A/N: Okay, guys, the epilogue is up. :D

I always pictured this next scene at the end of this story, so I hope you enjoy it.

My trailer is still coming for this story as my montage maker actually has a life – I know, what's that all about, right? LOL I have a cunning plan that when it's done, I'm going to put up another chapter or two at the end of this fic to celebrate and for you all to have a chance to check it out. So, like I said in the last chapter, if you follow this fic or me, you'll know when the trailer is ready and when I'll do a little final update, some little one or two shot maybe. ;)

And one last round of thanks you to all my darling readers and keep an eye out for me, because I'll most likely be back... ;)

Epilogue

Chase Cavenaugh swiped his room card through the electronic device on his pent house room. He sauntered in, still damp from his swim in the pool at the Taveuni Island Resort and Spa. It was the most luxurious hotel in Fiji, but then, Chase Cavenaugh liked to travel in style. It was a style he could afford thanks to some creative internet bank hacking and a little bit of pre-planning. Chase caught his reflection in the hall mirror and smoothed down his hair, smiling back at the confident looking man in the mirror. He glanced at his watch and noted he didn't have much time before his lunch date with Monique, the French bikini model he'd met at that bar earlier. It was amazing how attractive you could be to women with a little bit of confidence and not being shy about throwing some cash around. Chase continued on into the living room and came to an abrupt halt at seeing he was no longer alone.

Tony Stark was behind the bar, fixing himself a drink and looking coolly casual in sunglasses, t-shirt and jeans. "Oh, hey there, Chase," he called out jovially. "Can I make you a drink while I'm here? What's your poison?"

Chase's jaw dropped, his heart exploding into a panicked rhythm at seeing Tony in his room.

Tony looked to his right to address the other man in the room. "He's not answering me."

"I noticed."

Chase gave a violent start at seeing the large set man standing against the wall. The man was incongruous in his black suit and tie in such tropical surrounds but it somehow made him all the more menacing looking.

"Maybe you'd prefer me call you Jerry?" offered up Tony. "How does that sound, Chase?"

Jerry knew the gig was up and these guys were obviously here to kill him for his part in the Los Alamos fiasco. A surge of fear had him lunging for the top drawer of the credenza where he'd hidden a little insurance policy. Jerry pulled out a gun and pointed it back and forth between Tony and the other man. "Stay where you are," he exclaimed, voice cracking a little. "I'll shoot."

Tony stirred his drink, unconcerned. "The safety's on," he noted absently, glancing at Jerry and the gun.

Jerry looked down at the gun in his hand and panicked.

"It's the little button on the right," Tony offered up helpfully.

Sweat was getting into his eyes as he tried to look for the safety button. Jerry blinked rapidly, the salt stinging his eyes.

"It's your other left," joined in the large man in the corner.

Jerry felt like he was on the verge of a heart attack as he fumbled with the gun, shaking hands trying to turn off the safety. In the process, the bullet clip fell out the bottom of the gun and bounced to the ground at his feet. Jerry gave it a distressed look and then back at Tony, who was lounging against the bar, sipping on his drink.

"I've never handled a gun before," confessed Jerry unevenly.

Tony looked over the top of his sunglasses at him, still looking very relaxed. "I assumed," he said straight-faced.

Jerry felt like he was going to throw up. "Please don't kill me," he squeaked.

"Jerry, Jerry, do we look like the kind of people who'd kill folks?" tutted Tony.

Jerry sent a nervous look over at the imposing man in the corner. "He does," and then instantly regretted his honestly. Jerry sent the man a wide-eyed look. "Please don't kill me."

"Relax, kid," said the man gruffly, "if we wanted you dead, we'd have let you fire that gun."

Jerry was only slightly relieved to hear that. He'd had dealings with eccentric billionaires before and they never ended well. "Wh-what are you going to do to me?"

Tony took a sip of his drink and gave Jerry a thoughtful look. "You've been a bad boy, Jerry. What do you think we should do with you?"

"I never wanted to be involved with all of that stuff," said Jerry hastily. "Mr. Hammer made me. If I didn't do what he said, he would have killed me." He gave a little shudder. "Or she would have."

"You mean Ghost?" Tony quizzed him.

Jerry nodded, feeling anxious at just talking about the woman. "The news report said she's dead. Is that true?"

"Yes."

Jerry blew out a relieved breath. "Good." He pulled a face. "Sorry, I don't mean to be horrible but she was really, really scary."

"No one I know is crying over her loss," said Tony calmly.

Jerry was still uncertain what was happening here. "If you're not going to kill me, are you here to take me to jail?" He grimaced. "I don't want to go to jail. I know I'm going to hate it."

