➳ August 2005

Tony was allowed to see Peter only once in a while and for short minutes which was turning him mad because he couldn't hold and love his son as he wished he could.

Skylight just took the money and disappeared happily not even bothering to see Peter for once.The only ones who visited the baby were Happy, Rhodey and Carol.

It was so fun to see them bond with the baby.And Carol almost killed everyone when the baby started crying because Happy made him uncomfortable.

And as for Tony...he still wasn't used to how to keep a baby in his arms because the baby wouldn't stop wiggling.But he was taking parenting advice from a family friend who was a father himself.

•••

➳Baby coming home...

The baby was coming home after a full month at the hospital.He would go to the hospital once a week and take analysis.The doctors said the baby would live but there were still chances of health complications and they had to be extra careful.

"Pepper!"-Tony yelled as fast as they entered the house.

"Coming Mr.Stark?"-Pepper answered.

Pepper was Tony's assistant and now the new babysitter.(No pepperoni in this book!).Her work was to take care of the baby day and night when Tony wouldn't be around,which would be a really small time because Tony couldn't leave the baby.Their bond was really tight and for Tony it would never change.

Pepper entered the place Tony was staying with the kid in his arms.She gasped at the beautiful eyes and smiled.-"Another mini-Tony Stark what a blessing and a curse!"

Tony laughed and handed the baby to her.-"He smells!"

"Is that because he's a baby!"-Pepper asked with irony.-"Give him to me and learn how to change his diapers."

"Do I have to do that!?"-Tony asked with a voice above a whisper.

"Yeah!He is your baby after all!"-She said and started to teach him how to change diapers and clean the mess.

•••

➳A couple months later when the baby had started to notice colors....

"Baahh!"-The baby bubbled and giggled after a small explosion happened at the lab.

Tony and Petter looked just like they had returned from the third world war.

"Shhhh if Pepper notices I am dead!"-Tony talked to the baby awkwardly holding him.-"Is it bath time!"

"Tony I heard a noise!You didn't blow a lab again did you!"-Pepper said from upstairs.

"I didn't...I promise!"-Tony said awkwardly hoping she wouldn't come downstairs.

"Blaabl!"-Peter mumbled.

"I know.She'll kill me this time.You wanna take a hot bath little one?"-Tony said bopping his nose as he did some happy noises.-"Thought soo!"

Tony made his way upstairs hoping Pepper wouldn't notice them.They where both covered in black dust and smelled like carbonized wires.He opened the tap and filed the bath he threw a couple toys inside the bath and a bath bomb which Peter always loved.

"You like toys huh!"-Tony said as Peter took a red ball and a blue ball in his hands as always and giggled happily.-"You like red a blue?"

Tony took the toys from his hands and replaced them with a yellow and red.But Peter threw the yellow ball away and took blue again.Tony did the same with the red ball but Peter kept choosing the same.

"PEPPER!!!!"-Tony yelled in the top of his lungs perking his head from the bathroom door.

Pepper came running through the stairs almost braking her neck in process.-"What is it!!?"-She asked panicked.

"Peter likes red a blue!Look..."-Tony said taking away the blue ball and giving him an orange one.But Peter threw it away and took the blue one again.-"See!!"

"You called me here just to tell me he likes blue and red?"-Pepper said unpleased.

"Yeah!"-Tony said happily playing with Peter.-"He's adorable Pep!"

"And you blew the lab!Liar!"-Pepper said and threw Tony inside the bath tube.-"Whats the difference between you and Peter!You both babies who need babysitters!"

"Meanie!"-Tony said and continued to play with Peter inside the bath tube.

•••

➳Peter's first steps...

The small baby now was 9 month old and had already started to eat small things and even make uncomfortable noises when he needs to go to bathroom or sleep.

Tony,Rhodey and Carol where sitting on the living room Spring had bloomed everywhere and Peter was sitting on the carpeted floor playing with his favorite stuff bubbling and mumbling indescribable noises.

"He's really small Tones...Are you sure this is normal?"-Carol asked sipping her coffee.

"The doctors still say it's a miracle that he lived...I hope he doesn't get worse.He sometimes can't stop coughing and has high fever.But he's okay for now."-Tony said ruffling Peter curly thick brown hair.

"He's just the most adorable creature in the universe!"-Rhodey said also drinking some coffee.-"Parenting really suits you!"

"He literally looks like a living dead Rhodes!"-Carol said with a tone of irony.

"Peter wasn't feeling good last night.I just didn't bring my self to sleep after that."-Tony said softly.

"Lemme guess...You stayed up and watched him all night long didn't you?"-Rhodey completed.

"Kinda..."-Tony said nervously.

Peter who now was under the table made his way of there crawling and than made a small giggling noise that took everyone's attention before raising his head and getting up on his small foot.

"TONY!!!Look at that!"-Carol said and run to Peter ready to save him if he fell.

"OMG!!!PEPPER!!!"-Tony yelled taking out his phone and taking a quick picture.

"He's walking!"-Rhodey said watching as the small kid made his way to Tony before collapsing in Tony's protective arms.

"That was close!"-Tony said and took Peter in his arms.-"But I don't think the doctors will like the idea of him walking.He's really small already!"

"Since when do you care about what doctor say!?"-Carol asked.

"Since Peter."-Tony said softly.

The words 'since Peter' was the most common word used by Tony to describe the changes in his behavior.

•••

➳On Peter's first birthday.

Tony had just left Peter's room.It was 5 in the morning and the baby wasn't feeling good.He had three doctors in Peter's room trying to figure out what the kid needed.

He was stressed and almost losing his mind.Peter had never been so sick at the same time before.He looked like he could brake in any moment.

Carol Rhodey Happy and Pepper couldn't do anything to calm him down.Tony took a glass of whiskey and sat outside Peter's small bedroom where the doctors where taking care of Peter's illnesses.

He almost jumped when the door opened and the three doctors came out.-"He needs to go to hospital.His fever isn't going down and his heart rate isn't oriental.He needs professional assistance and equipments.Tony we cant do this anymore the kid needs surgery ASAP!"

"Sorry Stark but there isn't anything that We can do."-Another doctor said and Tony just felt his heart sink down.

"Happy.Help me to drive Peter to the hospital fast!"-Tony said and Happy did it.

———

The drive wasn't long and the ill baby wasn't wiggling as much as he did before.Peter had hugged Tony's pinky finger with his whole enormously small hand and was bubbling weakly in Tony's arm.

They made their way to the room Peter would be staying.Peter wasn't letting go of Tony's pinky finger as it was glued.It broke Tony's heart into million pieces.

To say Tony was crying was little.If he wasn't as strong emotionally as he looked he would be sobbing right now.-"Shhh you will be alright.Dad will be here with you!"

Peter looked like he understood what he said and mumbled the so long waited words.-"Da-da!"-softly and gently with his small pink lips.Tony smiled proudly and planted a small kiss in his forehead.

"You need to leave Mr.Stark and let the doctors handle it from here!"-A doctor said as the place began to get ready for his operation.

Tony looked at Peter's brown-doe eyes one more time before Peter's small fingers released his pinky finger.

Little did Tony know that this would be the last time he would see Peter and his big doe brown eyes again.

•••