The Addition of a Variable

by A. O. Mirza

A plus sign – an addition in the equation Tony Stark didn't plan with, a new variable messing up all previous calculations. A liquor-filled fun night with his PA, Pepper Potts, has unexpected consequences for one billionaire playboy genius. No matter his brilliance, he wasn't sure if he had the solution to this equation.{Unplanned pregnancy AU: Peter is Pepper's and Tony's son.}

2. The Expression with the Addition

Chapter 2: The Expression with the Addition

Saturday, 6th January 2001

The A.I. let her in without a question probably having sensed that Virginia was on a mission. She was determined to go through with it. As she took the first steps, she clenched her fists, and straightened her back. She didn't meet her replacement as she crossed the house, which meant that the poor girl still thought that it was a regular nine to five job. She wondered how long it would take until the new PA learned her lesson. Not more than another week, she decided.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., does my code for the shop still work?" she asked the A.I. as she took the first steps down the staircase towards the workshop.

"Yes, Miss Potts. Mr. Stark is certain that you will withdraw your resignation, so your clearance hasn't changed with the end of your official notice period."

So, maybe J.A.R.V.I.S. only let her in, because she was authorized to enter any time she wanted. It didn't falter her determination. Instead she couldn't help but roll her eyes. Though deep down she liked how Tony remained adamant that she should be his personal assistant. It also made her job just now easier, though she knew once she blurted out her reason for her visit, he would permanently change his mind. She was certain that this would be the last time they saw each other which was a sobering thought. As she crossed the marvelous living room of the mansion, she couldn't help but take another look at everything. However, the moment her eyes landed on the beige sofa that caused this bizarre situation she quickened her steps. She didn't need the memories that surfaced at the thought of what exactly happened there about two months ago. She was wasted that night, but not drunk enough to forget everything.

"Thank you, J.A.R.V.I.S. Please inform Mr. Stark that I'm here."

At that moment she certainly didn't possess the tolerance to bear Tony not even noticing her which happened whenever he got lost in his work. No, she wanted to be over with this conversation as soon as possible. She was hardly brave enough to have it in the first place. She has been giving herself pep talks for the last week and she nearly chickened out at least twice. It was now or never, she decided.

The A.I. system didn't trick her, because she easily accessed the workshop so few could ever enter. She caught sight of Tony and she couldn't help, but frown as he looked like he hadn't left the workshop in days at least. He was all sweaty, his T-shirt had various sized and shaped spots and holes on it, his beard wasn't trimmed, and he had awful dark circles under his eyes. Obviously, the new PA hasn't learned yet either that she was responsible for pushing Tony into taking care of himself. The job description of the position should be more detailed.

"Pepper," he called out more enthusiastically than ever before.

He rarely liked to see her, because she always pushed him into attending events and meetings he didn't want to. She supposed that as she wasn't his PA anymore, her visit meant something different to him. Maybe on some level he genuinely liked her as a person or at least appreciated all the work she had done for him. The thought made her nauseous knowing that in a few minutes his enthusiasm would lessen.

"Mr. Stark," she acknowledged him with professionalism as she approached him. He put down some sort of device he was holding and wiped his hands in a rag that laid on the bench next to him. It was always interesting to see this side of Tony Stark as the general public could only ever see him as a successful CEO or as a billionaire playboy in designer suits. She often wondered which of those personas was the real Tony. She suspected that while it was a mix of all three, tinkering his machines made him happier than stuffy meetings or parties.

"I think the new PA, Kirsten, pretty much hates me already," he pouted like a little kid. "I want you back, Miss Potts."

Just as Virginia reached him, she sat down on a stool next to the workstation where Tony must have been tinkering before she arrived. She needed to take a few deep breaths before she could tell him the reason of her visit. The smell of the machine oil hit her fueling her nausea. She wanted this all to be quickly over, before she lost her lunch too, but at the same time she still wasn't prepared to face the consequences of the truth.

"Her name is Christine," she replied as she crossed her arms. While she supposed it was important for Tony to remember at least the name of her replacement, it was her way of stalling. She needed another moment to get herself together.

"Really? Are you certain?" he asked with a contemplating look.

The biggest genius on the planet couldn't remember the name of his assistant. That thought calmed her down a bit. Suddenly Tony didn't seem so frightening. He was just another guy even if his name was written on several buildings. Well, not just another guy, she supposed, because he was the only that knocked her up. The father of her child – the thought made her even more nervous though she didn't believe that was possible. She needed this to be over with already. It wasn't like she didn't know how he would react. She had been around him for long enough to know his view on the paternity cases presented to him.

"I'm pregnant," she blurted out. Being straightforward seemed in this situation the simplest solution for both parties in her opinion.

Tony, who returned to the workstation and picked up the discarded device while she remained silent, turned around with such haste that he practically threw away the piece of metal. The device landed with an enormous bang making her shudder. Tony's eyes were wild, and the effect of the sleepless nights were even more pronounced this way. She should talk to the new girl.

"W-what did you say?"

