Chapter 6: Welcome Back Celebrations - Help Me, Please, Before My Head Explodes

Rhodey looked back at Peter and couldn't help but smile softly at the child. He could see now how much Peter meant to both Tony and Pepper, and he was grateful to see how well they all fit together. Rhodey knew that Tony had been spending a lot of time with Peter lately, he had seen it every day within the last few days, but he hadn't understood the extent of their bond until now. It had been parental, sure, but with Pepper it seemed even more so. The way that Tony looked at Peter, with a mixture of pride, protectiveness, and love... it was something Rhodey hadn't seen in him before meeting Peter, and the fond look Pepper gave Tony during every interaction between Tony and the child made it even more obvious, made it stand out more dramatically. And then there was Pepper, who seemed equally enamoured with Peter, just as soft and affectionate. Rhodey couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was like they were a family unit, and he was the odd one out. Tony, Pepper, May and Happy with this child. It was utter perfection. And Rhodey was added last, he had to sink or swim to make it or fail in this group. They were loving, they were there. Rhodey just existed. He could be in there, or he could leave right now. Rhodey knew the position he wanted, but unlike what he always expected when it was only a theoretical picture, this position was not guaranteed, and it was not established when Tony's kid was still a baby. So, what did that mean now? Rhodey tried his best to hide his confusion, worry, insecurities, and disappointment, but it was difficult. He watched as Tony and Pepper spent time with Peter, laughing and teasing him. Rhodey wanted to join in, he felt a strong urge to, but he didn't know how. He felt like an outsider looking in on something that he didn't quite understand. He did not truly know the boy. He knew nothing to tease him on, and even if he did, he was not close enough to do this without accidently hurting the child.

Peter suddenly turned to Rhodey, breaking him out of his reverie. "Hey, Rhodey, you okay?"

Rhodey nodded, giving him a small smile. "Yeah, I'm good. Just thinking."

Peter gave him a knowing look. "About Pepper, right?"

Rhodey chuckled, feeling a sense of relief that Peter had picked up on his thoughts. "Yeah, she's something else, isn't she?"

Peter nodded, his face taking on a pensive expression. "She really is. I don't know what I would do without her."

Rhodey watched as Peter trailed off, his eyes staring off into the distance. Rhodey wondered what this was about.

As the two of them sat in silence, Rhodey felt a sense of gratitude for the people in his life. He knew that he had been lucky to have Tony as a friend, as brother, and that he had Pepper and now May and Peter and for a while the rest of the Avengers as his family. While he may not have his mother, brother, and father anymore, he knew that he had people in his life who cared about him, and that was something to be grateful for.

"We should do something tonight!", Peter exclaimed. "To welcome you back home!"

"That sounds wonderful, sweetheart!", Pepper cooed. "I'd love that!"

"Me too.", May said, coming into the room. "Pepper! You're back!", May exclaimed, holding her at arm's length. "We missed you so much, I can't even tell you. It's so good to see you!"

"May!", Pepper cheered, kissing her cheek lovingly. "I missed you too, May," Pepper replied, smiling warmly. "How have you been?"

"I survived. It's not the same around here without you."

"Please tell me you are able to stay the night!", Pepper pleaded the two Parkers. "I spend two weeks only with phone calls, I missed you!"

"Of course, Pepper. We can stay the night! Though Peter has school tomorrow.", May answered with a soft gleam in her eyes.

"Can I come back after school, Miss Potts?", Peter asked with huge puppy eyes.

May hugged Pepper, and Rhodey watched as the two women caught up on everything that had happened while Pepper was away. Rhodey watched as the two women exchanged a meaningful glance, and he realized that May was like a sister to Pepper. It made sense, he supposed - both women were smart, strong-willed, and fiercely independent. They were cut from the same cloth, in a way. Though, he couldn't help but feel like he was intruding on a private moment, so he excused himself and went to find Tony.

