"It's been two days, Pep," Tony said, looking in the direction of the bungalow that Bruce and Betty had disappeared inside of on the day he had arrived, "Don't you think we should go check on them?" The families had gathered on the beach to share breakfast that morning.

Rolling her eyes, as this wasn't the first time she'd heard this mentioned this morning, Pepper handed her daughter back a piece of freshly sliced appleF before shaking her head. "No, I think we should continue to respect their privacy. We'll see them when they're ready to come out and join us."

"But it's been two days, Pep!"

"Tony-"

"I know! We should send an invite for them to come have breakfast with us!"

She sighed, and shook her head, "Tony, no. Don't."

"But-"

"Remember how everyone gave us space and privacy after you got out of you know where a few weeks ago?"

Tony suddenly became somber at the mention of his recent imprisonment and release. He nodded, "Yes, I remember how everyone was then, and I remember how much I appreciated the space they gave us after I got back home."

"Well that's what we've been doing for Bruce and Betty by not disturbing their privacy right now. I mean I can imagine the way they're feeling... it's probably almost like Bruce just got out of prison too with the passing of Betty's father." Pepper didn't know every little bit of the details of Bruce's history with Thaddeus Ross but she did know enough to know that he was one of the main reasons Bruce had been in hiding for years.

He nodded, "Yeah, I guess they probably are feeling something similar since that man did everything he could to keep them apart."

"Tony, I know you consider Bruce to be a friend-"

"He's one of the best I've ever had!"

Pepper nodded thinking about the close friendship her husband shared with the soft-spoken scientist they had been talking about. "I know that he is, and I know how you always want what is best for your friends and try to do what makes them happy."

"Bruce deserves some happiness after all this time… and everything that he's been through."

"Yes, he does," Pepper agreed, thinking about Bruce was one of the kindest people she knew.

"I just hope that he realizes that this is his time… their time, and he will do something about it."

"I hope he does too," she agreed, "But whether or not he does, that is up to him. You've done everything you can do to help him reach that realization. You've been a good friend to him but the chips are going to have to fall wherever they may now."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. They're going to have to fall wherever they may," Tony conceded with a groan.

Pepper kissed him, "Bruce is smart. I think he knows that this may be his last chance to have something really special with Betty. You just need to trust him to be smart enough to take the chance. Okay?"

He nodded, sighed, and after a moment started to grin before he turned towards where Rhodey was sitting beside his youngest sister, and called out, "Hey, platypus, is there any chance we'll get to see Monica soon?"

Rhodey glanced down at twenty-seven month old nephew to find the little boy just starting to wake from the nap he'd been having in his uncle's arms. Although Alyssa had reassured him that the toddler would stay asleep if he raised his voice a little to talk others not close by, Rhodey still hadn't since he hadn't wanted to wake Eric up. But now that he was starting to wake up he called back, "Her, Colton, and Frank should be here by late this afternoon or early tomorrow morning at the latest!"

His girlfriend been delayed in coming to the island because of a project that she, as the head of the SI biophysics, had felt like she needed to be on hand to see the completion of it through. They had been working on it for most of the year, and Rhodey knew they'd finished it the day before to great success from what Monica had told him in her phone call. He knew they would have hopped on the flight here that very day if she hadn't been too tired to deal with traveling to the island.

His best and dearest friend had opened his mouth to say something in reply to that when a hand clamped firmly over it. Rhodey was curious about what Tony had been about to say, but not that curious, given Tony also had an expression on his face that Rhodey was all too familiar with. If Pepper hadn't stopped her husband from speaking, first with her hand, then by kissing him when Tony began to protest, Rhodey knows that whatever his friend had been about to saying would have either been sarcastic or suggestive. Judging the look the billionaire had had on his face from the thirty-three years of experience he had of knowing Tony Stark, Rhodey knew it would have been the latter instead of the former.

Shaking his head as the kiss between Pepper and Tony continued, Rhodey looked back at his sister, picking up where their conversation had been interrupted, while in his arms his nephew started wiggling to get down.

Sam spiked the ball.

Clint dived into the sand, trying to keep it from hitting the ground.

Spitting the sputtering the grit out before he wiped the outer part of his mouth free of sand, Hawkeye pointed a finger at his fellow bird man on the team, and said as seriously as he possibly could, "Oh you are going down for that, Falcon!"

Sam laughed, "Bring it on, Barton! Bring it on!"

