A Birth and A Battle (February 1991)

Tony only just dodged another one of Ultimo’s giant fists. He wasn’t particularly fast but he was incredibly strong and very large. If the giant robot was able to grab hold of Tony he’d likely crush him like a tin can. The Mandarin loved his toys it seemed and each time he fought him he employed a newer and better version of this particular robot. He blasted it in the back of the head with a rocket. ‘It still wasn’t particularly intelligent but it could topple a building easily so he had to try and draw it away.

“Sir, your wife Isabella has an emergency call, will you accept it?” Jarvis asked. “Tony didn’t even answer he just used his eyes to pick up. “Isabella, what’s wrong? Are you and the baby alright?” he asked as he dodged the thing’s massive arm though only just barely.

Isabella heard Tony pick up. "Tony...I'm in labor." Isabella was trying to do her breathing exercises, but without Tony there to coach her it wasn't working very well. "I had some contractions early this morning, but I thought it was false labor. Well, it's not...my water broke." He would be able to tell that she was trying to remain as calm as possible. However, she was already worried since Tony was out there fighting Ultimo and she didn't know if he was alright or not.

Ultimo just threw a truck at him and he just narrowly dodged it. It exploded when it landed behind him. Tony was trying to moderate his own breathing so it didn’t alarm Isabella. “It’s happening? Uh, I’ll try to get there as soon as I can babe. Remember to breath through the contractions,” he said as he breathed short, quick breaths into the mike for her. “Please tell me Karen is there?” he asked. Sometimes she’d go out shopping or run errands she needed to run.

Isabella could tell what she had told Tony was freaking him out. “She went out to get groceries. I called her. She’s on her way. Please tell me you’re ok.” She was down in the medical suite where Karen had told her to go.

The phone call had distracted him to a degree and he had to use his cutting laser to cut an incoming metal beam that would have taken his head off but instead just barely missed him. “Whoa, that was close,” he said. “How close are the contractions?” he said. “Are you in alot of pain? Is doing this naturally still on the table?” he asked as he used his repulsor beams to shove the massive hand that was coming in away. One of the robot’s fingers broke off but Ultimo kept coming. He heard her grunt. “Oh babe, remember to breath through,” he said and breathed again into the mike.

Isabella was only half listening to Tony because she could hear him fighting in the background and she was worried about him. “I’m not sure how long it’s going to be. Karen will be able to give me a better estimate when she gets here.” She winced when another contraction hit. “Yes, I’m still going to do this naturally.”

Just then Karen walked in. She took the phone from Isabella to talk to Tony. “I’ve got everything handled. She’s going to be fine. Just get here when you can, but be safe. I don’t need to be taking care of you too.”

Before Tony could get a word in karen had cut off the phone. ‘Why that…’ He began but then dodged another swipe from Ultimo. He needed to take this big tin can down and fast. He had a promise to keep to the women in his life and he intended to keep that promise.

Isabella felt the contractions coming a bit faster and as Karen dabbed more vaseline on her nether regions she lifted up. “Another whole centimeter,” She said happily. “You’re doing well Isabella,” she said.

Tony shook off the desire to pass out and he had to use his last cutting torch to get Ultimo’s leg off of him. He had finally stopped the massive robot but his suit was damaged and he was hurt besides.

“Jarvis, whats the status of the jet boots,” he asked. “You ask as if you think your suit is still salvageable Mr. Stark,” Jarvis said. Tony sighed and opened his micro tool compartment. “Ok, give me the schematics of the hand repulsors, I’m going to remove them and replace the damaged components in the boots, how much time?” He asked. “Approximately 10 minutes,” Jarvis said as Tony got to work.

Isabella still got no answer when she called Tony again. She had only been able to talk to him that once and now. Nothing. His homing beacon wasn’t working and his comm system...well just because he didn’t answer didn’t mean he wasn’t on his way. But why wouldn’t he answer? Was he hurt? Or worse?

Isabella needed and wanted her husband with her. To be honest she was scared and nervous and needed his strength and support. She had expected him to be here by now, but he wasn’t. She tried calling him multiple times, but he never picked up and his homing beacon wasn’t working. She was now terrified that something terrible had happened to him. She felt another big contraction hit and she cried out. She was getting closer now and Tony wasn’t there. In desperation she tried calling him again.

