Tony Stark had a complicated history with the Christmas season. It wasn't that he hated the holiday. In fact, he was rather fond of it. It just so happened that some of the worst memories of his life had coincided with Christmastime. When he was 21, his parents died the week before Christmas and, years later, he very nearly lost Pepper at Christmas due to Aldrich Killian's schemes. Tony was at least comforted by the knowledge that she hadn't died on his watch.

It had been three years since the Battle on Norco and although their relationship had ended since then, Tony still counted Pepper as one of the three most important people in his life. Rhodey, of course, made the cut. The third, or maybe he should say the first, was Martha Jones, AKA the newly christened Mrs. Anthony Edward Stark.

After his first foray with the Avengers during the Battle of New York, Tony had taken on an advisory position in S.H.I.E.L.D. As a result, he was their go to person when it came to all matter of technology. Once or twice, he had been thrown for a loop by the tech he encountered, a phenomenon he viewed as a challenge rather than a failure. More often than not, the tech in question had alien origins, like the Chitauri technology collected after the Battle of New York or the relics that came through the portal when Thor faced off against the Dark Elves in London. It was during the aftermath of the latter situation that Tony and Martha first crossed paths.

S.H.I.E.L.D. had no local authority in England and when it came to alien invasions in the UK there was no one better equipped to handle things than UNIT. The Unified Intelligence Taskforce was just as deeply rooted in the military and intelligence worlds as S.H.I.E.L.D. was, but it was the science that piqued Tony's interest. So while Nick Fury and Kate Stewart talked diplomacy and peaceful coexistence in the Tower of London, Tony's curiosity found him breaking into the vault down below.

From Tony's estimation, the aptly named Black Archives contained all the things that shouldn't have existed on the planet but somehow did. Or least he assumed that's what was inside. His memories about the vault's contents were suspiciously absent. He wasn't entirely sure that it existed in the first place. The only recollection he trusted was the moment he met the woman who he would one day call his wife.

"You know you're not supposed to be down here, yea?" she asked when she found him lurking in the tunnels beneath the Tower of London.

"Wherever here is," Tony responded as he tried to force himself to remember something important. "What's the place again?"

Martha crossed her arms. "It's restricted."

Tony met her eyes. "That doesn't really help."

"I'm not here to help. Just to collect you," she retorted.

"So you know who I am?"

"Yes." She nodded. "You're a trespasser. Admittedly a high profile trespasser, but a trespasser nonetheless."

"I usually answer to Tony. Mr. Stark, if you're feeling formal."

"Martha," she said, extending a hand. "Dr. Jones, if you're feeling feverish."

Tony gave her hand a shake as his eyes swept over her. "Dr. Jones it is then."

Their first interaction was short-lived, but in that time Tony had figured out a few key details about the elusive Martha Jones. Obviously, she was beautiful. He saw that as soon as he laid eyes on her. She was smart too. Clever enough secure her position as UNIT's chief medical officer at such a young age and quick-witted enough to match him word for word. She was also competent enough to command her own team in the capture of the Jotunheim beast that was left roaming around London following the Battle of Greenwich.

"So what exactly are you going to do with that thing once you catch it?" Tony asked as the containment unit prepared to move out.

"Bring it in," Martha answered. "Preferably still breathing. Study it. Understand it. And if all goes to plan, send it back home in one piece."

"Sounds ambitious."

Martha lifted a brow. "Does that shock you?"

"Honestly?" Tony shrugged. "Not really. I haven't seen you in action, but you seem competent."

Martha scoffed. "You don't even know me."

"Well maybe I want to," Tony countered. "Are you free for dinner?"

"We'll see," she answered coquettishly before walking away.

"Hey!" Tony called out after her. "You're just going to leave me hanging?"

Martha glanced over her shoulder. "Business before pleasure."

From day one, Martha made him work for it. Not that he minded. Tony enjoyed the chase and Martha always kept him on his toes. It was the beginning of November when they first met and it took until the end of December before she finally agreed to go on a real date with him. Martha immediately saw right through his insistence that they ring in the New Year together. So she conceded a quick peck on the corner of his mouth at midnight, but it was another three months before she kissed him again and two more months before they spent the night together. By the following Christmas, he had convinced her to move into the Tower with him.

