AFTERWARDS

AFTERWARDS

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tony frowns and looks back at the others, “Can I hold her?” Peter asks with excitement. “Sure Pete, but wash your hands really good first baby, and only hold her with the blanket, ok?" May instructs, "Try not to touch her face too much.”

“Ok!” Peter races off to the bathroom to wash his hands thoroughly. 

“I want to get a picture of Peter and Morgan with Maria for my mantle.” Rhodey says, the sap.

   Well, it’s now or never he thinks, he braces himself before heading out of the spare room, as he walks towards the front porch, he hears soft laughter and whispering in the living room.

 As he goes through, he sees Natasha and Bucky sitting on the couch close together having a quiet conversation with cups of tea in their hands, Sam sits on the opposite side of the room, playing Roblox on his phone, Tony sighs to himself as he pushes open the screen door.

   Steve looks up from his mug of tea as Tony comes through the door, the man sits up straighter and sets his mug down. Tony sits in the adjacent chair that Pepper had picked out specifically for the beach house porch.

 Tony’s beyond cutting the man slack so he cuts to the chase. “Alright Cap, I just had a baby, what’s so important that you need to interrupt my family time yet again twice in the Same day?” Tony bounces his leg, his tone already dripping with impatience.

Steve sighs, the man just looks tired and dead on the inside, running a hand through his thick blonde hair, “Look Tony." he starts, "Earlier you said I haven’t apologized to you properly, and the truth is I haven’t gotten one from you either."

Tony sits up planting his feet on the ground firmly, Steve continues, "I want us to start over or at least start anew I can’t do this anymore Tony.” Steve shakes his head more at himself then Tony.

Tony says nothing only looks at him, Steve sighs again and stands up, Tony stands up too, “Tony I -" he pauses, gesturing to himself, "I am truly so sorry, for everything I’ve caused, for the way I behaved today."

"I just- being on the run, dealing with Thanos." He sighs once again, "My teammates not believing in me anymore, the whole Captain America thing all the time, it just brings out the worst in me."

"And of course, let’s not forget about Siberia, leaving you there, I realize now I’m not the friend I should’ve been, Tony, I’m sorry.” Steve sits back down in defeat and Tony sits back down too.

Silence falls between them for a long moment. “I forgive you." Tony speaks up, "But I can’t forget, not ever and Steve." Tony pauses, "If you’ll forgive me too.”

Steve looks up at him in surprise, “you’re right I do owe you an apology.” Tony stands back up extending his hand, “I’m truly sorry too Steve.” The captain takes his hand and shakes it looking relieved.

“But listen this doesn’t change much between us, Cap and it doesn’t make us friends over night again, we’re going to have to work at it.” Steve nods, “I agree completely.”

“I’ll have my people pack up your stuff and head to the tower you guys can be there as early as tomorrow.” Steve beams, “Thanks Tony, really.” He says in gratitude.

Tony goes to open the door, “No problem, Spangles.” He says with a shrug.

“Hey Tony?” The billionaire turns to look back at him. “Congratulations by the way, she’s beautiful, Howard and Maria would’ve loved to have met her I’m sure of it.”

Tony sniffs trying not to show too much emotion, he simply says thanks. As he heads back towards the back rooms, he hears Steve say to his teammates, sounding lighter, happier, softer. “Alright guys, let’s head out-who’s hungry? I’m buying.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tony wakes up to the sound of giggling and laughter, the air conditioning is actually kind of cold, so he pulls up the covers over his head grumbling to himself and with a muffed voice asks Friday to turn the air down through the house’s main system.

His wife is out of bed, so she must’ve been woken up by the baby, she’s a lighter sleeper than him. He yawns asking Friday what today is and what time it is, shifting in his sheets, “Today is May Hogan’s Birthday, Boss, you asked me to set a reminder for today.

"It is currently 10:45 AM.” She says helpfully.

“Oh yeah," he says with another yawn, Aunt Hottie’s Birthday.” Tony stretches, “Thanks Baby Girl.” Tony says to her.

“You’re welcome, Boss.” Friday replies. Tony decides that it’s time to move so he jumps up quickly and heads to take a shower thinking of what to get the pretty woman for her birthday.

It’s been a whole month since they’ve been home from their beach house, it’s been strange having a new baby in the house and a teenager who comes by irregularly to see his sisters. But Tony wouldn’t change it.

He heads into the living area where he sees Rhodey, Peter, Happy, Pepper and even Morgan helping each other decorate the house for May’s birthday Bash while Maria lays and watches clutching the edge of the blanket she’s been put on, some of Morgan’s toys on the blanket surround her, apparently Morgan had tried to build some sort of city while playing with her baby sister.

Tony laughs quietly to himself and whispers for Friday to snap a photograph of his family and have it arranged into a photo frame and wrapped as his present to May, it was a perfect idea, she’d love that.

She could put it up on her mantle next to her photo of Ben, and of course one for himself, why not? He sneaks in quietly, all of them preoccupied with their tasks, he then asks playfully, loudly on purpose, “Hey do you guys need help?” He chuckles at their startled faces.

Tony bends down to pick up Maria playfully swooshing her around before sitting crisscross with her in his lap in the little circle they created with their stations.

 “It’s about time old man.” Rhodey smirks.

“Funny but the sad truth is that you are way, WAY older than me Honeybear, tell me what the Dino’s like?” The colonel frowns and glares at him as Happy cackles in amusement and Morgan giggles.

Rhodey mocks him playfully and then gets up to go check on the cake that’s been baking for May. Peter sighs, "Dad!" the boy says in exasperation.

"Can you behave for at least six hours?” Tony laughs evilly and shakes his head no, Pepper hits his arm and gives him a look, she pecks his mouth and takes their baby with her back towards their bedroom.

“Come on, Mo, do you want to come with me to the store to buy candles for the cake and a birthday card for Aunt May’s gift?” The boy says as he takes his Keys from his pocket.

“Yeah! I wanna buy a card for Aunt May!” She exclaims getting up and tugging on her brother’s arm like it was her idea instead of his.

“Drive safe please!" Tony says, "And pick me out a card too!” The boy waves in acknowledgment.

He briefly thinks of inviting Steve and the others, but would that be too much? it might be good for them to have some fun after all they’ve been through.

“Hey Happy?" He starts, "Do you mind if I invite Steve and the others?” Happy turns on the ladder to look at him.

“No that’s ok, I invited Thor earlier and somehow Loki is coming too.” The man shrugs.

Tony laughs at the idea of Loki being at May’s party but he’ll be excited to see Thor, nonetheless. This is so going to be one crazy party.

He looks around the room at everything coming together, he pulls out his phone and sends a quick text with information to Natasha’s new number, his mind wonders to his growing family and he smiles, after everything they’ve been through, so many years and so much forgiveness, this is perfect. Afterwards everything is just perfect.