Happy Saturday.

This chapter comes with some bad news. I am still having a really hard time writing this story, so I am taking a break to work on something completely different. I have chapters already written, so I won't be stopping abruptly, but updates are going to slow. I'm afraid updates will come biweekly for a while until I can get back to this project.

However, this series will be completed, I promise. I love this world and these versions of the characters we know so well, and I will return. Until then, please be patient with me.

Chapter Forty-Four

Tony was nervous as he sliced the vegetables, eyes darting to the clock on the wall as Peter and May's arrival crept closer.

Pepper wrapped her arms around his back and rested her chin on his shoulder. "You'll be fine, honey," she said.

"You think?" he asked, slicing down and missing the carrot completely.

"Since when did you get so nervous about dinner?"

"Since May Parker was invited."

She tugged the knife out of his hand and turned him. Putting her arms around him, hands clasped behind his neck. She touched her lips to his and pulled back as he tried to deepen the kiss.

"Tony, what May cares about most of all is Peter. She doesn't know how your relationship with him works, how you feel. When she sees you with him in your own home, how much you love him, she'll understand. Believe me, no one doubts how much you love Peter when they see you with him, and she won't either. You just have you be yourself."

Tony sighed. "This is so important, Pep. I don't want to mess it up."

She looked into his eyes and said, "I don't think you looked this scared when you were facing Aldrich Killian."

"No, I was way more scared then, but I handled it better as I could fight back. I don't think aiming a thruster at May is going to help me."

She laughed and wrapped her arms tight around him. "You've got nothing to worry about, trust me."

Tony hugged her closer for a moment, drawing in the scent of her perfume, and then pulled back and said, "I've got to finish the carrots."

"You do," she said. "I'm as eager for this meal as you are. I've seen what you can do, but never something you took inspiration from in a five-star restaurant."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Am I aiming too high? Should it be something simpler?"

"No. You were confident in what you were making, so I know you've made it before. Besides, May and Peter will just enjoy a well-cooked meal. You've heard how bad May's cooking is, and Peter is still only learning the basics from you."

"He is," Tony agreed. "Yes. I can do this."

He felt her confidence reach him, and he nodded briskly. He could handle this. He loved Peter so much that even May had to see it, even though she might not want to. This was his chance to show her who he was, how much Peter meant to him, but he could do it.

Pepper was right—he'd faced worse before.

He finished the carrots, put them in the steamer, and then opened the oven to check on the duck breast. It was sizzling and smelled great. He was done now. All there was to do was steam the vegetables and heat the orange sauce, which he had prepared earlier and was leaving to thicken now.

"I've got to change," he said.

Pepper frowned. "You're not dressing up too much, are you? Because I don't think Peter and May will."

"No, but I need a clean shirt. This one smells of engine oil."

He dashed into the bedroom, pulled off his t-shirt, and went into the closet. He had rails of clothes for all occasions, and he always paid attention to what he was wearing as that had been drilled into him by his father when he was young—'People are always looking at us Starks, Tony, so you've got to look your best.'

He was going to look his best—his best Tony Stark comfortable in his own home. He took a Black Sabbath tour t-shirt from the rack and pulled it on. He got back into the kitchen in time to hear Pepper's voice greeting May and Peter.

He rushed into the hall and saw Peter and May coming in. May was wearing a blue dress that floated around her knees and made her look quite different from the jeans and scrubs he'd seen her wear before. Peter was wearing his customary jeans and hoodie, and he looked as nervous as Tony felt.

"Hello, May," Tony said, moving forward and holding out a hand, which she shook.

"Hello, Tony," she said, her voice soft and friendly, though her eyes were unreadable.

Tony tousled Peter's hair and said, "Hey, kid."

Peter smiled at him, "Hey, Mr. Stark. Something smells good."

"Duck a l'Orange and steamed spring veg," he said.

"Sounds lovely," May said.

Peter nodded eagerly.

"Would you like a tour, May?" Pepper asked.

"I'd love that," May said.

Pepper looped her arm through May's, and they wandered into the living room.

Peter watched them go and breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Relax, kid," Tony said. "Pepper can charm anyone."

"Totally," Peter said. "It's May I'm worried about. Steve said she hit you. I don't want her to be rude or anything. I don't think she will, but, you know, May can be volatile sometimes—it's the Italian in her."

"I've got a share of Italian blood, too, so I can handle it. Think of this evening as a second chance for me to charm her."

Peter raised an eyebrow. "I don't think you want to try to charm May."

"No? Then I'll just be myself. This is as important to me as it is to you, kid. I'm going to do my best to make it work."

Peter sighed. "Yeah, I know, I'm being paranoid. It's not you I'm worried about, not really. I just want her to behave."

Pepper and May's voices drifted back towards them, and Tony placed a hand on Peter's shoulder. "We're going to make this work."

Pepper and May came in, and May was now smiling.

"You have a beautiful home," she said. "I don't think I could ever get sick of the view. It's really quite something."

"You don't get sick of it," Tony said. "We know how lucky we are here."

He was well aware of the luck in his life. He'd never scratched for money at all. He'd grown up in a luxurious home, never gone without any material thing. May and Peter had enough money to get by, but that was all. If they'd accept it, Tony would shower them with money until May never needed to work a day in her life, but they never would. Peter's hesitation over the Amazon cart to decorate his room was proof of that. Everything that had been ordered had come at Tony's encouragement and pushing.

