"Anthony, you're gonna have to explain this to me one more time. So I have to go to this menu and then put in the code for the door?" Grandma Cherry squinted at the floating menu.

"No, see, from this menu you have to press the button where it says 'Entrances' and then this window here is where you enter the code."

"And how do I know which door I'm opening?"

"The codes are organized by what floor they're on. See? The doors on the first level all start off with '1' so if you wanted to open the back left garage door, you would enter 115. There's a map on this screen over here to show you which codes go to which door." Tony stood directly behind her and pulled up the screens she would need to keep guard.

"Tony, are you seriously putting her to work already?" Pepper shook her head as she poured the morning coffee.

"Oh, I insisted. When you're as old as me and have seen and done it all, it gets very boring to sit around and let everything get done for you. I would just watch TV, but none of these new shows that kids today watch tickle my fancy, and I've already seen all the reruns of the good shows about a hundred times, and I'm not even using a hyperbole there. I have spent years of my life in front of the television just to give me something to do. I did try knitting, but I made enough socks to last for life time…Oh that reminds me!" The old woman leaped up from the desk and ran to retrieve a large floral-print hat box from her room, "I made these for you, Anthony. Just consider them the thirty years-worth of Christmas presents I owe you."

"You are just too much, Grandma." He said affectionately as he popped off the lid and pulled out the colorful assortment of knitted socks, scarves, hats, mittens, blankets, and even a bright red sweater.

"Mah mama always told me that the most important quality to a proper Southern lady was charity. You can share those with your friends if you so choose." She held an antique lavender silk fan in front of her as she sat at the bar and crossed her legs.

"That is very sweet of you, Mrs. Stark. Tony could use some variety in his wardrobe." Pepper took a long green and blue striped scarf and threw it around Tony's neck as he drew a defeated sigh.

"Oh darlin', you don't have call me Mrs. Anything, just Grandma Cherry, or Miss Cherry if you prefer." She smiled her usual smile until she saw someone on the holographic screen, "Oh, there's some men at the door? Who comes here this early?"

"That would be Bruce…and Steve?" Tony looked perplexed and then shrugged, "Fine, let them in."

"Oh, let me do it!" Grandma Cherry rushed to the screen, but took her time trying to remember the order of buttons to push, "…Okay, press open…there's no button to say to open the doors."

Tony put down his breakfast donut and reached to touch the screen himself "No, that's to open files, and you're not even on the main me-"

"I can do it!" She raised her voice in persistence, "Okay…menu…control panel…network status…"

Tony motioned for Pepper to go downstairs and open the doors manually, and when they whooshed open, the oblivious old woman cheered for herself thinking she got it right. Steve came with gifts in his hands while Bruce kept his in his pockets.

"Hey, look who it is…" Tony pulled a purple knit cap from the box and put it on Bruce's head, "Merry Christmas."

"Yeah…you, too," Bruce pulled on the end of Tony's scarf and threw it across his friend's shoulder.

"Oh mah goodness! I forgot that I'm not decent!" Grandma Cherry gasped in surprise and scuttled on to her room in her pajamas before she had a chance to introduce herself.

"Wow, Tony, I knew you had very broad tastes, but she has to be…" Bruce pursed his lips.

"Oh, you're funny, and disgusting. She's actually… a relative of mine." Tony had to take a deep breath to say it.

Steve did a double take as he put his presents under the little silver Christmas tree on the counter, "Since when do you have family come to visit you?"

"Um, it's Christmas, Steve? That's not a new concept. A lot of people have relatives over for Christmas." Tony scoffed and crossed his arms

"I thought you always travel to the Caribbean for Christmas." Bruce grabbed a donut from the bar.

"Well this year, things turned out a little differently…"

"Sorry I ran out on you fine gentlemen, but I could not bear to be seen without my proper attire." Grandma Cherry strutted out in a red cashmere sweater with mistletoe pendant hanging around her neck and red lipstick to match. She straightened out her tight black pencil skirt before putting her hands on her hips in a pose.

"Gentlemen, this is Grandma Stark. Grandma, this is Dr. Bruce Banner and Steve Rogers." Tony waved his hand to gesture them to get acquainted, but Steve just stared at her with a shocked look, and for a brief horrifying moment, he thought that Steve was attracted to her.

Grandma Cherry gasped, "Oh, how could I not recognize the one and only Captain America!" She skipped to right in front of him and offered her hand, "I remember when my boy Howard introduced us. All these years and you haven't even aged a day. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for myself."

"You…" Steve tried to make sense of everything but he was flabbergasted, "You look like you're in excellent health, though, Miss Cherry."