A/N: Ever since the day she was born, Tony has been dreading the moment his daughter will be old enough to date. So when Morgan finally announces that she'll be going to the homecoming dance with a boy, Tony's attempt to distract himself from his emotional turmoil turns the evening into a magical night for everyone, especially Pepper.

This is obviously a look into the future, but don't worry, I will go back to little Morgan soon. If you've been following this series you know Pep was pregnant, so that explains a thing™ The dress I'm referring to is Gwyneth's 2015 Oscar dress. Contains minor smut.

"How long have you been standing there?" Pepper asked with a smirk on her lips, shaking her head a little. "30 minutes? An hour?"

"Hey, I'm just looking out for my daughter," he argued, as he kept staring out the window into the afternoon sun.

Pepper hugged him from behind, one arm crossing high over his chest, the other around his waist. "You need to relax, honey," she told him over his shoulder. Ducking her head, she kissed the side of Tony's neck.

Tony grabbed her hand, the one on his chest, and kissed it softly, then brushed it against his lips as he leaned back against her. "Why does she have to grow up?" he mused, and sighed.

"She'll always be your little girl, Tony," Pepper reassured him, smiling. She gave his hand a squeeze, felt him squeeze back. "How about I'll make you some dinner? That'll take your mind off this horrible, horrible thing."

"Are you making fun of me?" he asked, turning in her arms. She welcomed him with a grin on her face, and chuckled—the kind of chuckle Tony loved to hear. He always loved to make her laugh.

"Maybe," Pepper said, amused. He started to open his mouth, but she smiled and warned him to silence with a gentle finger on his lips. "Hush," she whispered. "Our daughter will be fine."

He took her finger and kissed it. "And what about me?"

She grinned. "You better stop thinking about your daughter and start thinking about your wife."

"My wife?"

"This will be the first night since we became parents that we're gonna have the whole place to ourselves," she said, helping him through his confusion. "We better make the most of it."

"Oh, we definitely will," Tony replied, and one side of his mouth lifted in a suggestive smirk as he wiggled his eyebrows at her. It made her laugh.

"Alright, I'm going," she answered. "And you need to—"

"Relax. I know."

With a grin, Pepper turned around and walked out the bedroom door into the hall. She noticed that the door to Morgan's room was ajar. A loud noise came from inside, along with moans, groans, and occasional cuss words, or what sounded like cuss words. Calling her daughter's name gently, she knocked softly and poked her head through the doorway.

Morgan stood in front of her mirror, arranging her hair in preparation for her night out. She was wearing a blue satin, floor-length gown with a plunging V neckline that displayed her tall, slim body. The dress' open back dipped low to the arch of her back and reached around her firm bottom. Pepper had a feeling that the only reason Tony even allowed their daughter to wear a backless dress to the homecoming dance was the fact that it was the very gown that Pepper had worn so many years ago.

A few adjustments had to be made to ensure it fit Morgan perfectly—and it did. The dress accentuated the curves and planes of her body as if it were made specifically for her. The shoes she wore were strappy high-heel sandals made of black satin. Her thick chestnut hair fell loose on her shoulders. When she moved, the gold hoops at her ears and the half-dozen bracelets on her arm dangled. The sweet sprinkling of freckles that dusted her skin looked like a fine coating of cinnamon sugar. She was entrancing.

Seeing her daughter wearing that dress, Pepper found herself feeling very warm and nostalgic. The corners of her eyes shimmered with moisture as she looked at her admiringly. In the blink of an eye her little girl had become a woman.

"Look at you," Pepper said softly, almost reverently.

"Do you like it?" Morgan locked eyes with her mother and turned to show off the dress from all sides.

"I don't just like it." She chuckled. "I love it!" Pepper stood shoulder to shoulder with her daughter in the mirror, a huge smile on her face. "You look so beautiful, Morgan!"

"Thanks, mama." Morgan smiled, flattered by her mother's sweet reaction. "I just don't know what to do with my hair. Like, should I wear it like this or in a bun? Or do I pin the sides up and then let the rest fall down in curls? Maybe it looks better straight. Or I could wear a headband. Dad said it makes me look cute... But, I mean, that was when I was four years old, so I don't know if—Ugh, why is this so hard?"

"Slow down, honey," Pepper said, laughing. She had always loved her daughter's rambling. It reminded her so much of Tony. "We'll figure this out together, okay? I'll help you. Just hold still." While she tried a few things with Morgan's hair, Pepper couldn't help thinking of the past. "You know, I almost had my first kiss with your father in that dress..."

"Well, it's a little too late for that," Morgan answered, flashing a grin.

"You kissed him?" Pepper stopped what she was doing to stare at her daughter in the mirror. "I mean, I'm not shocked you kissed a guy, but… Okay, maybe I am a little shocked… But I thought this was your first date."

"It's not our first date, mom. We've been going out for, like, a month."

"And you didn't wanna tell me?"

"Don't be mad at me, okay?" She gave her mother an apologetic smile. "I wanted to tell you. I really did. But remember the time when dad saw me holding hands with that boy when I was fifteen?"

"You mean when he put on his suit and threatened to blast him with his guns if he didn't back off?" Pepper laughed. To this day, she was glad the boy had been such a massive Iron Man fan, or else they would've faced a costly harassment lawsuit of some kind. Tony could be a little 'overprotective.'

"He threatened to homeschool me."

"Yeah, but Tony's only messing with you. He wouldn't have—"

"Are you sure?" Morgan cocked an eyebrow at her.

Pepper gave herself some time to think, then nodded, and a grin emerged on her face. "You're right. Maybe he would've done that. But you know your father just loves you so much, the thought of you having another man in your life completely freaks him out."

"It's called growing up."

"I know, sweetie. But your dad is... It's harder for him to accept this."

"How's he doing, by the way?"

"He probably had his second panic attack by now," Pepper joked.

"Is he still staring out the window, waiting for my date to arrive so he can grill him about things that are clearly none of his business?"

Pepper laughed softly, and replied, "Respecting boundaries has never been one of your father's greatest strengths. Trust me."

Morgan gave a low chuckle, and then let silence fall between them as Pepper tamed her hair. She watched her mother threading her fingers through the heavy mass of curls so effortlessly she wondered how many times she had done this to make it look so easy. Pepper wrapped it all into a delicate chignon at the base of Morgan's neck. Loose curls framed her face, softening the look and giving her a fairylike appearance.

When she was done, she tenderly caressed her daughter's hair and smiled. "I think you should wear your hair like this. It displays the back of your dress and it works great with those hoop earrings. Oh, and I might have a necklace to go with that. Want me to look?"

Morgan's cheeks blushed slightly. "I already went through your stuff and picked one," she admitted.

Pepper smirked. "So much for respecting boundaries."

Laughing, Morgan turned to face her mother. "Speaking of dad... You know, you never told me the story behind this dress," she said with a grin. "I'm just wearing it, because I know it means something." She paused. "And yeah, because, obviously, it's a beautiful dress."

