Thanks for all the support guys! I love getting emails that someone has just favorited or followed my story! And special thanks to Xaiael, your review kind of inspired one of the scenes (I'm sure you'll be able to figure out which one). AND at the end of the chapter I finally got to the start of Iron Man. Hooray for me!

Again, I do not own any Marvel characters or movies. I also don't own Mickey Mouse or his clubhouse.

Obie apologized in many different fashions over the next few months. First was the series of phone calls, some sounded sincere, others were complacent and telling Tony not to be so sensitive. Those ones didn't help his case.

When it was clear the phone messages weren't going to cut it, Obie went for a different method. He started sending gifts. Everyday a multitude of baby clothes, stuffed animals, and other baby toys arrived in the mail. Tony tried to throw them out just to make a point, but Pepper stopped him. While Elli already had all the clothes and toys she would ever need, Pepper convinced him they shouldn't waste the gifts. So at the end of every week the local orphanage had an anonymous package delivered as a result of Obadiah's endless…generosity.

It was only when a snowy white pony with a big red bow on its tail showed up on the front porch that Pepper had had enough. Tony knew he could've kept it up forever, but his P.A. was adamant that he talked to his business partner/godfather. She wasn't going to find homes each week for whatever animal Obie sent next. And so, Tony forgave Obie in words only. They were okay on the outside, but Tony wasn't sure if he would ever see the man the same way again. And he was most definitely never taking Obie up on his offer to babysit. The man had only offered to gain back favor from Tony, after all.

It was around when Elli had started crawling that Obie felt he could show up at the mansion again and pester Tony about the company. They were in the lab, Elli sitting in a playpen that had a specially made mat so she could crawl without irritating the skin at the end of her legs. While Pepper had ordered special socks meant for amputees, Elli took them off each time and threw them as far as her little arm could chuck them. Which wasn't very far but the kid had a point to make. Tony had laughed at Pepper's frustration and proceeded to made a special mat for his daughter with Jarvis.

"I don't have anything to show you, Obie." Tony sits at his work station with schematics that Obadiah could never fully understand floating around him. The man had shown up with a stuffed bear that was bigger than Dummy and had acted so excited to see Elli, Tony almost threw up.

"Come on Tony. You haven't given me anything good since you adopted Elli. The board is getting impatient," Tony snorted, "I know you still have been working everyday. Pepper told me. Why don't you just show me what you're working on so we can at least throw the investors a bone to chew."

Tony glanced back at the man, the sooner he gave him what he wanted, the sooner he left.

"Jarvis, pull up Project Eleanor." The current schematics and numbers blinked out of existence and in their place a what looked to be a drawing of an arm and a leg popped up. Looking closer, Obie's eyes widened as he realized they were much more than that.

"You're building her replacement limbs?"

"Well, yeah. Elli was the inspiration but SI can produce them too. There are other people in the world like her. And they'll be useful with our military contracts. War veterans and other amputees can put a mechanical limb to good use. I wanted to have them done and legalized before she starts attempting to walk, I would rather she learn with these then having to learn twice."

Obie stared at the floating blueprints with his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open. Only Tony could pull this off in such a short amount of time, and all on his own too. A big grin broke across his face.

"You had me worried there for a while. Thought you had lost your touch when Elli showed up," Obie shook his head while his mind thought of all the profits to be made, he missed the glare Tony sent his way, "This is great Tony. Just fantastic. Make sure to send this to the research department by the end of the week."

Without bothering to say goodbye to either of them, Obie bounded up the stairs already on the phone with a board member that had been particularly vocal the past few months. Tony only rolled his eyes and went to carry Elli upstairs for her afternoon bottle. He had sent the file two weeks ago, Obie just assumed Tony always asked for permission. Not.

Testing was later this afternoon, Tony was actually going in—he wanted to make sure everything was perfect. This project was different. While the weapons he made protected American soldiers, they also caused pain and destruction. These mechanical limbs were going to help a lot of people, not just Elli.

*******this is my line break because it never shows up the first time I try to do it*******

"Pep, I'm telling you she was trying to say my name earlier." The two of them were sitting at the kitchen counter, Elli's high chair next to Tony so he could feed her apple sauce. Elli's hair was now long enough that Pepper was able to style it into a single pig tail that stood straight up on top of her head. Her onesie was a bright pink that said 'I'm a Daddy's girl' in white cursive lettering.

"I believe you, Tony," Pepper continued going through documents Tony needed to sign, humming in agreement but obviously not paying attention.

"Jarvis will tell you." Tony huffed at her lack of enthusiasm.

"She was rehearsing all night, Sir. Must be stage fright." Tony narrowed his eyes at one of Jarvis's cameras while Pepper started to laugh. So she was listening.

"Har, har."

