𝕋ℍ𝕀𝕊 𝕀𝕊 𝕄𝕐 𝔽𝔸𝕄𝕀𝕃𝕐. 𝕀 𝔽𝕆𝕌ℕ𝔻 𝕀𝕋 𝔸𝕃𝕃 𝕆ℕ 𝕄𝕐 𝕆𝕎ℕ. 

❝  WHEN YOU'RE SCARED BUT YOU STILL DO IT ANYWAY? THAT'S BRAVE. ❞

❝ NO, IT'S CALLED DEFEATING THE INEVITABLE. ❞

𝕀𝕋'𝕊 𝕃𝕀𝕋𝕋𝕃𝔼... 𝔸ℕ𝔻 𝔹ℝ𝕆𝕂𝔼ℕ. 𝔹𝕌𝕋 𝕊𝕋𝕀𝕃𝕃 𝔾𝕆𝕆𝔻.

a year later...

EPILOGUE: ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS

𝐋𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃, 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐀

ELEANOR

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

'Honey, there's a Quinjet in the backyard!' Tony's alarming call rang through the house. The racket came from the basement as usual.

The term 'backyard' coming out of Tony's mouth never ceased to surprise me. The Stark mansion never had a patio or porch of any sorts and the very reason this new home had been picked out was for the damn garden. Because Margo liked it, he would grumble when he was made to pick out the weeds. His daughter would only snicker at him from behind my frowning form as he watched him do the hard work of maintaining a garden. I took the steps two at a time, tossing my soiled apron over the porch balustrade as I went to inspect the commotion. 

Indeed there was a daunting, steely Quinjet resting peacefully a few metres beyond the lake's shores. The hatch had been released onto the lawn and thankfully, leaving Margo's fruit garden untouched. 

Out of the darkness walked a staggered Maria Hill, wearing casuals for a change and a smirk lying on her lips. She landed over the grass with a small hop coming to her. Her hazel hair was left free of the small bun she was known for wearing, tucking a strand behind her ear as she pointed to the sizeable patch of land that worked as a stopgap greenhouse.

'It's not every day you see something that cute,' she commented, grinning leisurely. 'Tell me this is Stark's handiwork.'

I clucked my tongue in disappointment. 'I can't.'

'Damn it,' she disapproved with a hiss. 'There goes my twenty to Steve.'

'He's here?' I asked with wide eyes, peeping over her shoulder to catch a glimpse. Another figure exited the jet, his smoothly groomed hair the first thing that came to sight. Captain America himself looked worthy of a second glance, wearing loose flannels tucked into khakis and seeming almost homely for a quick second. His vivid eyes were shining with mirth when they fell on us and then, taking in the agrarian house behind me. Nearly nostalgic, his bright gaze locked with mine.

'Eleanor,' Steve Rogers said in a high-strung, almost laughing tone. 'Been a while.'

'If a few years count then yes, a while is exactly it,' I said, mirroring his voice when he grinned visibly. My expression turned polite as I took in a deep breath. 'How have you been, Cap?'

'Pretty good,' he shrugged, his eyes still taking in the cosy scene that was rolled out to him. 'Got married, huh? I didn't get an invite.'

'It was a wild Vegas night,' I told him coyly. 'Could not really—'

'Never mind the specifics,' he laughed and looked to the miniature garden with a meaningful smile. 'What's her name?'

'Margaret Howard Stark,' I pitched him a meaningful look when his smile inched wider.

Margaret Carter was the name of SHIELD's oldest and first female higher agents on the field and an old flame of the captain's. While some called it bewitched, he called it love. As is she was the last of her kind, he had been through it all; the heartbreak, the loss, the pain. But if anything, he had every right to feel nostalgic and that was the beauty of it. To have something so pure for such a brief moment, and then for it to fade into nonexistence. And sometimes, those pure things had a way of coming back to you.