"I think that's the sentiment the penitentiary system is going for as a rule, Jerry," said Tony dryly. "They try not to make jail too much fun otherwise everyone will want to go there."

Jerry felt like crying. He'd been having so much fun as Chase Cavenaugh. It was like he'd finally been able to shake off Jerry Weems bad luck, but no, true to form, he was back up to his neck in trouble. He was never going to be a winner. "Okay," he sighed, "I'm ready." Jerry stuck his hands out in front of himself, wrists together, waiting for the handcuffs.

Tony looked vaguely amused. "Do I look like someone who carries handcuffs on me?"

"Anymore," inserted the other man.

"Anymore," conceded Tony. He winked at Jerry in a conspiratorial fashion. "Stable relationship going on six months now. We're getting married."

The large man sent Tony a sceptical look. "Has Pepper signed off on this?"

"It's inevitable."

"It's inevitable you're going to screw this up."

Tony flashed him an annoyed look and then was looking back at Jerry with a sweet smile fixed on his lips. "I don't believe we've properly introduced ourselves. I'm guessing you know who I am."

Jerry wasn't sure what to make of this, so he just opted for politeness until he could work out what exactly was. "Y-yes, Mr. Stark."

"And this is Happy," continued on Tony blithely. He sent the man a pointed look. "The title is an ironic one."

Happy didn't miss a beat. "It wasn't before I started working for you," he said, straight-faced.

Tony pouted. "That was hurtful."

"Being bitten by a rabid squirrel looking for a watch that wasn't lost is hurtful," Happy shot back. "You're fine."

"Are you still not over that?" asked Tony in exasperation.

"Have you seen the size of a rabies needle? No, I'm not over it."

Tony waved a dismissive hand at him. "Ignore him." He put down his glass and walked up to Jerry. "I've been wanting to meet you for some time now, Jerry Weems."

"You-you have?" asked Jerry weakly.

"I've been studying your work and I have to say, it's impressive."

Jerry blinked. "Thank you, sir."

"Enough with the sir business," said Tony offhandedly. "Tony is fine."

Jerry didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing.

Tony continued on calmly. "Of course, that brilliance was used to threaten the life of the Avengers, millions of Americans and most importantly, the woman I love."

Fresh sweat broke out on Jerry's forehead. "You're going to kill me," he concluded despondently. All he could do was hope it'd be quick.

"If things had gone differently, then maybe that would be true," said Tony, his face suddenly very serious. "But I know you tried to shut down Ghost at Los Alamos."

Jerry rubbed his arm and looked away. "She got the jump on me. I thought there was no way Ghost could know about my fail safe but-"

"She did," finished Tony. "I know, the woman was a diabolical genius."

Jerry gave a little frown. "There was a guy, an agent, I think his name was Catson or Coleman, something like that." He took a deep breath. "The guy saved my life. Is he okay? Did he make it?"

"That's the first smart question you've asked today," Tony informed him. "Yes, Agent Coulson is going to be fine. He told us you carried him to safety."

"I didn't want anyone to die," said Jerry unhappily. "I would have helped Doctor Maniatis if I could have but he just turned up on my doorstep already in a block of ice. I tried to warn him that working for Hammer would end badly, but he wouldn't listen." He shook his head. "I've made such a mess of things. I deserve to be in prison."

"Yes, you do, Jerry," agreed Tony without hesitation. "The thing I keep asking myself though, is whether you paying out your debt to society would be better served stamping out number plates or working for me?"

Jerry's eyes went wide. "Excuse me?"

Tony was watching him steadily. "You're a very gifted man, Jerry. Your talents shouldn't go to waste. They've been used for evil up till now, perhaps it's time to redress the balance, hmm?"

"Are you-are you offering me a job?" asked Jerry uncertainly.

"I'm offering you a chance to make reparations for the damage you caused in a meaningful way," countered Tony. "You'd be working closely with me, so I can keep an eye on you."

Jerry could hardly believe what he was hearing. A chance to work with the great Tony Stark, it was unbelievable. "I-I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," said Tony casually. "You don't have a choice. It's either me or jail."

"You," said Jerry quickly, "of course you, sir… ah, Mr. Stark."

"Tony."

"Um, Tony."

"But just so we get this straight, you have a lot to prove to me, Jerry," said Tony sternly. "You were responsible, however unwillingly, in hurting a lot of people I care about. If you don't show me that you're one of the good guys now-"

"Oh, I will, I will, I am a good guy, truly," interrupted Jerry excitedly. "You're not going to regret this, sir… ahh, Tony."