After a year and a half of dating, Tony was unequivocally, head over heels in love with Martha. There wasn't anything about her he didn't adore. The way she chewed on her bottom lip when she was nervous. Her questionable cooking skills. The strength it must have taken to survive a year on her own while the world died around her. Her determination not to let the emotional scars of her past cast a shadow over her life. Her laugh. Her smile. Her compassion. But perhaps the thing he loved most about her was her unwavering faith in him.

By all rights, after what went down with Ultron in Sovokia, Martha should have been running for the hills and yet, she was there supporting him every step of the way.

"You think I'd be put off by metal men trying to destroy humanity?" Martha scoffed. "Been there done that." She said it flippantly but he knew how much it had to affect her, especially since her cousin Adeola had been killed by Cybermen.

Martha was resilient. Tony knew that much. He was also pretty sure that he didn't deserve her. No more than he deserved Pepper when they were together. He had managed to sabotage things with Pepper, but Martha was either too loyal or too stubborn to get out while she could. Either way, Tony reckoned he was lucky and he was determined not to make the same mistakes he did when he pushed Pepper away.

"Marry me," Tony requested upon returning to her side after retiring from the Avengers.

Martha stared at him in disbelief. "What?"

"Now," Tony insisted. "Today."

"Are you bloody serious?"

"More serious than I've ever been," Tony insisted. "I love you and for whatever reason you love me back. I can't promise you perfection. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that I will screw up continuously and probably on a grand scale. But what I can do is promise that I won't ever stop trying to be the man that you think I am. So I'm asking you take a gamble and bet on me…no…bet on us. What do you say?"

"I say…yes."

And so they eloped.

It wasn't fancy. It was just a quick trip to city hall. Martha playfully complained about not having a dress. Yet, as she stood there wearing jeans and with her hair in a bun, Tony was convinced that she couldn't be more beautiful. Rhodey served as his best man, but Martha didn't have anyone to stand up for her. Her family was all in London and Pepper and Helen Cho, both of whom she had formed a deep friendship with, were out of town. As Tony slipped his mother's ring onto her finger, he vowed to make it up to her.

With the Tower still needing renovations and Tony's retirement from avenging, London seemed as good a place as any for them to start their life together as a married couple. Martha, for one, was happy to be home and close to her family. Her mother, on the other hand, was less than thrilled to learn that her daughter had wed without telling her and perhaps worst of all, bound her life to yet another dangerous man.

"I swear it's a bloody habit with you," Francine Jones scolded upon first learning of their elopement via newspaper headline.

Martha had insisted that Tony allow her to call her family, but he was momentarily distracted by the need to jumpstart their honeymoon during their flight to London. By the time they landed, their quickie nuptials were front page news.

"You're not pregnant are you?" Francine demanded.

"Not pregnant, mum," Martha answered, holding Tony's hand. "Just in love."

Tony wasn't sure if he'd ever get Francine to love him, but she did at least attempt to tolerate him. In the six months that followed the wedding, Tony had grown to think of Martha's family as his own. Her father Clive was more receptive to his son-in-law's effort than his ex-wife. Tony bonded with Martha's younger brother Leo over a shared appreciation for technology and he temporarily employed her big sister Tish's public relations skills to keep their life in London under the media's radar as much as possible. As for Leo's nine year old daughter, Keisha, she was the only person beside his wife that had Tony completely wrapped around their finger.

"I want one," Tony told Martha as they curled up together in bed inside the home he had bought for them in Knightsbridge.

"Want one of what?" Martha asked, lifting her head to meet his eyes.

"A kid."

"What?"

"A kid. I think we need one."

Martha sat up in bed. "You think we need a child?"

"Yea," Tony insisted, sitting up with her. "I need an heir. I'm not going to live forever. Someone needs to carry on the Stark legacy. Think about it. My brains and your looks? Our kid would rule the world. More to the point, I love kids and, despite my best efforts to smuggle her away from them, Leo and Shonara keep insisting that I give Keisha back. Therefore, we need a kid of our own."

Martha huffed softly. "You do realize that a child isn't a puppy, yea? It's not like we can just pick up a baby from the shops on the way home one night."

"I think you're underestimating just how much you can buy with the type of money I have," he joked.

"Yea? Well I didn't marry you for your billions, playboy," Martha shot back playfully. "Besides…" She caressed the spot on his chest where the arc reactor used to be. "I reckoned you'd be keen to make a baby the old fashioned way."

"I'm keen," Tony assured her as he pulled her body flush against his and kissed her passionately. "Very keen," he said between kisses. "The keenest."

"Do you really want to have a baby?" Martha asked seriously.

