Happy Anniversary!
No, we're not married, not even dating, but this series began officially with me posting the first chapter three years ago today. I had no idea that it had been that long until I looked it up during a conversation recently. I am actually embarrassed we've reached this milestone because this is the slowest I've ever been writing before. I once wrote a 500k+ series in 15 months. But life has been what life had been, which I've bored you all with too much already. I am still writing. I am going to keep writing until this series is complete.
I hope you enjoy this installment as it has a reunion I at least have been waiting for since around Chapter 95 of But No Man Should Fall Without A Struggle.
Rambling over, read…
Wedding Guest
Tony stood in front of the mirror and fumbled with his bowtie. It absolutely was not the first time wearing a bowtie, it probably wasn't the five-hundredth, and yet he could not make his fingers do the practiced movements. He was starting to get annoyed with himself, but he was not about to ask for help like some loser. Not today. Not when he was finally about to make Pepper his wife.
He didn't understand why he was so nervous about the wedding. He'd done it before and come close to doing it twice already. He knew they ceremony was going to go off without a hitch because Pepper had organized it and everything she organized ran smoothly.
So why the nerves?
It was going to be a little different to their last wedding, it being here at the house and that Natasha was going to be Pepper's sole bridesmaid, because her original bridesmaids were among the Vanished. Steve, Clint, and Thor were going to be there. Bruce had sent his apologies, but he was buried in the lab trying to solve the Hulk/Bruce merging conundrum and he believed he was at a pivotal point.
It felt like more of a family event this time compared to last, as more of their family were going to be present, and the ones that weren't were represented. And their daughter was going to be there. Though she was essentially unaware of it, she was going to be part of one of the most important days of her parents' lives.
Tony managed to thread one length of the tie, but as soon as he tried to loop it the knot fell apart.
The door opened behind him; Rhodey coming with the promised coffee, he was sure, and he said without turning, "I can do this. I don't need help. I'm not going to be beaten by a damn bowtie."
"That's good because I can barely tie a regular tie. A bowtie is totally out of my skillset."
Tony's heart leaped and he stared at his stunned reflection in the mirror, afraid to turn and destroy the incredible illusion, hallucination, whatever it was that made him hear his son's voice. His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly open. He looked like a caricature of shock.
"Crap," the voice muttered. "That's not how it was supposed to go. Uh… Dad, are you in there?"
His reflected face was joined by another in the mirror, one that he'd wanted to see every day since he crumped to dust in his arms—no, it had been longer, he'd not seen this version of his son since the day he locked time to protect them and himself from Nemesis.
Peter's rainbow eyes were worried, and there were stress lines on his brow. Despite that, Tony thought he was one of the best things he'd ever seen. Pepper's face the first time he kissed her; Morgan being placed in his arms the day she was born; and this, Peter, here at last and so concerned because Tony's stupid brain was telling him this was wrong, that Peter wasn't there, they were the things that made his world whole.
"You are here, aren't you?" he asked Peter's reflection.
Peter beamed. "Of course. Like I was going to miss this." He placed a hand on Tony's shoulder, and Tony felt the weight, the press of fingers.
He felt his son.
Tony spun around and fell on Peter, embracing him and also propping himself upright as his legs had gone weak with shock. Peter wrapped his arms around Tony and pressed his face into Tony's neck. His breaths were a little shaky, though calmer than Tony's which were heaving as he laughed and cried at the same time.
"No, Dad. I didn't mean to make you cry," Peter said, cradling the back of Tony's head like he was the child and Peter the father. "No tears today. You're getting married!"
Tony drew a shaking breath and pulled back, hands coming to cup Peter's face and teary eyes fixed on Peter's rainbow ones. Peter looked well, happier than Tony had seen it in a long time It was as though the stress he'd lived with for the two years Tony, Natasha, Bucky, and Steve had relived was over—the pressure gone.
"I love you," Tony said emphatically. "I love you so much."
Peter grinned. "I love you, too. And I missed you—God, I missed you all. I've got so much to tell you all, but today is not the day. Today is all about you and Pepper."
Tony wiped the tears from his cheeks and said, "You've got to stand up there with me and Rhodey. There's no mystery anymore—everyone knows me and Pepper are your parents."
Peter face fell. "I want that, I really do, but there are people here that don't know about me and the Stones but that do know I was one of the Vanished. They can't see me here."
Tony's heart sank. He knew Peter was right, but he hated it. He wanted his son to stand beside him at his wedding. He wanted both his and Pepper's children there with them.
"I'll be watching, though," Peter said.
"You've got to see Pepper," Tony said. "You can't come here and not see her, too."
Peter rolled his eyes. "I know that. I can't wait to see her. I heard enough to know that she was with Natasha and getting ready, so I came to you first. I'll hang around the forest and wait until you can slip away with her."
Tony took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. We'll do that."
"You should wash your face," Peter said. "You're a mess and if I make you look all red-eyed and puffy in your photos, Pepper will kill me."
Tony scoffed. "Sure, she will, Pete. But you're right—I do need to clean up. Are you going to stay for Rhodey and the others."
"No, I'll come see them some other time. I just wanted today to be about you and Pepper."
Tony felt a small surge of happiness at that. Of course, he knew Peter was loved by many people and that they would all want to see him, but he wanted today to be about Pepper, and him by proxy. He wanted to give her the wedding she deserved, with her as the center of attention.
And he knew when she saw Peter her day would be perfect.
Peter's head snapped around and he said, "Rhodey's coming, I'll see you later," then disappeared just as the door swung open and Rhodey said, "I hope a red-eye is okay because that's what I got."
Tony grinned at him, filled with excitement for his wedding and happiness from seeing his son, and said, "That's perfect."
