...

...

My god. There's two more stories, so I don't know if this is real or not, or permanent or not, or anything. Just... my god.

You went there, you actually went there. You have no taboos. Good to know. This puts your stories in a new light that reminds me of Q from Star Trek: they hold wonders to satisfy desires both subtle and gross... but they are not for the timid.

I need a relaxing evening before I go to the next one.

Holy crap, that thing is after Pepper now too. It was like a scene out of Psycho, the shower and everything. And man, that nightmare was harsh.

What happened at the end there? What was Tony told? I've got a funny feeling what it is, and it had better not be.

Now here is a chapter that goes from one extreme to the other. It was great to see Tony and Rhodey patch things up, but then, I got an idea where it was going when you mentioned them having just stuck with 2 beers. The part where they were drunk in front of everyone was hilarious, as each similar scene you've done in this series has been. Tony constantly trying to talk Pepper into doing it right here right now was a riot.

Handcuffs? My jaw dropped on that one. I figured Pepper would be the kinkier of the two, and that seems like just her thing. And Tony managed to get a little smack in there too. All right in front of their family and friends, including her father. It was priceless.

Howard and Trish got married? Virgil and Diane are next? The Rhodes are selling the home? And yeah, Tony and Pepper were STILL not doing it on Thanksgiving in a place where everyone was within earshot to hear it happen? Glad to see that Rhodey finally found out about the breast milk. I think he took it well *snicker*.

Now, that last part... did the baby break out on his own? If so, how greatly did Extremis affect him? What did he freaking see? What was that thing Tony saw and what does it want? Was it just there to scare him? It scared ME! If I'd turned around and saw that shadowing thing, I'd freak. Does it have powers, because you indicated that it knocked away Tony's ROI, or was it just standing really close to him? I'm so nervous for him and James. Seriously though, what IS that thing? A new enemy, a relative of an old one, what?

Speed read day! Probably the last one for a while, though.

Ok, so, Tony's keeping the issue a secret from pepper, she knows he's keeping it but not what it's about, and she trusts him enough to be supportive. That's actually pretty sweet.

It was funny how Tony was reading a fairytale version of him rescuing Pepper from the Mandarin. That was really clever and cute.

Maya was being a bitch again, and then turned around to not be as bad as she seemed, again. Can't ever figure her out. Nice cameo by Bruce Banner though.

Picking over the Halloween costumes was really funny, especially the choices. Pepper wanted to dress the baby as a panda because of her mascot costume in the series, right? And Fury seriously sent over a costume of himself? I don't even know what to say about that, but I can't blame Tony for losing his cool on that one.

James said his first word... sorta. Very touching. Really felt Tony's reaction on that, and I'd probably do the same in his place. But that thing at the end, and what they started talking about, plus all the other weird stuff that's cropped up around James. Is it Extremis? Does he have it? And is that what Maya and Co. are trying to find out?

Could you tell me what costume they decided on? I'm curious.

I desperately wanted to read this chapter, but I've had so little time lately. I also wanted to shorten my reviews to get the point across and not focus on every little thing, but that's not going to happen because this chapter was just full of stuff.

Both Gene and James can sense this whatever is stalking the Starks, and the baby can actually see it? What does that mean? And what was the deal with him seein his parents auras? Whiplash came back, along with Unicorn and Black Knight, who became Titanium Man and Crimson Dynamo! Awesome way to bring in five villains in one go by combining them. Mandarin killed Whiplash? Will any Iron Man villains survive these stories?

So Tony's Extremis issue is still there and killing him? Maya and Killian know that James can see whatever it was? A third strain, what? Kevin from the previous chapter is working with them, and is part of AIM? Harchov was involved too and is dead now? SHIELD was part of this? Who is this headman guy? What does all of this mean?

So many freaking questions and they just keep piling up. Hope some answers come soon.

This chapter was a whole lot of laughs! Tony taking care of James and then Pepper getting a jet pack for her birthday, then the baby holding his own bottle. You really showed it well how they all fit as a complete family now that Tony and Pepper are married. Tony almost got in trouble there with the story of his dating Natasha. He really never told Pepper that story?

The bit where they went out and then Kevin tried to rape Pepper really came out of nowhere, but she handled it well. I had to go back to the Last Month to remember where I'd read his name before, but the flashback helped. It was really funny how Tony took the ice cream with him as they left. Must have been good. What is it with those two and ice cream anyway?

The highlight of the chapter was Happy and Rhodey. They had no idea what they were doing after pitching the idea to Tony and Pepper, then they completely blow the whole thing. I'm surprised Roberta didn't chew them out for taking on the task. And then... Rhodey learned a little secret. Dang, I can't imagine the shock. He's gonna want an explanation from his friends and his mother, isn't he? And then he drank Pepper's breast milk and didn't even know it? Eww! Wouldn't he have noticed the taste? Still, when he finds out...

Most lighthearted chapter since the Third Year as far as the characters acting carefree and goofy. Hope there's more.

