Rebecca strolled down the corridors of Stark Industries, reading over the clipboard in front of her which listed all the projects for her to inspect that day, munching on a blueberry bagel. All the while ignoring the looks from visitors and investors who couldn't help stare at the famous daughter of Iron Man.

''Bec,'' Happy called out from down the hall. ''Bec, might want to look up. Bec!''

Flicking her eyes up at the last second, Rebecca swung her body around the 'KEEP CLEAR' sign which she was just about to walk right into. The white tiles on the ground looked charred and it was taped off, Happy standing by to make sure no one tampered with it while maintenance hurried to the scene.

''Uh, was something on fire?'' she asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

''It's need-to-know,'' Happy nodded. ''Heading down to R & D?''

''Yeah, just came up for a food run,'' she yawned.

''Big day, huh?'' Happy grinned. ''Moving out, growing up,''

''Not you too Hap,'' she shook her head. ''Pepper and dad have been a mess all morning,''

''Well it's a big deal. Not everyday your kid moves out,''

''I'll be ten minutes away, if that,'' Rebecca sighed. ''And I doubt I'll go a day without a call from dad,''

''Probably not,'' Happy chuckled.

''I'll see you later Happy, good luck with...whatever this was,''

Rebecca went back to taking a mouthful of her bagel, beginning the stairs down to R & D, leaving behind the craziness of the upper floors. She still didn't know how Pepper did it, especially after all the stress she had gone through in the past few weeks.

But Happy was right. Today was a big day. At five, Rebecca would leave and drive home

, but it wouldn't be with Tony and Pepper anymore. Today was the day she moved into Ben's apartment, that they both finally made it their home, and she couldn't have been more excited.

Ben had called Rebecca at four to let her know he was at the apartment, and it only made her more eager to finish her rounds on projects so she could be there with him. He had been living in the apartment on his own for a few days now, but Rebecca had stayed with Tony and Pepper for a few extra days as her belongings were moved and they had their last family meal together.

It wouldn't be the last. They were going to all sit at a table together at least once a week for dinner, they were going to see each other at Stark Industries, none of that was going to change. But Rebecca's whole life had been spent with Tony, and he had never experienced living in a home without her in it. It was going to be odd, and he was always going to worry, but this was the first of a new normal.

''Miss Stark,''

Rebecca turned to the voice of a woman at her side, seeing a young girl around the age of sixteen.

''Everything okay?'' Rebecca asked, a polite smile on her face.

''This project's meant to finish at the end of the week, but I think with three extra days I can improve the models and get better plans to you,'' she announced. ''I know it's an odd amount of days, but I have them scheduled perfectly and if you-''

''That's fine,'' Rebecca nodded. ''If you need extra time to make it work or make it better, take it,''

''Really? Oh, thank you. I can guarantee it'll be worth it,''

Rebecca smiled as the girl walked off, reminded of why she insisted on being in charge of this department. Scientific research was important in this industry, but it was also so important to encouraged younger people, especially girls, to get into the lab and go after what they wanted.

As it approached five, Rebecca headed back upstairs to finish up for the day. But just as she suspected, Pepper was waiting for her.

''If you need anything at all-''

''I know, you and dad are there,'' Rebecca nodded, hugging Pepper back as the woman's arms wrapped around her tight. ''Pepper I'm not going to be far away,''

''I know sweetie,'' Pepper sighed, leaning back to push Rebecca's hair behind her ears. ''It's just a big thing to adjust to,''

''Well maybe now I'm gone, you and dad can actually take a vacation,''

''After these past few months, I wouldn't be against it,''

Rebecca stood in the elevator of the apartment building and waited for the 'ding' to let her know she was home. Although she had been here many times to see the apartment and Ben, it was a different feeling arriving and knowing that this was where she would be living.

Walking down the small private corridor to their room, Rebecca could smell a beautiful mixture of vanilla and spice inside. Pushing the door open, her mouth fell open at the sight of candles lit all around the apartment. There were bouquets of flowers all around the room, but Ben was nowhere to be seen.

Dropping her bag down to the floor, Rebecca took a step further inside after closing the door.