--

He found Tony in his workshop, tinkering with one of his suits. "Hey, Rhodey," Tony said, looking up from his work. "What's up?"

"Not much," Rhodey said, walking over to him. "Just saw something interesting."

"Oh yeah?" Tony said, raising an eyebrow.

"Pepper and Peter were cuddling on the couch," Rhodey said, watching Tony's reaction.

Tony's face softened. "Yeah, they have a special bond."

"I could tell," Rhodey said, sighing. "It made me realize how much I missed my parents."

Tony looked at him, then put down his tools. "Rhodey, I'm sorry. You're like a brother to me. I love you; you still have family."

"It's okay, thank you.", Rhodey said, smiling sadly. "I just wish I had someone like Pepper in my life right now"

"We might invite Beck here soon…" Tony thought for a moment, then grinned. "You know what? I think I might have an idea."

Tony disappeared into his office, leaving Rhodey to wonder what he was up to. A few minutes later, Tony emerged with a small box in his hand. "Here," he said, handing it to Rhodey. "Open it."

Rhodey opened the box and saw a picture of him and Tony, taken when they were teenagers, in their MIT hoodies, Beck and Rhodey standing at the side. It was a framed candid picture of their first visit after Rhodey and Tony started MIT. The frame was a gorgeous modern silver and red, with the word "siblings" inscribed into it all around. It was absolutely perfect and adorable. Rhodey loved every little detail.

"Thank you!", he said almost sobbing on the spot. He hugged Tony tightly, tears streaming out. Tony had never been this great in gift giving before, and Rhodey wondered whether this softness with gifts also came from his son.

"How about we make it towards the rest? I am done here, and I haven't greeted Pepper yet. I did not know she was back.", Tony said as a way to break the emotional wall. Rhodey nodded, wiping his face, and they made it back into the living room.

"Mr Stark, look what Miss Potts brought me! Isn't it beautiful?", Peter immediately summoned Tony the moment he saw him.

"It looks perfect!", Tony admitted, taking the sculpture carefully and looked it over. "Everybody is there, just like it should be." He gave the boy a side hug, holding him close.

"How was your trip to Thailand?" Tony asked Pepper as they all made their way to the dining area.

"It was good, but I missed you all," Pepper replied, looking straight at Peter. "Especially this little guy. How have you been, Peter?"

"I've been good, thanks," Peter replied, a smile spreading across his face. "I missed you too, Miss Potts."

Rhodey watched as Pepper ruffled Peter's hair affectionately, something he had never seen her do before. It was clear that she cared for the boy deeply, almost like a mother.

"You trying to steal him from me again, Miss CEO?", Tony teased.

"Please, that clearly was not a competition, Mr Owner."

"Yeah, clearly.", Tony agreed.

"Peter is all mine, anyway."

"Oh, it's on!"

"Please, not again! I thought I settled it last time!", May groaned on exasperation. The group laughed as they dished out the curry and salad that was for dinner, freshly made by Peter and Pepper just like lunch had been. Everyone got small portions only because, apparently, pizza, burger, and popcorn as well as homemade ice cream was either ready or to be delivered for movie night. Only Peter ate a full-sized meal, not to Rhodey's surprise anymore, yet still grossing him out from the ability to eat this much.

As they sat down for dinner, Rhodey watched as Pepper fussed over Peter, making sure he had enough to eat and drink. She chatted with May like they were old friends, and Rhodey felt a pang of envy. He had always been close to Tony, but he had never felt like part of the family like May and Peter did. Not like this. He was always just friends with Pepper and a sort of brother to Tony. This seemed much closer, much more lovely.

After dinner, they settled in to watch a movie together. Rhodey sat on the couch between Tony and Pepper, while Peter and May took the floor with blankets and pillows. Rhodey couldn't help but feel like an outsider as he watched the family interact. Pepper and Tony bickered over the popcorn, and May kept teasing Peter about his crush on a girl at school. Rhodey realized that this was a real family, with all the ups and downs that came with it. He watched as Pepper and Peter curled up on the couch together, May leaning against them as they watched a movie. It was a picture of domestic bliss, and Rhodey felt a pang of envy. He had always been a solitary figure, but seeing the warmth and affection between these people made him yearn for something more.

