*This is ONE of the final chapters guys - so, basically, brace yourselves.

Jack watched as Elodie squealed in delight as she sat on her mother's lap, slowly making their way down the slide. His heart swelled at the look on his little girl's face, knowing that he and Abby were doing this right. There wasn't a day that Elodie wasn't laughing and smiling, and that's how they both wanted to keep it.

As Abby stood up and lifted Elodie excitedly, kissing her cheek repeatedly as the girl giggled wildly, she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket.

''Wanna go to daddy?'' she laughed. ''Huh? Daddy?''

''Daddy!'' Elodie smiled, her arms reaching for Jack who took her happily.

Abby grinned at the sight of them as she took out her phone, seeing that it was her mom calling. Taking a few steps away, Abby had no idea how grateful she would be that Elodie wouldn't have to see the look on her face as she heard her mother's voice.

Jack could see Abby's hand moving to cup her mouth, her head shaking in denial, a sob escaping her lips and rippling through her body.

There wasn't much that needed to be said. It was the call that Abby had been dreading from the day she found out her dad was slowly being taken from them all, the call that she wished she never, ever had to take. But it was inevitable, and it was here.

3 Days Earlier

Abby sat by her father's side in the workshop, her head resting on his shoulder as they sat in the couch at the back of all the benches and machines. She could almost see herself as a little girl playing around in front of that same couch, drawing and creating holograms as her dad worked on the Iron Man suits nearby.

Iron Man suits that would stay in this very workshop once he was gone. Because none of them could ever imagine them being anywhere other than where Tony created them.

''Remember when I wanted one?'' Abby laughed.

''I do, that's when I upped security on them,'' Tony added. ''What? Wanting to take over now, are you?''

Abby shook her head and laughed.

''There's more than enough suits and costumes out there protecting the world today, I don't think I need to be added to that,'' she sighed. ''I wouldn't do half the job you did, so why try?''

Tony wrapped his arm around his daughter, careful not to tangle the oxygen cords running to his nose. These days they were a permanent fixture on his face, but he had grown so used to it.

''If there was anyone else in this world I'd want in that suit, if there was anyone I think could do it, it'd be you kiddo,'' he told her honestly. ''But don't you dare take that as encouragement,''

Abby smiled and shook her head.

''I wouldn't dare,''

''I'm so glad that of everything I am and have been, you and Luke are the best parts of me. You're both better versions of someone I wished I could have been for you kids,''

''Dad,'' she sighed. ''You were everything we ever wanted. You gave us a childhood that is making it so damn difficult to measure up to with our own kids. You're our dad, and that makes you the best version of anyone I know,''

Tony smiled down for a moment and grabbed Abby's hand in his own, bringing it up to press a kiss against it.

''I'm so proud of you,'' he whispered, his voice obviously cracking and breaking on him. ''So, so proud,''

Abby couldn't take it anymore, she needed to hug him close. She wished she could remember always exactly how this felt, how his clothes smelled, how his hugs always made her feel so safe.

''I love you,'' she sobbed.

''To the end of the world and back again kiddo,''

Lucas stood out on the grass of his backyard, watching as Parker rode his bike around with no idea of the news his mother and father were preparing to tell him. Ashley stood by his side, her arms wrapped around him, her hand rubbing his back soothingly.

''We're going to get through this,'' she whispered to him, wiping away the tears before Parker saw.

''I know,'' he nodded, holding her hand in his own and feeling the warmth and strength that came off it. ''I just don't know how right now,''

''Don't think about that,'' she shook her head. ''Just feel. You don't have to do anything right now, honey. There's no way to do this properly, so do it however you feel,''

''How...how am I supposed to tell him?''

''You're not going to do it alone,'' Ashley assured. ''We're a package deal, remember?''

Lucas did his best to give her a smile, but it soon broke into tears, and Ashley lead him away from the backyard and to the porch. As soon as Ashley pulled him into her arms, Lucas felt like he could collapse with the immense pain he felt. His chest felt too tight, as if his heart had ripped in half and he couldn't steady himself.

''It doesn't feel real,'' he sobbed.

Ashley cried onto his shoulder as his head buried further into her chest.

''It's going to be okay,''

One week earlier

''Hey, is mom around?'' Lucas asked, wondering out to find his dad on the balcony.

''Went in to a last minute meeting,'' Tony answered with a small cough. ''Need something?''

''Just the green light for some projects,''

''You can sign off on all that,''

''I know, but mom knows these investors more than I do,''

''Luke, soon Stark Industries is going to be yours to run,'' Tony reminded. ''You've got all authority to make these decisions,''

''But I don't have an 'ideas brain' like you and Ab do dad,'' Lucas sighed, taking a seat in the opposite chair. ''I do business and I do planning and money and numbers. For projects I want opinions because I've got no idea if it's going to crash and burn or not,''

Tony turned to his son with a small grin.

''You've got no idea kiddo. You're smarter than me and Abby combined,''

''I very much doubt that,''

''Your doubt yourself,'' Tony corrected. ''And you do it too much. If you think something's worth taking a chance on, do it. When has that ever failed you?''

