Saving Grace

Sixty Nine

Tony and Pepper have taken to running, a habit they began after getting engaged — the second time, anyway.

Grace was, of course, ecstatic when Tony and Pepper told her they were engaged, but a few days later, she let it slip that she was disappointed that she didn't get to be there.

Seeing as Tony himself thought the press conference wasn't as romantic or special as his proposal to Pepper should've been, he decided to do it again — for real.

They were eating dinner together, the four of them — Tony, Pepper, Grace, and Happy. It was spaghetti. Tony and Pepper made it from scratch, and made a whole mess of the kitchen while they were at it, though that might've been mostly Tony.

He'd been waiting all evening for the perfect moment, and finally decided there was no time like the present when he noticed some sauce on the corner of Pepper's mouth. He grabbed his napkin and reached over — she was sitting on his right side — to wipe it off.

"What are you-?" she started, mouth half full. "Tony, I can wipe my own mouth."

She laughed a little as she grabbed the napkin — and Tony's hand in the process — with her left hand. Tony caught it before she could put the napkin back down, and he quickly took the engagement ring off her finger.

"Tony, what on Earth are you doing?" she asked, trying to take the ring back. Happy and Grace looked on, both confused and amused. But then Grace understood, just a few moments before Tony put the ring on the table and pushed his chair back.

"Well, I-I just think we need a... a do-over, you know? Something better. Something more personal," he said, getting down on one knee.

"Tony-" Pepper gasped, cutting herself off. Tears of happiness began to prick her eyes, and, across the table, Grace and Happy were already crying.

"Virginia Potts," Tony started, then shaking his head a little. "Oh, wow, that was weird. I don't think I've called you Virginia since the first day I met you. Or did I even then? Have I ever called you Virginia?"

"Dad," Grace said through tears and quiet laughter.

Tony nodded and looked back at Pepper. "Right. Right..." After a silent moment, he sighed. "Now that I'm thinking about it, I really should've written something down. I don't- I don't even know what to say. I mean, what can I say? Nothing you haven't already heard-"

"You can at least think of something," Pepper cut in, joking softly. "I mean, really, Tony..."

Tony laughed quietly, looking down, then back up at her. He started to speak again, but stopped to take her hands first. Finally, he took a deep breath, and said, "Pepper... You have no idea how much... how much you mean to me. Since the beginning you have been there for me, you've been there for the most important person in my life, especially when I couldn't be. You keep me sane. You keep her safe. Even from me. But it's not just that — and that's important. That's-That's incredibly important... But it's you. It's your smile. And-And your laugh. And the angry look you give me when I screw up... It's your heart and your bravery and your determination and, honestly, your ability to put up with me everyday. Very few people can do that."

Pepper laughed through her tears, once and breathlessly. "I know."

Tony smiled. "The point is, Pep... It's you. It's always been you." He grabbed the ring back off the table and took another deep breath, even though he already knew her answer because he wouldn't blame her for changing her mind. "So, I'm asking you... will you marry me?"

She couldn't speak, so she nodded, mouthed the word, 'Yes,' and a smile broke out on Tony's face as he put the ring on her finger and kissed her, then chiding Happy not to shake the camera so much as he took pictures and cried. Grace was a mess but a happy one, and she came around the table and hugged her parents, and then Happy couldn't take it anymore and hugged them too. Peter and Harley heard all about it later, though separately, but Grace didn't mind telling the story twice.