Rhodey frowned. "Have you been crying?"
"No! Well, yeah, but happy tears."
Rhodey's face softened. "I get that, man. You've been waiting for this day for a damn long time, and it's finally happening. And…" he tilted his head to the side. "You're missing Pete?"
"It actually feels like he's closer to me today than usual," Tony said, grinning at his own joke. "Now, help me with this damn tie. I can't have Pep waiting for me at the altar."
"You definitely can't," Rhodey said with a laugh, setting down Tony's coffee then taking up the ends of the ties.
Tony smiled at his friend, and he imagined the day ahead.
"I do," Pepper said emphatically, her heart swelling with joy.
"In that case, it is my great honor to pronounce you husband and wife," the pastor said. "Tony, you may now kiss your bride.
Tony bent his face to Pepper's and brushed their lips together and her fingers tangled in his hair and he deepened the kiss. He stole her breath, made her heart flutter, filled her with joy.
Cheers broke out behind them and someone wolf-whistled, but Pepper's focus was entirely on Tony—her husband. Then a particularly hard nudge inside her stomach made her pull back and laugh, hand coming to rub the spot. "Shh, honey," she soothed. "Mommy's okay."
Tony placed his hand over Pepper's and said. "She's joining in on the fun?"
"Of course she is. She's your daughter and Peter's sister combined—she'll be all about the fun."
Tony bent and whispered something she couldn't clearly hear, but she caught Peter's name and 'soon'.
It made her feel a small twinge of sadness on this happiest of days. She wished their son was there with them. He would be eventually, she had absolute faith in his fate with the Stones, but she would have liked both their children there for the wedding.
Tony straightened and kissed her again and their guests came to surround them. Rhodey clapped Tony on the back and Steve kissed Pepper on the cheek. It felt wonderful to have them all there, their extended family that remained. It made her think of those that were missing though, and she walked over to the table which had been set up on the right of the altar. Spread across it were vases of flowers and pictures of those that were missing from their day: Peter at the front with May, Bucky and Sam either side, Wanda and Vision together, a spread of other lost friends and employees Pepper and Tony were particularly close to.
She pressed a kiss to her fingertips and them placed it on the glass over Peter's face, wishing he was there so she could really kiss him, hold him. Morgan moved again, and Pepper patted the spot and said, "You saying hi to your brother, huh?"
Tony wrapped an arm around her and said, "It's only a matter of time."
"I know."
She was surprised by how well he was handling this. She'd expected him to be a little more emotional about Peter's absence. She knew he had to be feeling it, just like she was, but he seemed totally elated.
A flash of color caught her eye and she looked around to see a perfect purple butterfly dancing over their guests. Steve and Natasha seemed particularly shocked to see it, eyes wide and wondering, and then wide smiles spread across their faces as three more followed. Pepper wondered if Tony had arranged for butterflies to be released, as it wasn't something she'd organized.
"Come with me for a minute, Pep," he said.
"But…"
"Trust me, you want to see this," Tony said, taking her hand and leading her off the foundations of their house which had been their makeshift chapel.
She lifted the hem of her gown so it wouldn't drag on the leaves and twigs on the ground, wondering where Tony was leading her. Tony looked left and right and then grinned as Happy appeared around a tree and said, "This way."
Pepper was bemused, wondering what they knew that she didn't and why they'd taken her away from their guests.
They were both excited, striding ahead, and Pepper hurried to keep up. And then they came to a stop in a small clearing that was filled with wildflowers. It was so pretty that Pepper momentarily forgot the mystery of why she was here and just allowed her imagination to wander to bringing Morgan here.
And then someone laughed, a laugh that was burned into her mind as one of her favorite sounds in the whole world. Her heart skipped, and even Morgan seemed to be excited, rolling over.
"Peter…" she said tentatively, turning around,
Peter stepped from around a tree, his rainbow eyes shining with joy and his smile huge. "Hey, Pep."
She staggered forward a step, and Tony steadied her. Her hands flew forward, reaching for Peter, leaving her dress to drag along the ground in the dirt. It didn't matter, though, because Peter was rushing towards her, his own arms outstretched, reaching for her.
They met in the middle, and Pepper pulled Peter against her, Morgan between them. "Oh god, Pete," she said tearfully. "You're here."
Peter laughed and pulled back. "Of course. I wasn't missing this for anything." He looked down at her bump and said, "Wow, Pep, you're huge!"
Pepper and Tony laughed, but Happy said, "Haven't you ever heard not to call pregnant ladies fat, kid?"
Peter whipped his head from side to side. "No, not fat. Just… you're incredible."
"Do you want to feel her?" Pepper asked as Morgan jabbed out with a foot.
Peter looked a little nervous, but he allowed Pepper to place his hand on her stomach.
When Morgan obliged with a sharp jab, Peter's eyes grew huge and wet. "Oh my god… Morgan…" he said. "She's really here. There. I mean she's actually coming."
"She certainly is," Pepper said, wincing with another kick. "And she's saying hello to her big brother."
"Hey, Mo…" Peter whispered, eyes wondering.
Tony wrapped an arm around Pepper back and they both watched their son as he marveled at Morgan's nudges against his hand.
Pepper realized this was the first time her family had been together in a long time. For Peter and Tony, this probably felt the closest to home they'd been in years. The four of them here, though Morgan was only here in a fashion. It made her think of those days stretched ahead of them, the life they were going to have once they were all back in 2023 where they belonged together.
She knew they had to go back to their guests soon, and Peter could not come, but she was going to enjoy each and every second she had with her son and husband and daughter.
The family she never thought she would have but would now kill to protect.
So… They're together again. At least for a while. That'll change soon, though.
Until next time…
Jadey xxx
