A/N: I know. Trust me, I know. I can't believe how long it's been. I'm a horrible person. I'm sorry to keep you waiting this long. I've been on vacation for quite some time, and still currently am, so I've had a hard time getting time to sit down and write. I'm so unbelievably sorry. I hope you'll all forgive me.

It was the early hours of the morning when I finally saw a little head. Pepper had gone into labor nearly twelve hours earlier—it was slow and tedious, but I had sat in that room with Tony for every second. I had brought in a delivery team for Pepper, because if I had tried to do it, her body would have healed over, and we would have never heard the beautiful cry of Tony and Pepper's baby boy.

They immediately handed the child to me and I took him to be cleaned. I would be able to ensure that the baby was completely healthy. We were unsure of how he would be when he was born due to Tony's reactor—if any of the debris on his blood had somehow managed to factor into his child, I would be able to make sure he was alright. I wrapped the boy in a blue blanket and truly looked at him for the first time. Green eyes, dark hair, olive skin. He was still whimpering softly, but the louder cries had subsided.

I walked back out into the room where Pepper was now sitting up, looking at Tony with love. It was possibly the cutest scene I had ever seen—Pep was crying, a huge smile spreading across her face, while Tony was holding her hand. He had a soft grin and his eyes were glistening with unshed tears. When the baby in my arms whimpered again, both of them snapped their heads in my direction and gasped. I handed the baby to Pepper first, who began cooing at him. I stepped out of the room, giving them some privacy, to find Steve by the door.

"How is she?" he asked, grabbing my hand and wiping the hair off my forehead.

"She's great, she did wonderful," I replied, nearly crying myself. "He's the most beautiful baby."

Steve grinned, nodding his head. "I bet. What did they name him?"

I shook my head, reaching up to wipe a tear off my cheek. "They didn't say just yet, but I have a pretty good idea."

Steve quirked an eyebrow, but one of the nurses came out before he could say anything. "They'd like you to meet him," she said with a grin, and I grabbed Steve's hand and walked back inside.

The two parents were sitting in the same spot, but now Tony had the little bundle in his arms. He was smiling down at him, whispering to him so softly I couldn't hear. Steve and I walked right up beside him, leaning over his shoulder to look at the baby.

"Oh, Tony, he's beautiful," I whispered, reaching a hand down to pet the boy's fine hair.

"'Course he is, he looks just like me," he responded, not taking his eyes off the baby in his arms.

Steve chuckled, reaching down and offering the baby his finger. The little boy wrapped his hand around it, causing Steve to laugh. "What's his name?"

"Howard," Pepper said immediately, beaming up at us. "Howard Steven."

Steve's jaw dropped, his hand falling slightly out of the baby's grasp. Howard whimpered again, and Steve instantly moved his hand back into his grasp. "Steven?"

Tony nodded, looking up at my fiancé. "Don't flatter yourself, Cap. My dad dedicated his life to finding you, and well, I'm kinda fond of you myself, but don't let that go to your head. I'd also really appreciate it if the two of you would be his godparents."

I gasped, looking over at Pepper and grabbing her hand. "Really? Do you guys mean that?"

Pepper nodded, grinning at me. "Of course. You're both of our best friends."

I stood up, wrapping my arms around Steve's waist, who smiled down at me. "Howard Steven Stark. That's quite a mouthful."

Tony stood up, leaning towards the two of us. "Here. This is the one and only chance you'll ever get at holding my offspring. Appreciate it while it lasts." I grabbed the baby and held him in the crook of my arm. Steve wrapped his one arm around my waist, leaning over my shoulder to look at the baby. His free hand was cupping the back of Howard's head.

"Hey there, baby boy," I whispered, leaning my face closer to Howard's. "I'm your godmommy. Do you know you're named after two of the most amazing men that ever lived? And you're daddy's pretty great, too. You're so loved, Howard."

Steve turned his face to kiss my cheek and I grinned. "You're going to be the most amazing mother someday, you know that?"

I grinned, giggling at the idea that someday, I would be holding Steve's baby in my arms. "You'll be an alright daddy, I guess." Steve chuckled and scooped Howard out of my arms, walking around the room with him as he bounced the baby.

"I think…" I whispered to Tony as Steve was across the room. Pepper had fallen asleep from all the exhaustion of the day's events. "That that was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for him."

Tony shrugged, a smirk on his lips. "That actually isn't why I did it. I don't aim to be nice to the man—but the kid needed a strong, sturdy name. Someone to look up to."

"So not Anthony?" I asked, smirking back at him.

"I said someone to look up to. Not someone like me," he responded, his smirk still present, but more somber.

"Hey, Tony," I said, turning and reaching a hand up to his shoulder. "You are the most incredible man I have ever known. Well, besides Steve and my real father." I smiled at him, noticing for the millionth time how he never let his true emotions show through. "You're really the only dad I've ever known—and you've done a damn good job. You're someone to look up to, Tony. I mean…I do."

