Pepper's sinus infection went from bad to worse. Her headaches were so bad that she couldn't even focus and she developed a fever and chills. Tony convinced her to call in sick with the promise that he would take care of the calls and emails and anything that required immediate attention. He always hated the meetings and the work. He just liked to build things but he would do it for Pepper.
He opened the door to the bedroom with a care package for Pepper. It included Tylenol cold and fever, a heating pad for the body aches, electrolyte water, a box of tissues and Vick's vaporub. Pepper sat up groggily and frowned at Tony's appearance. He was wearing a cloth face mask anytime he was around her.
"Don't be such a wimp," she said.
"Pepper I can't get sick. You know this. If I get sick, who's going to run the household? Who will do the work? Who's going to make dinner?" he explained.
"You weren't worried about getting sick last night when you wanted to have sex?" she reminded him.
"That's different Pep. We can still have sex without me kissing you," he explained.
"Just give me my water," she said as she grabbed it off the tray.
"I'm going to make you some avocado toast. Would you like anything else?" Tony asked.
"No that's all I think I can stomach right now,"
Tony went into the kitchen to make the toast and the phone rang suddenly and FRIDAY informed him that it was the kids day camp calling. They went to camp three days a week to have more activities and to see their friends.
He answered and stopped in his tracks immediately. Tony jr was sick. He had an accident and went to the bathroom in his pants. And they said he was warm to the touch.
"Hey Pep. Tony is sick. He had an accident in his pants and I have to go and pick him up. Dum-E is going to bring the toast,"
"Oh no. I hope he doesn't have what I have," she said.
"Me either," he said, donning a mask and heading out to the car.
Tony arrived at the camp and he went to the office to retrieve his son but he could hear a familiar inconsolable cry from a few doors away. He would know that cry anywhere. It was Maria. She didn't want to be seperated from Tony jr.
"My daughter is she ok?" he asked.
"She doesn't want to be separated from her brother but she will be ok once you guys leave," the nurse said.
Tony nodded and went in the back to see Tony.
"Come on little man. Change your clothes and then we're out of here," Tony said as he handed him a pile of clean clothes.
Tony looked at him wide eyed and sat up off the small bed. He grabbed for Tony's hand and they headed to the car.
When he got home Tony jr was complaining of a stomach ache and Tony tried to get him to the toilet on time but he was too late. Tony put him on the toilet anyway and a second wave hit but he also had to vomit and Tony grabbed a cleaning bucket from under the sink to collect the projectile and his worst fear was confirmed. He had a stomach virus but he decided to call the doctor anyway.
The doctor confirmed his suspicions and he began to run a cool shower.
"Don't move, I'm going to check on your mother," Tony said firmly.
He popped his head in the bedroom and Pepper was fast asleep and he pulled her breakfast tray away and took it to Dum-E to bring to the kitchen. He went back to Tony and helped him into the shower to rinse him clean. He helped him dress and kissed his forehead and took his temperature. He had a low grade fever.
"You'll be ok little man. You just need rest and it'll pass. Come on now get into bed," Tony said following him into the bedroom but not before getting children's Tylenol out of the bathroom cabinet.
"Take this," he said and Tony jr did as he was told with no argument. That's how Tony knew he wasn't feeling well.
It started to rain and Tony let the dogs inside and Buster the chin went to find Tony jr immediately and crawled into his bed. And Rocky the German Shepard stayed by Tony's side. He looked outside and Gerald went into his special indoor enclosure.
Tony prepped dinner and went into his garage sanctuary where he had the screens to watch both Tony jr and Pepper above his head while he continued working on B.A.R.F. He had about two hours of silence when he heard a car pull up. It was Happy. He picked up the girls from camp and he could hear them running inside. He saved his work and went to greet them.
"Listen both your mother and brother are sick so I need you to stay out of their rooms and find something to play with," Tony said.
"But it's raining," Maria said.
"So play a game or watch a movie or better yet use your imagination," he said.
"Gerald is outside in the rain," Maria said as tears began to fall.
"Honey Gerald is supposed to be outside and look, he's inside his enclosure so he won't get wet," Tony explained.
"But he's my best friend," she said as she sniffled.
