It was much later before they ever had a chance to unpack the toaster oven and find a spot on the counter for it.

The others had left after a fun afternoon of celebration. The catered meal had been splendid, the game room saw plenty of activity, and the newly married couple had spent a lot of time holding hands while they spent time with their friends. There were a few hugs when everyone said their goodbyes, and many reminders that they were all available for baby-sitting if Tony and Pepper changed their minds about getting away for a few days.

"Well, wife," Tony said, smiling as they closed the door. "That was a hell of a day, wasn't it?"

She nodded.

"That it was – husband."

"Can we watch a movie?" Peter asked, looking up at them, but obviously happy at the way they had addressed each other.

"You need a bath," Tony reminded the boy. "Tomorrow's a school day."

"After that?"

Tony looked at Pepper.

"Well?"

"I don't see why not."

Peter made a happy noise and rushed to his room, and Tony took Pepper's hand and led her over to the sofa. She smiled when he pulled her down onto his lap, and kissed her, soundly.

"He hasn't called you mom, yet…" he said, also smiling.

"How long did it take him to call you dad? A week or so, right?"

"Christmas day to New Year's eve, yes."

"Then I have time."

"It isn't a contest…"

She snorted, resting her cheek against his for just a moment, and enjoying the silence after such a busy and eventful day.

"Don't even pretend with me, Tony Stark…" Pepper told him. "I know everything is a contest to you."

He smirked, kissing her ear.

"Maybe."

"We could open the toaster oven," she said. "He's probably going to want to try it out, sometime soon."

"We'll wait for him." Tony hugged her close for a moment. "I'm going to go take a shower and get into something more comfortable."

"Good idea."

"Are you coming?"

"No." she did allow herself to slide out of his lap and reached for her tablet. "I'm going to make sure I have everything ready for tomorrow. And maybe see if anyone has figured out what we've done, yet."

"JARVIS will tell us when the story breaks," he said, standing up. "I'm tempted to keep Peter home from school, tomorrow, though – just in case things get crazy."

"He doesn't have anything going on that he can't miss," she agreed. Pepper made it a point to know what Peter was doing in his classes, now, and had since she'd moved in with the two. "Will you keep him with us at the tower?"

"You're okay with that?"

Pepper nodded.

"Of course."

Tony leaned over the back of the couch and kissed her, again.

"I love you."

She smiled, reaching up to touch his cheek.

"I love you, too."

OOOOOOOOO

Both of them were on the sofa when Peter finally came out of his bedroom. He was still damp from his bath and wearing Ironman pajamas. The fire was going in the fireplace and while the giant display above it was on, Tony and Pepper were both looking at their tablets. Pepper finishing the notes for her meeting, and Tony checking in on the progress of the suit that was still in development. The boy moved around the sofa, and stopped to look at them. Tony noticed that he was still wearing the ring that he'd been given.

"How was the bath?"

Peter smiled, leaning on Tony's knee.

"Wet."

Stark chuckled, amused.

"Then you must have done it correctly." He shifted, moving enough to make a Peter-sized space between himself and Pepper. "Come on, buddy."

The boy scrambled up into the space, and Tony and Pepper both turned toward him, slightly, putting their tablets aside.

"What are we going to watch?"

"Cartoon, I think," Tony replied. "But we want to talk to you, first."

"About what?"

"We're worried that things might get a little crazy at your school when the word gets out that Pepper and I got married, today."

"Oh." He hesitated. "What do you want me to do? Keep it a secret?"

Pepper smiled, brushing her fingers through his damp hair.

"It can't be kept a secret, honey. And we wouldn't ask you to, for something like this. We were thinking that it might be a good idea to keep you out of school, though. Just until we see how things go."

"Oh."

"Just until we know that there isn't any concern about the press going crazy and trying to get to you for an exclusive," Tony said. "We'll give it a day or two to let the initial furor to die down and see what happens."

"What do I do?"

He smiled, loving everything about the boy sitting between him and Pepper.

"Nothing, buddy. Once the story breaks, Pepper and I will make a confirming announcement, we'll answer a few questions and show them the rings. It could happen as early as tomorrow, and if it does, we don't want you caught up in the shitstorm that is almost certainly going to follow."

"Tony…"

Stark smiled at the reprimand in Pepper's tone, not at all repentant. He was a lot better than he'd been, but he was still Tony Stark. Only now he was a father – and a husband – and he was supposed to be a better example.

"We're going to take you with us to the tower," he said. "You can either hang out with me, or spend the day in daycare, if you'd rather."

Peter nodded. He was always excited to be in Tony's workshop. Missing school wasn't a big deal to him, since he knew he could catch up as long as he didn't miss too much. He'd caught up when they'd gone to Disney, after all – and that had been a whole week.

"Okay."

"It won't be long," Pepper promised.

"I'm okay," the little boy assured her. "I'm glad you're married."

