Most of the characters in this story belong to Marvel Comics and whoever else has current legal ownership of Iron Man and not to me, even in my wildest dreams. No infringement on anyone's rights is intended in any way. This story is not being written for profit.
This story was written for all of you who wanted a sequel to my story "The Sense of Touch". I sincerely appreciated your kind words and encouragement and I hope that you enjoy this story. :)
Tony continued to lay awake as he lovingly stroked Pepper's tummy. He could feel the babies' hands and knees pushing into his hand, but Pepper never even moved. He could tell that she was now exhausted. He was sorry that they had been making love last night instead of getting Pepper to sleep earlier. He felt so useless in helping her right now and that frustrated him. He thought back to his beard tickling her during the last contraction and how she had enjoyed the sensation and thought he should try that again during the next contraction.
Within 10 minutes, Pepper's breathing started becoming erratic as another contraction started. Tony rolled out of the bed quickly and made his way over the where Pepper was struggling to sit up immediately pulling her up gently. He tucked her into his side and helped her walk to the ball. He slowly lowered her to her knees and helped position her on the ball, tucking the pillow under her head. He started his deep massage of her back again, as he draped his body over hers, his lips ghosting over her shoulders and back. He raised his head briefly to check the time: 6:33 AM. He leaned back down to plant more kisses on her back.
"Don't stop Tony" she pleaded in a low voice "That feels so good. I just want to focus on your lips and hands."
Tony moved his left hand around to her side and gently stroked her ribcage up to her breast and back down again. He continued stroking her tenderly as he pushed his fingers into the muscles in her back. He suddenly realized that five minutes had gone by as he looked up at the clock again, and this contraction still showed no sign of letting up. He felt her start to tremble under his touch. Tony continued his deep massage with his right hand. He softly pressed his hips into hers and felt her push back against him. His left hand moved under her and he lightly stroked her belly, stopping his hand from moving instinctively lower on her body. He suddenly felt her relax in his arms as the contraction finally started to ease.
"Wow." Pepper teased quietly "You need to do that again next contraction." She slowly rose to her feet as Tony wrapped his arms around her helping her up and then walked her over to the bed.
"Why Mrs. Stark." Tony teased back helping her roll over to lie on her side in the bed "I think you're coming on to me." He leaned his head down to hers and she reached out and pulled his head to hers, kissing him passionately. She let him go after a few seconds as the lights suddenly grew brighter and they heard the door open.
"I think, Mr. Stark" she replied patting her baby bump affectionately "That you are the one that has been coming on to me and here's the proof."
"You see what I've had to deal with here?" Karen fussed as she turned to Pepper's grandmother; Charlotte dressed neatly in green scrubs like Karen. "I can't leave them alone any time at all without them going all lovey dovey on me."
"They are technically still on their honeymoon." Charlotte said in defense of Tony and Pepper as Tony stood up next to the bed facing the two women, smiling at Charlotte.
"Some honeymoon, I'll say that." As Karen continued her tirade "I couldn't tell from the telemetry if that was a contraction or an orgasm that Pepper just had."
Tony felt his face heat up in embarrassment as he looked down at Pepper who smiled knowingly at him.
Charlotte walked over to Tony and put her hand on his shoulder and patted it gently. "It's OK, grandson." She said soothingly "I've seen many a husband content with just holding his wife's hand while she was in labor and plenty of them that wouldn't even do that."
Tony was relieved that Charlotte was here. Charlotte was the first one in Pepper's family who had accepted him into the family with open arms. She was kind and caring person with a great sense of humor. Just being around her made Tony feel wanted and loved….much like Pepper did.
Pepper reached out to take Tony's hand in hers. "He's been taking good care of me, Oma." Pepper said squeezing his hand.
"I know he has, baby." Charlotte replied moving to stand next to Pepper's bed and reaching out and brushing her sweaty bangs back from her face.
"Oh yeah, judging by that look of orgasmic contentment on your face Pepper, he's been taking real good care of you." Karen interrupted moving to put examination gloves on. "Let's get another measurement while we have a break in the action here."
Pepper let go of Tony's hand as he tenderly helped her turn over on to her back. He then stepped away from the bed allowing the two women full access to Pepper.
Karen started Pepper's pelvic exam as Charlotte watched over her shoulder intently. Upon completion of the exam, Karen poked and prodded her baby bump for a few minutes.
"Looks like Jarvis called us just in time." Charlotte said as she patted Pepper's baby bump affectionately. "Ten centimeters, Pepper."
