RDJ, in his most recent interview with EW, has certainly given us some clues as to what we might expect for our couple's foreseeable future! So of COURSE that has lent me some much appreciated inspiration for this chapter. I knew what I wanted to have happen. I just wasn't sure quite how to get there until now! So here we are! I hope you enjoy it!
P.S- We're all aware of the doom and gloom they say we should expect in IW. But you know what? I'm going to pretend like we won't have to say goodbye to anyone we love in this universe, and keep writing them in to my fics for the time being. (Not that I know who that might be! I don't! I know nothing! I promise!)
Anyway! Happy Reading! And LONG LIVE PEPPERONY!
The ceremony had gone off without a hitch. Tony had managed to articulate his vows in a way that truly did, as promised, sound brand new to Pepper's ears. And, of course, she cried. Again.
After they'd pledged a lifetime of love and fidelity to each other in front of all who were invited to attend, and been officially declared husband and wife, they, their wedding party, and their guests left St. Thomas's church for the reception, which was being held at an ultra modern, outdoor roof top hotel banquet room in the heart of the city. It was a location they'd both fallen in love with the moment they'd seen it a couple of months ago with their wedding planner. It overlooked the skyline of greater Los Angeles, which would soon be coming alive in the dwindling light of the early evening- making it even more of an enchanting and romantic location.
"I can't wait to see it. It'll be spectacular, I'm sure," Pepper remarked about it during the limo ride over.
"Of course it will be, my lovely bride. You'll be there. Anywhere you are is spectacular," Tony cooed in reply. He grinned at his new wife and moved closer to her, putting an arm across her body and pulling her close. She giggled at his cheesy, but none the less very sweet, sentiment, and leaned into him to lovingly kiss his lips.
When the kiss broke, they smiled widely at each other, and Tony touched his forehead to hers, still holding her in his arms. "And you look spectacular, by the way," he commented, admiring her dress once more before bringing his eyes back up to hers. "You took my breath away as soon as the chapel doors opened," he murmured.
Pepper gave him a wry smirk. "Surely it's better than the slip and bustier ensemble you saw me in earlier?" she teased.
Tony chuckled, and then furrowed his brow, pretending to seriously contemplate her question. "Um? That one was spectacular for a whole other set of reasons," he explained, making Pepper giggle.
"And, about that- I technically didn't break protocol on upholding any tradition. I mean, we saw each other before the ceremony, yes. But you weren't in the whole bridal..." Tony paused to clear his throat, and make one-fingered air quotes. " 'Gettup' yet, so..." He clucked his tongue, and teetered his head from side to side. "I still think we're gonna be okay in the marital bliss department after all. Wouldn't you agree, Mrs. Stark?" he purred.
Pepper grinned, and gently grasped between her fingertips the locket he'd given her as a good luck charm that was hanging around her neck. "Oh, we'll be more than okay. We'll be... spectacular, let's say, since that seems to be the word of the day," she cooed in reply, with a knowing smirk and a teasing glint in her eye. They both chuckled, and she moved to gently kiss his lips again. When the kiss broke, she turned her focus to opening the locket. Tony watched her do this, their eyes settling on the pictures he'd placed inside it of the two of them. Then Pepper gently pushed the center frame he'd added to one of the sides so they could admire their unborn child together as well.
Tony let out a contented sigh, and gave her an affectionate squeeze, turning his head briefly to place a light kiss on her temple before turning his eyes back to the picture of their baby. He slid his hand from around her waist to her lower abdomen, smoothing his hand in a loving circle over the area once before leaving it to rest there.
"You're already pretty spectacular, too, Mini-Stark," he murmured in reverent admiration to his child, his eyes lingering on Pepper's stomach before he slowly brought them up to meet his wife's loving gaze.
