AN: It's been a few days since the Avengers arrived on the island, and all is well... except for one lonely heart on the island that Tony wants to see be happy.

Despite what I just said, all you'll find here is mild angst, I promise!

While taking a sip of his drink, the last of Tony's laugh died when he turned in the opposite direction, and saw the beautiful raven haired woman walking along the beach all by herself. There was quite some space between them, but even at this distance Tony could see the sadness on her face. He sighed, then jumped when two arms encircled his waist and his wife's face appeared on his shoulder.

"Hello, Mr. Stark," Pepper murmured in his ear.

"Hello, Mrs. Stark," he replied, and kissed her lips when she turned her head enough for him to do so.

The team, or the rest of their family as they now forever would be, had arrived on the island four days ago, and everyone seems to be settling in perfectly. It was wonderful to see and experience for a change. A change Pepper knew she could get used to just after a few days because although they'd lived under the same roof for years, the families rarely seem to get together except for rare occasions like one or two holidays and to celebrate birthdays.

The Avengers certainly didn't come together except for when there was a call for them to assemble to fight the newest bad guy or bad guys who thought they were strong enough to defeat Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The harmony they were displaying right now proves that they should have been doing things like this years ago, and they would have too if the two men considered by the team to be their leaders would have had a real conversation.

Yes, in the short time everyone else had been here, Tony and Steve finally had the conversation they hadn't been putting off just for days but for years. On the second morning after they arrived, they'd both reached a silent agreement to go off to another part of the island, just the two of them, to get everyone of their differences regarding each other out of their systems. It obviously hadn't been a fun or easy experience for either of them if the way they looked when they returned were anything to judge by. But it had been needed to do if they ever wanted to be the team, the family that they always should have been from the second Fury brought them together.

Their kiss lasted a few seconds more, and then Pepper looked back in the direction he had been looking.

Betty had arrived the morning after the others, and although they'd all been doing her best to feel a part of their family, it was obvious she was feeling anything but the way they were trying for.

"I think we might have made a mistake, Pep," Tony said as his eyes followed the lonely woman. "I mean she's been talking with everyone and playing with the kids some but-"

"She's been trying not to be a third wheel and been staying mostly to herself," Pepper finished sadly.

"Yeah, she has." Tony watched her and shrugged, "I don't know. I guess I really thought he'd show up again after… it was all over. I thought he'd show, JARVIS would relay our invite to come here, and he'd show up with the rest of the team… or at least he'd get here around she sae time that she made it. Oh, Pep, I wanted it so badly to be a wonderful surprise for them both Because I know how much Bruce has missed her."

As they watched Betty turned towards the sea, and as she stared off at the horizon, wrapping her arms around herself as though giving herself a hug.

"She still loves him, you know?" Pepper murmured in his ear.

Tony nodded, "I know, and Bruce loves her… I don't think he ever stopped loving her... which is why I had hoped the big galoot would have enough sense to come back home by now."

"Well everyone is going to be here for several more days. Maybe there's a chance that Bruce will get here before then?"

"I hope so."

Pepper smiled, and kissed him, "Oh, what would the world think if they knew that, at heart, Iron Man was a big, soft romantic?"

Kissing her back, Tony said, "It's better if they didn't know. I have a reputation to maintain you know."

"Hmm, I know."

"Besides," he said, casting another glance in Betty's direction, "It is because I'm a big, soft romantic at heart or it is because I just want to see the people that I lo... care about being with all of the people that they love too for once?"

"I love you, Tony," His wife replied, her voice cracking with the depths of everything she felt for the amazing man she'd married.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!"

Whatever reply he had been about to make was lost when their daughter came running up to them.

Suppressing a groan at the interruption, Tony smiled at Eva, and asked, "What is it, princess?"

"Sand castles, Daddy!"

"Okay, what about them, sweetpea?"

"I think you promised that you'd build some with Eva today," Pepper piped in to remind him.

"Huh, so I did," he replied, and handed her his drink as Eva grabbed his hand.

"Come on, Daddy!" the little girl squealed.

"Okay, baby, hold your seahorses! Daddy's coming!"

Pepper laughed at what he said, and at the sight of their tiny daughter dragging her husband down the beach.

Hours later after they had all finished eating dinner, the families spread out some blankets on the sand, all settling down together on the beach to make s'mores with their kids while they watched the sun dip into the Caribbean. Since she was the only on the island without a spouse or a family, Pepper invited Betty to come sit with them.

At first Betty had refused saying, "Thank you but I don't want to disturb your family time together." She was, of course, aware of the ordeal they'd just come through less than a month ago.

But Pepper would not let her off that easily, "You won't be disturbing us."

"Are you sure?"

Pepper nodded, "I'm sure." When the other woman hesitated again, she added, "Please, Dr. Ross-"

"Betty… please call me Betty, Mrs. Stark."

With another nod, Pepper said, "Only if you'll finally start calling me either Pepper or Ginny?" They had had this more than once since the scientist had arrived on the island, and she hoped that it would take this time.

