Okay i'm ever so sorry this chapter took a lot longer than the others, it wasn't intentional! I've just had some things to do.
But i suppose, technically this is early, it's not quite Christmas yet! This is the final chapter btw, so enjoy :)

Christmas!

Bruce had hurried back as the snow began. This morning had been cold, freezing in fact but now the snow was falling thick and fast, covering the ground and the people walking in soft white fluff. It had been nice at first, a tradition to winter but after half an hour of having to re-route his chosen path and after all the taxi's had refused service Bruce was fed up of the white stuff and just wanted to get back to the tower and put his feet up.

It was the 23rd of December, two days before Christmas and he was getting his final Christmas presents. Now, sitting on the floor of his bedroom he was surrounded by wrapping paper, scissors, tape and presents, ready for the boring task at Christmas. Bruce hated wrapping presents, he couldn't think of anything more boring and had been tempted to just buy gift bags for everyone. However he told himself that if everyone else could do it, if Tony Stark could do it, so could he. And so here he was.

Once the presents had been sorted into whose getting what, it became simpler. Different wrapping paper for each person had been the plan but after buying one lot of Christmassy red and green he got fed up and now everyone had the same.

Choosing to do the easiest presents first Bruce planned on getting all the boxes out of the way. He had his gift tags at the ready, not making the same mistake he did last year – wrapping a load of presents and then having to unwrap them to find out who they were for.

After 45 minutes, almost a full roll of cello tape and a fight with various different sized and shaped presents Bruce sighed with relief. He was finished. Sitting in the middle of a collection of presents Bruce looked over his work and smiled. They weren't perfect, but you couldn't see beneath the wrapper and that was the main idea. Putting them back into bags Dr Banner took them to the living room where a huge Christmas tree had been erected, courtesy of Stark. Underneath everyone had begun laying presents, in piles belonging to each individual.

"Ooh which are mine?" Tony walked into the room and spied Bruce laying out the presents. He was over in just a few steps and nosing through the piles for his name.

"Tony you have two more days and then you can open them. Do you have to try and guess now?" Bruce sighed, smiling a little at the other scientist.

"It's part of the fun of Christmas Brucey. Tell me you're not even a little interested to know what people have got you?" Tony stopped and looked at him.

"Of course I am. But I have the patience to wait two more days."

"Boring."

"Curiosity killed the cat Stark, remember that." Bruce called behind as he left the billionaire to it.

"I'm no cat." Tony mumbled as he browsed his own pile.

"Tasha…" Clint's slightly desperate voice called from the bedroom. Natasha had been pouring herself a mug of coffee, watching Tony hunt down his presents with a smirk when she heard the voice.

"Erm, Tash? Anytime you like." He called again, still sounding desperate and slightly dejected. Grabbing the mug she walked the short journey from the kitchenette to the bedroom and stood in the doorway, looking at her partner.

"Erm, is there a problem Clint?" She bit back the laugh that had forced its way up. Clint was sitting on the bed, surrounded by scraps of wrapping paper and what appeared to have once been a present but was now a mass of paper and tape. Clint himself appeared to have had his hands practically stuck together with tape and now was fighting to take the tape off, getting himself into even more of a tangle than was perhaps necessary for such a simple task.

"It's not funny Tash get over here and help me." He attempted to glare at her but this just made her laugh more. Leaning against the doorframe she sipped her coffee and watched.

"I don't know, this is much funnier."

"I swear to God Tasha." Clint spoke between clenched teeth as he used his jaw to try and pull some tape away. She walked into the room and put the mug on the nightstand, coming to sit before her partner and assess the damage. Grabbing the scissors from the wreck that was meant to be someone's present she looked for the best place to start.

"Okay, now sit still." She told him with a smile and taking his hands in her own she began to cut away at the tape.

After finally freeing her partner from the sticky tape attack she looked at the mess in front of them.

"What's that meant to be?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Your present." He replied, moving the mess to the side. She looked at him in slight surprise.

"Oh come on Tash you still gonna do the whole 'I don't deserve presents' shit? Every year we go through this you must know my response by heart now?" He commented. She sighed.