Tony nodded slowly as he stared into her eyes. "Any child I had with you would be the best thing I've ever created."

Martha kissed him fiercely and slipped her hand behind his neck, pulling Tony down on top of her as she lay back against the mattress. "Well then…if you're all that serious about us making a baby, then you better get to work."

By the time December rolled around again, the Tower had been fully restored and Tony and Martha returned to New York with no immediate need for a nursey. And while the Stark clan continued to only include the two of them for the time being, it was obvious to Tony that Martha's thoughts were still with the family she left behind in London.

When all else failed, Tony knew there was one thing that always brought a smile to his wife's face. Despite the light pollution in the city, there were a few places in Manhattan where you could see the stars. Since beginning his relationship with Martha, Tony knew them all like the back of his hand.

"What are we doing here?" Martha asked when Tony brought her to Inwood Hill Park Bear Rock Meadow.

"Stargazing," Tony answered, leading her to the top of the hill. "It's no TARDIS but the view is nice."

Martha hugged herself as they reached the summit. "I wouldn't put it past you to try a build one."

"Don't think I haven't been tempted." Tony opened his coat, allowing Martha to snuggle in close and share his body heat.

Martha propped her chin up against his chest while her arms encircled his waist inside his coat. "You've already got plans sketched out in that head of yours, don't you?"

"Rudimentary," Tony confessed as he pulled his coat tight around the two of them. "Kind of a long term goal."

"That's very sweet of you to try to build me a TARDIS and wholly unnecessary."

Tony scoffed. "Oh did you think I was building it for your benefit?" he joked. "I mean I supposed I could make room for you. They're allegedly bigger on the inside and I guess you are kind of an expert on traveling through time and space."

Martha pursed her lips. "Are you done?"

Tony paused to think. "Yea, I suppose I am for now."

"Good." Martha rose up on her toes and pressed a gentle kiss on his lips. Tony's hands went to the small of her back, holding her in place for a moment then releasing her once he felt her lower herself back down to her feet. "Look," she said, looking up at the night sky. "A shooting star."

Tony followed her gaze. "Huh. So it is." He glanced back down at his wife. "Make a wish."

Martha scoffed. "Don't be daft."

"I'm a genius. I'm never daft," Tony retorted. "C'mon. I'll do it too." He turned his eyes skyward again. "I wish…"

"No!" Martha's hand shot up and covered his mouth. "You're not supposed to tell," she protested. "It won't come true if you do."

"It could," Tony challenged. "What do you wish for?"

Martha's face took on a forlorn expression. "I wish we could spend Christmas with my family in London."

Tony knew what she was going to wish for before the words even left her mouth. Although this year was poised to be their first Christmas together as a married couple, it was also technically their first Christmas together period. That first year didn't really count since they didn't get together until New Year's Eve. Last year, the Master's sudden return just before Thanksgiving had Martha rushing back to England for the holidays to ensure her family's safety. And London's reputation for attracting alien attention at Christmas kept her there through the New Year.

"You know you could still go to London for Christmas," Tony insisted after a long pause.

Martha sighed the sigh of someone tired of having the same argument over and over again. "We've already sorted this before, yea? We're not spending Christmas apart this year."

"So we won't. I'll just change my schedule," Tony suggested, still feeling guilty about the fact that it was his obligations to the Maria Stark Foundation that was keeping her from spending Christmas with her family.

"Don't you bloody dare!" Martha threatened with a finger pointed at his face.

"I wouldn't cancel. I'd just shift things around a little. Move Christmas dinner at the soup kitchen to lunch on Christmas Eve. A quick hi and bye to the kids at the orphanage after that. I'll have the jet gassed up and we can be in London before midnight."

"No," Martha shot back, poking him in the center of his chest. "You're not phoning it in with orphans. They've been waiting all year for this and so have you."

"How about I send Rhodey instead?" Tony proposed in a last ditch effort. "Most people like him better than me anyway. Plus, you have to appreciate the dichotomy of War Machine promoting peace on Earth. I mean technically you could say promoting peace is what he does every day, but we'll get him a Santa hat to wear over his armor. It'll be festive."

Martha sighed again. "Tony…"

"You've always spent Christmas with your family."

Martha cupped his face between her hands. "And I will again this year," she insisted with a warm smile and a note of finality in her voice. "My new family."