"All right… Ginny, as I was saying, I don't want to disturb your family time and it's okay because I was actually thinking about calling it a night."

"Really?"

Betty nodded, "Yeah."

"But it's way too early for bed!" Pepper said, glancing towards the west, "I mean the sun hasn't even gone down yet!" She pointed to the ocean, "Do you really want to miss seeing that sight?"

The other woman shrugged, "What can I say? It's been a big day and I'm very tired." She yawned. "See? I am tired."

Her yawn had seemed very fake to Pepper, and they both knew it was something she had done for Pepper's benefit. But what could she do? Even if it was a fake yawn, Pepper knew that there was no way she could force Betty to accept her invitation.

So she instead she made a suggestion.

"Betty, I know that you said you were tired so why don't you come sit with us long enough to have one s'more? You do like s'mores, right?"

Betty smiled, "Yes, I love them actually."

"Okay, then, why don't you come and have just one with us then?"

"I, uh…"

"Please?"

Betty finally nodded her head, sighing, "Okay, I'll come have just one." She followed Pepper over to the blanket, and watched as she sat down beside her husband.

"Here you go," Ethan said, handing her a stick to roast her marshmallow on.

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"You're welcome, Miss Betty," the boy replied as he finished skewering a marshmallow, and held it over the fire.

Pepper passed the bag of the white confectionary treats to her. She nodded her thanks as peals of laughter rang out from where Eva was sitting on the other side of her father. Betty looked over to see the little girl's face was covered with melted chocolate from the confectionary treat she held in her hands.

"Eva!" The little girl's mother said as she picked up a napkin and started to clean off the child's face.

"Mommy!" Eva whined pulling away from her mother.

"Oh, let her be, Pep!" Tony said when she tried again to clean their daughter up.

"But she's getting chocolate and marshmallow everywhere, Tony!"

"So, what's wrong with that?"

"Oh, honestly Tony! Do I really have to explain what's… TONY!"

Betty had been concentrating on making her s'more that she didn't know why the CEO of Stark Industries was suddenly laughing at her husband. She looked over at him to see Pepper shaking her head, and handing him a napkin. Tony's face was as covered exactly like his daughter's, and his grin was just as wide.

"Tony…" That was all Pepper could get out because she was laughing so hard.

"What?" Tony said, shrugging and taking another bite, "The messier it is, the better it is! Right, princess?"

"Right, Daddy!"

Pepper started laughing again, shaking her head as Ethan handed her the s'more that he had just made.

"Thank you, baby," she said as soon as she could breathe again.

Betty just smiled as she watched them, basking in their warmth as much as she was the fire.

Betty did indeed only stay long enough to eat one s'more, and then she said goodnight to everyone before walking off towards her bungalow. None of the families were able to stay long on the beach after the sun finished going down as one by one the kids all stretched out on the blankets, and fell asleep.

Tony and Pepper had stayed for a little while after all the others had carried their little ones off to bed, enjoying the beauty of the stars as they appeared in the sky, along with the fact they were together. In the end they were forced to make the decision it was time to go inside once a steady breeze began blowing up off of the ocean, chilling them both. Tony had carefully gathered his son up in his arms while Pepper scooped up Eva into hers.

"So BRUTUS, has everyone settled down for the night?" Tony asked as soon as he had left Ethan's room.

"Yeah, Boss, except there is one tiny thing," the AI responded.

"And what is that?" Tony asked, as Pepper emerged from Eva's room.

"Dr. Ross is awake and wishes to speak to you and the Missus ASAP."

They shared a look before Pepper said, "I wonder what she could want?"

"Well there's only one way to find out. BRUTUS, ask her if she'll meet with us out on the front porch."

"Will do, Boss."

They went outside, and sat down on the porch to await her arrival. While they were waiting, Pepper mused aloud, "I wonder what she wants to talk to us about? I hope it's not going to be what I think it might be."

"What do you think it might be?"

"I-" Her voice trailed off as she saw the woman they were talking about step onto the porch. Pointing to an empty nearby lounge chair, Pepper said,"Betty, hello! Come on over here and talk to us! Is there something wrong?"

Betty walked over to where they were sitting, and sat down on the edge of the offered seat, "Hi, I know it's getting late…"

It actually wasn't all that late but Pepper wasn't about to point that out, and she slightly nudged Tony to prevent him from pointing it too.

"But there's something I needed to tell you both."

Pepper had a sinking feeling in her stomach while Tony was the one who voiced the obvious question of "What is it?"

There was a sigh from Betty as she began, "Mr. Stark-"

"Tony," he corrected automatically, "'Mr. Stark' was my father, and I reserve being mistaken for him for people I do business with, not my friends."

The scientist nodded, then started again, "Tony… Ginny, I wanted to say thank you for your invitation to come here. The island is beautiful, and so peaceful, and I've enjoyed being here…"

They both sensed and waited for the but they both knew was coming.

