"I just don't know if it's a very good idea."

Pepper angles her ears back in frustration - the annoyance clear in her eyes and prickled fur - and Peter is reminded of his Aunt's very wise words: "Don't ever question a pregnant woman."

The young man doesn't mean to question her. She's very wise and he knows she's used to always being in control. It's something that has only been multiplied by the pup growing within her belly. But she's due in only a few days - such a short time span. And she's so pregnant that she can barely walk without waddling when she goes to the bathroom.

Peter knows that her husband has been stressing, begging her to take some time to relax. He says it's doctors' orders, but Peter hasn't been to any of the appointments. He just trusts Tony's words.

But Tony isn't here right now. That puts Peter in a very difficult position, trying to keep Pepper from doing anything too crazy, but also trying to be respectful of her condition.

His mentor works on some last-minute adjustments to the new lakeside home. Things that need to be finished before a baby can be brought home, which means he needs someone to stay at their current home. Someone needs to keep an eye on Pepper and be there in case of an emergency.

(Peter's sure he isn't the first choice. But May works all the time, Happy is currently off working on another project, Rhodes is working in another country on adjustments to the Accords, and Pepper's family lives far away.)

The boy agrees to the job because he's so appreciative for all the Stark family has given him. Beyond the suit, the lab time and training have done so much for him. This internship is everything he could have ever hoped for. He's even started to think of Tony as a kind of father figure, even though he would never say it out loud.

He quickly agrees to stay at their home and protect Tony's wife, even declaring it the most important Avenger's mission ever given. He takes it very seriously and promises to do his absolute best. Tony just replies with a throaty chuckle and says reassures him that everything will be fine.

Peter spends the first two days fetching ice cream and pickles for Pepper whenever she has one of those weird pregnancy cravings, but secretly reminds himself why he's here. It's in case there's an emergency. He needs to be here - and to an extension have his powers ready - if any threat comes to her or the baby.

Which is difficult because Peter's already having a really bad day. The type of where he hides under his blankets and avoids looking in a mirror to keep his mind clear. But he can't do that today. Instead, he pushes his anxieties down, pulls on his binder, and tells himself that at least it will be an easy day fetching snacks for Pepper.

Tony Stark trusts him to keep his family safe, and that's what he's dedicated to doing because he needs to prove himself. It's a lot on the teenager's shoulders, but all he can do is his best. Only a few days left.

It mostly works. The day goes by mostly smoothly until it doesn't. Pepper starts being stubborn and insisting that they aren't ready to bring a baby home yet. The woman's nesting instincts are set to ten, and she insists on going baby shopping to that little baby boutique in town. Which is clearly a horrible idea.

"Peter. I respect what you're trying to do, but I'm fine. The doctor said I can go for walks. Just look at this as a short walk... while preparing for the baby. We'll be back before you know it."

"Maybe we could do some online shopping? I think that's a much safer option."

Pepper rolls her eyes, but there's a slight smile on her muzzle as she gathers her keys. "You sound like my husband. Nothing is going to happen from a quick shopping trip. I promise."

"What if I beg? Will you stay home then?"

Peter's ears tilt back the slightest bit, and he can already feel his eyes widening without even trying. His head tilts sideways the tiniest bit as he adjusts to beg, and then Pepper just laughs in his face.

"That won't work on me, Peter. You know those big beggy eyes only work on Tony and May."

"Please."

"Lighten up. It's just a quick trip down the street. Everything will be okay. Call it mother's intuition."

Peter doesn't like it. He should definitely call Tony and ask for permission, but he's probably busy working on the cabin, and this isn't really a real emergency. Pepper is a very capable woman, and if she says that it's no big deal, then he should trust her. At least a little bit. Probably. Maybe.

"I'm going shopping. The real question is whether I'll be alone or not," she says with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Peter throws on his jacket with his tail wrapped between his legs. If she won't listen to him, he'll have to follow her to the store and keep an eye on her up close. He did promise to keep her safe, so he really has no other choice.

"I don't really have a choice."

Peter doesn't like the baby store.

