His eyes fluttered open and it took him a minute to register where he was, but then he remembered: he was safe, in Natasha's bed. No dreams had come from him during the night, and even though it was still pitch black, he felt totally relaxed, like for the first time since they'd been back he'd just woken up from the best sleep he'd ever had.
She was still sleeping soundly beside him, he could just make out the outline of her still naked body in the moonlight shining through her window.
He propped himself up on his elbow, content to just watch her sleep for awhile and marveling at how lucky he was that the one thing in life he'd always wanted, but never quite managed to have was right here within his grasp.
Her face was peaceful, when she smiled softly in her sleep, he couldn't help but smile back. After all these years, he was still holding on tight to her, only this time, she was holding onto him too.
He reached out a hand, smoothing it over her cheekbone and she stirred. "Tony?"
"I'm right here, darling. Sorry," he whispered. "Go back to sleep."
"Mmmmmm…. too late," she murmured, reaching out and touching his face too. "Are you okay?" She asked once she could think clearly.
"More than okay," he assured her, turning his face and kissing her knuckles. "More okay than I've been in a really long time."
She burrowed into him, pulling the covers tight around herself as she let him spoon her and he gently brushed her hair away from her shoulder, ducking his head down to kiss her bare skin.
"Mmmmmmmmm," she said again, leaning her head to one side.
He kissed her neck softly, one hand sliding over her hip and she rolled over onto her back, baring her naked body to him.
"Tasha," he murmured, closing his mouth over hers and letting his hands roam over her soft curves.
"Tony," she breathed. "I feel….."
"What is it, baby? How do you feel?" He closed his eyes as she slowly stroked her fingers along his goatee.
"Alive," she whispered, raising her leg and sliding it over his hip. "And safe. And warm. And like I really, really, just want you. How about you?"
"All those things," he agreed. He kissed her again, holding her close, his hands exploring her body.
He breathed deeply as her hands started to wander on him.
"This feels so right," she murmured, her voice almost breaking.
"It really, really does," he said, shifting his weight as their kisses escalated.
"I want you," she whispered, pulling him on top of her.
"You have me," he promised, still kissing her.
He moved his hands over intimate places and she moaned softly, arching her back.
"Should I get a condom?" He asked, one hand between her legs, feeling her body's reaction to their heated kisses.
"No." She shook her head.
"Okay," he said softly, pulling his hand away, but she closed her fingers around his wrist.
"You don't need it," she said. "I want to feel you inside me."
She moved her hand down to grip him and he groaned, leaning his forehead against hers. "I just want you," she whispered.
"I just want you too," he whispered back, kissing her as he reached between them to guide his erection into her.
"Ooohhhhhhh," she breathed as he pushed in.
"Tasha," he said softly.
"Tony," she moaned.
He slowly began to move inside her and she moved her hips to meet his thrusts as they gently started to make love.
She wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding him close, chest to chest, stomach to stomach and she wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him on.
She was everywhere, the scent of her skin consuming his senses, the sound of her quiet expressions of pleasure as he delighted in making her feel good, the sight of her red hair spilling over the pillows as he loved her, the taste of her lips and her skin, the feel of her heart beating beside his.
He kissed her face, her lips, her neck, anywhere his mouth would reach, his hands moving over her body as he listened to the soft sounds she was still making.
"I love you," he told her.
"I love you too," she whispered. "I don't know when I figured it out, but I do."
"It's okay," he whispered with his mouth against her throat.
He pushed deeper and she closed her eyes, her mouth falling open.
"Tony," she gasped, moving faster. "That's…. that's too good… i…."
She clutched him tightly, burying her face in his neck as she came and he held her, moaning as he spilled into her a second later.
They clung to each other as they caught their breaths.
"Stay," she murmured into his chest.
"I'm right here, baby," he said, softly stroking her hair. "I'm not going anywhere unless you're with me."
"I'm with you," she breathed.
XXXXX
Tony stood in the hall next to the press room with his friends, dispensing nervous energy as he shifted his weight from foot to foot.
"You don't have to do this," Pepper was saying as she straightened his collar. "I can go out there and tell them not to pay attention to rumors, or Rhodey can read the statement we prepared and politely request privacy. Either way, we can handle it."
He shook his head. "I have to do it myself."
"Okay," she conceded. "But we're right here."
Rhodey nodded to her from the doorway. "It's time."
She reached out a hand to touch his face before lightly smoothing out her skirt and following Rhodey through the door.
"I'm proud of you, Tony. You're doing the right thing," Steve said from where he was parked against the wall.
Tony made his way over to him, crouching down until he was eye level with him. "Thanks, Steve," he said, leaning over and hugging him. "I couldn't do any of this without you pointing me in the right direction, Cap."