As the night wore on, Rhodey continued to observe the interactions between the various members of the family. He watched as Tony and Pepper exchanged secret glances, a smile playing on their lips. He saw the way May looked at Tony with adoration, and the way Tony seemed to light up in her presence. His stomach churned uncomfortably, yet he tried to ignore it.

"What do you guys wanna watch?", May asked. "And no Star Wars!"

Peter pouted. He probably was about to suggest it.

"Something family friendly.", Tony demanded happily.

"I brought some films back from Thailand.", Pepper suggested, smiling at Peter.

As they settled down on the couch, with Tony and Rhodey joining them, Pepper handed Peter the remote control and asked him to pick a movie. Rhodey watched as the boy scrolled through the options before settling on a classic action film.

As they watched the movie, Rhodey couldn't help but notice how comfortable Pepper and Peter were with each other. Pepper had her arm draped around the boy's shoulders, and Peter leaned into her affectionately. It was almost like watching a mother and son, and Rhodey loved to see the family interact. Happy had joined mid movie, sitting beside May, as Peter started to lean more heavily onto one person and then another the further they got into the movies.

As the second to final movie ended, Pepper got up to make some popcorn, and Peter followed her into the kitchen. Rhodey watched as the two of them chatted and laughed, the affection between them palpable.

When they returned to the living room, Pepper handed Peter a bowl of popcorn and ruffled his hair again. "You know, Peter," she said, smiling at him. "If Tony and I weren't so busy and you would not have May forbidding it, I would love to adopt you."

Peter's eyes widened in surprise, and Rhodey could see the happiness radiating from the boy. "Really?" he asked, his voice filled with hope.

"Of course," Pepper replied, smiling at him. "You and May are like family to me. I care for you both deeply."

Rhodey watched as Peter hugged Pepper tightly, his face buried in her neck. It was clear that the boy had been looking for a mother figure, and he had found it in Pepper.

As the evening wore on, Rhodey watched from the side-lines as Pepper and Peter continued to interact like a mother and son. He realized that he had never seen this side of Pepper before, the side that was nurturing and loving. It made him appreciate her even more, and he knew that he was lucky to have her as a friend and colleague.

As the final credits rolled, Pepper turned to Rhodey with a smile. "Thanks for being with us tonight, Rhodey. It's always good to have you here."

Rhodey couldn't help but grin back at her. Maybe he wasn't part of the family like May and Peter were, but he was definitely a welcome guest. He just wished he was more. His room was not even with the family, unlike theirs.

As the night wore on, the group settled into a comfortable routine of conversation and teasing. Pepper, for her part, had taken on the role of a mother figure for Peter, giving him advice and support whenever he needed it. Rhodey had finally accepted Peter as Tony's son and the thought of the three of them as a family filled him with a sense of warmth and contentment that he hadn't felt in a long time. As he looked around the room, he realized that while life was full of unexpected twists and turns, it was also full of unexpected bonding that could make it all worthwhile. He couldn't wait to see what the future held for his best friends and their newfound son, but he knew that whatever it was, they would face it together.

As the night drew to a close, Peter was getting tired and Tony and Pepper (after a short nod and a soft smile from May) were putting Peter to bed. They looked happy and content, like they had everything they wanted in the world. Pepper pulled the boy of the couch, an arm softly laying around his shoulder, as she guided him, half carrying him, to the door leading to the family's personal bedrooms. Peter's room was in that section, as Rhodey had found out days ago. A beautifully designed room decorated with Lego and Star Wars stuff, a few Avengers toys around, but mainly designed for a nerdy, intelligent teenager. The desk made from dark wood was probably the most beautifully made. At first glance it looked like an ordinary modern desk, but on closer inspection, it was having careful designs of different characters and scenes out of Star Wars carved in, only visible if you looked at it directly from the front. Rhodey knew that Tony had made it specifically for the boy. Not let it be made, he made it himself with his advanced technology. It was like the perfect way to describe them: a little extra when looking, but like a standard loving family on the surface. But if you really looked and were lucky to see it from the right angle, you would see the deep care within the group that seemed far beyond that of a normal family.

