This is it. The Epilogue! Sorry, it's short, but I didn't want to leave you guys hanging for too long after that cliffhanger.

And for those wanting more, I apologize. This is most definitely the end. I don't like doing fanfics that continue on using other characters like their daughter Ashley or anything. It tends to wear me out when I read fanfics like that, and I don't want to drag out something that's better left on its own.

So, please review and let me know what you all think. I hope this epilogue helps end everything well (I've only ended maybe one other story and always seem to struggle actually ending fanfics). If you have any questions or comments, feel free to PM me! I do suggest PMing my other account though (bored411) as I tend to look at that one more often than this one and fanfiction isn't emailing me to let me know I have a PM.

"Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn't always roll that way. I'm glad families have been reunited. I'm glad we got it all back and something like the normal version of the planet has been restored. If there ever was such a thing. God, what a world. A universe, now. If you told me ten years ago that we weren't alone, let alone to this extent? I mean, I-I wouldn't have been surprised but come on. Who knew? The epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play. And for better or worse, that's the reality all our children are going to have to find a way to grow up in. But the hero gig… Part of the journey is the end, and what Natasha sacrificed for us was worth far more than any of us could have hoped."

Tony looked over the crowd of SHIELD agents and Avengers as they all stood in his yard suited in black coats out of respect for the fallen agent who'd died for the Soul Stone required to save the day. A bouquet was sent off across the lake in her respect and as the funeral ended, those gathered spent the afternoon speaking in hushed voices uncharacteristic for the noisy group while enjoying the lunch catered for them all. Doctor Strange wandered over to Tony, nodding his head in respect as the billionaire shot him a look.

"So, one in 14 million?"

Strange sighed. "I told you, she was never in any of them. What she did… I never predicted that."

"That's her," Tony grumbled. "Unpredictable. Ow!"

His leg crumpled at the knee and he turned with a scowl at the woman who'd given him a dead leg as she shot him a look.

"You talking shit about me?"

"No," he said the same time Strange said,

"Yes."

Before Tony could argue, Ashley rushed over and tugged at the hem of the woman's black jacket.

"Mom, can I go show Nate my room?"

"As long as you clean it up later, I don't care."

"Yes!"

The girl ran off as Strange snorted.

"Never expected to see you as a mother, Jess."

Jess gave him a dirty look, eyes flaring gold briefly as she leaned heavily on her dark cherry wood cane. "Don't start with me Strange. I can still set your suit on fire."

"Best not compromise your health, Jess."

Her eye twitched, palms already heating up a bright red. "You're really asking for it, you know."

"Now, now, relax dear," Tony said, draping his arm over her shoulder. "If you start to get too heated up, we'll have to pull out the barbeque again."

Needless to say, he yelped as her shoulders burned his hand and she turned to face the snickering Captain Marvel.

"When are we getting those drinks? I'm going to need one in a minute."

"Whenever you want," she replied with a smirk. "It's not like it takes long for me to get here."

"Show off," Jess complained, hobbling off with her to go see what Vision and Wanda wanted as they waved her over.

Steve stepped up beside Tony as the man shook his hand to cool it down. "How's she doing?"

"Huh? Oh, Jess? Good. She's doing good."

"Tony," Steve chided, knowing that he wasn't quite telling the truth.

Tony rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Better. Okay? She's doing… better."

"She gave us quite the scare."

"You weren't the one crying over her thinking she was dead," he grumbled.

"She almost was… Say, did she know—"

"No," Tony cut him off, knowing what he was going to say. "She told me ages ago, way before that… She ever knew what her own timeline was. Just ours. She didn't… She didn't think she'd survive. Says it was just dumb luck. Her fire abilities."

"We know it's not though," Steve agreed as Tony nodded.

"The stones had something to do with it."

Steve hummed. "Any more visions from her?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Her connection with them is as good as finished."

"And you? What are you going to do now that she…" Steve trailed off, giving the woman a glance as she shuffled on her feet and adjusted her weight a bit.

Tony followed his gaze, eyes sad. "Retire. We're both getting older anyway, and as much as she hates to admit it, she can't use a suit anymore. Body's not able to handle it for long. Besides," he waved off, managing a small smile. "We've got Ash to take care of and plenty of heroes to go around. Maybe we'll find a successor, should the world every need another Iron Man."

Steve smiled in return, glad to see that hope still in his eyes even after what had happened. He pat him on the shoulder, stepping away to go meet up with Banner, who'd get him through the process of returning the stones to their proper timeline for the safety of everyone involved within the next few days.