Clint glared at him for two more seconds and then bust out laughing too. The two men exchanged handshakes at the net, still laughing.

"Hey, Featherbrain!" Tony said as he came between the two of them and swatted at their hands. He gave Clint who was still laughing a glare, before he said, "You do know that you're on Team Iron Man and not Team Captain America right?"

The archer rolled his eyes, "Well, Stark, considering just how badly we're getting our a-"

"Language!" Steve said, nodding his head in the direction where their wives and children sat watching the game as spectators.

"... tails kicked by Team Cap, I think it's a little hard to forget!"

"We are not getting our tails kicked!" Rhodey countered.

"You keep telling yourself that, Rhodes!"

Steve laughed, shaking his head, "I know you're the one who is supposed to be the genius and all, Tony, but I think my math is better than yours because I'm pretty sure the bigger score on our side of the board means that we're winning!" He high fived Sam and Thor.

Tony shook his head, and looking over on the other side of the net, he called out at Thor, "You're playing with us next time, Goldilocks!" He gestured in Clint's direction, "This pansy can play with the losing team next time, Cap!"

The men on the other side of the net just kept on laughing.

Shaking his head, Tony jeered, "Ha! Enjoy winning while it lasts, Cap, because the game ain't over until it's over! It's just all relative anyway! Isn't that right, princess?"

At hearing her daddy say princess, Eva stepped onto the game court. "Yeah, it's all well-a-tive!"

The three of them struggled not to laugh at the sight of the tiny Stark telling them like it was, posed with her tiny hands resting on her hips.

Smiling proudly Tony decided to take it one step further. He leaned down close to her and said, "Tell 'em which team is the best EVER, princess!"

Eva looked at her Daddy, unsure what to say, so Tony whispered in her ear.

"Go on," he said when she gave him an uncertain look. When she still hadn't spoken a few seconds later, Tony knelt beside her, and put a reassuring arm around her saying, "Who's the best team ever, sweetpea?" He whispered in her ear.

This time Eva did what her Daddy had been trying to get her to do, and shouted at her Uncles, "Iwon Man!"

If Steve or Sam had looked at each other, their ability to contain the laughter they were both trying to hold in would have been completely gone. As it was Sam had suddenly gone into a coughing fit, while Steve had turned away and went over to where they'd set up a water cooler. Thor's eyes were bright with mirth but he did not turn away from his opponent or niece.

"Eva baby," Pepper called out once she was in control of her own laughter, "Come back to Mommy so Daddy and your Uncles can finish their game!"

Tony kissed the side of her head, "Go back to Mommy, princess." He stood up as she ran back to her mother watching as Pepper picked her up and seated the little girl on her lap. Once she was settled safely on the side with her mother, Tony turned back to face the net, calling out to the other team, "Are you guys ready to finish this or what?"

Sam coughed one last time and picked up the ball, "My, my, but you're eager for us to finish whooping your collective… tails!" He gestured at Steve and Thor, "My comrades and I will be only too happy to oblige your wish and give you the EPIC tail whooping you've got coming!"

"You keep on dreaming, Wilson!" Rhodey retorted at his brother-in-law.

"And just think you were being friendly with that guy, Legolas!" Tony said, taking his place on the court.

"Yeah well, I won't make that mistake again!"

Sam laughed, and served the ball. Rhodey had to make a dive to keep it from hitting the ground but he saved it, and Tony was the one who returned it over the net. The volleyball was hit back and forth for one of the longest rounds of continuous play they had had since the match had begun. The round was only interrupted when something caught Tony's eye enough that he turned away from the action to look over at it and the ball hit him on the side of the head as a result.

"Oh my… Tony!" Pepper exclaimed, jumping up.

Tony however stopped her from running over to him by holding up a hand, and saying, "I'm okay!"

"Tony, are you sure you're okay?" Steve asked as he crossed over to their side of the court since he'd be the one to hit the ball last.

"Yeah I'm fine, Capsicle. You're concern is so touching!" Tony replied, resting a hand over his heart.

The other man shook his head, and with a smile asked, "What the heck were you loo… Bruce! Doctor Ross!"

Bruce turned beet red as all eyes suddenly fell on them, and he gave them a shy with his free hand, "Hi guys."

Clint had a peculiar look on his face with his mouth open to no doubt say some sort of wisecrack when Eva ran over to the couple, and wrapped her arms around the scientist's legs, "Unca Bruce! Unca Bruce!"

