Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or any of its characters and lines from the movie used in this story. What is written here is for entertainment purposes only. I do not make any profits from it.

"—Ony?"

Tony's eyelids flitted back up. The gentle scratch of fingernails on his head, giving him the satisfying feeling that massage therapists could never manage, had successfully managed to lure him to sleep.

Well, almost.

He replied to Pepper's inquiry with the softest of hums.

"You still there, honey?"

"Sorry, junior tired me out." He blinked a couple times and then let his hand rub over the curve of Pepper's bare belly.

She was naked. As was he. There was something different about their lovemaking now that Pepper was pregnant.

Pepper giggled. "Oh, I'm sorry that simply talking to the baby is making you sleepy. At least your kidneys don't have the fortunate job of being punching bag."

Tony chuckled, placing his mouth on the skin of Pepper's belly.

"Hey, stop it, alright kid? Mom's tired of going to the bathroom every five seconds."

To Pepper he said, "I could stay like this forever."

"I should have gotten pregnant a long time ago if I had known it would get you to stay still this long." Pepper giggled.

Tony rarely ever stayed put. Always flying around the city with Pepper chasing after him.

Tony kissed her belly and hummed happily.

"I didn't think we'd ever get here, you know, that you'd ever come back."

Tony sighed. Neither did he. As far as he wanted to remember it, he went to space, he didn't like it, and he came back home.

But it wasn't like that. It wasn't a field trip that he just decided he disliked and got out of.

"Sometimes it feels like I never left," he confessed. "Almost as if I'm still up there and this is all a dream."

He could see the images of battle playing out like a movie whenever he closed his eyes. If he tried hard enough, he could smell the steel and blood. Being with Pepper helped abate it, but not a lot

Pepper's hand left Tony's hair.

The loss made Tony crane his neck to look at her. She looked angry.

"If this is a dream, I'll kill anybody who tries to wake us up."

And Tony was sure she'd do it. She had killed before. Twice, in fact, to protect him.

He shook his head and moved up to lie on his side next to her, their faces inches apart, her belly touching his stomach.

"That's enough killing. We've lost too much blood already. I just want to rest, Pep. I want to stay here with you. I don't want to leave."

"We have to get out of bed someday, Tony."

"That's not what I meant." Tony debated telling her about his plans to retire. But has retirement ever really worked out for him?

"I know what you meant, honey." Pepper pressed her forehead to his.

She whispered, "Then don't leave. If being Iron Man is taking a toll on you, then stop. Don't ever leave us. Just stay." She grasped his hand and brought it to rest over her stomach.

Tony nodded, closing the gap and kissing her.

He woke up in a cold spaceship, the ghost of Pepper's kiss on his lips.

Tony shut his eyes again and turned to his side, wincing at Nebula's suture.

He tried imagining Pepper again, the color of her hair, the curve of her smile, the feel of their baby in her stomach.

Morgan.

His shut his eyes tighter.

If Pepper really was pregnant and Tony wasn't there—God, he needed to get home.