A/N: So, sorry, guys, but this is going to be the last chapter for this story. I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review and a mental hug to anyone who catches the reference to the Canadian show Continuum. Enjoy the chapter and thanks for reading!

Her funeral was on a calm day with clear blue skies, but Tony didn't bother going. No, he couldn't stand to go to her funeral, not after all she had done, all she had caused. Christine Everheart could rot in hell for all he cared, not that he would say it out loud. Do not speak ill of the dead and all that. Apparently his bullet had been better aimed than he'd thought and Everheart didn't make in the ambulance. But, again, he couldn't say he cared. He really didn't care all that much about anything but Pepper recently. After she'd been taken he'd been more worried than he could ever remember being and it only got worse after the asshole cop had shot her. Pepper has lost a lot of blood from the shot, had a few cracked ribs, a broken arm, a concussion, and a broken nose.

At the moment, said love of his life was sleeping peacefully in the hospital bed next to him. Tony's mind was whirring at a mile a minute, thinking about everything that had happened at that cabin a week prior. After Asshole Cop- Tony's name for the dude, obviously- had shot Pepper (insert death glare from Tony here), Reporter had taken care of him for Tony, beating the guy into a bloody pulp. Reporter- Tony learned his name was Matthew Andrews, formerly Matthew Kellogg, but he changed his name after an unknown event- had been spitting and cursing at Asshole Cop for hurting Pepper. Tony hadn't wanted to have to pull the guy off of the other, but he knew that they were no good to him dead. They needed to be in jail; they needed to pay.

Tony had JARVIS call for help and had gotten out of his suit to help Pepper and he'd ordered Reporter to see if Everheart was still alive- she wasn't- and when that was established, he told him to tie Asshole Cop up. When that was done, Tony had concentrated on keeping Pepper's blood inside her and Reporter was more than willing to help. The bleeding had slowed by the time the police and the ambulance were able to make it up to the cabin and Reporter and Asshole Cop were taken into custody and Pepper was taken to a hospital where Tony made sure she got the best care possible.

Pepper had been in and out of it for most of the time she'd been in the hospital, but once she woke up next, she'd be allowed to go home and Tony couldn't wait. In the time Pepper had been awake, she'd agreed that it would be best for her to stay at the mansion with him where she wouldn't be alone more often than not. Tony would be there almost the entire time- scratch that, the entire time, he was too scared to leave her on her own ever again. He knew that he was in this for the long run, but he also knew that he needed to take things slow with her, so no proposing for at least a little while longer.

Pepper blinked awake and looked over to Tony, watching his face as he thought on everything. She smiled as his expression went from calm to angry to furious to upset to contemplative. When he saw her awake, he smiled broadly and pressed a kiss to her forehead before going to get the doctor so they could go home.

Five Years Later

Pepper sighed in frustration and ran down the hall to the shop as she heard Tony calling for her. "What now, Tony?"

Tony was staring at her in panic, holding their three-month old son Phil in his arms. "He's crying! I don't what to do Pep! What do I do?!"

Pepper chuckled. "Did you try changing his diaper?"

Tony shook his head quickly. "I wasn't good with that last time around, Pep, what makes you think I'd be any better now?"

Pepper smiled. "Hand him to me and get Ella. She's trying to get into the engine of your hot rod again."

Tony jumped in panic and passed a wailing Phil to Pepper before running towards the car he knew his little girl would be trying to play with. Spotting the three and a half-year old trying to push a stool over to the open hood of the car, Tony scooped her up and settled her on his hip. "And just what do you think you're doing?"

Ella giggled. "I tryna be like you, Daddy!"

Tony smiled. "And you think that playing with an engine will do that?"

Ella nodded. "Ayuh. Mommy says when her work-ed for you, all you do was play with cars."

Tony raised an eyebrow, looking over to Pepper where she was changing Phil's diaper. "Mommy said that, did she?"

Ella nodded again with a smile. "Daddy, you finish suit yet?"

Tony chuckled. "I think for today I'm done with my suits, yes."

"Good. We watch Frozen today. Mommy gotted it from the store for me and Philly. Mommy sayed that we can watch it, but you have to watch with us."

Tony forced back a groan. "Do you want me to watch it with you guys?"

"Duh!" Ella's big blue eyes stared up at him. "You do want watch it with us, right, Daddy?"

Tony nodded quickly. "Of course, Princess. I've been looking forward to it all day."

Ella grinned. "Good. I don't wanna watch it wifout you, Daddy."

Tony lifted his chin a bit. "And you won't have to. I take it Mommy's watching it too?"

"Of course, Daddy. Mommy's the one buyed it, she has to watch it."

Tony laughed. "You hear that, Pep? You're the one who bought so you have to watch it."

Pepper chuckled as she dropped the dirty diaper into the trash can. "I wasn't planning on bailing like, oh, say you were."

Tony pretended to look offended. "Who, me? I would never."

Ella patted Tony's cheek to get his attention and he looked to her. "What's up, Princess."

"Mommy says Uncle Rhodey, Uncle Steve, Uncle Clint, Uncle Bruce, and Auntie Natasha are coming to watch too."

Tony looked to Pepper. "I wasn't aware that Uncle Steve, Bruce, Clint, and Aunt Natasha were in town."

Pepper smiled. "They got some time off."

"And I take it Uncle Thor is still abroad?"

"Yup. He should be back sometime next month. He's had some issues with another planet or something like that."

Ton smiled. "Cool." Tony pressed a kiss to Ella's head before setting her down. "So, what do you want for lunch, Princess?"

Ella grabbed Tony's hand and started dragging him out of the workshop, leaving Pepper to follow behind them with Phil in her arms. She smiled as she listen to Ella demand Mac and Cheese and hot dogs and Tony agree with her, though Pepper knew full well she would be the one cooking. Tony still burnt everything he tried to cook. She didn't even want to think about the pancakes he'd tried to make the week before. Phil cooed at Pepper and Pepper smiled, thinking that all this had started with a song, a guitar, and Tony forcing her on vacation.