Tony had already walked around the other side of the bed, so he could see Pepper better. "Is everything all right?" Tony asked as Charlotte smiled broadly at him.
"Better than all right, grandson." Charlotte replied smiling broadly at Tony "You and Pepper are about to become parents!"
Tony suddenly felt his knees go weak on him. He was excited and scared at the same time. "What can I do to help?"
"Just keep Pepper comfortable." Charlotte replied reaching across the bed to take his right hand and squeeze it gently. "You're going to sit behind Pepper on the bed with her facing away from you. She needs to be supported from behind with her thighs on top of yours. That way you can continue her back massage and help her by letting gravity do some of the work for her."
Karen pulled off her examination gloves and threw them in the Haz-Mat container. "But not too comfortable." She pushed the call button. "Get yourselves and the French fry warmers in here stat." Karen ordered "It's show time ladies and gentleman now that our audience is here. Charlotte says that our birthing center waiting room is starting to fill up fast now."
"Our family is here, including the boys" Charlotte explained "Happy is there too and I swear I saw him chewing his nails. Oh and that nice Jim Rhodes is here too."
Tony knew that Pepper's family loved Rhody and Happy. They were considered as part of the Potts clan now. He was envious though. They had no doubt gone down to the Kolache Shop and gotten kolaches and donuts for breakfast. Even with all the excitement Tony was hungry.
"Jimmy's already here?" Karen blurted out. "I haven't seen him since Big Eddie's birthday party."
Pepper smiled "That's because Rhody has been out of the country for last 9 months, Kar." She looked over at Tony. "But I think I can arrange another meeting between you and Uncle Rhody if you can behave yourself."
Tony knew that Pepper was trying to be a match maker between Karen and Rhodes and he was always amused to see this side of Pepper.
Karen smiled back at Pepper. "I can behave you know."
Karen and Rhodes had struck up a friendship when they met at Pepper's grandfather's birthday party 9 months ago and they realized that Karen had been one of Rhody's mother's medical students at UCLA, and that his mom had been Karen's mentor and the one who had encouraged Karen to be an OB Gyn like herself. In the passing months Rhody had admitted to Tony that his mom was delighted when he told her about meeting Karen, even going as far as saying that his mom had thought about arranging a blind date between the two of them years ago. Tony had teased him during Pepper's grandfather's party by saying "It's a small world after all, Platypus." when Tony had found out about Karen's and Rhody's 'connection'. Rhody had of course rolled his eyes at him at the comment.
Tony would rather leave the matchmaking to Pepper, but he knew Rhody well enough to know that Dr. Summers was definitely Rhody's 'type' of woman. Karen was beautiful, smart, funny, and very outspoken. And Karen definitely enjoyed picking on Tony, which humored Rhody almost as much as picking on Tony himself. And Karen was very protective of Pepper, just like Rhody was. She made no bones about telling Tony privately the first time they met that he had better 'walk the straight and narrow' with Pepper or she would be using her surgical scalpels and no anesthesia to remove, on a permanent basis, his ability to enjoy sex. And although Tony knew for certain that Pepper would be the last woman he would ever bed, he did not take Karen's threat lightly.
The door opened and Karen's nurses entered pushing two carts that Tony immediately recognized. They were SI inventions of his for new born care that he had given to Karen several months back to use in her practice. He had wanted her to trial them prior to mass production. So far they were passing Dr. Summers' tests with flying colors with another four months of trial ahead of them.
"Tony's not going to say anything, but I will." Pepper said also noticing the two carts "Why are you calling the SI Newborn Analysis and Care Units 'French fry warmers?" Tony smiled at Pepper. Pepper was very protective of Tony and his inventions, and with her as CEO she had a vested business interest in the success of these units also. The name calling had suddenly become quite personal.
"Because they keep my newborns warm and ready for wrapping up and giving to my customers, I mean my patients." Karen deadpanned. "OK Pepper" Karen said sternly kicking back into 'doctor' mode "Next contraction you are going to give a little push while I feed the shop vac hose inside you and try to suck those little Stark babies out of there."
Pepper quickly rose up on the bed and turned to give Karen a look that would have peeled paint from any surface. "I am so going to beat you after all this is over." Pepper threatened.
"What's the matter?" Karen replied laughing "Can't take a little medical humor? Don't worry, once those babies are out and you and Iron Dude are cuddling your little bundles of joy, you will forget all about me being a pain in the ass."
"Not likely." Pepper warned as Charlotte helped pull her up into a sitting position on the bed.