The way he said those words made Virginia sure that he didn't want to hear the same sentence repeated. However, it was the truth and it wasn't something to just take back when voiced. She knew that even if she took it back it was too late as she has already ripped off the band-aid. It was out in the open and nothing could change that. Even if she had decided not to keep the baby, it was something that changed their relationship forever. She was pregnant with his baby.

"You knocked me up in November," she simply replied as confidentially as she could, given the circumstances. "I'm about eight weeks along, the baby is coming in August."

She placed her right hand on her tummy. She didn't show yet at all, but she knew that in a month or two the whole world would be able to see her little secret that currently was just the size of a kidney bean. She didn't expect Tony to react well, but the hurt clearly displayed in his dark eyes was maddening. He didn't seem angry, instead he was sad which she didn't understand at all.

"I never expected you to be that type of woman, Potts," his voice was quiet, but strong.

He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter like he needed the support. He looked at her with such intensity she could barely meet his eyes. Suddenly she felt like she had done something awful and caused him pain, even though the situation they faced was certainly both of their fault as they were both willing participants of the act that resulted in this conversation. It wasn't like she forced him to have sex with her or that she got pregnant on purpose. However, she supposed he might think that she did want to have his child just to trap him like so many women tried. She crossed her arms as well as if it helped keeping herself together. It didn't work, but it wasn't the right moment to break down even if her hormones have been toying with her ever since the start of her pregnancy.

"Before you start accusing me of being a gold-digger, let me tell you, Mr. Stark that I did not plan on having children at all, and certainly not with someone who sleeps with different women every day. I have been taking the pill daily, precisely at the same time, but no contraceptive method is hundred percent safe other than not having sex at all," she ranted.

He remained eerily silent which was unlike the Tony Stark she knew. He always cut everyone off like only he had the privilege to rant. She took a deep breath, and waited for him to respond, but he didn't answer. He just looked at her with disdain. Great, her baby daddy clearly hated her guts and thought she was the worst gold-digger ever. She must have been a lot worse in his eyes than the other women who presented him their pregnancies because they had known each other for a year instead a day.

"You obviously have some things to say to me, so just do it," she told him.

She was angry. The silence felt heavy between them. She knew that whatever he was going to say would hurt, but she had to know what he thought about all this. She was great with worst case scenarios, so it couldn't be worse than what she was currently imagining. Whenever she thought about this conversation, she imagined some shouting but certainly not silence. She would have been more comfortable with simple anger than this twisted hurt she saw displayed on his face.

"You know, Pepper, I thought you were different. I thought I could trust you, but clearly, I was wrong."

That hurt more than it should have, after all Tony Stark was simply her ex-boss, nothing else. It wasn't like her boyfriend didn't want anything to do with her when he knocked her up. It was just a cliché one-night stand with her boss. Though part of her knew that it wasn't the complete truth. After all she resigned because she was developing unhealthy feelings for the said boss. It didn't occur to her until now though that thanks to those feelings, she would be upset by his expected rejection to the idea of having a baby with her. The stupid pain she felt made no sense to her practical mind as she knew Tony Stark was not going to be happy when another paternity case was presented to him. At least pregnant women were expected to have some irrational moments, so she had that excuse.

"Look, Tony, I decided to keep the baby not because I know for certain that you are the father, but because I got attached to him so quickly, I just couldn't get myself to abort him. Honestly, I don't care at all about the other fifty percent of the baby's genes just about the ones he gets from me. I just always thought that the guy providing the remaining DNA is supposed to at least know about his contribution. I don't need or want anything from you, I simply felt that you ought to know." She was once again surprised that Tony didn't cut her off. He was far from patient after all. His expression didn't lighten, so her monologue didn't help much.

"Was I the only one you informed then?" he asked with a sardonic grin that she never liked on his face.

She kind of expected the question in some form, but it still made her somewhat mad. After all he told her he wanted her as his PA because of her inability to lie. Did he expect her to lie about such a big thing? Especially as it was so easy to prove right or wrong? Nowadays a bit of sample was enough to prove paternity after all.

"I don't sleep with different people every day, Mr. Stark. There certainly was no one else to inform, because I have been working twenty-four seven in the last year." She was getting mad. She should have known that she couldn't remain calm for the entire conversation.

"Great. As you intended, you informed me, Miss Potts, so please leave me now. My PA, Christine, is going to be here any minute. I have work to do," Tony abruptly said.

She felt hollow somehow. She didn't expect this visit to end any better, but while imagination might be more spectacular, reality always hurt more. She nodded.

"It was an enlightening conversation, Mr. Stark. Thank you for your time," she replied as she swiftly got up and started walking in the direction of the door.

Deep down she hoped to hear him speak up, telling her to stop and talk some more about this situation, but of course, it didn't happen. She couldn't keep herself from looking back for a second and she saw him already again working on something like the last ten minutes had never happened. She was surprised that he let her leave without having to sign anything. If she was anything like the women he referred to, she could go and knock on the door of the first tabloid agency selling her story for lots of money. She supposed it didn't even occur to him just now, but while she didn't even hope to hear from him ever again, she certainly expected a call from his legal team. She knew this wasn't the end of the story.

