"Isn't it ironic?" Peter mused, savouring bites of his favorite cookies and cream ice cream, all the while happily watching his Dad and Uncle Rhodes receiving the Medal of Honor from Senator Stern.
The man, who had once been the foremost politician opposing his father's possession of the Iron Man suit, now finds himself presenting a medal to his dad for saving the expo, the people, and the military from a lot of crap. It has been a week since the catastrophe, and the Expo has been closed since then.
"Well, Director Fury certainly has a sense of humour," Natasha chuckled as she watched with Peter. They were sitting on the couch of the recently fully renovated Malibu mansion. Nothing seemed to have changed except for the new luxurious furniture.
She had gone by their mansion today to visit the Starks and bid farewell to them, she was off to another mission tomorrow. Since Tony was heading to DC, he had asked her to take care of Peter after school while he was gone for a few hours. Pepper was still in New York with Happy as her bodyguard, and Mrs. Eleanor was out of town.
Peter had, at some point, grown on her. The kid wasn't hard to like, so she didn't hesitate to babysit for a while.
They had just finished a self-defence lesson at the gym earlier. Peter wouldn't stop giving her those puppy dog-eyed looks, so she finally gave in and taught him some defence moves that were totally safe for kids, ones that Peter didn't already know.
He quickly picked up what she was teaching, as Peter had a background in basic self-defence and a few martial arts. They were now relaxing in the living room while the awarding was being replayed on the news.
"Is he the head of SHIELD? Dad mentioned that he has a patch over one eye, now he seems more like a pirate then."
They both laughed, "Yes. He does, but don't tell him that."
The awarding ceremony ended soon after, "Let's watch a movie. What's your favorite, Agent Romanoff?" Peter excitedly searched for a movie in their database.
"I told you, you can call me Natasha, Peter. Don't you have homework?"
"It's movie night since it's a Friday and we just finished our last exams. It's our vacation already."
"Oh, that's great. I don't have a favourite, actually. Let's just pick what you like."
Natasha doesn't have much time for entertainment because she's always out on missions. Her childhood wasn't really fabulous either for those kinds of things. It was the complete opposite of what Peter is experiencing. Being raised in the Red Room opened her eyes early on to the cruelty of the world.
They agreed to watch Harry Potter and ordered pizza, which arrived thirty minutes later.
"So, I heard you're all moving to New York," Natasha said, looking at Peter before taking a bite of her pizza.
After the incident at the Expo, Pepper announced at a press conference that, once all the damage had been repaired, the relationship between Stark Industries and New York would take another step towards the future through the construction of the Stark Tower.
Peter swallowed his pizza before answering, "Not really. We haven't decided yet. Dad doesn't seem to want to let go of this house since we have a lot of memories here."
"Do you want to?" Natasha asked.
Peter looked down sheepishly, thinking. "I don't know. It's like half and half. I miss New York, and I would want to study there, but I don't want to leave Malibu either. This house is really special for us."
Natasha smiled, "You know, this house will always be here even if you are in New York, Peter. And I think even if the house is gone, the memories live with the ones you love. Home is where your family is, isn't that right?"
Peter slowly smiled. His eyes sparkled, admiring her wisdom. Was there anything this lady couldn't do? "You're absolutely right. Thanks, Natasha."
They spent the next two hours watching the wizards and witches of Harry Potter, and Natasha unexpectedly enjoyed it. It had been years since she had watched a movie out of enjoyment rather than just for a mission.
A few minutes later, Tony arrived. Peter immediately went to hug him, and he carried his son, hugging and kissing his head.
Tony smiled as he watched the movie. "I see you're enjoying watching Wizards with Agent Romanoff while I'm gone."
"She's great, Dad. I love her!" Peter whispered to him. He knew Peter adored Natasha, perhaps having a little kiddie crush.
"Oh, you love her now, huh?" Tony said loudly, smirking, while Peter's face turned crimson. "Dad! Not like that!"
Natasha chuckled and went to pick up her bag. "You're just in time, Tony. I better get going now."
"Thank you for babysitting my little kid, Agent Romanoff. Anything I can do to repay you, let me know."
"It's no problem. You've got a good kid, Tony. Are you sure he's yours? The difference is uncanny," Natasha teased.
"Hey, I'm a changed man," Tony retorted in defence, and she just laughed, patting his arm, "I'm kidding."
