Chapter 9: Pepper Potts

"I mean—how did I not notice? I notice these things. I do. Don't contradict me. Right? Maybe I don't, but how did I not notice him?"

Tony rambled on his grievances since he entered their double-story apartment. Pepper was on the bed, listening to him rattled on and on how he missed such a vital piece in front of him the other day. Last night, KAREN informed FRIDAY that Peter was in communications with Harry Osborn. And FRIDAY was programmed to alert Tony on all information regarding to Osborn.

Tony didn't take the news so well. Worst part of it, according to Tony, was that he couldn't say or do anything about it without alerting Peter to their investigation or that he had KAREN spying on him.

"How?" Tony repeated again, shaking his head. "He was right there! Right in front of me and I didn't even notice."

"Well, you were a bit distracted with Steve's arrival and Deadpool," Pepper argued on his behalf. "Also, Harry doesn't look like Norman."

"Still the spawn of Satan."

Pepper sharpened her gaze at Tony. "Anthony Stark—don't you dare judge that boy based on his father," she warned. "Remember how you felt as a kid being compared to Howard? Harry may be nothing like his father at all."

Tony exhaled, fingers massaging his temples to decompress. "I don't want to, but don't tell me it's not suspicious," he contested. "He attends Midtown, befriended Peter's old friends and even took up Peter's old hobbies. Don't tell me it's not fishy."

"I find it a bit weird, but I'm not going to treat Harry like a criminal," Pepper defended as her extremely round belly constricted in another uncomfortable tension. She adjusted herself on the couch, lifting her legs up and reclining on a set of pillows. "Harry had nothing to do with the Parkers' deaths. He was only a boy when it happened. He probably doesn't even know that Peter's parents worked for his father."

Tony raked his hair with his fingers. He paced about the room, thinking. "I'm not saying he's responsible for Peter's parents, but I do think his enrollment and inclusion into Peter's circle of friends isn't random. I know Norman had a hand in it. A way to keep tabs on Peter."

It wasn't a far-fetched theory that Tony normally sprouted (then again, even those theories proved to be true). It wouldn't surprise Pepper if Norman placed Harry in that school to dig up on any tidbit of news in regards to Peter while he was a fugitive from the law. It may be part of Norman's overall plot to gather intelligence on Peter, but Pepper held doubt that Harry had an active role in his father's plan. Harry was probably an unknowing accomplice to his father's madness. That didn't mean they should treat Harry with disdain or distrust. From what Pepper heard among their inner circle, Harry despised his father and that their relationship barely existed.

"Maybe, but let's not worry about it at the moment," Pepper said to Tony. "Nothing's happened. Peter is still safe. Nothing happened to him other than a few stories from printed on the front page about his eating habits."

Pepper learned of their Queens outing in the paper. Apparently, the media reported that Tony, Peter and Steve Rogers were ambushed by reporters as they tried to enjoy a peaceful lunch. A video captured the incident from the three reporters interrupting their meal to the chef throwing the reporters out of the diner. It was a clear favor in their books, but Pepper and May didn't like how close the reporters got to Peter.

Tony bobbed his head side-to-side. "Yeah, well, I'm still worried," he admitted. "It won't end well. If we prove that Norman killed Peter's parents… it won't be good."

No, it wouldn't. A friendship would be destroyed. The sacred bond of brotherhood shattered by sins of parents. It wasn't fair, but there was nothing either of them could do unless they told Peter the truth about their investigation into Norman Osborn and his probable involvement into the deaths of his parents. Something everyone, including May, was unanimously against.

Pepper merely lifted her shoulders. "What can we do?" she said. "Tell him the truth, or we support him when the time comes and hope their friendship isn't ruined."

"Or we could nip it in the bud," Tony suggested. "Convince him to stay away from the Osborn kid. Say the kid is a punk. A rotten apple. Not a good influence, etc."

Pepper groaned. "Tony! You can't say that and besides, when has that ever worked out with a teenager?" she raised the question to him. He didn't answer, so she did. "Never. Kids tend to do the opposite of what adults say. So, I say we don't do anything yet. It's not hurting anyone, and Peter and Harry aren't exactly hanging-out every day. There's no need to get concern.