Bruce smiled, exchanged a look with Betty, and after letting go of her hand, scooped Eva up, "Hey there, kiddo!"

Eva wrapped her arms around his neck, "Missed you, Unca Bruce!"

It wasn't hard to see that Bruce was touched by the little girl's greeting. He wrapped an arm around her, returning her hug, "I missed you too, sweetie." He looked her over and said, "Wow you must have grown another two inches since the last time I saw you!"

"Uh huh," the little girl replied, suddenly shy.

Bruce smiled, gave her a quick kiss on top of her head, and put her down.

"Eva baby, come back to Mommy."

"You know, Banner," Clint began as Eva returned to her mother, "you two were in there so long that I thought for sure Stark was pulling our leg when he told us you were on the island now."

It was Betty's turn to turn beet red as Bruce rolled his eyes at the archer. He didn't get the chance to speak the retort that was on the tip of his tongue because Sam decided to add his two cents to the conversation as well.

"Yeah, y'all were in there awhile… long enough to make me wonder if this was actually the Island from Lost instead of the privately owned slice of Heaven I thought we were standing on."

The puzzled look on Bruce's face said that he didn't get the reference was that Sam was making but that was okay. Steve stepped forward to spare Bruce any further, "Alright, guys, that's enough." He extended his hand to Bruce, "It's good to see you again, Dr. Banner. It's good to have you back."

Smiling, the scientist clasped his hand, "Thanks, Cap. It's good to be back."

"You know that we didn't mean anything that we said, right?" Clint said, shaking his hand next.

"Yeah," Sam added, taking his turn, "We were only joking."

Bruce nodded, "Yeah, I know. Don't worry about it."

Thor was next, and as he talked to the Asgardian, Bruce noticed how Tony seemed to be holding back. After saying hello to Rhodey, and shaking his hand, Bruce made his way over to Tony. The look on the billionaire's face was unreadable, and for a moment Bruce was more than a little nervous, wondering if he'd changed his mind about the invitation he'd left for him in New York. With one last noticeable swallow, he finally extended his hand, and mumbled a shy, "Hey, Tony."

Tony kept up his act for like another second, grabbed his hand, and pulled the other man into a hug, "Hey yourself, Big Guy!"

Bruce blinked in surprise, and then released the breath he had been holding. He considered Tony to be one of the closest friends he's ever had, especially since his life became what it was after the Hulk. But even so neither one of them were big on physical contact or overly public displays of affection, so he was surprised when the hug lasted more than a few seconds. If the length of it surprised him, the intensity of it surprised him even more. The longer Tony held onto him the more he had to blink back tears, and in a hoarse whisper when he said, "It's good to see you again, Tony. I'm glad you're okay."

"Yeah, me too," Tony replied.

"And sorry again that I had to run off like that."

"Hey, I already told you that I know you did what you had to do, and I totally get why too. So stop sweating it, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"I mean, Bruce. It's forgotten, and if there was anything to forgive, it already would have been forgiven while I was still in prison."

Tony ended the hug a few seconds later, not wanting it to get too much more awkward like it would have become if he'd let it go on any longer. "Now if you'll excuse me, my team and I need to finish handing Cap's sorry losers their collective a... uh keisters."

A retort came immediately from Sam, "Is the sun getting to you or something, Stark? We are still WINNING!"

"Don't count your baby falcons before they hatch, Wilson!"

Bruce smiled, shaking his head as Tony started back to the volleyball court, "Oh, Tony?"

The billionaire looked back over his shoulder, "Yeah?"

Shooting a look over at Betty, the scientist said, "Thank you." Betty's eyes met Bruce's at that moment, and she smiled at him.

Tony saw the exchange, and nodding he said, "Anytime, Big Guy."

"Yo Tones, are you coming back to the game today or should we just concede to the other side now?"

Rolling his eyes, he turned back towards the court, "I'm coming, I'm coming! Don't get your knickers in a twist!"

"Thanksgiving was wonderful," Pepper said softly, breaking the quiet they had been enjoying since they'd settled in the hammock together.

"Mmm, it was," Tony murmured, in his half awake, half asleep state.

They had of course had the traditional Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings with everyone else on the beach. Carving up the turkey, or rather turkeys, had been an interesting experience, since the platters tended to sink into the sand underneath blankets when pressure was applied but they'd managed in the end. Now everyone had gone to their separate bungalows to recuperate from the impending food comas.

