Chapter Text
Chapter 1
AN: So, I considered writing a third story in my Life’s Greatest Gift series, but then I got this idea (That story may still come I am just not sure when). I hoped I would be able to write chapters quickly and get them posted but then my Nanna died last Thursday so I have no idea how often chapters are going to come out, at least for a little while.
For the purpose of this I have changed the timeline a little. A lot of the chances will make sense as I write, but for the ones that are important to know. Key changes that have already occurred are:
- Natasha born December 3rd 1979
- Yelena Born January 1984
- The Ohio Mission that Natasha and Yelena were involved in occurred from: May 1987- September 1990
- Wanda and Pietro were born in 1999 (this will be expanded on)
- Jemma Simmons and Leo Fitz were born in 1991
- Daisy Johnson was born in 1996
Just a heads up, it’s going to be about five full chapters before Natasha is introduced (maybe 6 I am not quiet there yet), but I promise she is coming and this is a IronWidow story. Other characters will be added once i figure out who is playing the bigger parts in the story.
August 25th, 2009
For Tony Stark it has been one of the most eventual years of his life; which considering everything says a lot. The year of unprecedented challenges started in February when a simple weapons demonstration turned into an abduction and spending three months in captivity, captivity that involved torture until he escaped due to help from someone he will never forget.
While it isn’t something he would recommend, Tony knows that being captured, being tortured, and seeing the horrors that things he created caused, resulting in him seeing things differently, made him sure that he has to do things differently.
Three months ago, that is exactly what happened when Tony announced himself as Iron Man, a promise made not just to himself but everyone to make sure he does what he can to make up for what his company has done, to protect, to help, rather than cause harm.
It’s late on a Tuesday night and not too long ago that would have meant that Tony would be either one of two places, either out partying or working late in his lab, but that all changed three years on a damp spring night when Tony, who had been in his personal lab for over twenty four hours, was called into the Lobby of the apartment building he was staying at in New York, the very city he is currently in; though not the apartment.
May 19th 2006
Having felt annoyed by the interruption Tony, who hadn’t eaten for a while, and hadn’t slept for even longer, reluctantly made his way down from the penthouse he was staying in to the apartment lobby.
“What’s going on, George?” Tony asked the doorman who he had gotten to know pretty well over the years, who he knew wouldn’t have been so insisted on bothering him unless it was very important.
“Sorry to bother you Mr Stark, but she was pretty insistent,” George said, as he gestured to the only other person in the lobby and having felt curious Tony looked to who George was gesturing at and as he did he saw a dark haired woman who Tony didn’t recognize holding a sleeping child, who looked no older than five, against her chest.
“Can I help you?” Tony asked, as he walked towards the woman, having felt incredibly confused about who she was and what she wanted.
“We’ll see,” The woman said. “We’ve never met, my name is May Parker, you knew my sister-in-law, Mary Parker,” May said to Tony, who recognized the name immediately, clearly having no point in beating around the bush and instead having decided to get straight to the point.
“For a couple of days,” Tony said, though he knew that the time they spent together was quite unforgettable, then he realized exactly what May said. “Wait, did you say knew?” Tony asked, having wanted to make sure he heard right and that May was speaking in past tense.
“I did,” May confirms. “Mary, my husband Ben, and his brother, Mary’s husband, Richard, were killed in a car accident yesterday,” May explained, it having been perfectly clear that it was difficult for her to explain that.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Tony said, though he wasn’t completely sure why May was telling him that, and he couldn’t help but keep looking at the sleeping child in May’s arms.
“Thank you,” May said. “I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here, after all it has been a while since you and Mary knew each other,” May said.
“I am,” Tony confirmed, though he had a feeling in the pit in his stomach that told him he knew exactly what May was going to tell him.
“This is Peter,” May explained, clearly talking about the child. “He’s Mary’s son, and Mr. Stark, he’s your son too,” May explained, changing Tony’s world with a few simple words.
“What?” Tony asked, having felt beyond shocked.
“Mary became pregnant when you were together, she told her husband and they decided that they would raise him together, but now that they are gone, I thought it was important for Peter to know his father,” May explained, as unknown to Tony she had spent most of the last day debating what she was going to do and she was sure that if Ben was alive she may have decided on a different path.
“It is,” Tony said, not being able to look away from Peter, as he forced himself not to think about his own experiences when it came to parental secrets, secrets he didn’t learn until he was twenty-one; at the very worst time he could have learnt those secrets.
“Would you like to hold him?” May asked, as while she knew they had a lot they still had to sort out she wanted to make that offer.
“Um, sure,” Tony said, though he felt nervous, and after getting his okay May gently passed almost five-year-old Peter over. From the moment Tony held Peter he knew he was his son, he didn’t need the DNA test that proved it two days later, and he knew that he would do everything he could to make sure he was a better father to his son that his father was to him.