"But," she went on, "I've just remembered some things back at the university that I need to do, and… well if it can be arranged, I'd like to head back home tomorrow morning."

Tony decided to let his wife take the lead on this, and nodded to her.

She looked at Betty, "Uh, sure we can arrange for you to return home tomorrow if that's what you really want to do. That isn't a problem."

"Good thank you because it is what I want to do. I need to get back home."

Pepper glanced at her husband again, then back to Betty, "Okay, we'll arrange for you to go back home tonight if that is what you want, but Thanksgiving is only four days away. Is it alright if I ask you what your plans are for that day?" They knew that Betty's father had died of a heart attack four months earlier. As far they knew or could tell, she had no other family she could spend the day.

Betty shrugged, "Other than probably working on my research that day, I have no special plans. It's just another day for me with my Dad gone." When she saw the sadness that came over their faces at the thought she'd be alone on a day for being with the people you love she added, "Oh, please don't worry about me. I appreciate your concern, but I have some friends I can spend Thanksgiving with if I want to be with someone that day."

"Are you sure that we can't talk you into staying for Thanksgiving?" Tony asked, saying the first thing he had said since the conversation had started.

She sighed, "No, I'm sorry I know you invited me because of my… past relationship with Bruce. And I really do appreciate the generosity it took for you to invite someone who is for all intents and purposes a stranger to your family. To be honest with you both, and I hope I don't offend you by saying this but I haven't been very comfortable here since I arrived."

It was Pepper's turn to sigh, "I think I've sensed that, and I'm sorry that you've been uncomfortable."

"I am too and believe me, it isn't because of anything that either of you or anyone else has said or done. I hope you can understand what I'm saying?"

Pepper nodded, "Yeah, I think we can understand."

Tony also nodded, and pulled what looked like a cell phone to Betty from his pocket, "I'm sorry that things didn't work out."

"So am I. I mean you've all be great to me but well I just need to get back home and attend to my life there."

Tony tapped a few things on the screen of the device in his hands, "What time did you want to leave tomorrow?"

Betty thought about a moment, "I'd like to get out of here first thing… maybe before anyone else wakes up. If you can... if that's possible to arrange?" She watched his fingers move over the screen.

"Done. The seaplane to take you to the nearby big island will be here at 7am sharp."

The scientist sighed again, "Thank you, Mr. Star- I mean Tony."

He nodded, "You're welcome."

"And thank you, both of you, for being so understanding."

"So much for that," Tony muttered dejectedly as she disappeared into the dark.

"I'm sorry, Tony. You tried."

"Yeah, I tried," he replied, wrapping his arm around her.

When Tony sighed for the umpteenth time that morning, Pepper wrapped an arm around his waist. She laid her head on his shoulder has he in turn wrapped his arm around her . They both continued to watch the woman on the dock as she waited for the seaplane to arrive.

"I'm sorry you're disappointed," she said quietly.

"You know I'm not so much disappointed for myself as I'm… as I am sad for them. Bruce… I really thought he would have come back by now. I mean come on, he left because I was arrested! He has to know by now that the team cleared my name. I mean someone has to have told him by now!"

"Not necessarily, since we don't know where in the world he went. You know how he is."

"Yeah, and since Banner tends to go to the farthest out of civilization places he can find…" Tony groaned, and shook his head, "Yeah, he's probably some place where they don't get much news from the outside world, if they ever do!" He sighed again in sad frustration.

"You tried to do something that I think would have been wonderful for your friend." Pepper knew that he had grown close to Bruce in the years they'd know each other. She knew that he loved the quiet scientist nearly as much as he loved Rhodey or Happy.

"Too bad we'll never know that for sure now."

"Still, your heart was in the right place, Tony. The fact Bruce didn't come doesn't change that."

"I still wish he had come."

"I know."

At that moment, the seaplane appeared on the horizon. For the next few minutes not a word was said as they watched it approach, land on the water about a hundred feet out, then circle around to the deck.

"Is there supposed to be a co-pilot?" Tony asked as the plane finished pulling up.

Pepper smiled at his question, "You're the one who made the arrangements. You tell me."

Before he could give a response the door to the seaplane opened, and a familiar head popped out of it. They heard Betty gasp audibly, and her hands flying up to her mouth as she said, "Bruce?"

The surprise on Bruce's face would have been comical if it were for any other reason than the fact he was seeing the love of his life again. It didn't take him long to recover from his shock of seeing her on the dock, and he jumped down from the plane. He reached out towards her, and stopped before saying, "Betty? Is it really you?"

Betty answered by touching his cheek, nodding as she stared into his eyes, "Yes, it's really me."

"How are you-"

He never had the chance to finish that question as she kissed him with fierce tenderness and with desperation.

"YES!" Tony said grinning, pumping his fist into the air.

EN: I hope one day I will be able to expand on Tony and Steve's conversation but that won't be today or anytime soon.