Monday, 22nd January 2001

His large office with the endless view through the floor-length windows seemed too small and sufficing now for Tony when his secretary, Mrs. Smith announced his personal lawyer, Mr. Crawley. The man wore a perfectly tailored dark suit with a matching but not conspicuous tie as always when they met. He was tall with narrow shoulders and a disappearing hairline. His eyes seemed huge behind the glasses that magnified them.

"Mr. Stark, you were rather vague on the phone. How can I help you?" he asked after a swift exchange of greetings.

Mrs. Smith also left with the promise of bringing back some coffee. Tony sat down in his chair and then he pointed at the one in front of the desk. The lawyer took place as well and he put down the large dark suitcase that he always had with him.

"I would like to inform you about a potential… paternity case," Tony said with some hesitation. He hated this whole situation. He was Tony Stark, so he was above nervousness. He leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair.

He noticed that the lawyer straightened his back. Tony supposed he sounded more nervous about the topic than he usually did. It was something that often came up between the two of them. As the majority owner of a privately held Fortune 500 company and a known playboy, he was often the desired baby daddy of every women he every had a relationship and more. The funniest cases were when he knew for certain that nothing that could led to a baby happened between him and the woman. Some people were desperate.

He knew that the lawyer was surprised because the women claiming him as father of their children rarely had the chance to inform him directly of the situation. Mr. Crawley usually knew about these claims way before Tony did. Most of the times Tony just sat back hardly remembering the case even happening while his legal team handled the complete hassle. He was paying them lots of money to work these situations out. He had more important things to do – like being the CEO and the Head of R&D of a conglomerate at the same time.

"This time it's a bit different as the woman in question is my previous PA, Virginia Potts," he replied nearly stumbling over the name, having always thought about the redhead as Pepper Potts.

The lawyer seemed unimpressed for a second, but he quickly took control over his facial expression. Tony supposed Mr. Crawley didn't like office relationships, or simply he understood that this time the situation was a bit more delicate as it involved an employee of SI and someone very close to Tony's life. Maybe the lawyer foresaw in his mind the potential headlines: "Heated Moments in the Office – Tony Stark Knocked Up His PA" or "The Truth About Stark Industries – Baby Mommy Shares All"

"I see. I need more details though. Is there any difference to the previous cases other than the fact that the mother-to-be is an ex-employee of Stark Industries?"

Tony never had any problem with talking about sex, but he knew that his lawyer did. On the other hand, he was always somewhat uneasy during these meetings fearing that one day there might come a claim that was proven true. So these possible paternity conversations were always painfully awkward to both parties.

"She is…"

Honestly, Tony had no idea how to tell the lawyer about his current predicament. He feared voicing his suspicions, because it would make it all more real – and it felt too real already for his liking. It was all something out of a nightmare. He just couldn't wake up. Whenever he closed his eyes, he remembered Pepper in his workshop with her hand on her stomach telling him repeatedly that she was pregnant. It couldn't be happening.

"She was working for me for a whole year and I hired her as my PA, because she was not only obviously competent, but she was bad at lying. She is a pretty straightforward-type of woman."

He could still remember meeting her for the first time in this office and her absurd claim of pepper spraying the security guards. Mr. Crawley pressed his lips together and started writing in a little notebook that Tony didn't even notice he had before.

"So, you believe her claim?" Mr. Crawley pressed him with some urgency in his voice.

Never had Tony seen his lawyer show so much emotion. He supposed the man sensed that this time the result could be different. It scared him more than he thought it could. He expected this meeting to be bad, but he thought that the lawyer would make him feel instantly better. Mr. Crawley was the type of guy that could solve any problem. The best lawyer money could buy in LA hence his appointment as the head of Tony's personal legal team.

So far, the man only made Tony even more nervous. Then again, if his ex-PA's claim was real, Tony didn't know what the man could even do to make the situation any better. There would be a kid who was his child biologically – the thought made him shudder.

"I didn't at first," he admitted after a long moment of silence. "Not when she informed me. I just told her to leave. She did."

"And now?" the lawyer questioned him.

Under the intense gaze of the magnified eyes, Tony suddenly felt like a little kid being scolded and interrogated even though he was thirty years old and not ten, and Mr. Crawley was his employee, not his father. Fuck, he couldn't even imagine what his father would say now, if he was here.

"I don't know, but she seemed pretty certain of the paternity."

Part of him wanted to add 'like they all do', but something felt different this time around. Maybe it was only because he trusted Pepper as his PA. She always knew what to do in every situation and how to solve any problem, quite like Mr. Crawley. He believed in her abilities and competence. Hearing from her that he was the father of her child sounded way more real than from any other of his one-night stands. This was a paternity case where he was already afraid to see the DNA test result, because he certainly wasn't sure that it wouldn't announce him as the father.

"Have you had any contact with her since she informed you about the pregnancy?" Mr. Crawley asked, and Tony simply shook his head.