"Sweetie alpacas don't belong in the house,"
Maria was crying and Tony was rubbing her back gently.
Morgan leaned and whispered in her ear and she wiped her eyes and the two of them took off. Tony went in to replenish supplies for Pepper and checked in on Tony. He was only gone about fifteen minutes when he heard an unusual sound coming from downstairs. He went down and he saw the girls playing with dolls in the living room. They seemed to be pretty involved but it made him even more suspicious. He heard the noise again coming from the back of the house and he looked at them.
"What is that?" he asked.
They looked at him and shrugged their shoulders. He followed the noise which was coming from their laundry and mudroom and he opened the door and he was face to face with Gerald. He nudged his head against Tony and Tony pet him. He laughed but only momentarily. He was sure to wipe the smirk off of his face before disciplinary action would be given.
"FRIDAY you're supposed to notify me when someone exits or enters the house," he said.
"I was temporarily disabled," the AI responded.
Tony put on his jacket and helped Gerald back outside and walked him into his pen. When he came back inside the girls were gone.
"Morgan Stark, Maria Stark front and center," Tony called out.
The two girls came back into the living room timidly.
"I found Gerald and I put him back outside. You know he's supposed to be outdoors and he doesn't belong inside and you disabled FRIDAY,"
"But Dad-
"No but Dad. You know you are not allowed to disable FRIDAY ever and what kind example are you setting for your sister? You're mom and Tony are both sick and I need to take care of them and make dinner and now the laundry room is full of mud from Gerald and if your mom sees that she's going to freak out,"
"I sowwy Daddy," Maria said as her eyes welled up with tears.
"Don't cry. Come here," he said as he hugged her.
"Here's what I think is going to be your punishment. I need to get dinner started so the two of you are going to clean the mess in the laundry room," he explained.
Morgan made a frown and followed Tony in the kitchen to get the cleaning supplies. He handed her the supplies and went to focus on dinner.
Tony had dinner on the table for the girls and two different dinners set aside for Pepper and Tony jr. one was a tray with a bowl of soup and some crackers for Pepper and for Tony he had some rice and some plain chicken with side crackers to settle his stomach.
He brought Pepper and Tony jr their separate trays and then sat down to join the girls for dinner.
"You guys did a great job on the laundry room," he said as they ate.
"Can I see Mommy?" Maria asked.
"Not until mommy is better. She's sick and we don't want you to get sick," he explained.
"I miss her," Maria said.
"I know sweetie and she will most likely be better in a day or two,"
Tony cleaned the kitchen and had Morgan shower and he did bath time with Maria and then he cleared away Tony's dinner tray and checked his temperature again and he still had a fever. He refreshed his Tylenol and fluids and went to check up on Pepper and when he opened the door she was sitting up in bed with her pj's on and watching tv.
"You look much better," he said as he grabbed for her tray.
"My fever finally broke. I'm ready for a shower now and you should probably change the sheets since I sweated all the infection out," she said as she got out of bed.
Tony quickly cleaned away her dinner dishes and changed the bed with fresh sheets. He got into pajamas and he was about to climb into bed when their doorbell rang. Tony asked FRIDAY to see the front door camera and anger washed over him. He marched down the stairs and opened the front door.
"Hi Um I need to see Ginny," Brad said with a stutter. He was slightly afraid of Tony.
"How dare you come here at this time of night and disturb my household to see my wife? She told you to get lost,"
"She left these at my house and I'm going away for business and I wanted to get them back to her before I leave," he said presenting a pair of sunglasses.
Tony snatched them from his hand.
"You could have sent them by mail,"
Brad looked at Tony fearfully.
"I've got something to say and I'm only going to say this once," Tony said looking him dead in the eye.
"I don't want to hear about you texting, calling, tweeting, emailing or contacting my wife in any way. If I find out you do it again there will be a restraining order. Do you understand me?"
"Yes sir," he said as he began to walk away.
"Wait there's one more thing," Tony said.
Brad turned around and Tony slugged him square in the face.
"That's for putting your hands on her,"
Brad held his face and got up quickly and hurried to his car.
Tony knew he wouldn't be a problem anymore.