''Ben?'' she called out softly. ''Please don't tell me you lit these candles and left. We can't burn this place down on our first night,''

A few moments later, Ben emerged from one of the adjoining rooms with a grin on his lips.

''Welcome home,'' he chuckled. ''Don't worry, I won't always overwhelm you with flames,''

''I think I've had enough of spontaneous heat and fire lately,'' she joked. ''They smell amazing,''

''Good, because ten seconds ago I started to doubt your love of vanilla,''

''This is a hell of a welcoming,'' she smiled, taking in the aromas and sights of the room.

''It's partly a welcome, partly…not,'' Ben began nervously.

''Partly…not?'' she asked, confused.

Ben walked closer, pulling a small box out of his pocket. Rebecca's mouth fell open once again, her heart beginning to beat uncontrollably fast in her chest. Worryingly fast.

There was a nervous smile on his lips as he stepped closer, Rebecca still not moving, and crouched down on his knee.

''Please don't pass out,'' he whispered, only half joking. ''Let me get this out, okay?''

After another moment of no movement, Rebecca slowly nodded in reply and waited for words to start making sense to her since nothing else was at this point.

''I don't want to freak you out, I know we're young, I know this is crazy,'' he started, his nerves beginning to melt away. ''But I love you. My life before you was simple, boring, I had nothing driving me and I was just a pizza boy. As crazy as your life is and has been, through everything I've been through with you, I would hate a life without you. So many times these past few months I thought I was going to lose you forever, and I couldn't stand it.

I'm not asking for tomorrow, or even in a year, but I'm…I guess I'm getting in early,'' he laughed, watching as Rebecca smiled in return. ''Because I want you to know I want this for the long run. I want to marry you, and it'd be pretty great if you said something,''

Rebecca stared down at him, her eyes watering from how overwhelmed she was feeling. There was no doubt in her mind that Ben was the one for her. When she pictured her future, it was always with him. It was always by his side.

They were young, they had so much in front of them, but Rebecca couldn't think of anything that felt wrong about this.

''You're…you're asking me…'' she stammered.

''To one day marry me, yes I am,'' he beamed.

''Then one day Ben, I will,'' she chuckled, kneeling down to be face to face with him. ''You're damn right I will,''

Covered in oil and grease, classic rock music blaring, looking over at the two Starks, Pepper was sure she was walking into the past. Rebecca and Ben had come over for dinner, but after one small comment about an old car Tony was rebuilding to take a break from the suits, that was the end of their meal. Rebecca wouldn't stop asking about it and Tony wouldn't stop explaining, Pepper and Ben looking over to them, amused and exasperated.

''There's no point talking to them now,'' Pepper shook her head, looking into the new workshop.

''How long are they going to be doing this?'' Ben asked.

''I give them an hour,'' Pepper sighed. ''Looks like dessert's all ours,''

Ben watched as Rebecca laughed with her dad, pulling pieces of metal from the motor and tossing it onto the ground. There was no way anyone on this earth was going to change that girl, not that he would ever want to. She could take on the role of business woman all day, but as soon as a project demanded attention or took her interest either at home or in the department at Stark Industries, she turned back into a grease monkey.

''You've gotta take the coil out,'' Tony advised.

''This coil right here? Are you kidding?'' Rebecca argued. ''That's the least of your worries in this thing,''

''Doesn't change the fact it's gotta go,''

''I'd have to pull off the brace and all of this-''

''Hey, you wanted to help out,'' Tony defended.

Rebecca slid out from underneath the car and noticed all the grease over her white shirt, shrugging. It was going to have be thrown out now, but she was sure it wouldn't be the last white shirt she would have to get rid of.

As Tony gave her the cloth to wipe down the grease from her arms, he caught a glimpse of the small yet shiny ring on her finger. It was going to take a long time to get used to the fact his daughter was engaged.

There were only a few weeks left until she was no longer a teenager, but instead his twenty year old engaged daughter. After all these years, the thing he cared about most in this entire world was growing away from him, growing into her own person with her own life. It made him happier beyond words that after everything she was getting the normal life he had always wanted for her, filled with opportunity and luck, but he couldn't help the sadness he felt.