Tony knew there was no use fighting her once she set her mind on something. She was too damn stubborn to be moved. It was one of her more frustrating, albeit occasionally adorable, qualities. "Alright," he conceded. "Christmas in New York." His hand covered one of the ones she had on his cheek and he shifted it so he could kiss her palm. "A brand new Stark family tradition."

Martha slipped her other hand behind his neck, caressing the hairs at his nape with her fingertips. "Are we sorted then?"

Tony nodded. "Sorted."

"Good." She pulled him down to her level for a tender kiss. "I'm freezing. Let's go home so you can warm me up."

Later that night, after taking great care to makes sure that the missus was properly warmed up, Tony slipped off to his workroom as he so often did when Martha fell asleep. He put in a couple of hours of work until he was certain that he wouldn't be calling his mother-in-law at some ungodly hour.

"Anthony Stark…well this is unexpected," Francine answered as way of greeting. She had a way of speaking that always made Tony feel like he was on trial. It was no wonder that she was a high ranking barrister. "To what do I owe the pleasure? I'm assuming that all is well with my daughter."

"Martha's fine," Tony assured her. "But…how would like to help me make her Christmas a little bit brighter?"

"Go on," Francine prompted.

"You're in? Good." Tony smiled on his end of the phone. "Here's what I need you to do."

Tony laid out his plans for Francine, which she was thankfully eager to help him with. While his mother-in-law took care of things in England, he set himself to the task of making sure that his wife was none the wiser.

In the days leading up to Christmas, Martha's work with UNIT kept her days busy and Tony took great pleasure in seeing that her nights were fulfilling as well. Come Christmas Eve, Tony felt confident that he had managed to safely keep Martha in the dark. All that was left was for him to get her out of the Tower so that her gift could be delivered.

On the morning on the 24th, Tony took leave of his sleeping wife and disappeared down to the kitchen, returning with a breakfast of eggs and toast. Martha mewled softly and rolled over with a sleepy grin. "There's a pretty sight…Tony Stark with bedhead and pajamas bearing a tray of food."

"The view is a lot better from my perspective," Tony countered. He leaned forward to kiss her tenderly before setting the tray on her lap.

Martha picked up her fork and began eating. "What time are we expected at the orphanage?"

Tony stole a sip of her coffee. "Seven."

"Plenty of time to find ourselves in some trouble," she joked between bites.

Tony lifted a brow. "Is that my Christmas gift?"

"Does it count if it's something you get to have on the regular?"

"We could dress it up a bit," Tony suggested. "Maybe some well-placed mistletoe."

Martha laughed outright. "You're bloody insatiable, you are."

"Mmm hmm," Tony agreed through a mouthful of coffee. "I'm an absolute heathen." He set his coffee on the nightstand and took her fork and tray away.

"I was eating that," Martha protested halfheartedly.

Tony crawled into bed next to her. "It'll keep." He nuzzled her neck. "Not sure I will though."

Martha closed her eyes and sighed. "What about my breakfast?"

"I'll make you another," Tony said as his hands disappeared beneath her pajamas. "Better yet, I'll take you out for a big lunch."

"Do really think you can bribe me with food?"

"Mmm hmm," Tony muttered against her skin. "It's the quickest way to your heart."

Martha looped her arms around his neck. "Well you could always get me a dog. You know I've always wanted a puppy."

Tony lifted his head. "Didn't you say I was your puppy once?" He dove back in before she answered.

"If memory serves, love, I implied that you were a sick puppy," Martha teased with a soft whimper. "Not quite the same."

"Close enough."

"Well you are prone to begging."

"How about I just roll over for you?" Tony quipped, slipping his arms around Martha and rolling them over so that she was above him.

Martha settled into comfortable position on top of him. "You always were a bit submissive, weren't you?"

Tony looked up at her with a smirk. "What can I say? You've trained me well."

Their morning romp killed a good bit of time, after which Tony took his time showering and getting dressed. As promised, he took Martha out for a big lunch at her favorite restaurant in the city. He took great care to make sure that they had no time to return to the Tower before they were due to be at the Maria Stark Foundation event at the orphanage. It wouldn't do for him to go through all the trouble of planning a big surprise for her only for it to be ruined before it was ready.

Once the evening rolled around, Tony got a text informing him of his gift's safe delivery to the Tower and he was able to relax into the role of philanthropist. Martha was right about him looking forward to the toy drive for the orphans. Tony did love kids and watching Martha doting on the children at the orphanage only increased his desire for them to have one of their own. With any luck, all the distractions he employed over the course of the last few days would help see that wish come to fruition.