"Well..." Pepper chuckled. "I better tell you that story when you get back. You know, after your date. I don't wanna jinx it."

"Mom!" she let out in a reproachful tone. "Does this dress bring bad luck or somethin'?"

Pepper laughed and soothingly rubbed her hands across Morgan's arms. "No, honey, it's fine. Really. That infamous dress led me right into the arms of your father. If anything, it's the start of something great, I promise."

A bright smile curved Morgan's lips as she thought about the upcoming night—it froze when FRIDAY spoke up, letting her know that her date was at the front gate.

"Let him in, FRIDAY," Pepper answered, seeing the tension in Morgan's body coil tighter.

"Why did you do that?" Morgan asked, slightly panicking. "I'm not ready. I still have to do my makeup. He's too early. I said six, and it's—" She looked at the clock on top of her dresser. "Oh my God, it's six! When did that—I need to breathe."

She hastily grabbed Pepper's hands and tried to calm herself down by focusing on her breathing. She concentrated on the sight of their hands together, and what she felt. How was it that her mother had such magic in her touch? It was like this energy of warmth and comfort, flowing from her mom's being right into hers. Feeling her squeeze her hand, instantly made Morgan feel calmer.

Pepper noticed it. She smirked, as she saw her not-so-little girl trying to pull herself together. She really was like her father. "I can keep him busy while you finish up here," she suggested, and Morgan—she didn't look up—nodded her head. Pepper tried to move, but was held back. "If you want me to help you, sweetheart, you have to let me go," she said with a chuckle.

Morgan's gaze darted up. "Sorry."

"You really like him, hm?" Pepper smiled, kissing her head. She was glad to see the tension leave her daughter's body—it was right back when the doorbell rang.

"I'm going," Tony yelled, and Morgan's eyes widened in shock.

Pepper laughed at her expression, although she felt sorry for her child, who seriously seemed to have a case of the jitters. This may not be her daughter's first date with that boy, but it sure was a very special one. It was the first time her and Tony would meet him, and that thought seemed to freak Morgan out. Knowing what Pepper knew about her husband, she completely understood why.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of that," Pepper soothed her.

Tony hurried down the stairs before anyone could stop him. This was it, he thought as he grabbed the door handle and yanked it open. If the boy on the other side of that door looked suspicious in any way, this date was over before it had even begun. He had promised himself that. He'd rather his daughter was mad at him for not letting her go to the dance than have her spent time with a guy she better not hang out with.

He used the full body scan. He stared deeply into the eyes of Morgan's suitor, who stood outside on the porch of the Stark residence, and very slowly scanned his body from head to toe. He looked decent—well, okay. He looked really handsome. He wore a black tuxedo that accentuated his muscular physique and broad shoulders. He had thick brown hair and his bangs fell forward, brushing his face. His blue eyes were bright, and Tony noticed that the boy was watching him carefully.

Tony finished his introduction with a stern, "So you're the one who's going out with my Morguna tonight?"

The young man smiled, unfazed by Tony's attempt to intimidate him. "Good evening, Mr. Stark," he greeted him with a cordial expression, and extended his hand. "I'm Kingston. My friends call me King."

Tony's finely arched eyebrow raised a fraction. "Listen pal," he scoffed, "There's only one king in my daughter's life, and that's me."

"Oh, for God's sake, Tony," Pepper came down the stairs, "Leave the poor kid alone!" She pushed past him, elbowing him out of the way. He groaned and looked at her, as if offended. She completely ignored that. "You must be Kingston." She shook the boy's hand, a warm smile on her face. "I'm Pepper. Morgan's mom." She glanced at Tony, "And this man's wife," then looked back at King. "I'm sorry. My husband can be such a baby sometimes, he forgets all his manners."

Tony's eyes flicked to Pepper. That was a low blow and totally uncalled for. He was just making sure their girl was going on a date with the right guy. And that guy, he was—He was staring at Pepper. Actively staring at her, like Tony himself would. Like he did whenever she made it so hard to take his eyes off of her, because she was just so goddamn beautiful. That boy was ogling his wife with a glance that was meant to be affectionate, and Tony found that surprisingly charming. There was nothing weird or lewdly about the way Kingston looked at Pepper. That young man just seemed awestruck, or rather starstruck.

"Yeah, I–I know who you are," he stuttered. He felt the blush on his cheeks and couldn't do anything about it. Letting go of Pepper's hand, he told her, "I'm a big, um, fan of your charity work, Mrs. Stark. Uh, Morgan's mom... No, I mean, Pepper." He rubbed his hands over his face, feeling things couldn't get anything worse.

Tony chuckled, almost laughing out loud at the boy, who was so visibly intimated by Pepper's appearance; by standing before the woman he obviously admired a lot. It looked like Tony had to sit on the sidelines this time. He wasn't the hero in this scenario, Pepper was.

"Thank you, Kingston," Pepper said, smiling sweetly. She was aware and amused by his infatuation with her, but she tried not to embarrass him more. "I'm so happy to hear that."

"I love that you're using Stark Industries to branch out into areas, like education and creative arts," he added, as if she had asked him to. "I think the–the money that you give to foundations, it's... You have this big tech company, and you're trying to make a difference in the world, because you can, and you know that you can, and I really appreciate that. Because, you know, there are just too many rich people who sit around and do nothing."

Tony frowned. Why was he looking at him when he said that? Last time he checked, he was Iron Man. He surely had done enough for this world.

"Well..." Pepper put one arm around their guest, leading him inside. "I think education is really important and I'm a big fan of art, so I'm glad I can do my part in supporting that." With a short glance, she ordered Tony to close the door, then looked back at her daughter's boyfriend—was he really that, or was it not actually that serious? "Let me tell you something... Why don't you have a good time with my daughter tonight, get her home safely, and then we'll talk in my office next week. You can share some ideas of what more you think I could do."

"Are you serious?"

"If it's about work, she's always serious," Tony butted in. He was so done being ignored, or being shot accusing looks. "You and I should have a talk now." The tone of his voice was unmistakable. He wasn't suggesting that they sat down and talked, unlike Pepper, he was demanding that they did. "You know, about tonight, and about any ideas you think you can have… that are totally inappropriate."

"Dad, please… We're not gonna do anything. We just wanna have some fun."

Tony's eyes followed the sound of that sweet voice that came from his right, and there she was, his daughter, standing at the top of the stairs. She surveyed the scene, and then walked gently down the staircase. The dress she wore—that dress—fitted like a second skin, hugging her hips lovingly, making her skin glow. Her hair framed her face in such a way as to make him draw a deep breath of appreciation. Morgan looked as beautiful as her mother had looked back then, and Tony felt himself tearing up. She moved so elegantly, like the wings of an angel carried her.

"Don't cry in front of my date," Morgan said softly, as she looked her father in the eyes. Her pink lips twisted into a smirk. She kissed Tony's cheek, and wrapped her arms around him to embrace him in a tight hug. There was a long silence as they just kept holding each other. "I said no crying, Pops," she whispered, feeling his tears on her skin, and giggled quietly.