'I guess I already have a nickname for her, now,' he grinned. As if in gratitude, he nodded at me. 'If you'd allow—'

'Please, Steve. We're not strangers and she's your daughter as much as she is mine.'

Steve was here to make amends. Tony's friendship with Steve never ended on good terms, only arriving at the scene a few years ago to help bring Tony back to the land of the living. On the contrary, Steve Rogers came bearing faith and hope. That his friend would look past the differences and realizes that resentment was caustic. After all these years, it's time to close this chapter by lending out a hand.

I saw the captain stiffen slightly when there were creaks on the porch behind us, his lips set to a grim line. He was nervous and I couldn't help but smile. I craned my neck to catch a glimpse of Tony, who was currently wiping his hands on a rag—my apron—and jogging down the stairs with his hands cast out with a playful grimace.

'SHIELD should lay off my retirement land,' Tony said, his stern expression faltering to a grin. 

It had been a few months since we moved into the two-thousand and four-hundred square foot cabin space and the algal-infested lake nearby, when I quickly realized that it had taken twenty minutes to fall in love with the view and twenty days to get onto renovating it. My inner-self wanted to exploit the secret love for interior design and well, it hadn't worked out too well. I was still confused between the idea of mullions and skylights.

And for once, we had neighbours. Not the annoying type, no. This was a gracious, warm, sixty-year-old couple who lived across the small street. They were had settling quietness to them but of course, Margo had gotten on their bad side when she trashed their front yard's violas because they "were starting to grow more attractive than hers." Tony and I had never laughed harder in our lives when she refused to apologize to them since that would mean showing a faintness in the challenge.

Tony nodded at Maria with a small smile and his expression gaining fervour as he looked at Steve. I saw his eyes bunch under his cheeks. He was leaving no holes barred.

'Cap.'

'Tony,' Steve replied simply.

Maria and I glanced at each other with a knowing smirk. We were witnessing a rare moment in history.

Tony was the first to extend his tense hand forward in hopes of shaking it out. Steve shot it a mere glimpse, taking it gratefully yet with extra loads of caution. I thought that was the first time I realized how vulnerable both of them were to each other and how much of a toll the accords situation had taken. I saw them take in enormous sighs.

'Gotta say, I missed you, pal,' Tony said airily, clamping another hand over Steve's as if to secure it there. 'As all wise magnanimous sayings go, I think it's time we put the past behind us.'

'Yeah, I see a lot of that going on around here,' Steve nodded, a side of his lips lifting to a fascinated smirk. 'I'm happy for what you've started. And yes, I missed you too, Tony. Been playing hooky?'

Tony took his teasing with a grin. 'Darn it. Foiled again.'

'You look better,' Steve commented, nodding.

'Well, unwinding has been going splendidly. And I should let go before the missus here,' Tony placed a warm hand over my head, 'pressurizes me to make a move on you.'

Steve looked away in obvious humiliation, the tips of his ears turning a bright red. He scratched the back of them with a nervous breath, casting me a coy glance. I could only grin with intent when I caught the mischievous smile on Tony's face.

'So,' he drawled out, 'how's Barnes?'

A stunned silence passed between us. Steve broke it with a short breath accompanied by a so-so nod.

'Bucky's healing is underway,' he shared softly about the once cryogenically asleep soldier. 'Regardless, he's been wanting to meet you. A prisoner of conscience, you could say.'

'I've been free and easy,' Tony said, his lips setting to a tight smile. 'He's welcome for a cuppa coffee any day.' 

He was reluctant, his eyes downcast. 'Tony, I—'

'Steve, look,' Tony raised a hand. 'I am willing to see past it. If he drops by, I'll have a table set for five.'

The captain looked between Tony and me in astonishment. It was true what they say; the weak can never forgive. Forgiveness was the attribute of the strong. Bucky Barnes knew his wrongs, his mistakes and regretted it. That was already enough for Tony to look past the bitterness and free the erred. Now, all the tired soldier needed would be redemption. For him to restore and reconnect.

