Chapter Text
Groaning Tony batted at the hand shaking his shoulder. He’d only just gone to bed. At least that’s what it felt like if the headache he already had going in his minimal amount of consciousness said anything about it. Still whoever it was was persistent about waking him for whatever godforsaken reason.
“Fucking hell,” Tony grumbled, giving up and rolling into his side from where he'd been on his stomach. “I just went to sleep.”
“Wake up!” Pepper hissed at him. “Now!”
Tony grimaced at the tone of her voice and not because of how close it was. It was impatience. Possibly anger, paired with urgent demands. None of which were things he liked. He didn't know what he could have possibly done to get her panties twisted this time. After all, he was in his bed without other people she would have to kick out later.
“It's for you,” she said, more softness and hesitance seeping into her words now that she was satisfied he was awake. “Take the phone.”
“Ahh,” Tony complained due to the phone being shoved up against his face. “Woman I swear…”
“Shhhh!” Pepper hissed again.
Defeated Tony huffed, taking the phone blindly before even trying to open his eyes. Whatever the reason for anyone needing such urgent attention, it better be damn good. He was too tired to bitch about it at the moment, but he would rip them or Pepper one later. Whoever made the decision to wake him up.
“Hello?” Tony answered the phone, muffled a little as he adjusted to squeeze it between his cheek and the pillow.
“Hello, am I speaking with Mr. Anthony Stark?” a woman's voice asked.
“Yes,” he replied simply, yawning before he could get the chance to ask who was calling.
“This is Elizabeth MacLeod at South Shore University Hospital. Check out is in an hour,” the woman informed him. “The pup is currently sleeping in the NICU and her Omega hasn't returned yet. Make sure you pick her up in an hour or the department of child services will have to get involved, which I assure you can be difficult.”
Tony tried to work out that statement in his head, eyebrows pinched together even with his eyes closed. A pup in a hospital involving a missing Omega? Opening his eyes he frowned at Pepper, who was watching him with nervousness written all over her face. What did that have anything to do with him?.
“I believe you have the wrong number,” he said, shifting to sit upright while efficiently ignoring every pulse of pain in his body.
“Your name is Anthony Howard Stark at 11008 Daniels Lake, Sagaponack, New York 11962 correct?” the woman asked him.
“Yes,” Tony confirmed a bit moodily.
Throwing the covers off of himself he waved Pepper out of the way so he could get to his feet. He was more than a little confused about some hospital, one he'd never used, having his private information. Five people had the number for the phone he was currently on and perhaps ten people knew his home address. One of which was in the room. Not to mention none of them had been pregnant.
“The Omega put you down as the Alpha father,” the woman informed him, concern or doubt starting to seep through the speaker. “Did you not know the pup was here yet?”
“No,” Tony answered right away because how the hell could he be expecting a pup he didn’t have? “I don’t have any pups.”
Tony had so many questions going off in his mind that he couldn’t even pinpoint one to start with. Well, maybe first how did they get this number? Jarvis had things locked down so good even SHIELD had never managed to find out about it. Of course there was the possibility this was a prank, but honestly he couldn’t see Rhodey or Happy doing anything like it because they knew he would literally kick their ass. No one joked about pups with him for more than one reason.
“If you don’t think the pup is yours I suppose there are two options here,” Elizabeth, at least he thought her name was, started slowly. “Considering the information the Omega left on the forms involving himself all appear to have been false and he isn't with you, there is the choice of wavering your rights as the listed guardian. The pup will be taken straight into foster care. As a newborn she will more than likely be adopted quickly.”
It didn't take a genius to know that or that it would be good news for the pup. Hell, it would be good news for him too. Not that that really mattered because he couldn’t possibly have any pups. The last time he’d had sex was probably a little over a year ago. Way too long for a newborn to pop up out of nowhere.
After a full year of trying to fuck a certain someone out of his system, he’d instead chose to bury his energy into his work. On top of SHIELD going up in flames and the Avengers disassembling? Honestly Tony didn’t leave his new mansion often unless he felt like triggering the painful memories that came visiting the Tower. He’d let Stark Industries keep it active, but he hadn’t found himself capable of living there any longer.