Tony decided to ignore Jarvis and Pepper's teasing. Mostly because it had been a good day so far. Since testing had begun a month ago, the volunteers had reported little to no problems adjusting to the prosthetic limbs. In fact, every subject loved them. A young woman that had once been a marathon runner but had lost her left leg in an accident actually hugged him today. It had felt…nice.

At the rate RD was going, Elli would be fitted with her own in the next year or so. Clemmons said babies generally start walking at a little before the age of 2 and Elli was estimated to be about 8 or 9 months old. It would be perfect timing. And Dr. Clemmons had doubted him. Ha.

"Come on Elli, say 'Dada' so I can shove it in Pepper's face." Elli gurgled incoherently in response but there was definitely a 'da' sound in there somewhere.

"Watch daddy now," Pepper looked up from her papers as Tony elongated 'Dada' into Daaaaaaada, "See, Dada. Now you try."

"Daaaaaaaa..."

"Pepper," without looking over, Tony began smacking Pepper's shoulder, "Pepper it's happening. Oh my God, Jarvis you better be recording this."

"Of course, Sir." Tony was practically vibrating in his seat.

"…Da. Dada." Elli grinned as Tony flew into the air and took a victory lap around the kitchen.

******linnnnneee break******

For the special occasion, Tony had dressed Elli up in a fluffy pink dress with gold sequins sown into the skirt. Pepper's gift was currently in Elli's hair, the gold butterfly bobby pins keeping the white tufts of hair out of the toddler's face. It was an anniversary/birthday party due to no one actually knowing Elli's actual date of birth. So Tony decided to just make it the day she had appeared in his living room. They had spent the entire day getting ready. Even though it was going to be a party of five adults plus a 1-year-old, Pepper had insisted on decorating the living room and kitchen. Pink and green streamers hung from every corner of the ceiling and balloons were everywhere. For some reason, Tony had a helium tank in the lab and Pepper had used it to her advantage. A cake with frosting flowers sat on the counter. You would think Tony would have the self control not to stick his finger in the frosting, but unfortunately Pepper has had to have Rhodey guard it all day.

Happy and Dr. Clemmons were coming later, around 6 o'clock. Obie was not coming—he was currently in Japan—but had had a fluffy Golden Retriever puppy with a pink ribbon wrapped around its neck delivered earlier in the morning. Pepper thought she was going to have to take it home until a certain toddler's squeals of delight melted Tony's dislike of small furry creatures. Despite Obie's objection however, Tony had let Elli name the dog and, due to her limited range of sounds, had declared the name to be 'Deedee'. They were currently learning the names of animals and 'deedee' was as close as she could get to 'dog'.

"Elli do you want some apple juice?" Rhodey was in charge of the toddler while Tony and Pepper moved presents from some closet in the mansion to the kitchen table.

"No!"

"No apple juice?"

"NO!"

"That means yes in Elli-speak. She is in a 'no' phase right now." Tony walked past Rhodey with a box wrapped in silver paper with blue balloons.

Nodding, Rhodey filled a purple sippy cup and brought it over to the playpen Elli and Deedee were currently sitting in. There weren't too many presents, a 1-year-old didn't need much. After Pepper had arranged the gifts to be aesthetically pleasing, the three of them sat down to chat. Rhodey drank beer, Pepper a white wine, and Tony black coffee. Not being able to hide his shock, Pepper explained to Rhodey that Tony barely drank anymore. Elli required too much attention for him to be constantly buzzed like her used to be. In fact, Tony hadn't been to a party since last year when Elli had come into their lives. Parenthood had changed the man greatly.

"Sir, Dr. Clemmons and Mr. Hogan have arrived."

"Great, now the party can start!" Tony hopped out of his chair and scooped Elli up to go greet the guests at the door.

The group opened presents first. The presents had included puzzles, books, and various stuffed animals. Tony's favorite gift had been a frame with a photo of Tony bottle feeding Elli. Pepper had snuck it on her phone one day. Tony was wearing a ratty old ACDC t-shirt and his favorite pair MIT sweatpants. It had been early in the morning so both of their hair had had a bad case of bedhead sticking up at all angles. Despite his worn and torn appearance, Tony thought he looked happier in that moment then any one of the photos published by the press in the past ten years.

When it was time for cake, Tony had blown out the candles for the toddler. Everyone had clapped and cheered causing Elli to giggle with excitement. Elli had then been placed back into her high chair with her own slice to dig into. The adults had laughed when she ignored her spork and dug in with just her bare hand. It was while they were eating their own portions of the cake that Tony suddenly jumped out of his chair, startling everyone.

"Elli you come back down here right now!" Everyone's eyes had widened exponentially as they looked up to see a floating toddler. The girl was giggling as she began spinning slowly, an electric blue glow outlining her body. Happy fainted at the sight. Tony chased after her as she floated about the kitchen. Finally, the glow dimmed and the toddler dropped into her father's waiting arms. Dr. Clemmons inspected Elli for any injuries as Rhodey looked up in complete disbelief at what his life had become.

"Is that frosting on the ceiling?"