'Thank you,' Steve replied heartful; faithful. 'Really means a lot.'

'Anyways,' Tony amended with a sharp nod. 'For what I called you here.'

I blinked at him as he flanked my side once again and he used a finger to hook back my unhinged jaw with a lilted smile. 'You called them?'

'Isn't that the idea of surprise?' His brows creased in amusement followed by his failed attempt at jazz hands. 

'Imagine our shock when Stark calls up HQ and threatened a fellow agent if he wasn't put through the receiver,' Maria informed, biting down laughter. 'What was so dire that you needed us?'

Tony, without acknowledging, turned his gaze back to the porch where he whistled loudly, closing his fingers to his mouth. As if calling someone on cue, Riri meekly peeked her head out the door and waved at them lightly. I saw her fix her curled hair on the reflection of a glass pane and scurry down the steps at lightning speed. She was immediate to push past Tony and me to grab Steve's hand with both of hers.

'Captain America. Captain Steve Rogers,' Riri shook his hand fervently so much so that Steve's very posture rocked with the movement. 'You're like the OG of the OG. Just such an honour. You too, Miss Hill, you're awesome. Jeezus, I'm shaking your hand too fast. Wow, this is just crazy—'

'Riri's reserved buttons are out of order,' Tony apologized with an air of dryness. Steve retrieved his hand with an awkward smile. 'Bear with her as I break the news.'

'What news?' Riri asked him, genuinely confused.

'They're here to officially ask you to register for the Avengers initiative, kid,' he placed an assertive hand over her shoulder with an encouraging grin. 'About time my holy trinity makes its way onto the board.'

Riri's absolute shock was stirred as her eyes went far-flung and her lips parted so wide that she could be catching flies. A hand went to her chest as she soothed the side to rid of the shock with a gulp. A side of her lips pulled up before all of her teeth was showcased with utmost excitement.

'Yes,' she blurted with a hoot of laughter. 'Of course, I will! I mean, I don't have any superhero friends and on that note, this'll be terrific!'

'You'll be briefed once we get you back to HQ, Miss Williams,' Steve replied with a grin of his own, probably because Riri's enthusiasm was contagious. 'Meet the new Avengers.'

Riri spun around to meet my gaze with her awestruck one. 'New Avengers?'

Before I could respond with a smirk, our attention took a turn. A screeching voice echoed from inside the house and pattering footsteps nearing us.

'Daddy, I think the damned pipe went bust! Ow, son of a bitch—'

'Margaret, goddamnit, no cursing!' Tony yelled back to the house, making me flinch. 'Get out here right now before I boot you into the lake!'

'Fine!'

All the while, I had a hand over my eyes in humiliation and not willing to look up. In mere minutes, my reputation as a good mother had gone down in the dumps. Due to Margo's flaming cognitive brilliance, we had to tone down on cussing in the house but that didn't stop Tony from letting loose a few expletives here and there. Of course, Margo's ears had picked it out like an owl's.

Clad in simple tee and shorts, Margo rushed out to the porch with rage burning on her petite face. She stomped over the floorboards, pushing her lightly drenched, wavy mane behind her back as she ran down the steps two at a time with a darkened glare meant only for her father.

'I didn't do anything!' She shouted back, her blue eyes flung open wide. 'That stupid tap just—'

Margo's tone simmered to nothing when her gaze landed on the two strangers on the backyard, her expression plummeting to astonishment. She stepped away coyly, entwining her arms around my leg and watching them with a quiet confusion.

'Margo,' I started with a small breath, 'this is Steve and Maria. They're friends of ours.'

'Hi,' she waved at them, her voice shrunken. Her light graze wandered on the captain for longer than usual. Steve had a peculiar eloquence in his eyes, watching her back with a wavering smile. I already knew why and bit my lips softly.

'I like her,' I heard Maria whisper to Tony. 'How old is she again?'

'Five and counting,' Tony replied, exhausted. Maria whistled lowly in response. 

