Pregnancy
Mary knows it’s impressive that she even has a meeting with Tony Stark’s assistant scheduled. Richard and she have discussed that over dinner the last few days. They have also discussed the reason why could be because of her status as a SHIELD agent, something which makes her look more professional, and not just like another fangirl who wants to talk to Tony Stark. Or to sleep with him. But she’s already done that, that’s what got her into this mess in the first place. Mary wonders if Tony Stark’s assistant would have agreed to meet with her if she had known the reason for the meeting.
The meeting is scheduled as early in the morning as possible. That way Mary can go to work afterwards if it doesn’t take long. On the other hand, she also has the whole day if the meeting should prove to take a long time. She has her money on something in the middle.
Virginia Potts, Tony Stark’s assistant, is a calm woman. She has her things in check, which is an impressive feat when you’re dealing with Tony Stark. Mary may have been drunk when she met him, but that doesn’t mean she doesn't remember. To be able to remember her encounter with Tony Stark also means knowing exactly how irresponsible they actually were that night.
Because Virginia Potts is a collected person, she and Mary are in her office sharp and at the exact moment, they had agreed upon. Mary likes that. Which is also why she doesn’t make any overrated small talk. She wants to get right to the business she came here for. She doesn’t want to waste her own time, and she doesn’t want to waste Virginia Potts time with bullshit.
“I would like to talk to Tony,” Mary states after exchanging formal greetings. If the statement surprises Ms Potts she doesn’t show it. She blinks once and then breaks into a professional smile. One Mary knows all too well. From experience.
“I hope you know Ms Fitzpatrick, that that is the whole reason why you are talking to me right now. I am your meeting with Mr Stark.” And Mary does know that. No one can just waltz in and expect to have a personal meeting with the Tony Stark.
“I know.” Mary smiles and nods. “However I have news and a question for Tony, ones that are personal. I can and will tell you before talking to him, but it is not a question that can just be passed on.” She hopes to god she sounds at least a little professional, even though the matters she is discussing is nothing near professional.
“Alright then.” Ms Potts nods to Mary. “Let’s begin with you telling me this important matter.”
Mary Fitzpatrick is not a stupid woman nor a dumb one. No, rather she is actually kind of a genius. She knows she has to tell Ms Potts this news in the right way, otherwise, she is going to be brushed off.
“I am pregnant.” She starts. “And I know with 100 per cent accuracy that the child is Tony’s.” Mary can see the exasperation in Ms Potts eyes even though she tries to hide it and she knows she probably isn’t the first woman in this office to claim that she is carrying Tony Stark’s child.
“I’m here to tell you that I am keeping the baby, that I am not interested in money and for my sake if you want to make sure the baby is actually Tony’s I am willing to have paternity test taken to prove it.” Mary can see the way, what she is telling Ms Potts is taking her off guard, which is the exact reason why she continued talking, even after seeing the exasperation in Ms Potts eyes.
“That is interesting Ms Fitzpatrick, and how far along are you?” Ms Potts makes sure to come off nice and almost kind of welcoming and Mary hopes that means she has succeeded in the first part of telling Tony Stark that biologically he is going to be a father.
“I’m about four months along.”
“Alright. You said you had a question as well?” Ms Potts indirectly asks. “I’m asuming, that what you have already told me is the news part.”
“You would be correct. I do have a question as well, which is actually mostly the reason why I came.” Mary lets her guard down a little, hoping that isn’t a bad idea. “I want to give Tony the possibility, as the biological father, to be a part of the baby’s life if he would be in any way interested in that.” Mary knows what that could sound like compared to what she said just a minute ago.
That she is asking for money anyways. Only in a nicer way. She also knows the only thing keeping Ms Potts from jumping hard and fast at that conclusion is the fact that she willingly brought up paternity testing.
“What exactly does a part in the baby’s life entail?” A valid question really. And Mary is happy that Ms Potts at least asks in a nice subtle way, whether she is asking for money. The way she asks gives Mary an obvious out. A chance to set it completely straight what she is actually asking.
Mary decides she likes Ms Virgini Potts, right then and there. If they had met under different circumstances, Mary thinks she would have sought out a friendship with Ms Potts in an instant.