Tony sniffed and gave a quivery little sigh, then slowly let go. He stared at her, smiling so brightly it looked like the sun was shining through his eyes. He ran his right hand across her forehead and down the side of her face, like he had always done it when she was little, and Morgan closed her eyes, feeling her father's touch as if she were four years old again and craved his comfort.

This was a big step for the both of them. He had always been so soft and gentle with her. He still was. He was the best father she could have ever wished for, even if he drove her crazy sometimes with the way he was just so overprotective. But he was not only Tony Stark, he was Iron Man, and Morgan understood why he felt the need to protect her the way he did. He must have seen so much, been through so much. It was no surprise her father felt so threatened by the world out there.

"I love you 3000," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "Be safe."

Morgan smiled into his eyes, felt her heart responding to the warmth she found there. God, she loved him so much! "You know you'll always be my number one man, right?" she told him, grinning sheepishly now.

"Yeah, I know, you knucklehead." Giggling, Tony lightly thumped his fist against her cheek; a feather-like touch he made sure didn't hurt her. "Off you go!"

"When will you be coming home?" Pepper asked, not entirely out of concern. She was eager to spend an entire evening alone with her man.

"Is ten okay?"

"Make it eleven," Tony said, after a quick glance to the side, and noticing the look in Pepper's eyes.

"Are you sure?" Morgan seemed a little confused. How was he so okay with this suddenly?

"So sure," Tony answered, smirking. "You have a good time, kid."

He gave Kingston one last look, but didn't say anything. He had thought about giving him another message and glare at him in a way it was received loud and clear—a nonverbal message that was more effective than any verbal threat he could have issued. But he trusted his daughter. He trusted her judgment, trusted her to not fall for the wrong guy or let anyone do anything to her that she didn't want to. She was strong; she was brave, just like her mother. And if Tony had learned anything from being with Pepper, it was trust. Blind faith.

Morgan eyed both her parents suspiciously. "Do I even wanna know?" she asked, looking at her mother.

Pepper grinned. "We can swap stories when you're back," she quipped, and then laughed when her daughter screwed up her face as though she was disgusted by her own thoughts. Tony immediately joined in the laughter.

"God, you two are so embarrassing!" Morgan complained with a groan, pulling at Kingston's arm as she turned. "C'mon, King, we're going."

"Our princess is dating a king. Life's funny," Tony commented, closing the door, and looked at Pepper.

"You know what else was funny?" Pepper said, "Her face, when that R-rated movie started playing in her mind."

Tony chuckled. "Did you hear what he said?" He grinned. "You have this big tech company. As if I'm not the one who's—"

"That really bothered you, hm?" She grinned like a fool. "That he was a fan of me and not you? That you were just his date's boring father and I was this amazing, successful business woman?"

"Our daughter's date has a crush on you, Pep. How about that?"

"He has a crush on Morgan," she replied. "Have you seen him when she came down the stairs? His eyes were ready to pop out of his sockets." Pepper stepped close and slid her arms around Tony's waist. "It was seriously so adorable. I think he is a really sweet guy."

Tony cupped Pepper's head with his hand, and pulled her to him until her cheek pressed against his chest. He stayed silent for a while, drinking in her warmth. "If I take the suit and hover over the place, she won't even notice I'm there," he thought aloud.

"There will be absolutely no hovering, Tony," Pepper murmured. Closing her eyes, she sighed. "You know, I'm actually a lil' jealous. I never went to a homecoming dance. I didn't even go to prom."

"I know," Tony spoke softly, as he laid his cheek against her head, "You told me that." His arms closed around her in an iron grip and he held her, saying nothing. But he smiled. He smiled the deep kind of silent smile that spoke volumes.

"I'll go make dinner," Pepper said after a moment of silence. She slowly pulled away from the embrace and looked at him. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"What's wrong with my smile?" Tony said, chuckling. "Isn't a man who's happy allowed to smile?"

"I know that smile, Tony. I know you." She cupped his face with both hands, kissing him briefly. "If you're still thinking about flying off to spy on our daughter… don't."

"Honey, I'm not." He laughed. "This is just a happy, innocent smile." That smile he was talking about turned quickly into a smirk.

"Now you're smirking," Pepper noted. "And I'm supposed to believe you're innocent?" She shook her head amused. "Dinner's at seven. If you're not here then because you're with our kid, you're not getting any desert."

"And the desert is... you?"

"Exactly," she said, grinning. "We've got a child-free zone tonight. I won't let you ruin that for me."

"I wouldn't dare," Tony answered, tugging at the hem of her shirt, with an even bigger smirk on his lips.

She gently slapped his hand away, still grinning at him. "Later, Mr. Stark."

"I can't wait, Ms. Potts."

Pepper spent about an hour in the kitchen, and when everything was finally set on the dinner table, she called out for Tony. She didn't hear back from him. She didn't hear anything. She went upstairs; she went out on the patio. She looked everywhere in the house. She even looked in the basement, but he was nowhere to be found. When she got to the garage, the workshop, where Tony kept all of his tech stuff, Pepper was ready to tear his head off, but then she noticed a red sticky note tacked to the door.

'Ha-ha, wrong place!'

When she ripped it off, she found another one, in pink: 'Bedroom.'

Pepper wanted to roll her eyes, but she couldn't help smiling at Tony's foolish little game. And so curiosity led her right upstairs into their room where she found a once-in-lifetime kind of dress, elegant and expensive-looking. It was on a clothes hanger, hanging from a nail on the doorframe leading into her walk-in closet. She gasped at the sight of the gown. The petal-pink, silk-crepe dress featured an asymmetrical neckline, with just one sleeve, and a giant organza rosette on the left shoulder.

She was still trying to wrap her head around whatever was going on when her eyes caught sight of another one of Tony's sticky notes on the wall. A white one, reading, 'Put it on. Your ride should be here at seven.'

Pepper didn't understand a thing, but she was already swept away by the romantic scenario that was unfolding right in front of her eyes. To where it would lead, she didn't know, but she would find out soon and she couldn't wait for that moment to come.

So, she got out of the clothes she was wearing and put on the dress that Tony had bought her, maybe even made for her. Smoothing it down, Pepper stared at her reflection in the mirror, and a small tear dribbled its way down the side of her cheek. The dress looked so beautiful. She was entranced in her own image.

"Oh, Tony," she said softly, as if a voice that's too loud could shatter the mirror and destroy what she was seeing—and feeling.

Pepper didn't know for how long she'd been staring at herself, but when she heard the sound of the doorbell, it felt like only a few minutes had passed. She went downstairs, strangely aware of every single step she took. It was like she was in a dream. The dress hugged her curves in just the right places, its soft fabric caressing her skin like a lover as she moved. She felt like there was some kind of magic happening here, like this was just the beginning of something that would completely blow her mind.

Opening the front door, her jaw dropped—her mind was officially blown.

