A mile in my shoes

Chapter 09

A simple kiss changed everything between them, opening a whole lot of new possibilities. Of course, they didn't stop at only one but neither Tony nor Laura wanted to go too fast in that new relationship. The situation was complicated to say the least. Tony's soul, for a lack of a better word, could go back to his body at any moment. They might not have that much time in front of them. Things could have been rushed just because of that. Whatever they had between them already meant too much to them to ruin it. Precipitation would not work in their favour. Plus the children were literally next door and with everything that was happening with their father, they needed to take some precautions for the good of everybody. Children were always a lot more perceptive than the adults wanted to believe.

Nathaniel was always the first one to wake up in the morning. He had always been an early riser, his mother had told him. Tony and Laura had ended up falling asleep in each other's arms. The genius hadn't had that much quality sleep in a long time but since he had Laura and the kids in his life, everything was so much better. He hasn't had nightmares since the day he woke up on the farm. He wasn't complaining at all.

Tony delicately moved Laura's head from his chest. He didn't want to wake her up just now. They would be going back to the farm later on that day to face Clint. She would need all the energy in the world to face what was coming. The archer would take no prisoner, not even when it came to his own family. The baby was probably already awake in his cradle, entertaining himself waiting for an adult to come get him. Tony couldn't help but find his present behaviour a little bit funny. He was becoming a regular spy, walking without making noises, going from room to room and having a look at the occupants without them knowing. Spying or being a father. Both could do.

"Hey little guy." said Tony to a wide awake Nathaniel.

The boy was quite an easy going baby and Tony looked like his father anyway. At the very least, he could find consolation in knowing that the transition would be easier on the baby. He hoped anyway. Laura was a well prepared kind of woman. The genius found everything to quickly prepare a milk bottle easily. Tony would have never thought he would be in that position ever. And he just loved it. He was just doing the opposite of what Howard would have done and it seemed to work quite fine.

Tony had sometimes thought about creating a family with Pepper. A little baby half of her and him. He wasn't asking for her to step down from the CEO position he had given her. Nine months of pregnancy would slow her down a little but not that much. She would still be the same strong business woman she had always been. Women could have it all these days and Tony would have done his best to help her every step of the way just like he had always been doing. He had imagined himself with an eye on the baby while working on something for SI in his workshop somewhere in a house he would have built for them. Nothing dangerous of course not. He wasn't that stupid. It would be easy for him to arrange his schedule around the needs of a baby. He had no problem being a dad at home. Tony had dreamt of a baby girl more often than not. Either gender he would have been happy really.

Tony was realising that Pepper and he didn't want the same thing in life. It wasn't the first time they would differ. Pepper didn't want Iron Man in her life. He needed the armour to survive. She didn't want children either. It was her right and perhaps, if Tony had not been thrown into the family life like that, he would have been happy just to get Pepper's back at his side and have their little family of two. He wanted more now. Perhaps it was one good thing out of the whole ordeal. If Tony couldn't be with Laura, he hoped to remember enough to know that his relationship with Pepper was not meant to be.

"A penny for your thoughts." asked a sleepy Laura from the bed, still half lying under the cover.

"I'm worried. About Clint's reaction and all that."