A Stark Predicament

Chapter 31 Tony Informs His Sister

While the Council meeting was going on the Dwarves and men were feasting. Alina and Natasha were laughing and telling dirty jokes about the Dwarves.

"I can tell you one thing, Nat. There is nothing Dwarfish about them, at least not Thorin. And if Dwalin is anything like Thorin, you will be one happy camper and pregnant in no time. Then our babies can grow up together."

Natasha was laughing so hard that she was spilling her ale everywhere. "Shut up, Alina, what makes you think I even want a baby." She said between laughs.

"Because you have that baby fever look in your eyes, my friend. I love your bead by the way." Natasha noticed for the first time that Alina's hair was short, too short to be braided. "Where's your bead?"

Alina just shrugged, "Probably burned in the fire I was in, along with my hair."

Natasha gasped, "How and when did that happen?"

Alina told her the whole story including the whole Dragon Sickness and Tony breaking Thorin's jaw. "Good for Tony! Thorin deserved it, I would have shocked him in the balls."

Hawkeye walked over at that point and sat down. "Ooh, who are you mad at now, Nat?"

Natasha huffs "No one."

Alina laughs "So Clint what brings you to this side of the fire."

Clint just launches into it. "You're really going to stay, Nat?"

Natasha rolls her eyes. "Yes, Clint, I fell for Dwalin the minute I saw him. I have every intention of staying for a few days, going back resigning. Get my stuff and come right back. I'm tired of the Avenger thing and Shield thing. I just want to be happy and I know that Dwalin will make me happy, plus I wouldn't mind having a little Dwarfling of my own."

Alina was drinking water when she heard this and started choking. Clint started patting her on the back. "You ok?"

Alina just nodded her head.

"And you're not going to convince me differently," Natasha says.

Clint put his hands up in surrender. He pointed to the bead. "So what does it mean?"

"It means we're courting and if you laugh I'll shock you in the balls."

Clint composed himself. "Shouldn't you have one too, Munchkin?"

Alina ran her fingers through her hair. "Yeah I should, but when I was burned to a crisp and my hair burned off, I lost the bead."

It was Clint's turn to choke. Then Alina heard two "You what?!" One from Clint and one from Logan who was just entering the tent at the far end with Tony.  She rolled her eyes and waved them over.

She was telling them the whole Laketown story and the Dragon when it suddenly occurred to her. "Guys, guys I just realized something. I was already pregnant when I was almost eaten by a dragon." She said stunned.

Thorin was walking toward the group when he heard her say that. Suddenly, Thorin felt sick and started getting light headed then fell backward. Lucky for him Dwalin caught him.

"THORIN!" Alina ran towards him, kneeling beside him. "Dwalin what happened?"

All Dwalin could do is shrug. "I don't know, Lass, we were on our way to all of you when suddenly he fell back, I'll get Oin" He and Natasha went in search of Oin.

Slowly Thorin started coming around. "What happened?" Thorin asked as Logan and Tony helped Thorin into a chair.

Thorin looked around then got this panicked look in his eyes.

"What?" Logan asked him

"Where is Alina, where is my One?!" Thorin asked in an almost hysterical tone.

"Relax bro, she's right here." Alina came with a tankard of ale for Thorin.

"Thorin, I'm right here, are you alright?"

He grabbed her and hugged tightly. "Oh, my love, I too had not realized how close I came to losing both of you."

She gave him a sympathetic look and gave him the tankard of Ale to calm him. "But you didn't Thorin we're both right here. I told you healing factor."

The guys helped Thorin to his feet when something else occurred to him.

"My love, I need to give you a new bead but after this is all over."

She smiles and nods.

As they ate and laughed Alina retold the story of the Dragon and Tony told embarrassing stories of when they were kids, well, embarrassing for Alina Tony has no shame. Thorin could not stop laughing. An hour passed when Thorin kissed Alina and told her he would be right back. He and Dain and Bard got up in front of the Camp to address them of the situation. Tony moved over next to his sister.

"Honey Bunny, I have to tell you that tomorrow I'll be going off with my boys to take on the army to the North, alone."

Alina gasped. "Are you out of your ever loving mind?! You can't do this alone!"

Tony smirks "Sure, sure I can! I have 54 state-of-the-art Iron Man suits plus JARVIS and me, against a bunch of mindless Orcs with primitive weapons, that can't even scratch my armor." Alina thought about it and agreed.

"You're right, Tony, as always. Just be careful and come back to me. You have to meet your new nephew or niece, though I think it's going to be a boy. If it is a boy, Tony I want to name him after you."

Tony was awestruck he didn't know what to say. "Wow, Honey Bunny, I don't know what to say, I'm honored. I WILL be back and meet my namesake, I promise."

The siblings hug and everyone else wishes Tony good luck.