He didn't add that he asked J.A.R.V.I.S. to keep him updated about Miss Potts's whereabouts and he learned that she moved to San Francisco and started to work for a subsidiary of SI, AccuTech. It was strange to know that she left town, but at the same time, he found it oddly entertaining that she was still in some ways working for him. If it ever came to that point, it was also a card in his hand. However, he hoped this case wouldn't turn so ugly that such cards would be needed.

"Has she informed you what she is planning to do with the pregnancy?"

Oh, yes. How easy it would be if she didn't want to continue the pregnancy. Then again, she probably wouldn't have told him about it at all if she had aborted it.

"She's already decided to keep the child," Tony answered quietly.

"I see. I do not believe I need to detail the actions steps we need to take having been through this situation before. However, I believe this time it would be better if you took the next step. So, we should talk about what you need to discuss with Miss Potts."

He suspected that his lawyer would want him to be more involved in this case, having known Pepper for much longer than his usual one-night stands but honestly, he would have liked to just forget all about it. Though, he supposed even if he was left completely out of it, it would still plague his mind. Yes, to calm him, he needed to see a paper saying that there was zero percent chance of him being the father. He wasn't sure what was to happen though if the test said the opposite.

Friday, 16th February 2001

The AccuTech main building in San Franciso was not that different from the headquarters of SI in Los Angeles in appearance though it was much smaller. He was sure that it had been years since he visited this building. Honestly, he couldn't even remember why AccuTech was in a different city. Surely there was a good reason for it? He would have to look it up, he decided.

So when he entered it, he was not surprised that the receptionist in the lobby didn't sit up straighter as the one in the HQ did. She obviously did not recognize who she was dealing with. She was maybe a few years younger than he was with long dark curls and pretty eyes, but his reason of the visit soured his mood, so his interest wasn't instantly piqued.

"Good morning sir, how can I help you?" she asked leaning a bit forward, giving him a good view of her décolletage. Any other time that could have grabbed his attention, but even that didn't work now as his mind was on a strawberry blonde-haired ex-PA. Pepper was in the building, and the thought of facing her again had distracted him completely.

"I'm looking for Mr. Arthur Carter. He is the Head of Finance." He leaned closer to the counter like he was sharing some secret and added: "That's my name right under AccuTech."

He pointed towards the big blue-white logo of the company on the wall that had with smaller black letters 'Stark Industries' written under it. The receptionist looked at him with wide eyes for a moment, but then she nodded. She probably recognized him now, because she didn't ask for any identification to prove his claim.

"Yes, Mr. Stark, of course, let me check." She reached for her mouse and started writing something on her keyboard. It seemed like forever to Tony until she looked up.

"His office is on the third floor, room thirteen. He doesn't currently have a meeting, so he is probably there. Anything else that I can help with, Mr. Stark?" she asked.

Honestly, he didn't need her help at all, but he thought that pretending that he had to meet the Head of Finance would be a good way to stop rumors from spreading. There was probably going to be at least one person who recognized him while he was in the building, so it was better to have an alibi. The worst the employees at AccuTech would now think was that Carter was playing bigger games than he ought to and it caught the attention of the CEO of SI himself, Tony Stark.

The truth was Tony didn't know anything about Mr. Carter and had no desire to meet him, but Pepper was working at Finance and according to J.A.R.V.I.S. her office was right next to Carter's. He thanked the receptionist and received a badge after telling her that no, he didn't want her to call Mr. Carter. When he stepped into the elevator, he was glad to see that it was empty and when he exited it on the third floor, he still didn't bump into anyone. He easily found room thirteen, but he ignored it completely, instead he opened the door of room twelve without knocking.

The office was much smaller than the one she had back at SI, was the first thing he noticed. She was sitting by her desk, but when their eyes met, she abruptly stood up. His glance shifted from her eyes to her body and he nearly lost his footing. She was wearing a white jacket with the buttons undone and under it a dark blue dress which was perfectly fitting for the office's business casual dressing style, but even from the front he noticed that the form fitting dress showed a small baby bump. The sight shouldn't have surprised him as he knew perfectly well that she was pregnant, but he didn't expect to be presented with such undeniable proof. He thought that she would still be as slim as the last time he saw her even if that was more than a month ago.

"Mr. Stark, haven't you ever heard of knocking?" she asked as if she didn't just cause his head to spin. Then again, she probably didn't even realize how that bump that she proudly showed off messed him up. "What are you even doing here?"

"I felt like we had some topics to cover," he said.

He stepped closer to the desk and without invitation he sat down on the chair. He hoped that she would do the same because while she was sitting, he wouldn't see the curve of her stomach that was taunting him currently.

"You shouldn't be here, Mr. Stark. I work here and I don't want rumors to escalate," she said as she sat down. The desk was tiny so the distance between them was small. He could easily notice the pink flush under the light brown freckles on her pale skin that warned him of her anger.

"I thought you would be more upset if I turned up at your apartment," he admitted it.

