Disclaimer: All characters other than some friendly nurses don't belong to me.
Warnings: I don't know for sure yet but there might be some swearing in the next few chapters so I'm rating it to be sure.
This fanfiction will be set in the Iron Man 1 movie, I hope I find the inspiration to continue it through the second movie and the avengers. If there are things unclear don't hesitate to ask me about them in a review, I'll always try to answer them.
So I now proudly present Life isn't always fair! Chapter 3
Happy kept glancing in his back mirror to watch his boss sitting on the back seat with a toddler on his lap.
"We need to by a bed, and a closet filled with clothing. Oh and a bookcase filled with books, a toy box and lots and lots of movies. I don't have movies you can watch. Oh and a car seat. We need to have a car seat for when we go on adventure together. Let's see, Pepper can run down the store to get some healthy food for you and we'll be going out for dinner tonight."
"Sir? Does Miss Potts know you adopted a boy?" asked Happy.
"His name is Alan Anthony, or Tony 2. And I did not ask her permission. I'm an adult you know, I don't need to ask my P.A. for anything." Tony said, tickling Alan's tummy making the six year old giggle and swat the hands away. "Besides, she practically forced me to go to this adopt fundraising and Alan Anthony is the only kid who is close to my handsome looks and genius brain. Isn't that right Tony 2?"
"Yeah, and Tony is probably the only one who isn't annoyed by my little problem. My new dad actually likes to study like I do." Grinned Alan. "And he promised we go to the zoo and he made my name more awesome. I really hated the name Walter."
"I have to agree young master." Happy flashed a smile. "Alan Anthony is much better than Walter."
"Yes, because all the smart and handsome people are called Anthony Stark and I'm Alan Anthony Stark." Explained Alan. "Right dad?"
"Very right Alan Anthony." Nodded Tony. "Is your backpack still working?"
"Yes." Alan smiled, tracing the nasal cannula with his finger. "It's so much better than the oxygen tank."
"Happy, Alan Anthony has a serious heart condition and almost need a constant flow of oxygen to breathe. The backpack has a small air cleaner, it's easier to carry than the thank. But if you ever even have the idea that he might be experience troubles, I want you to place him on oxygen mask immediately. And you Tony 2, you listen to Happy okay?"
"But I never use the mask when I'm out of the hospital." Protested Alan. "I don't like the mask." Earning a stern look from his new dad, he quickly nodded. "I'll listen."
"Good boy." They entered the parking lot and Tony kept a firm hold on Alan's hand from the moment they got out of the car. "Happy, we're going shopping, you do what drivers do when they don't drive. Be back around five."
"Yes sir." Grinned Happy as he locked the car. "I'll be one phone call away if you need me."
With Alan walking next to him, Tony entered a store he always promised himself he would never go into. The children's store.
"How may I help you?" a sale lady, according to her nametag called Silvia smiled up at him before blinking a few times at the famous face of Tony Stark. "Oh, Mister Stark…"
"Yes," Tony smiled. "I have recently acquired this little guy hiding behind my legs. He needs a whole bedroom and a car seat and everything else a boy his height may need."
Yes off course right away." Silvia walked away and Tony pulled Alan from behind his legs to take a hold on the small hand again up before following her. "What is your name sweetie?"
"Alan Anthony." Alan said shy. "After my dad."
"Your dad… Well, I have a lot of beds so you need to help your uh daddy choose one." Silvia smiled, "Do you see one you like?"
Alan looked around before pointing at a high bed with slide. "I like that one."
"I'm sorry tiger." Tony squatted down to Alan's height. "But you need to look at a lower bed. If something happens, I need to reach you quick. We'll get an indoor slide for you in your playroom but we need to look at a lower bed."
Alan bit his lip but nodded anyway. Finding a Ferrari shaped bed he looked to his dad. "Is this one okay?" he asked wary.