"I know. I still believe it though. But honestly, if that is gonna be my present you better get it wrapped properly. I am not tackling a mess on Christmas day, I have better things to do." She smiled a little, a genuine smile that rarely showed and he returned it with a low chuckle.

"I'll do my best firecracker. Maybe I'll enlist some help." He said eyeing the chaos and shaking his head.

That evening was quiet and still, each of the team in bed and covering up against the cold. Pepper was the only one awake, lying in bed with her eyes open and distracted. She could hear Tony's soft snores at her side and feel his hand against her bump but something wasn't right.

That was when a shooting pain ran right through her stomach. It was more painful than she had been experiencing recently, and she sat bolt upright unable to stop herself from crying out. In seconds Tony was awake and at her side.

"What's the matter Pep?" He yawned looking around for anything that could have caused the problem. Pepper was breathing quickly, like she was having a panic attack but it was something different. Another loud, pained moan came from her and he looked confused and slightly worried, no idea what he was meant to do.

"Tony, I-I think I might be in labour…" She looked at him with wide eyes, worry filling them. She was terrified and Tony still had no idea what he could do.

"Shit erm, okay, holy crap right erm…"

"Tony shut up and do something." She groaned through clenched teeth.

"Right erm…uhh…Natasha!" He figured and grabbed the phone from the side.

"What the hell could she do?" Pepper groaned.

"I don't know she's a woman, she's gotta have some idea."

"You know you could have just called Bruce?" Natasha commented dryly, looking between Pepper and Tony as she stood in the doorway. She was wearing a strappy top and tracksuit bottoms and an expression that clearly was not happy about being woken up.

"What would he be able to do?" Tony asked.

"He's a doctor he'd have more ideas about a woman in labour than an assassin." She told him sarcastically.

After just another hour Bruce had managed to get a S.H.I.E.L.D medic team to arrive, prep a room and move Pepper into it.

She was in a lot more pain now, the contractions coming thick and fast and nearing the time of birth.

"I'm going to be a father." Tony commented, sitting in the communal lounge with Natasha. She had made them both a mug of coffee but his remained untouched.

"You've only just realised? Nine months of Pepper being pregnant and now you've finally worked it out. And they call you a genius." Natasha finished her own coffee and looked at him.

"No, I know I'm going to be a father but I'm actually going to be a dad. In just a few hours I'm going to have a son or daughter. I'm going to have a child that completely depends on me."

"We feel for the kid, really we do." Clint yawned, running a hand through his hair as he joined them. After Natasha had been woken he had too and unable to get back to sleep he headed for the sofa.

"What do I do?" Tony asked.

"You stand up and look out for her." Natasha told him.

"I'm going to be a dad and I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do. I'm freaking out and Pepper is so ready and I'm shitting myself and I don't know what to do and-" He was cut off abruptly by a sharp slap from Natasha. Clutching his cheek he looked at her, pained.

"Ow."

"Now shut up and Stark, you better bloody listen to me. Pepper is in there, in the most pain she's ever gonna be in, preparing to give birth to your child. She doesn't know what the hell she's doing, hell she's probably more scared than you are! Pepper is in pain, and she's scared and everything is happening far too quickly, and the only person she is able to depend on is sitting on the sofa freaking out because he doesn't know what the hell he is gonna do. Newsflash for you Stark, this isn't about you! It's about the mother of your baby! Now get in there, hold her hand and keep your mouth quiet for more than five minutes." Natasha yelled and he silenced, watching her. Not knowing what to say.

"Go." She told him, softer this time and pointed to the room Pepper was in. Tony didn't need telling twice.

Christmas day finally rolled around the team gathered in the communal lounge to open presents. On the 24th December at 7:21am Pepper and Tony had welcomed baby Thomas Philip Stark. They were all now sitting and opening presents, throwing wrapping paper at one another and thanking each other for the collection of gifts.

The afternoon was Christmas dinner and after filling up on far too much food and drink they settled on the sofa to watch Christmas films and sleep.

Happy early christmas! Hope you liked this chapter & story, please read and review :) X