Aaron Stark (Tony Stark's son)

Meeting our son

(Tony's POV)

I lay in my bed with Pepper asleep next to me, and I'm just staring at her. I reach my hand down and rub her stomach. She isn't showing yet, but I'm still as nervous as I can be. You see, I'm going to be a father. I shake at the thought my dad wasn't the best, and I don't want to be like that with my kid. I looked at the clock and saw it was already 4 am, so I decided I would not sleep. I carefully get up, go to my lab, and start working on something for the baby. Yes, Pepper is only 12 weeks but I know if im gonna make baby stark something I need to start early. I want to be with Pepper through all the cravings, the morning sickness, the mood swings, everything, so I'm gonna work on the baby's gift while she is asleep. At about 9 am, I hear Pepper moving around, so I go upstairs.

"Tony? Tony?"

"Yeah,​ babe?"

"Oh, you scared me. Why were you in the lab?"

"Oh, I was just drawing up some plans for something I'm going to make for baby Stark," I say as I rub her stomach and kiss her.

"Tony, I'm only 12 weeks."

"I know, but I wanted to get started early." I smile and kiss her again. She smiles and goes to make breakfast.

☆☆☆

It's time to find out the baby's gender! Yay! I don't normally get excited about stuff, but I am today! Pepper and I are waiting anxiously for the nurse or whatever they call them to come in and do the ultrasound thing.

When she finally comes in, Pepper lifts up her shirt to reveal her stomach with the cute little baby bump. Wow, did I just say that? Anyway, they put this gooey stuff on her belly and start moving this weird-shaped thing around. I can't see anything until she points at it.

"There we go. There's your baby." I look closely, and I see it. I know the baby. Tears begin to well up in my eyes, and I look at Pep, and she smiles and is crying already.

"And let's see if the baby will cooperate....and....it's a boy."

"A b-b-boy?" I ask, studying.

"Yes, sir." Tears begin to run down my face.

"Do you want to hear the heartbeat?" I know I can't say anything, so Pepper speaks up.

"Yes." The nurse does something, and we hear his little heartbeat. I hear my boy's heart beating. The nurse takes pictures of the ultrasound and hands them to Pep. We thank them and head home. I look at her as I'm driving, and she is glowing. I smile and continue driving. We get home, and Pepper goes to bed. She's really tired, so I go to the lab and continue working on the secret project for baby Stark.

☆☆☆

I'm lying in bed asleep. I finally finished baby Stark's gift. I think Pepper and the baby are going to love it. It's one more month until I get to meet my son. I am finally able to sleep now. I am sleeping until I feel something cold and wet on my legs, and then I feel Pepper shaking me awake.

"Tony? Tony!" I groan in response. "Tony, please wake up! Tony!"

I finally woke up. "What's going on? What's wrong?" I say sleepily.

"Tony.....I think my water just broke!" She says breathing heavily I can hear the pain in her voice. It takes me a minute to register, and my eyes get big. I spring into action, grab her hand, and help her to the car.

"JARVIS?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Let the hospital know we're coming!"

"Already taken care of, sir." We finally got to the car, and I started driving.

"Tony! This is too soon! He's not due for another month!"

"I know Pep. I know." I gently grab her hand and bring it up to my lips as another contraction hits her. After about twenty minutes, we finally get to the hospital, and they are waiting for us. I get her inside, and they get her changed and ready, and they make me put on disposable scrubs, and then we wait.

She says her back hurts, so I climb into the bed, sit behind her, and make her lean forward. I messaged her back, and after about 25 minutes, they had her start pushing. She grabs and squeezes my hands as I sit behind her. I feel bad for her because she decided to do a natural birth with no pain medication, but she said that she didn't want to have our son and be all drugged up. I love her.

"Alright, I see the head! One more big push, Mrs. Stark! Ready? One, two, three! Push!" She pushes with all her strength, tears running down her face from the pain, and then we hear the most beautiful sound ever.

We hear our son's first cries. Tears start flowing for a different reason. Now, all the pain and agony of the last few moments are forgotten, and they hand us a little blue bundle. Pepper starts crying and laughing. I sit there and stare at him. He's so tiny, so helpless, so fragile. Pepper starts talking to him softly.

"Hey. Hey baby. It's nice to meet you finally! Your daddy and I have been waiting long to meet you." She looks at me and smiles.

"Do you want to hold him?" I don't say anything. I don't even move. I can only stare at the fragile baby in my Pepper's arms.

"Tony?" I finally snap out of it, and she smiles. I smile back, and she hands him to me. When he is safely in my arms, I stare at him more.

"I feel like I'm gonna break him. He's so little." Pepper smiles.

"You're not going to break him. But we have to name him."

"What about Aaron? After your dad?" I ask her, still looking at him. He looks like an Aaron.

"What about Aaron Howard?" I look at her funny.

"After your father."

"Why would we name him after my dad? I hated him."

"So he has a part of both of his grandfathers. And besides, it seems to fit him." I think about this for a moment and then look at Aaron. He opens his brown eyes. Brown eyes! He's got my brown eyes! Then he smiles at me. My heart melts, and I smile back.

"Aaron Howard Stark," I say after a minute. You're right; it does suit him." Pepper smiles, and we sit there with our little Aaron. And I know now that my life will never be the same.