It makes him feel things that he normally pushes deep down. There's the maternal side to all of this, the part of his body and instincts that are drawn to this - the idea of one day having a baby. The part that doesn't match what he really feels inside. The dysphoria that's only a deep ache inside today, but with the potential to become a full-blown panic attack if he doesn't manage his breathing and try to keep himself grounded.

His binder feels tight beneath his skin as he passes by all the pink baby clothes. It makes sense that this is the section they'd navigate towards with Pepper expecting a girl, but it still rubs him the wrong way.

"Isn't this stuff just a little too pink?"

The question takes Pepper off guard, but she does her best to not act on the reaction, despite the slight tilt in her ears that shows her brain whirling. He recognizes it as her thinking expression.

"I guess. It is a little bit traditional. Isn't it?"

Peter forces his eyes toward the ground, hoping that whatever he said didn't give him away. Tony knows. May knows. Even Ned knows. Pepper Potts does not know.

And it isn't that he's against her knowing. He's proud of who he is, even if it causes him mild discomfort at times. He knows Pepper wouldn't love him any less because of his gender. It's just weird to tell people while he's still figuring things out for himself. It just leaves his stomach swirling with anxieties and worries that he has trouble controlling some days, something that's being really distracting today.

He knows he needs to be here in the moment. He has to focus on shopping with Pepper, so he shakes his head - his ears flopping around him - and dedicates himself to picking something not so pink out for the baby.

"What about this?" he asks, grabbing the nearest jumper, which just happens to be Ironman themed.

"Isn't that a little... ironic?"

Peter laughs. "No. I think it would be adorable. Tony would love it."

"Oh! Like that time he caught you in your Ironman boxers. He was very honored."

Peter isn't sure how the blush manages to dance across his fur, but he knows it's there. He can feel it through his dropped jaw and wide eyes. It was bad enough when Tony caught him dancing in his boxers and socks late in the night. Pepper knowing just makes it even worse.

"That was only one time," he whines.

"Don't worry about it. He thinks its very cute. I'm sure he'll think the same for Morgan," she says as she throws the Ironman themed jumper into the cart.

They continue down the clothing aisles and then head into the furniture section. Even though the Starks already have every piece of furniture a baby could ever need, there may be a cute set of bedding to complete the nursery. Pepper insists that you can never have enough bedding.

Peter only turns his head for a few seconds to stroke the nearest bedding - an easy way for him to stim out his stress without concern - when it happens.

His spidey sense screams on full volume. Harder than it ever has before. Far beyond the feeling when he's in danger and even worse than that one time he got stabbed. It's something he can only describe as someone in his pack being hurt. A mix of instinct and trouble that demands his attention.

He spins towards Pepper, but she's somehow managed to escape from his sight in the few seconds of his distraction. She's not here. And she's in danger. Peter shakes with fear and anticipation.

"Peter," he hears from the next aisle over. The voice sounds like it isn't too far away, though it's soft and his super hearing barely picks up on it. She doesn't sound like she's in too much distress, but Peter wastes no time running around the corner and finding her. He nearly knocks down a shelf in his hurry.

Pepper seems okay at first glance. He does a quick scan for any blood or broken parts, but nothing seems out of place. She's leaning on the cart calmly, but her legs are crossed like she's in pain, and only on second glance does Peter notice the wet marks down the crotch of her leggings.

This wouldn't be the first time she's wet herself while pregnant, and Peter can only assume that's what happened by her tenses legs and the liquid. His large brown eyes soften and he tries to relax as he approaches her. His spidey sense refuses to calm down though.

"I need you to stay calm. Do you think you could do that Peter?"

"Yea," the boy says with a pause. This wouldn't be the first time this happened when he was over. Last time Tony just excused himself to go help Pepper clean up. Maybe she's just embarrassed that it's Peter.

"Alright. Good. Because I think my water just broke."

Peter squeaks. "What?"

"I think it's time, Peter. Let's check out quick and get this stuff in the car."

