More Time - COMPLETED

Part 5

Pepper agreed to join me in a quick shower after the appointment.  And by quick I mean like, ten minutes and about fifty in the bed.  And before you get your panties in a twist, we were napping.  Don't always assume sex. 

Happy wandered in about an hour later, back from dropping off the kid. Thank God for that, because he wound up cleaning up that mess in the kitchen.  He panicked, a little, seeing the blood on the rag, but Pepper's pressence in the kitchen when we finished up reassured him that I was fine.  He's getting way too clingy.

I followed her in a few minutes later, grumbling and taking another glass of scotch.  It's tough being babysat.  I need it.  She disagreed, but let me have it to save the argument.

"Why don't you stay for dinner, Happy," she had invited.

Then she pushed me to call over Rhodey, too.

So now we have a house full of people and we're ordering takeout and I just want to enjoy some peace and quiet after the show the day turned into.  I'm probably being antisocial, who knows, but I'm sitting on the chair by the island while Pepper and Happy unbox everything, working on a hologram blueprint from my phone.  Pepper hasn't confiscated this yet.

"What's that?" I hear Rhodey ask from my side as he comes casually strolling over from grabbing a plate.  "Another suit?"

"For the kid," I answer.

I inspect the new supports his legs seem to have adjusted to.  Let me tell you, what a relief that is.  For a while, the nightmares were about him falling.  Pepper falling.  Both not making it out alive.

"Made it for him when he matures a little and when I..." I finish.

When I wouldn't be here to help anymore.  I don't have to finish that.

It's a more high tech suit.  More durable.  A cooler design.  No, not just because I incorporated the Iron Man gold.  Something...for when he actually did pass the training wheels protocol.  For when he really could be an Avenger.

"You think he's ready for that?" Rhodes asks, thankfully ignoring my tail off.

I flash my eyes up at Happy, who looks taken aback.

"Parker?" he stutters.  "The kid?  You want to give the kid that?"

"Not after today..." I mutter, and Pepper shoots me a sympathetic look while shoving some food my way.

"Stop," she orders, reading my mind as I sulk.  "He's a teenager.  He'll get over it."

"I dunno, he seemed pretty dep-" Happy begins, but Pepper jabs him in the gut making him abruptly end his report.

She moves toward the living room, where they decided to sit since it was more 'chill', but stops to give me a soft kiss on the way.

"Come on, Mr Stark.  You need to eat something."

"You need it more..." I mumble out while closing the phone, then sigh and stand to follow with the dish she put in front of me.

"Trying to fatten her up, Stark?" Rhodey asks from somewhere behind me.  "That's weird, even for you."

I plop down on the couch and pick at the plate, but forget about it as I go back to the hologram and change some of the coding.

"How's that move going, Happy?" Pepper asks politely, trying to get us to move past what could turn into the big announcement.

"All set for tomorrow, boss," he answers, checking his phone and groaning as it buzzes in his hand.  "I swear, Tony, if this kid calls me to tell me about some neighborhood mom he helped..."