Finally he landed on the helipad. Even as he did pieces of his armor flew off of him on their own accord. He hit the magnetic release and the rest of the pieces fell off and he stepped out of his boots. He knew there was something wrong with his eye but he could do anything about that now. He rushed inside then ran, well it was more of a hobble to the bedroom. He could here her crying out and also trying to breath. He rushed in…

Their regular bed was replaced by a birthing bed. The room had been set up for a birth including a washing and warming station. They had spared no expense and quite honestly. There was alot of reason to believe that ‘Serena’ might not look as they had hoped. The ultrasounds didn’t show everything after all and they both knew about the Beta Radiation that had nearly killed her. He had by now made peace with that mistake. And he would not allow Isabella to share in that blame. Each time she tried he would not hear it. A mistake he would not repeat again.

Serena, their unborn child had absorbed every scrap of radiation and yet it did not appear to have any lasting effects. There were no congenital defects that were detected but Tony still felt nervous about what she might look like. Not for himself but for Isabella who had carried Serena for 9 long months.

“I’m here!, I’m here!” Tony said as Karen flew into action. She had a gown and hat ready for him and she put it on him immediately. Even as she did Isabella tried to reach out to him and Tony to her. After she had tied it on him Tony was at her side. His right eye was filled with blood and is face was covered in soot and grime. He kissed her. “I’m sorry I’m late Isabella,” he said as he looked into her eyes. “I can’t wait to meet our daughter,” he said and kissed her again.

When Tony walked in finally Isabella was filled with a sense of deep relief. He was alive. She waited rather impatiently as Karen put the gown and hat onto Tony. She was incredibly nervous about all the radiation the baby had absorbed and she feared what it might have done to her. It was a miracle both she and the baby were even alive. However as Tony approached her worry about the baby shifted to a worry about Tony. She tried to ask him if he was alright but at that moment another contraction hit and she breathed through it as best she could while squeezing Tony’s hand. She was getting closer now. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was sweating from the pain she was in.

“What happened to your eye?”

“Oh, is there something wrong with it?” Tony said as if this was the first he had knew anything was wrong. A sign that she’d not get anything more out of what happened. At least not until this business with the birth was over. Tony let Isabella squeeze his hand and he breathed with her just as they had trained together to do. As the contractions worsened he tolerated her insults. The woman could have put a seasoned pirate to shame with such a salty tongue. And that paled in comparison to when it was time for her to actually start pushing. Tony bared it all silently as he fetched when something was needed, was silent when she demanded it, kissed her when she wanted to apologize for something, usually something she said and encouraged her to bear down with each contraction.

Hours later they were still there and Karen said that not all first time births were quick in coming. When Serena was ready she’d come but he could tell that Isabella was exhausted. He wiped her brow with a cool cloth and her entire body glistened with a sheen of sweat. “I know you're tired baby, I know,” he said as he gave her some water and kissed her forehead. “But we have more work to,” he said as he set the cup down. As she began to moan he knew he needed to get her to push. “Come on Isabella, come on babe, push, push!” he demanded.

Isabella was exhausted and in pain but she knew it was nearly over. Her contractions were coming faster and harder now. She could tell Tony was tired too but he never left her side and remained the faithful doting father-to-be. He didn’t even leave her side when she yelled at him. He just took it in stride and continued to hold her hand.

Finally it was time. Karen guided Isabella on when to push and when not to push. She told her everything that was going on and continued to encourage her.

“Ok Isabella I can see the head now. I need you to push as hard as you can.”

Isabella yelled out as she pushed. She had almost no energy left, but she found some somewhere to do what needed to be done. Finally, she felt relief as the newborn slipped from her body and into Karen’s hands. Seconds later she heard her baby start to cry. That sound caused Isabella to start crying from relief and exhaustion. Karen looked the baby over and cleaned her up, wrapped her in a blanket and handed her to Isabella. Isabella looked down at her daughter and saw that she looked perfectly healthy. She had all of her fingers and toes and looked normally developed. Isabella looked up at Tony with happy tears in her eyes.

Seeing Isabella hold Serena for the first time made tears roll down Tony’s cheeks. He kissed Isabella and then leaned down and gently kissed Serena on her tiny head. “You did well momma, you did so very well,” he said as he kissed her once more.

After everything and everyone had been cleaned up Karen returned after both the mother and the newborn had had a few hours of well deserved rest. She showed Isabella how to hold Serena in order for her to latch on and it only took a couple of tries before Serena was suckling away. Tony had never seen such a beautiful, natural sight. His wife, his ‘woman’ breastfeeding his daughter. Pride and love filled him when he saw them together and made them a sandwich and brought her a soda and sat down next to the bed to eat with her. His eye was still messed up but the biobed had done what it could for him. Time was now his healer and he might have blood inside his eye for days yet.

Serena was in a small crib next to Isabella and every so often she cooed contentedly. Something that made Tony smile. “She looks perfect,” he said softly as he slowly chewed on his sandwich. “Your parents will be here soon so you might want to get a little more sleep,” Tony said with a grin.