When they got back to the Tower, Tony secretly sent a quick message to his accomplice to announce their return. "So, Mrs. Stark, Christmas Eve…what should we do?" he asked as they crossed the lobby headed for the elevator.

Martha shrugged. "We could bake cookies."

"We just got the Tower back. Do you really want to burn it down?"

Martha scoffed. "Well I can tell you one thing you won't be getting for Christmas, Mr. Stark."

"Food poisoning?" he joked as he led the way inside the elevator.

Martha hit him hard in the shoulder. "You're such an arsehole."

"Watch your mouth, naughty girl. Santa hasn't come to town yet. It's not too late to end up with coal in your stocking."

"And here I was under the impression that you liked it when I was naughty," Martha retorted, leaning into him and nuzzling his neck.

Tony closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "What was the question again?"

"I didn't ask one," she answered between kisses.

Tony momentarily allowed his wife to continue her machinations before nudging her away gently. "As much as I'd love for you jingle my bells right here and now, I think you should open your present from me first."

Martha pulled her lips away from his earlobe long enough to speak. "That's what I called myself doing."

"I'm not the gift."

"Then I'll open whatever it is later."

"No, I think you need to open it now," Tony insisted as the elevator doors opened behind his wife's back.

"What could possibly be so…" Martha stopped midsentence when Tony spun her around by the shoulders to see all the members of the Jones family waiting just outside the elevator. "Important," she finished softly. Without warning, Martha burst into tears and rushed into her mother's waiting arms. "Mum," she sobbed. "How are you here?"

Francine hugged her daughter tightly. "Someone was very determined to grant your Christmas wish." She looked at Tony over Martha's shoulder and mouthed a silent 'thank you.'

Tony gave a quick nod in response without saying anything. Francine regarding him warmly was just south of a Christmas miracle and he wasn't about to ruin the moment.

"Uncle Tony!" Keisha shrieked and rushed towards him.

Tony dropped down to one knee and held his arms open just as the little girl slammed into him. "Hey, how's my favorite girl?"

"I got full marks on my science project!" Keisha reported happily.

"That's my Keke." Tony gave her a tight squeeze and kissed her temple. "Merry Christmas, honey."

Tony and Martha greeted and welcomed each member of the Jones clan in turn. Her mom and dad, who thankfully left his latest girlfriend behind. Leo and Shonara. Keisha and of course, Martha's older sister Tish was always one of his favorite in-laws.

"So you know that Black Panther bloke pretty well, yea?" Tish asked Tony.

"T'challa? Yea, I know him," Tony confirmed with a nod.

"Hmm." Tish took a sip of her wine. "And you have a good relationship?"

Tony shrugged. "Ehh…it can be a bit tenuous at times, but we respect each other for the most part so I suppose that goes a long way."

"But you're mates, yea?" Tish pressed.

Tony quirked a brow. "Why do you ask?"

Martha exhaled sharply. "Tish, please tell me you aren't trying to get my husband to set you up."

"What?" Tish retorted with an innocent expression. "Aren't I allowed to have a crush? You bloody married my last one," she added gesturing towards Tony. "It's not like I can carry on fantasizing about him, can I? Bit too incestuous, innit? Besides, not only is T'challa just as smart as Tony…"

"I don't know if I'd say as smart," Tony interrupted. "I mean we're both in the top ten smartest people in the whole world. Top eight for sure."

"As handsome as Tony…"

"That's really a matter of taste, isn't it?"

"As rich as Tony…"

"Technically richer, but I'm the not ruler of my own nation so it's not really a fair comparison."

"Which brings me to my final point," Tish continued to ignore her brother-in-law's sidebars. "He's also a king and who wants to be a trophy wife when you could be a queen?"

Martha scoffed. "I'm not some blooming trophy wife."

"I've always found your presence to be rewarding," Tony quipped.

"Yea and you aren't a bloody queen either," Tish shot back at her sister.

"No, but she doesn't mind being called khalessi in bed," Tony pointed out, causing Tish to regard her sister with an amused smirk.

"Seriously, Martha?" she asked while stifling a laugh.

"First of all, that was one time," Martha insisted before turning on her husband. "And if you keep talking, Natasha won't be the only black widow we know," she threatened.

"Threats and puns? I'm equal parts scared and aroused," Tony teased.

"You two are so bloody weird," Tish commented with a grimace as she walked away.

"Says the woman campaigning to be Wakanda's answer to Kate Middleton," Martha retorted after her sister. "You're not really going to set them up, are you?"