End flashback
After learning of his son Tony has done everything he can to keep the promise he made his, recently turned eight, son, a promise to be better than Howard Stark, and he likes to believe he has succeeded at that. While Tony knows that the last few months have been hard for him he also knows that it has been incredibly hard for his son, which is exactly why Tony isn’t in a lab or workshop reading the files on what Obadiah Stane did in his name but is instead in his sons’ room, sitting next to Peter who is fast asleep, as he reads on a tablet.
As he reads the files, glancing at his son every few minutes to make sure he is sleeping peacefully, Tony keeps seeing that a lot of weapon plans, and weapons that failed quality control, were shipped to the same place, a country called Sokovia.
“JARVIS, what can you tell me about Sokovia?” Tony asks, keeping his voice low so that he doesn’t wake Peter, though in recent weeks he has learnt that Peter is a pretty deep sleeper, something which he has been glad about.
“Sokovia is a landlocked country in Easten Europe, for over five years there have been civil unrest, which the United States Military have been involved in,” JARIVS explains. “There have been significant damage to infrastructure including a particular tragic incident on April 5th this year when a civilian apartment building was destroyed,” JARVIS explains.
“JARVIS were Stark Weapons responsible?” Tony asks and there is a longer pause than Tony knows JARVIS needs. “JARVIS?” Tony asks, needing to know, but he is also pretty sure that JARIVS hesitating to answer tells him pretty much everything he needs to know.
“Yes Sir, It does appear that Stark Industries weapons were responsible,” JARVIS answers, and as soon as it is confirmed that his weapons, his creations, were responsible for such a tragedy Tony feels guilt rise up inside of him and he knows that this is something he has to make right.
“Thanks JARIVS,” Tony says, and he starts to research everything he can find, wanting to know as much information as possible about what happened in Sokovia and because of that he spends all night next to his sleeping son reading everything he can find, eventually deciding that he needs to go to Sokovia to see the damage for himself; even if he knows people who would advised him against that.
Even though he got no sleep you wouldn’t be able to tell from looking at Tony as he appears to be wide awake as he makes breakfast for Peter in the kitchen of the Turtle Bay Gardens Historic District Brownstone the two of them have been living in since a couple of months after Tony found out about Peter. While Howard Stark brought the brownstone, the biggest in the district, so big that it is basically the size of two of the other brownstone, soon after he started to make significant money Tony renovated it to make it suitable for him and Peter which took some time and because of that they didn’t start living in the brownstone until a couple of months after Tony found out Peter. As Tony makes breakfast Peter is sitting at the kitchen bench watching his father; cooking being something that Tony has gotten better at after having Peter in his life.
“So, are you looking forward to spending time with your Aunt May today?” Tony asks his son, as while Peter lives with him May is still a huge part of life, especially over the last year, and that is something that Tony wouldn’t want to change as he feels like it is important for Peter to have that connection.
“Yep!” Peter exclaims, looking excited. “She said she has a lot of surprises for me,” Peter admits, as the day he is spending with his aunt is his birthday present from his aunt.
“That sounds exciting,” Tony says, as he continues to make the breakfast.
“It does!” Peter confirms. “Are you going to join us?” Peter asks curious, as while he would love to spend time with his aunt he would also love to spend time with his father as he feels like he has missed out on a lot over the past few months.
“Not today, Bud,” Tony says, as he puts food on Peter’s plate. “It’s really good that you get some time with just your aunt, okay?” Tony says to his son, feeling that is important, for multiple reasons, one of which he is doing best not to think about it.
“Okay,” Peter says with a nod. “What are you going to do?” Peter asks curiously.
“Nothing much, there’s just something I have to look into,” Tony explains to his son, not waning to tell him he is going into a war zone because he knows Peter would worry but at the same time, he doesn’t want to completely lie to him, as he sits down next to his son.
“Iron Man stuff?” Peter asks, still getting used to his father being such a public hero.
“Yeah,” Tony confirms. “But I’ll be home to pick you up from Aunt May’s tomorrow,” Tony explains to his son, planning on doing everything he can to make sure he doesn’t break that promise.
“Promise?” Peter asks, as he can’t help but think about when his dad told him he would be home in a couple of days six months ago then he didn’t see him for three months.
“Promise,” Tony assures Peter, who sticks out his son for a pinkie swear which Tony does, having no intention of breaking this promise to his son, and after the two of them pinkie swear they both go back to eating breakfast together.
A little while after Tony made his son a promise Peter has left the brownstone with May while Tony has travelled to Sokovia, using his Iron Man suit to do so. Having left his suit in a safe place, a place within calling distance, just in case, Tony, knowing that everyone in his life will have a few things to say about the fact that he has traveled without security, has made his way through the Sokovian capital city of Novi Gard, and to the apartment building that he knows his weapons were responsible for destroying.
Getting to the building Tony sees the rubble that was once a building, a home to many, the guilt he was feeling since the night before rises once again, especially when he realizes that there is a memorial built outside the rubble.