While he waited on their return, Rhodey thought about what he saw today.Rhodey had always admired Pepper Potts for her professionalism and her strong-willed personality. Tony Stark's loyal right hand, she was the one who kept Stark Industries running smoothly, even when Tony's antics threatened to derail everything. But as he watched her interact with Peter, Rhodey saw a side of her he had never seen before. She had missed Tony and the others, but it was clear that Peter held a special place in her heart. She greeted him with a warm hug, she had been kissing his cheek and ruffling his hair affectionately all day. She was as much a parent to him as Peter's biological parents were.

Tony did not return from Peter's room, and May only drank her tea before leaving soon, leaving Rhodey and Pepper to speak alone.

"You know I tried to reach you for days about this. You promised me answers once you are back. Now you are. I want the answers.", Rhodey quietly implored. Pepper sighed but nodded. "There is a child. A teenager is in your life. You guys are parents. Just tell me the truth, Pep."

"I love him, Rhodey. More than you will ever understand. He is my kid, okay? He is everything to me, to us all.", Pepper admitted.

"Yeah, I can see that, Pep. It is really obvious. And I think I want to be a part of it. I hardly know …" Rhodey trailed of, a fond but worried look on his face. He came in so late, and Tony still tried to keep him out… Would Peter even want him in his life? Would Tony allow Rhodey time with his nephew? Would he have a chance? He loved the boy already, all he wanted was a chance with him… Peter was his nephew, but there was a high chance he would never truly know the boy. Tony was not being honest with him. He kept the boy away. He was allowed to interact, but nothing more. It was their kid, of course he should not have the same rights as them. But he loved the boy. He wanted to be there for Peter. What was so bad about that? He could be an uncle! He always wanted to be, why is he not allowed to?

"You're overthinking. I love him, Tony loves him, May loves him, Happy loves him. He is like my own son. You would be a great uncle to him, Rhodes. And Peter needs anyone in his corner he can get.", Pepper admonished Rhodey, a sincere expression in her eyes. "You are part of our family, Rhodey. We are parenting this young boy together, but we do not do it out of any kind of logic or obligation. We do it because we want to. Because we love him more than we could ever understand. You are either all in here or you are all out. I will not let anyone hurt my son, you included. He is the best thing in my life, the best thing I could have ever envisioned. If anyone or anything comes in my way with him, I will not hesitate to kill. I don't care about anything but him, even if I have no biological or legal connection to him."

Rhodey probably should be surprised about Pepper's intensity, but it felt familiar. Since coming back to the Compound, nobody might have said it this clearly, but every second and every thought and every movement had made it obvious to Rhodey that this is exactly what they all felt about Peter. I t was the same way he felt about the boy he hardly knew. He would jump in front of a bullet; he would do anything. If Bruce suddenly, after years of disappearance, came to earth and would hurt Peter, Rhodey would not care that Bruce was a friend. Rhodey would not care that he had missed Bruce. He would not care that he had not seen him in years and worried whether he was fine, whether he was alive. He would not care that it would probably kill him. He would beat the life out of Bruce for hurting his nephew. He would make him pay. He would protect the boy, physically and mentally, no matter the cost. Hearing this from Pepper was but vocalizing his thoughts and feelings. It felt familiar. He felt at home, and he felt grateful.

"I understand, Pepper. I think I am all in."