Peter's ears and tail are stiff. His eyes are now wide with fear. This is far beyond his pay grade, far beyond the scope of the Avengers mission he was assigned. He was supposed to do easy things. They were supposed to be home.

Take care of her? Yes.

Keep an eye on her? Yes.

Bring her pickles and birthday cake ice cream? Of course.

Be the only other one there when she goes into unexpected labor miles from home? Hell to the no.

This is well beyond anything he could have prepared for. There weren't any plans for something like this. The entire plan was to keep her home close to the medical bay. The med bay filled with birthing supplies and multiple doctors ready on call. The type of doctors rich people use.

"Peter? Are you with me? I need you to stay calm. We have a plan for this, remember?"

"Plan? Oh yeah. The plan! Okay let's do the plan," he says because he has no idea what to do beyond listening to the only other adult in the area because his brain is malfunctioning so bad that smoke may leak from his ears at any moment.

"That's a good idea, Peter. Just try to breathe. Step one is baby bags, which we already have stashed in all the cars. That includes the one we drove here So there's already a baby bag ready to go. What's step two?"

Peter isn't sure who she's trying to keep calm at this point. He knows he's freaking out way more than she is - she's calm and collected with her hands on her belly as usual - but he made a promise to his mentor that he's taking very seriously. He needs to find her help.

"Step two. Measure time between contractions."

"Pass," Pepper says firmly.

Peter stares at her with wide eyes. "Pass? What does that even mean?"

"It means step three is more important."

"Step three. Call Tony."

"Right. I will check out as you call Tony. Let him know that he needs to come home as soon as possible."

Pepper's right. That should have been step one. Panic rushes through Peter as he pulls out his cracked phone and dials the second speed dial. Tony picks up on the first ring.

"Stark's phone. How may I direct your call?"

Peter takes a few steps away to give Pepper some space as she loads the items on the belt to check out. There's half a thought about rushing her - how important can those items be right now - but he tries to focus on the quick phone call first. Hearing his mentor's voice grounds him.

"Mr. Stark, it's me. Peter Parker."

Tony laughs in the background. "I know. I'm just messing with you, kid. What's up?"

"Pepper's water just broke and she seems fine, but her furs kind of ruffled so I feel like she's hiding how bad the situation really is. And my sense... You know the one. It's saying it's time. And Pepper's saying its time. And you aren't here so Pepper said step three of the plan is Call Tony, which by the way should have been Step One, but anyways, I guess what I'm trying to say is that you need to come down here right away Mr. Stark!"

Pepper looks over with a stern look in an attempt to keep him calm, but it does very little because not a second later Tony is panicking over the phone too. The husband seems to immediately the urgency of the situation.

"What? She wasn't due until next week? I'm on my way, but it will still take a little under an hour. Can you stay with her until then? Keep her calm?"

"Of course. Where should we meet you?"

"Meet me? Peter. You guys need to head down to the med bay. They'll have everything ready."

Peter blanks out. They're so far away from the med bay. This is all his fault. He knows he was only a teenager with little choice in the situation, but he still let a very pregnant woman leave the safety of their home against his mentor's orders. He feels horrible. A painful guilty feeling that may cause him to upchuck at any moment.

Pepper pulls the phone from his hand before he can stutter a response.

"Yeah. Funny story, Tony. We're at the baby store."

"You left the house?!"

"I needed a walk. The contractions were starting to bother me."

"You're having contractions?! And your water broke! And you decided to just go shopping. Are you trying to kill me, Pepper? Because I have a heart condition and it feels like you are trying to kill me."

"My water broke while we were shopping. And I didn't think it was such a big deal. I thought it was just a false labor and I could walk it off. I'm okay though," she says while looking at Peter fondly. "We're okay."

"Peter. Can you put the bags in the car please?"

Peter shakes his head, but he grabs the bags at the woman's request and carries them to the car anyway. The trunk pops open with a quick wave of his foot and he sets the bags in carefully. The task takes way too little time with his super strength, but he still worries they're taking too much time.

"I'm not mad."

"You better not be mad. I'm the one carrying this thing for nine months."

