Iron & Shield // Stony

memories & happiest

Two days had passed since then and everything seemed normal.
There was news that Evil Jesus, well that's what I called Domaubris. No offence, by the way. I'm an atheist, so yes.

Back to what I was saying, Domaubris had suddenly decided to not come to Earth and was chilling in some unknown location. This gave us enough time to call some other people to help us, like T'Challa.. Black Panther, of course and yes, The Captain Marvel and Queen of Asgard, Valkarie. So now you know that this was going to be a huge battle, like the one we fought against Thanos.

Let's not talk about that purple dumb headed maniac, spoils my mood you see.

I was walking around with no purpose whatsoever in the large lawn outside the Avengers Tower. It was evening and a nice orangy glow was illuminating the sky. You couldn't have expected Steve to be here with me, he was busy with Peter, teaching him some stuff I suppose. I'm sure he'd make a great dad.
You could call this a fantasy but I did want to adopt Spider - boy while I was alive, but thanks to fate, I never got that opportunity.

Suddenly I noticed something in front of me. It was a circular region which looked like water, in mid air. It seemed to be some kind of a transparent water sheet in midair and looked like the water was flowing. I immediately walked up to it and touched it.

It immediately sucked in inside like a huge black hole. I tried to pull myself out but it did not help as I fell on face into the ground.
"Darn this!", I screamed as I stood up straight dusting off my black t - shirt. I looked around, this place looked so very familiar.

Oh wait! This was my house. The house that I had built for myself after Thanos' snap.

I looked around.
The calender stood on the wall.
Year 2019.

I stared at it in shock.
What the hell?! I was back in time..? I looked behind myself but that watery gateway was gone. Just then I heard, "Tony! Where are you?", Pepper, who looked as pretty as ever walked out of one of the rooms, searching for me. She walked passed me as if I was invisible.

I immediately followed her out. I saw myself. The alive me, sitting on the armchair in the balcony and looking out at the lake.
This was after I had been rescued by Carol Danvers from that spacecraft.

Pepper finally noticed the 'alive' Tony Stark.
"Tony.. why did you come here? You need rest.", She said softly as I stood up, holding onto the armchair for support.

Oh wait.. I knew this thing. This had happened before. I knew it.

"I lost that kid.", My voice broke.
Pepper wrapped her hands around my frail physic.
"You need rest.", She whispered, tears iching her eyes.
"I cannot rest.", I whispered back, now holding onto her.
"I need to tell you something, Tony.", She whispered holding onto the 'alive' me tightly.

And as the 'dead' me stood holding my breath, knowing exactly what happened after this.

"What?", The alive Tony Stark asked.
"Tony, I'm pregnant.", She whispered. The expression of happiness immediately had caught over my otherwise frail and tired face.

But before I could witness the conversation after that something happened and I felt like I was being pulled outside, a huge whirlwind of energy threw me out of that scene into the reality.

"Stark, you should should try out things you have no idea about.", It was the Queen's voice. Distinct that rang in my ears. She stood opposite to me, looking at me like I had eaten her cheeseburger without her permission.

"You keep a watery gateway out in the lawn and that is fine?", I asked now standing up.
She did not say anything and turned away.
"How do you feel after seeing that?", Her voice was a soft whisper.

I immediately paused and shut my eyes, remembering the scene. So vivid, so pleasant.
"I want to see more of it.", I replied.
"And?", She asked as I kept my eyes stubbornly shut.
Suddenly, some kind of a realisation struck me.

I opened my eyes.
"And I feel sad.", I said as a lump started forming in my throat.
"Why?"
"Because I know everything that had meant so much for me can never be mine anymore. I do not belong in here any more. My daughter, doesn't recognize me..", my voice broke away after this as the cruel reality hit me hard.

"You know why you where shown that scene?", The Queen was staring at the orange sky.
"Why?"
"Because that was the happiest moment in your whole mortal life.", She replied.
"So that makes Pepper the most important person in my life, doesn't it?", I asked her as she finally turned. She held onto a smile, a smile which was so calm yet so anxious,
"No, Anthony. It makes your daughter the most important person in your life.", She replied as she walked up to me.

There was a distinct uneasiness between us.

"And why is it that I feel like you've been hiding something?", I asked as she looked down with a smile and said, looking up,
"We'll talk about that some other day. For now you can have your second happiest moment.", She said as she walked away. I stood still for a while and then I heard that which I had been yearning to hear,

"Dad! You're back?!"