"I don't know." Tony frowned rubbing his chin. "They don't have it in king size so I might get jealous. You know, I might have to lie down on it a few times to read for you so I think this one might be okay. But you'll have to promise me that I can lie on it every night around, what shall we say, story time?"
"Yes." Alan jumped in his father's arms. "I promise."
Tony rose up with Alan still in his arms. "We'll have one Ferrari bed, together with that closet, that treasury and that nightstand with the pooh lamp, the bookcase and carpet." He started pointing out. "Do you have any car seats?"
"Yes, but I need to measure the height." Silvia said writing down the article numbers of the furniture Tony had pointed out.
"I was really close to 39 inches long when nurse Miranda measured me two days ago." Alan said proud. "I grew a whole inch since I met my new dad."
"I have 40 inches car seats so you don't have to buy another one in a few weeks." Smiled Silvia.
"I want the most comfortable one," Tony said. "One you can sleep in on long rides. And I want it in gold color."
"And red." Piped Alan in. "if I have to have a car seat I want it to be red. Like that one."
"You heard the boss." Nodded Tony, "Is that a 40 inch one?"
"It is." Smiled Silvia, writing down the last information. Tony paid and asked it to be delivered to his beach house as soon as possible and calling Happy to pick up the car seat for the ride home.
In the electronica store, Tony bought a TV for Alan's room and a bunch of movies they could watch. He found out that Alan was too young for a phone and game consolers but there were lots of other things to do.
Next was the clothing shop where Alan got a whole new wardrobe.
At five they found Happy waiting at the car after picking the car seat up from the store. Tony strapped a sleepy Alan into the car seat, placing the backpack to the side and asked Happy to drive them home while he called for pizza on the way. The oldest Stark smirked as his son was playing his fingers until he fell asleep.
"He's adorable Mr. Stark." Happy reported from behind the wheel.
"Mm." hummed Tony. "Off course he is, he takes after his adoptive dad."
"Off course sir."
IM-TB-IM
Tony carried a sleeping six year old in his Malibu beach house. "Good afternoon sir." Jarvis voice sounded through the room. "Is this young master Alan?"
"He is, but he wanted to be named Alan Anthony instead of Sheppard. Did you send the building plan to the architect?"
"Yes sir, the indoor playground will be build next Friday." Informed the A.I. "You might take young master out that day."
"I did promise a trip to the zoo. Did the presents arrive?"
"At the door sir."
Tony placed his sleeping son on the couch, placing cushions around him in case he rolled off. One by one he brought the presents into the room, he barely started on designing the walls of Alan's room now he had the furniture when JAVIS informed him the pizza had arrived.
"Hey Alan Anthony, could you please wake up for a moment. Dinner has arrived." He softly shook the boy awake.
Slowly blinking sat Alan upright, rubbing his eyes. "I'm not hungry."
"You need to eat Tony 2," grinned Tony as he combed his fingers through the blond looks to straight them out a bit. "I also have found all these presents you need to open for in your new room. We need to unwrap them."
"Presents?" Alan sat up right. "From who?"
"Well I missed six birthdays…" Tony said serious. "So I better make up for that."
"You didn't have too. You gave me so much already." Mumbled Alan.
"What's the fun of getting a child if you can't spoil them? Tony 2 one day when your heart is healed everything I own will be yours, and even if we can't heal that little Rikki tic in your chest, I have too much money to spend in one life time. So put that little butt on the chair, get some pizza and open those presents before I do it myself."
"Yes dad!" Alan said, he did his backpack on and ran to the table. He had to kneel on the chair to reach the edge of the table making Tony glad he bought the seat higher thingy. Tony served the pizza on a small plate and pushed one slice in his own mouth. With his feet propped on the table, the new dad watched Alan open one present after another only stopping to take a bite before pulling the next present to him. There were a lot of books, varying from children books to school books, toys to fill that treasury, a plush army and board games.
