Hi lovely readers!

Thank you so much for all the love! You guys are so supportive of this series! I had no idea it would go this way and I can't thank you enough for all the love and support you have given it!

PROMPTS ARE CLOSED!

This prompt is from MadewithStars on A03 - Could you do one where Peter is like a biological child and is like 14 and Tony forgot to give him his new inhaler for asthma or something? Or like medicine for an injury and it gets infected?

I hope you enjoy and I apologise for any mistakes.

Hospital Nights

Tony hated the smell of hospitals. It was too sterile, too clean. There was nothing comforting about the smell. Nothing that offered relief as you waited to hear news of your loved ones.

He sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair with his head held in his hands. He stared at his shoes, unseeing. He couldn't get the sight of Peter's face going blue as he struggled to breath out of his head.

All because he had forgotten to pack the spare inhaler.

Tony scrubbed a hand over his face, his fingers brushing the tears that dribbled down his cheeks. He sniffed and pinched the bridge of his nose. How could he be so stupid to forget his son's asthma inhaler. He always kept a spare on him. It was the number one rule he had given himself when Peter had been diagnosed all those years ago.

He hadn't even seen it coming. One minuet he was picking up Peter from school and the next he was speeding towards the hospital, unable to do anything but grip the steering wheel tightly and honk his horn for people to get out of his way. How had he not noticed that Peter had looked pale when he got in the car? Why hadn't he pressed Peter to tell him what was wrong? He knew something was up when his kid hadn't launched into a tale about his day.

Tony jolted up in his chair when he felt fingers brushing through his hair. He blinked at the familiar figure in front of him and he swallowed around the emotion in his throat.

"Pep?"

"Oh thank god. I thought you were in shock," Pepper sighed with relief. "I was about to call for a nurse."

"What are you doing here?" Tony blinked.

"JARVIS told me you were here. I was trying to find you to sign some paperwork," Pepper bit her lip. "Tony, where's Peter?"

Peter's blue face flashed into his mind. "I picked up Peter. He…he started having an asthma attack in the car. I…I forgot his inhaler. I always take a spare with me, but I forgot it."

Pepper sunk down in the chair beside him, her hand moving from his hair to his back. She rubbed it up and down in a soothing manner.

"His inhaler had run out," Tony shook his head. "If I had just remembered to bring the spare."

"Stop," Pepper said firmly. "Don't do that to yourself, Tony."

"They won't let me see him," Tony swallowed. "You know how much he hates being here."

"They will let you see him when he's settled," Pepper said softly. "He's going to be okay. He's a fighter. Just like you. He's going to be okay."

Tony nodded and gently took Pepper's hand. He squeezed it and didn't let go.

He wasn't surprised that Pepper had shown up when she had learnt where he was. Peter's mother had never been in the picture, but Pepper Potts had. She had been there when Tony had come home from the hospital with a tiny baby in his arms. His son. He had a son. The thought terrified him to his very core, but it had been Pepper and Rhodey who told him that he could do this, that he could be a good dad.

Tony had strived every day to be the type of dad his father had never been.

Peter adored Pepper. The two had become thick as thieves and she had fulfilled the mother role in Peter's life. When he had been younger, he always begged Tony to marry her so she could really be his mum and Tony had always laughed it off, never allowing himself to dream. Now, at the age of fourteen, Peter was trying to be his wingman.

"Dad, you have to tell Pepper you love her," Peter would whine. "Before someone else sees how amazing she is."

His kid had always been smarter than Tony and so much braver.

"Thanks, Pep," Tony said quietly.

"I'm always here for you and Peter," Pepper said, her voice equally as soft. She squeezed his hand. "You know that."

"Tony."

Tony turned his gaze from Pepper to look up at the nurse who had entered the hall. Peter was, unfortunately, an accident-prone child and had ended up in the ER more than he had cared for. May Parker, at this point, had been practically assigned as Peter's personal nurse.

May looked tired behind her glasses but she was smiling. "He's going to be just fine."