Alright, I took your advice to wait until I had uninterrupted time to read this whole chapter, and it was worth it.

I felt sorry for Tony, being all lost in his own home and trying to reconnect with his family. The shower scene with him and Pepper... wow. Talk about steamy! We've seen them make out and think about some of the times they've slept together, but we've never actually seen them do it before. Hot.

That was a great wedding scene. I could picture it, and you kept it so realistic. I was also expecting some asshole to say or do something when it came to the "speak now or forever hold your peace" part. Thank goodness they finall got a break. So they are finally married now. Way to go you two, knew it would happen sooner or later.

And Rhodey is lucky Tony and Pepper didn't rip out his spine with those pranks. I know I'd have been pissed if someone made me think that my wedding with the woman of my dreams wasn't going to happen. It was funny as hell, yes, but he definitely deserves to get beat up for it.

So it was Extremis that caused all of Pepper's complications? Can Tony and Pepper really never have kids again?

This chapter had a lot to cover. Cool to see Pepper and Gene hanging out, and the epic return of Pepper's Pancakes. Gene sensed that force or whatever it was that has been spying on them and the baby, and somehow it gets creepier every time it is mentioned.

Maya and Killian have an "employer" it seems, and the work they are doing is on Tony's Extremis? And it seems like Pepper may have it, too? Probably from sleeping with Tony? Does the baby have it?

What did Pepper do to free Tony? Iron Man will be no more? In what capacity? This is getting really complex. Can't wait to see how this is going to turn out, and there are still two more stories to go.

Dang, talk about what goes around comes around. Tony's arrested by SHIELD, Pepper finds out that he killed Rhona, Extremis is failing Tony and agent Mallen is dead, so I guess he won't be putting in an appearance. And Maya was responsible? And Nick Fury is involved with it? What is the nature of this conspiracy? And Maya's stepfather is Killian, as in from Iron Man 3?! Finally, that flashback with the ice cream is awesome, and I love that it takes place between actual episodes of the series. You have a habit of revealing things that happened that we never knew about in these stories and now you've done the same to the show itself. How do you do it?

I just plain went and hit myself in the head when I read your explanations in response to the guest reviewers. The clues were all right there, and although I spotted a lot of them, I had no idea what they were adding up to. And the reason why Pepper didn't tell Tony it was his baby, or even KNOW it was in the first place, completely believable.

So, once again you go right for the laughs and don't let up for a minute to let us breathe. Tony and Pepper are hilariously inept as parents, you nailed that and milked it for all it was worth. I always figured they would be. And I love the baby's name. A tad predictable, but nothing wrong there. Who else are they going to name their first child after than their best friend and one of their parents. It seems to fit the kid perfectly.

I don't believe Maya for a second. She came back for something, and I'm starting to think that maybe she's the one who was watching them at the beach in the last story and is now apparently spying on their kid and scaring the living daylights out of the poor little guy.

MINDFUCK!

I've said before how I don't like using really strong swear words in reviews, but there is just no other description more accurate to use when describing this chapter than a complete and total MINDFUCK! I knew you were tricky, sneaky, and I knew you had a twist in every one of these stories. But this one just blew all the others out of the water.

It explains everything! And I didn't see it coming at all. You pulled a fast one there with the ending of the second year. I read through the whole Third Year blissfully unaware that not one but TWO whole entire back-to-back scenes were being kept from me. Wow. The last time I was so thoroughly punked was from watching Saw 4. This was on THAT level. Holy crap, woman, where do you come up with these gems?

Ok. So Tony kept his cool and so did everyone else, which is good. I forgot about Gene completely for a while there and you brought him back in the most surprising way. Tony and Pepper totally did it again, and only hours after being in the company of their respective ex's (they are such players XD)

There are still some questions and possible loopholes, but I have no doubt anymore that you have those covered, like you've got everything else in this whole freaking series covered.

I'm afraid this is going to be the last review I give until next year (Ha ha!). Happy New Year!

Yes, Tony, get those answers and fill me in too. Man, this is crazy! I was fully prepared for the story to go forward with Tony raising Cyclops's kid as his own, and did not think there would be any twist on it that it was Tony's baby because there was NO indication of it. But now, I just want to know how this happened and if Pepper knows. I think she does: I remember those weird thoughts she was having in the last story and I'm betting it ties in. I was thinking for a moment that Tony was on to something in this prologue on how it happened, that it was Extremis, but he then shot it down. I am so confused, and sadly can't start reading the next chapter until later. I need answers!

NOOOO!
YOUR CRAZY!
Why would you do that?
You made me cry
But you always make things better after the worst of things, so I think I don't hate you...
PLEASE GET 'THE FITH YEAR' OUT!

Oh and can I just say one thing:

TONY'S AND PEPPER'S LIFE SUCKS!

Nooooooooooooooooooooo! Are you kidding me why did James have to died, why! Please please please make the fifth year already! I'm dying inside, does tony kill himself? Does he jump the building? Why James why him! He was only just a baby, why take a precious life away!

Why haven't you updated your killing us slowly!? XD