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Chapter 56 - Chapter 56 - Samuel, my brother...

Tony and Pepper lay on Soli's bed with him. His leg was still in the brace to keep it from moving, and true to his word, Tony hadn't left him once. He still held the little boy's hand, and Pepper held the other one. Both of them lay on their sides, with Soli between them, facing the little boy.

Pepper woke up and looked across the bed to see Tony's sleeping face. He had stubble, and could have used a shave. His hair stuck up in odd places and looked like he had been running his hand through it at some point through the night.

As she watched him sleep, he slowly opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"Hey." He whispered.

"Hey." She smiled back at him.

"What did you dream about?" He asked her quietly.

"You." She grinned.

"Was I wearing anything?"

"Me."

He rolled over on his back and groaned, "How about that? I think we had the same dream."

She giggled.

He ran his hand through his hair. "I've got to pee."

"Then go." She whispered to him.

"Well, I told him I wouldn't leave-"

"He's sleeping."

"But-"

"Hurry. Before he wakes up." She whispered quickly to him.

Tony rolled out of the bed, and Pepper quickly grabbed Soli's other hand that Tony had let go of. After a surprisingly short period of time, Tony quietly walked back into the bedroom, rubbing his hands together.

"Tell me you washed your hands."

"Of course, I did. Mom." He told her as he took an injector out of his pocket and sprayed it into Soli's neck. "There. That should help."

Pepper watched him sit back on the bed, take Soli's hand, and rub his own face with his other hand.

"Go back to sleep, Tony."

"Nah. I'm up. I'll stay here with him. Make sure he doesn't move. You go back to sleep."

She propped her head up on her fist and looked at him. "What time is John or Sam coming back?"

Tony brushed his fingers through Soli's hair. "He didn't say. Just when he gets up and gets to moving."

Pepper watched him.

His eyes met hers, "Did you sleep?"

"I don't think so." She sighed. "I was so worried about him."

"He's going to be fine, Pepper."

"He's already been through so much. Things he won't even tell us. Things that John and Lance have told us, to never ask. Is it unreasonable that I want to make sure he never has to be scared, or worried again? Is it ridiculous to think I even can?"

"I have the same thoughts."

"And what is your conclusion?"

He shook his head and ran his hand through Soli's hair again. "Jury's out."

She gripped Soli's hand tighter.

"What do you think Rhodey would think of this?"

"Us? Or Soli?"

"The entire Stark family. All of us."

"I have had those thoughts myself."

"He'd probably tell me how I'm doing all of this wrong."

"I don't think so. I think he would be supportive. He was always in your corner, no matter what. Even when you were really wrong-"

"Oh, I was never wrong-"

She grinned, "Yeah?"

Tony nodded. "Okay, you have a point. What do you think Jimmy would think?"

Pepper smiled, "He would be proud. Gosh, so proud of him. Like I am. He's really came so far. And to think how comfortable he is with us, after everything. I mean, Tony, I don't think I could be like that."

Tony sat up and stretched his back. "I completely agree."

"Your back, alright?"

"Oh, it's fine. Just laying on it a strange way." He told her. "So, CNN wants to interview us? You saw that coming I'm sure."

She sighed. "Damn it. That's today. Maybe we can get out of it."

"Blood suckers." He laughed and Soli began to stir.

Pepper put her lips to his head to kiss him. "We're here. You're alright."

Tony held his hand pat his chest. "We're here. Stay still."

Soli yawned. "Everything feels…."

"Hurts?" Tony asked.

"No. Numb." Soli told them.

"Numb?" Pepper asked.

Tony nodded, "It's probably the medicine. Soli, John will be here in a bit. Do you want me to call him now?"

Soli closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

Tony rose his eyebrow. "So, that's 'yes' isn't it?"

Pepper rose up looked at him. "I'm saying 'yes.' I'm not comfortable with any of this."

Tony put the phone to his ear.

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Arles walked into Samuel and Karen's flat, singing "Daniel" by Elton John. Of course, he replaced the word, 'Daniel' with 'Samuel.'

"Samuel, my brother. You are…older than me. Do you still feel the pain? And the stars that won't heal."

Samuel sat at the bar and chuckled at him, "You nutter. I think it's 'scars that won't heal'."

"That makes more sense." Arles agreed as he reached down to scratch Henry's head. He began to sing again, "Henry my doggie, you aren't…barking at me."

"Good morning, Arles." Anne smiled behind a cup of coffee as she sat at the kitchen table.

Karen was in the kitchen, making herself another cup of coffee. "Arles, do you want tea?"

Arles sung, "Yes, tea my sister. You are…older than me."

Samuel rolled his eyes then turned back to Karen. "Karen, why didn't you ask me to do that?"

Karen shook her head. "It's not a big deal, Samuel."

"All the same. I can make you coffee."

Arles sang. "Samuel my brother, you make rubbish coffee for the lady."

Karen smiled. "Not true."

Arles laughed.

Samuel shook his head. "Mad as a box of cats. Have you had a second bowl of your Corn Flakes?"

Arles laughed and held up four fingers. "Four. But, shared with our brother."

Samuel sipped his tea to hide his smile.

Arles sat down next to Samuel.

Anne giggled, "Do you guys have another brother? I thought there was only the sister?"

Samuel explained, "Genie is our sister, Anne. But, she's engaged to Legate."

"Oh, the one you brought to Karen's that day. I remember him. He did the dishes."

Arles sung again, "Legate my brother, doing the washing up for Sam's Mum….in law."

"I think you're tone deaf." Samuel told his brother.

Arles laughed.