"Just what we needed after the last few… horrible months," she said, shuddering.

Tony opened his eyes when he felt her shudder, and kissed her brow before saying, "Yeah." When he felt her shudder again, he tightened his arms around her. "I know that we won't ever forget what happened completely, but I think that after Morgan and Hammer are sentenced, we should try to forget it as best we can."

Both men were scheduled to be sentenced in federal court after the first of the year, and they'd already made the decision to be there to hear it. The death penalty was off the table for both of the men, they knew, but they still wanted to be present when the judge sentenced them to spend the rest of their days in prison.

"Yeah, I want to forget as much as we can once they've been put away forever."

The silence returned, and although Tony was rubbing one hand against her arm, he felt himself begin to drift off. He was almost asleep when he heard Pepper sigh then she was saying something else.

"I hate that our time is almost over. It's so beautiful here, and wonderful for it to be just us with the people we love here with us. That's why…That's why I'm not sure I can or ever want to go back."

He was quiet for a moment before he responded, "Then we don't have to."

"I wish it were possible to stay here."

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Oh, Tony, be serious."

"I am being serious, Pep."

Pepper sat up and looked at him, "Oh my… you are being serious, aren't you?"

Tony nodded, "Yeah, I am. I mean what I said. We don't have to go back to New York or even Malibu if you don't want to."

"Again I wish it were possible for us to stay here forever but it's not."

"Why?"

"I think you know very well why, Mr. Stark."

"Please, Mrs. Stark, I want you to tell me why you think it is impossible for us to stay here."

"Because."

Tony rolled his eyes, "No offense, Pepper, but I was hoping for something an explanation a little more comprehensive than just because."

Shaking her head, she laid back down, and sighed, "I suppose the biggest reason that we can't stay in paradise forever is that we both have responsibilities to return to. I mean whether we like it or not, we… or rather I have a company to run. The board has already been more than generous with their understanding and patience these last few months. They won't wait forever though for me to return to work."

"So let's sell out then."

"What?!"

"I said let's sell out then."

"I heard what you said but I wasn't sure I actually heard what I heard. Do you really mean that you want to sell out of the company?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?"

Her voice was incredulous when she answered him, "Because it was your father's company, your inheritance, and something that one day would be our children's inheritance!" When Tony didn't respond to what she had said, Pepper wondered if she had made a mistake bringing up Howard.

"You're right, the company is my inheritance… and my father's legacy. A legacy that one day would have been theirs when I passed it onto them. But you know after everything that's happened with Morgan… after the fact I almost died because he was arrogant… so greedy to think that the company should be his and the fact that he was willing to do whatever it took to get his hands on it… I.."

He sighed, hurt filling his voice as he continued, "For most of the time I was growing up, I felt like it… the company meant more to Dad than I. Honestly, Pepper, now that I look back on it, I am surprised that I even inherited it at all. I mean as cold-blooded as he is, Morgan wasn't wrong to believe that Dad preferred him over me since he was more like Dad than I was."

There was a long pause from him then.

"With everything that it's cost… at this point, I'm not sure it's really worth hanging onto Dad's legacy any longer."

"Oh Tony, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"For bringing your Dad into this. I shouldn't have."

Tony kissed the top of her head, and said, "Oh, honey, it's okay that you mentioned Dad."

"Is it?" Pepper responded, lifting her head to look at him, "I know how… how sensitive a subject he is for you."

"Yeah, he is a sensitive subject for me," he agreed, "And he's always probably going to be on some level. But Pep, while I was in prison locked in that cell, I did a lot of thinking about a lot of things. My parents but especially my Dad was one of the main things I thought about the most. And do you know what? I think while I was there and thought about the time that he was alive in my life, I think I was finally about to come to terms with what I didn't have with him. I'm not saying that I've reached a point of complete peace where he's concerned, but I think I can accept that what never was can never be."

The sad acceptance in his voice broke his wife's heart, and she stroked his cheek, "Oh, Tony…"

"It's okay, baby. Really. I mean I'll never understand why he treated me the way that did… not even after learning about my brother. I really can't understand him being the way he was. I really can't understand it after becoming a father myself. I love our kids way too much that even thinking about me treating them so coldly hurts me… and I mean it hurts me, almost to the point being physically painful down to the core of my soul. I would cut off my own leg or arm before I'd ever treat them the way he treated me."

"I know you would. I know you would."