She raised her eyebrows, but she didn't seem surprised at all that he would know where she lived. She probably worked long enough directly under him to know exactly how good he was in getting any information he desired and that such small matters as privacy or laws didn't exactly stop him when he wanted something.

"You could have just called like any other normal human being, or maybe sent an email. You know my contacts, so you can reach me." He smiled wryly at her.

"Would you have answered?" he asked, and she pressed her lips together.

"You were perfectly clear back in January. I don't see what else there is to talk about."

Pepper was always stubborn much like himself, so it didn't surprise him that she wasn't impressed by him turning up in her office. If it was any of the other women who ever claimed the same as she did, he knew they would be over the moon that he acknowledged them this way. After all, he was here personally, he didn't just send a lawyer and he even travelled all the way to San Francisco. Pepper was different. He knew that already though. He supposed he wouldn't have turned up in another city if she wasn't.

"Look, I was shocked by your news, and I didn't exactly give us the chance to talk about this, but since then I have realized there is much to discuss."

She seemed surprised for a moment, but she was quick to put on an emotionless expression. While Pepper Potts did not excel at lying, she was certainly good when it came to poker face. She was born to be a businesswoman, that he had realized already just from the fact how effective she was as his PA. She had the whole business persona mastered.

"That was not an apology, but more than I expected." She sounded a bit more welcoming than before. "I'm surprised that you are here, I thought that I would never see you after that last time – only your lawyers," she replied.

"I had some people to meet here anyways, so I thought I would check in with you as well," he answered easily. He didn't want her to know that he travelled all the way to San Francisco just to talk to her. He needed to feel like he had some control over this conversation. He didn't like not having the winning cards to himself.

"Yeah, sure. Who else are you meeting? Can you name anyone working in this company?" she asked challengingly.

"I am having a meeting with Mr. Arthur Carter, the Head of Finance," he replied swiftly saying the only name that came into his mind. Her expression showed that she didn't believe him at all. So before she could ask what business he had with her new boss, he changed the topic.

"According to J.A.R.V.I.S. we had sex on the 26th November. Crawley wants to see what the estimated time of conception is according to your OB/GYN visit and wants you to have the test done as soon as possible." Pepper still didn't look impressed.

"Then Mr. Crawley is a creep, but you're in luck. I've just arrived back from my latest prenatal visit, so I've got all the documents with me. Also, tell your lawyer that I'm not going to lose my child just because he's impatient. Currently only invasive prenatal paternity testing exists as I'm sure he knows, so he has to wait until after the baby's born for the result."

She reached for her handbag that was in the corner of the office behind her desk. It took her about a minute to pick up a folder and put it down in front of Tony. He wasn't sure he wanted to see what was in it but had to know for certain if there was even a possibility that he was the father, especially now that he learned she was not going to get the DNA test done until the baby was born.

When he opened the black folder what he first saw nearly gave him a heart attack again. He was no doctor, but he did recognize an ultrasound picture especially because the baby's form was easy to identify. He certainly didn't expect the baby to look like – well, a baby. He turned it down quickly, though he knew that he couldn't erase the sonogram picture from his mind. He started looking through the papers, but he probably wasn't quick enough, because Pepper grabbed the whole folder, and a second later she pointed to a row on one of the documents. It said:

Most probable conception dates: Nov 24, 2000 - Nov 28, 2000

What he saw didn't surprise him, because for a while now he was nearly certain that Pepper was not lying, but it still made his stomach twist. If the doctor's estimation was correct than he saw very little chance that he wasn't the biological father of the child currently growing in that small bump that wasn't there only a month ago.

"Look, I know that this is not what you wanted, I get it. Really, I don't want anything from you and if you wish I'm willing to sign anything to declare so and an NDA that I won't sell this to the media. I don't want to ruin you or SI, I hope you understand that. I made the decision to become a mother, but that doesn't mean you have to be a father. You have the choice as well. I just wanted to give you the chance to decide."

Well, if he was the father of her child, then at least he probably knocked up the most reasonable one-night stand he ever had. She certainly didn't seem as vicious as any of the women he had to deal with for a paternity case. He studied her for a moment, and he noticed other subtle changes in her appearance. Her cheeks were a bit fuller, her hair a bit shinier though in a familiar bun and her breasts seemed to have grown just as much as her previously flat stomach. She has changed, but overall, she still looked quite the same woman he had known for a while. It was hard not to trust her, when she could have him sign anything as his PA and yet she never wronged him. No, she was always a trustworthy employee.

"Did you know that in California there is no limit to the child support? It is all based on the income of the parent paying with the logic that the child ought to have the same luxuries the parents can afford. I'm a multibillionaire, do the math." He watched curiously her reaction. Her eyes widened and her right hand disappeared under the table, now probably resting on the small bump.

"I guess then I understand all the paternity lawsuits you are always facing, especially as I know that the mothers are not obligated to disclose what the child support was spent on," she commented. He nodded and was about to reply, when she continued.

