Darkness. Comforting yet strange. There was no sensation of touch, no sound, just an overwhelming sense of warmth. Then, suddenly, light. Blinding, harsh, and unrelenting.
His mind, groggy and disoriented, struggled to process what was happening. Why did his body feel so small? Why couldn't he move properly? And why in the ever-loving hell could he only make gurgling and crying noises?!
The Doctor—formerly a man who had dedicated his life to unlocking the full potential of the human mind and gaining new abilities while doing so felt a sense of dread creeping in as he tried to grasp the situation. His body was weak, uncoordinated, and completely out of his control. He could barely turn his head, let alone move like the brilliant scientist he once was.
As his vision adjusted, he saw a face looming over him. It was familiar—too familiar. A strong jaw, slicked-back dark hair, and a pair of sharp, assessing eyes.
'Oh shit… That looks like Howard Stark.'
His eyes darted around in panic, taking in his surroundings. He was being cradled in someone's arms, swaddled in soft fabric. A nurse, he realized. And the woman on the bed, the one with tears in her eyes and a glowing expression—
Maria Stark.
His mind reeled. 'Wait a damn minute. If that's Howard and Maria… then that makes me… Tony Stark's sister!?'
Dread settled into the pit of his stomach. He glanced down, his tiny hands barely peeking from the bundle of cloth. He needed confirmation. He focused his attention downward, trying to assess his—hardware.
Relief washed over him. 'Oh, thank God. Everything's in place. I'm a boy, which makes me Tony's brother.'
But before he could take another breath, his thoughts were interrupted by the soft yet decisive voice of the woman holding him.
"Let's name him Anthony."
Pure, undiluted horror filled him.
'No, no, no, NO! I can't be… Tony Stark?!'
The realization hit him so hard that his body reacted on instinct—he started crying. It made sense. He was a newborn, after all. The wailing wasn't just from shock; it was raw emotion crashing over him like a tidal wave. He wasn't just reborn—he had become Tony Stark.
'I had ONE job! One! Awaken my mind, live up to my potential and maybe get some cool powers while I was at it—AND I END UP AS A MARVEL CHARACTER?!'
As the existential crisis took hold, something strange happened. He felt an overwhelming need for comfort, for stability. He wanted his mother. No, not Maria Stark—his mother from his past life. But she wasn't here. All he had was this woman, this new mother, whose warmth felt oddly familiar and reassuring.
Instinctively, his tiny hands reached out for her. But instead of merely stretching his arms, he felt an odd sensation, a pull. And then—
He floated.
Right out of the nurse's arms and directly into Maria Stark's embrace.
Gasps filled the room. The nurses and midwife froze, eyes wide with shock. Howard Stark, ever the scientist, stared in stunned silence, his mind visibly racing.
Maria, however, simply held him closer, an expression of pure adoration on her face. "Oh, my little miracle," she whispered, cradling him protectively.
Howard, still staring, muttered, "I don't think that's normal."
The lead doctor cleared his throat, clearly disturbed. "Mr. Stark, this… this isn't…"
Howard snapped out of his daze and cut the man off with a sharp look. "What you saw here today didn't happen. Understood?"
The doctor, midwives, and nurses hesitated. Then, as if on cue, a Stark Industries checkbook appeared in Howard's hands. With practiced efficiency, he wrote out a sum that likely guaranteed their silence until the end of time.
The staff shared a glance before nodding hastily. "Of course, Mr. Stark. Nothing unusual here."
The Doctor—now Anthony Edward Stark—stared up at his new mother and father, his brilliant mind already working out the implications of his second chance at life.
'Alright, Universe. You got me good. But if you think I'm just going to sit back and relive everything like the original Tony? You've got another thing coming.'
With that, he let himself drift into newborn slumber, already planning for the future.
This time, things would be different.