Steve took a step forward with his hands over his chest. As if trying to intimidate her, he cocked a soft brow to which Margo didn't even flinch. 

'Language, kid,' Steve managed to say to her. 'You know, I had a friend named Margaret.'

Her eyes and lips lifted with surprise. 'You did?'

'Didn't call her that,' he shrugged, his voice a tad bit distressed, almost pained. 'She was Peggy to me.'

Margo grinned, impressed at the sound of that. He stuck out a hand, crouching to her level with a tilt to his head. Margo looked away, still shy. In regard, I ran an assertive hand over the back of her head.

'Do you like the name?'

'Yeah,' she mumbled at him, her lips kicking up to a smile once again.

'Can I call you that?'

Margo's nod was fervent, leaping to shake his hand. Her tiny fingers were swallowed into his, a grin appearing on Steve's face. His other hand reached out to pat her cheek in a warm gesture and I looked between them in content. 

'Nice to meet you, Peggy,' he smiled. 'Call me Steve.'

∞

'Fresh in from Georgia, Atlanta, Iron Maiden herself was seen restraining human traffickers at the border, saving fifteen young teens and seizing weapons of mass destruction. The federal bureau had been involved as soon as the arrest took place and once more, the city lies grateful to Elle Stark and to have escaped an incident of terror...'

It was never too late for anything.

I learned that whatever made me feel guilty, I would have to embrace it and not fear it. I couldn't share my pains but I did own them. Hold them as my own because they are what would make me tougher. I had to accept that I had people who care about me regardless of my past mistakes and I can only hope that in time, I would feel like I have earned it. Because I don't have to make adjustments anymore. I had pushed myself to believe that I was in the right track and that was what I needed to do. My slate is clean, I told myself, and that all is forgiven. That it was time to move on.

It was as if I wrote a good narrative over the top of a bad one, and in time the tusche of the bad evaporated away until only the good remains. In my own little head, I was reworking my own legacy. You grow past that and life rolls on, isn't that what they say?

I muted the telly as soon as I heard steps enter the living room and the scent of warm waffles wafting under my nose. Taking a dramatic loud sniff, I turned my head from the couch around to see Tony holding a plate of the said desert with a proud grin on his face. With excitement and obvious hunger, I got on my knees over the cushion.

'Listen, Blue, I only cook for the people I love and it took me four hours to get the batter right,' he conveyed as I spotted the syrupy goodness and a little yellow square of butter melting into heated assent. I smiled in awe.

'Midnight waffles and you,' I hummed under my breath. 'Truly, what more could I ask for?'

Eagerly, I drew the fork from the side of the plate and stabbed a piece. My chewing speed started to descend gradually when something starting to crunch more unearthly than the crust. I saw Tony's expression drop to mortification.

God, I didn't want to hurt his feelings and I didn't want to suffer from internal bleeding from the eggshells. Goddammit, Elle. Voting against, I yanked a tissue out of the box nearby and tried to gracefully spit it out. I wanted to punch myself when I saw the disappointment bloom on his face, his lips pushed to aside.

'Literally built eighty advanced tech-armours and I can't even nail breakfast,' he scoffed, dropping the plate over the side-table. 

Out of clemency, I grabbed his shoulder before he turned around and granted him a small kiss on his cheek. His lips lifted with a grin.

'It's the thought that counts,' I said softly. 

'See, that's why I married you,' he pulled away, satisfied with my reply, leaping over the couch and settling in next to me. I dropped over my heels and watched him as he watched the ongoing story on the television with a wide-eyed grin. 

'You're bigger than Elvis, you know that? Two-hundred million followers on social media and here you are, mulling over failed waffles.' 

He was smiling, so much so that a small dimple had sprouted right where the trim of his facial hair ended. I laughed soundly.

'Not as big as you,' I joked, flicking his ear playfully. I saw the waggle come to his eyebrows at my unintentional sexual innuendo and I deadpanned. 'Please don't.'

