Marvel Moments: A Collection of One-Shot Adventures

Light in the hallway

"Waaaaaaa" the baby cried.

Once again all the avengers were woke up by Tony's son crying. This was the fourth time that night and they had a lot of work the next morning, so they weren't happy.

They all went storming to the lounge and got there just as Tony started singing to the child in his arms.

Close your eyes, lay your head down
Now it's time to sleep
May you find great adventure
As you lie and dream

The others gathered in the doorway as Tony rocked his son as he paced the lounge. They all watched him focus on his son until he stopped pacing and pulled up a hologram and continued to work as he sung, bouncing the boy in his arms softly.

If you're scared of the darkness
I will calm your fear
There's a light in the hallway
So you know I'm here

He quickly wrote a code that made the light into a night light, a light shade and watched his son reach out to it, gently moving him closer so he could play with the little light as he sung to the little one in his arms.

The others were shocked seeing Tony be so... paternal.

So count your blessings every day
It makes the monsters go away
And everything will be okay
You are not alone
You are right at home
Goodnight
Goodnight

Tony softly pulled his son closer as the boys eyes closed and he began to fall asleep once more.

You won't need me forever
But I'll still be here (still be here)
For we all have our nightmares
Even me, my dear
From now on, if you need me
You can sing this song
There's a light in the hallway
Burning all night long

Tony gently placed the boy in his crib and gently rocked it side to side as he moved the hologram over the boys bed, dimming it automatically to a duller light.

The others watched him gently stroke the boys cheek with a soft smile on his face.

So count your blessings every day
It makes the monsters go away
And everything will be okay
You are not alone
You are right at home
Goodnight
Goodnight
Goodnight
Goodnight

Tony turned to look at the others before looking back at his son.

"Sorry we woke you again," Tony apologised to the others. "My little lad just wanted a bottle," he explained.

"You can sing?" Steve asked everyone else's thought.

Tony looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Thought dad would've told you capsicle. It's the only thing he was proud of about me. I made myself a living, as a kid I barely got any pocket money or anything, I bought myself everything from my singing career. I paid for my own singing lessons, my own instruments, I worked hard at it and made a living from it. No one remembers that anymore since becoming Iron Man. His nursery will be finished in the morning so we'll stop waking you up," Tony added.

"That was a lovely song, Tony," Bruce said softly.

Tony smiled sadly moving away from his son. "I wrote it for mum. She was very sick when I was a child, it was a strain of cancer. She could barely get out of bed most days. That's why I created the Maria Stark Foundation. I wrote it when she kept struggling with sleep when she was on chemotherapy. It helped her sleep, I sung it to her multiple times every night. It's why I don't sleep well myself, I trained myself when I was little not to, I didn't want her dying and no one being with her," Tony said sadly.

"Well it was lovely. We'll leave you alone now," Natasha said and the others walked out, leaving Tony sat with Rhodey in the lounge.

"You're doing good, Tony. You're really doing well as a father," Rhodey told his best friend.

"Thanks. I'm trying my best to not be my father. I wasn't kidding when I said the only thing he was proud of was my music," Tony said as he laid down, resting his head on his best friends thigh. Rhodey ran his fingers through Tony's hair softly.

"I know. I'm so proud of you, you know that? I've seen you bring yourself up since we met, I'm so so proud of where you've taken your life. And now you have a little boy. You'd never hurt him, Tones, I know you won't because you've been hurt by your own dad," Rhodey told him gently as the man began to fall asleep on his thigh.

"Thanks," Tony whispered before falling asleep.