Chapter Text
The walk back to SSI was leisurely and peaceful. Daniel had been reluctant to give up Tony but couldn’t walk with the toddler so now, he was out to it in the stroller, red blanket tucked in around him. Courtesy of Jarvis’s bottomless packing.
‘It’s been the diaper, hasn’t it?’ Daniel just said as they walked into the elevator. ‘That’s what he’s been upset about most of the day, isn’t it?’
Tony would have been mortified to hear Daniel knew if he was awake. Luckily, he was still completely asleep, sucking on his thumb, rabbit captured in the crook of his elbow. His red blanket slipped down a bit to his waist while his vest had ridden up his tummy, revealing the straps of the diaper.
Peggy nodded and sighed as she reached forward to pull his vest back down as well as tuck the blanket around her nephew. It made her sorry for her little darling that he didn’t realise how easy it was to tell he was wearing a diaper, thinking it was keeping a big secret. It drove home the fact that despite Tony’s advanced intelligence, when it all came down to it, he was just a little boy who was often having far too many expectations placed on him. It hurt more still when she saw him like this, completely at peace with the world, trusting his aunty to keep him safe while he took some much-needed downtime.
Tony was still a baby and some people tended to forget far too easily. Tony included.
‘He was particularly worried what you would think,’ Peggy said softly.
‘Me?’ Daniel frowned in confusion, which turned into anger. ‘People don’t … actually pick on him for it?’
‘Some people make him feel a bit inadequate for it,’ she murmured, hurt at even having to say it out loud.
Daniel didn’t need her to specify; she certainly went into her fair share of rants over the past four years for him to be able to surmise.
‘Lucky he’s got you then.’ Daniel’s smile was so bright and just … truthful that Peggy couldn’t help but be invigorated by it. It was so simple but silently said he had complete faith in her. That belief meant a lot to her when for a time, no one seemed to have faith she could do anything.
Except Daniel. Always Daniel showed he did, even if he never seemed to realise it himself.
She intertwined her fingers in his before they went into the switchboard room. They were delayed when Rose had to coo repeatedly over Tony who was still out to the world, while Jean made not-so-subtle remarks about cosy couples.
When they finally got through, Daniel peeled off to go see if there was any further information on the warrant while Peggy settled back at her desk. Despite only being half past three in the afternoon, it was a lot quieter, only a couple of agents milling about, most probably having left to follow up leads.
Jack was at a desk, talking to Agent Denver in hushed tones before he made his way over to her. She shot him a warning glare before he could start up, pointing to the sleeping boy in the stroller before going back to her report on a case. She had solved it three months ago but there was a huge mess-around with paperwork and she was forced to file follow-up statements.
A glimpse of a soft smile slipped over Jack’s mouth. ‘Exhausted from a day of agenting?’
‘Aren’t we all?’
Jack chuckled in agreement at that before crossing his arms as he watched Tony. ‘Tell me something, Marge. Is Howard ever even with the kid? Whenever I see photos all over the tabloids, it’s him with the butler.’
Peggy grimaced. ‘For once the tabloids are accurate, Jack.’
A darkness flashed over Jack’s features. ‘Always knew Stark was a piece.’
She shrugged at that, not really sure how to comment. Howard Stark was a lot of things but she had always seen some good in him. As the years went on though, the spark seemed to be going out, his obsession with finding Steve having grown from out of nowhere. She thought Maria might be able to settle him but the woman was in a world of her own as well, which she would come out of now and then with her son, but not as often as was necessary.
So, awhile back, Peggy would have defended Howard. Now though? All she could think of was the man who used to be and wish he was that again, at least for his son.
She was brought out of her saddening thoughts as Jack leaned over Tony, cocking his head this way and that, as though examining the sleeping toddler.
‘Funny. He doesn’t look like he’s going to be a future overlord.’
Obviously he overheard her comment to Lewis.
‘Bring me coffee and I’ll put in a good word for you when he rises to power,’ she smirked.
Jack snorted, waving her off. ‘I’ll take my chances,’ he said with an easy grin, before giving her desk a pat. ‘Always nice talking to you, Marge.’
‘Wish I could say likewise, Jack.’ She softened her words by peering up at him with amused eyes.
‘Ah, shut up, you love me,’ he called softly over his shoulder as he went back into his office.
‘You do enough for all of us.’
Jack waved her off again, not at all perturbed by her winning this round. So unlike what he used to be when he would get upset if he considered her to one-up him. Now, he took what she could dish out and the teasing was good-natured rather than subtle digs at each other.