Tony pulled out a computer tablet from his pocket and quickly pulled up some schematics on the glass screen. "What do you make of this?"

Jerry scanned the plans on the screen in front of him, instantly impressed by the revolutionary design elements he could see just from the rough plans. "Wow," he said in awe, "this is amazing, but I could see a few things that could make it better."

Tony arched an eyebrow. "Is that right?"

Jerry blanched, used to Hammer's reactions when anyone disagreed with him in anyway. "I'm sorry, don't kill me."

Tony looked over at Happy. "Why don't you give me that kind of deference?"

"Because I've pulled your naked, drunk ass out of one too many amusement parks. The mystery between us is gone."

"Well, I've pulled your naked, drugged ass out of a tattooist," threw back Tony.

"Not in time," said Happy darkly.

Jerry bit his bottom lip. "You-you're not going to have to see me naked too, are you?" Oh no, this could be a new kind of nightmare.

Tony's lips quirked. "Not this early in the relationship, Jerry. You can relax." He nodded at the screen. "Tell me what you would do to improve this design?"

Jerry looked back at the schematics, mind already racing. "It doesn't look like it has an anti-gravity capacity. That could be useful and would only take a few adjustments that wouldn't affect the overall weight of the unit." Jerry looked up at Tony. "What do you call this thing anyway? Some kind of safety pod?" He wasn't sure why, but the other man's face lit up at that.

Tony put his arm around him and patted his shoulder. "Jerry, I feel like this is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship."

Jerry let himself relax for a moment, sensing that everything was going to be alright. "Do I get a cool nickname?" asked Jerry, beginning to get excited about the idea. He was going to be working with Tony Stark and by extension, Iron Man and the Avengers. That was all kinds of awesome.

"You mean like 'Guy Who Nearly Killed Millions of People and Isn't in Jail'?" offered up Tony calmly.

Jerry blinked, brought back to earth. "I guess Jerry is fine."

oooOOOOooo

Tony settled into his custom-made leather seat in his private jet and pressed speed dial on the plane phone. It was answered after three rings.

"Hello?"

Tony couldn't help but smile. "Hello, my reason for living."

Tony could hear the smile in Pepper's voice. "You sound pleased with yourself, I'm taking it that everything went to plan?"

"When don't my plans work out perfectly?" asked Tony confidently.

"You can't really want me to answer that," she teased him.

Tony chuckled. "You're right, I don't." He glanced over his shoulder to where Jerry was sitting in front of the widescreen TV with his earphones on, watching an in flight movie with a big bowl of popcorn. "The package is secure and currently enjoying the talents of Jim Carey."

"What's he like?"

"Tall, enormous teeth and not as funny as everyone thinks."

"I meant Jerry," said Pepper in amusement.

"Oh, right." Tony perused the oblivious Jerry as he shovelled popcorn into his mouth. "I think it's going to work out great. I've got a good feeling about the guy. I've been looking for a protégée."

"You're making Jerry your protégée?" asked Pepper in surprise.

Tony shrugged, even though she couldn't see it. "Protégée, guy I can use to test some of the prototypes I've got planned, I haven't decided yet."

"Happy will be glad of the rest from being your lab rat," Pepper noted.

"Happy complains too much when the least little thing happens. He still goes on about his eyebrows."

"He did have to draw them on for nearly a month," Pepper pointed out.

"Greta Garbo made her fortune out of that look."

"Happy's not really the Greta Garbo type."

"Agreed, he doesn't have the legs for it." Tony looked out the window as the white, fluffy clouds drifted past; belying the speed they were actually travelling at. "How are you feeling?"

"Like you've already asked me that question ten times today already," said Pepper patiently.

"I haven't been there to keep an eye on you today," Tony protested. "I need to know you're not overdoing it."

"I'm guessing your spies are keeping you in the loop," said Pepper indulgently.

Tony affected his most innocent tone. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the fact that I've had Bruce, Thor, Steve, Jane and Phil periodically turn up at my door throughout today, checking up on me."

"I had nothing to do with that," he protested.

"Tony."

"Alright, fine, I worry, so sue me."

"You're going to have to stop being so over-protective."

"Yeah, that's probably not going to happen."

"Lewis, John and Brody are taking great care of me. I don't need the Avengers as well. It's a little bit of overkill, don't you think?"

Tony thought about those moments when he'd discovered Pepper had still been in the Tower with Hammer, the memory still making him break out in a cold sweat. "I'm not seeing it."

"We'll talk about it when you get home."

