I made a staggering landing in front of Tony as he dusted off. Another explosion racked the ship, sending him toppling into my arms.

"Got you, old man," I said quickly.

"Am I glad to see you," he said, but there was a haunted look in his eyes; a hint of trauma. "Iz, I couldn't—Pepper—"

Then his expression changed as he caught sight of something over my shoulder, and I whirled around to see Aldrich Killian emerge, unscathed, from the fire. His shirt had burned off completely, revealing a pair of black dragon tattoos on his chest.

I revved up my repulsors and stood in front of Tony, ready to attack. "Back off, bully."

"Really, Stark?" Killian said, tilting his head to look at Tony. "Hiding behind a little girl?"

"'Little girl' has a name, Dragon Titties," I spat. That made him laugh.

"Too bad," Killian clucked. "I really wasn't planning on killing you, Izzy. But that doesn't matter now. No one has to know a minor died aboard the Norco." We charged at each other; I knocked him to the floor. But he sprang up quickly and closed his right hand around my throat, lifting me off my feet as heat surged down his arm. It was a Darth Vader moment for sure.

"Stop it, stop it—put her down!" shouted Tony. "You're not here for her, buddy, you were always here for me. Remember?"

"You know, you're right," said Killian, and before I knew it I was being tossed aside yet again, like a rag doll. I hit the floor hard, and despite my armor's protection, my ribs were hurt bad. I looked up, gasping, as Tony started to run toward me, but his path was blocked at once by Killian, now burning bright orange.

"No more false faces. You said you wanted the Mandarin, you're looking right at him," declared Killian grandiosely. "It was always me, Tony, right from the start. I am the Mandarin!"

That was when a giant metal pole came out of nowhere and whacked him to the ground. Silhouetted against the blaze stood Pepper Potts. She was holding the pole and she looked absolutely furious.

"I got nothing," was all Tony said.

I struggled to get to my feet, but was knocked over again to avoid the incoming Mark 42 armor.

"JARVIS, subject at my twelve o'clock is not a target, disengage!" Tony said in a panic as the suit made a beeline for Pepper, but we both realized at the same time that his neurotransmitter had fallen off. I lurched upright and lunged for the earpiece just as Pepper charged at Tony. My fingers closed around it as Pepper vaulted overhead, using Tony as a fulcrum to launch herself into the air and grab the glove from the suit. She tore it off, landing and kicking a stray missile toward me, and screaming "Get down!"

I hit the floor, aware that she was not in the mood to be disobeyed. The blast, followed up by bright repulsor shot from the glove, sounded above my head—and split Aldrich Killian, emerging from the flames, into a million scorched pieces.

I peered out from behind my arm. "Is it over?"

"Honey," gasped Tony, as Pepper seemed to collect herself.

"Oh my God," I heard her say. "That was really violent."

"You just scared the devil out of me," Tony said. "I thought you were..."

"Dead?" Pepper finished. "Why? Because I fell two hundred feet? Iz caught me. Who's the hot mess now?"

God, she was gonna kill him. I began to crawl toward them, over the rubble, dragging my body behind me since my legs didn't feel like cooperating yet. But it seemed like they were making up now. Pepper was scared.

"Am I gonna be okay?" She whimpered.

"I think I can get you better," Tony promised her. "That's what I do, I fix stuff."

" And all your distractions?"

"Uh...I'm gonna shave them down a little bit."

"A little help here," I mumbled as I approached them. Tony chuckled; in relief, more than anything. He pulled me to my feet.

"So it's over?" I said hopefully. "Please say it's all over."

"Yeah," Tony said, putting a hand on my shoulder. "It's over, kiddo. Take a deep breath."

I inhaled and let out my breath. The Mandarin was gone. I almost couldn't believe it. "We did it!"

"And I couldn't have done it without my sidekick."

I just smiled. For the first time, that didn't sound so bad. "I could get used to that." I held the earpiece in front of him. "Here you go."

He beamed and put it on. "JARVIS? Hey?"

"All wrapped up here, Sir."

"You know what to do."

"The 'clean slate' protocol, sir?"

Tony turned to us. "Screw it, it's Christmas. Yes, yes."

He wrapped one arm around Pepper and pulled me closer to them as the Iron Legion whizzed overhead—and then, one by one, they burst into brightly colored sparks like fireworks that lit up the night sky.

Pepper gasped. "Oh…" She slid an arm around my shoulders, and I leaned my head on her arm, glad to have her back.

Red Snapper, Heartbreaker, Gemini, Disco, Shotgun, Igor…I watched my uncle's creations, the closest thing I had to cousins, explode in bright showers like Christmas stars.

"All the suits?" I whispered.

"All except yours," Tony said, and winked. "Okay so far? You like it?"

"It'll do," Pepper murmured.

I said nothing, just put my arms around my family and sighed deeply.

It was finally over. We'd charged through the fire, went deep into the lion's den—and what did we find? Only shadows. That was all the Mandarin would ever be.

Shadows chased away by Christmas lights.

We ended up doing Christmas—and the rest of the year—at my mom's new place in Orlando, with her boyfriend Todd. I guess when your daughter, your ex-husband's cousin and your ex-husband's cousin's girlfriend show up at your door on Christmas morning after being dropped off by the US Army (thanks Rhodey) you wouldn't do anything else.

"Okay, guys," I said, looking at Tony and Pepper (who looked pretty much worse for wear), "I have to warn you— Mom's pretty chill, but given the circumstances, I think she's gonna freak out." I rang the doorbell.

She opened it, and her eyes widened at once. A split second later she had swooped down on me and was hugging me tighter than I had ever remembered her hugging me before.

"Mom?" I finally said.

She sniffed. "Yes, baby?"

"Can we come inside?"

She looked up at Tony and Pepper and didn't give a crap about her runny mascara. "Of course. Of course you can."