“You can also get paternity testing done to ensure she is yours genetically and after confirmation proceed home as normal. With proper paperwork filed out first of course,” the woman on the phone continued.
Tony tried to imagine walking out of a hospital with a pup. He also tried to imagine it in his home. Surely they would have to go down to his workshop with him if he was going to be a parent. Even if he entertained the idea, which he didn't, Pepper would quit before agreeing to long duty pup sitting.
Pepper was career driven. She worked her ass off as CEO of Stark Industries and absolutely hated the stereotypes that came with being an Omega. Settling down with pups was not something that was going to happen in her books any time soon.
“What time is check out?” Tony asked, knowing minimally he would need to sign his rights away before authorities came knocking at his door for possible pup abandonment.
“I'm afraid it's not going to be as easy as a simple check out now,” she told him, voice turning firm which okay was valid. “We are going to have to…”
“What time?” Tony still interrupted sharply because god damnit what even was his life?
“Ten am,” the woman replied, “...but Mr.Stark we will…”
“I'll be there,” he said simply, ignoring whatever else was said as he ended the call.
Tony growled in frustration, standing and throwing the phone across his bed. He was stressed out enough. Steve had been trying to get into the Tower in an attempt to contact him the last four days and he actually had a meeting in Germany to prepare for tomorrow, or well today he supposed. All while what he really wanted to do was work on his spacesuit that NASA would shank anyone beneath their ranking for.
Pulling his shirt off up over his head, Tony ignored the questions Pepper was raining down on him. If he was going to handle whatever this was, he at least needed a shower. The smell of liquor coating his skin was nauseating and cigar smoke still clung to his mouth. Sure money could get him out of anything, but he had minor manners which involved not showing up at a hospital smelling like trash. Cologne could only cover so much.
“Tell Happy to bring the mercedes around,” he told whoever was listening, Pepper or Jarvis, as he walked into the bathroom. “Ten minutes. Two Excedrin and make it black today.”
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In his life there were many things Tony had hoped to be. Some he was still working on and others he'd already achieved. Being a father? It was on neither of those lists.
“She doesn't seem to be too terribly fussy,’’ Pepper said, almost apologetically, from his side. “That’s good.”
Tony paid no mind to her tone. He wouldn’t say he was void of emotion, but there was an uncomfortable sensation in his stomach. Perhaps it was just the whiskey he hadn’t gotten the chance to throw up yet, then again maybe it was something else.
Pepper was right though. In their entire three hours at the hospital the pup that was supposedly his hadn’t fussed more than once and that was only when she had been hungry. Somewhere during that time frame he’d went from calling her an it to a she. It was a girl which meant he might have a daughter. The idea was terrifying if he lingered on it, so he didn’t.
Just like he didn’t linger on the continual encouragement to hold her. He didn’t want to. It felt too personal at the moment and the possibility of her scent bonding with him was too great. All of the hospital personnel wore blockers for this reason specifically, granted in other parts it was so they didn’t risk upsetting other patients.
Honestly Tony was grateful for it at the moment too because he didn’t want to deal with anyone else's emotions. High stress was a good overall description of his current state, no matter how well he masked it from the others. Unlike them he wasn’t on blockers though. Both because he hadn’t thought to apply any in his caffeine deprived state. He never wore them anyways considering he worked from home for the most part and he felt no reason to hide his scent.
Tony could just imagine the entire room of pups bursting into a loud fit of tears if he walked inside. He was sure to reek of anger and anxiety. Neither of which a newborn needed to be surrounded by. Sure not all of them were newborns, but none were in the state of health to be upset due to an adult's carelessness.
Carelessness . Tony wanted to be pissed about that. What Omega just up and ditched their pup on the assumption the Alpha would come swooping in to the rescue? Alpha’s were known for being selfish, arrogant knotheads that turned away their pups all the time. However, hearing about it being done the other way around? It wasn’t often heard of.
