As Mary stared at the small baby in Tony's arms, she looked like she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself, and Tony wasn't exactly sure what Mary was going to do next. Would she try and hold him? Ask about him? Coo at him? Reject him, like Tony had almost done, days ago?
That brief stint of unsureness had only been a couple weeks ago. Maybe a little longer. It felt like decades.
Eventually, Mary situated herself on the bed into a more comfortable position, and held her hands out for the boy. Tony handed the child over, stomach churning.
There was this saying, that Tony had heard more times than he could count. That when you're nervous, it felt as if there were butterflies in your stomach. Tony didn't think that was very accurate. For him, it felt like there were killer bees.
It was the way he felt whenever his father glanced over his report cards, or the grades on his test. How he'd felt, at a much younger age, when he tried to show Howard his finished projects. The familiar dread building up in his stomach, the suredness that Howard wouldn't like it, wouldn't view his accomplishments as something to be proud of. The dread was usually right.
But this wasn't Howard. This was Mary. Sweet, intelligent, kind Mary. Why should he be worried about whether or not she'll like Peter? He was her kid too. Surely she would…
The killer bees raged on.
Mary gazed down at the round-faced infant. His big brown eyes were crinkled slightly as he looked up at her. A single, thick brown curl laid on his forehead. Mary hadn't moved a fraction of an inch the entire time she had looked at him. Peter shot her his signature gummy smile, and that seemed to make her melt, if only for a moment. She smiled back.
"Hi, Peter," she said. The baby gurgled in a manner that was rather gross, but could only be seen as endearing to the new parents. "I'm your momma," she said, as if the baby needed the clarification. Tony chuckled.
"Are my parents here?" Mary asked, turning to Tony. Tony winced.
"Um. I'm not sure, really. They might be in an apartment not too far away. Or they might've gone home. I didn't really…. Stick around long enough to find out."
"What did you do," Mary said. She looked closer at him. "Oh my God, what happened to your face?"
"You're just now noticing that?"
"I was a little distracted by the baby, Tones," Mary deadpanned.
"Fair enough. Uh, that's a bit of a long story. Well, not really, but I'd, uh, rather not talk about it right now. I'll explain later. As for your parents..."
He explained, words verging on rambling in a way that only Tony Stark was capable of. He explained all the glares from her father, and the bitter air that surrounded her mother. How they'd made no move to help him or Peter for the duration of his short stay in the apartment. How they hadn't even held, or tried to hold, Peter once. So, he'd packed up his bags a few days ago, and moved in with the Rhodes' family.
"Charlotte's still here," Tony added. "I doubt you'll be released today, but I'm sure they'll let us stay with them until school starts back up, if you want. The house would be a little crowded but..." Tony shrugged.
"God, Tones, I'm so sorry," Mary said, looking genuinely regretful. Tony frowned.
"What do you have to be sorry about?" Tony asked, confused.
"My parents treated you horribly-"
"Princess, that wasn't your fault!" Tony exclaimed. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. If anything, I probably deserved it, being I didn't get you in the hospital fast enough! I only left because they weren't good for the baby-"
"You didn't deserve that, Tones," Mary said sadly. "And it wasn't your fault I ended up in the hospital. You couldn't have stopped me from getting sick."
"I left you out in the rain!" Tony said. "You called me for a ride and I ignored you! And you wanna know why I ignored you? Because I was being a selfish bastard! If I had gone and picked you up, this whole mess could have been avoided!"
"Or me being sick had nothing to do with the rain and I would've ended up in the hospital regardless," Mary said.
"Mary-"
"Tony," Mary said in that tone of voice that Tony knew meant it was time for him to shut up. "Pneumonia isn't caused by standing out in the rain. It can weaken your body's natural defenses, but it isn't a direct cause of it. And bad pneumonia doesn't usually lead to surgery. Well, besides a chest tube, but that's not what all they did, as far as I know. It probably wasn't even pneumonia to begin with. Point is, it wasn't your fault."
"But I-"
"Tony," Mary said sternly. "It. Wasn't. Your. Fault." Tony nodded numbly. He'd believe it. For now. Maybe.
He wasn't sure whether he truly believed it was his fault, or if he just didn't want to forgive himself. Maybe both.
"Whatever," Tony said, trying to change the subject. "Um. I should probably ask the doctors when you can be discharged."
"We're talking about this later, Tony," Mary said as he walked out of the hospital room. Tony waved a hand dismissively, searching for the nearest nurse.
Turns out that, should Mary be given the all clear, she could be released late the next day after a night of careful observation. Both parties couldn't have been happier. They were both sick of the fake smell of the hospital - bleach and lemon and disinfectant. The bruises and the crying and the deaths.