"I'm going to call an ambulance. They'll bring you home."

"I don't think I can wait that long, Tony. Ever since my water broke, the contractions have become much more intense," she says gripping the empty cart. "What's the nearest hospital?"

A whimper escape's the boy's lips to realize she's been pain all day and he's barely noticed. He's been too wrapped up in his own anxiety and thoughts to see her body fighting the contractions. He knows Mrs. Potts is extremely stubborn and probably went through every effort to hide the way her muscles have been tensing, but he still feels like a bad dog. He could have done better.

"I'll call the ambulance now. Just stay with Peter."

"No."

Both men freeze. "No?" Tony asks through the phone.

"No. We don't need an ambulance. Just text me the address of the hospital and Peter can drive me there. You just got your license, right?"

Peter can only nod dumbly in reply.

"That's settled then. See you soon," Pepper says before hanging up the call.

This is it. Peter doesn't have much of a choice now. He needs to get it together for Pepper's sake. For the baby's sake. He pushes his anxieties down and runs over to help the woman in the car.

Once in the driver's seat, Peter quickly adjusts the mirror and wheel to his body's smaller size. He forces deep breaths through him, trying desperately to do the panic prevention techniques that Mr. Stark taught him. Peter can manage a little bit of anxiety and worry when his mentor has been through so much worse.

"Do you remember what I said, Peter? About staying calm?"

Peter tries to nod his head, but everything seems to be swirling inside of him. He feels dizzy. Everything is happening at once and he's worried that he could mess this up even further somehow. He can feel his fingers crushing the steering wheel and another rush of guilt floods the boy. This is too much. He can barely find the air to breathe.

He can feel the tears welling in his eyes as he struggles to breathe. There's not enough air in the car. He's choking on empty air and his binder feels too tightly wrapped around his chest. He's suffocating. He can't breathe.

And then Pepper's there. She's leaning in front of him, reaching her hand out hesitantly to check for permission to touch him. She reaches for Peter's shoulder first, but Peter jerks away in a panic, and she pulls her hand back to try again. This time she places her hand on the boy's wrist and squeezes gently.

"I need you to breathe Peter. Deep breaths. Let's take a deep breath in."

They breathe in together. And then out. And then in again. Hold it. And then out.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Potts. I didn't notice you were in pain. And I let you leave the house. And I wasn't there when your water broke. Anything could have happened," he says sorrowfully with tears streaming down his face, begging for her and Tony's forgiveness.

"Peter. Please understand you didn't make me do anything," she says as she squeezes his hand again in reassurance. "I'm a grown woman. I made these decisions all on my own. I shouldn't have dragged you out like this though. It was too much for me to ask of you. But now I need your help."

Peter nods as he wipes the tears from his fur. He looks up at Pepper and even though she's a little bit ruffled, she's still so put together. He wonders how she stays so strong when everything is so uncertain.

"If you really don't think you can do this, I'll believe you. We can call the ambulance. But I see what you do every night as Spider-Man. I hear the stories Tony never stops telling. I know what you're capable of. I know how scary life can be sometimes and this is just another challenge we're facing. But this time together. As a family."

"So what do you think Peter. Do you think you can drive me to the hospital?"

With one more deep breath, Peter ungrips the wheel and looks at Pepper with a messy smile. If Pepper Potts can be this strong with contractions shooting through her body, then he can be brave too.

"Yes. I can do it. I'm sorry," he says turning the key to start the car.

"Peter. Please don't apologize for being you," she says before scrunching her muzzle in pain as they drive. About half a minute later, she continues. "I'm so happy you accompanied me today. Thank you for coming."

"Don't thank me. I promised Mr. Stark I'd keep you safe. It was my job."

"But it wasn't your job because you're a superhero. You came because you care about me. You care about our little family. And I know, whatever happens, little Morgan will have you to protect her."

Peter smiles her way before returning his gaze to traffic. Pepper watches him lovingly in return.

"Thanks, Mrs. Potts. That means a lot. Now can we focus on getting to the hospital before Mr. Stark suspends me from the Avengers for crashing the car or something."