Tony put his son down, and she turned to Peter. "I had a great time, Peter. We'll do it again next time, okay?" She winked at him and opened her arms for a hug.
Peter hugged her back. "See you soon, Natasha. Good luck with your mission. Say hi to Agent Coulson for me."
"I will." She then gave a quick hug to Tony and walked herself out to the car waiting for her.
"So, what did you and your crush do all day?" Tony teased his son, grinning, as they watched Natalie walk out.
"Dad! She's not my crush!" Peter objected, but his face completely said the opposite. Tony just laughed, carrying his son as they talked and headed upstairs for a good night.
The sound of gentle waves crashed into her senses as she opened her eyes. Pepper took in the glistening blue ocean and shimmering sunlight, making the white sand sparkle like a thousand tiny jewels. The vacation she had been longing for a year since Tony's abduction had finally arrived. The gorgeous clear blue silhouette of the sky and the ocean relaxed her entire well-being.
Tony's frame came into view, and she lovingly smiled. He had maintained his physique over the years, his muscles were still intact, bulging with a few abs to spare. He looked fresh in his usual sunglasses and had been a whole lot better since the new prismatic reactor was installed in his chest. Tony walked over and stopped in front of her.
"Like what you see, Honey?" he grinned, approaching her and removing his sunglasses.
"Looking good, Mr. Stark, and I certainly like it a lot," she smirked, and Tony closed the distance between them, leaning in for a kiss.
The company had been thriving with Tony's assistance, better than ever. A week after the groundbreaking of the Stark Tower, Tony surprised her with a vacation to the Maldives.
He lay beside her as they took in the view.
"This is paradise, Tony. I love it. Thank you."
They were staying at the luxurious Conrad Maldives. The private villa and the island provided them with the most exquisite view and accommodation—clear aquamarine waters and white sand. A paradise on Earth.
"It's about time I gave you a vacation after all these years," Tony said, kissing her forehead. True enough, the man had been doing right by her and Peter ever since the whole dying drama and Expo disaster. He had set his priorities straight, becoming a changed and better man. He helped her with the company and was mainly in charge of the construction of the Tower. No more stupid surprises and decisions.
They took in the sight of a handsome little boy moments later who was running to them. They smiled at each other with knowing looks, "We've got incoming."
Peter jumped into Tony's lap. "Ow! That hurts," he winced while Peter laughed.
"Dad, let's go build a sandcastle!" Peter excitedly exclaimed.
"Alright, let's go!"
They were about to get up when Pepper cut in. "Hold your horses, boys. Come on, Peter, let's give you some sunblock, and you too, Mister."
As soon as she's done, Peter kissed her cheek, "Thank you, Pepper." Tony kissed her lips and then father and son hurried down the beach. She took pictures of them and later joined in to swim in the lovely ocean.
The following day was a mesmerizing adventure as they swam with Whale Sharks. Peter was in awe the entire time, experiencing close encounters with these gentle giants. The underwater realm felt like an entirely different universe, leaving them so joyous that the thought of leaving became inconceivable.
In the island's underwater restaurant, it was as if they were dining inside a living aquarium. The captivating presence of underwater creatures added a magical touch, Peter's delight was evident as different species of sharks gracefully made an appearance.
Tony glanced at Peter and Pepper, his eyes filled with genuine emotion, as he mentally captured the scene, wanting to etch the moment into his memory forever. A profound sense of happiness and gratitude enveloped him, cherishing these precious moments spent with the ones he loved.
After returning home to New York from their vacation, Tony and Pepper were once again greeted by the demands of work.
To ensure a comfortable place to stay during his frequent trips to New York for Tower-related responsibilities, Tony purchased a lavish penthouse apartment in Midtown East. The penthouse boasts a panoramic view of Manhattan, offering a clear sight of the ongoing construction of Stark Tower.
The tower is expected to be completed in less than a year, a project overseen by Tony's highly dependable and intelligent team of contractors and engineers. With Tony's guidance and cutting-edge technology, it is poised to become the most advanced and self-sustaining building globally.
At present, Peter is still enjoying his summer vacation, with school scheduled in the next two months.
During a studio session, where they were being prepared for a photo shoot, Tony cast a glance over to Peter.
"You ready, buddy?" he asked Peter, who looked up at him and gave a half-smile,
"Dad, I'm nervous."
He levelled with his son, holding his hand. Smiling, he gently caressed the kid's face,
"Hey, don't worry, you'll do great."
