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“Honey, I’m home,” Tony called out, shouldering his way into the cabin.
It had been his refuge since their failed attempt to defeat Thanos. Tony just couldn’t bear staying in New York, living with all the questions from the press and random people approaching him on the street to talk about their lost loved ones.
Even in the middle of his new lakeside sanctuary, Tony still had nightmares. For a whole year, he had dreamed of losing Peter, his final words haunting him. So he had retreated even further from the world, drowning himself in booze and beer.
And then Pepper had gotten pregnant.
The baby had probably saved Tony’s life. He had always wanted to be a father and the day Pepper announced her pregnancy, Tony vowed to stop drinking. He was never going to be the absent, drunken father who was too busy spending time in the bar to spend time with his child.
It had been a difficult road back, but Pepper had been by his side the whole time. God, he didn’t deserve her.
Pepper appeared in the doorway, little Morgan balanced on her hip. “Did you get the mail?”
“Yep.”
Tony sorted through the envelopes. Most of them were letters, probably from Cap. Now that he and Steve were sort of on speaking terms again, Steve wrote him letters every month to assure him the team was everyone was still thinking about him and wishing him the best. The rest was junk mail. Because even in the middle of nowhere, Walmart ads still found you.
“Damn, no Victoria’s secret catalogues today,” Tony said with a put-upon sigh. “All boring stuff.”
Pepper raised an eyebrow. “You sure about that?”
“What, are you expecting something?”
“Maybe I am.”
Tony shuffled through the mail again. “Oh. Something from Rhodey.”
That was silly. Rhodey didn’t need to mail him anything. They talked on the phone weekly. And Rhodey had a standing invitation to come out to the cabin any time he wanted.
“Open it,” Pepper urged.
Tony ripped open the envelope and stared at the little bronze coin. “One year sober. Has it really been that long?”
“I’m so proud of you,” Pepper said. She pressed a kiss to Tony’s cheek. “And Morgan’s proud of you, too.”
“Da,” Morgan said, reaching her chubby little hands in Tony’s direction.
Tony scooped her up and snuggled her against his chest.
At one time, the hopelessness had been so all-consuming that he had thought he’d never be happy again.
But this was what true happiness felt like.