(2) Bring Me Home (T. Stark)

Chapter Eleven

"Personalised" he promises her.

"Will you wear that God awful dinner jacket?" she asks. "The one you wore when we met"

"You've crossed a line" he teases.

"You love it" she accuses as he gets out of bed. He looks down at her and smiles.

"So do you" he points out. "More than you let on"

"Of course I do" she whispers. "It's the first thing I ever saw you wearing, it's always going to mean something to me...."

"In that case" he starts. "Wear that mismatching polka dot and leopard print bra and underwear thing you had on the first time we..." he winks and clicks his tongue, she throws a pillow at him, he chuckles catching it. "I'm being serious" he adds. "You are the first woman I have ever met to not wear matching underwear, it was a complete turn on" she shoots him a look and then lowers the blankets.

"Then you will love this" she shows off her black vest and bright purple underwear that she's currently wearing, he gasps.

"I'm gonna be all over you" he kneels on the bed stalking towards her before sighing and pulling back. "When I get back...." he gives her reluctantly. She pouts at him. "I have to get ready" she pulls the blankets back up.

"Fine" she grumbles. "Then I'll just stay here and take care of myself" he groans and closes his eyes.

"Spencer" he groans flopping onto the bed beside her, she is quick to move, to straddle his waist.

"Make it quick" she coos. "We can do it...." he opens his eyes and looks up at her, they share a look before he grabs her waist and turns them both.

............

Tony crouches in front of Trinity who clutches to her mother's legs, she might not fully understand what is happening but she can sense her parents' mood, can read them, understands the suitcase and her mother's tenseness.

"You look after your mother, okay, Princess?" Tony asks Trinity who sniffles and nods. Tony strokes her cheek. "And I'll be back in time for your birthday, 'kay?" Trinity nods but she's not happy about this. Tony stands to look at Spencer. She gives him a sad smile. His business trips have always been short, couple of nights here and there and never somewhere so dangerous. So of course, Spencer is scared, she terrified, on top of everything she knows out there, all the dangers that are already stacked in her head, she has to send her husband off to a war zone. She doesn't want him to go, she doesn't want him to leave. Tony takes her hand and steps closer. "I'll be back before you know it" he promises her. "We'll celebrate the princess then have our own valentine's" she takes a breath and tries to smile, but she can't.

"Tony, I have a really bad feeling about this" she admits.

"You're just gonna miss me" he teases lightly. "You'll be so busy with the three of them" he nods to their kids. "And your work that you won't even notice I'm gone" he presses his forehead to hers. "It's just a week" she nods a little biting her lip. "Look after them" she shoots him a look. "Which I know you will" he adds softer. He kisses her. Soft, sweet. "I'm going to miss you" he admits pulling back, holding tighter to her fingers.

"Then don't go" she points out.

"I have to, it's the only way this deal is going to go through...I know this will be the longest we've been apart since before Trinity was born, but we can do this" she nods a little. He kisses the back of her hand and then lets her go allowing for Spencer to lift Trinity up to her hip, allowing her to cry into her shoulder. Tony strokes Trinity's hair and pouts. "Don't cry" he whispers. "Daddy hates tears" Trinity just starts crying harder. "Stop crying or I'll sell all your toys"

"Tony" Spencer scolds with a smile.

"What?" he asks. "It's working" he whispers as Trinity cleans her face with her sleeve. "Dry eyes" he motions to his daughter as Spencer shakes her head amused. Tony kisses Trinity's head and then Spencer's cheek before crouching at the side of the triple stroller, the twins all wrapped up and comfy behind Trinity's lead seat. They're asleep, and he doesn't want to wake them. He honestly doesn't want to go. He would, 100%, rather be here with his wife and kids. But work is work. And this deal is important. He stands again and takes a deep breath. Tony and Spencer share a look before heads towards where Happy and Rhodey are stood waiting for him. Rhodey moves to Trinity as Happy tries to take Tony's bag from him, Tony wants to do it himself. Rhodey takes Spencer's hand and squeezes reassuringly.

"I'll look after him" Rhodey promises Spencer, she nods a little and sighs. Rhodey pulls her into a hug and she relaxes into it slightly as she hugs him back. He pulls back and then winks at Trinity. "I got you something special for your birthday," he tells her. "But you have to wait till I get back to get it....and you have to be good" Rhodey warns Trinity who nods. "I'll ask your mother" he adds shooting Trinity a look, she nods again. "Alright," Rhodey strokes her hair and takes a breath.

"Just make sure he comes back in one piece," Spencer tells Rhodey, he nods and gives her a small smile, he's worried too, he does not want to be on the receiving end of Spencer if anything goes wrong. He is terrified of the woman. Tony told him stories, he knows what she does for a living, he knows just what she is capable of. He does not want to be the next thing she hunts down.