Karen smiled. "You're in a good mood."

Arles grinned. "It's been a good morning."

Samuel rose his eyebrows at his brother. "Did you hit him?"

Karen handed him his tea.

"He was gone by the time I came back in the flat."

Samuel shook his head and laughed.

"Who are you planning on hitting?" Karen asked.

Arles sipped his tea. "Tony Tyler. He has it coming."

Karen sat down next to her mother at the table. "Maybe you should try talking to him first."

Arles looked back at Samuel. "Be the voice of reason here, what do you think?"

Samuel shook his head. "Nah."

Arles shook his head with his brother. "Nah."

Karen giggled and sipped her coffee.

Anne rolled her eyes. "You guys. What would your parents think?"

"I think they would agree." Samuel told her.

Arles nodded. "Especially Papa."

"Without a doubt." Samuel sipped his tea.

Arles sat his tea down. "So, I've came over here to tell you 'yes.' I'm in with the Vitex thing."

Samuel stood up and danced in his goofy way. "Yes! Sammy and Arles! To the rescue!"

Karen and her Mom laughed.

Samuel pointed to the ladies. "Brilliant! So, what do you say now to moving in, Anne?"

Anne shook her head. "I still think it's rather strange."

Karen smiled at her mother, "Come on. Dad is going to be gone and you'll be all alone in that house."

Arles sipped his tea. "You're moving in, Anne?"

"They want me to. Samuel says he's buying Vitex, and Karen is so insistent that she needs me here with her."

"I'm so insistent, because I believe I will need you here."

Arles sipped his tea, again. "It would be a hell of a lot safer. I think it's a brilliant idea."

"I still believe I'll get on your nerves." Anne reasoned. "You two need to be on your own."

Karen held her mom's hand. "That's why Samuel wants to copy your house here. It will be just like at home."

"Yes, Anne. You and Karen can find a place for it to be here, and I'll copy it this afternoon." Samuel told them. "You won't need MPs or anything. We're here. Safest place on Earth. John loved the idea."

Arles asked, "He's allowing you to call him John?"

Samuel nodded. "Surprised me, too."

"Maybe, he's had some Corn Flakes." Arles mumbled and sipped his tea.

Samuel laughed. "Doubt that, mate."

Anne shook her head. "Your Dad has been deployed before…"

Karen looked back at Samuel with rose eyebrows. "Samuel?"

Sam waved his hands, "I'm out of arms' reach if you want to tell her."

Arles' eyes lit up. "Wait! I'm here for this?! Brilliant!"

Samuel looked back at his brother. "Don't trip me if I find I need to run out of here really quick."

"Just a quick, tackle." Arles teased.

"You suck." Samuel told his brother.

Anne shook her head. "What are they talking about?"

Karen took a deep breath. "Samuel is going to be rather busy, with teaching, and running Vitex, and he felt that I could use some help with….the baby."

Anne looked at her daughter. "What baby? Wait. What? You?"

Karen laughed, "Yes."

Anne covered her mouth in surprise. "Oh my! Really?"

Samuel looked back at his brother. "I don't think she's going to hit me."

"She's going to let the Lieutenant do it." Arles told him. "Remember your blocking."

Anne hugged her daughter and laughed. "Oh, Karen. I'm so happy for you both. But, what about school? Your dig?"

Karen laughed, "Well, Samuel and I have talked about it, and hopefully, I'll be able to do the dig in a few weeks."

Samuel pointed with his tea, "With other people actually digging. Karen is just going to supervise."

Karen rolled her eyes. "Like Indiana Jones."

Arles nodded, "Hey. Worked for him. What about school? Are you planning on returning?"

"I want to. At least finish. Samuel says we'll have to get some security though, and change schools."

Samuel nodded, "You should look to M.I.T. Tony has some pull there."

Arles sipped his tea. "Or Cambridge. Mum can get you in there."

Karen sighed. "I appreciate it, but want to do it on my own."

Samuel grinned. "Of course. Just know, that's probably going to come into play….you know."

Karen smiled. "We'll talk about that later."

Anne looked back at her daughter. "When are you due?"

Samuel shook his head. "She's not going to carry her as-"

"Or him." Arles insisted. "I think it's a boy."

Samuel groaned. "Well, good thing I'm the Doctor. It's a girl."

Arles sipped his tea. "We'll see, man."

Samuel smiled, "It's a girl, and I don't believe Karen will carry her as long as a human would normally carry a baby. I need to measure to be sure, but I'm guessing….six months?"

Anne was very pleased. "Oh, we need to tell your father! Oh wow. We'll have a baby before he comes back!"

Karen laughed, "Yes."

Anne embraced her daughter again and Samuel's phone rang in his pocket. Samuel walked into the sitting room to take the call.

Arles smiled back at the ladies and sipped his tea. "I still think it's a boy. My vote counts here, Karen."

Karen laughed. "Of course, Arles."

Within a few minutes, Samuel was back in the kitchen. "Karen, I'm sorry, but I need to go over to Uncle Tony's. Dad is there with Soli and needs my help."

Karen asked. "Is he alright?"

"I believe so. I just need to get over there."

Arles sat down his tea. "So! Anne and Karen. We need to find a place to put a house here on the island. Sammy, I'll get that sorted. You go do your Doctor thing."

Samuel kissed Karen quickly and smiled back at his brother. "No punching anyone until I return."

"I'm not promising that. If I have the opportunity, I'm taking it." Arles told him.

Samuel grinned back at his brother, and popped away.

Arles looked back at the ladies and began to sing again. "Samuel, my brother…..has left me with the ladies."

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