Charlotte motioned for Tony to get in the bed with Pepper. He quickly hopped on from head of the bed being careful not to jostle the bed too much. He eased Pepper up into his lap as he spread his legs apart, causing her to do the same.
Tony leaned over and kissed her neck. She leaned her head into his as she closed her eyes. In the next second, she suddenly exhaled forcibly as the next contraction started in earnest. Pepper leaned forward slightly and Tony started massaging her back with his right hand while firmly holding onto her left hip with his left hand.
"Pepper, push." Karen instructed calmly "Take a deep breath and exhale while you push OK?"
Pepper's breathing became rhythmic as the contraction continued. Karen adjusted her position next to Pepper as she continued to rearrange her baby bump. Charlotte was talking softly to Pepper with her hand stroking Pepper's arm tenderly. The contraction seemed to go on forever, until Pepper took in a deep breath in relief at its end.
"Pepper" Karen said quietly but firmly "Your daughter is only one push away from freedom. The next contraction will start really quickly so get ready."
As if on cue Pepper's face contorted as another powerful contraction started.
"Pepper, sweetheart." Charlotte said softly as she gripped Pepper's arm to help steady her "Now's the time. Go for it and push hard."
Tony felt Pepper rise up on him as she strained to push. She felt like she was going to tip forward so he immediately stopped massaging her back and put his right hand on her right hip to steady her. Both her hands suddenly clenched his thighs in an iron grip. Tony knew she was strong, but he had no idea she was that strong. He flexed his quads in an instinctively protective mode as she continued to bear down. He did his best just to ignore the pain.
Tony looked over Pepper's shoulder and watched Karen and Charlotte intently. They were both staring at the spot just below Pepper. Suddenly, Karen reached towards Pepper and in less than a second she was handing Pepper their daughter.
Tony's breath caught in his throat as he looked at the small wet child that Pepper held lovingly in her arms. He could hear Pepper's soft voice murmuring to their baby girl as Pepper actually counted Anna Maria's fingers and toes as she held her. Suddenly the baby looked up at him and he saw that his daughter had Pepper's ocean blue eyes. He reached out and touched his baby's head lovingly also noticing how she also had Pepper's nose, his mouth, and his dark wavy hair. She. Was. Gorgeous.
"Oh wow!" He whispered into Pepper's ear "She's so beautiful! Just like her mama!" He kissed Pepper's neck lovingly as he continued to stroke his daughter's head. "Welcome to our family, Anna Maria Stark." He said quietly, his voice taking on a register much lover than usual, as the baby continued to look at him. Tony knew at that instant that Anna Maria had recognized his voice. He suddenly had tears in his eyes.
Karen was beaming at them. "She is cute." She remarked gently patting the top of the baby's head "It's a good thing she takes after her mama." She looked up at Tony and flashed him a rare, sympathetic look as he did his best not to let his tears fall. "It's OK to cry Iron Man. I would be mad at you if you didn't. And no one in here is going to tell a soul."
Pepper leaned back as if to comfort him and he sniffled once burying his face into the back of her head in an effort to hide his tears. "It's OK Tony. Me and Anna Maria here love you."
Charlotte moved closer and tenderly touched the baby's cheek. Anna Maria immediately turned towards Charlotte opening her mouth. "Will you look at that: she's already rooting for a nipple." Charlotte commented surprised. "Pepper, remember you need to stay well hydrated because you will be feeding two babies and not just one. Your milk will let down in a couple of days, but your colostrum will be what tides the babies over until then. After brother gets here, you can nurse both of them. Nursing helps detach the placenta faster."
"OK, Oma." Pepper replied with a small smile as she continued to caress Anna Maria.
"One down and one to go." Karen exclaimed as Pepper suddenly winced in pain from the start of another contraction. "Pepper you are going to be experiencing almost continuous contractions from here on. Just stay focused and ride out the contractions. Don't push until I tell you to do so. Same drill as before. Tony Jr. should grace us with his presence within 20 minutes or so, most probably sooner if Anna Maria's quick entrance is any indication. If you want Charlotte to hold the baby that's fine. But that umbilical cord is short so Anna Maria needs to stay close by until baby brother joins her."
Tony reached down and cradled the baby girl against Pepper's chest using his right hand and forearm and leaving Pepper's hands free, as he began massaging her back again with his left hand. "It's OK; I've got her, Pepper." He looked down at the small child and smiled knowing without a doubt that he had to be one of the luckiest men on earth at the moment.