At least the pup was overall healthy compared to the others. Apparently she was only in the NICU for some additional warmth since she had a low body temperature. Other than that though it appeared she had been born at the proper gestational time with a ten pounds on her that said she’d been well taken care of. He didn’t know a lot about pregnancy though so that might not have even meant anything.
Tony wasn’t sure why they’d taken care of the pregnancy though if they’d planned on ditching her. If they hadn’t wanted her abortion was legal in a lot of states at the moment and pre-adoption was happily welcomed by same sex couples all across the country. Hell, there were even opposite sex couples who couldn’t have children naturally and wanted them.
Why did they bring her into such a cruel world without her having a home ready or at least arms open to love her? Heartlessness was Tony’s only conclusion. Considering he classified himself as a heartless son of a bitch that said a lot about her Omega whoever they were.
“Mr.Stark?” a familiar voice at this point came to him.
Tony shook himself out of his thoughts as the male doctor came up beside him, lab coat gone in favor of teal scrubs. The two of them had discussed the situation at length earlier in the morning along with the public relations coordinator of the hospital. Unfortunately he’d also been forced to deal with the annoyance of the hospital chaplain. He’d finally told them to fuck off though. Although in a slightly more professional form of language he’d prided himself on given the circumstances.
“Yes?” Tony responded, turning to him and pointedly ignoring the clipboard finally in his hands.
It would have been politer to uncross his arms, but he couldn’t make himself do it. He was fairly certain if he uncrossed them, the pressure holding his arc reactor in place would evaporate quicker than water in the Sahara. A public panic attack wasn’t exactly something he was okay with.
“She’s all yours,” Dr. Straton smiled, removing papers from the board and handing them to him.
Tony tried desperately not to let out a manic laugh, a great task he actually achieved by some miracle. He’d paid for same day DNA testing. Something that was by no means cheap, but cost hardly mattered. The claim that he had a child? Well, that was something that needed to be confirmed or denied instantly. Price be damned even if he hadn’t been rich.
“I’ll give you time to decide what you want to do with the development, but a decision needs to be made as soon as possible,” Dr.Straton said sympathetically. “As a professional and a father, I ask you to do so before you leave. It will be easier for everyone. Nurse Lyra will be on duty for another two hours. Get her when you are ready to proceed.”
Nodding his head in understanding, Tony shifted his eyes back and forth, unblinking, over the allele sizes. The probability of alleged paternity was just as stated by his own math. 99.9999998% stared back at him as if it had its own heartbeat. Mocking him without any room for the slightest argument. A panic attack actually started to sound appealing.
How could he have a pup? He hadn’t been with anyone recent enough to create a newborn. Maybe he needed to check with Jarvis and basically everyone he knew to see if they could remember a scenario he possibly blacked out. Perhaps he had had a mental breakdown that he’d suppressed. It was more likely than someone stealing his sperm.
“Okay,” he said to no one but himself, although Pepper was still nearby and he assumed Happy was down the hall looking at all the childrens artwork again. “Okay. Okay. Okay.”
Tony let out a controlled breath of air so he didn’t get stuck on a loop that would send him spiraling. He had a biological pup. The little girl, sleeping away tucked into her white blanket cocoon was his. Detachment or dizziness were what he currently had to pick between. Only once had he ever thought he would have a pup and that had ended with enough heartbreak to re-establish his youngerself’s decision never to have any.
“Pepper,” Tony said, not entirely sure what he needed her for as his fingers tightened around the clipboard
Hours ago Pepper had calmed down about the situation and had merely begun to wait for his instructions. Not that she was all that upset to begin with rather than just was nervous for him. She had originally tried to offer words of comfort, but in his state they were merely static over it all. At the moment he was sure the woman was grateful for not letting their relationship go further.
When Pepper reached him, Tony tried not to shove the paternity results at her so she could see but speaking felt difficult. The window to the room was suddenly even more drawing to him than before and he slowly moved towards it. It was an internal instinct, one he was allowing himself to cave to due to high levels of emotion. Scent didn’t matter because it was confirmed scientifically.
