AN: Hey everyone~ Just wanted to say that I dedicate this chapter to cara-tanaka. She has reviewed every chapter and even if she was repetitive in what she said, as an author it is great to know that someone reads and likes your story. So thank you very much cara-tanaka, and everyone else~ I love you all!

Peace~

"Who knew making Christmas dinner would be such a bitch," Pepper complained as she mixed together a potatoe salad. Tony placed pineapple slice across the ham and poured the juice over it before sticking it in the over to back slowly for the day. His phone chimed, telling him that it was most likely 10:30. Tony had woken up roughly around 8 and had gotten Pepper up to help him prepare the meal. They already had a good batch of deviled eggs, a bowl of potatoe salad, biscuits, a ham and they were in the process of making macaroni salad, fruit salad, jello salad, and gravy for the mashed potatoes. They had planned everything accordingly the night before and had settled on making the fruit and vegetable trays for snacks just before the party started. Tony wiped off his hands and pulled out his phone.

'Happy Christmas Anthony. I assume you are busy making Christmas dinner so I'll save our conversation for tonight.'

-L

'Happy Christmas Loksters. See ya tonight!'

-T

Tony went back to cooking with Pepper at his side. They chopped, mixed, and poured until about one in the afternoon. Both exhausted they collapsed onto the couch. All of the food was either in the fridge where it belonged or in the oven. With a quick look at each other's tired expressions they both burst into laughter. One high fived the other in triumph. Tony was the first to stand from his relaxed spot on the couch.

"We should probably finish wrapping the presents and put them under the tree."

"You mean I need to finish wrapping because you're hopeless at it, and then you're going to put them under the tree?" Pepper asked.

"Exactly," Tony said with a grin. Pepper rolled her eyes and peeled herself from the couch to go to her bedroom and finish wrapping.

"Ah, there is one more present. It's in my bedroom." Tony followed after her, heading to his room.

"Is it your present to Loki?" Pepper asked.

"Yes actually. It's kind of big; do we have a box big enough for this?" Tony asked, setting the object onto Pepper's bed when he entered her room.

Pepper rummaged through a pile of boxes she had gotten for presents. After a bit she found on big enough and had Tony place the object into it. He held it shut while Pepper taped it together. With the box taken care of Tony sat and 'supervised' Pepper as she wrapped each present. After a few were done Tony picked them up and carried them to the tree, then came back to get more. When the last was done he carried it to the tree and set it with the others. There was a warm atmosphere in the living room. Pepper walked in behind him with a smile.

"This Christmas party is going to be great," she said.

"Yeah. It better be after the hard work we put into it," there was a smile in Tony's voice.

Pepper punched his arm playfully, "hey Tony, no one is arriving till nine. Could we head into town and finally get me a dress for this party? You promised me one a few days ago and we've been too busy to get one. Tony sighed. He had been avoiding going dress shopping with her, but she insisted that since it was Christmas it was the least he could do or his best friend. After about 10 minutes of arguing they were heading down the elevator and to the car.

It was a short drive to Pepper's favourite dress shop. Tony was starting to regret having made his Christmas parties formal even though it was just a gathering of friends. They had all decided that since it was Christmas it would be fun to see each other all dressed up, and the New Year's party would be casual and wild. A bell above the door tinkled as the two entered the shop. The owner of the shop flashed the two a smile. She was a close friend of Pepper's and always enjoyed it when they came into the shop. She also gave them a pretty decent discount. Pepper immediately headed for the racks. Tony decided he'd look for something that may look decent on his friend.

After about 30 minutes of browsing Pepper had found 4 dresses and Tony found two. Pepper rushed to the dressing room with Tony in tow. He handed her the dresses he picked and he sat on a couch in front of some mirrors, awaiting Pepper's little fashion show. The first two were an awful red colour that clashed with her hair. Tony immediately rejected them. The next was a nice strapless blue dress the fitted her torso and was free flowing at the hips. It looked nice but Tony rejected it. The next was a purple one strap that fitted her body and ended at her knees. Tony once again rejected. The next was a soft green dress with off the shoulder straps and an A line that reached about mid back. It started dark green at the top and faded to a light green at the bottom. There was a slit up the left side exposing her leg nicely and making the dress flow nice to the right. Along her waist silver beading created the image of sow flakes and was scattered down across the skirt of the dress. This was the perfect one.

"I should bring you dress shopping more often Tony, you seem to have a good eye," Pepper remarked as they paid for it. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Over my dead body," Tony replied.

Pepper and her friend laughed as the two headed for the door. Tony put the dress in the back seat and got in the car, heading back to Stark tower. Just a few hours remained until the party.