Tony shrugged. "I dunno. It could be fun."

"If your idea of fun involves an international incident," Martha shot back.

"She works in public relations. She knows how to handle herself."

"It's not her I'm worried about."

"T'challa has nothing to worry about either," Tony insisted as he moved to refill his drink. "The Dora Milaje will make sure of that."

After the evening wound down and the Jones family had been settled into their rooms for the night, Tony and Martha retreated to the comfort of their bedroom.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" Martha asked with a warm smile.

Tony opened his arms for her to fall into. "Doesn't hurt to hear it again."

"I love you," Martha repeated, sinking into his embrace. "And I'm so thankful for you bringing my family to New York for Christmas."

"How thankful are we talking here?" Tony asked. Martha leaned in close and whispered into his ear, causing him to gasp in mock horror. "Do I need to remind you that your mother is here?"

Martha pulled back with a laugh. "Something to keep in mind for once we have the Tower back to ourselves."

"I'll definitely keep it in mind," Tony assured her. He sat on the edge of the bed and started to remove his shoes.

Martha's expression suddenly became melancholic. "I am gonna be sad to see them leave though."

"I can always fly them out again next year."

"You could do and I'd been extremely grateful if you did," Martha assured him. "But I'd still miss being in London at Christmastime."

"So we'll go there next year."

"Maybe," Martha shrugged. "Or perhaps we'll have a compelling reason to stay here in the city," she said cagily.

Tony quirked a brow. "Did I miss something?"

"You did," Martha nodded. "My present for you." She dashed off to her closet and came back with a flat package. "I've got some others we can open with the family tomorrow, but this one I wanted you to open in private."

"Private, eh?" Tony asked with a slight smirk as he began opening his gift. He saw the corner of a photo frame and glanced up at his wife. "Is this one of those boudoir photographs?" he joked.

Martha huffed. "You bloody wish."

"I really do," Tony retorted as he continued to work through the wrapping.

"It's not a sexy photograph," Martha informed him. "Think of it sort of as a…blueprint of your greatest creation."

"Hmm?" he murmured as he finally freed the frame from its wrapping and flipped it over to see the image inside, which was a printout of a sonogram. Tony's breath immediately hitched and his eyes met hers. "How is this possible?"

"Well you were there!" Martha joked with a tiny chuckle. "I shouldn't have to explain how that bit works. You've always seemed to be very familiar with the mechanics. And very thorough, might I add."

"No," Tony replied, waving off her joke. "I mean you took a test."

"I know." Martha nodded. "False negative. It's actually more common than false positives." She shrugged. "Anyway, do you remember when I was ill a fortnight ago? Well I went to see my physician and when they checked my blood, there was no denying it then. So I rang up my gynecologist to schedule an appointment, she told me I was already two months into the first trimester. So we did the sonogram right then and there." She let out another quiet laugh. "I've been absolutely bursting to tell you and racking my brain to think of the best way. I figured it'd make for a nice surprise. So…surprise!"

"So we're having a baby?"

Martha nodded. "We're having a baby."

"And by next Christmas we'll have a little Antonia or Tony Jr. running around?"

Martha huffed. "By then, little Martin or Martha Jr. will only be about two months old in which case we'd be lucky if they can even hold their head up on their own let alone attempt feats of advanced motility," she insisted with an amused expression.

Tony scoffed. "Maybe for average children, but this kid has Stark genes. I built my first circuit board at four," he reminded her.

"And I was already sure I wanted to be a doctor at that age," Martha challenged.

"Fine. We'll compromise. Biomedical engineering," Tony suggested. "I can see it now an entire division devoted to bionics and surgical implants. Junior could usher in a whole new generation of Stark Industries."

"Or…" Martha cut in. "We can let our child be born first and then let them decide the path they want to take."

Tony set the frame aside and pulled Martha onto his lap. "I guess you were right."

Martha wrapped her arms around his neck. "I usually am, but you care to narrow down a bit?"

"My wish," Tony clarified. "You said if I kept it to myself, it would come true."

Martha stroked his nape lovingly. "What did you wish for?"

"You," Tony answered. He slipped a hand in place over her stomach. "This."

Martha smiled. "I reckon we both got what we wanted then, yea? Family for Christmas." She leaned forward and kissed him tenderly. "Seems like this has been the perfect Christmas."

Tony kissed her back and gave her belly a gentle caress. "I think the best is still yet to come."