Chapter Text
Tony Stark had just released his newest product to the military to raving reviews and was feeling good about taking a break from working to relax for a night or two. He was lounging on the sofa with a glass of something dark and definitely alcoholic, debating whether he wanted to go out and find a girl to bring home. Or a guy, he wasn’t picky. He got lost in his thoughts about a night with both genders when Jarvis brought him out of his musings.
“Sir there appears to be a woman at the door.” The AI stated.
Tony smirked and jumped up. It seemed he wouldn’t even have to leave his house for at least half of his equation.
“Sir she has placed something on the doorstep and ran off.” His AI interrupted his thoughts.
Tony’s face fell into a confused frown, realizing he would not be getting laid.
“What did she leave?” he asked, making his way down the stairs.
“It appears to be an infant.”
Tony stopped in his tracks, almost falling forward off the step he stopped on.
“What?” he croaked out.
“A baby Sir.”
He ran the rest of the way down the stairs and to the door before slamming it open. The woman was already gone by the time he managed to get there and all he saw outside was the stars up in the sky and the bundle that had been placed on this porch.
“Why.. Why do you think she left her baby?” Tony's voice came out hoarse.
“I would suggest reading the note she left attached to the child”
“What is this? The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ?” he choked out a fake laugh.
The baby was crying, loud piercing cries into the night air. It was such a small baby, it looked even too small for a newborn. Not that Tony even had a frame of reference, the only time he had seen any babies was when he saw them in the parents arms in public. When it saw him its cries hiccuped out into small sobs and it lifted its arms up like it was reaching for him.
“Um… Hi..” Tony muttered crouching down and reached a hand out to the baby. Its tiny hand grabbed onto one of his fingers causing a soft smile to cross Tony’s face. He let the baby keep a hold on his finger as he reached for the note pinned to the infant's shirt.
“Dear Dr. Tony Stark,
My name, well it doesn’t really matter you won’t remember me anyway, but my name is Mary Parker. This is our son. He’s now only your son. By the time you are reading this I am probably already dead.”
Suddenly his finger was wrapped in saliva. Tony looked back down at the boy with a mix of horror and surprise. The baby was happily mouthing on Tony’s finger. Tony felt like his heart was going to stop. He had a son? There was absolutely no way this was true, but looking down at the boy he couldn’t help but hope that it was true.
“The information I am about to reveal to you could be potentially dangerous for both you and the baby. Please think carefully about who you reveal this information to.
My name is Mary Parker. I have a husband named Richard Parker. We are both agents in an organization named SHIELD. We are embarked on a very dangerous mission that has to do with Hydra. Knowing your technological capabilities and your hacking skills I'm sure you’re heard of both of these organizations.
We are working as double agents and are deep undercover in Hydra and I fear that Hydra had found out somehow. If they have found out then I am surely dead. If you wish to know more about my mission or my whereabouts, contact SHIELD I have requested that, if you were to ask, to give you the information regarding my mission.
Now to address my husband. He is legally my husband but it is just an elaborate cover. He is my friend and partner but not my lover. A few of the Hydra agents we're not convinced of the story so we decided that I needed to get pregnant. Richard and I tried so hard to conceive but something in Richards’s genetics prevented it from happening. So I decided I would go out, pick up a guy, pop a hole in the condom and get pregnant. I didn't mean for it to be with you but I honestly didn't realize who I had slept with until the day after. You don't really get to keep up with celebrity news when you've been deep undercover for years.
When I found out I was pregnant I was relieved and saddened. I thought that Richard and my cover was safe but saddened me knowing that I would not be able to keep this baby. I knew Richard and I could not keep the baby, our lives are far too dangerous and if Hydra gets ahold of him who knows what they will do to him.
The Hydra agents began to get suspicious again when I told them Richard and I would not be keeping the baby after he was born. I believe they may have had a plan for him to grow up as a Hydra agent and I do not want that for my child. You are the only person I can think of that can keep the baby safe. I fear that they are planning on taking the baby and killing Richard and I.
He was born 2 months early. The stress of my job forced me into an early labor. I believe it may have also been luck. He was born just in time for me to send him to you. The doctors say he has some health concerns and I have attached all the proper documents and I have taken care of all the legalities, the boy is legally yours all you have to do is name him. If you have any troubles just contact SHEILD and show them this letter, they will take care of everything for you.
Please love him for me,
Mary Parker.
Tony stared down at the baby in shock as he processed what he had just read. Somewhere in the back of his mind was telling him to not believe it, that it had to be some sort of elaborate ruse, but the part that was looking at the baby that had fallen asleep at some point while he was reading knew that this was his son. This baby, who was still using his tiny fist to grasp onto his finger even in sleep, was his child.
Tony looked back at the papers and found a birth certificate completely filled out except the name area. He folded it up and put it in his pocket before reaching over and gently lifting the baby off the ground. He made little upset noises before he started crying.
"Hey little guy... Shh shh." Tony cooed. "It'll be okay. It'll all be okay now. I'm here baby boy. It'll all be okay.”
Tony Stark knew that he wasn’t ready to be a dad. He knew this in the same way that he knew Howard Stark was a horrible father and if Tony ever had kids he would end up just like his old man.
It’s a sticky hot August night when Tony is holding a newborn baby with a letter attached to it that says it belongs to him that he decides he is so tired of being compared to his father.