There in front of the house parked a white carriage, drawn by a single Percheron horse. The black stallion with the beautiful mane and the heavily feathered legs usually helped with the plowing and other heavy farm work, but tonight, he had obviously been promoted. The horse had a big bow and a sign that read 'Proof that Tony Stark has a heart' hanging around his neck.

The small figure standing beside the open carriage door watched the surprise and joy bloom in Pepper's face. He kept his hands clasped together behind his back, clutching the black top hat he wore to match his dark khaki pants, bowed, and said, "Your ride's ready for you, Mrs. Stark."

"J–Jamie is that you?" Pepper stepped closer and looked him up and down like a sergeant inspecting the ranks. "I thought you're at the Knicks game with your uncle Rhodey?"

The twelve-year-old straightened his back out of his bow and answered, "Dad said if I do this for him, then I can have the suit for one day. And I can do with it whatever I want."

"Did your father also mention that I would exercise my right of veto?" Pepper raised her eyebrows with a facial expression that was half frown, half smirk.

"Mom, please..." Jamie looked at her with what seemed to be a pleading in his eyes, pleading for her to relent. "I promise I'm not gonna do anything stupid." He flipped the hat onto his head, and then looked back at his mother. "You're such a great mom, and you're doing so much for us every single day, without asking for anything in return. You deserve this night to be special… And I totally would've done this for you, even if I didn't get a reward," he said with a smile. "That dress is so, so pretty… You look really beautiful."

"Are you trying to blackmail me?" She smirked at him.

"Maybe," he replied, smirking back. "Is it working?"

"A little," Pepper admitted, chuckling, as she stared deeply into her son's blue eyes. That boy may have the fiery red hair, and a pretty face peppered with freckles, but there was no doubt about who his father was. He knew exactly which buttons to push if he wanted something from her. It seemed like both her kids did. "You're missing the Knicks game just to give me a ride to… um… Where the hell are we going?"

"Prom," Jamie said, grinning. "I might make it back in time for the last part of the game if you hurry."

"Do you know what your dad's up to?" Pepper asked, getting into the carriage. "When did he plan all this?"

"I don't know," the redheaded boy answered. "Dad just told me about this part." He closed the door and climbed up and snapped the reins. Moments later, they arrived at the large wooden barn. "Here we are," he said, opening the door of the carriage for her. "I gotta go now. Uncle Hap's taking me back to the city."

"Not so fast, bud." Pepper grabbed her son by the arm. He looked at her confused, as if he was thinking he had done something wrong, but she just smiled and wrapped her arms around him. Stroking the back of his head with one hand, she kissed the side of Jamie's face a few times, ignoring the sound of disgust coming from him. "Oh, shut up!" She laughed softly.

Her boy already seemed to be going through that phase where he wanted to be a man. That included pretending not to like being hugged or kissed by his mother. But, at the end of the day, he was just like his father. He melted in her presence, his hard exterior collapsing at the merest touch of hers, and she hoped it would always be that way.

She cupped his cheeks, and touched her forehead to his, whispering a thank you to him. "Have fun tonight, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Love you," he said, smiling.

"Love you, too." She smiled back at him, watched him run off, shouting with glee, and chuckled.

He was such a great kid. A bit more reserved than their girl, but only because he liked to observe. Morgan had to comment on every little thing she saw or heard. She timed her quick-witted comebacks as if she were in a quick-draw shootout and her life depended on it. Her snark was ever-present. Even people who didn't know her that well, but did know Tony, noticed how much she took after her father. And unlike his sister, who usually let her mouth run off without thinking, Jamie used his brain before he spoke. He tried to always be polite, but people were surprised to find out that he was armed with a sharp tongue and a sassy attitude.

There were so many things of herself that she saw in her son. It was like a part of her soul had transcended to him the moment he was born—and to Morgan, too. Her beautiful babies made Pepper feel like she had two separate hearts running around outside of her, and she knew Tony didn't feel any different.

Finally turning around to the surprise that was waiting for her, Pepper gasped in astonishment at the sight she was seeing.

Lining the walkway to the barn, there were candles lit and placed inside brown paper bags. Red rose petals were meticulously mounted on the outside of the door in the shape of a heart. White rose petals littered the ground, the smell of fresh flowers tickling her nose in a wonderful way. The sound of piano music drifted through the half-open door and out across the entrance porch. As the cool evening breeze gently splashed against her tender skin, the sweet tunes surrounded her like a soft warm blanket.

Pepper slipped off her shoes as she walked so she could feel the silky petals under her toes, which sprang gently with each step. Reaching the doorway, she jumped at the string of lights suddenly flickering on around the bottom of the heart, having the shape of a half circle. That's when she saw the little note, saying, 'You make my heart smile,' and a half smile, half smirk came to her face. Tony Stark knew how to turn the everyday into a production.

She pushed the sliding door aside, and walked in, trying to expect just another one of his grand romantic gestures—she wasn't wrong.

The barn was decorated with paper lanterns, each containing a tiny electric bulb. Above the center of the dance floor, a huge mirrored disco ball threw crystal spheres of light down, and all around the room as it turned. Colorful paper streamers twirled below the rafters and giant bouquets of blue, white and pink balloons bumped against the ceiling. Sprinkled glitter and confetti was all over the place, transforming the barn into a dazzling palace of romance.

Nestling in the corner, just under the skylight window that allowed the stars to gleam and the moon to shine through, was a small table with two chairs. The red tablecloth supported two wine glasses, two plates, two knives, two forks, two spoons, two place mats, and two glasses filled with sparkling water. Roses scattered all around the table, and in the middle of it, a candle was burning in a red-colored glass container. When Pepper spotted the long buffet table nearby, she was amazed by the variety of food placed on it. She was amazed by everything she saw.

She gazed at Tony, who had never taken his eyes off her. He sat there playing on his grand piano on the side of the stage, in a black tuxedo, sleeves rolled up, singing Endless Love by Lionel Richie. He sang it with the tenderness of his love for her; warmth radiating from him that made Pepper's heart instantly beat faster. When she approached him, the intensity in his eyes held her captive. She almost didn't notice the large purple banner above the stage that declared 'Pepper's Prom' in white bold letters.

Her face lit up in a little-girl grin, as she stopped in front of the stage. She kept her mouth shut for a long moment, just watching him stare back intently at her. Then she asked, "How the hell did you pull this off without me knowing?"

Tony immediately stopped playing, adjusted his sleeves and jumped off stage, a foolish smirk on his face. "Magic, Pep... It's all magic."

"It really is," she mumbled, as she looked around. "Is that a—?" She obviously hadn't seen everything yet.

"What would prom night be without a photo op?" Tony said, chuckling, as he took her by the hand to the other side of the barn where he had set up a photo booth with props and dumb hats.

"I think I'm gonna cry," Pepper said quietly, staring at the set-up in total disbelief.

"Do that after we took the photos," Tony suggested, kissing her temple. "You don't wanna be crying on your prom pictures, honey."

"Did you do all this for me?" She turned to him, eyes already glassy with unshed tears.

