Yes, you are getting some Daddy-Tony in this chapter. It might be a little off character, but I wanted to test this out. So, here you are. Enjoy :)

Tony pulled a pillow over his head. He was about to fall into a blissful sleep, sprawled out in bed, sheets half on half off him, a pillow set over his head and Pepper by his side. Pepper was already asleep beside him and he turned to look at her. She had bags under her eyes, put there by all the recent days trying to balance her job and home life.

She deserved every second of sleep she could get. He brushed a thumb over her cheek softly.

He almost fell asleep observing her, so happy that they'd get through one night without the interruption. But, Tony wasn't always right, despite popular belief. The crying started. Pepper shifted next to him, her peaceful sleep disturbed.

Her eyes blinked open slowly and she sighed. He could see the weariness behind her blue-green eyes. "Ferron's crying again." She stated, almost to herself.

Tony frowned, laying on his back. "That kid's got quite the pair of lungs, doesn't he?"

Pepper breathed in deeply and for once, Tony piped up. "I'll take this one, if you want me to." Pepper turned to look at him, disbelief flashing briefly across her face. "Really? You'd do that?"

Tony sat up and kissed her softly on the lips. "Of course." Pepper propped herself up with an elbow. "Can you handle it?" She worried.

Tony grinned. "I'm a Stark. I can handle anything."

Well, Tony forgot that Ferron was also a Stark. And he also forgot that Starks are very stubborn. He cradled the small baby and paced across the room, trying to hush his son. "C'mon, Gears, your mom needs her sleep. She's got a job to handle and us to look after. We've got to cut her some slack here."

Yet, the babe was having none of it. He wailed his little heart out, his toothless pink gums showing. Tony hushed some more, to no avail. He shut the nursery door, hoping to soundproof the room so Pepper would believe he was handling this.

He tried thinking of what Pepper normally did to calm their son. He remembered her once walking all over the floor with him, through the hallway and the kitchen and living room and past the bar. So Tony got up, tucking the crying child safely in his arms and walked into the hallway. He walked slowly past the bedroom and into the living room. He swayed back and forth and paced through the rooms. Ferron however, wasn't impressed by his walking. His face was turning red from the amount of noise he was producing. Tony was almost positive that Clint and Natasha would be able to hear him from three floors below them.

Damn it, what else did she do? He groaned as he remembered. Pepper had surprised Tony one night by singing to Ferron. She had a soft and sweet singing voice, calming and soothing, especially to a little baby such as Ferron. He'd never heard Pepper sing without him sneaking around. He found out that she sang a lot when he wasn't around.

Tony really didn't want to sing. So he hummed instead. He made up all kinds of tunes, nothing in particular. He realised he'd have to go the full length as the baby didn't calm. He thought desperately for a song that he could remember the words to. Unfortunately, all songs that came to him included heavy rock and he didn't think that would cut it for putting his son to sleep.

He wracked his brain harder, then groaned once more. This kid was bringing out every little thing he really didn't want exposed. Such as the fact that he did happen to know some softer, rock ballads, despite the fact that every else believed all he knew was AC DC.

"Oh c'mon, do me a solid, Ferron and don't make me sing."

Nope, he was singing.

In fact, he could really recall the lyrics to a particular Journey ballad. He started to sing softly, one not to wake Pepper and two, so she wouldn't hear him singing, a soft rock ballad, of all things. He' never be able to live it down if she heard him.

"Lying beside you, here in the dark, Feeling your heartbeat with mine,"

The singing started to come more naturally with each word, so he let his voice strengthen a little with each verse. "Softly you whisper, you're so sincere, how could our love be so blind."

He gently swayed with each musical word. Ferron's excessive screaming was easing. "We sailed on together, we drifted apart, and hear you are, by my side."

Ferron had become some what interested in what his father was doing. He wasn't used to this. Normally, he heard a soft voice, singing of a "baby mine". But it was different this time. This person had a slightly rougher and deeper voice, yet it was gentle and soothing. Ferron was fascinated.

"So now I come to you, with open arms, nothing to hide, believe what I say. So here I am, with open arms, hoping you'll see, what your love means to me, open arms."

Tony loved the curious face of his baby. It was so innocent and wide-eyed that he couldn't help but grin as he sang. Ferron almost seemed perplexed as he listened, making soft gurgling noises. The kid was pretty adorable, Tony had to admit, with his big hazel eyes and his slowly growing locks of brunette hair. He was going to be a handsome boy, he could already. Taking after his father, Tony thought with a small grin.

"Living without you, living alone, this empty house seems so cold. Wanting to hold you, wanting you near, how much I wanted you home."

Pepper woke up a few minutes after Tony had left the room. She was surprised to hear no wailing from their baby. She had honestly expected that she'd have to get out of bed and deal with the crying herself, but she must've been wrong about Tony's parenting abilities.

That's when she heard the softest of noises. A soft musical noise, deep yet soft and tender. She slowly crawled out of bed and walked down the hallway towards the noise. She hid behind the corner of the wall when she spotted Tony cradling Ferron in front of the door way.

He was singing.

She'd never heard him sing like this. When he sang, it was loud and obnoxious and always a drum-pounding-guitar-strumming rock song. She strained her ears to hear.

. . . how much I wanted you home. But now that you've come back, turned night into day, I need you to stay."

She watched as Ferron was silent and watched his father with slowly closing eyes. She had her misgivings about Tony as a father, but all her doubts were swept away. She could've listened to him sing to her baby all night, but instead she let him be, retracing her steps back to her bed. The memory was forever locked into her mind.

Tony went on to the last verse, as Ferron's eyes were closing.

"So now I come to you, with open arms, nothing to hide, believe what I say. So here I am, with open arms, hoping you'll see, what your love means to me,"

He pulled Ferron close so he was against Tony's chest, where he could hear his father's heartbeat. He briefly remembered Pepper explaining to him that babies liked hearing heartbeats because it reminded them of the womb.

Ferron's eyes closed as he fell asleep.

"Open Arms."

Tony made his way quietly to Ferron's bedroom. He approached the crib and gently lowered the babe into it after placing a soft kiss on his forehead. He had had his doubts about being father; he hadn't had much of one as a child and he wasn't exactly "perfect father" material. But his kid seemed to like him. And Tony already loved the little guy fiercely.

Even if he did make him sing.

He pulled the blanket up around and the baby slept on peacefully. Tony sighed and left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. He crawled back into bed next to Pepper. "He asleep?" She mumbled softly next to him.

"Yeah. He's asleep." Tony assured her, close enough now to feel the warmth eminating from her. She smiled, before closing her eyes. Tony fell asleep before she did. He probably thought he was safe, that she'd never know about his surprisingly wonderful singing. She wouldn't tell him yet, but don't put it past her to have him sing for her in the future more often. In fact, she'd welcome it with open arms.

Please review. :) Next: Milestone