"So rest that weary head of yours, Tony," she advised, turning on her Starkpad to the main page, "and lets actually talk about the important stuff."

"What's more important than keeping a kid safe?"

"Nothing, but Peter isn't in danger," Pepper reminded him again. "We should be more concerned with this Deadpool than Norman Osborn's kid."

Pepper learned of Tony's secretive outing to New Jersey from Everett Ross. The agent learned of Dr. Stromm's death and discovered that Tony and Rhodes were there when he died. Everett wasn't thrilled about Tony going behind his back and Pepper assured Everett she wasn't aware nor thrilled at Tony's disrespect to the team's decision. But, she did give him credit for finding their next clue before the Dr. Stromm died.

Everett heard of Deadpool, but not enough to know identify the mercenary. He promised to investigate the individual and hung up. Meanwhile, Tony already conducted his own investigation on the mysterious mercenary.

"Deadpool... apparently, he is more insane than Norman Osborn," Tony said, moving around the room again. "Clint said he's a class all on his own. 'Merc with a Mouth' he called him." Tony whistled. "If Clint calls him that, then it must be some wackadoodle. Fury was interested in recruiting this so-called Deadpool and had Clint assigned to him. But after three days, Clint returned and argued against recruiting Deadpool. Fury agreed. No questions asked. They still kept tabs on him, but they avoided associating with him at all cost."

"That's not good," Pepper said, wondering how deranged Deadpool must be for SHIELD and Clint to back off from him. "Tony, if Deadpool comes after Peter—"

"He won't," Tony swore. "I'll make sure of it."

Pepper narrowed her gaze, warily studying him. "Tony... what do you mean by that?" she questioned him. "You're not planning on going on anymore 'guy trips' somewhere, are you?"

Tony played all innocent. "Of course not," he said. "I know better than to confront Deadpool without a far stronger back-up."

"Tony—"

"Honey, it's okay. I'm not going off to confront Deadpool," Tony avowed to her. "That would be reckless and stupid."

Pepper wrangled a brow. "Almost sounds like you're describing yourself there."

"My old self," Tony countered. "I have responsibilities now. Like to you. To Peter and May. And to this upcoming Accord signing-meeting-thing we are hosting. When is it again?"

"It's in a few days," Pepper informed him as she reached for her Starkpad that was on the coffee table. "Guests will be arriving soon. The old team and some new members like Ant-Man will be coming to read, review, discuss and sign the new Accords. We need to get everyone and everything situated upon arrival."

"Right." He didn't look entirely thrilled at the prospect, but surrendered to it nonetheless. "Who's arriving first?"

"King T'Challa of Wakanda," Pepper replied as she scanned the schedule on her Starkpad. "He is coming in two days and the Dora Milaje requested an outline of security of the compound."

"Fine." Tony said, dropping on the couch. He lifted her swollen feet and placed them on his lap. He started to massage them as he occasionally did to help ease the discomfort of her pregnancy. "They can have it."

"King T'Challa also requested another bedroom."

"What?" Tony said. "What does he need another bedroom for?"

"Apparently, the princess is tagging along," Pepper answered.

"Really? I thought one must always be in Wakanda?"

"You're thinking of Game of Thrones," Pepper said, remembering they still needed to finish watching the last two seasons. The past two years have been busy for them to enjoy any down-time. "Anyway, I thought we could give him, his sister and their entourage the entire fifth floor."

Tony waved his hand graphically. "Sure. Okay," he said. He dropped his head against the couch, letting out a stream of exhaust. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Everything," Tony replied. "From arranging meetings to coordinating travel with others halfway across the globe all while pregnant. I mean... how are you not completely exhausted?"

"I am."

"You don't look it," he said. "I look like I aged an additional ten years since last night and you look the same as ten years ago."

Pepper's cheeks turned a bit rosy. "Well, I guess I have good genes," she quipped. "Or I am just better at dealing with it than you. Hmmm, let's say both."

