Tony carried Erin upstairs carefully, avoiding making too much noise to not wake Iris, who was peacefully asleep in her bed. The dim light from the lamps cast soft shadows along the corridors as he made his way to the girls' room. Sitting on the edge of the small mattress, the dark-haired man began recounting some of the adventures he had as Iron Man. He knew he needed to soften the intense details, turning the narratives into heroic and exciting tales, perfect for a bedtime story. And well, it seemed to be working, as the little blonde girl cuddled with her teddy bear was mesmerized, struggling not to close her eyes and miss any detail.

"Uncle Tony?" She called out after a while, her voice already sleepy.

"Yes, princess?"

"Will you still be here when I wake up?" She asked, and the man felt a lump in his throat at the innocence and trust of the girl.

"Oh, sweetie... We've already talked about this. I need to go home, I have adult responsibilities to take care of." He lovingly stroked her hair, moved by Erin's simple affection. She wanted him there.

"But will you take a long time to come back?" The girl wasn't satisfied with his answer.

"No, I promise as soon as Grandma Sasha says it's dinner time, I'll be here. And I'll bring two cool gifts. One for you and one for your sister." Stark promised with a tender smile as he tucked the blanket around her. "Now that you're all tucked in, it's time to sleep."

"Goodnight, uncle Tony."

"Goodnight, sweetie." He kissed Erin's forehead one last time and did the same with Iris before leaving the twins' room. Shortly after, Tony returned to the kitchen where he found Pepper finishing her wine. After the long day they had, he figured it would be best to head back to the hotel soon, so he bid farewell and the woman didn't object.

The next day, keeping his promise to his daughter, the dark-haired man arrived at his ex-girlfriend's house hours before dinner to spend more time with the kids. In addition to the gifts already mentioned, he brought others, as was typical of him. The redhead, already accustomed to his extravagance, thought about reproaching him for spoiling the girls too much. She had always been careful to teach the twins that, despite living comfortably, they couldn't have everything they wanted, when they wanted, the way they wanted. However, realizing that this was the first time Iron Man's alter ego was buying Christmas presents as a father and that the girls didn't seem to care about the quantity, only the gesture, Pepper decided not to say anything. She knew how much Tony was trying to connect with Erin and Iris, and that deeply moved her.

At some point during the evening, Virginia noticed that Stark had disappeared amidst the commotion in the living room, where the twins eagerly tore open their presents. She had an idea of what might be happening and decided to leave Sasha with the girls, going to look for him. She found him in the winter garden, lost in thought as he watched the snow falling outside.

"Hey, stranger..." Tony didn't move, his gaze remained distant as he stared out the window.

"Are you okay?" Pepper asked, approaching until she stood beside him.

"I am," he replied with a faint smile, tilting his head to look at her. But of course, the redhead didn't believe him.

"You're a terrible liar," she teased, trying to lighten the mood. "What are you thinking about?"

"It's nothing, Pep. Just reflecting," he said.

"About your parents? I know Christmas can be tough for you, but don't shut yourself off. You can talk to me, regardless of what happened between us, I still care about you."

The dark-haired man hesitated for a moment before speaking, his expression revealing the internal struggle he was facing.

"Thanks, but I'm not good at talking about..."

"Feelings?" she interjected. "Tony, you don't have to be strong all the time. Even superheroes aren't, you know? They have their moments of weakness, just like you mentioned to Erin yesterday."

Tony sighed. "I thought it would get easier with time, but it doesn't. And after the video I saw... After I watched their deaths, my mother's..."

"Wait, what video?" Pepper asked, confused.

He realized then that he had left a big gap in the information about the years they had spent apart.

"I didn't tell you, did I? So many things happened..." Tony took a deep breath, gathering courage, and began to recount the events of the Sokovia Accords, his fight with Steve Rogers, and how he ended up witnessing his parents' deaths.

"I wish I had been there for you," Pepper said sincerely at the end of his story.

"I wish you had, too," Tony admitted.

"Well, I'm here now. You're not alone, Tony," she reassured him. He smiled, feeling genuine gratitude.

"That's why if you don't want to stay, if it's too much for you, we'll understand. You don't have to be here if you're not ready," Pepper continued.

"I'm okay, Pep. I want to be here for the girls."

