When Aero was a kid, there were a lot of moments where everyone thought Tony was dead.

The most terrifying moment that stands out was when he was seven, about to turn eight. He'd only been with Tony for a few months, but he already felt at home; he didn't understand what his dad's job was, or why he and Pepper would have weird reactions whenever he called Pepper 'mom.' He only knew that sometimes he was left at home with Happy while his parents were out of the house for hours, or even days at a time. But they always came back—if they weren't home in time for dinner, they were back in time for a bedtime story.

And then, one day, there were police at the door.

Mom hadn't gone on the trip this time because she was too busy. But Dad had. And then, a few days later, a lot of people came to the house. Their jackets said FBI in gold letters, but Aero didn't know what that meant at the time. They told him that his dad was dead, but Aero didn't understand that, either. He didn't know why Mom got so emotional, or why Uncle Rhodey and Uncle Happy ushered him out of the room; he didn't understand the sad looks he was given whenever someone found him in Tony's lab, waiting for his dad to stop being 'dead,' whatever that is. Months past. Aero turned eight, and he had a small party. When they told him to make a wish, he wished Tony would come back from his trip. He didn't understand what was taking so long.

A week later, Tony was found in the desert. There was another party, hosted by who Aero thought was his grandfather, Obadiah Stane, until Stane betrayed Tony later on down the line.

Aero didn't know what the word 'dead' meant until he was ten, when one of Dad's friends died and he had to attend the funeral. Everyone was sad and crying, like they had been when they thought Tony was dead. And it occurred to Aero that there had been a real chance his dad hadn't been coming back. He'd gotten lucky—they both had. And, suddenly, he couldn't bare the thought of his dad dying. It was impossible. It wouldn't happen. His dad was Tony Stark—Tony Stark didn't die!

Five years later, at twelve, and the cycle repeated itself.

It was after the Battle of New York, when Aero had been on a plane with his mom, watching the news with confusion, anger, and fear. New York was being attacked by aliens, and he couldn't even focus on how cool it was that aliens existed, because there was a chance his dad was going to die. But Tony hadn't died. He'd just gotten traumatized. Mom walked out of the house sometimes, whenever Dad was acting weird, but Aero stayed. He didn't have anywhere to go, not that he wanted to. He even turned down Uncle Rhodey's offer of staying at his place for a night or two.

A few months after the battle, their home was attacked. It seemed the Aero had the most luck in the world, or maybe his mom was too smart, because only hours before missiles were launched at their house, Aero was sent off with Uncle Rhodey. He didn't get to see his mom until days later, and by then he was aware that Tony was missing—and presumed dead.

Aero didn't believe it. His dad was Tony Stark, and Tony Stark didn't die.

He came back, of course. He always came back. It seemed like the Stark family had a talent for not dying. They were always lucky.

Sometimes luck ran out.

The room was bare, save for Pepper. And she was almost the most painful sight of all.

He wondered where the other Avengers were, but pushed that thought form his mind as he sat up. How long had it been since his outburst at Steve? He'd nearly died, then. Gotten too worked up. Too heated. He'd stupidly pulled out his IV and the arc reactor just to make a point. But he knew that was stupid and he shouldn't have done it, even before Pepper opened her mouth.

But she didn't yell at him. She sat by his bed, silent, eyes tinged red.

"I thought you had died. Then I got you back. And then you pulled that stupid stunt and I thought I lost you again," she whispered, voice horse. She looked at him, then. "You need to be more careful, Tony. We need you. I need you." Tony nodded, and she fell silent again before leaning forward, putting her hand on his. "I'm ... I'm pregnant, Tony."

The heart monitor spiked.

Tony sat up, staring at her for a moment before coughing and laying back down. "I'm sorry, you're what?" he asked.

Pepper smiled. "You know when you told me about your dream? About me being pregnant?" He nodded. "I was. I— I am."

"When did you find out?"

"The day ... that day," she told him. Tony hesitated, before smiling faintly. She didn't need to be specific, but the thought of such a sad day was overshadowed by the fact that they were going to have another kid together.

"Does Aero know?"

He knew the moment he said his name. It was obvious in the way her face fell, how she turned her head and began to cry. It had been clear when Tony had told Steve, "I lost the kid," and Rhodey had turned away, like he couldn't bare to tell Tony himself. It was right there in front of him the moment he woke up. Because if Aero wasn't with Pepper, then he was with Peter. That's the way it always had been, ever since those two met from Tony's meddling.

If Aero wasn't with Pepper and Tony, he was with Peter Parker.

And it wasn't any different this time.

Somehow, Tony couldn't find it within himself to cry.