Raising a Baby (Tony Stark Style)

Baby's First Word

Disclaimer/warning: swearing, but it's censored.

2 Months Later
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      Pepper was furious when she found out Tony lost Alex. She threatened that if it happened again Tony would have to spend a month trying to live without her help.

     Alex hasn't had another incident like that again. Tony has been keeping his eyes on her like a hawk. But everything about her seemed completely normal.

     Tony walked into Alex's bedroom to see that she was already awake. "Morning, baby girl!" He exclaimed quietly as he lifted her up from the crib.

     Alex greeted him with only a smile before she tried to wriggle out of his arms towards the door.

     He sighed and put her down, letting her run out into the hall while he quickened his pace to keep up. He wondered when she would start talking. He would even be happy if she simply started to babble again.

    Alex waited for him near the top of the steps, not confident enough to go down on her own.

     Tony thought this was strange because she had been down to the lab by herself before (and nearly gave him a heart attack). He let her take his hand and walked with her to the kitchen.

   "So, what are you eating today for breakfast today pipsqueak?" Tony said as he placed Alex in her high chair.

     Tony rummaged through the pantry, making a mental note of everything he would need to get later. He eventually found some good bananas. She likes bananas, maybe I can just cut one of these up and give her some milk. That should hold her off until I get more Cheerios.

     He grabbed a knife and started to quickly slice a banana. When he was almost finished his finger slipped and he gave himself a small but painful cut. "SH*T!" he yelled and jumped up in pain. Almost immediately, he put his finger in his mouth in an attempt to stop the bleeding and to keep himself from swearing more.

     Alex started to giggle. "Sh*t!" she exclaimed innocently. Her face scrunched up in joy.

     Tony stopped dead in his tracks. His mind went in two very different directions. On one hand, Alex just said her first word, something he's been waiting months for. On the other hand, he just became a dead man walking. He would be through as soon as Pepper heard Alex.

     "Oh, God. Alex, really sweetheart. Really?" Tony groaned. He found a band aid for his finger and went back into the kitchen to clean up his mess.

     Alex started clapping her hands while repeating the word over and over.

     "No no no no, please no. Of all the things I've said, you repeat this?" Tony asked in despair.

     "Sh*t," Alex said again. Tony groaned and dropped his head into his hands.

     "Sir," Jarvis interrupted, " why don't you try to get her to say other words now that you know she can articulate them."

     "You're a genius buddy," Tony pulled a chair up in front of Alex. "Hey, Pipsqueak, let's try some new words. Okay?"

     "Sh*t."

     Tony sighed. "Okay, try this, say 'daddy'. C'mon Alex, you can do it!" he encouraged her.

     This time Alex stared at him blankly, not saying a word.

     "Okay I guess that's prog-"

     "Sh*t!" Alex yelled while banging her hands on her high chair.

     "Nevermind." He ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to calm his racing mind. Tony looked back at her, exasperated.

     Alex started fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat and making faces. Her small stomach began to growl, asking for food.

     Tony took in a deep breath and let it out. "Sorry, Baby Girl, let's get you some real breakfast." He lifted her out of the chair and carried her to the garage.

     The father quickly pulled on a hoodie and sunglasses before buckling Alex into her carseat. He was still driving a sporty car, but it was just a Mustang, nothing too fancy.

     Alex started whining for food about halfway to the Wal-Mart. In between her cries the repitions of her first word could be heard.

     When they arrived Tony pulled the crying girl out of the car and ran as quickly as possible to the cereal aisle.

     "Cheerios, Cheerios, Cheerios..." he muttered under his breath as he scanned the contents of the aisle.

    When Tony came across the bright yellow cereal box he tossed 12 of them into his cart while Alex fussed in the small seat. 

     Alex whined and reached for the boxes. The growling of her stomach could be heard over the quiet squeaking of the cart's wheel.

     Tony reached in the cart, opened one of the boxes, and gave it to Alex. He continued making his way around the store, adding milk, yoghurts,  and applesauce to his cart while his daughter greedily shoved Cheerios into her mouth.

     After paying for the groceries and loading them into the car, they began the drive home.

     Once Alex was content with her breakfast, she began repeating her first word again and again while Tony listened, full of dread.

     After they got home and Alex played around a bit it was time for her nap. Eventually, Tony got her to fall asleep. Then he went downstairs and fell asleep on the couch, thinking about how to stop Alex from talking.

2 Hours Later

     The sound of a ringing doorbell woke Tony up from his nap. He went to the door and saw Pepper there, holding a large stack of papers. Tony let her in and they walked into the living room.

     "Tony, I need to look over these numbers with you and get them approved. Then the CEO of that Japanese program thing wants to have a meeting with you this evening, so we'll have to go over some agendas and talking points." She set the papers down and smoothed out her skirt.

     The tired billionaire nodded vaguely, still half asleep. "Got it, Pepper," he yawned.

     Just then he heard Alex wake up over the baby monitor. As he stood up to go get her Pepper stopped him.

     "Don't worry, I'll go get her. She can play with her toys while we work. Besides, I miss my little girl," she offered.

     Tony nodded again while stretching out his back. It wasn't until Pepper was up the steps that he realized he needed to get to Alex before Pepper did.

     He was half way up the steps when he heard a baby's giggle. And then, there it was. "TONY!!!"