She gave him a tearful, adoring smile and Tony smiled back, lifting his lips to hers once more, and kissing her softly. And this is how they stayed for the rest of the ride to their reception- softly kissing, with Tony's hand laid protectively over the top of the life they'd created now growing inside of her, hidden from the world, known only to them. Which begged the question in his mind- Now that he and Pepper were married, when would they finally get to reveal this happy secret? Since the wedding was over, and they no longer had to fear Pepper waking one day with an obvious baby bump that hadn't yet been explained to the public for the reason that they first wanted to be married before they announced the news, the very thought of them finally being free to make this announcement made Tony's pulse quicken in hopeful anticipation. This would be the final step in leaving his old life behind, and stepping into the new role of loving husband, doting family man, and responsible citizen of the world. And he could hardly wait to take it.
XxXxXxXxXxXx
"I say it'll happen in a year," Rhodey wagered, holding a half-full champagne flute in his hand, and pointing at Steve Rogers with the corresponding forefinger.
Steve's eyebrows shot up, as he took a sip from the glass he was holding. "I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet," he replied, flicking his eyes to the happy couple on the dance floor they were speaking of, who were currently enjoying their first dance as a married couple, and then back again to the groom's best man.
"10 bucks," Rhodey said. "10 bucks says by the end of next year, a nursery gets added onto the compound."
"Yeah, I'll take that bet. God knows Tony's wanted to settle down with Pepper and have a family for years now," Steve said. "But something tells me we won't have to wait that long."
"Okay, 6 months then. I'll give you six months. If they announce they're pregnant before six months from today, you win. Any time after that until the end of next year, you owe me," Rhodey offered.
Steve nodded, and the two men shook hands in agreement. "You're on, Colonel," Steve said.
Natasha had been listening to and watching this exchange, as she was standing close by, and she rolled her eyes. "Men," she grumbled. "Why does everything always have to be a competition?"
"What is? What's a competition?" Happy asked, joining the group.
Rhodey nodded at his long-time acquaintance. "Cap and I have a bet going. The Starks will get pregnant by the end of next year, I say," he informed him. "And Steve thinks it'll be less than 6 months."
"Yeah, I'm in. I'll take that bet," Happy said, nodding, making Natasha roll her eyes once more in disdain. "Only I'm gonna say it'll be less than 3," he said, holding up three fingers. "And I see your $10, and raise you $20."
Rhodey let out a surprised Ohh! and Steve whistled in disbelief. "You're cutting it close, Hogan. You prepared to part with your money?" Rhodey joked.
"Not me, Pal. You. You watch. It won't be long before a nursery gets added to the compound," Happy replied.
Rhodey spluttered. "That's what I said!" he cried.
They all chuckled, and then Rhodey nodded to Natasha. "Nat, what's your take on all of this? What do you think?" he asked her.
Natasha shook her head. "I think you all played too much poker last night," she replied. "And I'm staying out of their procreative business, if you don't mind."
Just then, Bruce joined the group and they all started to chatter again about the wager that had been placed between Rhodey, Happy, and Steve. Bruce found he was in agreement with Natasha- that this wasn't a matter that should be gambled on, and it was best left alone with the dignity and privacy he felt it deserved. Not that he didn't catch some good-natured ribbing from the other guys for going along with Natasha's point of view.
The song ended, and the guests clapped for the newlyweds. When the band began the next tune, Tony and Pepper left the dance floor. Tony kept his arm around his wife's waist as they walked toward the group.
"We were just talking about you guys," Rhodey informed his best friend once the couple had reached them.
Tony and Pepper both raised their eyebrows and looked at each other, then back at the group. "Oh, yeah?" Tony said, cocking one of his eyebrows questioningly. "And what was the topic, pray tell?"
"Babies. Specifically, yours," Natasha replied drolly. "When you'll be announcing the existence of your first prospective offspring to be exact."
Pepper cast a cautious, sidelong glance at her husband as if to ask if somehow their secret had been divulged without their knowledge, to which he shrugged, and then they both looked back at Natasha. "Oh?" Tony said, trying to look innocent.