“Being a part of the baby’s life, in my opinion, and in my boyfriend’s opinion, entails the baby somewhat knowing that Tony Stark is his father. If Tony isn’t comfortable with that, but still wants to be a part of its life, he could be an uncle of sorts or a family friend. What we do not consider being a part of the baby’s life is not being a somewhat present figure is its life. That means that we do not want Tony’s money.”
When Mary finishes her little speech, she is almost convinced that she has Ms Potts convinced a well. Virginia Potts gives her what she thinks is an almost genuine smile.
“Well then, I think I can be convinced to let you talk to Mr Stark.” Mary smiles to Ms Potts, in gratitude. “But I also think it’s safe to say that we are gonna need that paternity test done.”
Mary understands that, after all, Tony Stark is a popular guy.
☆ Pregnancy ☆
Meeting Tony Stark is not nearly as intimidating as it may sound. Firstly she has already met the guy before when they were irresponsible adults. And secondly, she is pretty sure she has Ms Potts in her own corner.
The only thing Mary is nervous about is what answer she is gonna get. It doesn’t mean all too much to her what exactly the answer is gonna be. She knows that either way, they will make it work. So maybe it’s more excitement or anticipation she feels, rather than nervousness.
If Tony chooses to be a part of the baby’s life, they will make it work, they’ll figure out a system. If Tony doesn’t want anything to do with the baby, they’re gonna make it work anyways. She knows the baby will have an amazing father in Richard no matter what Tony chooses.
Tony doesn’t make himself anymore intimidating by being clad in grease-stained clothes, and his height doesn’t help him much either. Mary actually doesn’t think he’s really trying.
Surprisingly they aren’t going to hold the small meeting in Ms Potts office like the two had done last time. Instead, Mary meets Ms Potts in her office, after which they walk to Tony’s workshop.
“I do hope the connection you have to Tony Stark isn’t something you’re going to flaunt around.” Ms Potts comments on their way. “Otherwise we’re going to have to stop right now.”
“Of course not.”
“Good, I know you’re some sort of a government agent, so I expect that you can keep the things you see in Tony’s workshop confidential, without me having to go running to legal for NDA’s.” And Mary is good at keeping secrets.
When they arrive, Ms Potts enters the access code on a tiny keyboard. They walk in when the door opens. And there he is. Tony Stark. The slightest bit hunched over something on the worktable, clearly engrossed in what he’s doing. Music is loudly playing from speakers Mary can’t locate, a rock song which she doesn’t know.
“JARVIS turn the music off please,” Ms Potts says out in the open, to someone, JARVIS, whoever that is.
“Certainly Ms Potts.” The music turns off as she requested. Mary looks around for the source of the voice but doesn’t find anyone who could have said it.
“Hey! Why’d you turn my music off Ms Potts?” Tony turns on his chair. “Oh, you brought a guest.”
“Yes, I did. Because you have a meeting with her right now.” Ms Potts doesn’t leave room for questions, but when has that ever been an issue to Tony Stark?
“I have a meeting? When was that decided?”
“It was decided yesterday when I told you, you had a meeting today.”
“Well, I trust that you’re right then Pepper.” Mary doesn’t know why Tony would call Ms Potts Pepper, but the way she rolls her eyes makes Mary think it isn’t a rare occurrence. “So what’s this meeting about.” Tony looks at Mary in question.
Mary looks at Ms Potts before she says anything.
“I’m here with a question for you, and I want you to think about it before answering.” Mary knows she has to get Tony’s real attention before she really asks her question. She is a smart woman after all and she succeeds. She has his attention now.
“You’re the biological father to the baby I’m carrying right now, and my question is simply whether you want any part in its life.” Mary knows she has actually taken Tony Stark off guard, it seems she’s pretty good at that apparently.
“I have. That’s a. When did we sleep together?”
“It’s a big question I know.” Mary adjusts her legs in her stance. “We slept together in late November I think it was.”
“What makes you think I want any part in a child's life? Is it money you want? How do you know the kid is mine?” Mary expected these questions.
“I don’t want your money, that’s not why I’m here, and I don’t know whether you want any part in the baby’s life, but I’m giving you the chance if you should want to. As for knowing it’s yours. You’re the only possibility, and there’ll be done a paternity test as soon as it’s possible to do it.”