"Tony, they've known you for just over 24 hours and they can't stop talking about you. You're their dad, and believe me, they'll still like you even if you have to leave a little earlier. It won't change anything."

"Do you think they like me?" he asked with a grin that stretched from ear to ear.

"Don't you?" Pepper arched an eyebrow, pretending to be playfully jealous.

"Thank you, Pep," Tony said, feeling comforted.

"For what?" In her mind, she hadn't done anything.

"For everything. For this conversation, for the girls. For all the years you've been by my side."

"You don't have to thank me. It wasn't just me who was there, you were there for me too," she smiled warmly. "And as for the girls, we made them together. I should thank you for them too."

"So, it's a tie?" Tony teased.

"It's a tie," the redhead agreed. "Now come on, they'll want to say goodbye to you."

"As for that... Is it okay if I stay to tuck them in tonight?"

"Of course, I've already been sidelined anyway. Erin made sure to tell Iris how much cooler uncle Tony's stories are compared to mommy's."

The dark-haired man chuckled, a light sound that warmed the atmosphere. "Sorry about that, but it's hard to compete with a superhero."

"It's alright, Mr. Stark, you can gloat later. For now, let's go, the girls must be missing us," she said, extending her hand to him, which he promptly took.

"And Sasha too," Iron Man's alter ego added, following her back to the living room.

They sat close to the girls and helped them open the rest of the presents under the tree. Pepper, the elder of the Potts, watched them closely, discreetly capturing moments in photos. As the twins started to yawn and show signs of sleepiness, Pepper went upstairs to bathe and put them to bed. True to his word, Tony took on the task of tucking them in, enchanted by each giggle from the little girls, realizing how much he loved that sound. After the girls fell asleep, he came downstairs to say goodbye to the other women, as he had an early business trip the next day and needed to leave Toronto.

Stark was nearly getting into the car when Sasha approached him.

"Doesn't seem like Christmas was so bad after all, huh?" she casually commented.

"Erin and Iris made the day easier," Tony replied.

"Just Erin and Iris?" she teased, giving him a penetrating look.

The dark-haired man sighed, knowing exactly where this conversation could lead. "Sasha..." he began cautiously.

"Are you going to tell me Pepper didn't contribute to that?"

"Of course she did, she's their mother," Stark answered, trying to sidestep the core of the issue.

"Oh, come on, Tony. Don't pretend. We both know it's more than that."

"Sasha, I'm not sure Pepper would appreciate where this conversation is going."

"How can you be so sure? You two seemed very comfortable today," she observed with a subtle smile.

"We were just... doing our best in front of the girls."

"You were holding hands, Anthony. That didn't look like acting to me. Neither did the laughter, nor the exchanged glances."

"None of that happened," he tried to deny.

"Do you love her?" Sasha insisted, looking directly into his eyes.

Tony hesitated for a moment, weighing his words carefully.

"What?"

"It's a simple question, yes or no?" She continued firmly.

"It's more complicated than that. I... We..."

"Tony, do you still love her?" She cut in, bluntly.

He hesitated for a moment, contemplating his emotions and the truth behind them.

"I never stopped loving her," the dark-haired man finally admitted, looking down with a mix of resignation and sincerity.

"That's good," Sasha smiled. "She never stopped loving you either... Tony, I've known you both for years. I was there from her first day at work, hearing every complaint about the new flirtatious and egocentric boss. I was there for every compliment, and when she wasn't ready to admit she felt something for you. I was there when you got together and when you parted ways. I've seen this relationship from the beginning, and like I said before, I know my daughter and I know you. I know the choices you made in the past hurt both of you, but if you truly love her, don't give up just yet."

"I'm pretty sure Pep won't be happy when she finds out we had this conversation," Tony tried to deflect, because talking about their love still hurt.

"She doesn't need to know," Sasha winked at him, a slight smile on her lips. "Just don't hurt her again. Either of them," she said calmly, turning to walk away. "Goodnight, Tony."

"Goodnight, Sasha," he replied.