Tony favored her with a silly face. She shook her head and as she went to check who was coming next, she felt a little a pop near her bladder. She groaned. "I have to use the bathroom again," she complained, pulling her feet away from Tony.

"Need help up?"

Pepper shook her head. "I got it. Need to get some exercise in."

She waddled to the bathroom. Since her belly's gotten larger, she had to go to the bathroom almost every hour. She found it annoying, but what could she do about it? Nothing until the baby was born and even then, her bladder won't be normal for another three months.

She headed for the toilet, but already she started leaking. "Shoot," Pepper said, embarrassed. It was not the first time she didn't make it to the toilet.

A cramp tore into her abdomen. She cringed, bending over a bit in reaction to the pain that followed. She continued leaking, but more. It came out of her in a rush, half of her legs were covered in what didn't look like urine nor smelled like it.

It hit her. Panic froze her face and heart as she stared at the puddle underneath her.

"Tony?" Pepper trembled, watching the pale-straw colored water stream down her leg. "Tony… Tony!"

"I'm right here, Pep. I'm right beside you."

Pepper barely heard Tony's words. Too busy concentrating on reining in the pain to listen to Tony. With each contraction came a domineering agony that tortured Pepper into submission. Those seconds of pain stretched into infinity and there was nothing Pepper could do.

"Breathe, Pepper. You gotta breathe."

If she could, she would have snapped at Tony. Of course she knows to breathe! It was simply too hard to breathe as sharp pangs convulsed her lower half of her body. When the pain ceased, it was only for a brief moment to which Pepper tightly inhaled. Something kept patting her forehead. A cool, wet cloth dabbed the crown of her heard and she felt strands of her hair sticking to her skin. It did nothing to cool the heat burning in her head. It only irritated her more.

She snatched the cloth from the person's hand. "Stop it!" she shouted, throwing it across the room.

Pepper dropped her head on the pillow. Another contraction broke her open and Pepper cried out, eyes shut as she closed off everything outside her body. She needed to focus. Concentrate on subduing the pain. Relax.

Another contraction burst onto the scene and it was devastating. Hers hands grabbed onto anything close, squeezing it to death as a scream reverberated within her and out.

A door opened and feet scurried. "Cervical dilation is good," someone said. "Time to push."

"What about the drugs?" Tony demanded.

"It's too late for that. The baby is coming."

Baby. Her baby was coming. Oh God. Oh God.

"Ms. Potts?"

Pepper weakly opened her eyes. Someone stood over her. Their face was covered by a green hairnet and green mouth mask. "Ms. Potts?" the nurse addressed her. "We need you to start pushing."

They sat her up and Pepper instinctively knew what to do. She kept her chin down and rounded her back, forcing her abdominal muscles to assist her uterus in pushing the baby out. She bared down and, upon the doctor's command, pushed as hard as possible.

"Good. Very good," the doctor said. "Again."

She pushed again. And again and again and again.

Pepper raggedly panted, unable to get enough air in her lungs to keep going. She fell back against the three tower pillow behind her back, face covered in sweat and all her muscles seemingly torn into pieces. She had no strength left. She couldn't do it. For once in her life, Pepper couldn't do it.

Tears welled in her eyes. "I-I can't do this."

Tony appeared in her line of vision. Lines stretched across his face, crevicing in distress. "You can do this," he urged her. "Come on, Pep. You can do it."

Pepper shook her head, crying freely. "I can't," she whimpered, eyes cast away in humiliation and defeat. "Tony—I'm sorry."

"No, Pepper, don't give up," Tony pressed, brushing the wet strings of her hair away from her face. "You can do this."

She shook her head, tears streaming all down her red face. "I'm not strong enough," she muttered, looking at her weak, frail body. "I'm not like you. I'm no hero. I-I'm not brave. I want to be, but it hurts. It hurts too much."

Tony's hands cupped the side of her face, pulling her close so that their eyes met. Pepper struggled to look at him, not wishing to see his disappointment. But, Tony refused to let her hide away from him.