Mary looks to Ms Potts who nods her head in agreement, but she isn’t looking at Mary.
“I’ll give you some time to think it over, my boyfriend and I will be waiting for your answer.” She tells Tony. Then she looks at Ms Potts and gets ready to leave, she has a job after all.
“If you have a boyfriend, how do you know the child is mine?” Mary and Ms Potts are almost out of the room when Tony speaks up. They continue walking.
“I was already pregnant when I met him.” And they’re out and walking away from Tony, towards the exit of the building, so both Mary and Ms Potts can get on with their day.
☆ Pregnancy ☆
The paternity test comes back positive to Tony as the father. Ms Potts and Tony contact Mary with Tony’s decision a week after Mary asked him. It’s a yes, though they still need to figure out how involved he’s going to be, and in which way.
The months go by, they talk a little, but Tony doesn’t have a big part in the pregnancy. They figure out which role Tony is going to play in their little child’s life when it’s born. Occasionally Mary and Richard will receive something the bay is gonna need after being born, but other than that they don’t interact much. And booth parties are alright with that. It works just fine for them, the little abnormal family they’re building.
Tony is a party animal and a genius who is lucky to have Ms Potts help. Or Virginia, as she had sweetly told Mary she could call her if she wanted to. Tony’s lifestyle isn’t going to change drastically, although it will change slightly when the baby is born.
Mary and Richard talk about marriage. They’re aware that they haven’t been together for more than six to seven months, but they love each other, and they want to raise the child together. In marriage, not because it’s “expected” of parents to be married, but because they want to. After the baby is born though.
Tony still parties, he still manufactures weapons, because that’s what he does. Only Pepper knows and she’s a hero honestly, he knows that. He isn’t sure who he should tell other than Pepper. Rhodey probably, his best friend. He doesn’t want to tell Obie, it doesn’t have anything to do with Stark Industries, and therefore not particularly anything to do with Obie.
He’s not sure of how to tell Rhodey. How do you tell your best friend that you’re going to be a dad? A dad who isn’t going to raise the child. A dad by accident. He’s glad though, that Mary asked him if he wanted anything to do with his child. Because he does, but he knows he’s too fucked up to raise one. He knows his lifestyle isn’t fit for a child to live in. He’s scared to shit, but excited none the less.
He asks Pepper. She’s the best. It’s why she’s his assistant. It makes him feel a little bad that he doesn’t know how to tell his Rhodey, his best friend, about something like this without help from his assistant. But Tony asks and he thinks that is more important than not telling him at all because he deserves to know.
“Just tell him, Mr Stark. It’s not going to get any easier by waiting.” The wise words of Ms Virgina Potts, his hero assistant.
When Tony tells Rhodey he’s only had a little to drink. He’s barely even tipsy. It’s only a bit of liquid courage. Rhodey can tell when he gets there, he seems to know that this, whatever his best friend wants to talk about, no matter how big of a fool he sometimes is, is important to him. So Rhodey doesn’t say anything when Tony begins by talking about a lot of unimportant things.
“I’m going to be a father.” Tony feels relief when he finally blurts that out.
And he almost laughs at the expression on Rhodey’s face, a look of pure shock. James Rhodes may have expected his best friend to tell him something important, but this wasn’t on a list of possible things.
“I’m sorry what?”
“I’m going to be a father,” Tony repeats.
“Yes, I heard that Tones. But what the fuck?”
“Yeah, the kid is mine, we had a paternity test done.” Tony is calmer than he had expected he would be.
“Tony.” Rhodey sighs. “You know I don’t care that you go out and party your ass off, I don’t care that you sleep with anyone who consents, but I thought you were being safe.” Rhodey is as surprised by his own calmness as Tony is his. “We both know, not to be an asshole, that you are not capable of taking care of a baby.”
“Yeah, I know Honeybear. That’s why I’m not the one who’s raising the kid.” Rhodey lifts an eyebrow. In interest, in a challenge. Awaiting Tony’s next words.
“I’ll bite. Who is raising the kid then?”
“The kid's mother and her boyfriend, I actually think they’re going to get married after she’s given birth.”