“Come to see the damage you caused?” A voice asks, and Tony turns to see an elderly woman, the only person so far who has realized who he is.
“You could say that,” Tony responds, as he starts to look at the memorial a little closer.
“Good,” The woman responds. “This was your fault, you caused this,” the woman tells Tony, it being perfectly clear that she is both angry and disgusted with him.
“I know I did,” Tony confirms. “That’s why I am here,” Tony admits.
“If you really want to see the harm you’ve caused you should go to the orphanage, see the Maximoff twins, the only survivors, who you took everything from,” The woman says before giving Tony one more look of complete disgust, before walking away.
For a little while Tony continues to stare at the destroyed apartment building, at the memorial, but as the woman’s words play over and over in his mind Tony decides that he has to know what she meant by that and because of that he does a search and then makes his way to the city orphanage.
Not long after he left the destroyed orphanage Tony, having no idea how this is going to go, arrives at the city orphanage, a building that has clearly seen better days, something which is not surprising considering everything.
Walking into the building Tony sees peeling paint, damaged furniture and a lot of children, clearly making the best out of the situation they are in.
“Can I help you?” the person who runs the orphanage asks as she approaches Tony.
“Yes, I am here to see the Maximoff Twins,” Tony says, assuming that the woman speaks English considering the fact that she greeted him in English, remember the name the woman said and for a few moments it seems like the woman is considering his request.
“That is the family room, wait there I will bring the twins to you,” The woman says, pointing to a doorway off to the side of the entryway they are standing in.
“Thank you,” Tony says before heading to the door he was directed to, and once inside he finds a very drab room with two couches across from each other. Sitting down on the couch Tony sits and, feeling nervous as he has no idea how this is going to go, waits.
For a few minutes Tony waits, feeling incredibly nervous about how the conversation is going to go, until the door opens and two brown-haired children, one boy and one girl, who look to be about ten years old walk in.
“You,” The boy, named Pietro, says, with a furious look on his face, and considering everything Tony isn’t surprised to see that Pietro knows who he is. “What are you doing here?” Pietro asks, his English being pretty good even if it doesn’t appear to be his first language.
“I wanted to talk to you both, about what happened,” Tony explains, as he looks between the twins, realizing that as while Pietro looks furious Wanda looks pensive.
“I don’t want to listen to anything you have to say,” Pietro tells Tony, sounding furious. “You destroyed our family,” Pietro says before running out of the room.
“I will listen,” the girl, named Wanda, says as she takes several steps towards where Tony is, though she doesn’t sit down, it being harder for Tony to tell what she is thinking.
“Thank you,” Tony says, feeling that, considering everything, getting one of the twins to listen to him is a huge deal. “I’m Tony,” Tony introduces, even though the twins clearly know exactly who he is, as he feels like that is the best place to start.
“I’m Wanda, that was my brother Pietro,” Wanda explains.
“Despite the circumnutates Wanda, it’s nice to meet you,” Tony says to her.
“You wanted to say something to us?” Wanda asks, clearly wanting to know exactly what is going on.
“Yeah, I did,” Tony explains. “Wanda, I know it doesn’t change anything, but I want you to know that I am extremely sorry about what happened,” Tony tells Wanda, who looks like she is pondering every word Tony is saying. “I wasn’t the one who provided the weapons that were used, but they were designed and made by my company, that makes it my responsibility,” Tony tells Wanda, who isn’t saying anything, but for Tony it is almost like she is seeing right through him to see if he is telling the truth. “I am deeply sorry for the harm they caused, that I caused, I want you to know that I am determined to make sure nothing like every happens again,” Tony explains, being sure that it is going to be difficult but knowing it is what he is determined to do.
“Do you really think that’s something you will be able to do?” Wanda asks, as from her perspective it seems rather impossible.
“I think I will do everything I can to,” Tony admits. “Wanda, I know you may never want to see me again, but I would like to keep checking in on you and your bother, help you if I can, is that okay?” Tony asks, knowing that if she says no then what he will do is help from afar, and for what feels like an incredibly long minute Wanda is quiet, while Tony gets the feeling that he is being deeply scrutinized.
“Yes, that would be okay,” Wanda answers, without giving away exactly what she feels about that.
“Okay,” Tony says, looking around and seeing a piece of paper and a pen, which he grabs. “I’ll come by again in a couple off weeks, but if you need anything, you can call,” Tony says, offering Wanda the piece of paper with one of his direct numbers on it, and when Wanda doesn’t take it he puts it down on the table, and takes a step back, which is enough for Wanda to reach out and take the piece of paper.
“Okay,” Wanda says. “Goodbye Mr Stark,” Wanda says, making it clear that she has had enough of talking for now, before heading out of the room, still holding the piece of paper which Tony thinks is a big deal considering everything.
After Wanda leaves Tony spends a few minutes just sitting by himself, knowing he will do everything he can to help the Maximoff twins with the pain and suffering he is ultimately responsible for; not yet realizing the path he has set them all on.