The Beginning {𝟙} | Marvel √

Pilot

September of 2001
Hospital

Pacing. Nerves. Sweating palms.

Just a couple hours ago, Tony Stark was in his house, sleeping when his phone started to ring. At first he ignored it but then it ringed again so he answered it, annoyed. "Hello?" he asked when he answered. "Mr. Stark. It's Pepper. I realize it's late. But- My water just broke." Tony knew what that meant.

9 months prier, Tony walked into a bar to find his beautiful assistant, Pepper Potts. He couldn't have missed her, immediately recognizing her long strawberry blonde hair pinned in a low bun. He sat next to her and noticed she wasn't herself. Her blue bell eyes were full of tears and her makeup had tear marks all over her face. He also noticed she was drunk.

Naturally, Tony was curious why his assistant was crying and drunk so he plainly asked what was the matter.

"He broke up with me." Was all she said. Tony didn't know Ms. Potts had a boyfriend or anything about her really. "Over text!" She continued to ramble on and on about her now ex boyfriend and about she was way far too old by now to find a new boyfriend who could be her husband. She even let out probably too old to even have children and all she wanted was children. Tony then told her that she didn't need him. Especially if he broke up with her over text. So he decided to get some rounds to celebrate that Pepper was no longer involved with such a douche. But one round went to another and another and another.

And another.

Tony & Pepper were just painfully drunk by now that there was no way any of them were driving anyone, anywhere. So Tony called Happy, he could barely come out with the words but Happy was able to understand.

The next morning, Pepper woke up, with a pounding headache, in a bed that was not hers. And a man sleeping next to her. She stared in horror but then he woke up and turned to his side, facing her. They both widened their eyes and screamed. "MR. STARK?!"

Now 9 months later, Pepper & Tony were in the hospital waiting for their baby to come. So Tony was pacing back and forth in the hospital room they were in. Annoying Pepper more than she has ever been annoyed in her life. "God, can you stop?!" she yelled and Tony looked at her weird.

"What am I doing?" he asked.

"You're...moving," she said in an annoyed tone.

"Uh. Probably because I'm nervous. You are literally about to give birth to my child, Ms. Potts," Tony said.

"You say that as if that's my only job! Just to fuck around with then get pregnant then give birth, and give the baby to you and I'll be nothing anymore! Like I didn't go through so much to give you YOUR child! Do you even know how hard it is to be pregnant?!" Pepper yelled.

"Uh. No I wouldn't because I am a man!" he exclaimed and she rolled her eyes while he sighed, trying to calm down. "The baby is ours. Not just mine. That's why we decided to keep her a secret from the media. I'm sure it must've been extremely difficult to not seem pregnant," he said, trying to be sincere but she just glared at him.

"You THINK?! I couldn't visit my family! Or see my friends! Ever!" she yelled and he groaned in annoyance as she yelled.

"You're impossible!" he yelled. Then a nurse walked in and felt slightly uncomfortable that they were arguing.

"Now, Mr. & Mrs. Stark-" the nurse said, breaking up the fighting, started to say.

"We're not married!" they both exclaimed in unison.

"She's- She's just my assistant. And we just- happen to have a drunken night and one thing led to another and-" Tony started to explain.

"Okay, Tony, that was way too much information," Pepper said.

"But we are not together," he said.

"Nope. Never," Pepper said.

"Well, Mr. Stark & Ms. Potts, we can start the process of giving birth to your baby now because Ms. Potts is at 10 centimeters," the nurse awkwardly said.

"Thank God!-" Pepper exclaimed before she started to groan in pain. "Oh God!" she exclaimed in pain and Tony eyed her.

"What?" He asked.

"Another contraction! Gosh, this hurts!" She yelled. They started to roll her out of that room to take her to a different room and Tony was holding her hand the whole time, even though she was giving him insults the whole time. "You know if I wasn't ever you're assistant, this wouldn't even be happening!"

Tony started nervously laughing. "Is she suppose to be this rude?"

"It's the pain. Some patients throw their anger from the pain on other people, like Ms. Potts here with blaming everything on you," The nurse said and Tony looked at her awkwardly.

"Of course she is." They rolled her into the delivery room where the doctor was waiting for them.

Moments later, Pepper screamed out in pain then a baby cried out. The nurses wrapped up the baby before handing her to Pepper who was softly crying. "Oh!" she exclaimed.

"Congratulations Mr. Stark & Ms. Potts," the doctor said and Tony would've said something but he was in a trance, staring at his baby.

"She's..uh..," Tony said softly and Pepper looked at him.

"Perfect?" she asked and he looked at her, before nodding.

"Beyond."

Pepper smiled before sitting up straight and gestured to him to hold the baby. He nervously sat up straight in his seat before he took the baby from Pepper, staring at her in amazement.

"What is her name?" the nurse asked and Tony looked up at them, tears covering his eyes.

"U-Uh," Pepper let out.

"We haven't actually thought of one yet," Tony said.

"Well um, I actually have. Sort of," Pepper said. He looked at her. "It's kinda silly really."

"What is it?" He asked.

"Well, you know how I like FRIENDS so, I was thinking, Emma. Like Rachel & Ross' baby," Pepper said. Then Tony looked at the baby, at her peaceful little face, and her blonde hair. He slightly smiled.

"Well, how about Maria for her middle name," Tony said. Pepper looked at her.

"Emma Maria Stark," Pepper said.

"I like it," Tony said and the nurse smiled at them.

"I'll go get the paperwork then.", she said before leaving with the doctors. Tony smiled at Emma, happier than he's ever been.

"Hey, Emma. It's your Daddy. I swear I'm gonna protect ya, okay?"