Peter's glue tech had already been patented in his name. Since the news came out, the media had been eagerly awaiting the presentation. However, with the expo no longer in the picture, they instead decided to introduce the tech in a famous scientific journal— Science Magazine.
Soon after, various renowned media magazines requested the Starks to be featured on their covers. Tony asked Peter if he wanted to, and surprisingly, the kid agreed.
Peter had now been featured on four different magazine covers with his Dad. They graced the covers of Time, WIRED, New Yorker, and Rolling Stone.
They posed together in various locations for different magazines, wearing their business outfits, suits, and ties, with Tony's hand on Peter's shoulder. One cover featured them in Tony's new Audi R8 model, smiling handsomely and wearing sunglasses. Another cover showcased Peter Stark alone, looking charming and dashing in his natural brushed look and chiselled jaw.
The powerful presence they exude in the room leaves no room for doubt about their familial connection as father and son.
Headlines declare,
"Peter Stark: Boy Genius"
"Wunderkind: Peter Stark invents at seven years old"
"The Heir of Stark Industries"
"The Stark Legacy"
"The Stark Scion"
featuring exclusive interviews with both the father and son.
Meanwhile, Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, has once again been honoured by Time Magazine as the Person of the Year. His revelations and courageous acts in his Iron Man persona have propelled him to the status of the most influential man in the world.
Additionally, Pepper Potts held the title of the Top Most Influential Woman of the Year, gracing the magazine cover.
They found themselves back in the Malibu mansion after weeks of photo shoots in New York. They're already moving to New York after another one last out of the country before Peter's first day of school at Midtown School of Science and Technology.
Tony would miss this mansion, as it held numerous firsts with Peter and served as the backdrop to Peter's upbringing. The house was filled with special memories, which would not fade away, instead, they would persist in their minds and hearts.
They made a decision to just visit Malibu every summer and winter, especially when the cold of New York became too much. While Peter loved Malibu, there was a distinct sparkle in his eyes when he was in New York—the city of concrete jungle that captured the kid's heart.
Tony peeked over the magazines that had just been launched and beamed proudly at them. They resembled a family that no one wanted to mess around with.
He came upon the solo cover of Peter and smiled, seeing his kid gracing the cover following in his footsteps. He had also been on the cover of various magazines when he was a child due to his early inventions.
Peter's features have been a mixture of him and Mary, but mostly Mary. With the natural mixed brown and black curls, Peter got the colour of his eyes, they got the same smile.
Tony can't help but recall the conversation he had with Fury at the mansion after his fight with Rhodey.
"I'm surprised you're the one who knocked up Mary. I never thought of you as someone who would be careless," Fury sneeringly laughed, while Tony's eyebrows furrowed.
"You're not the only one who was surprised. Anyway, what do you know about their last mission?" Tony asked, curious. He had been wondering for years what mission could be so dangerous that Mary came to him in a panic to let him know he had a son.
Fury grimaced. "What mission?"
"Mary said she had a mission to take care of before the plane crash."
"I don't know what you're talking about, Stark. They're just consultants for SHIELD. They are our scientists, not field agents."
Then why did Mary lie to him? He grew more curious about what was going on. "Then what do you know about her death? Why was it so sudden?"
"It was an accident, Stark," Fury stated, but Tony sensed a lie in his tone.
He threateningly glared at Fury. "You're lying. What are you not telling me? This is the mother of my son we're talking about, Fury. My son."
There was a short silence that followed.
"Look, all I know is that Mary came to SHIELD to protect her son above all. Apparently, she had this research coveted by some of her former fellow scientists in the CIA. She applied to SHIELD when she was still pregnant and asked for protection. In return, I asked for her services and knowledge as a consultant for us. She met Richard Parker while working in SHIELD, and he's the one who took over protecting her and your son, at least until both of them went dead."
"You think they were murdered?"
"That's not impossible."
"What kind of research is this?"
Fury widened his eyes at him. "Hey, you tell me. Mary mentioned you helped her with this a long time ago."
He was jolted back into the present when Peter nudged his arm, casting a curious look at him. "Dad, you were spacing out. Did you hear what I just said?"
"Sorry, bud. What? What did you just say?" Tony stood up from his chair in the lab and went over to his son, patting his head.
"We're already packed for Thailand. Pepper's wondering if you're ready too."
"Oh, right. Not yet. Come on, help me pack up."
They headed upstairs, temporarily parking the questions filling his head.