"But I also know, Mr. Stark that in California the birth certificates can be viewed by anyone, so it never occurred to me to have you added to it. It certainly wouldn't stay a secret for long after all, and as far as I know child support can be only demanded if the name is on the birth certificate."

"For someone saying they didn't want anything with me, you certainly know much about child support," Tony said somewhat bitterly. For a moment he thought she was different, but obviously he was mistaken. To his surprise his bitterness made her laugh.

"My friend, Jessie, researched the question after I told her that I decided to keep the baby. She thinks that the father ought to pay after he wronged me. The part about the limits didn't come up, because she doesn't think the baby daddy is rich. After all I told her that I had a date with a guy named Adam from Legal at SI which ended in bed only to learn that he was married the next day," she explained, and he looked at her curiously.

"So, you have been lying about… this," he gestured towards her not wanting to voice such words as 'pregnancy' and 'baby'. It was all too real for him already with the pregnant belly and the sonogram picture.

He was pleasantly surprised though that she wanted to keep this between them and haven't shared it yet with just about anyone. He of course knew that it hadn't hit the papers yet, so she obviously hasn't sold the story, but he thought it was just a matter of time until someone she told to did. The fact that she wasn't the one looking up the child support topic was good news as well. She might not have been after his money unlike all the others before her. Maybe this whole situation wouldn't be as catastrophic as he imagined in the workshop when she first uttered those dreaded words.

"When I learned that I was pregnant, I didn't know what I was going to do, but I knew that I didn't want to end up as a tabloid story, and if I didn't choose abortion then there was also the baby to consider. I didn't want my baby to be trashed in magazines before he was even born. I trust my friends, but I thought the less people that knew the truth, the easier it would be to keep it under wraps."

He had to admit that he was glad that if someone was to ruin his childless state, it was a woman like Pepper who seemed to care about the baby more than the publicity and the money she could receive. He for a moment entertained the thought what the child she raised would be like. Obviously smart and competent, but also kind and caring, he decided. He quickly shooed the thought away.

Pepper was right. She made her decision to keep the baby, she signed up for the job of being a mother. However, he was not planning to become a father – certainly not now, but most probably never. It just wasn't part of his plans. Even the mental image of himself trying to change a diaper was laughable after all. He was Tony Stark: genius, playboy, billionaire, philanthropist. Father just didn't belong on that list.

"I have a proposal for a settlement for the child if the DNA test proves paternity. Mr. Crawley will be pleased to know that you are planning to keep the name off the birth certificate, but we agreed that should the child be mine, then you will still receive an agreed upon sum instead of the official child support. I don't want to rob you or the child," he told her, and she nodded.

"I am more than capable of providing for the child, but we can agree on a fund for education. I want what is the best for the baby, and if he wants Ivy League then he should get that if he can."

Business was something they were both good at, so their conversation easily swayed to numbers. The sum she proposed was ridiculously low especially compared to the child support she would receive if she went to court. He understood that she wanted to protect herself and the baby from the vicious media, but he couldn't understand why she didn't fight for more. If the child was really his as he was suspecting, then she had much better cards in her hands than she was willing to play with. It was hard to understand after the women he met before who wanted as much money from him as possible.

When he voiced that thought, she just shrugged but then added like it was just an afterthought. "I enjoy working, and I get good money for what I do – at a company you own actually, so I get my money from you anyways. However, it's not like I need that ridiculous amount you are willing to give… but I'm glad that you want to aid the baby financially."

She did seem happy when they decided on the exact terms of the contracts, even though it was much less than he would have settled with. She didn't ask any questions about much heavier topics than money – like involvement. He was pretty sure that she understood without having to bring it up that even if the child was his he didn't want to be part of its life.

"Then I will contact Mr. Crawley when the baby is born so the test can be arranged," she said, and he nodded. For a moment it seemed like she was waiting for him to say something, but then she offered her hand.

"I think this concludes our meeting then, Mr. Stark." That surprised him. While they talked about all the points his lawyer advised him to discuss with her, he didn't think their conversation would end so abruptly.

"Miss Potts, you were very cooperative, thank you for that," he said. "You know how to reach me if you ever need anything."

She nodded. That was it. They both said good-bye and he left the office being satisfied as it all turned out much better than he expected. He wondered if he were to ever meet her again.

Friday, 10th August 2001

The moment her water broke, Virginia sent a text message to Tony informing him about the baby being born. She didn't expect him to turn up in San Francisco once again, but she thought that he would at least respond. However, after twelve hours of labor she now held a baby in her arms, but she still didn't receive a text from him. Her mother and father were there with her though, so she decided that it didn't matter. Her little boy might not have a father, but he was already loved by his mother and his grandparents. Without a father it might not have been a conventional one, but it certainly was a family.

"So, will you tell me now the name of my beautiful grandson?" her mother questioned her somewhat impatiently.

Virginia looked at the tiny face of her newborn son. His eyes were open and wide, and the color was dark blue currently, though she has been told that in the upcoming year it was likely to change. As Tony had brown eyes, the chances of the baby inheriting her own light eyes were small. The bit of fuzz that was his hair was already much darker than she ever had.