Tony chuckled, pushing my hand off his shoulder and turning to look at Steve. "You're too good to me, kiddo."

I smiled, bumping my shoulder against his. "Well, someone has to be.

A few others began filing into the room, including Bruce, Clint, Natasha and even Thor. Steve brought the baby back to Tony, who began showing off his son to the group.

I grabbed Steve's hand, dragging him out of the overcrowded room. He smiled, staring out behind me, his eyes glassy. "They named him. After me."

"Guess you made an impression on them, huh?" I replied, giving him a smirk.

He chuckled. "I don't know what I did to deserve it, but…I'm so honored."

"We'll get to return the favor eventually," I replied, grabbing his hand and walking down the hallway.

"You think?" Steve asked, a light blush painting his cheeks.

I poked his cheek, grinning ear to ear. "There's the shy little Steve I fell in love with. So it's ok to say I'll be a great mother, but once I talk about making babies, you get all bashful?"

He rolled his eyes, the flush spreading to his neck. "Do you have to call it making babies?"

I laughed out loud at hearing the words come from his mouth. It sounded so awkward and foreign, and he blushed again. "Seeing as it makes you this uncomfortable? Yes. Yes I do."

"I hate you," he breathed out, chuckling.

I smirked, nearly skipping down the hallway. "Buuuuuut you want to make babies with me."

Steve's jaw dropped and I leaned over, laughing. I pointed at him, nearly shouting over my giggles. "You can't deny it, because it's true!" I sang, skipping backwards away from him.

He opened his mouth, stopping in the middle of the hallway. He closed it, and then opened it again, just looking at me. I burst out laughing again, wagging my finger at him. He glared at me before marching over and placing his hands on my waist, kissing my deeply. I melted into his embrace, sighing as he kissed me.

"We could get started on it now, you know, if you want," I said as he pulled away and he chuckled.

"How many kids do you want?" he asked suddenly. I raised my eyebrows, loosening my grip around his neck.

"I'm not entirely sure. You?"

"Three," he answered immediately, nodding his head. "Three. No only child. If you have two kids, one parent always goes with one, and the other goes to the other kid, but three? It throws a wrench in the mix. Makes everything fair for the kids."

I raised my eyebrows, nodding my head while smiling at him. "Sounds like you've thought this all out."

He chuckled, his face reddening slightly. "I may or may not have some names in mind."

My grin grew wider and I nodded at him. "That's sweet, Steve. And I think three sounds perfect."

Steve beamed at me. "Why do we always make life decisions in the most random places?"

"Because you bring them up at the most random moments!" I shouted in reply, poking him in the chest.

"I can't help it! They just happen to cross my mind, and then boom, it comes flying out of my mouth."

I laughed, grabbing his hand again and walking down the hallway towards the elevators. "Whatever you say, babe. Hey, I'm gonna head down to my office and print out the baby's birth certificate, but I'll come find you after, alright?"

Steve nodded, kissing me on the cheek and offering me a smile before walking back towards Pepper's room. "Love you."

"I love you too," I shouted, before getting in the elevator and going down a floor. I stepped into my office and sat down on the computer, typing in the necessary information for the birth certificate.

Had Steve and I really just talked about how many kids we wanted? I smiled, shaking my head. I looked down at my left hand, like I so often did, and smiled at the ring there. How could everything in my life go so wrong for me, and then all the sudden, turn around?

"Shouldn't you be admiring your godson?"

I sighed before even looking up from my computer. My eyes turned toward the blonde woman leaning against the doorframe and rolled my eyes.

"What do you want, Annamarie?"

She chuckled, walking forward until she was sitting in the leather chair on the other side of my desk. She leaned forward, running her hand over the top of my desk. "You always expect the worst of me. Why do you hate me so?"

"Because you tried to convince my fiancé I was cheating on him," I said immediately, leaning back in my chair, away from her. "You've never been anything but horrible to me."

She chuckled, her voice deeper than usual. "Because you deserved it. You still do. You deserve it and much worse."

I slid my chair back, hitting the wall, as Annamarie stood up, leaning over my desk towards me. "You possess an incredible gift, Rebecca Andrews." She stood up, walking around the desk, and I leapt out of my chair. Before I could run out of the room, she grabbed my neck in one hand and both my wrists in the other, pinning me to the wall. "But I feel you were too good to the Avengers. They would have been crushed if it hadn't been for you, saving them."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I screeched, before she moved her hand from my neck to cover my mouth.

"You were the reason they defeated me. If it hadn't been for you, Midgard would belong to me. You were my downfall, Rebecca Andrews, and now, I shall be the downfall of you."

Annamarie slowly began to change before my own eyes. Her long blonde hair transformed into short, slicked-back, black locks. She became taller and her features became more masculine.

Annamarie no longer stood in front of me. Instead, Loki was pinning me to the wall.

A/N: OH SHIT. See you guys soon hopefully!