One year later:
Stephen is woken up by what feels like an earthquake. Lazily he blinks into the bright morning sun to see Morgan jumping on the bed. With a quick motion, he rolls around and buries the giggling girl under a mountain of blankets and sheets."
"Who dares to disturb my slumber?" he asks in his best Smaug voice. (They started reading The Hobbit a week ago.)
"It's me, Pa!"
"Who's Mepa?" he asks and tickles her.
She starts to laugh so hard that she can't answer.
When she stops, he pulls her into a tight embrace and rolls the two of them over, until she lies on his stomach.
"Where are your parents?" he asks, while he brushes a strand of hair behind her ear.
"They are in the kitchen. Daddy says they have a surprise for you, but that's a secret."
"Oh, is that so? You really are the best secret keeper that I know."
"Am I?"
"No, just kidding. You are as bad at keeping secrets as Peter is."
That causes her to pout.
"Do not fret. You have other qualities."
"What qualities?"
"You're smart like your daddy and fierce like your mom. You will shape the future."
"Is that a good thing?"
He shrugs. "Who knows – I can't look into the future anymore." With a big yawn, he pulls her into another hug. "...and I honestly think that is a good thing."
-–-
Two hours later a very excited Tony and a grinning Pepper stand with Stephen and Morgan in front of the Sanctum Sanctorum.
"So you wanted to show me... what exactly? My home?" Stephen glances up to see if there is something unusual, but he can't spot a difference. "I honestly can't tell what you want me to look at."
"That is because you are looking at the wrong building!" Tony hooks his arm under Stephen's and leads him around the corner into Sullivan Street.
Expectantly, Stephen looks around, but there also is nothing out of the ordinary. On the other side of the road is a typical building for this neighborhood: It is five stories high, painted in a light shade of reddish brown, with black fire escapes on both sides. On the first floor is a restaurant located, while the levels above house apartments.
Some months ago, Stephen had heard rumors that an insanely rich idiot bought half the block way above value. Some days later, construction works had begun, and nobody in the neighborhood has any clue what the plan of the mysterious new owner is.
Now as Stephen stands here, Pepper and Tony at his side, something clicks in his head.
"That was you!" he accuses Tony, "You are that insanely rich idiot who bought half the block! But why?"
"Happy had problems paying the rent in his old place, so I decided here would be the ideal spot for a new venue."
"You maniac! You really bought half the block that your friend can have his restaurant?"
"No, just the house on the corner and the one behind it." Tony grins. "So, the real property is mine now, that means I get to determine how much rent he has to pay – which is nothing – instead, I get to be the co-owner of his restaurant."
"So, you suddenly wanted to become a restaurateur?"
"Nah, the man just wouldn't accept my offer to provide the space for free, so I'm more of a secret partner."
They cross the street, and Stephen can take a closer look at the restaurant. On big windows state large golden letters 'Happy Place,' and behind those windows, Stephen can spot a cozy dining area with dark furniture and lots of flowers.
"Happy Place?" Stephen asks.
"Yeah! Can you believe it? They messed it up totally! It was supposed to say 'Happy's Palace,' but the Idiots forgot two letters."
Stephen puts his hand on his shoulder. "Come on, Tony, it's not that bad."
"Come, let us show you how it looks inside!" Pepper pulls a bunch of keys from her purse and opens the door.
She leads them through the dining area into the kitchen, fully equipped, with top modern kitchenware.
They only have a quick look, until Pepper ushers them out the back into the staircase.
Stephen is confused. Why are they rushing so fast through the rooms, if Pepper and Tony wanted to show him the restaurant?
Pepper stops in front of a door on the second floor.
"This will be Happy's apartment. This way, he is always close to his restaurant."
With a nod, Stephen acknowledges he heard what she just said. That doesn't mean he understands why they are telling it to him. He likes Happy, no question, but that doesn't mean he has to know where the man is going to live.
"Nice. So Happy will be my new neighbor."
He expects them to show him the apartment, but Morgan takes his hand and pulls him farther upstairs. When they reach the top floor, she storms into the penthouse, a spacious living area with big windows, high ceilings, and an open kitchen. Before he has the time to take in all the new impressions fully, Morgan drags him along again. She leads him into a room that is obviously a child's room: On one wall is the Skyline of New York painted, illuminated with LEDs as windows and street lights. Whoever designed the interior took full advantage of the height of the room, because in the corner is a huge bunk bed half hidden behind the facade of a skyscraper.