"Peter – Peter Benjamin Potts," she replied stroking the cheeks of her baby with her index finger. She noticed that her father was obviously touched by the middle name. She had a hard time choosing a first name, so she told her parents she would only decide on it when he was born. In the end it was easier than she expected to name him. The name just felt right when she looked at the pudgy and red-faced baby.

"Oh, darling. Such a beautiful name for an amazing little boy. Don't you agree, Ben?" her mother asked her father. Her light eyes much like her own ones were full of tears.

"Thank you, sweetheart," her father got up from the plastic chair and kissed her cheek. "I'm proud to have such an amazing namesake. Why Peter though? Is it just a name you like?"

The truth was not something she was willing to tell even her parents, so she just agreed that yes, she liked the name and it was nice that his first name and surname started with the same letter. Really, the truth was more pathetic than she was willing to admit even to herself. She chose the name 'Peter' because it reminded her of 'Pepper', a name Tony gave her. He might not have wanted anything to do with the baby, but the child in her arms was still their son. It seemed fitting to name the baby something that reminded her of Tony. No one needed to know that though.

"He is my little rock," she cooed to the baby referring to the meaning of the name Peter. Yes, it was a nice name, she decided.

Her mother leaned closer to the baby studying every feature of him, which made Virginia roll her eyes. Peter was a newborn, squishy and red, just like every other newly born baby. She certainly didn't recognize any of the tiny features. The only apparent feature was his very dark hair color, but she already knew there was a big chance the baby would have Tony's coloring instead of her own as that was high school level genetics.

"Well, I think he will have much in him from his father. Surely, he will have his dark hair and eyes," she stated. "Wonder if we will have a little genius. Seems to be in his genes."

"Mom, please forget about the topic. He is out of the picture, end of the story," Virginia replied impatiently.

She was willing to lie to everyone about the father of her baby, but her parents. She felt that they needed to know the truth, and they deserved it. They were supportive of her decision of keeping the baby and being a single mother, and about her agreement with Tony as well. However, it didn't mean they didn't bring up the topic of the missing father more than she would have liked. They wanted the best for her and Peter, she knew, but they were old-fashioned people. The idea of raising her son alone while the father was not around was not something they took lightly. They wanted Tony to be there for Peter and couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to be.

Especially her mother who seemed to have this wild dream of Tony Stark one day turning into a househusband. It seemed she was certain that if Peter turned out anything like his father (let it be his looks or his brains), Tony would suddenly want to be the perfect father. Virginia was always more practical than her mother, but she did silently agree that one day Tony might be interested in his son, especially if Peter grew up to be a genius. She didn't think he would really want to be a father though – he made it perfectly clear to her on multiple occasions that he never planned to be one.

"Oh, come on, darling. That man will want to have a son one day. He is just too young to realize it yet. However, he basically has an empire, so he needs an heir."

Virginia didn't want to argue with her mother, so she just let the comment slide. She shared a look with her father though who was not impressed at all by Tony for not 'stepping up' as he said. According to him no good man would not acknowledge his child. Virginia of course argued that she didn't want Peter's paternity announced to the world either, but her father was not forgiving when it came to his daughter. Apparently, Tony could only be an awful guy for not showing up when she was giving birth especially as he owned a private jet.

"He hasn't even answered her message, now did he, Maggie?" her father obviously couldn't let the topic drop. Virginia just sighed.

"Please, can we talk about anything other than him? He made it perfectly clear that he doesn't want to be involved, so he is nothing more than a sperm donor. Peter doesn't need him and neither do I," she stated firmly.

She loved her parents and greatly appreciated everything they had done for her especially in the last year since she had learnt she was expecting Peter, but she knew the topic of her son's father was something they couldn't agree on. They just couldn't let it go as she would have liked to. Based on their expressions though they both felt bad for upsetting her. Her mother reached for her hand and squeezed it.

"I'm sorry darling, you are completely right. This is Petey's day, everything should only be about him," her mother replied, and Virginia couldn't help but smile at the baby's first nickname.

The door opened and a nurse came in with a huge and beautiful bouquet of flowers. It was a mix of white, yellow, orange and red roses. She had a smile on her face when she presented the dozens of flowers.

"There is a note as well. I believe someone was very eager to congratulate to the new mommy and welcome this beautiful boy," the nurse said as she placed the vase on the bedside table. Her mother reached for Peter automatically, and Virginia gave him to her. She then took the card that was next to the vase. The note was printed, but the message was clear: Congratulations on the birth of our child.

"See, I told you he wouldn't just ignore it," her mother said eagerly as she spied on the card.

Virginia just rolled her eyes once again, but she couldn't help feeling a bit better spirited as well. She had to admit that even if she didn't expect anything from Tony, it hurt when she thought he didn't even care about the birth of the baby. It was also nice that even though the DNA test wasn't done yet, he obviously accepted that he was the father. It might not have been much, but it was an acknowledgement in her eyes, no matter what her father had said. Maybe one day Peter would get to know his biological father.