'Why don't we give them something to talk about?' He hinted at me with a tongue-in-cheek smile. 'I think we should make it public.'

'Did she put you up to this?' I asked, squinting in suspicion. Recently, Margo had been talking our ear off on having a brother so she could no longer be in her lonesome. He shifted closer, a warm hand settling over my now flat abdomen and lifting his lips to a smile.

'A few more months,' he mused to himself. 'Finally.'

Pregnancy was like a silent lethargy; the waiting, the belching, the craving. I remembered the discomfort past the happy moments, the times I wanted the baby out of me and in my arms. This time, I was sure to keep a positive mindset. After all the factors that had affected me the last time, I wanted to breeze through this one ordinarily. 

As I watched him, I knew him enough to nearly hear his thoughts. Remember, this is not about you. Would be awesome if it were a boy. Child obligation and stuck by me forever. If he doesn't look like me, that crap goes on Etsy.

I burst out laughing without knowledge, slapping a hand over my mouth to muffle the sound but continuing to snort at the stupidity of it being true. Tony went from grin to grimace, wanting in on the fun.

'What?'

'Nothing,' I chuckled, willing my laughs to die down. 'Nothing at all.'

'Fine, don't tell me.'

'It's just, you look so sure,' I commented, searching his face for any signs of stress about the future. He prided the future on a high horse, that would be a reason behind his fearlessness.

'I surprised myself,' he answered me, rubbing a thumb over my middle. 'You know, my father was against a second child.'

'Oh.'

'Yeah,' he shook his head, suddenly irritated. 'Something about not enough sympathetic flexibility to handle it and disrupting his daily rationality.'

I raised my brows. 'He really said that?'

'Believe it or not,' he scoffed. 'His long-term plans were rather singular.'

I placed a hand over his that was strewn on my belly, looking at him affectionately. He returned my look with a reluctant grin. 'You know you're not like him.'

'What the hell have I done?' He said quickly and looked at me. Swirling with the doubt I never saw seconds ago. 'Two kids, Elle. One and one. Two.'

'Yes, you are essentially a mathematician.'

'Elle.'

Like ripping a bandaid. I did it. 'I went for an ultrasound with Pepper and Nat. It's twins.'

His eyes widened. 'What?'

I bit back a smile, nodding. 'Two babies.'

He laughed breathily. 'Two babies.'

'Margo's going to flip out.'

Tony leaned forward to press a kiss over my abdomen. He rubbed a thumb over my navel, blowing out another breath. 'Twins. Wow. Emerson and...?'

'Primrose,' I tested on my tongue. 'Poe, for short. Natasha came up with that one. It means the first flower of spring or something. Primrose Maria Stark.'

'Chip and Poe? They sound like cartoon characters. Chip and Poe — I like it.' He snickered. His eyes suddenly dulled back again, biting his lip thoughtfully.

'Three kids. We're like a little pack. I can't get a dog now. Because its a whole load of — kids.'

'I'm freaked out, too, baby. At least it's not triplets?' I tried to joke.

'I'm serious,' he deadpanned. 'What if I'm not ready?'

'You are,' I said firmly. 'You are the ablest, toughest and most compassionate man I know. Everyone takes this decision with a healthy dose of fear, love. But we knew what we wanted when it did. It's not a taboo or anything and no one's here to judge.'

He seemed pacified with my words. 'You think?'

'I know,' I smiled. 'We've got this under control.'

Tony's mirroring smile was as wide as his conviction when he nodded along with me and rested his forehead against mine. Our breaths mingled and I sensed the unease leave him just as soon as I patted his chest in reassurance.

'Okay, tell me something,' he mused, easily letting go, whilst tossing a swift glance at the Maiden arc-reactor I deserted over the coffee-table. 'The force-fields from the repulsor core. They're stable, right?'

'Obviously resolute on that but we might want to have a look at the balance thrusters at the back,' I recalled honestly. 'It got screwy half-way and the reversed actuator is running a little low.'