Natasha swallowed a sip of champagne from the flute she was holding and nodded. "A very dignified debate, as you can imagine," she joked.
Tony and Pepper looked at each other again, and he moved to quietly murmur something to her. "Do you think they know? Should we tell them and set the record straight? It only seems fair," he said, keeping his voice in a low, hushed tone, inaudible to the group.
"I don't know. I mean how could they! We haven't said a word to anyone," Pepper reminded him, softly whispering. "But..." she paused for a moment, chewing her lip nervously, and glanced anxiously at everyone before she turned her eyes back to her husband. She shrugged. "I suppose we should. I mean, we said we'd do it after the wedding, didn't we?"
Tony nodded in agreement, the excitement he felt before for this moment's arrival suddenly stirring furiously in him again, making his lips quirk upward, and his eyes sparkle with giddy anticipation. "Then let's do this. Best to give the people what they want, right?" he asked playfully. Pepper chuckled and nodded. "Okay, then. Here goes nothing," he said, nodding once in the affirmative, and grinning. He grasped one of her hands, and brought the back of it to his lips to kiss before he turned his attention back to the group. "We...um...might be able to settle this debate here and now as to when the missus and I will officially begin the arduous business of procreation," he told them with mock ceremony. "But first, I require a glass of champagne, if you please?" he said, cocking an eyebrow, the corners of his lips turned upward into a mischievous smirk.
"Got it," Natasha volunteered, quickly turning to walk to a nearby drink table to swipe one. She soon returned with a fresh glass for Tony. He graciously took it from her, and she and Pepper shared glances. Natasha winked at her knowingly, and Pepper blushed as she realized that her friend hadn't asked her if she'd like one, as well. That was no accident. I should've known she was already on to us, Pepper instantly deduced, blushing as she averted her eyes from Natasha's probing gaze back to the group in general, and squaring her shoulders in confidence to await the reaction of their friends to the news. She smiled broadly, finding it difficult to quell her own nervous excitement that bubbled up inside her.
Tony cleared his throat loudly, and spoke up, so as to address them all. "What Mrs. Stark and I should tell you all is that..." he began dramatically. Then he smirked, and looked back at wife. "I don't know. Is now a good time, honey? Do you really think they need to know when we're gonna..." he joked, torturing their friends with keeping them in suspense.
"Spill it, Stark! Out with it already!" Rhodey demanded, cutting his friend off.
"Yeah, get on with it. We're dying over here," Happy jokingly chimed in.
"Alright, alright. Keep your shirts on," Tony replied, feigning annoyance, but then smirking in amusement. "I guess what we actually want to say is that..." he began, pausing to look intently into his wife's eyes so that she knew it was he who might be saying the words, but it was they who were announcing this news together. Pepper could see this in his eyes, and she gave him an encouraging nod in reply. He smiled, and then brought his gaze back to the group. His eyes scanned once more over the faces anxiously watching him, and he took a deep breath. "We are, in fact, already pregnant," he finally revealed, his voice thick with both paternal pride and personal gratitude toward being able to share this moment with their friends.
Surprised gasps and cheers erupted from the small group, and Tony and Pepper both beamed at the response, an overwhelming sense of relief instantly washing over the both of them. They smiled widely at one another, and Pepper cupped her husband's cheeks, kissing his lips firmly as he hugged her tightly around the waist. When the kiss broke, Tony pulled back to look into her eyes. "Boy, that feels good, doesn't it?" he said.
Pepper grinned. "It feels spectacular," she replied. They both chuckled, and kissed each other's lips once more.
"Yeahhhhh!" Happy bellowed, jabbing fingers at Rhodey and Steve. "I called it, suckers! That was me! I win! Pay up! Where's my money? Hand it over," he demanded good-naturedly.
Natasha ran up to Pepper to hug her. "Congratulations, Pepper. You both so deserve this," she said, giving her friend an admiring smile.
