Saving Grace Extras

Advice From a Legend

Tony was panicking. Panicking. He paced the floor while Happy or Rhodey stood there and watched him most days. Happy made a list of books to go buy so they could figure out how to raise a child. Not to mention all the prenatal stuff — the vitamins, the diet, all of it. He had to get money together to pay her for all that. Doctor visits. He had to make a college fund, build a nursery, decorate it. But he couldn't do that until he knew what gender the baby would be, unless he went more gender neutral.

Or maybe it'd be fine to have a boy in a pink nursery. Or a girl in a blue one. What did it matter? It was difficult because he wished he could ask somebody. The baby obviously couldn't answer him, the mom didn't care. Although, he hoped she would grow to. He didn't know how to do any of it. But he would have to plan for the mom not being in the baby's life, just like she said. He wasn't going to make her stay or anything. He was just grateful she agreed to have the baby. All he would do was quietly hope. And plan for the worst.

How was he going to do it? Why did he decide it was a good idea?

No, he knew the reason for that. He knew the moment he heard. He almost needed the baby more than the baby needed him. But the baby did need him, and he needed to be the best father he possibly could. He needed to prepare.

He needed expert advice.

Obviously, he knew who to turn to. Someone who he always thought knew everything, could do anything. It had been a while, but she was just who he should turn to. He found her number and called, waiting anxiously as the phone rang.

She picked up. "Hello?"

Tony smiled a bit. "Hey, Aunt Peg."

There was a pause. "Who is this?"

"Tony," he replied. It really had been a while. "Tony Stark."

"Of course — of course, I knew that. I just haven't heard your voice in a while, seeing as you never call me," she said pointedly.

Even as he felt guilty, Tony chuckled. "Sorry, Aunt Peg."

She sighed. "Well, no matter. What is it you need?"

"Why do you assume I need something? Can I not call to say hi?"

"Are you calling to say hi?"

"No; I need some advice."

"Mhmm. About what?"

"Well..." Tony started, not realizing how difficult it was to word it "... I'm having a baby."

"So one of your little science experiments worked and you need help fixing it?"

Tony shook his head a bit. "No, Aunt Peg, I'm serious. There is a woman currently in this world who is pregnant with my child."

"Oh, help us all," she muttered. "You don't want the baby, is that it?"

"No, actually, it's the opposite. I want the baby. She doesn't."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"So... you want advice on how to... convince her to have your baby?" Aunt Peg asked carefully.

"No, I've already done that."

"I... Tony, explain to me exactly what the situation is, please."

"Okay, so, I'm at a party, I meet this woman. Um..." He trailed off, pausing for a few moments. "Anyway, two weeks later, she comes to my door, tells me she's pregnant with my kid, and it just... it hits me. My DNA has made... My kid is currently growing and- and developing, and I'm gonna be a father. And I want to be. I'm already ready to assume responsibility, to change, to turn my whole life back around for this kid, to be a better father than my ole' man ever was, and then she tells me she doesn't want the baby and she's just here to tell me to pay for the abortion and black mail me for some money so she won't tell the press."