Tony let out a relieved breath. "Can I see him?"

"Of course. Follow me."

He stood, Pepper doing the same and they followed May down the hallway. She turned into a room and Tony's breath caught in his chest as he saw Peter. His son always looked young, but it was nothing compared to when he was lying in a hospital bed.

"He's going to be tired for a few days, but he'll make a full recovery," May assured them.

"What triggered it?" Tony asked.

"Peter managed to tell us he had PE at the end of the day," May smiled sadly.

Tony's hand clenched by his side. It wasn't the first time that Peter's gym teacher had forced Peter to push himself in gym class. Tony had already had discussions with the school about it but this time they gym teacher had gone too far. He could have killed his kid.

"I'll handle the school," Pepper said before Tony could start ranting. "They won't get away with it this time."

"Say the word and I can testify," May said. "I'll leave you guys. You know what to do if you need me."

"Thank you, May," Tony said.

"Anything for my favourite Stark," May smiled. With a nod she left the two of them alone.

Tony moved to Peter's bed. He took Peter's hand in his, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Peter's head. "I'm so sorry, Underoos."

Tony continued to stroke his son's hair while Pepper took a seat in one of the chairs. She settled herself in, pulling out her phone and no doubt started rearranging his schedule so that he could be with Peter without any disruptions. Pepper was always one step ahead of him.

Peter begun to stir at his touch and Tony smiled as Peter's eyes opened.

"Hey Underoos," Tony greeted, his voice soft and gentle.

Peter lifted a hand to take off the mask that covered his face, but Tony stopped him before he could.

"You know the drill," Tony said. "That stays on."

Peter huffed but didn't attempt to go for it again. Peter squeezed Tony's hand, shifting across the pillow to make some room. He looked pointedly at the space he had created and then looked to Tony with big wide eyes.

Tony had never been able to resist his son's Bambie eyes and he gently lowered himself onto the bed. He kicked his feet up, getting comfortable on the pillows and didn't have to wait until Peter was snuggling up and resting on his chest. Tony watched as Peter's scanned the room and his legs kicked out when they landed on Pepper.

"Pep," Tony called softly.

Looking up from her phone, she smiled when she caught Peter looking at her. She stood, slipping her phone back into purse and came to the edge of the bed. "Hey Peter. How are you feeling?"

Peter gave her a thumbs up and Pepper beamed.

"That's good, sweetheart. You know, you really have to stop scaring me and your dad," Pepper gave him a mock stern look.

"Sorry," Peter said, voice muffled behind the mask.

Pepper squeezed Peter's arm. "I know not to hold my breath. You're too much like your dad."

Peter craned his head to stare at Tony and grinned behind his mask.

"Don't worry, he got all your good bits, Pep," Tony grinned, smoothing back Peter's hair.

Peter nodded his head enthusiastically, nearly knocking Tony in the chin.

Pepper's cheeks went pink, and she smiled at the two Stark men. "If you say so. I'll let you both get some rest. Tony, just text me if you need anything. I'll let Rhodey and Happy know what's happening."

Peter let out a little whine, looking pleadingly at Pepper.

"Stay," Tony said. He shifted Peter tighter against him and patted the top of the pillows. "Please."

Pepper licked her lips before nodding slowly. She crossed the room, grabbing her phone from her purse before she came back to the bed. She slipped off her heels and perched on the edge of the bed before swinging her legs up.

The bed really wasn't big enough for the three of them, but with a few adjustments they managed to lay there comfortably.

Peter snuggled between the two of them, his eyes drifting closed, and it wasn't long before he was asleep again.

Tony watched as Pepper gently ran her fingers through Peter's hair and his heart thundered in his chest. "I love you."

Pepper looked up, her eyes widening with surprise. She stared at him, waiting for him to take the words back but he couldn't. He didn't want to.

"I love you too," Pepper finally smiled back. "Both of you."

"Tomorrow night, family dinner?" Tony asked.

Pepper smiled and reached across Tony to take his hand in hers. "I'll be there."

Happy reading :)