Lucas looked back at his dad and considered his words. Without taking a chance he wouldn't have son, he wouldn't have the life he had right now. But he still felt so unprepared to be in charge of the company his father and mother built and put so much into.

''I don't want to let you down dad,''

''Luke, there's no way you could. You're everything I wanted you to be and more, and you're going to do a much better job than I ever did,''

''I wouldn't bet on it,'' Luke shook his head.

''I'd bet everything on it,''

Abby stood out on that very balcony two days after she had received the phone call from her mother, the same call her brother had received, who was standing by her side silently. They both looked out at the view that their dad admired so much, wondering how they were meant to make it through all of this.

There were people everywhere inside, all offering Pepper their condolences and their help in any way, but there was nothing anyone could do that would take away the pain they all felt right now. Even with the few words they had all spoken at the funeral earlier, the words they spoke to hundreds of mourners and millions more around the word, no one could fully understand.

''Did you ever see dad after he and mom had to go to a funeral?'' Abby asked Lucas, who shook his head in return. ''He always stood out here by himself and thought. I was always too scared to come out and talk to him. I thought he'd cry, and there's only a few times I ever saw him do that,''

''Yeah, yeah I remember him standing out here,'' Luke nodded. ''He did that a lot. For a man that so many said couldn't keep his mouth shut, he was the deepest thinker I knew,''

''It feels weird saying it,'' Abby shook her head. ''He was, he used to. It doesn't feel real yet,''

''I don't think it ever will,''

Abby looked over to her brother and opened her arms, wrapping them around him as if he was once again the little boy she looked out for as a child. No matter how much taller he was than her now or how grown up they both thought they were, he was still her little brother and Abby wanted to be strong for him.

But most of all, they both wanted to be strong for Pepper.

Over the past few days, Pepper Stark had reaffirmed everyone's belief that she really was the strongest woman they knew. Although she had her moments on her own, when the house was quiet and the bed was cold, she knew that getting through the next few weeks would be pivotal.

When Tony's condition worsened over a month ago, they had talked about what would happen in the days following his passing. Tony didn't want Pepper alone, he didn't want her to break.

''Pepper,'' Sarah called out, standing by the door of Pepper and Tony's bedroom upstairs. ''Some more flowers just got here,''

''I'll come down soon,'' Pepper sniffled, turning away from her friend and reaching for a tissue.

Sarah's heart broke at Pepper's need to hide her feelings. She reminded her of her husband Rhodey who had been coping just as well the past few days. Around people, he was made of steel. Once they were gone, once it was just himself and his thoughts, it started to set in that his best friend was gone.

It was starting to set in to everyone, as painful as it was.

''You don't have to,'' Sarah shook her head. ''You don't have to do anything Pepper,''

''I do,'' she cleared her throat, standing. ''Tony wouldn't want me moping around,''

''He also wouldn't want you putting on a show for everyone, you don't need to,'' Sarah assured. ''Take a bath, sleep. Me and James will take care of every visitor and delivery, don't worry,''

Pepper sighed and sat back down on her bed.

''Where's Abby and Luke?''

''They're downstairs, Ashley and Jack are taking the kids back to Luke's for a while to get some sleep,''

''Tell them to go home with their kids, they don't need to stay,'' Pepper shook her head. ''I don't want them worrying over me,''

Sarah frowned sadly as Pepper laid back on the bed, pulling back the covers to slide underneath. She was still fully dressed in her skirt from the day of talking with Tony's admirers and accepting hugs and kisses from people who wanted to wish their best. The only thing she had changed was her button up blouse which she had now switched for one of Tony's beloved Black Sabbath t-shirts.

When someone you love dies, no flower or baked good is going to change it. It isn't going to take away the pain or hole in your heart, it simply doesn't matter. But Pepper put herself into a zone where she put all those feeling away for the day, and she was beginning to finally crack.

As Sarah moved to walk away from the door, she saw Abby and Lucas walked down the hall toward their parents' room. With a soft smile and touch to their arm, she stood back to let them inside, closing the door behind them.

Tears were already running down both of their cheeks as they saw their mom cry silently into the pillow. Without saying a word, they each climbed into the bed on either side of their mother, holding her tight in their arms as she embraced them both in return.

''It's okay mom,'' Lucas whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

Pepper sobbed into Abby's shoulder, causing the girl to cry harder in return. One of the most heartbreaking things to witness was a parent completely break down like this, but they both knew that their mom needed to let this out, and the only people she could do this with was her kids.

With everyone else downstairs, the three of them remained in the bed without saying another word. Crying and holding each other until they faded into sleep, their arms entangled and bodies filled with warmth.

I hope you guys are okay.

To people wondering why I chose an more unhappy angle for the Stark Family - which is not how this story is going to end - it's because it's reflective of our own lives. People get sick, people pass on, but their legacy and family is what lasts. And in my mind, the life that Tony built for himself and the family he grew, he would have been proud to know that was still going to be around.

This isn't the last of this story yet, there's still one more chapter to go.

Thanks for sticking through this and I hope you guys are looking forward to the end of this journey with this family.

PS - Those who are interested in my stories, I do intend to hopefully finish them all in the future (I'm working on it!) BUT also I have published the first chapter to a new story I have. It's called Fire in The Blood and you can find it in my stories.