Scent hadn’t mattered to his father though. Just calling him a father at all was generous. He was little more than an active sperm donor. The man didn't care about him as much as he had the future of his business. What he’d been all of Howard’s life was a tool.
Tony wanted to resist the urge to go to her so badly. Desperately. He was not father material and he knew it. Violence was a choice, but he was prone to emotional outbursts. On top of all his trauma? A pup couldn’t have someone like that in their lives.
Front and center though, his daughter was swaddled up and waiting for her Alpha to take care of her unlike the Omega that fled her. Tony had to know how she came to be. As soon as he could think properly he was going to have his eyes on the hospital security cameras whether they provided them right away or not. Pups didn’t magically appear out of thin air. Whoever they were had been there to have her, plus stayed to fill out the paperwork.
Would he be able to bring back any repressed memories if he scented her? Was it a possibility there was nothing cold hearted at play and the Omega had been in danger? Omega trafficking, while rare these days, did occur so they could have been taken instead of cruelly leaving their pup behind. The thought made the whiskey turn sourly in an attempt to make it up his throat.
As if sensing his internal turmoil, life opened the door to the NICU. Waves of scent flew through the air like a breeze passing him by and the thought of not holding his pup vanished in half a second. It made him no less cautious, but he could pick out her sweet crisp lilac without effort. Of course he’d heard of that response to one’s own child as it helped everyone know for sure who belonged to who.The physical realization was possibly more terrifying than the paperwork because it was captivating, filling him with familiarity.
“Mr. Stark,” Nurse Lyra said, forcing him to refocus his eyes from where they’d glazed over with admiration of his pup's scent. “Have you decided to meet her?”
Tony really didn’t feel like talking to the thin black haired woman, but his feet spoke for him. Formula, diapers, wipes, onesies, swaddles, pacifier, blanket, a swing, nursing pillow, bassinet and or crib. Having never been around pups he hated he knew what to get right away. It created a full body ache that threatened to consume him like the feeling had once before.
“Skin to skin contact is best,” Nurse Lyra told him, reaching over the railing of the small bed with a large light hanging low overhead she had guided him too. “She is doing pretty well maintaining her temperature now, but it helps with bonding. I highly recommend it as much as possible over the next month or so.”
Tony felt tears trying to develop as the flood of emotions he kept behind a pretty damn high dam threatened to crack it. It was almost inevitable when the nurse placed her in his arms. He hardly remembered being led over to a chair in the corner because his pup was beautiful .
The sight from a distance was nothing in comparison to actually looking down at her face. Sure he’d seen a little dark hair, but she actually had a whole messy mop of black on top of her head. He supposed that’s why he could see it so well. Some of the pups didn’t even look like they had hair from his previous standpoint.
Opening her tiny mouth in a silent yawn, his pup twisted in his arms to lean against his chest. He assumed the reaction was due to his naturally familiar scent, which thankfully his anger had fizzled from. All that existed at the moment was her scent encasing him like a blanket and just as predicted his mind narrowed down to nothing else.
Caving almost instantly, lifted her higher to scent her. It was familiar in a heartwarming way. No came to mind though. Well, someone did, but he ignored the memory. After almost two years, one would have thought they could get over someone. Apparently Tony Stark didn’t do things by halves though. All or nothing he supposed.
How the hell had he ended up in this situation? It was a horrible situation and a horrible decision to make. At least it wasn’t as hard as he had expected it to be moments ago. Sure, he carried some of his fathers traits, but he was not going to be like Howard.
“Yes,” Tony said, refusing to raise his head as he nuzzled his pup's cheek with contentment. “She’s coming home.”
“Congratulations Mr. Stark,” the nurse said softly, sounding pleased. “If you would like, I can let Miss Potts into the room. She appears impatient.”
“Yes,” he answered, bringing a finger up to brush some of the hair off her forehead while questioning how on earth a pup could be born with so much. “Please.”