'Look at you, Iron Maiden,' he smirked, blinking at me. 'Talking shop and all. Turning me on.'

'Stop it,' I pushed his mischief-filled face playfully. 'Why do you ask so suddenly?'

'It remains a rescue vessel, babe,' he informed. 'I'm not going to engineer weapon systems to contradict that.'

'I don't get it,' I said, shifting closer with a confused smile as he grabbed a blueberry from the lonely plate of decimated waffles. 'Why are you so intent on not making it a warsuit?'

A beat passed. His hand draped over the back of the couch, chewing the sides of his cheeks in vague amusement and answering as if he were confessing.

'Do you recall a long time ago when you had the RT node in you and you said you didn't want to be a bomb?' He asked and I let it hang there, taking it to be flatulence. 'I put my gears to work and wanted to build a suit solely based on defence and protection. With zero offences, so much that even the repulsors don't generate heat. Therefore, the Maiden.'

Heavy gaucherie set between us, mostly due to the fact that I had forgotten I had uttered those words. My brows raised in pleasant surprise, my innards pooling with liquid heat when he caught the bafflement on my face. 

'You remember that?'

'Of course, I do.'

'I thought you don't do sentiment.'

He laughed through his nose, still not answering me and letting it hang there. I breathed out in awareness, feeling as if my mouth was filled with sawdust. 

'Tony.'

'Yeah,' he answered, unnoticing.

'Tony,' I said again, taking a more serious tone this time as I adjusted myself to seize his jaw between my hand. His dark gaze was unfaltering, confused even, and every ounce of breath was sucked out of my lungs. His mere gaze had the strength of untying every knot I felt and it was the best thing in the world.

'You're a good man,' my tone staying devoted to my thoughts. 'You risked everything to get to where we are and that's no minor feat. You remind me every day of every good thing worth fighting for and I am sorry I don't have anything to give except me. Perhaps one day, I will.' 

He blinked in chagrin. 'Honey, what—'

'Shut up,' I sighed. 'I wish I said this earlier.'

'Would've made a great vow at the chapel.'

An airy laugh left me. 'Agreed.'

'Look, I just want you,' he said, a little awkward to be put in the vanity zone. I bit my lip to force down laughter as he scratched the back of his ear. I did nothing to ease away from his kitsch, enjoying his moment of distress.

'All I'm saying is,' he breathed out again, 'the right woman can make all the difference to a man. And Elle, you are my right woman.'

I let out a tiny laugh with scrambled thought processes, traversing my palm to the back of his neck to bring him for an embrace. He refused nothing, wrapping his arms around me and taking me into his chest. I pressed a light kiss to his shoulder, shutting my eyes in hopes of letting the moment last a second longer.

'Hey,' I whispered, palming his cheek. 'Are you okay?'

'Yeah,' he smiled. 'Never been better. You?'

'Same.'

'Great, we're both okay,' he breathed out. 'And, we're both sober.'

I laughed, agreeing. 'And, we're both sober.'

Tony and I attended an anonymous behavioural intervention for an entire three months. He feared for my drunken incident a while ago, knowing that it was too risky to leave my biases unchecked. What was sweet, was the fact that Tony attended every one of the meetings with me. By my side as I forced myself to talk about the vacillating guilt, the ease of having a shot and the rush that followed. 

Tony himself had successfully reached sobriety of a full six years. Ever since the pregnancy, his abstinence had begun slowly and painstakingly. When Margo came along, it was as if the very aspect of being inebriated had been forgotten. His mitigation was Margo and nothing made me more pleased when he spoke about it.

My daughter gives me the strength to go another day, he had said. What if I'm not there for her when she needed me the most because I was under influence? That scares me. She needs me to be there. I need to be there because literally, any day could be our last.

'Can I say something?' Tony asked quietly, looking at me sideways as he took in a deep breath. I nodded at him to continue. 'Remember when we used to flirt with each other all the time when I was pursuing you?'

