teething ring. I'm tearing my hair out trying to help him. I'm so sorry."

Tony looks up and believes every word she's saying. She absolutely looks like a mess, like she hasn't slept for days. He's never seen her so disheveled before - there's a panic in her eyes that he has only ever before seen in his own.

"I'm going to grab another paci. Can you watch him for just a second?"

Tony only nods in response as he lays in the bed next to his son.

"I'm sorry I was gone, Peter. I should have been here. Everything's going to be okay," he whispers when they're alone. Guilt is flooding his system as he does everything he can to comfort his boy.

When she returns, Peter takes the frozen pacifier for a few minutes - though only from his father's hands - which at least gives Tony a few moments to wipe the tears off his face with his sleeve. They get a few minutes of calm to think.

"Once his gums feel a bit more frozen, we should probably try feeding again. I've been feeding more often since he can only feed so long before becoming sore again."

Tony nods again. That makes sense. It was something the doctor warned them about when Peter's first tooth began growing in only months ago, though it already feels like so long ago.

"Can you lift him up? You know how good he is with you."

"Of course."

"I'm sorry I didn't call you, Tony. I promise you everything was under control."

She looks tired - exhausted even - and Tony just can't find the energy to argue with her. As much as he hates to see Peter suffering like this, he knows things wouldn't have been any different if he had been home. The least he can do now is help Peter.

Tony picks up the bundle of blankets and slips Peter loose from its folds, holding him against his chest carefully enough to not jostle the pacifier from his mouth. Peter calms even further once he's nestled against his father's chest.

"I'm not upset, Pepper. Maybe he just missed me. He seems much better already."

"He wouldn't even let me hold him once. I really did the best I possibly could," Pepper replies as she hands over a bottle, Peter's mouth still too sensitive for natural feeding.

Tony adjusts Peter in his arms a bit, placing his hand on Peter's back so that he doesn't choke on the bottle. That's when all hell breaks loose.

Peter immediately spits out the pacifier, the blood-curdling scream releasing itself from deep within his throat. His father recoils as if his hand is burning, so scared that he's hurting Peter that he nearly drops him.

The bottle smashes against the floor instead, shattering into shards of glass and breast milk all over the carpet and their covered feet.

"No. It isn't possible. This isn't possible," Tony whispers to himself.

"What's wrong, Tony? Is he okay?"

Tony places Peter back onto the bed, being extra careful to not step on the glass surrounding them, and flips Peter onto his tummy time position.

Lifting up Peter's t-shirt slowly as to not upset him any further, he finds the worst thing he could possibly imagine. All his fears - all the pain he's experienced in his lifetime - are crashing in around him.

Peter's wings are growing in.