A lull fell over them again, and this time it was Pepper who had nearly drifted off when Tony said, "I really am being serious about selling the company. I know that if we do, we'll be selling what should have been our kids' inheritance and breaking my Dad's legacy. But that's okay and you know why it's okay?"

"No why?" she asked, yawning.

"It will be okay because then we'll build something, another legacy to pass onto them and to our grandchildren. It'll be new, a better legacy and it'll be different, and I hope it'll be good because we'll build for them and with our family's future in mind. I really think it's time that we say goodbye to the past."

"You have given this thought, and I'd like to be able to say yes right at this moment but…"

"But you need time to think about it," he replied.

She nodded, "Yeah, I do, sorry."

"I thought you might say something like that, and it's okay," Tony replied.

She turned her head so she could look at him, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I mean it's a lot to think about," he replied, smiling when she yawned again, "I think it's time we stop talking and give into the callings of the food coma now."

He smiled at his wife as Pepper had already passed out while he was talking, "Sweet dreams, honey."

"Hey, if I could have everyone's attention," Bruce said as he got up.

It was the day after Thanksgiving, and as they had done every other morning on the island, the families were sharing breakfast on the beach. This morning though they had all opted to spread out blankets a little further apart.

Bruce was so mild-mannered, and soft spoken that no one had heard him the first time. So he tried again saying a little more loudly, "Hey guys, can I have your attention please?" When everyone kept on talking, Bruce shared an embarrassed yet amused glance with Betty, and just when he was considering sitting back down, a single voice broke through the buzz of everyone's chatter.

"Friends, harken and give your attention to Doctor Banner, for he wishes to make a proclamation!"

Bruce's face turned red as everyone fell silent butall eyes fell on him. He rubbed his neck nervously as he nodded at the Asgardian, and said, "Uh thanks, Thor."

"You are most welcome."

Clearing his throat, the scientist begins to stumble over his words, "I uh have something that umm I'd like to announce to… to everyone."

"Come now! Don't be shy, Big Guy!" Tony calls out playfully, earning himself an elbow in the stomach by Pepper.

"Uh, right," Bruce said as soon as he's sure Tony would be quiet, "Anyway, what I want to announce is… uh… is uh…" Betty reaches up to take his hand, seeing that he's getting all flustered, and Bruce smiles her. Then while looking down at her, he says, "I asked Betty to marry me and she said yes."

The moment the news sank in, the women left their own blankets and were surrounding Betty at the one she was sharing with Bruce. The men basically the same thing with Bruce. Of course most of the kids weren't old enough to understand why the adults were surrounding the couple being so loud all of a sudden so after looking on in puzzlement, the kids began to chase each other around the beach.

"So when do you think the wedding will be?" Pepper asked, later on when things were beginning to settle down.

Betty shrugged, "It'll probably be as soon as we can get an appointment at city hall after we get back home."

Pepper kept on smiling but the thought of her friends settling for a city hall wedding after they had waited so long to be together made her sad because she felt they deserved a wedding that was more special than that. Fortunately in that moment her husband loudly said over from where the men were standing, "Why don't you get married here?"

"What?" Bruce exclaimed.

"I said why don't you get married here?"

"You mean like here here?"

"Yeah, here."

"On the island?"

"Yep."

"On your private island?"

"No, on Asgard! Of course here on my private island!" When the scientist continued to give him a dumbstruck look Tony wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulders, and began moving them towards some palm trees, "Brucie boy, I think maybe we should continue this conversation in the shade 'cause the morning sun seems to be frying that big, brilliant brain of yours!"

"Tony!"

He turned around to face his wife with a look that said "What?".

"You know what!" Pepper said, freeing their mutual friend from his embrace. "I'm sorry about that, Bruce."

Bruce smiled at her, "It's alright, Pepper. I'm not offended. I know that Tony means well."

"Yes, but even so he still sometimes gets carried away!"

"And I just love being talked about like I'm not even standing here."

For the second time that morning, Pepper elbowed her husband in the stomach, and turned to look at their friends, "Bruce, Betty, what I am about to say isn't intended to rush you into a decision but we'd be honored if you did in fact have your wedding here on the island."

Reaching for Betty's hand, Bruce looked at her for a second before he turned back to them, "We do want to get married as soon as possible but..."

"Could we really pull a wedding together in a few days?" Betty finished.

Everyone would start leaving in the island in three days.