Steve eagerly embraced him, patting him on the back.
He walked over to the door, leaning against the wall and craning his neck to hear Rhodey's statement to the crowd.
"Do you need anything else?" Natasha asked, eyes wide as she slipped her hand into his.
"Yeah. A hug from my favorite redhead," he replied, holding out his arms to her.
She smiled, stepping into his embrace and letting him wrap her up against his chest. "Gladly," she whispered.
"Maybe a breath-taking kiss from my crazy hot girlfriend to get the adrenaline flowing before I get out there," he murmured, eyes twinkling.
She grinned, titling her head back to kiss him and sighing into him as he pulled her close, pressing his lips and tongue against hers until he heard Pepper start to finish her part.
"Don't just take our word for it that the rumors are true," she was saying as the cameras clicked. "He's here and he's ready to answer some of the questions you undoubtedly have. Ladies and gentlemen, Tony Stark, in the flesh!"
He slowly pulled away, squeezing her hand before taking a deep breath and making his way out to the podium.
The crowd of reporters erupted into claps and cheers and the cameras flashed wildly, nearly blinding him even though he was wearing one of his darker pairs of tinted glasses.
He held up his hands and treated them with a charming smile. "Thank you," he said once the noise died down and people remembered why they were there. "I'm sure you all have a lot of questions. I don't fully understand everything myself yet, but I'll certainly try my best. Let's get to it."
"Mr. Stark," a man in the first row called. "How does your recent divorce effect the fate of Stark Industries? Will we be expecting to see a new CEO in the future?"
"Ms. Potts has been an integral part of the company for more than two decades," he said. "At this time, I don't believe she has any plans to step down from her position, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
He glanced off to the side, where Pepper was standing to the left of the modest stage watching him. She smiled encouragingly at him and he smiled back. "Next question."
"Mr. Stark," an older man said. "Can you tell us a little about your plans to rebuild the Avengers compound?"
"Uh, it's actually the Steven G. Rogers compound now," Tony stated firmly. "The new name will hopefully allow the new team to recall the foundations on which the Avengers were built in the first place, meaning of course, the ideals and values of our great leader, Captain America. And as a whole, I hope we never lose sight of what he stands for. Construction will begin pretty soon. Bigger and better. I'm really looking forward to it." He nodded.
"I have a question, Mr. Stark," a female voice to his right said.
He looked up to find the familiar, smirking face of Christine Everheart and he tried hard not to roll his eyes. "Of course you do," he said, silently acknowledging that so far he'd gotten off easy.
"Forgive me for stating the obvious, but you died…. we all covered the news reports after the battle," she started.
He held up his hand. "Excuse me," he interrupted. "Aliens invaded our planet and half the universe was literally snapped away, and that's the part you're having trouble with?"
Some people in the crowd broke out into nervous laughter, but the insistent blonde gazed at him expectantly with her tape recorder held out.
He sighed. "The truth is, I got lucky. I did what I had to do and I have no regrets. I can't go into specifics or the mechanics of it for obvious reasons, but I'm just really, really glad that I get another day to spend with my daughter, and everyone else I love. That, hopefully, I'll watch her grow up. I don't know why I was given a second chance, but I don't intend to waste even one second of it." He paused. "I hope that answers your question."
She smiled. "Welcome back, Stark," she said.
"Thank you," he said, lowering his head.
"Just one more thing," she added.
"Sure," he said, looking up.
"How many times have you said you'd take a step back from the Avengers over the years, only to return a few months later with an even more powerful suit? It's great that clearly you're still the team benefactor, and I trust that the Avengers will be prepared for the next threat, but do you really expect us to believe that we won't see you armored up in the near future?"
He gripped the edge of the podium, opened his mouth, then closed it, pausing for a minute to collect his thoughts while the cameras clicked away. He looked into the hallway, locking eyes with Natasha, Steve, Bruce, Clint, and Rhodey before he opened his mouth to address the crowd again.
"If there's anything I've learned from all of this, it's that nothing is for certain," he said quietly. "There are no guarantees in life. And while it's true that I have no plans to put on the suit ever again… I mean, I am getting older, right? And I have full faith in the capabilities of the younger team members. They are our future, after all."
He swallowed thickly. "My hope is to spend as much time with my family as possible. To figure out my new place in this new world that we are all building together. To indulge new endeavors…..new relationships," he continued, catching Natasha's eye and winking. "So, no. At this time I do not have any plans to engage in active battle with the Team ever again. But I also realize that nothing in this world is ever set in stone. And of course, no matter what happens…
I'm still Iron Man."