"That's a good plan," Pepper says with a laugh.

They arrive at the hospital with plenty of time to spare.

The private room is already set up, no expense spared because Mr. Stark called ahead and prepared the hospital for Pepper's arrival - the confidentiality forms already filled out and birthing room sanitized.

Tony Stark arrives next, running into the room after giving Peter a quick hug. There's a quick thank you muttered under the man's breath, but Peter is still pretty wracked with guilt as he waits alone in the small room. He's not sure how long these things usually take, but he dedicates himself to staying as long as needed.

Aunt May arrives a few hours later. Peter's phone has mostly died by this point, so he's appreciative of the company, but he's still pretty bummed out by the entire experience. Not to mention his drooping eyes - and tail - from the constant up and down of his panic attacks. He could really use a nap.

"What's a matter? I thought you'd be bouncing off the walls with excitement."

"I am excited, May. I'm just having a really rough day."

"No spoons today?"

"Mhm. Really bad anxiety. I almost messed everything up."

"It's okay to be scared. As long as we fight through it and do the right thing. That's the Spider-Man motto, right? With great morality comes great ability."

Peter can only roll his eyes in disgust, but his twitching tail gives away his entertainment.

"So then what's wrong? What's really bothering you?"

"Sometimes I'm scared as Spider-Man, but never like this," he whispers under his breath to her. "That's only me. I'm not used to my family being in danger or needing my help. Not like this. Mr. Stark was expecting so much of me and I think I let him down. He barely even looked at me when he got here."

"I think he just has a lot going on right now. I wouldn't take it personally."

"I'm trying not to. It's just hard sometimes. You know?"

May does know. She knows all too well. "It's been you and me for so long, sometimes it's hard to remember what having a larger family is like. It brings a lot of love, but it brings a lot of insecurities as well. You've lost so much in so little time, but this will be good for you. It will be good for all of us. A new start."

Peter doesn't reply. Instead, he daydreams of a world where he belongs in the Stark Family.

Peter doesn't sleep. He only worries.

He's in the waiting room a long time. There's an uneasiness inside of him, something that digs deep. There's so much he wants to say to Mr. Stark. He needs to apologize for his behavior the day before.

But he's stuck in a hard place because they are both preoccupied with a much more important task. Something painful and difficult, but that needs to be done to bring their daughter into this world. Something so agonizing and fearful that Peter's stomach churns at the thought.

May tries to assure him that everything will be okay. They're in a world-class facility with expert doctors on call and enough money for any procedure possible, something most women go without. Yet hundreds of thousands of babies are born each day safely. And Pepper Potts is a special kind of stubborn.

He still worries though. About everything. Will the Stark family accept him as he is, especially after such a large mistake? Will Pepper make it through birth safely when they had to deviate from the original birth plan? Will he ever get his anxieties under control? He just seems to be messing everything up lately.

Not to mention the Stark Internship that constantly floats over his head. Ever since he lost his suit, there's been a constant buzzing worry in the back of his head, a need to prove himself to his mentor. It's left him scratching at his fur with stress, and picking his nails when no ones looking. The stuff he knows he shouldn't be doing.

But the stuff he can't help. He just really wants to be a good boy and prove that he's worth Ironman's time. Worth the Avenger's time. He can't afford to fail again. Not if it means losing his suit again - the only thing that keeps him sane some days.

The teenager is very close to spiraling again when Tony walks in.

The man's expression can only be described as gentle, something that the boy has never seen before. A Tony Stark that's so relaxed and in awe that anything is possible. A man that's suffered so much pain and suffering the last decade, but on this day experiences something glorious and life-changing.

"I take it went well?" May asks from behind Peter.

"Very well. Pepper is sleeping after a very long delivery, but Morgana is healthy and bright."

A smile spreads across his Aunt's face. "I'm so happy for you two."

Peter holds his wrist uncertainly. At least Pepper and Morgan are both okay. That makes things easier.

"You can come and see her if you'd like. What do you think Peter?"

"I don't know. I wouldn't want to be a bother," he admits quietly.