"Whom else would I be doing it for?" Tony laughed softly. "You're my one and only Pepper Potts, my now and forever. The only woman I'd wanna go to prom with for the rest of my life." He paused, squeezing her hand. "And, you know, this really is nothing compared to every little thing you've ever done for me since the first time we met."

"It's been quite a long journey, Mr. Stark," Pepper answered with a smile.

"And look where we are now, Ms. Potts." Tony flashed a smile in return. "Or should I say... Mrs. Stark?" he added, his boyish grin beyond charming.

"I do like the sound of that... Mr. Potts," she said, grinning. She curled her hands around Tony's face and kissed him ever so gently and sweetly, murmuring those intoxicating words against his skin.

The feeling of Pepper's lips against his, her body pressed against him, made Tony's blood run hot. His hands escaped to her cheeks, cradling her head, holding it in place, as if he wanted to keep her from breaking the kiss.

He really was Mr. Potts now—Stark-Potts, officially—and it was the best goddamn feeling in the world.

"You know what makes going to prom in your fifties really good?" she mused, and Tony immediately missed the warmth of her lips when she pulled away. "We have a better idea of how to actually have fun."

Tony slowly ran his fingertips over her eyebrow, along her temple, and down her cheek. His thumb brushed Pepper's lips, still moist from their kiss, parting them. Her small gasp sang in his ear and stretched his pants more than a notch. When he looked at her, her dreamy blue eyes captured his. His hand drifted down Pepper's neck, then across her bare shoulder to skim along her arm, causing gooseflesh to rise on it. God, she was so responsive to his touch—and so beautiful. She was just stunningly beautiful. A living, breathing work of art. One, Tony couldn't believe he was lucky to marvel at every single day.

He knew she was probably waiting for him to make a snappy remark, say something naughty, but all he could manage to say was "I'm so happy," and his voice cracked with emotion just uttering those words.

Pepper emitted a soft laugh. "I can see that," she said, her lovely smile reaching her eyes. She really could.

That happiness Tony was talking about, it was all over his face. It radiated off him as if he didn't have a care in the world. He practically glowed. And she rejoiced in seeing her husband so peacefully, healthy and happy. It was all she had ever wanted for him. It made herself feel a happiness she hadn't even known existed. She had never felt anything like this before. And if she thought about their children—these little beings they had created, and their reason to wake up with a smile and a heart full of love each day—the tears in her eyes started dropping to her cheeks as if someone had turned on a faucet.

Pepper noticed Tony's expression change, the different look in his eyes, and how his smile turned into a slight smirk. "I told you I'd cry," she said with a chuckle and wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand, leaving dark smears of mascara on her cheek. "You still wanna take pictures with me, babe?"

Tony giggled at her words, then gently rubbed the black smudges underneath her eyes away with the pads of his thumbs and smiled. She was always beautiful to him, inside and out, no matter what.

"I already saved a spot for our prom picture on the mantel, right next to all the other milestones of our life together. We are so gonna do this. Tears be damned!"

They took pictures together in the funky photo booth, wearing the silliest hats and striking the most ridiculous poses with all the props. Eventually, they were having a laughing fit that made it hard for the both of them to breathe. Tony was sitting on the wooden bench inside the box while Pepper sat on his lap, one arm draped around his neck. She was locked in his arms, their heads leaning against each other, as they tried to calm down.

Tony was still giggling like a little schoolgirl when she looked at him. He stopped only because she was giving him that kind of look that he had never failed to misread for as long as they were together.

"I like the way you think," he noted, seeing that her hand was already on his chest, as she slowly began unbuttoning his tux jacket.

"These photos do not go on the mantel, Tony," she insisted.

"Mm-hmm," he made more of a sound than a word.

Tony's eyes flared with heat but instead of tearing the fabric from Pepper in one swift move, he swept her hair off her neck and tugged the zipper, slowly—so slowly—running it down to the small of her back. He leaned to kiss the side of Pepper's neck, and then slid the bodice of her dress off over her shoulders, moving as gently as he could. His strong hands stroked her muscles, cherishing every inch of the skin he'd just bared.

Pepper shifted her torso so that the dress slithered all the way down to her waist. Tony's hands immediately slid around to cup her breasts, and he groaned against the curve of her neck. Arching her head against his shoulder, Pepper sucked in a sharp breath, his touch sending a flood of moisture to her center. She closed her eyes, swamped with sensation, and tilted her head so that their mouths could meet in a heated kiss.

Sitting sideways across his lap, she turned in Tony's arms, her hands seeking out the warm muscles of his arms, her fingers curling into the fabric of his tuxedo. She pushed the jacket off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor, then ripped Tony's shirt completely open. Buttons rained down around the booth.

Laughing, he playfully complained, "Hey, I'm still supposed to be wearing that."

Pepper glared at his bare chest and ravenously inspected every muscle and curve, feasting on him. He may not be as buff anymore as he used to be when she first laid eyes on his body, but God, he was still hot. It was almost like his sex appeal, his attractiveness, had increased with old age. It definitely had. He was so damn sexy! She considered herself very lucky that she got to have this hunk for a husband. Their sex life was incredible. No doubt, married sex was even better—they'd had years of that now, and that feeling never changed.

"Knock, knock." Tony gently tapped against her forehead with his finger. "Anyone home?" He flicked a strand of hair away from her face and smirked. She smirked back at him.

"Sorry, I was just..."

"You don't have to explain yourself, Pep. This is prom night, and we're teenagers. Horny teenagers. And I'd be surprised if my body didn't have that effect on you."

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"What?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I can feel it, you know," she said, amusement in her voice. "So don't act like I'm the only with a... reaction."

Tony cackled, then looked at her with a wide grin. "You're gonna do something about it?"

"No," she told him, smirking harder. "This will just be nude photography. We're not shooting porn."

"But we totally should," Tony argued, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Not tonight," Pepper responded, and couldn't help the hearty laugh that tore from deep within her.

"So... am I allowed... to do this then?" he asked, dropping his head to her chest to take first one peak, and then the other, into his mouth.

Pepper gave a whimpering gasp when he captured her nipple in between his lips and sucked.

"Is that a yes?" Tony murmured against her skin, his breath so hot, Pepper thought it would burn her flesh.

"Yes," she moaned loudly, his touch sending her nerves and brain into overdrive. Husky laughter vibrated against her chest.

Tony activated the camera, shifting around so that her upper body was in full view. He laved her cleavage with his tongue, drew her nipples between his lips and sucked on the turgid buds until she was half-crazy from the pleasure of it. Groaning Pepper's name, he rubbed his groin against her, wishing the contact could be skin to skin.

She dug her fingernails frantically into his biceps and let out a cry-gasp. His exquisite tongue was doing such wild and wonderful things to her, so tantalizing, it felt like she could come right then, without any further preliminaries. Between her legs, slick moisture dampened her panties—what a way to ruin a perfectly good dress.

"Tony," she whimpered. "Stop!" But he didn't stop.

