Everlasting • Tony Stark✔️

67 | avenger baby

LYRA and Tony smiled the most they ever had as they stared at the little girl in Bruce's arms. She was bundled up after Bruce took a pinch of her blood in order to check for the Extremis, but otherwise, she was healthy and beautiful. Lyra was already healing abnormally fast as her tired eyes fell. Tony bargained that they could get out of the hospital that night so she could rest in the Avengers Tower. Bruce thought it better anyway with the oddity of the whole process along with the fact that Tony Stark's kid was trending.

Lyra grabbed the little girl from Bruce's arm, using her finger to trace her closed eyes and smile. "She looks just like you," Lyra complained, looking at Tony.

Tony smirked, shrugging. "She'll be a hell of a looker then."

A knock on the door had Lyra grinned as Thor and Steve tried to enter at the same time. Both glared as Natasha shoved them through. Following was Clint, Happy, Rhodey, and Pepper.

"Oh, God, Pep!" Lyra called, extending her hand for the woman. "Hey, hey. Meet your goddaughter," she said softly to the woman.

Pepper's eyes widened. "What?"

Tony sniggered. "Yeah, you took care of me all of those years. You can take care of a mini-me if something happens."

Pepper's eyes watered as she reached her arms out to hold her. "Oh, she really is perfect. God, Tone. Just like you in the looks. That head of hair?"

Tony smirked, nudging Steve. "Hear that, Capsicle? Like me in the looks."

"God Bless her," Steve remarked dryly.

"We decided on Rhodey for the godfather," Tony said with a shrug. "Best friend and all. You kind of have to be it. Though, you're all going to be around for a long time anyway. I can count on any of you to be there. Right, old man?" he said with a wiggle of his eyebrows as he nudged Steve again.

Thor laughed before Pepper saw his eyes on the little girl. "Would you like to hold her? Is that okay?" she asked Thor then Lyra. Lyra nodded but Thor looked hesitant.

"I may break her. I don't want to do that."

"You won't break her," Clint laughed. "It's easy. Like this." He picked up the baby with ease after having two already to practice. He watched as her eyes opened. "Shit. She's got like an orange tint in her eyes. Is that normal?"

Bruce shrugged. "Effect of the Extremis?"

Lyra took a deep breath before laughing. "God, you all look like lovesick fools." It was true. Every Avenger was staring at the baby with hearts in their eyes.

"What's her name?" Rhodey said as he held his goddaughter.

Tony bit his lip. "Charlotte Maria Stark," he said proudly, glancing around the room as the hearts in their eyes grew bigger. He let out another laugh. "My turn, assholes. I want my girl."

Lyra had never seen such gentleness in Tony's eyes and touch as he held his child. She felt Pepper grab her hand, holding it tightly. As she looked around at the Avengers, she could see a pledge on their chests that showed they would always take care of her. Her family would protect her from anything, that was certain.

It took a few weeks to get used to Charlotte in their lives. Of course, she stayed on Tony and Lyra's floor as they took turns feeding and changing her at night. During the day, she would be looked after by anyone who was in the Tower as long as Tony or Lyra were in the room.

Pepper and Rhodey had to go back to their jobs, but both pledged to visit as often as possible. Happy stayed around to help Lyra when Tony and the other Avengers went back to finding Hydra bases, but Lyra had been itching to get back to work now that her body was putting itself back together again. When Charlotte was sleeping, Lyra would go train. She would work out until she could barely stand it in order to get her body ready.

She could feel they were getting close on the scepter. She wanted to be there when they were.

After Charlotte had been alive for nine months, Lyra finally sat the team down with the baby in her lap in the briefing room. Natasha held out her arms for the baby, which Charlotte wasted no time climbing over Clint to get to her since she was already crawling with perfect ease.

"I'm ready to help with the raids," Lyra blurted causing Tony to stop his conversation with Bruce.

"Nope," he replied easily.

Lyra glared. "Yep."

"Not happening. Charlotte needs you here."

"Charlotte and Happy get along great. It would only be for a few hours at most," Lyra countered angrily. "If it turned out to be more, Pepper would step in to help."

"No."

"Tony," Lyra started with a sigh. "It's killing me just sitting around. I love my time with her, I really do, but I miss working. Without S.H.I.E.L.D., I have nothing else to do."

Clint nodded, tickling Charlotte and causing her laughter to bubble around the room. "I think it's a great idea. In fact, I know she'll be fine helping and being a mother."

"Yeah, like you could be an agent and a father?" Tony rebutted.

"He could if he wanted," Natasha defended as Charlotte climbed onto the table to try and get to her best friend. Thor quickly grabbed her before she fell, grinning when she pulled on his hair in awe. "Tony, you can't keep her stuck here."

"What about Charlotte?" Tony sighed.

"Fine, let's take turns," Lyra said with narrowed eyes.

Tony shook his head, only have been alone with Charlotte a few times. He was still nervous.

"Then, trust Happy and Pepper."

Tony scoffed, standing and picking up his child. "Come on, Charlie. Mommy is being mean to Daddy." Lyra rolled her eyes at the love and adoration in Charlotte's eyes as she laughed happily in Tony's arms.

She glanced at Steve and Bruce who had yet to say a word. "What do you think?"

Bruce shrugged. "There was only a small percent of Extremis in her bloodstream. She's safe and healthy. It's not like you with the large percent of you that's inhuman."

"I meant me helping with Hydra."

"Oh, right. Yeah, sure. The more help the merrier."

Steve rubbed his chin. "Tony's just worried of leaving Charlotte alone and you getting hurt, thus, leaving her alone with him."

"Okay? And? I regenerate. It'll take more than a couple of bullets to take me down."

Steve smirked, shaking his head. "Go talk to him."