She was distracted from the file as Tony whimpered in his sleep. Pulling the stroller closer, she began patting his tummy, letting him know someone was close by. Tony stretched in his sleep, arms coming to stretch above him, but soon settled again.
He must have been exhausted from his bouts of tears to be sleeping this long. Smiling softly, she continued to make notes while keeping a hand on his stomach.
Daniel soon came back and without thought, plopped into the chair Tony previously occupied.
‘Warrant’s coming through tomorrow,’ he grinned.
She gave a huff. ‘Now that they finally realise it’s potentially life-threatening.’
‘Pretty much.’
Snorting, she was thrown off what she was going to say next as she felt the small being stir under her fingertips.
Daniel’s attention was immediately drawn to the stroller. He smiled gently as Tony pried his eyes open, rubbing crankily at them.
‘That looked like it was a good nap, anjinho.’
Tony blinked at him for a few seconds. Right before his entire face crumbled and he let out a heart-broken little sob.
Daniel’s face crumbled almost as quick as Tony’s. ‘What’d I do?’ he asked, voice going high in panic.
‘It’s fine, it’s fine,’ Peggy soothed, for benefit of both males, immediately scooping Tony into her arms.
Before she could explain to Daniel the problem, Tony made it pretty self-explanatory.
Pushing away from her shoulder, he stared blearily around the room, bottom lip trembling as he gave another sob.
‘J-Jarvis,’ he cried, squirming miserably. ‘W-Want Jay-Jay.’
Peggy’s heart broke at Tony’s baby name for his beloved butler, something he only slipped into when he was in this sort of regressed state.
It was no surprise though. Despite Tony not saying anything throughout the day, Peggy knew Jarvis was always in the back of his mind and the butler’s absence definitely contributed to Tony’s highly emotional state. And, after a nap, no matter what happened or where he was, Tony always wanted his Jarvis.
‘Oh, little love, he’s not gone forever,’ she cooed, pressing a kiss to his temple and trying to brush his hair back, but he was having none of it. He struggled aimlessly because he was just distraught while he continued to search the room with his eyes, as though waiting for Jarvis to pop out from behind a desk. ‘You’ll be seeing him in half an hour! How short is that, Bubba? Why, your nap time made the time fly by!’
As she continued to speak, Tony came more awake and began to stop struggling against her affection. Though while he dropped his head to her shoulder, he gave another broken sob, whimpering softly, ‘Jay-Jay,’ intermittently.
‘You’ll see him so soon, my darling,’ Peggy continued to soothe, not realising she had automatically gotten to her feet and was walking him around her desk.
Daniel was staring up at her like she was a miracle worker while the few men milling about stared at Tony in fear like they were waiting for him to explode. Most of these people had been shot at but the thing which scared them the most was a child in full-blown crying mode.
‘Really,’ she mouthed, rolling her eyes at the lot of them, though she couldn’t help but smile. Obviously the fear was at a lack of confidence at their own ability to stop a child crying, stemming that horrid helplessness which came with it.
Peggy had experienced her fair share of those moments. While Tony in general always calmed down for her and Jarvis, there were those times, like teething, where it was one of the most painful experiences that she couldn’t do anything to stop the miserable sobs of her little nephew.
She wasn’t surprised that by the time she came back around to Daniel, he already retrieved Tony’s stuffed rabbit and was holding it hopefully out to her.
Softening at her unwittingly endearing husband, she impulsively kissed his cheek before taking the rabbit. She tucked it against Tony, who immediately pulled it into his arms.
This time, she was the recipient of Daniel’s million-watt smile. While she had been on the receiving end a few times, it never made her feel any less beautiful.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
‘Welcome,’ he murmured back, always knowing the depth she meant behind the words, because he always gave it back appropriately.
Tony whined when she sat back in her seat but settled down when she started up a steady rhythm of pats on his backside.
Rummaging in the chief’s office caught her attention and she was surprised to see Jack coming back towards them with a baseball in his hand.
‘Does he like stuff like this?’ he asked, trying to come across as gruff, but just sounding unsure as he waved the item vaguely in the air.
It was one of the nicest snippets she’d seen of Jack, but still, she couldn’t resist.
‘Do you mean do children like toys?’ she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, eyes wide and confused.
She may have imagined it, but she thought she heard an amused huff into her shoulder.
Daniel outright laughed.
Jack glared and opened his mouth, most likely to tell him to take a flying leap, but stopped as watery chestnut brown eyes blinked up at him.
‘Hey, sport.’ He tossed the ball from hand to hand. Tony automatically tracked the movement, even while he pressed back into Peggy. ‘You like playing ball?’
Tony whimpered softly, thumb rubbing along his bottom lip.