"There's no rush. You can take some time to breathe. We're in room 32B whenever your ready," Tony replies with a gentle smile before heading back to care for his wife and baby.

May looks at Peter with a mix of worry and confusion. "You don't want to go meet your new baby sister?"

Peter cocks his ears and tilts his head bewildered. "What are you talking about?"

May laughs. "You're such a confused puppy dog sometimes."

"I'm serious, May. I have no idea what you are talking about."

"You know that look he gave when he walked in? The slightly relaxed smile and awestruck eyes?"

"Yeah? It was nice to see. He's always so worried. He doesn't ever get a chance to breathe as Ironman."

"But I've seen him with that same expression before," she says as she settles into her chair, reaching over and stroking Peter's hand. "Many times. He does it very often around you."

Peter squints his eyes in thought, his ears angling back the slightest bit in hard thought.

"You're saying Tony Stark sees me as a son? Even though he's a genius billionaire who created the world's greatest hero, and I'm just some sickly boy from Queens? That's funny May."

"It's not a joke, honey. That's exactly what I'm saying."

"No. No. I don't know what you saw Aunt May, but he's my mentor. That's all."

May shakes her head sadly but knows she can't force Peter to see the connection. The only one that can is the man he idolizes so much - the great Tony Stark.

"Why don't we go see the baby? I've been waiting all day and if I don't see some chubby cheeks soon, I'm going to lose it. We can worry about the rest another day. Sound good?"

Peter lets her drag him towards the room with a shrug.

He's still very nervous as he trails his Aunt into the dimly lit room, but the excitement of the situation gets to him and he can't help but wag the tip of his tail. It just feels good to see everyone so happy.

There's a lightness in the room. The way Pepper sleeps peacefully tucked away under the covers, though her hair is messy and her fur unkempt. She looks exhausted after such a long labor, but still happy and accomplished as her ears flick in her sleep. She's a mother now.

Which means Tony is now officially a father. He's off to the side of the room. He's gentle rocking the cradle as he watches the little bundle inside like it's the most important thing in the world.

"Hey Mr. Stark," the boy whispers under his breath.

Tony looks up with a smile and motions for them to come closer. There's still a look of pride on the man's muzzle which makes the happiness within the two dogs grow. They can't help but share his enthusiasm.

"Look how cute," May says as she peeks inside the cradle.

Baby Morgan is incredibly small, but so alert looking already. She has orange fox-like fur like her father, though the blondness of Pepper's fur has dulled it by a few shades. She has her dad's large chestnut eyes and fox markings, though everyone knows markings can shift as you grow.

"She's beautiful. Isn't she?"

Peter nods. He's seen babies before, but never such a perfect mix of two foxes. Not like Morgan.

"She's such a pretty little lady," May coos beside him.

"She's lucky to have you two. My family isn't so big anymore. We'll need all the help we can get."

"No problem, Mr. Stark. Whatever you need. I'd be happy to help."

The man puts his arm around Peter's shoulder as thanks. Only May can see the look of awestruck pride and wonder - the one Tony always gets around her nephew.

"Thanks, Peter. And thanks for keeping Pepper safe today. I know it wasn't easy, heaven knows that woman doesn't listen to anyone. If Morgan is anything like her mom, my fur will be grey in a few year's time."

Both dogs chuckle. She'll probably be all the stubborn of Pepper and all the genius of Tony. What a dangerous little combination. She'll surely get into lots of trouble.

"It's nice knowing that Morgan has a brother to protect her."

The man is already looking back at his daughter, so he just happens to miss the puzzled look on Peter's face. May catches it though and nods encouragingly. She knows family when she sees it.

Peter doesn't know much. He's still discovering what he wants to do with his life, still learning a lot about who he wants to be. Sometimes he's filled with anxiety. Sometimes he fails. And sometimes he doesn't.

But there's one thing he does know. Despite any lack of blood relation, this little fox pup is his new little sister and he pledges to keep her safe. Because that's what you do for family.

That's what the Starks are now to Peter. They're family.