It was working, though. Peter's room was starting to show signs of his personality.

"Would you like a glass of wine, May?" Pepper asked.

"I'd love one," May said. "We came on the subway for a reason."

"We'll get you a car home," Tony said. "We've got drivers on standby."

"There's really no need," May said. "Peter and I are fine on the subway."

Tony nodded, deciding not to push the topic. "Pete, get your aunt a glass of wine," he said. "Then you can help me in the kitchen while she and Pepper relax."

Peter nodded eagerly and went to the wine fridge and surveyed the many bottles on offer.

"You want the Beaujolais Nouveau," Tony said.

Peter examined the labels and then took out the correct bottle. Tony handed him the corkscrew, which he examined for a moment, then muttered, "May's wine usually has a twist-off cap."

Tony smiled. "Then I am about to teach you a valuable life skill."

With Peter's eager eyes on him, Tony demonstrated how to uncork the wine, glancing back when he felt eyes on him and saw both May and Pepper watching with fond smiles on their faces.

He felt like it was going okay.

The food was a success, and Tony had relaxed after a couple glasses of wine.

Pepper and May chatted comfortably, like they were old friends, and Peter seemed much happier.

May had been perfectly friendly to Tony, had complimented the food, which had turned out well, and been delighted by the cheesecake Tony had ordered from Kikki's for dessert.

When the food was finished, Pepper and Peter loaded the dishwasher, and Tony was left alone with May at the floor to ceiling window, looking out over the city.

Tony fumbled for a topic to talk about and ventured, "Peter is much more confident with his patrols lately, after the incident."

"I hear that's thanks to you. He said you spent a month staying connected to his suit while he patrolled."

"I did. He was anxious about it after what happened."

She smiled. "That must have taken a lot of time out of your day. Too much?"

Tony shook his head. "No, there is no too much when it comes to Peter."

"You really care about him, don't you?"

"I do," Tony said, allowing his sincerity to fill his voice. "I feel like I've known Peter a lot longer than it's actually been, and I can see what a great kid he is." He met her eyes. "Peter is very important to me."

She stared at him a moment, then said, "Yes, I see that. And Peter loves you. He talks about you all the time. And it's not just the things you're teaching him. As excited as he was that you introduced him to the Avengers, it's you that I hear about most of all."

Tony beamed. He knew how attached Peter was to the others already—and how attached to him they were in return—and to know it was him that Peter talked about most of all meant a lot to him.

"It's hard for me," May went on. "Ben and I took Peter in when he was four years old, and it was just us for the longest time. We were a solid unit—didn't need anything but each other. And then Ben died, and it was just me and Peter left, and I think I clung to him even harder because of what we lost." She frowned, staring out at the city. "I didn't want to share him with anyone, but I do share him now, and that's been hard for me to accept. But…" she met his eyes, "I can't think of anyone better to share him with now that I've seen you together properly. He's so comfortable here, like it's his own home, which means you've made him feel that way. That's special, Tony."

"I love him," he said, venturing the admission at last.

"I know," she said. "I can see it when you're with him." She laughed and shook her head. "I never thought I'd have a superhero for a nephew, let alone that I'd be co-parenting him with Iron Man, but it seems that's what happened."

Tony felt warmth rush through him at the word—co-parenting, what he dreamed of—and he said, "I won't let him or you down—never again. I'm going to be there for Peter, no matter what he needs."

"I know," she said again. "This is hard for me to admit because I love Peter so much, and it's hard to talk about Ben still, but I think Ben would be happy, too. He admired you even before Iron Man. When you shut down your weapons development, Ben was so… it was like he was proud. And then there was that press conference, your admission that Iron Man was you, not some bodyguard, and he thought you were amazing. He and Peter shared their love of Iron Man between them."

"I wish I could have known Ben," Tony said. "He sounds like a great man. I didn't have a chance, but I can tell you this—I won't try to take your place or Ben's in Peter's life, but I will always do and be the best for him. Seriously, if there's anything I can do for him—or you—you just have to ask."

She stared into his eyes, making him feel like she was looking right into his soul, and then said, "Thank you, Tony."

Peter and Pepper came out of the kitchen, both smiling, and Peter said, "May, do you want to see my room? Mr. Stark let me buy some stuff for it."

"Let? It took much persuasion and a few threats to get you to pick stuff out," Tony said with a grin.

"I can imagine," May said. "Yes, I'd love to see your room, honey."

Peter took her hand and, chattering enthusiastically, led her out of the room.

Pepper came to Tony's side and said, "You okay?"

"I am," Tony said, peaceful and happy now. "I think it's going to be okay. I mean, she knows how much I care about Pete." He shook his head, smiling fondly. "She said something about co-parenting with me."

Pepper beamed. "Well, that's exactly what you've been doing, so it's good that she accepts it now. It went well, Tony. Relax. Things are going to work out."

Tony pulled her into his arms and hugged her. With her confident words in his mind, mulling them over, he allowed himself to just feel happiness. There were things to think about, worries of what was coming, but he wasn't going to allow them space in his head now.

He was happy in the life and time he had now.

So… May and Tony had their moment, both now know they're coparenting Peter. I was looking forward to this moment, and I'm glad we're here. The previously mentioned angst will make an appearance in the next chapter which will be posted July 10th.

Until next time…

Jadey xxx