Embarrassment flooded through in mere seconds, my hands going to my face to shield it from his view. My voice came out muffled. 'Have some shame, Tony.'

'No, hey,' he refused, nudging my arm. 'I am not being creepy. You seriously challenged me in so many ways.'

'Too late for not being creepy.'

'Moving on,' he chuckled. 'I did it because I was intimidated... by you? I don't know, it took me a while to figure it out.'

I snickered at his comment. 'By me?'

'I turned on this ridiculous fake-charm thing,' he shivered visibly at his past actions making it hard for me to conceal another chuckle. 'Every time I faced you—it was like seeing a woman of so much power. You were so sophisticated after a difficult few years, it duly amazed me. Because you were so effortless at it. And I tried harder in the most irrational way possible.'

'I wouldn't call it irrational,' I tried to ease his concern. 'Charming, yes. But, not quite irrational.'

'My point is,' he muttered, 'I started to respect you. A lot. So much that ended up falling in love with you. And to see you out in the world, working towards recovery, I realize that you are better at this than me.'

'Tony,' I said, overwhelmed.

'No, I'm serious,' he filled in hastily. 'Hold off your selfless bullshit for a second. You found your way out there, Elle. By yourself. That is just—that is something epic. I could've never done it alone.'

'But, it's you,' I weakly whispered. 'You are the—hey, for the record, I only flirted back because—'

'—I'm so charming,' he winked.

'Well, yes,' I agreed with a small smile, 'at first. Eventually, I saw the shattered little boy beneath and it's not so sexy.'

'To be fair, most women dig it. Find it the more attractive than billionaire, genius, playboy and philanthropist.'

'Not me.'

'Not you,' he laughed, skimming a finger over my cheek. 'Partly the reason why I love you.'

'I cannot believe you flirted with me because you were afraid,' I replied instead, a giggle bursting through my lips. 

'You know what, missus?' He threatened.

'What?'

'I,' he flared his nostrils at my challenging smile, his stare falling on my lips. His face never changed the angry demeanour. 'I'm gonna kiss you.'

'No.'

'That's too bad.'

He reached out to clasp my face, placing a kiss over my lips and trying to power everything he felt in one soft connection.  His finger tangled in my hair and I laughed easily pulling back.

For so long I had wished for this, and now I couldn't bear to lose it—lose this thing that made me feel so complete. I swore, this man was an expert on having my heart beating, without him, I was certain it would simply arrest. Just by knowing him, I had become my true self, gaining the intensity and spirit I needed to conquer the inevitable. 

'And believe me, the best is yet to come,' I grinned. 'That's a promise.'

'Yeah?'

'Now, we have all the time in the world.'

∞

🕛

THE STARKS WILL RETURN.

∞

[ NOTIF! 

wow. *takes a deep breath* literally never thought this would be happening in a million trillion years. I'm not known for finishing anything but this... I'm so proud of this. I'm proud of you. I'm proud of myself. god, I so am.

listen, according to me, this is what Tony would've wanted. i'm sure some of you resonate with my thoughts but, he would've wanted stability. he's got everything settled: Steve's his mate - husband, sorry - again, Riri's with the Avengers and Margo's safer than ever. I wanted to defeat cliches with this book - involve romance, action, adventure and humour just like every other Marvel comic or movie. Something good. Tony can change for the better and not be judged selfish for his wants. Elle's guilt had been eradicated by her slowly doing good for the world and with the start of her new family. so hey, I hope I've done just that and given the justice everyone deserves.

 For all of you who have rigorously followed my updates, commented, voted, laughed, cried, feared and screamed - this is for you. not a bazillion thanks and kisses will be enough. you deserve all the love. I love you 3000. Elle, Margo, Tony and the entire iron fam loves you 3000. 

love, deidra. 

]

[ if you'd like to get your heartbroken and see a new perspective on INFINTY WAR AND ENDGAME WITH TONY AND ELLE, you can stay back for the next chapter and enjoy! *passes a box of tissues* ]