Wednesday, 15th August 2001

Mr. Crawley entered the room with a white envelope in his hands. This time he wasn't even announced, he just walked into the office. Tony had expected the lawyer to come that day having been notified of the finished results, so he told the secretary to let the man in, an appointment wasn't needed. He wondered what his newest PA, who only started two weeks ago, would think about his schedule being ruined. After all, he had a meeting in ten minutes, but no matter what the paper in the envelope said, he believed this conversation would be longer than that.

"It wasn't exactly quickly," he grumbled after shaking the hand of the lawyer and gesturing towards the chair. Mr. Crawley took his place and put the daunting envelope on the desk between them.

"I thought it better to have a usual hospital-done paternity test than one at some private lab. Less flashy, but just as correct. It takes more time I admit, because you can't just pass some money to get it done faster," the lawyer explained.

Any other time this explanation wouldn't have satisfied Tony and he would have some choice words to the lawyer. However, he has never been so nervous in his life before. His mind was simply blank. He didn't care at all for the excuses. He just needed to know the verdict.

"Have you… opened it?" he asked dumbly. Mr. Crawley looked sympathetic for once when he shook his head.

"It's your test result. I thought you ought to see it first," Mr. Crawley replied.

The difference to the usual situation was obvious. The lawyer never seemed to have a problem with checking the test result before. This time the man must have sensed that Tony was emotionally invested in the outcome, and that he wanted to see the fateful printed words himself.

Tony reached for the envelope and slowly opened it. Inside there was only one paper. The test result was prepared for dumb people to understand it as well, so he only needed to the glance at it to know the result. At the top of it with bold letters it said:

Probability of Paternity: 99.9998%

Combined Paternity Index: 536,264

There was an explanation underneath. He automatically started reading even though he already processed the information that he was proclaimed the biological father. Understanding and accepting were too vastly different things though. As a genius processing any data was simple to him, but it didn't mean he had an easier time accepting those pieces of information than anyone else.

The alleged father is not excluded as the biological father of the tested child. Based on the results of the analysis obtained from the DNA loci listed, the probability of paternity is 99.9998%. This probability is calculated by comparing to an untested, unrelated, random individual of the Caucasian population (assumes prior probability equals 0.50).

Underneath the alleles of the child and his own ones were compared. He noted blankly that the conclusion was not faulty as the baby had one of his own alleles in every case. Statistically speaking it was pretty much impossible for that to happen if he was not the father, or as the index said he was five hundred and thirty-six times more likely to be the father than another Caucasian man.

"So, what does it say?" Mr. Crawley asked after a few minutes of total silence while Tony was staring at the piece of paper unmoving.

"She wasn't lying," he said, and he tossed the document to the lawyer who looked at it with raised eyebrows.

"You do not seem to be surprised. I thought that the positive result would upset you more," Mr. Crawley said slowly as if he was speaking to some wild animal ready to strike. Tony couldn't help but laugh out. It was not a cheerful sound though.

"I've known since February when I met her at AT. I was too upset to realize that she wasn't lying in January, but when we met… It was obvious she was telling the truth. I didn't want to, but I believed her," he replied somewhat bitterly.

He had months to come term with the result, so it was just an official confirmation of something he had known for a long time now, but still it was different now that there was an undeniable proof lying on his desk. He felt oddly empty and his mind was blank, something that very rarely happened to him.

"I have met her at the hospital. She is willing to proceed as was discussed. She signed every paper without any reclamation," Mr. Crawley said as he leaned back in the chair still studying the test documentation. As he put it down their eyes met.

Tony smiled at the lawyer wryly. "Should I be glad that the one woman I really knocked up is not a complete gold-digger?" he asked. Mr. Crawley was silent for a moment, obviously not knowing what to say.

"Well, it makes the situation easier to handle. You pay a sum you will not even miss or notice, and she raises the child as she wants. Everyone is satisfied."

Tony didn't react. It was hard to classify what he was currently feeling, but 'satisfied' was certainly not the word he would have used. The thought of a squirming baby with half of his gene set was baffling. None of this felt real, even though he could still read the paper laying on the desk upside-down.

"So, that's it?" he asked completely at loss of how to handle the situation. The lawyer neatly folded the paternity test and put the paper back in the envelope which then disappeared into his suitcase. The evidence was not there anymore like the situation never existed at all.

"She is very cooperative, so I believe that is all, Mr. Stark. I do not expect to have any problem in the foreseeable future."

According to his lawyer all problems were solved. Yet, somehow it didn't feel like that to him. He was stupid enough to open the text message Pepper sent only a few days ago. It contained a picture of a newborn in a baby blue hat and his name written underneath it. Peter Benjamin Potts, the message said. It seemed surreal. He had a newborn son named Peter living in San Francisco. He had a son, but he was certainly not going to be the child's father. Tony wondered if the boy would grow up calling someone else 'Daddy', and if he ever learned who provided half of his DNA. No matter what, the names Peter and Potts were going to haunt him for the rest of his life, he knew.