Morgan climbs up and motions Stephen to follow. The place is big enough for three people and offers a view over the entire room without being seen instantly.
"What do you think?" she asks.
"It is great. But why a city?"
"First I wanted a castle and horses. But I'm no princess. I am a superhero like my dads, and I have to protect the city!"
Stephen feels tears sting in his eyes, but he tries his best not to show it. She said dads. Plural. He still hasn't come to terms with that.
Pepper and Tony step into the door and look up at them. "Come on, Doc! You're missing the rest of the tour!"
Tony and Pepper show him the rest of the apartment: Three big guest rooms, each with its own bath, the kitchen and the adjacent living room, a beautiful roof terrace and finally a bedroom with a monstrosity of a bed in the middle, big enough for three people, even if one of them is a space-hogger like Tony Stark.
On the floor beneath the penthouse is a roomy, state-of-the-art workshop for Tony, and next to that, a smaller one.
"For Peter. Kid needs a place to work," Tony states, shrugging.
After that, they return to the living room, were Tony throws himself onto the large sofa in front of the fireplace.
"What do you think? Ideal for movie nights with friends."
Stephen nods.
Unceremoniously, Pepper shoves Tony's legs off the furniture.
"No shoes on the new couch!" she says when sits down beside him. Grinning, she pads the empty spot beside her. Stephen accepts this invitation and settles down beside her with Morgan in his lap.
"What is this?" he asks eventually with a gesture meant to encompass the whole apartment.
"We decided we wanted to move back to the city, to be closer to our friends ...and closer to you," Pepper explains.
"Oh!" Stephen is so touched, he doesn't know what to say.
Pepper takes his hand and caresses it with her thumb. "We keep the cabin by the lake, of course, but we know how bad you feel when you leave the Sanctum to spend a night with us. This way, you would be next door in case something happens."
Tony grins. "That's not the only thing: You are co-owner of this building."
"What?" Stephen looks at him in shock.
"Yeah, we asked Jennifer Walters, our lawyer, to come over to take care of the legal stuff – so you'll probably have to sign some papers."
"Tony, I don't think I can accept that."
"Why not? You're part of the family now."
"That leads me to the other things we have to talk about when Jen is coming over." Pepper's tone of voice is all business. "We are changing our last will in your favor. If anything happens to both of us, we want to make sure you'll get full custody of Morgan."
"We don't want you to have to fight a long, useless legal battle in such a case. You'll also inherit a big chunk of Stark Industries, to make sure you'll get by, financially," Tony adds.
"Listen, is this really necessary? I mean, how probable is it, that both of you-"
"Better safe than sorry!" Tony cuts him short. "We just want to make sure financial and legal issues are the least of your problems in case you lose us."
At these words, Stephen has to swallow hard. He really doesn't want to think about such a case. "Thank you."
Subconsciously, he winds his arms a bit tighter around Morgan.
The little girl takes his face in her tiny hands and kisses him on the nose. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you."
With tears in his eyes, he touches his forehead to hers. "I know."
They sit there for a while, simply enjoying each others company and talking about everything and nothing in particular.
After some time, Pepper looks at her watch and proclaims, "We should go home now to pack. The movers will be there in the morning to ship our things over here."
Tony, who had somehow managed to end up between Pepper and Stephen as always, untangles himself from the embrace of his lovers. Sighing, he stands up.
"Daddy? Give me a piggyback ride?" Morgan tugs on the leg of his pants and looks at him with her big, brown eyes.
"No. Nada, out of the question! You're getting too heavy for this, and I'm an old man."
"Please?" Even with the young age of just seven years, Morgan knows precisely what her Bambi-eyes can do when it comes down to her father.
He rolls his eyes. "Okay. Hop on!"
"Yay!" the little girl yells and crawls on his back.
Groaning, he stands up again and trots to the stairs.
"You're not saying anything against that?" Stephen looks after them, amused.
"Why would I? Keeps him in shape." Pepper grins. Suddenly she seems to remember something. "Oh, I almost forgot," she starts to rummage through her handbag, "here are your keys." She hands Stephen a bundle of keys and turns to go.
Stephen stands there, goggling at them for a moment.
The keys to Pepper and Tony's new home. Not only that but also his new home!
"Stephen darling, you're coming?" Pepper calls from the staircase.
"Sure!" Stephen answers. He takes a final look around. It feels like his heart is going to burst with joy and love.
"Happy Place, indeed," he mumbles and closes the door behind himself with a soft smile.