“Okay, so if the mother and her boyfriend are raising the baby what do you have to do with it?”
“I’m going to be a part of the baby’s life. Like you know a bit distantly, not like Howard, because the kid will have Richard as its dad.”
“Richard is the boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
“Alright then. When is she due?”
“Sometime in August.”
☆ Pregnancy ☆
August arrives quickly. Mary’s belly is enormous and the due date isn’t far away. When she goes into labour, she and Richard go to the hospital and Richard contacts Tony. Mary isn’t in labour forever and for that she’s grateful. When Tony arrives it’s as lowkey as can do it, and with a proper disguise. They had already decided that they didn’t want any ‘Tony Stark has a child’ headlines. Neither Tony, Mary or Richard wants their baby to grow up in the limelight as Tony had.
The baby is born the 10th of August. He’s small and the cutest thing Tony has seen. That surprises him. He hadn’t thought he would ever think of a newborn baby as cute. They give him the last name Parker because Mary is changing her’s to match Richard’s when they marry. Mary decides on Peter, and Richard suggests Benjamin as a middle name, like his brother.
Peter Benjamin Parker.
☆ August 10 2001
It’s a few hours after when Richard’s brother, Peter’s namesake, and his wife drops by the hospital. They’re a young couple, a couple of years older than Mary and Richard, in their late half of the thirties. Mary has Peter in her arms, sitting in the hospital bed, with Richard sitting beside her, sideways in the bed, when they walk in.
Tony is sitting in a chair close to the bed, and although Peter is also his son, he doesn’t want to intrude on bonding between Peter and his parents. The parents who are going to raise him.
May and Ben coo at Peter and holds him, and coos even more. Ben is the first of them to spot Tony, where he’s sitting a small distance from the bed. They greet each other with a handshake and an exchange of names. May and Tony do the same.
May and Ben haven’t met Tony before, but they knew Richard wasn’t the father.
“I can’t believe we haven’t even asked what he’s named yet!” May gasp suddenly, after having gone back to fussing around Peter.
“Peter Benjamin Parker.” By the surprise on Ben’s face, he hadn’t expected a namesake.
“You named him after me?” Ben asks softly. Richard and Mary merely nod.
When May and Ben leave the hospital after a few hours later, Tony gets some time with Peter. He holds him while he’s sleeping and when he’s awake he talks softly to him. Mary and Richard remain seated on the hospital bed and keeps a conversation going in low volumes. Tony has Peter completely to himself a few moments.
Tony realises that he would do a lot for Peter. It’s why he later when he’s home in his workshop again, realises that the time he spent in that hospital is one of the longest times he has spent completely sober in a long time. That doesn’t make him sober forever, but he knows he can stay sober for Peter when he’s scheduled to see him next.
☆ Pregnancy ☆
Mary and Peter are discharged from the hospital three days after Peter is born. They slowly begin to find their way into a new routine.
Tony will videocall the small family two times a week, and they have a picture of him to show Peter every day as well. It’s a rule that Tony isn’t going to be more than tipsy when he calls. None of them wants Peter to inherit Tony’s bad habit. And maybe Peter is still too young to pick up on something like that, but someday he isn’t going to be.
Tony is completely sober two times a month. The two times a month when he goes to visit Peter in person. The only people to know about these visits are the Parker’s, Pepper and Rhodey. Not even Happy, his chauffeur and bodyguard.
When Peter is almost 5 months old Richard and Mary get married. It’s the beginning of January and the wedding is beautiful. Peter apparently loves it as well. The amount of attention he gets is competing with the bride and groom.
Mary, Richard and Peter Parker are a small and happy family. My and Ben Parker aren’t planning to have kids themselves, but Peter is an angel and they look after him whenever both Mary and Richard are unfortunate enough to be needed in a different country at the same time. Whenever that happens, they aren’t away too long. May and Ben make sure to keep up the video calls with Tony. They show Peter the photos of Tony every day and even hosts Tony when he visits Peter.
Tony enjoys his life. He’s still a party animal, he still sleeps with different people, though he makes sure to be careful and safe. As much as he loves Peter he isn’t ready for another son. He keeps completely sober two days a month when he’s seeing Peter and makes sure to not be more than a little tipsy when calling him.