A little too tired of just hanging on

Chapter 16

His eyes were closed and for a second, Tony didn't know where he was. Extremis had changed his morning quite a lot. The grogginess was gone in a second to have his body in peak condition straight away. On the other hand, his depression had always left him tired all the time and out of it even though he still knew he was awake. The smell of bacon was odd though. Tony was pretty sure his fridge had been empty, if not for the too old cheese and maybe some milk that had seen better days. When the war had started, food had really been the last thing on his mind.

Bacon and coffee. Both smells were there, unmistakable. It dawned on him, his friends were still there. Friday had probably sent one of them back on Earth to get some supplies. Tony didn't even take the time to get dressed properly. His pajamas would have to do. He needed to see that for himself. His guests were all there in different states of dressing. May was setting the table with the children while Rhodey and Jodie seemed to be in charge of cooking. Happy was making different kinds of hot beverages while Laura was pouring the fruit juice. The scene was just perfect, a family maybe not perfect but his nonetheless.

Tony could have just stayed there forever, watching those people living in his house, around him. Peter spotted him and greeted him enthusiastically with another of his Mister Stark. The genius was immediately in their conversation. He didn't need to do anything but if he really wanted to participate, he could always wash the dishes after. Tony wouldn't mind at all. The children were arguing if Star Wars was cooler than Star Trek. They both were.

"Well, wait until Tony makes you your own lightsaber." Just stated Rhodey.

"What?!" The others answered, turning to Rhodey for more details on that particular story.

"Tony made us lightsabers when we were in MIT. All lasers and everything. I even got to choose the colour and let me tell you that Mace Windu wasn't the first to have a purple one." Rhodey told them all as if it was the most normal thing to have.

Very Slowly, all the children's heads turned back to Tony. The silence lasted about three seconds before they all started shouting how they wanted to learn how to make one for themselves.Not for Tony to make each of them one and fast. To have him teaching them how to do it. That was something new. Pepper always dragged him in endless meetings where he was not needed. The Avengers demanded upgrades and new weapons without even a thank you, or a glance in his direction. It felt nice. Tony wasn't quite sure he would be a good teacher but he was more than willing to try. The children were firing a lot of questions his way while eating. Tony answered all of them as best as he could. Peter and Harley were geniuses in their own right but the Bartons' children and Kitty Kat were also giving him a run for his money.

Life was carrying on as always. With or without him. Most of his family had to go back to Earth. They had jobs, friends, people who might look for them. Even Peter, after all that had happened to him, wanted to go back down to see if Ned and MJ were alright. Tony might live like a hermit now, that didn't mean they all had to become one as well.

Even before his anxiety could kick in, they all asked if they could come back later on. Another surprise to him. The Avengers had to be convinced to stay. The kids were seeing the moon mansion as their rebel base like in Star Wars. Rhodey, with his little story, had unleashed their imagination. Tony knew for a fact that they would all build a lightsaber together, sooner rather than later.

Lila, Kat and Jodie would be staying with him today. The girls have school, not that they particularly wanted to go back. Rhodey had to go back, talking to the brass and then to the UN. The world would need to move on now that the war was over and preferably not to go back to how things were before. The countries of the world had managed to agree even if for a little while. It would be nice if things could stay that way as long as possible. War Machine might not have the influence that Tony Stark once had but he had to try anyway.