‘It’s okay, Bubba,’ Peggy soothed, wrapping him up in her arms, rubbing a hand along his tummy. ‘Any answer you give will be just fine. And if you don’t want to give one, that’s fine as well.’
Sometimes, Howard pushed Tony too much with questions and would make him feel bad if he gave the ‘wrong’ answer, overwhelming the toddler. It was the only times Peggy saw Jarvis happily go head-to-head with his employer. She hadn’t even been able to get a word in of support for her old partner in the spy business.
It always caught Howard off-guard, but even the dense genius knew better than to argue with Jarvis over Tony’s well-being. It was one argument Jarvis never ever backed down on.
The first time Peggy saw it, her admiration and respect for Jarvis grew exponentially in that one moment. Even though she was previously convinced she couldn’t respect the man any more than she did, but Jarvis’s capacity for decency never ceased to surprise her.
However, the effects stuck and Tony was often reluctant to answer questions by people he was unsure of, afraid he was going to be pushed into a corner. Whenever he felt trapped, Tony reacted badly, either breaking down or striking back ten times harder if it was other children overwhelming him. He only hit back if it was people he didn’t feel intimidated by as well but she was even starting to see that change as well after an incident where a child pushed Tony on a playground. It hadn’t been bad but it was the first time someone laid a hand on Tony so now he was starting to make his bark ten times vicious then his bite to deter anyone picking on him.
Peggy felt for him; she really did. She couldn’t blame him at all for his pattern of protection and was all for self-defence. She was only trying to teach him not to attack someone verbally before they did anything wrong simply through fear but instead, to decipher whether someone was a friend or foe first.
Tony snuggled closer into her at her reassurance, but his attention was still on Jack. Without his consent, his thumb slipped in his mouth as he gave a soft sniffle.
The callous edge to Jack’s face softened.
‘Here,’ he said softly, going down on one knee, holding up the ball. ‘Wanna catch?’
The boy studied Jack for a moment longer before glancing sideways at Daniel, who gave him an encouraging smile.
‘Play too?’
The words were said so tentatively but it did nothing to damp down Daniel’s enthusiasm.
‘Of course, anjinho,’ he said kindly.
‘What about me, Tony?’ Peggy interjected playfully, blowing lightly on his neck.
Tony squirmed, but didn’t attempt to leave his safety bubble. ‘You can’t,’ he insisted. ‘You’re busy holding me.’
Both Jack and Daniel choked on a laugh, causing Tony to blink up, a dazed little smile crossing his tear-streaked face.
The poor little thing really did adore making people laugh and again, saw they were happy so just went along with it.
‘I know, love,’ Peggy soothed softly, sneakily giving his face a wipe. ‘Aunty was just teasing.’
By the small huff she got, he knew she was on to her but let her clean away before tentatively holding out one hand for Jack to throw him the ball.
‘You’re going to need both hands, champ,’ Daniel said, not unkindly at all, but instead, just how a father would when instructing his son the best way to play catch.
Because of the tone Daniel did it in, Tony had no qualms about taking his thumb out from his mouth and holding both hands out.
‘Like this?’ he asked, eyes wide with hope as he looked up at Daniel.
Daniel’s soulful brown eyes glittered gently. ‘That’s exactly it, kid.’ Taking a chance, he reached out and gave Tony’s hair a gentle ruffle.
Peggy almost gasped out loud when the only reaction that got was a blush. Other than that, Tony didn’t protest, simply stretching out his arms.
‘All right, ready?’ As soon as Jack got a nod, he gave a gentle underarm throw.
Despite hardly having ever played catch, Tony had shown he possessed amazing hand-to-eye coordination in numerous other things so caught it easily.
Tony was absolutely chuffed.
‘Look, Aunty!’ He held the ball up to her face for close inspection.
‘I see, love,’ she praised dutifully. ‘Such a clever boy.’
Tony grinned widely at her before turning to Daniel. Positioning his arm in mimicry of Jack, he also copied the chief’s words exactly.
‘All right, ready?’
Jack rubbed a hand over his mouth to try to hide the tiny, happy smile there but Peggy caught it.
As Peggy always knew, Tony didn’t have to be a future overlord to get everyone wrapped around his little finger.
They played catch for a good ten minutes. By then, Tony was all smiles. He was still quieter then he would have been if it was just Peggy or Jarvis, but still, he was participating, and with two males to top it off.
Peggy really couldn’t be prouder of her boy if she tried.
When Jack had to go back to work and Tony immediately went to hand the ball back, the usually hard man waved his hand in the air, the tiniest of smiles at the corner of his mouth.