"Thank you." Yawned Alan, Tony smiled and pulled Alan on his lap kissing the blond hairs.
"You're very welcome." Tony cuddled the boy close. "How about you go change in your PJ's and get ready for bed and I'll put on a movie we can watch until you fall asleep. Jarvis will show you the way."
"Yes follow my voice Young sir."
Tony had told Alan about the A.I. but the little boy still looked up in amazement when he heard the British voice. "Okay." Much to Tony's amusement kept Alan Koda firmly against his chest as he walked out of the room.
Wondering who the bear namesake was he placed brother bear in the player. Alan came back after a few minutes dressed in the PJ's Tony had given him a few days after the surgery. "Ready."
Tony studied the little boy in front of him. "There are no more tomato stains on your face, let me smell that breath so I know you brushed your teeth."
"He did sir." Jarvis reported.
"I want to check anyway," Tony lifted Alan on his lap. "Open that mouth." Obedient opened Alan his mouth and blew softly. "I do smell toothpaste, okay, you passed. Let's watch that movie."
Alan couldn't keep his eyes open for long and Tony kept the boy in his arms as he kept watching. Strangely enough the adult enjoyed the kid's movie.
"Sir, Miss Potts has arrived." Jarvis reported mere seconds before the angry assistant entered the room.
"YOU irresponsible IDIOT!" she yelled. "A child? Really Tony? And not just any child but a really ill one."
Alan moved in his arms and Tony held up his hand to quiet the shouting Pepper. "Let me put him in bed and then you can yell at me all you want." He whispered, leaving the room. Since the bed hadn't been assembled yet, Tony laid Alan down on his own king sized bed. Changing the backpack with the tank before tucking the little boy in.
Readying himself, Tony entered the living room. "You can yell now."
"You irresponsible moron!" Pepper yelled her face almost turning the same color as her hair. "You can't even take care of your own! You don't eat, hide out in your garage most of the days and are one of the most selfish people I know. You're not fit to be taking care of a goldfish never mind a child that needs constant care. How can you be so stupid! You have no idea how much of a burden…" her voice died out as she looked at something over Tony's shoulder.
Alan stood there with his thumb in his mouth and his bear in his other arm.
"Hey buddy." Tony smiled walking over to scoop the little guy up. "What are you doing up?"
"I heard yelling." Mumbled Alan half asleep. "Am I a burden to you daddy? Like I was to my first father? Are you going to leave me too?"
"No off course not. I told you you're stuck to me for a long time." Tony softly bounced the boy in his arms. "Tony 2, why aren't you wearing you pack?" Alan shrugged, letting out another yawn before resting his head on Tony's shoulder, afraid of losing the only father figure that ever loved him. Tony started to sing softly like his nanny's did when he was sad, the only problem was that he didn't know any kid songs so he started the song from Brother bear he liked best but a slower and softer version. "Everyone's invited, this is how we live. We're all here for each other, happy to give. All we have we share, And all of us we care, so come on... Welcome to our family time. Welcome to our brotherly time. We're happy giving and taking, to the friends we're making. There's nothing we won't do. There's a bond between us, nobody can explain. It's a celebration of life and seeing friends again. I'd be there for you, I know you'd be there for me too... Remembering loved ones departed. Someone dear to your heart. Finding love, and planning a future. Telling stories and laughing with friends. Precious moments you'll never forget. This has to be the most beautiful, the most peaceful place I've ever been to. It's nothing like I've ever seen before. When I think of how far I've come. I can't believe it...and yet I see it. In them I see family, I see the way we used to be." Smiling down at the peaceful Alan, Tony noticed that the breaths were getting swallower. "Pepper, you better leave. Alan won't stay asleep with you yelling at me and he needs his oxygen and sleep. And for the record, Alan is here to stay. He's my top priority and if you ever say something like that near MY SON again, I won't hesitate to fire you. You know your way out."
Tony strode out of the room, leaving a speechless Pepper behind.
