AN/ Not related to my other Ironman stories, one shot mother's day fic here, but I am nearly done with the next chapter of Proof Tony Stark Has A Heart so keep an eye out for it!

Mother's Day was always an interesting day in the Stark household. The first year the fire department ended up at their home in Malibu, the second year the entire Stark Tower had to be evacuated, and so Pepper was curious as to how year three would go. She just prayed the FBI wouldn't show up like last year.

This year they were in their Malibu home. Pepper was usually the first one up in the house, but like the past two years she would pretend to be asleep when Tony wakes up and tries to quietly sneak out of the room. However, yelping and swearing at the drawer in the dark didn't help his stealth. Pepper could hear him open the door quietly and whisper to someone before closing the door. She snuggled into her pillow and hoped this year the fire department wouldn't be kicking down the door.

Tony was in the shop, but he wasn't alone. He had his three-year-old little girl balanced on his hip as they prepared for mother's day. This time he had dummy on fire safety duty to prevent any repeats of previous years.

"Daddy make it purple!" his little girl squealed as she watched her father work. Tony looked at her and smiled before planting a kiss on her cheek. She giggled and reached for a tool on the desk. Like Tony when he was three, she was already very knowledgeable. Tony couldn't help but stare at her for a moment, mesmerized that he was here in life. He remembered the day Pepper told him they were pregnant and the day that Ainsley Maria Stark entered their world. She looked exactly like Pepper when she was little, except for her hair and eyes. Ainsley had light brown hair and her father's chocolate brown eyes. Her eyes were blue for a little while when she was only months old, but like Pepper predicted they changed to Tony's eyes. However, she had the same glare Pepper gives Tony, the same glare he got after the fire department left.

"And which piece do we need to change to make it purple?" Tony asks her. Ainsley frowns and looks at the table before picking up a piece. She could tell by Tony's smile that she got it right. Within a matter of minutes their mother's day gift was complete. Step one was complete and now the hard part came, the kitchen. This year they made mother's day breakfast in the basement with dummy on fire safety. Ainsley was only one when Tony set the kitchen upstairs on fire so she doesn't remember it. Tony remembers it clearly and remembers grabbing Ainsley and running from the kitchen while Jarvis called the fire department.

This year they made her waffles with a bowl of fruit.

"Daddy, why can't we give mommy strawberries?" Ainsley asks as she watches Tony take out fruit from the fridge. Tony bends down to Ainsley, who is sitting in her chair watching him prepare the food.

"Because mommy will get very sick if she eats them and we don't want to make mommy sick on mother's day."

Ainsley shrugged and then with her little legs she got up and ran towards her little workbench. Tony even built her a mini dummy. Tony watched her on and off while trying to watch the food as well. The next time he looked over at her he nearly dropped the bowl in his hands. She had purple paint all over her hands and a smear on her face. He only looked away for a minute. While she may have her mother's glare, she has her father's mischievousness inside her. Tony set the bowl down and went over to look at what she was doing. With mini dummy's help they made a mother's day card with purple paint and she put her hand prints on the cover. Tony was helping her wash her hands when Jarvis interrupted,

"Excuse me sir, but it appears the waffles have caught fire."

And so that was when Tony decided to call in for breakfast seeing as how the fire was almost big enough for the fire department to come again, but dummy kept it under control. Ainsley sat there giggling the whole time while her dad yelled at dummy. She sighed and then took the mother's day present and used the elevator to get upstairs. She managed to get to her parent's bedroom, but was too little to reach the doorknob. She frowned and jumped to try and turn the knob.

Inside the room, Pepper smiled as she listened to Ainsley outside. She was about to get up and open the door when Ainsley managed to get it. Pepper pretended to be asleep as her daughter tiptoed over to the bed. She went to Pepper's side and kissed the top of her nose. Pepper opened her eyes and smiled at Ainsley. She also noticed she had paint on her face.

"Happy mommy's day!" Ainsley said and kissed Pepper's cheek. Pepper pulled Ainsley up into her lap and grabbed a tissue to wipe the paint off her face. After, she kissed Ainsley and Ainsley giggled.

"Thank you sweetheart, now where is daddy?" Pepper asks with a bit of concern.

"Yelling at dummy." Ainsley answers. For a moment, Pepper panics and hopes there isn't another fire. However, she hears Tony come up the stairs and hurry towards their room. He appears worried, but it fades when he sees Ainsley with Pepper. Pepper is guessing Ainsley took off again.

"Please tell me the fire department isn't coming," Pepper says. "Or the FBI."

Tony smiles and shakes his head before climbing into bed with his girls. He kisses Pepper good morning, which earns an eew from Ainsley.

"Have you given mommy her present yet?" Tony asks. Ainsley's face lights up as she pulls the little box out from underneath the covers and gives it to Pepper. Pepper opens it and gasps. Inside was a little arc reactor in the shape of a heart and glowing purple. On the back there was an inscription, "Ainsley and Tony love you".

"I helped daddy make it mommy!" Ainsley says cheerfully. "Do you like it?"

Pepper has tears in her eyes and she smiles before answering her daughter, "I love it. Thank you." She answers and kisses the top of Ainsley's head. Tony pouts,

"What? No kiss for the senior engineer?"

Ainsley laughs at the glare Pepper gives him. She gives in though and kisses him sweetly. Tony helps her put the necklace on and Ainsley moves out of the way and decides to jump on the bed before landing in Pepper's lap.

"Do I dare ask about breakfast?" Pepper asks. Tony looks away and Ainsley is about to answer when Jarvis does,

"Sir, your order from IHop has arrived."

Pepper and Ainsley laugh as Tony gets up to get it. Pepper has to admit, she would take IHop over his cooking any day. Secretly, Ainsley admitted herself the same thing.

Happy Mother's Day!