It was worth whatever he had to do.

"So are we, buddy," Tony replied. He smiled over at Pepper. "Anything to add?"

"About keeping him home from school?" she asked, smiling, as well. "Or the happy to be married thing?"

He put his arm around Peter, mainly so he could put his hand on her arm, too.

"Either."

"No."

"Peter?" Tony brushed the boy's curls back from his forehead, smiling down at him. "You're good?"

"Yeah."

"I'll make sure SHIELD knows so they can adjust however they need, then. JARVIS? Find us a good movie."

"Yes, sir."

The lights went down and the fireplace lowered a little before the display came on. Peter nestled against Pepper's side with a happy sigh, and he wriggled just a little when she put her arm around him. Tony watched them, together, and put his arm around Pepper, pulling her closer to him – and to Peter. He didn't say anything, though, and neither did she.

They didn't need to.

OOOOOOOOO

When the movie ended, Pepper was surprised to see that Peter was still awake but Tony was asleep, his day having caught up to him. He was leaning sideways, a fat pillow supporting him, even though his arm was still around Peter.

"Do we wake him up?" Peter whispered.

"Not yet." She smiled and very carefully detached herself from where Tony's hand was resting on her, and then she gestured for Peter to do the same. "Come on, looks like I get to tuck you in, tonight."

Peter smiled, too, and got off the couch, just as quietly.

"You don't mind?" he asked.

She picked him up, holding him easily, and hugging him.

"That's part of the mom thing, right?" Peter buried his face into her neck, sniffing, and Pepper made a soft noise. "Happy tears?" she asked as she carried him to his bedroom.

"Yeah." His eyes were bright when he looked up at her after she settled him in his spot on the lower bunk. "The happiest."

She pulled the blankets up over him, tucking them in.

"I love you, Peter Stark."

"I love you, too," he said, a tear trickling down his cheek to drop off his nose. "Mom…"

Pepper smiled, her eyes soft and warm.

"Do you want to negotiate for a story?" she asked. "Or are you willing to settle for just one longer one?"

"Just a long one," he said, hugging himself under the blankets when she settled next to him. "But with a happy ending."

"A long one, huh…?"

"I don't have school, tomorrow," he reminded her.

She nodded.

"Good point." Pepper brushed his wet cheek with her thumb. "There once was a woman named Virginia," she said. "Who went to school to learn how to run businesses… She graduated, and went to the big city, where she found a job working at a large company. And she was pretty good at it…"

Peter smiled, and closed his eyes.

"Yeah? Then what happened?" he asked, feeling warm and loved and feeling his long, exciting, day start to catch up with him.

"She met a man. A handsome man with a huge chip on his shoulder…"

"A Dorito?"

She shook her head, snorting softly, amused.

"Wrong kind of chip, sweetheart. But he was arrogant, and she knew immediately that he was going to be a lot of trouble…"

Peter sighed, almost asleep but trying very hard to stay awake and hear what happened.

"Was he?"

"Of course." Pepper brushed his cheek. "Virginia was very smart, and usually right… he had a few good qualities, though," she added in a whisper. "But they were buried pretty deep down. So deep that he didn't even know they were there…"

"Oh…"

Peter drifted off, and she smiled, amazed at the little person that was so very important to her.

"And then a lot of things happened, and she lived happily ever after," she concluded in a whisper.

"There are a few parts missing," JARVIS pointed out, just as softly, as Pepper eased out of Peter's bed.

She smiled, something that she found herself doing a lot of the last many months, now. She went to the door and turned off the light.

"That's a tale for a different day," she replied. "When he's a little older."

She left the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

"Indeed," JARVIS said, even though she didn't hear him.

The AI turned the lights up, nominally, to keep it from being completely dark in the room since he'd noticed the boy slept better when it wasn't so dark. Then he resumed his watchful guard over the boy, while monitoring everything else going on around him.

But if an AI could feel smug and self-satisfied, JARVIS was definitely doing it.

OOOOOOOO

"Hey…"

Tony woke with a start, despite the gentle tone. He looked around, only to find Pepper smiling, gently, down at him. A quick glance told him that Peter wasn't around, and that the movie was certainly over, since the display was off and the lights were on.

"I fell asleep?"

She nodded.

"You did."

"Peter's alright?"

"I just put him to bed. He's fine." Pepper kissed him, sliding into his lap in an unspoken request to be held, and Tony was plenty awake, now, that he complied. "He made it through the movie, but fell asleep during the story."

"Sounds about right." Tony nuzzled her neck, suddenly feeling amorous. Why not? It was his wedding night, right? "Is he soundly asleep?" he asked.

She made a noise of agreement, lifting her chin to allow him access to her sensitive skin.

"I think we're safe, yes…"

"JARVIS will let us know if that changes," he reminded her. His hand slid along her leg. "Let's go to bed, Pep," he whispered.

"Good idea."