His left hand massaged the flesh around the nipple in his mouth while his right hand pinched and tweaked the other. He teased her with his teeth, stopping just on the cusp of hurting, then swirled his tongue over and around the areola in a torturous manner. Tony growled deep in his throat and ran one hand down below the small of Pepper's back to her tailbone, trying to reach inside her dress to cup her ass.

His behavior caused Pepper to act hastily, filled her with the desire to press her body harder against him. Being held in sidesaddle fashion across his lap, and with a dress that certainly wasn't made for a quickie, this proved to be a real challenge. And then, just when she seemed to have figured out a way to make it work, with a little help from Tony, the bench they were sitting on splintered and cracked under their weight, and the rush of movement.

Tony groaned with pain as his back hit the ground hard, his wife landing on top of him. Rubbing the back of his head, he began laughing, and he laughed and laughed until he was out of breath. Then he started to laugh again. Pepper laughed too, first snorted giggles then uproarious laughter, and the two of them continued laughing until they could laugh no more.

"You're okay, hon? You hurt?" He looked at her, and she turned to him.

"No, I'm fine," she answered. "How about you?"

"I'm alright."

Giggling, Pepper tucked her head under his chin. With her fingernail, she traced a pattern over his chest, and closed her eyes. Tony stroked his hand over her back, his strong arms wrapping over her, pulling her close only a moment later. She hugged him tightly, loving the feeling of their bare chests making contact.

"We're some dumbass horny teenagers," she mumbled, making him laugh again.

For a few minutes, the two of them stayed on the floor, saying nothing. In the silence between them, Tony was again made conscious of how much he loved these quiet moments with her. Just lying there with his love, lazy as two cats, and feeling her heart beat against his chest, filled him with contentment and peace. Life could not have been more perfect or exquisite.

Hearing her stomach growl, he chuckled softly. "You're hungry?"

"Yeah," she spoke quietly, lifting her chin to see his face.

"You wanna take a look at the photos first?"

"I'm sure they're all blurry," Pepper joked. "I just wanna eat."

"I got all of your favorite things."

"I noticed," she said, smiling. "You know, after tonight, I think you might make husband of the year."

"I might?" He raised an eyebrow at her, pouting. "What are you talking about? There's no better hubby than me, Potts. Period. I'm husband of the century."

She got up from the ground, never taking her eyes off of him. "Oh, I'm sure you are."

"Are you making fun of me again?" Tony grinned, as he grabbed the tux jacket and stood up, slipping it over his ripped shirt.

"I wouldn't dare," she said, grinning. "Now, will you please help me with the dress… husband of the century?"

He shook his head, amused, and stepped closer. "I can't believe I married you, you little meanie."

"Well, you better believe it, Tony, because this right here," she lifted his hand to his face to show off the shiny rock on his finger, "is proof of that, and, I'm sorry, but now you're stuck with me forever."

"Are you really?" He grinned. "Sorry?"

Pride and joy glinted in Pepper's smile. She brushed her lips tenderly across his wedding band, closing her eyes. Her mouth lingered on the sacred object for a few seconds, as she savored the sheer existence of it. Then she leaned in to kiss him, to the depths of his soul, and it was all the answer Tony needed.

As they sat down to have dinner, Tony called Dum-E to serve them. The bot was perfectly dressed up as a waiter. It made Pepper laugh. She still couldn't believe this was actually happening. How in God's name had he managed to pull this off in, like, a week? Because it was only a few days ago that she had told him about her prom debacle. While Tony's surprises were known to be over the top, this one was the perfect amount of 'just right.' She would remember this night forever.

"This was delicious, Tony," she said, rubbing her stomach after about an hour of stuffing food into her mouth. "I think I can't eat anything for the next two days."

He chuckled.

She laid her hand on top of his and repeatedly stroked the back of it with her thumb. "Thank you," she told him, smiling.

He smiled back at her, and guided both their hands to his mouth. He kissed the back of her hand five times—yes, Pepper counted—and she sighed contentedly, closing her eyes to the warm and fuzzy feeling of love surrounding her entirely. Tony's tender smile grew wider as he admired the glow in her cheeks and the soft expression around her mouth. He waited, just a little while, eyes taking in her beauty, then he got up from the chair, still holding Pepper's hand, and walked over to her.

Clearing his throat before he spoke, he asked, "Pepper Potts, would you do me the honor of this dance?" Right on cue, the music started playing.

She peered up at him, and there was a big, sweet smile on her lips. In fact, Pepper hadn't stopped smiling this whole time. "I would be delighted," she answered.

He led her out onto the dance floor and held her in an intimately tight embrace. Pepper curled her arms around Tony's neck and rested her cheek on his shoulder. He sighed, as she nestled against him, and closed his eyes, enjoying the smell of her hair, with his cheek pressed against the top of her head. This feeling was so familiar to him, but he was never going to get used to it. His body flamed from just the merest touch of her. He needed nothing more than her in his arms.

Wrapped up in their own world, they gracefully moved as one across the shiny hardwood, the tenderness of their embrace melted into a bond of pure love that nothing could break. For a solid ten minutes, neither of them made the smallest sound. The silence between them was so heavy that they could hear their individual breathing despite the slow music blasting from the sound system. It was a comfortable silence, though. The most comfortable silence they knew. The disco ball above them spun, shooting rays of rainbow lights and magic onto the dance floor, slowing time.

"You know what I'm thinking of?" Tony whispered against her hair and planted a soft kiss on top of her head. "Our wedding night." His voice was so soft it seemed like a subtle touch, like the touch of a cat's paw, a feeling rather than a sound.

When their gazes met, he perceived a depth in Pepper's eyes he'd never noticed before, and found himself drawing nearer by the millimeter. It was like something in her eyes was pulling him towards her. He leaned closer, just an inch. She leaned an inch closer, too, their lips nearly touching. He felt her breath over his mouth. Her sweet fragrance drifted over him, his body tingling with anticipation. He closed his eyes, and then, there it was, the warmth of her lips touching his.

He slid his hands from Pepper's waist, settling one to the middle of her back and the other to the side of her face. She wrapped the silky strands of Tony's hair around her fingers, pulling his head even closer. The sensation bubbled in her fibers. She felt like she couldn't get close enough to him as he devoured her mouth with his. He kissed her with a long, passionate but slow kiss. Time seemed to almost stand still. It were many pure, full minutes of swaying together to the soft, romantic tunes, as they kissed, their bodies held together tight as skin. They didn't hear or notice the intruders.

"Ew, you guys are like teenagers," Morgan screwed up her face.

"Get a room." Her brother giggled with amusement.

Tony and Pepper pulled away gently and looked at each other.

"Do you hear what I'm hearing?" Tony said, smirking.

"Sounds like our kids are here," Pepper replied, smirking back.

"Which would be weird, 'cause they're supposed to be somewhere else." Tony laughed softly as he cupped her face, kissing her one more time. Then he looked over Pepper's shoulder, eyeing their offspring. "What are you doing here, huh? Crashing our prom. Don't you two have dates?"

