Here you go. Final chapter. It feels like it has been a long journey, but it has been a fun one! Please, if you enjoyed this story, PLEASE take the time to send quick feedback. This is what keeps all of us writing. Well, I write no matter what. But it is the feedback, the appreciation, the thoughtful dialog and discourse, that pushes each of us to publish our work. Let us know you want to see it!

Thank you all!

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Standard disclaimers apply.

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In the morning they took turns showering and by the time Tony was finished Max had been fed and dressed. He was sitting in his carrier and Pepper was pacing the floor. "It won't be that bad," he laughed.

"Not bad," she corrected, "but awkward."

Pepper hefted the baby bag over her shoulder and Tony picked up the carrier and they packed up his car and began their trek to Shield. Upon arriving there were several sidelong glances, people so shocked by the scene of Tony, Pepper and their baby strolling through the halls. As they made it safely to the common room, Tony commented without moving his lips, "What? It's not awkward at all..."

Pepper rolled her eyes. It wasn't as if they were at the circus and they were the freaks on display, but it was a little uncomfortable. She just wanted to see their friends. But the glances were a little much. It was as if no one had ever seen a baby before. So Tony had been the biggest womanizing man-whore known to mankind before. That was a long time ago. And he was egomaniacal. And he flew around in an iron suit calling himself a super hero. But he was also a living, breathing man and the aforementioned eccentricities didn't exclude him from procreating. With Pepper.

Banner was the first one who responded to Tony's message and he sidestepped the baby and hugged Pepper close and for a long time. The man whispered something in Pepper's ear, which made her smile, but Tony couldn't hear what was said. He then turned his attention to Max and without hesitation unbuckled his carrier straps and picked him up. "Oh, he is beautiful, Pepper," Bruce commented, and then he turned to Tony, "and you, too Tony. Good job. Man…he looks just like you." Knowing that the baby existed and holding the living, breathing proof in his arms were two totally different things. The extent to which Max actually looked like Tony brought the reality even further home.

The rest of the team eventually streamed in, lingered and cooed and told them how beautiful, sweet, and adorable Max was. Clint teased Pepper about something, which caused her to slap him on the arm. Tony wasn't sure but thought he heard "getting a piece" and "liking things iron-hard" somewhere among them. He would definitely question Pepper later. Rhodey amused everyone by refusing to let anyone else hold the baby. "He loves his Uncle Jim the most." That lasted until Natasha walked in and immediately took him without even uttering a word, as though he were hers for the taking. "You guys, he's beautiful! It's so good to see you, Pepper. I would give you a hug but my arms are full right now." For his part Max took being passed around in stride, staring at everyone with his big blue eyes, flashing sly smiles here and there.

Wanting to make the most of the day he had with Pepper and Max, it wasn't long before Tony was ready to leave. They packed up and left with as little fanfare as they could, making promises that everyone would see both Pepper and the baby again before they headed back to San Francisco.

They went for a walk in the park, stopped by the corner store and Pepper stayed in the car while Tony went in for diapers. After stopping for a late lunch, they headed back to Tony's. Max was fussy from the eventful day, and in truth Pepper and Tony were both tired from the events of the past few weeks. Max had only been out of the hospital a week, their emotions were still raw.

Throughout the day there was no discussion about their relationship, but after Max had been put down for a nap, Pepper and Tony sat on the couch. He reached over and held her hand; she did not pull away although she seemed nervous. "Today was a good day," he said.

"It was," Pepper agreed.

He was tired of beating around the bush. "I'm not quite ready to give up this whole superhero gig altogether, but things are going to have to change. Of course SI can supply all of the tech and weaponry to the Avengers still, and I could just be lead R&D and consultant on that. So I can still have a hand in it. And…I could relocate to San Francisco. Travel back here as needed. So I could be with you guys more. Or…you could move here, you could move in with me, and you could have your old job back. Or not work. Whatever you want. I could even mostly work from home and stay with Max. You know, Daddy daycare. Or…we could go to New York. Run SI from there, both of us. Or…we could get married and move to Fiji and raise a little naked beach bum baby and make a living selling straw baskets on the beach. Really. Whatever you want," Tony stated, nervously chewing on his lip. He didn't want to mess this up, any of it, and knew he had to proceed carefully. Seeing him nervous was very sweet and very endearing.

"Hmmm," was Pepper's only reply. It frustrated him a little bit, because he wanted her to come up with a game plan, he wanted specifics, he wanted to pin her down to a commitment before she changed her mind. The irony was not lost on him.

Long, agonizingly quiet minutes passed and still Pepper did not offer up any solution. Tony looked at her beseechingly, and she smiled, and finally said, "Okay."

Confused, he responded, "Okay? Okay what? Okay to which plan?"

But there were no more words from her, just her sweet smile. Perhaps the solution would evolve over time, and it would be something that suited both of them. He did not know how long they sat there, their history and their future creating between them a somewhat bittersweet silence, but then he looked down at the space between them and realized that regardless of everything Pepper had not let go of his hand. No matter what, they were in this together.

-End-