"That depends on whether or not you were planning on having a big wedding when you get married," Pepper said. "Were you?"

"Uh, I don't think so," Bruce said, "I mean the only family I have is you guys."

"My father was all I had left."

"So it was just going to be us and whomever we asked or could find for a witness."

Tony made a face and said, "That's just wrong! You guys getting married in some room in city hall with some random Joe Schmoe for a witness!"

"Tony, please stop badgering them about how they want to get married!" Pepper finally interjected.

"I'm not badgering them, Pep."

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not and before you say 'Yes, you are' again, I am not badgering them."

"Then what do you think you're doing if not badgering them?"

"Um, I'm just pointing out that getting married at city hall with Joe Schmoe as your witness isn't the most romantic option in the world!"

There was a split second pause after he had finished speaking just before the women burst into laughter. "What? What did I say that was so funny?" Tony asked, trying to sound as clueless as possible to hide his slight embarrassment at their laughter. However things only got worse when Bruce started laughing along with his fiancée. "E tu, Bruce?"

The scientist shrugged, wiping the tears in his eyes while Pepper actually voiced what they, well what Betty and her, were thinking at his statement.

"I'm sorry, honey, but I find it hard to believe that a man, especially one named Tony Stark, is worried about romance!"

"Hey! You know I can be very romantic! What about that time we-"

Pepper quickly placed a hand over his mouth, "I don't think we need to share any details about what we do in our private time together! Besides what I meant was, there have been plenty of time you didn't consider the romance for us, so I find it funny that you're worried about whether or not another couple's wedding will be romantic enough!"

Betty recovered first after Pepper, and she smiled warmly at Tony, "You may not believe me when I say this, but I've waited so long to be with Bruce that I don't care where or how we get married just as long as we do get married. But the thought that you want to go to so much trouble for us... that's so sweet, and means a lot to us... to me." She let go of Bruce's hand, stepped over to Tony, and gave his cheek a quick peck, "Thank you, Mr. Stark."

"You're welcome," Tony murmured touching the cheek she had kissed but was unable to hide the fact that they were now a bit pink, "And please I really wish you would stop calling me 'Mr. Stark', and not because Mr. Stark was my Dad but because hey, you're about to become a part of my family. Families aren't meant to be so formal, you know?"

Her voice was soft, and tears were in her eyes when she said, "Yeah, family shouldn't be so formal and I'll try to remember not to be from now on. Forgive me if I slip?"

Tony's tone was playful when he said, "Oh, I think that can be arranged on two conditions."

"Which are?"

"First, please don't cry. I know I have a reputation to maintain and all but I really can't take seeing a woman cry."

Wiping her eyes Betty said, "I'll try not to."

"Thank you."

"So what's the second condition?"

"Number two is simply this, and only this will do. You two have to say 'I do' here on this island."

"Tony..." Pepper began then stopped, giving her husband a very exasperated look.

He knew by the look, he'd probably hear about this later. But it'd be worth it to him and might actually happen given the fact that he saw more amusement in his friends' eyes than anything else. He also heard it in Bruce's voice when he spoke a few seconds later.

"You just don't give up do you?"

"Oh, you know me."

"Yeah, I do...enough to know that unless we agree to this, you probably won't drop it for the rest of the time we're here. Am I right?" Bruce said, thinking about all the times he had worked in the lab with Tony, and how unrelenting the man could be when he wanted Bruce to help him with something.

The mischievous glint in the billionaire's eyes only deepened when he answered, "What do you think?"

Chuckling Bruce shakes his head, "That would be a no." He shook his head again at the smirk Tony gives him. He glances at Betty, then gets a little serious as he says, "Okay, if we say yes to this, and that's a big if, I have two questions I want answered first."

Judging by the look she was giving Tony, he'd probably hear about his inability to drop this later. But until they were alone, Pepper smiled when she looked at the other couple again and asked, "What are they?"

"Well, the first one is: Do you really think that we can pull everything together before we're supposed to leave for home?"

Threading her arm through his, Pepper looked her husband straight in the eye and asked, "That's a really good question. So do you?" She laid her head on his shoulder before he could answer her question.

He wrapped his arm all the way around her, and kissed the top of her head before turning to answer the question that had been presented, "Alright you want to know if I think a wedding for you two can be put together before everyone starts leaving for home?"

Bruce and Betty both nodded.

