Chapter 65
"Um, what was I talking about...?" Pepper said weakly, avoiding Natasha's gaze. Her heart was pounding so loudly that she thought everyone present had to hear it.
"Pepper. You talked about Peter. And then you said something about another... well, about another baby," Natasha replied carefully, watching her face intently.
"Oh, yes," Pepper nodded, lowering her eyes and drinking water. "Tony and I want to buy a puppy. Peter always wanted-"
"Don't make a complete idiot from me, Pepper, be so kind," Natasha asked in a perfectly calm voice, though she was burning with anticipation. Pepper was talking about the baby! "Tell me the truth. You know you can trust me. You're planning a second child, do you suspect you're pregnant or you know you are pregnant?"
Pepper swallowed and looked around as if she was afraid someone might listen to them. Then she looked pleadingly at Natasha, who was watching her with raised eyebrows. "I am pregnant. Probably. I did the test and it was positive. But I have to see a doctor, I want to be sure before I tell Tony. I mean, if I tell Tony about it at all," she added bitterly.
Natasha didn't know what to do first, whether to scold Pepper as a small child or to hug and congratulate her. "Pepper," she breathed, grabbing her hands, "that's amazing! Congratulations. You don't even know how pleased I am, Tony will be excited. It's just... it's a shame you chose this time."
"We didn't choose it," Pepper muttered. Natasha paused.
"But you're going to keep the baby, aren't you?"
"Of course!" Pepper shouted indignantly, automatically placing her hand on her belly, which was still flat. Natasha didn't miss the gesture and smiled. Pepper had to return the smile.
"Why shouldn't you tell Tony? Pep, he's not stupid, he's coming in contact with you at least twice a week, and he certainly wouldn't miss the changes. And you don't have anyone else." Although Peter thinks otherwise, she added bitterly to herself, but Pepper really didn't have to know that. She shouldn't be upset now.
"I know, I know... I'm just afraid that - that he doesn't want me after everything that happened. And I don't even know if he would want another child. We never talked about it," Pepper sighed.
"You don't have it easy. Neither one of you. Tony is still saving the world, you run the company, you raised Peter and you had very little time for yourself. And now that everything is calm, Mary appears," Nat snorted, frowning a little. Pepper just nodded. "Should I ask Tony how is he feeling about another kid?"
Pepper looked frightened. "No! God, please don't do that! "
Natasha laughed. "As you wish."
•••
Tony paced around the living room, glancing at the box on the table. It was open and hidden inside was an Engagement Ring.
"All right," Tony muttered to himself, carefully pulling out the ring and examining it for a moment. Then he cleared his throat. "Pepper. Um, damn, what did I want?" he sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Well. Let's try it again. Pepper, you're the most amazing woman I know. My God, this is going nowhere! What should I say?” Tony was desperate, and he wasn't even talking to Pepper, but to the wall.
"My dear Pepper, you are the best thing that has ever happened to me in my life, and I will never regret the day you wanted to resign and I kissed you. Why does it sound so stupid? Get it together, Stark," he growled at himself, trying to calm down. He was nervous even right now! "You always stood by me, no matter what happened, and you always helped me. I'm not counting how many times you've pulled me out of trouble. You gave me love and I gave you... worries. Damn, why is it so hard?” If he could, he would yell and stomp like an angry child.
"Pepper, you're my whole world. You're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. With whom I want to walk with life, for better or for worse. The one I'll love until the last star goes out. Pepper, you are the love of my life and I can't be without you. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?" He knelt awkwardly on one knee. "No. In another voice. Will you marry - no, that's not it. Pepper, WILL YOU MARRY ME?"
"No, I won't. What are you yelling? Do you want to be heard on the other side of America?" An icy voice said, and the blond woman stepped inside. Tony winced, hid the ring quickly, and got to his feet, trying to look like nothing was going on.
"Ah, you scared me," Tony breathed, scratching the back of his neck. Natasha measured him with an amused look. "What did you hear?"
"Well... I've heard enough. You still have to practice, Tony. Pepper deserves something... spectacular," she said thoughtfully.
"Fireworks? Or do I ask her to marry me while we will be jumping off a plane? On the volcano? In space? Should I give her a planet? Or -"
"Tony," Nat chuckled, "don't even think about it, or Pepper will never marry you."
Stark sighed and rubbed his face. "You're right. I just... I'm very nervous and I don't want to mess up anything. I care a lot about that, you know? I really care about Pepper. Without her... without her, my life just doesn't make sense. And without Peter..." He shook his head. "I wish everything was fine again. I'm just afraid our engagement won't make it better. If Pepper wants to marry me," he added with a sad smile.
Nat sighed and put her hand on his shoulder. She smiled. "You and Pepper are exactly the same. When you will be married, you will still ask each other if they are sure of their choice, if they still want you, that you deserve someone better, and blah blah blah. You cannot be without yourself and you are simply made for each other. You're cute, but please stop, get together, and don't doubt yourself. "
Natasha tried to speak to his soul, but there was only one thing in Tony's ears. He smiled dumbly. "Husband and wife," he breathed piously.