"I think we should stay with Rhodey," Tony said as the doctor left the room to get Mary's discharge papers. "I know we talked about having our own place and everything, but... Y'know, we can't handle that. I doubt I'll be able to get any money from my father, now, and it would be better for Peter to grow up around people. And Momma Rhodes is good with kids -"
"Okay," Mary said, smiling. "We'll stay with Rhodey's family for now. I think it's a great idea, Tony." Tony sighed in relief.
"You do?"
"Sure!" Mary said. "I mean, it would probably be easier. If Rhodey's family is okay with it, I don't see why not."
"Okay," Tony said, nodding. "I'll go call Momma!"
He stood up, weaving around the nurse that had returned with Mary's papers and made his way outside the hospital to the nearest pay phone.
Momma Rhodes was all too happy to let them stay, saying it was no problem with her, and that they could live there as long as they needed. She also said that Rhodey would be there to pick them up soon - Charlotte had gone home the previous day - and that she and Bert would have dinner ready by the time they got back. Tony thanked her profusely and hung up, heading back into the hospital, where Mary had changed into her old clothes and was finishing signing her papers.
"Ready to go?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," Mary said. The nurse left the room to get Mary a wheelchair - per hospital protocol - and Rhodey was already waiting for them outside the hospital. He stood up to help Mary into the car, despite her insistence that she was fine, easing her down into the back seat gently. There was a car seat meant for a baby in the other back seat, old and frayed and stained by milk - probably belonging to one of Rhodey's nephews, Patrick or Chris. Tony grabbed the baby from Mary - who had been holding him - and placed him in the car seat, strapping him in and tucking a soft yellow blanket up under his chin. Peter started fussing, and Tony pressed a quick kiss to the baby's forehead before heading to the front seat.
Not five minutes later, Peter started letting out long, shrieking cries. Mary tried to soothe the baby who still wasn't used to the carseat, trying everything. Tickling his tummy, giving him the pacifier, rattling a toy in front of him. The baby's cries never ceased, and Tony thought he might make himself sick if he didn't calm down. Rhodey's hands were white-knuckled on the steering wheel of the car.
"Tony, how do I make him stop?" Mary asked, looking close to tears. Tony scrubbed a hand across his face.
"I-I-I don't know!" Tony said, running a hand through his hair.
"Well how did you get him to stop crying before?" Mary and Rhodey demanded in unison. It was almost frightening, though no one in the car was clear headed enough to see that with the baby's cries ringing out.
"I-I-"
Well.
"You can't laugh," Tony said, wincing. "I swear to God, Rhodey, if you laugh, I'm going to strangle you-"
"Tony I don't care what you do so long as you get your baby to shut the Hell up!"
Tony sighed. Took a deep breath.
"Stranded at the drive-in," he sang. "Branded a fool..." The baby's cries quieted, ever so slightly. Both Rhodey and Mary were staring at him incredulously. "What will they say… Monday at school?"
"Mary..." he looked at her pointedly. "Can't you see? I'm in misery..." Mary snorted, and Rhodey had to suppress laughter. The baby's cries died down to small whimpers. "We made a start, now we're apart, and there's nothing left for me..."
His voice rose in volume.
"Love has flown, all alone…. I sit. And wonder. Whyyyyyyy, oh why, you left me? Oh, Mary..." Rhodey's shoulders shook. "Oh Mary…. Baby… When MIT is done..." Mary was cackling. "Somehow… someway… our two worlds will be one..." He pointed at Peter, and Mary had to wipe tears from her eyes. "In Heaven… forever… and ever we will be..." His voice rose to a high.
"Oh please… say you'll stay… Oh, Mary!"
His voice went deep.
"Oh, Mary my darlin'..." Mary and Rhodey choked on air. "You hurt me real bad..." Tony clutched at his heart dramatically. "You know it's true… but baby, you gotta believe me when I say… I'm helpless, without you."
"Damn right, you are."
"Love has flown!" He used the water bottle in the cup holder as a microphone. Rhodey seemed to be having trouble driving. "All alone! I sit and wonder whyyyy…. Oh, WHY… You left me… Oh, Mary..."
"Mary… Mary… Why?"
"Oh Mary..."
They pulled into the Rhodes' driveway, Rhodey collapsing out of the car in a fit of laughter and Tony following him soon after. Mary leaned against her car window, letting out breathless giggles. The baby, in the car seat, was fast asleep.
Momma Rhodes marched outside and stood before the scene, arms crossed as she waited for them to stop laughing.
"What in the Sam Hill is goin' on here?"
Rhodey and Tony glanced up at her from where they were lying in the dirt before collapsing into another wave of helpless laughter.