Pepper graciously smiled back. "Thank you, Natasha. That's means so much," she told her with deep sincerity. "But something tells me you already knew."
Natasha smiled slyly and shrugged. "Let's just say I had a hunch. Besides, you two whispering to each other before making the big announcement couldn't have been because you suddenly felt the need to go over the grocery list. What else would you have been in a huddle about at that moment?" she asked.
Pepper chuckled, and nodded. "Yes, I suppose you're right," she conceded.
People stepped forward to clink glasses with Tony's in celebration, after which he downed the contents of the glass and set it down at a nearby table for someone from the wait staff to pick up. After Steve and Rhodey made their mutual payouts on the outcome of the bet to Happy, Rhodey walked up to his best friend and pulled him into a back-slapping brotherly hug. "I'm happy for you guys. Couldn't be more excited. You deserve this, man. Every bit of it," he told Tony.
"Thanks, Rhodey. You got dibs on Godfather, by the way. She and I have already discussed it," Tony said, gesturing between Pepper and himself.
Rhodey chuckled, and nodded in agreement. "I'd be honored," he said. He then reached out to hug Pepper. "So happy for you guys. Congratulations," he said again, after the embrace. "But my question is- how long have you known? And how on Earth did you both manage to keep it a secret? Pepper I can see, but you?" Rhodey said, pointing at Tony. "Everybody knows you're a blabber mouth."
Tony laughed, and the couple looked at each other. "Uh, well first of all, we've known for two months, right?" Tony asked his wife. "And yeah. You bet! Keeping this a secret has been torture, believe me! I wanted to shout it from the mountain tops. She literally had to keep me from hiring a Sherpa to help me climb Everest at one point," he joked. "Not to mention that fact that I proposed the second she told me. Not formally, I guess. That came later, as we all know. But those were the first words out of my mouth, weren't they, honey?"
She chuckled and nodded. "They were, yes! But make no mistake! At first, I thought he was going to pass out when I told him the news! But, then, as soon as he came out of the initial shock of it all, he asked me to marry him. Just like that," she happily agreed. "And the rest, as they say, is history."
Rhodey chuckled. "So I guess that solves the mystery, then," he said.
Tony cocked an inquisitive eyebrow. "What mystery?" he asked.
"Everybody wondered why you two got back together so fast," he explained. "Not much of a break you both claimed you needed. We all figured you'd decided you couldn't live without each other or something," Rhodey joked.
Tony and Pepper looked at each other and laughed. "Well we can't," Tony confirmed, wrapping both his arms around his wife's waist. "But that's beside the point. We both wanted to get married as soon as possible before Junior, here, decided to make his or her presence known to the world," he said, nodding toward Pepper's middle.
Rhodey nodded in understanding. "Ahhh. Makes sense," he said. "So...if you don't mind my asking, how far along are you?"
Pepper smiled, and laid a hand on her stomach. "12 weeks," she said. "13 in two days."
"She'll be starting to show any day, now, we're told," Tony said proudly, moving to lay his hand over Pepper's. "Perfect timing for a honeymoon, huh?"
Rhodey nodded in agreement. "Boy, I'll say," he affirmed. He shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe it. You guys really do have it all now, don't you?"
The couple smiled widely at their friend, and then turned their eyes to look lovingly at each other. "We really do," Tony mused. For a moment, his mind flickered to a memory from the past, and the words of an old friend drifted into his ears.
You're the man who has everything. And nothing, Yinsen's voice murmured.
But NOW, I really AM the man who has everything, Tony thought to himself. He set his jaw in proud resolve, and nodded once to himself, as he was never more sure of anything in his life. A wide grin spread quickly over his lips in immense joy over the thought that he finally had what he'd fought to get for so long. Love, a family, and a life worth fighting for. All the reasons WHY I kept fighting, he thought. And why I'll KEEP fighting, no matter what.