I sat heavily on the sofa, sagging and grimacing at the ache that ran up my left side, setting my cane aside and rubbing at my knee.

"Do you want an ice pack?"

I looked over my shoulder at Tony, wishing I could scowl and joke about the pain I was in, but I couldn't. I just nodded silently and grumbled.

"And my meds too, if you could. Is Ash—"

"Already in bed," Tony answered with a hum, grabbing what I needed from the kitchen and joining me on the couch with a couple of glasses of alcohol.

"I didn't ask for this," I complained, eyeing the bottle. "My meds don't mix well with alcohol."

"So, don't take them yet," he shrugged off, leaning forward and pouring us drinks and settling back with an arm around my shoulders to pull me close to him.

I placed the ice pack on my left knee to cool the ache settling there from being on my feet most of the day because of the funeral, hoping it would soothe the bitterness that had wrapped itself around me since I'd woken up in the hospital and discovered my now limited mobility. Tony, undoubtedly sensing my mood, lightly tugged on my earlobe, making me scowl at him.

"You know I love you, right?" He hummed, making me sigh and sag into his chest.

"So you've said for the millionth time today."

"Because I want you to understand how much I mean it," he said seriously, lightly turning my head to face him. "What happened didn't change anything. You're still a brilliant woman and very hot."

I rolled my eyes, leaning forward and putting down my glass. "Yeah, maybe I should take my medication and head to bed if you're going to go all cheesy on me."

"Jess." His hand wrapped around my arm, stopping me as his gentle brown eyes gazed back at me seriously. "I mean it. Every word. You are everything to me."

I sank back a bit, unable to keep looking at him as I glanced at my left hand that was wrinkled, pink and stiff from the aftermath of what I'd done. His hand reached over it and held it tight, drawing my gaze back to him.

"And I will keep telling you that until you believe it. Every second of every day."

I gave in with a heavy sigh, leaning back against him once more and turning to wrap my arm around him as I pressed my nose to the crook of his neck. "How the hell did I end up with you?"

He snorted. "Please. I've been asking myself that ever since I met you." He wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tight and resting his head against mine. "How did I end up with the strongest, more beautiful woman in the world, who just so happened to be capable of saving the universe? Was it my charm? My wit? My amazing sense of humor?"

I snorted, lightly slapping him on the chest and earning a smile in return. "Definitely not that."

"Oh, come on. I think I do pretty good," he chuckled, leaning down and kissing me lightly. "Feel better?"

Oh, this dunce. Always trying to distract me. "Much," I murmured, shooting him a look. "So, what now since you're retiring with me?"

He shrugged. "Well, you know, it's unofficial retirement really."

I raised a brow. "Meaning?"

"We can still help out. Mess around with SHIELD a bit, maybe upgrade some super suits. Weren't you looking into upgrading Friday with some sort of uh, early warning alert systems? Fiddle with that, tweak it here or there, maybe take a real vacation. But Nepal is definitely off the list."

I snorted, pushing myself up and standing carefully as he quickly stood to help me. "You and Strange really need to stop bickering over me."

"Who said we were bickering? I obviously won," he huffed, childishly sneaking in for another kiss and looking at me with a spark of mischievousness.

"Oh, no," I said, knowing what the look meant.

"Come on," he hummed with a wiggle of his brows, offering a hand to me and easily sliding me away from my cane that I'd gone to grab, pulling me to his chest once more. "Not up for a bit of fun?"

"We just put Ash to bed! What if she wakes up!" I hissed.

"Friday?" He chimed and the AI promptly responded.

"The alert system is activated and will inform you should she awaken. I have also prepared distractions via the holographic system to prevent her from leaving her room and can prepare hot chocolate to satisfy any evening snacking."

I shot Tony a look as he grinned.

"See?"

"I can't believe you came up with a whole protocol should our daughter wake up while we're busy."

He shrugged. "I got distracted working on the home security protocol."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Fine, but you have to help me."

He grinned, making me yelp as he scooped my feet off the ground and carried me—still surprisingly strong for how old we were both getting. "Oh, I will."

Fury sighed heavily as his car pulled up to the famous Lady Liberty and he stepped out, peering against the glare of the morning sun and raising a hand to shield his brows.

"Can one of you two please explain why I've been getting numerous calls about a couple of iron-suited figures having breakfast on the crown of the Statue of Liberty!"

Tony and Jess both peeked over the edge, Tony stuffing a donut in his mouth as Jess snorted.

"You know? I honestly don't have a clue!" Tony called back down, before glancing at his wife briefly. "Gotta go! Ash can't be late for school. Bye!"

"Stark!"