Tony knew he wasn't going to budge on this subject, but let the matter go for now. "Sounds good. I thought I'd take you out to dinner tonight, to make up for not being there when you woke up this morning."

There was a momentary pause on the end of phone. "Um, I don't know, Tony."

He sat up straighter in his chair, immediately concerned. "Aren't you feeling well? You said you were feeling alright? Hang up and I'll call a doctor." Tony's voice was getting louder as he kept going, feeling the anxiety well up inside of him.

"Remember the overkill conversation we had about ten seconds ago?" Pepper asked wryly. "Well, it still applies. I'm fine, please stop panicking over every little thing."

Tony was only slightly mollified. "If you're alright, why don't you want to have dinner with me?"

"Because, I'm worried you're going to use it as an excuse to ask me to marry you again, even though I've asked you to let it go for the time being."

"How could you think such a thing?" asked Tony, feigning wounded feelings.

"Because, you've proposed to me eight times already since I asked you to drop it two days ago," pointed out Pepper calmly.

"I was just kidding," said Tony blithely.

"So, if I'd accepted, it wouldn't have counted?"

Tony's eyes went wide. "You're accepting one of the proposals? Which one? No, don't tell me, it doesn't matter. We're getting married!" A huge grin was practically taking over his face.

"No," said Pepper in exasperation, "I'm not accepting any of the proposals, Tony, just trying to pre-empt some kind of showy, over the top proposal in a public place."

"It's like you don't know me at all," said Tony, feigning wounded feelings. "Would I really be that crass and obvious?"

"I suppose not," relented Pepper. "I love you, Tony, but I just need some time to let all of this sink in. Please tell me you understand."

Tony pulled a face as he looked out the window. "I understand," he said begrudgingly. "But you know I'm not going to give up."

"I know," said Pepper indulgently. "Have a good flight and I'll see you when you get home."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

Tony hung out and pursed his lips. "Happy!" he called out.

Happy appeared in the doorway. "Boss?"

"Cancel the fireworks."

Happy shook his head at him. "Told you."

"Shut up," grumbled Tony.

"Pepper isn't about big and flashy, she's about classy and understated."

"I can do understated," argued Tony.

"Why don't you look the word up, find out what it means and then decide if you can do it," suggested Happy dryly.

"I don't understand what the big deal is," said Tony in frustration. He swept a hand down his body. "Who wouldn't want to lock down this?"

Happy grimaced. "Too many comebacks; can't pick just one," he wheezed, looking to be in pain. "Attempting to organise them in alphabetical order-"

"You're fired," said Tony flatly.

Happy took the seat across from him and shook his head at him. "Boss, you've got to stop pushing Pepper."

"Being pushy is the only move I have," said Tony, running his hand through his hair. "And it got me this far with her."

"Ever considered the idea that you've gotten this far with Pepper despite you being pushy?"

Tony pulled a face. "Not until just now."

"Pepper loves you, you love Pepper, you two are together and happy," he reasoned. "Give the lady a moment to take in the colossal changes in her life, recover from this latest trauma and then see where you are."

"You mean, be patient?"

"Want to google the word?"

"I know what patience is," grumbled Tony, "in theory."

"Think of it as character-building," suggested Happy.

"I feel like I've got enough character." Tony knew Happy was right, but he didn't feel like giving up just yet.

"I was thinking along the line of good character traits, not annoying ones."

"Have I fired you today?"

"About two minutes ago."

"Damn."

"I know, I'm bummed too." Happy looked over at Jerry. "You sure this guy is a good idea?"

"Jerry's a genius, I'm not going to let that go to waste," said Tony simply. "He just needs someone to keep him on the straight and narrow."

Happy just stared at him. "I'm pausing so we can both appreciate the irony of that last statement."

Tony shook his head. "I know, I know," he sighed. "Here I am mentoring a kid, wanting to get married, not terrified by having a baby." Tony scratched as his beard. "No, that's not true, I'm still terrified of having a baby, but it's a good kind of terror."

"You're growing up," said Happy approvingly.

"I put it off for as long as I could," said Tony philosophically, "but I guess it had to happen sometime."

Happy smiled. "I'm proud of you, boss."

"Proud enough to put in a good word to Pepper for me?"

"Way to work that patience angle, boss," said Happy mockingly.

Tony was unapologetic. "I am what I am."

"I'm getting the chef to make some lunch, want anything?"

Tony shook his head. "No, I'm good, thanks." He watched Happy leave and settled back into his seat, resuming his watch out the window. Tony thought about all the things waiting for him back in New York and couldn't help but smile.

Maybe this growing up lark wasn't going to be as awful as he'd always feared...