''You know he asked me before you,'' Tony smiled, leaning back against the car.

Rebecca followed his gesture toward her finger, looking down at the ring for a moment before back up at her dad.

''He asked you? What, for permission?''

''Half for permission and half advice as to whether he was acting crazy,'' Tony shrugged. ''Told him I'm not really the best at judging that,''

''No, definitely not,'' Rebecca laughed. ''You...what did you tell him?''

''Told him to go with his gut. Sure, it might have seemed crazy, but what isn't crazy with us? That guy's crazy enough to see through all of this and want that for the rest of his life,''

Rebecca smiled at the thought.

''Yeah, he's crazy alright,''

''The best kind of crazy,'' Tony agreed. ''I mean, he can put up with you, so clearly he's got some sort of power,''

Rebecca responded by throwing the greasy cloth back at him, covering his face as she put her hands on her hips. And just like that Tony was reminded that no matter how far his daughter felt from him, she was always going to be the same little girl he had raised. Always.

Ben held his hands over Rebecca's eyes tight as he walked through the new Stark house, navigating the halls on his way to the back garage. Tony and Pepper stood beside the project they had been working on together for the past two weeks. Tony on the practical side and Pepper on the equipment and and numerous orders they needed.

''I hate birthdays for this exact reason,'' Rebecca huffed as she continued to be lead around the house. ''I thought turning 21 was the big surprise party, not 20,''

''It's not a surprise party,'' Ben warned. ''Lighten up,''

''I wish I could but I'm currently blindfolded by your hands,'' she reminded. ''I'm going to fall over,''

''I've got you,'' he assured.

As they continued for another minute, Ben finally lead them into the garage where Rebecca's steps ended.

''Alright, keep your eyes closed,'' Ben instructed, pulling his hands away slowly. ''On the count of three, open them,''

Rebecca listened closely to Ben's whispered countdown, her heart beating fast in nervousness, worried about what she was going to see when her eyes flickered open. But when the three seconds were up, when she finally opened her eyes, she was nothing but excited.

Tony and Pepper were standing by the dark maroon car Rebecca had been working on for years. The car she was fixing up with her dad before he went missing in Afghanistan, the car she chose as her project before all of this craziness was her reality. There it was, complete. All the parts she had chosen were installed, the motor was perfect, the color was perfect.

''Oh my god,'' she breathed in. ''It's...it's actually done!''

''And it's all yours,'' Pepper smiled, tossing over a set of keys. ''It is yours after all, so this isn't your gift. This is just part of it,''

Looking down at the keys in her hand, Rebecca took a deep breath and threw her arms around Pepper and her dad, squeezing them both together in her grip.

''Thought you might like it,'' Tony smiled, hugging her close.

''How did you get it out of the house? I thought it was gone,''

''It was a little...worse for wear,'' Tony nodded. ''But we made sure we got all the authentic parts, just like you wanted to,''

Holding the keys tight in her hand, she looked around at Ben.

''Take it for a drive,'' he encouraged. ''Just don't break any of the speed limits,''

Looking over to her dad excitedly, Rebecca gripped the keys in anticipation.

''Dad? Care to be my first passenger?'' she asked. ''This was our project,''

With a smile on his lips, Tony nodded and followed his daughter over to the car, climbing into the passenger seat. The car started with a roar that made Rebecca even more excited to get it out on the road.

And it only hit her in that moment that her journey with this car had come full circle.

She remembered kicking it to pieces the night Tony went missing and she couldn't do a thing to find him, and then cleaning it up after he had come home, preparing to start again before their lives took a turn for the worse once again. But now, things were finally looking up for the whole family, and the car didn't have any part of it out of place.

''It only took us all these years to get here,'' Rebecca laughed, beginning to slowly drive out onto the road.

Tony smiled back at his daughter, gripping the side of the car as he noticed her hand clutch the stick, ready to see just how much power this car had.

''Worth it,'' he grinned. ''Every bit of it,''

And that's a wrap on Heroes... guys!

Thanks to everyone who stuck by the story through each sequel and chapter, I appreciate you all so much!

I'll still be here, working on the other stories I have on my page, and I look forward to hearing from you all again!

xxxx