"Surprise!" Morgan cheered and threw her arms up into the air, laughing.

"Surprise!" Jamie shouted, joining his sister's laughter.

Pepper turned to face them. "Did something happen?"

"No, mom. Everything's fine. Jamie and I had a great night, but now we wanted to be with you guys."

"I'm sorry, just to get this right..." Tony took Pepper by the hand and dragged her along, as he approached their kids. "You dumped your date, so you could be with your dad?"

"That's not what she said, Tony," Pepper said with a chuckle.

"That's so not what she said," Jamie concurred, grinning at him.

"Shush!" Tony silenced them, waving his hands around, and looked back at his daughter. "So, what happened? Did the king turn into a frog?"

Morgan just stood there, with a big smirk across her face, as she listened to her father's words, watching him closely, and his smugness wavered for a moment. She was pleased to see that happen. Pepper was, too, and she grinned.

She loved moments like these, where her husband was facing the harsh reality of having a daughter who was practically his mini-me. Same mannerisms, same attitude, same poise—overconfidence. They even shared the same pet peeves. And they had the same, teasing look in their eyes when they were trying to provoke a reaction from someone. These two were undeniably the perfect match.

"What? Tell me!" Tony's voice was now a bit louder, and a little more demanding.

"My dearest father..." Morgan paused, and the smugness in the corner of her mouth evolved into a self-satisfied grin. "I'm not gonna tell you anything about what happened with King."

Tony's change of expression was nearly comical.

"So, you two had fun?" Pepper asked half smiling, half smirking, and Tony looked at her with terror radiating from his eyes. She glanced to the side. "I'm sure they didn't have that much fun, honey," she quipped, laughing.

"Maybe a little bit," Jamie mused.

"Oh God!" Groaning, Tony covered his face with both hands. "I'm living a nightmare!"

"Will you stop being such a drama queen?" Morgan chuckled, and pulled Tony's hands away from his face, holding them, as she looked into his eyes. "This place looks amazing. And Mom..." She stared at her mother, smiling. "She looks so beautiful!" Looking back at her father, she smiled even more. "You're living the best life ever, dad, and you know I'm right."

Tony attempted to pout, wanting to act sulky, but a joy settled over him, like a bright and stunning light, and it was impossible to fight it. So he smiled a big grin and pulled his daughter into his arms to hug her tight. Morgan squeaked, startled by his reaction, and then relaxed into his embrace, sighing.

Pepper watched her oldest enjoying Tony's soft and warm hugs the same way she had. Seeing her husband and daughter together, and her son standing next to her, brought tears to her eyes. She couldn't keep the happiness from seeping through, and she didn't try. She had all she needed in life right here, right now; in this beautiful place they had made their home. When she was with her family, the world didn't matter. Nothing ever did.

"Come here, bubba," Pepper said to her son, pulling him into a hug. She placed her chin upon the top of his head and closed her eyes, an immediate smile forming on her lips the second she felt Jamie wrap his arms tightly around her.

"Are you really not gonna tell me about your date tonight?" Tony whispered, kissing Morgan's hair, and she pulled away and looked at him.

"Of course I will," she said, smiling. "But right now, I just wanna dance with my father."

"That can be arranged," he replied softly. Tony's smile started behind his ears and traveled to his lips. He cupped Morgan's cheeks and kissed her forehead. "I'm happy you're here."

"Me too," she answered.

"Me three," Pepper added. "Even though, now that you are, it seems my prom date has forgotten all about me."

Tony cackled. "I have not, my love." He smirked. "But the kids need to go to bed early, and we have all night to dance, and to make out and—"

"Please don't say it," Morgan cut in.

"And..." Tony stared at his child with a raised brow, deliberately waiting to continue. He loved dragging it out for her. "Enjoy ourselves."

Morgan blew out a breath.

"Is it that bad to think of your parents having s-e-x?"

"Why are you spelling it out now?" Pepper chuckled.

"Because our son's right there, and he's only twelve—"

"Yeah, but I know how to spell sex, dad. And I know what it is. You even—"

"Zip it!" Tony waved his hand in front of the boy's face. Of course that kid knew a lot about sex already. He was his son after all. Tony had even given him one of those sexy magazines—a neat one, not too dirty. That didn't mean he wanted Pepper to know about it, though. Pepper. Oh God! He knew that look she was giving him. It meant he was going to be interrogated. Grilled.

"Ugh," Morgan grunted and turned her face away from them, with a bit of an eye roll. She could barely keep that gross images of her parents in bed together from flooding her mind. When she spotted the booth in the corner, her eyes widened, as a rush of excitement shot through her body. "Oh my God, you got a photo booth? Did you guys take pictures?" She bolted toward it, turning around to wave at her brother. "Come on, James, let's look at mom and dad's photos!"

"No!" Pepper and Tony yelled in unison at their children.

"Why not?" Jamie asked.

"Yeah, why not?" Morgan wondered.

"Because..." Tony glanced at Pepper for some sort of explanation; she looked back at him, obviously struggling to find one, while Morgan was already skipping through the stack of photo booth strips.

'Do something,' Pepper mouthed, but Tony just shrugged his shoulders. She wasn't sure if he did that because he didn't know what to do or because he didn't get what she was saying.

"Aw, these are great," Morgan said, showing them to her brother. "Look!"

"Would you please hand me those photos, Maguna?" Tony entreated, smiling through gritted teeth.

"Why, though?"

"Please don't make me beg."

"I thought you didn't like to be handed things?"

His daughter eyed him confrontationally, one corner of her mouth tilted up in a grin. But that smirk faded away instantly as Morgan looked back at the pictures in her hands. The whole batch of images slipped through her fingers and the photographs fluttered to the floor.

"Hey, I didn't see," Jamie complained, bending down to collect the photo strips and look at them, but Pepper had anticipated his move. She was so swift to react that the boy nearly jumped out of his skin.

Holding the photos in her hands, she grinned at her daughter, who seemed speechless with horror. "I'm sorry, baby. We got a little, um..."

"Carried away," Tony finished Pepper's sentence. "It's what happens when you're—"

"Horny?" Morgan cocked an eyebrow at them.

"In love," he countered, chuckling.

"Maybe you should try digital next time, so your sexy snaps don't fall into the wrong hands," she teased. She tried to hide her smirk and failed pathetically.

"Thanks for the great advice, smarty pants," Pepper said, smirking back at her.

"Are you gonna use these for this year's family Christmas card?"

Really the best way to deal with her parents' indiscretion was humor, Morgan thought, because they were never going to change. They were still so sickeningly in love, and big on public displays of affection, and there would certainly be more incidents like this one in the future. She was just exceptionally glad she hadn't walked in on them and actually saw them do it. If that ever happened to her, she would be scarred for life. Although, now that she was thinking about it, how sure could she even be that it hadn't already happened when she was younger? What a disgusting thought!

"We haven't decided yet," Tony replied with a big grin, his mind going, 'That's my girl!'

