A Different Path

Press - The End

Somehow, the press caught wind that Tony had kids. They weren't caught at Shwarma, but two months later Tony decided to take his family out to a resturant. 

That resturant being where ten-piece boxes of chicken nuggets and salted fries were served.

At some point, a nearby reporter had recognized their voices and looked a little closer, something people normally didn't do. Just so happens that Harley accidentally knocked his cap off.

He got a picture. By the time they were about to leave, minutes later, it was all over the internet.

"Uh, Dad," Peter whispered. He was looking at his Starktablet with wide eyes.

"Yes, Pete?" Tony asked, leaning over to look. What he saw nearly made his heart stop. Pictures of them sitting at the resturant booth were all over the internet, with titles such as "Tony Stark has children?" "Tony Stark and Pepper Stark kids?" "Heirs to SI?"

"Oh gosh." He gently took the tablet and showed it to Pepper, who was helping Morgan with her coat. His wife's stomach had grown a little from the baby inside.

His wife looked at the tablet, took half a second to freak out, and then turned into a composed buisness woman and protective mother at the same time.

"We'll have a press announcement Friday."

So they did.

/

Dressing up was one of Tony's least favorite things in the world. This dislike was replicated by two of his children. Aurora and Peter hated dressing up.

"Do I really have to wear this?" Peter whined as he pulled at his black tie. His oldest son was wearing a dark red shirt, black pants, and white sneakers.

"Yes, but it is only for an hour," Tony said as he straightened the tie back out.

When he was done, he glanced over at the rest of his family.

Pepper was wearing a dark blue dress that seemed to shimmer in the light and gold colored high heels.

Harley and Peter mostly matched, except Harley had gone for a hot rod red tie and a black shirt. Aurora and Morgan had decided to match as well, wearing blue jeans, light purple T-shirts, and white jackets along with brown boots.

He remembered when Aurora was younger and would fight against any kind of clothing that wasn't just a t-shirt and jeans. She hated shoes with a passion, still did unless they had stars on them, then she could be persuaded.

With a closer look, he saw that the strings of her boots were decorated with tiny stars.

His sons' hair had been styled as best they could. It was always so unruly, never wanting to stay down. Harley's blonde hair had been straightened, but parts of it still curled. Peter's hair continued to try and stick up at the front, much like his own.

Natasha stepped into their dressing room. She had wanted to come as a supportive aunt and back-up in case something went wrong.

"90 seconds, guys," she informed them, pushing her red hair back.

"Thank you, Nat," Pepper said, smiling. Natasha nodded, giving a reassuring smile of her own to the kids before exiting.

The family stood together. It had only just dawned on Tony that the thing he wanted to protect his kids from was now happening. The press would always try and be in their lives, now. People might only try and be their friend due to fame.

Tony knew because he had lived it. All his childhood he had been surrounded by camera flashes and barrages of questions from reporters.

He hadn't wanted that for his family.... but the cat is out of the bag now.

His wife put a hand on his shoulder and he looked over at her. His strong, intelligent, beautiful, amazing wife who always knew what to do.

"They'll be okay. They're strong. We'll help them through it all."

Tony nodded, suddenly aware of the tears in his eyes. He pulled on his red sunglasses as the doors opened for them. "It will be okay."

He pressed his forehead to hers for a moment, feeling her strength and reassurance. Tony kissed her, then pulled away, hand around her waust.

  He wrapped his other arm around Peter's shoulders. Pepper held Morgan while Aurora and Harley stood in front boldly, posture screaming that they were ready to take on the world.

Natasha came back and said it was time. The genius thought he saw the edge of Nick's coat round the corner down the hall, near the stage where they would stand.

He knew that the other Avengers were around, having grown close to them. The kids had claimed them as their Uncles. Rhodey, Yinsen, and Happy were going to be on stage with them, too.

With a deep breath, Tony squared his shoulders. This was it.

They walked out into the flashes of cameras.