"I think it can, and before you ask how or say it can't be done, let me remind you that you're planning on getting married at city hall when you get back to the States."

"Yeah, but-" Bruce began.

Tony held up a hand, "Hold on, Big Guy, I'm not finished making my point yet."

"Oops, sorry. Go ahead."

"Thank you. Now Betty?"

"Um... yes?"

"A few minutes ago in this conversation you said that you don't care where or how you get married just as long as you and Bruce get married. Yes or no?"

"Yes, I did say that. But-"

"Ah ah ah!" he countered, holding up a finger, "Let me make my point." He waited to make sure she would then he continued, "My point is, if you guys just want to get married and don't have to have a big wedding to do it, then why not do it here with the rest of us? I mean wouldn't it be better to have your friends be your witnesses rather than Joe Schmoe?"

Betty nodded conceding to his point, while Bruce was verbal, "Yes, I will admit that getting married with our friends there would be better. But that brings me to my second question which is if we get married here, will it have the same legal standing in the States?"

"Yep, believe it or not, it will be legal in the United States. Or it will be as long as we do everything the local jurisdiction requires, and what they require is nothing that can't be done in the time we have… if you guys want to do it that is."

"Give us a few minutes alone to talk about it?" Bruce said after looking at Betty.

"Of course," Pepper said, and began walking away while pulling Tony with her.

They walked a few feet down the beach away from everyone but where they could see their kids, who were busy burying their godfather in the sand. Tony watched them a few minutes then looked at his wife.

"You're kinda upset with me, aren't you?"

She gave him a side-eyed look and said in the same tone he had used earlier with Bruce, "Oh, you know me."

He sighed, "Yeah, I do so that's a yes. Look, Pep, I'm sorry I kept pushing them but I-"

"I'm not upset with you... just exasperated. I know you mean well, honey, but this is their decision, their business."

He nodded, "I know. I know it's ultimately their decision."

"Do you? Because your persistence up until this point has said otherwise."

"Well, I do know, you know? And I promise if they came back with a no, I will drop it. Okay?"

Pepper nodded, "I'm gonna hold you to that promise."

"Yeah, I know," Tony said with a sigh, "But...but I think maybe after every single thing that we've been through this year just makes me want to see everyone have the ones they love with them because you never know what life is going to throw at you or when the breath you just breathed in might actually be your last one."

As he spoke, he had one of his hands clutching his other arm where the arm bends rubbing a thumb over the exact area where they had inserted one of the needles for the lethal injection. Pepper was certain that he was unaware that he was doing it but she reached a point to where she couldn't take the visual reminder anymore, and placed a hand over his. Her mouth was open to speak but she never got the words out.

"Tony? Pepper?"

"Yes?" Pepper immediately said, sliding her hand into Tony's.

"We want to do it... want to get married here on the island," Bruce said, "and that's all."

"What we mean is," Betty continued, "We don't want any fuss made. We'll get married here but we don't want anything special to be done because of it."

"You mean you don't want a party?" Tony supplied.

"Yes, exactly. We don't want a party... here or when we get back home."

"Then there won't be one. Right Tony?"

The billionaire sighed loudly, "No, there won't. If that's what you guys really want."

"It is."

After a glance at her husband, Pepper squeezed Tony's hand. She had seen the disappointment flash briefly through his eyes. She had to admit that she felt the same way he did but if their friends didn't want a big deal made of them getting married, then they wouldn't make a big deal out of it. Then she had an idea and before she could stop herself, she voiced it aloud.

"How about then after the ceremony, we have a celebratory dinner for the family?"

Bruce looked over at Betty, and she in turn looked at Tony and Pepper, "If we say yes, and that's a big if, the dinner has to be just a simple, plain, ordinary dinner for the family. Nothing fancy."

"Ah, man! You're killing my style here, Banner!" Tony said with a groan.

"I know, Tony," the scientist said with a smile, "But it's how we'd like things. Just something simple."

Tony had opened his mouth to reply but was unable to because once more his wife's hand covered it. Instead, she said, "Then that's what you'll have, and it'll be our pleasure to honor your wishes. Right, honey?" Pepper asked, not removing her hand.

Tony nodded, and muttered something unintelligible.

"Well, then, it looks like we have a wedding to put together!"

EN: With all this wedding talk for Bruce and Betty, I bet you are all wondering if I am going to have a chapter dedicated to just Tony and Pepper? Don't worry! The next chapter will be (almost) exclusively about them!