‘Keep it for a while, squirt.’ His eyes flicked to Peggy. ‘You can bring it back the next time you come.’
Peggy didn’t even bother to hold back her genuinely grateful smile. It meant a lot to her that Jack was happy to make the effort it would take for another day excursion for Tony to come to work. He had dragged his feet to be a bit of a nuisance this time, but in that one small gesture there, he’d let her know he was more than prepared to make the effort.
Jack cleared his throat, awkward at having shown so much feeling.
‘Sousa needs someone other than me to keep him in line,’ he tried to grumble.
‘Idiot,’ Daniel called easily.
Jack looked like he was about to drop a less than child friendly word but at Peggy’s warning glare, simply settled for saying, ‘Aren’t you meant to be a chief in L.A.? Do you do that little that they don’t miss you when you leave?’ as he walked back to his office.
‘I’m just that competent that I can do it from a distance,’ Daniel retorted.
Peggy was sure Jack heard but he pretended he didn’t, pretending to get enraptured by his work.
Tony watched the exchange with cheekily glittering eyes, chuckling throatily at Daniel’s last insult.
Daniel winked at him, which gained a mischievous grin.
There was going to be a throwback to this conversation, Peggy just knew it.
‘All right, little love,’ Peggy bounced her knees gently. ‘What do you say we start getting organised to go meet up with Jarvis?’
Tony nodded enthusiastically, all too happy to help her pack away her things and his toys from previously while Daniel went back to his desk to finish up on a few things. While he would head out later, he and Peggy would probably get back home at the same time by the time she got Tony settled back with Jarvis. From experience, it would take a while for Tony to be happy to let her go. She would be providing numerous promises she was most certainly coming back and very soon.
There were already plans in place for Peggy to spend the weekend with the two of them. Three, if Ana didn’t have to go see her friend again. And with how well today went, she was hoping Daniel would be able to be added to those plans as well, particularly that he and Jarvis got on quite spectacularly now, despite their rather rough start.
She wasn’t really one to talk; she had effectively decked Jarvis the first time she met him, something he took great joy in teasing her about now. Never in front of Tony though. The poor boy burst into tears if Jarvis so much as stubbed his toe.
Her words were also the perfect way to approach the next diaper change. Tony was a about to break down about it but she convinced him it needed to be done before they could meet up with Jarvis. The poor toddler suffered through it with an air of a person who really didn’t want to do something but was doing it for the sake of someone else. But not without a great sacrifice on their part.
However, most worry seemed to have gone out of Tony and while he certainly didn’t enjoy the process, he didn’t burst into tears either.
‘Such a brave man for your aunty, aren’t you, my darling?’ Peggy cooed to him softly as she lifted him into her arms from the changing table.
Only slightly teary, Tony still hummed in the affirmative, cuddling into her shoulder, as they went back into the main area.
‘We’re off,’ Peggy announced to Daniel, Tony only emerging from his hiding place when he realised who she was talking to.
Grinning, Daniel pushed himself to his feet, managing to balance by leaning on his desk without his crutch.
‘I had the best time spending time with you today, Tony,’ Daniel said, voice completely genuine, not full of that fake enthusiastic tone adults often used to humour children. ‘Thanks for coming in today.’
He held out his hand, still just as gentle and not shoving it into Tony’s space.
Tony blushed at the words but looked extremely pleased at the compliment. With only the slightest amount of hesitation now, he reached out and shook Daniel’s hand, giggling as Daniel clutched his wrist in exaggeration, exclaiming, ‘Damn, what a grip!’
‘That’s silly,’ Tony pronounced, wrapping his arms around Peggy’s neck, a bit shy at saying his mind.
Daniel winked at him. ‘I’ve heard a certain someone knows how to be silly as well.’
The chestnut brown eyes took on that mischievous glitter. ‘Maybe a little,’ he said, voice going high with cheekiness.
‘Maybe a lot,’ Peggy teased, giving him a quick tickle, gaining another giggle before exchanging a quick kiss with Daniel.
Not exactly by choice either. Tony immediately whined, pushing at her cheek to dislodge the kiss.
Peggy laughed. ‘All right, my love, I get the picture.’
‘Yucky,’ Tony glared firmly at her.
Daniel smirked. ‘You mightn’t always think so, champ.’
‘Will,’ Tony shot back stubbornly.
Her husband glanced in amusement at her. ‘Doesn’t remind me of you at all.’
‘Not in the least.’ Peggy kissed her nephew’s cheek, causing the frown to ease, smiling wanly at her. ‘See you tonight.’
‘I won’t be too late.’