It was only a minute later that Pepper was peering down at his pup as well and it was only then he pulled his nose away from her. He had to fight the random instinct to move away from the woman, a reflex due to the uncomfortable scent she was giving off. Both expected as well as unexpected in the situation considering she didn’t like them he guessed. Something that was going to have to change if she was to keep working for him so closely.
“Did you decide?” she asked bluntly, eyes flicking down to his pup and back to his.
“She’s mine,” he stated, thumb tracing the pup's thin black eyebrows.
“Well yes,” Pepper said. “..but…”
“I’m taking her,” he snapped, hearing the disapproval and doubt in her voice.
The pup made a noise of protest, practically a whimper of no doubt due to his tone. Possibly even due to irritation shifting into his scent. Okay, so he was going to have to really work on keeping his emotions in check.
“Why don’t Happy and I go get some things then?” Pepper offered, backing up a little. “You need a carseat to leave anyways, and she probably shouldn’t be going into stores yet because of germs I suppose. One day old while having been in the NICU? The poor thing doesn’t need to be subjected to that.”
“Thank you,” Tony said, looking forward to the time alone to wrap his head around everything a little more.
“It’ll be great,” Happy said out of nowhere.
“Happy don’t…” Pepper started, but before she could finish the sentence he found himself lurching forward in surprise.
With his other friend’s low beta scent being so familiar, it hadn’t caught his attention the way being touched by him did. The pat was so unexpected it felt like a branding iron. One that took him so off guard that he actually growled without thought or control. He heard the sharp intakes of breath at the response, but he couldn’t find it in him to look at them or care. Embarrassment and anger mixing together. So instead he focused on hushing the little girl that had started crying in his arms, her perfect face pinched.
“Let’s go,” Pepper whispered to Happy. “We’ll be back soon Tony.”
Small cries slowly started in the room right before he heard the door shut. Guilt didn’t exactly rain down upon him, but he did feel kind of bad for disturbing the peace knowing their distress was his fault. It had been entirely unexpected though and it wasn’t like he could do anything about it now except try to calm his own pup. The nurse had mentioned skin to skin contact which was as good as an attempt as any considering everyone knew little ones craved their parents' scents. Relaxed parental scents that was.
“Usually they escort people that growl out of the building,” Nurse Lyra said from a distance, obviously making herself known before approaching him for which he was grateful.
“Apologies,” Tony forced himself to say as he reluctantly handed over his pup to her so he could remove his shirt. “I’m not sure…”
“Don’t fret,” the nurse waved him off, trying to get his daughter to hold her long fingers. “I’m willing to make an exception. Although I recommend isolation for at minimum a week. It isn't an easy mental or physical to have a pup, but if you love her you will make do. Most simply live in their nests shortly before birth and for some time afterwards as well. You need it as much as she Mr. Stark.”
Tony pondered that idea. He’d never nested. Not really. Omega’s were the ones more prone to the behavior around their heats. However everyone was subjected to the urge during pregnancies and after having pups. The idea was already tempting though.
Handing her back to him after he sat back down, Nurse Lyra took off the second she was in his arms. Understandable as she hurried to soothe some of the pups that were continuing to cry, except the one he was holding. She was his.
Tony let out a stuttered breath as her cries died down to what were basically just the occasional pout as she pressed up against his skin. She actually was kind of cold, but the nurse said she was capable of regulating now or whatever. If she wasn't concerned he wasn't going to be. He didn't have a medical degree of any sort and his brain began firing on all cylinders again.
Every time he thought it couldn’t possibly become more overwhelming in life, it did. Panic began fighting with the endorphins coursing through him, making it feel like he was being torn in half painfully. While he was an emotional man, he didn’t let those show without alcohol or drugs. Neither of which were options anymore considering the pup on his chest which left him feeling more exposed than ever.
“Shit,” Tony muttered, as he placed a hand softly on the back of his pup’s head to soothe her to sleep before leaning his own head back against the chair with a thud. “Holy fucking shit.”