"There is no 'I think' here, Rhodes. You are or you aren't." Pepper's voice was fierce and clear. And Rhodey loved her for it. He nodded, giving her a soft smile. He was all in to be an uncle for Peter. He was all in for the boy that turned out was always there. He was all in for his nephew. He was all in for Tony's son. If Pepper loved the boy Tony fathered, if she could love the boy whose mother stole Tony from her, he would be all in. He would love to get to know the child, his nephew.

"I am happy for you, Pep. Having a kid, a family like this. I mean, the way you are with May and Peter after everything… Even with Tony after this…" Rhodey took a deep breath. "It is beautiful. I love it. I want to be part of it."

"And we want you to be part of it."

--

"You are in big trouble right now, Tony!", Pepper yelled, storming into Tony's lab. Tony's mind was racing. What could he have possibly done so wrong right now? And how could he correct his mistake? If Pep was this angry, it was a serious issue, he was sure. But Pepper would be more furious if it was about Peter, so it was a little bit of a calming effect to know exactly how mad she was. What did he do, though? Did he forget something important about the wedding? Maybe forgot a date? Pepper looked like she wanted to smack him, it would fit.

Pepper continued to rant, her voice mixed with anger, frustration, and incredulity. "I cannot believe you! We have been at this for weeks and you just forget one of the most important things? You dare to forget this? You forgot to tell Rhodey we're engaged?!?"

Oh, shit.

Tony shrunk back, sheepish. "Well, it was all over the news, I figured he knew!" It was too late, though. Tony's face was as white as a sheet. How could he forget this? How dare he forget this? What kind of idiot was he? Damn it, he was a complete failure! He forgot to tell his best friend one of his most important news!

"Oh my God, Tony!", Pepper scolded him, shaking her head, frustration evident in every pore.

Later, Tony lay in bed, his arm draped over Pepper's stomach as they both stared up at the ceiling.

"I can't believe we didn't tell him," Pepper said, breaking the silence. She looked guilty at the ceiling, probably as guilty as Tony felt. He could not believe he forgot to tell his best friend, his brother if one asked him. The person he loved as one of the most had spent months unaware of Tony proposing to the woman he loved for decades, the woman he wanted to never loose. How could he forget to tell Rhodey these most exciting news? Sure, considering the situation, Tony had made sure not to talk about most things going on in his life, such as keeping Peter from Rhodey until he was ready to receive the news. But this was different. It was nothing that would have changed Rhodey's life in any way but happiness. It would have been pure happiness. Just like Happy, Rhodey always wanted to protect Tony and get him together with Pepper, making it a permanent bond. They both loved their interactions, their love. This would have been good news if he just remembered to tell them, instead of only paying attention to Rhodey's recovery and the mess of Tony's life, ignoring one of the only good things in decades. "He's our best friend, Tony. He deserves to know the truth."

Everything inside Rhodey screamed to agree. How could he have kept this from Rhodey? It was not on purpose, sure, but it was still a fact. He had to make it right. "I know, Pep. But I just... I didn't want to hurt him. He's been through so much already."

Pepper turned to look at him. "We're hurting him by keeping this from him, Tony. He needs to know the truth. All of it, Tony."

Tony sighed, knowing she was right. "I'll talk to him tomorrow. I just hope he can forgive us."

Pepper smiled at him, rubbing circles on his chest. "He will. He loves us too much not to."

Though both of them knew one thing will not be talked about. He cannot tell this one thing to Rhodey. It was not his secret to tell. It was Peter's decision to tell or not to tell. They knew that, and they would make sure that Peter could decide. It is his life. Nobody should decide for him.

After everything, Tony smiled back, feeling grateful for her unwavering support. He knew that he and Pepper had a lot of explaining to do. But for now, he was content to just lie there with her, enjoying the warmth of their shared bed and the quiet of the Avenger Compound. The safety of FRIDAY and SAD protecting his family, and the love shared. The knowledge that Pep was finally back home and that tomorrow, they would wake up together to get the kid ready for school and taken care of. The entire life feeling perfect like that, with Rhodey, Happy, May, Pepper, and Peter. For the first time in Tony's life, Tony was truly happy!