While Peggy easily steered the stroller out, Tony occupied himself with waving goodbye to Daniel. He burst into giggles as her husband turned it into a game of peek-a-boo, ducking behind his hand now and then, much to the toddler’s delight.
Daniel had won himself enough points today to last him a lifetime. The warmth Peggy felt for him today was the most special she ever had because he hadn’t just connected with Tony; Daniel had connected with another part of her soul, which was exactly what Tony was to her.
Her nephew was still smiling by the time they got out on to the street after saying goodbye to Rose and Jean. The nap had truly done him wonders, forgetting all about his trauma from earlier that day.
It was so Tony. Forever bouncing back, never one to be held down long by anything.
He perked up even more when emerging outside. The toddler twisted this way and that, searching for the tall figure he knew so well. The butler usually towered over everyone.
Peggy smiled as she managed to spy Jarvis first, exactly where they parked before. Even though he was also forever punctual, she suspected he was p there a good thirty minutes before the agreed upon time. He would have been pining for Tony as much as Tony was for him.
She could pick the exact moment Tony spotted his beloved butler. His little body went stiff with excitement while the breathless gasp he gave was absolutely precious. A joyous cry erupted from the toddler, loud and clear on the quietening street.
‘JARVIS!’
Jarvis’s eyes snapped to them. The sweetest smile broke out on to his face while his youthful green eyes warmed, even making Peggy feel safe, let alone what the expression meant to Tony.
‘Hello, my young master,’ he called lovingly, immediately breaking into a jog.
That wasn’t fast enough for Tony. He wriggled fiercely to get out of Peggy’s arms and this time, she granted it. It was no mystery exactly where he was going. Or, more to the point, who was going to.
As soon as she sat him down, Tony was off like a shot, legs carrying him as fast as they could.
Not caring for his immaculate suit, Jarvis kneeled on the sidewalk, scooping Tony up and into the air, laughing, kind old eyes shining.
‘There’s my cheeky sweetheart.’ He brought Tony down to give him a kiss on his laughing lips, before holding him up in the air again. ‘There he is!’
‘Jay-Jay!’ Tony squealed, making grabby hands at Jarvis, arms just that little too short to be able to touch Jarvis’s face.
Jarvis completely melted at the nickname. ‘Oh, Anthony,’ he cooed, bringing Tony into a huge cuddle, large hand protectively curling around the toddler’s crown. ‘You have no idea how much I’ve missed seeing that smile, young Anthony.’
Tony threw his arms around Jarvis’s neck, cuddling as tight as possible. ‘I missed you heaps, Jarvis,’ he proclaimed, pulling back to give his butler a sloppy kiss on the cheek. ‘I woke up and, and you weren’t there and I, um, I cried, but Aunty made me feel, uh … um happy again but I still, still missed you, Jarvis.’
Jarvis’s expression became worried during the explanation but gentle relief came on to his face when Tony got to the final part of his little story.
‘I knew your aunty would make sure were as happy as could be,’ he said softly, finally looking over to Peggy.
She’d watched the whole exchange with the warmest of hearts and at Jarvis’s trusting words, she glowed that bit more.
Jarvis really couldn’t give a bigger compliment than to let her know she had taken sufficient care of Tony. It meant so much to her, more than any mission she’d ever had.
‘I have a lot to live up to, Mister Jarvis,’ she said, giving his arm a squeeze.
Jarvis simply patted his chest, indicating his heart, and nodded softly to her. The most subtle of exchanges but Peggy knew what it meant.
She knew Jarvis as he knew her. Every single part, none of which she would ever trade, and she knew it was the same for her from him.
Tony perked up at her voice, sitting up, but still clutching tightly on to Jarvis’s suit coat.
‘I met Daniel again, Jarvis,’ he stated happily.
Jarvis and Peggy shared an indulgent smile, knowing very well the amount of stories Tony was going to be passing on from today.
‘Is that so, young sir?’
‘Yep! He taught me origami!’
‘My! That does sound lovely.’
‘Yeah. He said, um, that, that his first one was like a, a duck!’
‘Did it really?’
‘Yep! Didn’t he say that, Aunty Peggy?’
‘He most certainly did, my little light.’
That was how the rest of the evening went, Tony regaling story after story to Jarvis, looking to Peggy now and then to confirm the wondrous events he was recalling. Jarvis was just as enthusiastic to be back with his little master as Tony was with him, giving Tony his full attention and hardly letting the toddler out of his arms. There were no protests from the young Stark heir in the least.
It was a dream ending to a dream day for Peggy. Her dreams hadn’t often come true in her life so it wasn’t lost on her just how special a happy ending it truly was.