He was so proud. Proud of her, proud of her brother. He was beaming with parental pride, and no one would, or could, ever understand. Maybe Pepper. She certainly did, if the look in her eyes was any indication of that. Their kids were the two greatest things in their lives. The way they made them smile, cry, laugh; the way they made them feel, and had changed how they felt about each other—he had never loved Pepper more than he did now—was overwhelming. Nothing could ever compare to that. Nothing could ever compare to the feeling of being a dad, of being a father to Pepper Potts' babies.

"Um, we could do one right now? I mean, we're all here...?" Jamie mentioned, feeling a little left out of the conversation the grown-ups were having.

"And we all look pretty fly," Morgan added.

"You wanna take a picture for our Christmas card?" Pepper ran a hand through the boy's hair. He nodded.

"I'm in," Tony said, excitedly.

"I have but one condition." Pepper and Tony looked at their daughter expectantly. "You keep your clothes on this time," she demanded, and the whole family immediately burst into a paroxysm of laughter.

Morgan couldn't bite back the snide comment that was hanging on the tip of her tongue when she saw the mess her parents had made, the splinter of wood on the floor. But they laughed it off, too. And they continued to laugh, while they were jammed together inside the photo booth, cracking jokes and teasing each other. They couldn't stop. Each roar of laughter was followed by another and another. Holding their sides, hardly able to breathe, they laughed until they were in tears. Minutes later, out of sheer desperation, they found themselves slowing down, gasping for air between laughs. They always had a lot of fun as family, but they hadn't laughed like that in a very long time.

The young boy was still trying to catch his breath, when he came out of the photo booth.

"You good, buddy?" Tony asked, grinning.

All bent over with stomach cramps, Jamie wiped tears from his eyes. His adorable giggle—the same one he'd always had—reminded Tony of the time when his son was still a baby and they were playing Peekaboo. His heart did a funny thump. Oh, the memories—they filled him with so much joy. That beautiful boy right there was the same pooping ball of protoplasm he had pulled out of his wife's vagina with his own two hands during home birth, except he was pretty grown up now. He almost looked like a man. A tiny man, but still a man.

Finally breathing steady, Jamie nodded his head. "I'm okay."

Tony ruffled his hair, and he giggled. It was exactly the kind of cute giggle that Tony had wanted to hear from him one more time. Could you actually be addicted to your kids' laughter?

"I love you, son," he spoke quietly, smiling at him with glassy eyes, as he stroked his head. "So much."

Morgan nudged her father with the elbow. "May I dance with my old man now?"

"Um, excuse me, Ms. Stark, but I believe your brother and I are having a moment here."

"Technically, you were having a moment and I just ruined it... Mr. Potts."

"And who are you calling old?"

Pepper had to laugh at the exchange of words between her husband and daughter. She looked at her son, smiling happily, as she took his hand and said, "Dance with me, hijo."

"Come on..." Morgan pulled Tony gently by the arm. "I've been waiting all night for this."

"All night?" He followed her to the dance floor. "Wow, your date must've really suck," he joked.

Morgan laughed lightly. She knew he knew exactly what she'd meant by that, and so she refused to comment and kept quiet. Her arm was wrapped tightly around her father's neck, her right hand folded neatly inside Tony's own sure grasp, as they silently circled the room. Snuggling her face comfortably into his chest, she closed her eyes. She felt the weight of his chin on her head and his warm breath on her skin as he sighed. He kissed her hair; she smiled. This was what happiness felt like.

"I'm so glad you met my mom," she let out, and Tony chuckled.

"So am I, kid... So am I." Tony cradled Morgan's head, careful not to ruin her hair. He gazed at Pepper, who was still dancing with their son. She snuggled the boy close to her chest, the same way Tony held their daughter. When Pepper looked at him, he showed her one of his most beautiful smiles. She smiled back, her smile even more beautiful than his. "I love you more than I could ever say, Morgan... All of you," Tony said softly, his voice hoarse with emotion.

"More than 3000?" Morgan asked, as she tilted her head to look at him, a cocky grin raising the corners of her lips.

"To infinity," he answered, grinning back.

"Wow, that's crazy," she mocked him playfully. "Are you sure?"

He flicked a finger against Morgan's cheek, his grin growing. "Dead sure."

"Well, I love you to infinity and beyond," Pepper declared, as she came up to them. "I mean, not that's a competition, right, honey?" She shot Tony a toothy, triumphant grin, as though she had been waiting for this very moment.

Tony smirked, trying to think of something to say back to her—that took a lot longer than he'd expected. He let go of his daughter, stepped in front of Pepper and stared her down.

"What?"

"As someone who's been living in a fairytale tonight, you should consider being a little nicer to the man who made it all happen," he argued, still smirking.

"Oh, you mean you?" One of her eyebrows arched in smug challenge.

"If you don't want this to be a one-time thing..."

"Is that a threat?"

"Just a polite warning."

They stared long and hard into each other's eyes. The corners of their straight lips seemed to quiver away into a smile, making it all too obvious that they both were desperately trying not to laugh. Even their eyes were dancing with irrepressible glee. The harder they tried to hold back the more tickled they got until they broke out giggling.

"Can you believe these two kids are, like, 60 years old," Morgan said to her brother, rolling her eyes a little. He responded with a chuckle.

"Hey!" Tony and Pepper called out with one voice.

She laughed at them, shaking her head amused, and moved closer. She halted, simply watching them with a grin.

"What?" Tony wondered, but Morgan still didn't say or do anything.

Instead she waited. She waited until it looked like the anticipation was going to kill both her parents. And then, in a move so sudden it took them by surprise, Morgan reached out to pinch their cheeks.

"Why you gotta be so cute!" she almost squealed. It made Jamie laugh.

Stunned, Pepper and Tony simultaneously smoothed their palms over the marks their daughter had left from pinching their cheeks so hard. Pepper opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again, but there were still no words coming out of it, just a small breath.

Tony glanced over at their son, who was still laughing—all the more, as he saw the look on his father's face.

A giggle bubbled in her throat, as Morgan apologized. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself." She threw her arms around her parents and pulled them into a close hug. "You really are adorable." She kissed her mother's cheek, then her father's, as if to soothe their pain. "And disgusting. Like, totally gross." She laughed softly. "But that's okay. Because if you are that terribly in love, even after all this time, it means our family will be together forever and that's—"

"Super awesome!" Jamie shouted and ran over to them, settling himself right in the middle of that family hug. He was welcomed with open arms, and quite a few giggles.

"We love you both so much," Pepper whispered, kissing the top of her son's head a few times before touching her lips to her daughter's hair.

Her arms were around Tony's back, and his around hers, so their children were safely locked between them. When he saw her look at him, he smiled, and he smiled so beautifully, and with so much emotion in his eyes, that Pepper could barely keep herself from crying. She did cry, eventually—a small tear—when Tony leaned in to kiss her, long and deeply, and for the first time that night since their kids had showed up, there was not a single sound of disgust. There was just the soft sound of their lips touching, over and over again.

If this was their forever, it was a pretty great one.