"You're right. You're not like me," Tony started, looking longingly and lovingly at her despite her disheveled appearance. "You are far stronger than I ever could be. Braver than I ever will be. You, Virginia Potts, you are my hero."

Pepper didn't know whether to laugh or cry or smack him. She wanted to do all three to be truthful, but all she did was stare back into those dark brown eyes, falling into that gaze with love and hope.

Tony sucked in a breath. "I know you can do this. You are the most capable person I ever met," he insisted. "You can do it. Just one more push."

"Uh," came the doctor's voice, "not exactly."

"Shut it," Tony said from the corner of his mouth. He focused back on Pepper. "You can do this, Pepper. I got you."

Pepper's eyes flickered back up to Tony. "I got you first," she muttered as she sat back up.

She deeply inhaled. Tony surrendered his hand to her. Pepper took one last glance at Tony. Together. They can do it together. Pepper bared down, pushing and squeezing every muscle in her body to get that baby out of her.

"Good," the doctor said. "Keep pushing. You're doing great."

"Come on, Pepper," Tony's voice filled her head. "I believe in you."

Pepper pushed again, screaming against the pain as her lungs expanded.

"I got a head!" the doctor exclaimed.

A head? Did he say a head? She frantically looked to Tony, whose face paled a bit, but he reassured her with a nod.

The doctor picked his head up again. "Keep going, Ms. Potts! Keep pushing!"

Pepper pushed and pushed. She embraced the pain, channeling it in her screams and through her connection with Tony. People cheered her on, giving her encouragement as the doctor kept repeating something over and over. But, Pepper didn't hear any of it. All she heard was Tony's voice and her own, telling her that her child needed her to stay strong.

And then a third voice broke through that barrier. A high-pitch wail that shattered the pain. The doctor was handed a pair of scissors and he snipped something right away. The wail continued and Pepper's heart beat faster as she fell back against the pillows.

The doctor handed something off to a nurse, who wrapped it out of their sight.

"What's wrong?" Pepper asked, her voice sounded so weak.

"Nothing's wrong," Tony insisted, but something must be wrong. She could still hear wailing. And everyone was ignoring her.

"What's wrong?" Pepper demanded, trying to see among the sea of scrubs.

The doctor turned back to her. "Nothing's wrong," he assured her, rising up from his stool.

The nurse from earlier returned, holding a wrapped blanket. She walked over to Pepper's bedside, lowering her arms to reveal a tiny, pink face, squished into a fickle state. Its little nose twitched as the mouth opened and squeaked a cry.

"Congratulations," the doctor said. "You have a beautiful baby."

All the breath went out of Pepper's body. That was her baby. The baby she carried for nine month and three weeks. Without thought, she lifted her hands, reaching for her baby. The nurse carefully slid the newborn into Pepper's outstretched arms. But the baby was heavier than Pepper expected and her weak arms struggled to hold the stirring newborn.

Then a large hand slipped under her own, supporting Pepper's hold so that she could embrace her baby. Pepper knew it was Tony. She didn't even need to look to know. She drew her baby to her chest, elation at seeing her baby for the first time. She took it all in. A mass of dark hair overtook the baby's head and its nascent eyes opened, staring endlessly up at her.

Pepper cried. She was a blubbering fool as overwhelming love consumed her. Even in her exhaustion, Pepper beamed, the old pain vanishing within seconds as the baby's mouth rooted for milk.

An unsteady sniffle sounded behind her. Pepper pried her eyes away from the baby to look behind her. Tony was there. Hadn't moved from his spot, but something was different.

Tears. Tony was crying. Not in sadness. Tony's expression was one of awe inspiring as tears slid down his cheek. He snuffled again, brushing away at his eye.

"My dad's right," Tony uttered.

Pepper raised her brows. "What?"

He answered with a kiss on her temple, not at all disgusted by the sweat and smell. Pepper leaned into his kiss as she drew up their baby closer to both of them. She didn't know what Tony meant, but the unconditional love and wonder in Tony's gaze meant it was something good.

The baby let out a little scream and they both turned to it, smiling proudly and in love.