Over two months had passed since Christmas. With Tony busy with the company, Pepper immersed in art school, and the twins back to their school routine, they had to rearrange their schedules to reserve weekends to spend time together with the girls. Although it was sometimes easier for the redhead to travel with the girls to the United States, she and her ex-boyfriend agreed it would be best to limit their getaways to Toronto and its surroundings, keeping the truth about their relationship strictly between them and preserving privacy for the family. As winter drew to a close, the alter ego of Iron Man decided to plan something different for that weekend. He proposed a short trip to the mountains, just over an hour away from the city.

The cabin where they were staying was extremely cozy. Decorated in a rustic and charming style, the space included a well-equipped kitchen, a welcoming living room, an impeccably clean bathroom, and two cozy bedrooms. The twins occupied one while Pepper settled into the other, with Tony ensuring the sofa bed in the living room was exceptionally comfortable. On Saturday night, Erin and Iris played excitedly in their room while the adults enjoyed a moment of relaxation in the living room. This time, they were savoring whiskey, with more than half the bottle already consumed. The gentle crackling of the fireplace provided a backdrop of comfort and intimacy, contrasting with the unmistakable cold outside. The ex-couple talked about their busy weeks, sharing funny stories about the girls and carefree laughter that echoed through the space.

"I still can't believe you woke up last night just to watch me sleep," Tony declared, laughing. "When we were together, you used to say I was creepy for doing that."

"I didn't wake up to watch you sleep, Stark," Pepper rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I woke up to get some water and decided to check on you. We both know that sofa is way too small, so I should have slept there."

"And we both know it wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to agree with that."

"I could have slept with the girls in one room and you in the other. Simple."

"But then you wouldn't have the excuse of getting water to admire me while I sleep," he teased.

Even though she knew she shouldn't, Pepper laughed and poured more whiskey into their glasses. They continued talking for a few more moments until the only sound in the room was the movie on the television, which neither of them was really paying attention to.

"I never know if you'll be here when I wake up," she said suddenly.

"What?" Tony asked, confused. He didn't remember saying anything that would lead to that.

"Earlier, you asked why I woke up in the middle of the night to watch you sleep. That's why. Every time I go to bed, I wonder, 'Will he be here tomorrow when I wake up?'"

"Pep..." he tried to speak, his throat suddenly dry.

"I know. We've talked about this. You'd never do something like that to Erin and Iris. You're their father."

"And I've changed."

"We both have. We've made mistakes and learned from them," she acknowledged.

"Was I one of your mistakes?" Stark asked, genuinely afraid of the answer.

"Why this now?"

"Why don't you answer my question?"

Pepper sighed.

"Not going to say anything?" he insisted.

"What do you want me to say?" she asked.

"What do I mean to you?"

Pepper was silent for a moment, staring at the amber liquid in her glass. Finally, she lifted her eyes and met her ex-boyfriend's gaze.

"You're the father of my daughters, and we're friends."

"We're more than friends, and you know it."

"Believe what you want," she shrugged.

"I'm glad you said that because I'd rather believe that you haven't gotten over what we had either."

"Mistakes don't just disappear."

"What do you mean by that?" Stark pressed.

"That from the beginning, we just made mistakes. Maybe we weren't meant to be."

"You're saying that, but deep down, we both know it's not true."

"Why are we even talking about this?" Pepper asked, feeling her breath quicken.

"Because I want you to be sure that this time it's going to be different. I'm not going to abandon you or our daughters. Erin and Iris are lucky to have you as their mom. You're incredible at everything you do. I have no doubt you'd keep doing an amazing job on your own, but you don't have to. Not anymore. I'm here now, and I want to be part of their lives. I want to help raise our daughters. I want to do it with you. Together, like it always should have been."

"Tony..." she said so softly she could barely hear herself.

"Can you tell me you don't want the same?" he whispered, moving closer to her. Pepper was silent, her eyes lost in Tony's, trying to process everything he had just said. But before they could say anything else, they were interrupted by a small voice from the hallway.

"Iris, did you call them yet?" Erin asked, catching their parents' attention.

The two adults quickly separated and looked towards the sound of the voice. The twins stood in the doorway, watching them.

"Hey, sweeties... What are you doing?" Tony asked, trying to hide the tension in the air.

"We came to get you to play with us," Iris declared.

"And how long have you been standing there waiting to do that?" Pepper asked, trying to sound casual.

All they least wanted was for their daughters to have heard the conversation they were having moments before and understood its meaning.