Her mind wandered back to her first ultrasound. It was cold, bitingly so, it was only a few days after the funeral. Her OB was discreet, a family friend, she walked up the stairs and sunk down on a cold leather club chair. What seemed like seconds later a high reedy voice called out her name, and she entered a small, cozy even, examination room. To the left of the bed was a chair. Her breath caught in her throat, and tears that had evaded for days were painful pinpricks in the corners of her eyes. Tony should be here. He should be here cracking jokes and being endearingly inappropriate. The OB-GYN came in and after doing routine checks, asked her if she was ready and suddenly she could see her baby. Her baby. Their baby. The feeling of numbness that had pervaded since the funeral was washed away with the tiny form she saw inside of her. He visited his memorial that day and left a folded copy of the ultrasound tucked somewhere curious passerby wouldn't see. Maybe despite Tony's unmoving belief in nothing but science he was still looking out for them. The rumbling feeling of the plane accelerating roused Pepper from her reverie. Despite having flown hundreds of times, she braced a hand against the window and curled her hand protectively over her rounded stomach. She was thinking Maria for the name, to honor Tony's mom. Tony had always spoken highly of his mother. But with the thoughts of Tony's parents brought back the sting of Rogers betrayal, keeping the information of his parents demise secret. She had completed step one of her master plan. Pepper wasn't crazy with revenge and she cares about her child more than anything else but she can't live with the way Tony died if she does nothing. Next step of her plan was simple, the media. As soon as she landed in JFK, she would begin drafting a press conference. Pepper Potts would tell the world who her Tony was, not the Tony the world saw but the Tony who would make her pancakes at two in the morning cause he just came out of the lab and honestly didn't know what time it was, and who ripped that Tony from this world.

Steve sat in shock, it had been hours since Pepper had left, but her words were bouncing around in his head, childhood hero, Clint had stalked away still cursing under his breath albeit halfheartedly, his worst nightmares, Sam and Wanda had got the sparknotes version from T'Challa and were now unsuccessfully trying to talk to Steve, never get the chance to meet his daughter, T'Challa himself was locked inside of one of his many rooms in his private wing, wondering what he'd had sacrificed opening his home to what he thought were good people. T'Challa rubbed at his temple with two fingers, he now faced a dilemma.

The world grieves for Tony Stark in its own way. The media forever two faced suddenly sung the praises of the man they had spent years demeaning. A boy in Tennessee cries for days when he realizes his hero is gone for good. His sister sits quietly too young to understand the true meaning of death. A teen and his aunt in Queens try to move on without realizing they don't want to. James Rhodes resigns his military commission, and puts his whole effort into reestablishing the Avengers without the exiles. The people of New York place flowers at the foot of what has become once again Stark Tower, and share stories of everyday heroism in his honor. A red-haired spy lounges on a veranda in Mumbai checking the news for the first time since her flight from the compound she had called home and immediately dropped her water glass with a resounding shatter. In a small village on the Yucatán Peninsula a scientist tries to make amends for abandoning his friend by helping care for villagers. And through it all, a woman sits in an empty penthouse slowly planning to do something, to fill this void Anthony Stark has left, and leave a better world for his daughter.

A/N

Sorry for the short chapter, more of a set up for what's to come.

Thanks for Reading, and thanks especially to those who reviewed I appreciate constructive criticism.