A Stark Normal Life Chapter 21: Surprise!, an avengers fanfic

I AM OFFICIALLY ON CHRISTMAS BREAK THANK THE FUCKING LORD!

Chapter Twenty: Surprise!

"Mrs. Stark," Jarvis calls. The sound of the AI's voice perks her up. "There is a visitor here for you."

A heavily pregnant Pepper Stark makes her way to the front to see her special visitor. She smiles at the sight that her visitor is a friend of hers and Tony whom she last saw at her wedding. He hasn't changed a bit due to appearance but she has.

"Rhodey." She says easily giving him a hug. "Long time, no see."

"I know." James replies giving her a kiss on the cheek. "The military has me all over and I'm sorry I haven't seen you and Tony since the wedding. I see you and the baby are still looking as beautiful as ever."

"Three more weeks till our baby girl is born. I swear, Tony is more nervous than I am. I had to almost beg him to not go on some mission in Greece."

"Classic Tony." He says with a chuckle. "Always got to be doing something to keep his mind elsewhere. Whether it'd be building robots or kicking ass."

"Have a seat." She says opening her arms to their pristine array of white sofas and couches. "I'll get you something to eat."

"Oh, Pepper, you really don't - "

"Sit." Pepper commands with her stern expression. James sits down immediately with no other opposing argument. "You're a guest in my house and I will be a good hostess."

He smirks. "You'll be a damn good mother, I can tell you that."

She grins in return. "Like Tony, I have to keep myself busy somehow."

Pepper enters the kitchen. She looks in the cupboards and sees the rows of jarred baby food and containers of powdered baby formula. She makes a quick mental note to go grocery shopping for real edible food later in the day. After scavenging through the kitchen, she finally finds some presentable snacks.

"What color for the baby's room?" James asks as Pepper returns.

"Purple." Pepper responds. "I wanted pink and obviously Tony wanted red and yellow so purple was our compromise. Although, Tony's built one of those charms - oh, I can't remember what they're called - that hang above the crib. They're miniature Iron Man suits that fly around in a circle and the arc reactors glow in the dark. It's really cute."

"Finally he gets to do something original of him."

Pepper laughs but is suddenly cut off. She takes a hold of the baby bump and her mind goes blank. James looks at her and slowly reaches out for her.

"Pepper?" He questions.

She grabs his hand which startles him.

"Rhodey...she's coming." She hits another burst of pain and screams. "Holy shit the baby's coming!"

OoOoOoOoOo

Greece

Tony shoots his way through the enemy with swift movements. He fights with pride until one of them jump on his back. In his effort to get that man off, many more jump on sending him to the ground. Tony tries to fight them away but his face is being smashed at the moment. It'd be a complete pancake by now if he didn't have his helmet. He grunts in pain as he attempts to strategize.

"Jarvis!" He screams. "A little help here!"

"Incoming call from James Rhodes." Jarvis responds.

Tony moans as he accepts the call. "Now's not a good time."

"Shut up!" James yells with someone else's heavy breathing in the background. "We need you to come now!"

"Rhodey - " He gets cut off by a pitchy scream in the background. A female one. His heart begins racing. Pepper. The baby. "Is she - ?"

"Yes!"

"What the actual fuck?! She's three weeks early! This is my baby. She's supposed to be three weeks late!" His mind jumbles as he pushes away one of the men on top of him. "I'll be there on time, I promise. I love you, Pep!"

Instead of an, 'I love you too, Tony', as a response, he gets another scream and the call ends. He takes a moment to recompose himself. Now that he has motivation, he pushes all the men off of him and zips through the fight scene finding his teammates (the ones that are here).

"Cap," he calls, "Barton. I have to abort this mission. My baby's coming early."

"You better hurry." Steve says.

"Good luck!" Clint adds.

He gives them a wink and he's off. Time to be a father.

OoOoOoOoOo

New York

"How far apart are the contractions?" James asks as he drives as quickly as he can to the hospital.

"You're supposed to count those?!" She exclaims. "I'm in the worst type of pain ever and they want me to keep track of time?! This is hell!"

"C'mon Pep, you can do this!"

"Shut up and drive!"

"Yes ma'am."

As she winces through the pain, James maneuvers through the busy streets of New York cutting people off and ignoring their curse words of choice. If Pepper heard those, she'd give them a piece of her mind. She seems fine although he doesn't know how a pregnant woman is supposed to be while in labor. He left the military for the day to deliver a baby. Great. He hopes Tony will make it on time. That this is the one day he will come on time.

"I hate this!" Pepper exclaims. "Tony!"

"He's coming. He'll be on time."

She laughs through the pain. "Tony on time for something. Give me a break."

"Hey, your baby girl is early so nobody in your family is ever on time."

"Rhodey..." She mutters this time. He looks back at her through the mirror. "This is really happening. I'm having a baby."