The doctor and nurses departed once they did the necessary measurements and check-ups on their child. They talked a bit about the baby's health and what Pepper needed to do after that intense labor. Apparently, the birthing process lasted closer to two hours, which explained her weak state.

The doctors fixed up Tony's hand as well. During the last moments of the birth, her grip sprained a few of Tony's fingers. They were slightly bluish in color, but the doctor wrapped his fingers well and gave him an ice pack with instructions for care. Pepper apologized, but Tony dismissed it with a little, wry grin. "It's nothing that I probably didn't deserve at some point."

Once Pepper and Tony healed, rested and had time to spend with their little one, they decided it was time to reveal their newest member to their family. Avengers family at least, considering that Pepper's parents were in Florida and haven't yet arrived to meet their grandchild.

Tony went to fetch them. The doctor informed them that their friends have been out in the waiting from ever since she was admitted, which was at least four hours ago.

Pepper relaxed in her new room, holding her little one. The baby had fallen asleep, completely trusting her. She couldn't believe how innocent and how vulnerable a little baby could be. As she continued admiring the baby, there was a knock at the door and Tony's head poke in.

"Hey," Tony whispered as to not disturb the sleeping baby. "You ready for visitors?"

Pepper nodded, waving him to enter. "Yeah."

Tony entered and held the door open for the others to come into the room. The first to come through was Steve Rogers. Dressed in sweatpants and a simple grey shirt, he looked like he was aroused from bed to the come to the hospital wing, but he didn't look at all tired. Next was Peter Parker. He had a few bags underneath his eyes, but the excitement kept him awake.

"Oh, wow," Peter muttered in amazement as he moved further to make room for Happy, who followed him.

Then Rhodes came through the doorway, looking from Pepper to the baby to Tony with a proud grin on his face. He clapped Tony on the back. "Congrats man," he said, closing the door behind him to grant them privacy.

"Thank you, but Pepper did all the work," Tony commented as he went to stand beside her. "So, um, I guess this is when we reveal—"

The door opened again and a large, pink balloon swooped into the room followed by a frilly bear wearing pink bows in its ears. May Parker squeezed her way through the door, cheeks flustered red as she balanced the gift basket in her arms.

She set the basket on the visitor's chair, giving a clear view to everyone what the sign read on the tower of diapers in the basket: It's a Girl!

May brushed back her hair from her face. "Did I miss anything?" she asked as she went over to stand next to her nephew.

Tony deflated. "Well, there goes the surprise," he muttered as everyone glanced from the gift basket to the baby in Pepper's arms. "Yeah, it's a girl. We have a daughter."

A burst of congratulations came around Pepper's bed. Everyone was pleased by the news, while a few were surprised that May knew of the gender before anyone else.

"I've known the gender since it the trimester," May informed her nephew, who asked how she knew. "Pepper told me after her visit."

True, she confided in May the gender of her baby. She was excited to be having a girl. Could use more girls around the compound. Plus, Pepper always wanted a baby girl. A daughter of her own.

Rhodes peaked over the bed, looking down at the baby's sleeping face. "Has your dark hair, Tones," he observed. "I still hope she grows up looking more like Pepper though."

"Funny, Rhodey," Tony fired back. "She's going to rule the world one day. Just you wait."

Steve assessed the baby's face with a small smile. "You got a beautiful child, Ms. Potts," he commented. "What's her name? This future ruler?"

Tony glanced to Pepper. "You want to tell them? Or should I?"

"I'll do it," Pepper decided and she shifted her little one in her arms so they all could see the baby.

Their reactions were funny. Steve's face transformed into a big smile. May wrapped an arm around her nephew, pulling him to her side. Peter looked at the baby to Tony and then to Pepper, trying to find facial traces of them in the infant. He still looked star-struck, eyes wide at the sight of the baby. Happy had his hands in his pockets, relaxed and smiling almost like a proud uncle. Rhodey was the same with his hands clasped behind his back, taking in the darling picture of hers and Tony's baby sleeping in her arms.

"Everyone, this is Maria," Pepper introduced with a smile, "…Maria May Stark."