I Dreamt We Had a Kid

Chapter 11

Tony is standing in the middle of an orange expanse. Everyone is there, Peter, Pepper, Stephan, Bucky, Sam, Wanda.

"Peter!" He calls out, running towards Peter. He isn't moving though, his feet slipping like he is inside an invisible cage. He pounds on the invisible wall, crying out everyone's name. It's Bucky who sees him first. Relief sinks through Tony until he sees the angry winter soldier strutting towards him.

"Your just as much of a failure as your father," he spits, "My only regret is I didn't kill you too." He is laughing a maniacal laugh.

"I am disgusted to have you as a son," Howard says, coming from the other side of Tony. "You could have been my greatest creation." He spits in Tony's face.

Tony is flooded with anger as Stephan walks toward him, his usual casual smirk replaced by a snarl. "I can't believe I sacrificed the time stone for this." He gestures at Tony, a look of disgust on his face. Tony swallows, he will not cry, not with all the people here. He sees Pepper walking toward him, and hope flows through him. Pepper loved him.

"You let us die!" She cries, "This is all your fault, you let your fiance and child die! You are an utter failure Tony Stark." She doesn't even look at his face, just walks away. Everyone is laughing at him. Tony wants to die. Maybe he is dead, in hell. Then he sees Peter, the meager feeling of hope slipping through once more.

"Peter," he is barely able to say, his throat closing from tears. He vaguely realizes that is the first time he hasn't used a nickname to speak to him.

"Don't even talk to me," the bitter tone in Peter's voice so wrong, so foreign. His eyes are filled with hatred.

"How dare you think of me as your son! You killed me! You have no right!" His arms are flailing all over the place.

"Did you even think to tell aunt May I died? No! You left her inside her apartment, wondering if her nephew was alive or a pile of dirt." The others are encouraging Peter, telling him to keep going.

"How dare you wear that around your neck!" He points at his own ashes around Tony's neck, "It should be her." He pauses, a whole nother form of anger reeling through him, his fists are clenched at his sides. Peter looks Tony dead in the eyes, "you mean nothing to me."

"Tony," He hears a soft voice near his head and a strong arm on his shoulder, "Tony wake up it's just a dream."

Tony slowly opens his eyes and his face feels hot. His head is pounding. He groans and looks up at the man comforting him. Steves blue eyes are filled with concern.

"God, Tony, I didn't think I was going to be able to wake you." He pulls Tony closer until Tony's head is in the crook of his neck. He lets out a cry. One he has been holding in for far too long. The nightmare surges through him. It was all right, everything they said. He is a failure. He cries harder and harder, ripping Peter and Pepper's necklace off of him and placing it gently on the table.

"Tony what are you doing," Steve says, he looks like he is just trying to hold it together for Tony.

"I-I," Tony can't speak, he is so tired, so broken. When was the last time someone even asked him if he was ok? The thought was humorous, not since Pepper. Here Steve was, holding him and letting him cry when Tony knew for sure Steve was having similar problems.

"I don't deserve to wear them." He lifts his head up and looks Steve in the eye.

"Tony," he sighs, "I don't know what happened in your nightmare, but I do know Pepper loved you, I know what love looks like," he falters, his eyes going distant for a moment, "and I know she loved you." Tony takes a shaky breath, he wants to ask Steve who he loves, vaguely remembering a woman named Peggy from his museum exhibit.

"I'm sure Peter loved you too," Steve encourages. He reaches to the table and gently places the necklaces around Tony's neck, pressing them to Tony's heart, he says "They will always live on in our hearts," Steve swallows, "We will get them back Tony and you can tell them how much you love them."

Tony doesn't say anything, he just closes his eyes once more, letting himself fall asleep in Steve's embrace. He doesn't have any more nightmares.