It was nearing Christmas.

Eira went to Stark Industries to sign something on Tony's behalf; it had something to do with the stocks. Forging signatures was technically illegal but it's not like she would ever get caught.

She finished signing them before she slid the papers over to Pepper who smiled, "Thank you for coming down here. I've been trying to get Tony to and he's..."

"Difficult," Eira finished for her with a small smile. "I know. If he's giving you any trouble at all, Pepper, just call me."

"Will do," Pepper smiled as they walked to the exit of the room.

Happy joined them as they exited as he looked at Pepper, "All good, boss?"

"Yes, we are just fine. Thank you, Happy," Pepper answered before she looked at the time of her watch. "I have just enough time to grab lunch before the next meeting. Do you want anything?"

"I'm good, Pepper. Thank you," Eira said. "I think I'm just gonna go home to see Tony."

"Alright," Pepper said politely. "Are you still having that Christmas party?"

"Tony insists so yes," Eira chuckled a bit.

"I will see you then," Pepper said as she started to walk away.

"Bye, Pepper," Eira smiled before they parted ways.

Eira took the elevator down. When she stepped out and went to move around the corner, she ran right into somebody. It felt like a brick wall and it threw her off balance as her body tilted backwards but she felt hands reach out and grab both of her arms, steadying her.

She looked up to find a man with long, soft blond hair. He had a light, blue eyes. And he currently wore a bright smile like a Cheshire cat directed right at her, "Hi."

"Thank you," she said politely.

"No problem," he removed his arms but kept the smile as he held his hand out for her to shake. "Aldrich Killian but you can just call me Killian."

"Eira," she shook his hand shortly as she gave him a tight-lipped smile because she knew exactly why he wanted her to call him Killian. "It's nice to meet you, Aldrich."

"Right," his smile turned into one of amusement before he scratched the back of his head. "I already know who you are. I mean, I'm a big fan."

"Thanks. Again," she said politely as she started to move around him. "Well, maybe I'll see you again."

She was already out of earshot as he muttered, "Sooner than you think."

_____

Eira pulled into the driveway to find a bunch of marigolds planted outside the house on the sides. She smiled as she got out of the car and went inside.

She found Tony sitting on the couch in his Iron Man suit and she frowned, "You're wearing that inside now?"

"Just breakin' it in," Tony answered as the suit stood up.

"How did drinks with Rhodey go?" she asked as the suit took off her coat.

"Uh...good," Tony replied as he thought about the panic attack he had and he quickly changed subjects. "How did you like my Christmas present out front? You're always talking about decorating and..."

"I love it," she interrupted as she turned to him with a smile.

"Yeah?" Tony smiled even though he wasn't actually in the suit because she looked absolutely breathtaking when she smiled.

"Yes," she said as she looped her arms around the neck of the suit. "And I'd even kiss you for it if you lift up that mask..."

Tony knocked on the metal helmet, "Huh. Yup, dammit. No can do. You wanna just kiss it on the...the facial slit?"

She frowned at him before furrowing her eyebrows, "You always want to kiss me?"

"Yes, that's why I said to just kiss the...facial slit," Tony said nervously.

She squinted her eyes at him before she looked up at the ceiling, "Jarvis, where is Tony?"

"Downstairs, Miss Snow," Jarvis answered automatically.

"That's not...fair," Tony complained.

Eira rolled her eyes before she went towards the stairs. She found Tony downstairs doing pull-ups and she gave him a look, "What are you doing?"

"I was hosting you while I finished up some work," Tony said as he dropped down before gesturing towards the suit that had followed her down. Then he put his hands in his pockets guiltily as he looked at a tray of food. "But I made you chocolate strawberries..."

"How long have you been down here?" she asked softly. "Have you even been sleeping?"

"I mean, not that long. Nothing to really worry..."

She interrupted before she called, "Jarvis."

"He's gone without sleep for over seventy-two hours."

She gave him an accusing look, "Tony!"

"What can I say?" he argued. "I'm a piping hot mess. It's been going on for a while, I haven't said anything. Nothing's been the same since New York. You know that."

"Tony..." she said softly.

"You go to bed and I can't. I know what I'll dream about," Tony admitted; he thought of all his nightmares and most were about New York but some were about losing her and he couldn't stomach those. "So I come down here. I do what I know, I build stuff that will protect the one thing that I can't live without. That's you."

              "Tony, every day is not the end of the world," she advised. "You just need to stop thinking so much."

                  He furrowed his eyebrows, "Snowflake, I'm not sure it's possible to stop thinking."

             She rolled her eyes before she lifted her shirt over her head. She removed her bra and Tony swallowed before he stared at her breasts as all his thoughts halted, "Yeah. Yep. That...works."

               She looped her arms around his neck as she approached him and her bare chest was pressed against his clothed one as she commanded, "You're going to take me to bed and then you're going to sleep."

                He nodded obediently as he stared at her green eyes and he replied a bit breathlessly, "Square deal."

            Then he kissed her and wrapped his arms around her. His hands slid up the bare skin of her back before he lifted her up to wrap her legs around his waist. He carried her up the stairs and he took her to bed.

              _____

             It was the middle of the night and she was asleep. Although, she could feel Tony start to breath heavily as he had a nightmare since she was practically sleeping on top of him.

             "Tony," she rubbed his shoulder in worry as she lifted her head up. "Tony, it's okay."

                    His breathing had started to calm at that but then she was grabbed. She was flung onto her back by the the new Iron Man suit as she let out a little surprised scream as it held out a repulsor towards her.

              Tony quickly woke up at that and he commanded it, "Power down!"

              The suit shut down and then Tony used the controls inside his arm to make it fall to pieces. She sat up in shock as Tony approached her side of the bed, "I'm sorry. Did it hurt you?"

            "Tony, I'm okay," she reassured before she got up and hugged him.

              "I'm sorry," he apologized again with tears in his eyes as he still struggled to breath from his nightmare. "Nothing is supposed to hurt you. I didn't mean for it to."

        "Tony, it's okay. You don't have to apologize," she said before she tugged on his hand. "Come here."

          She brought him back to bed. He laid on his side next to her with his arms wrapped around her and his head tucked into the crook of her shoulder as she ran her fingers through his hair.

             "Just breath for me," she said softly.

             "I love you," he said desperately as he thought of his nightmare where she died in his arms. "You know I love you, right?"

            It took her a moment to respond as she fought the urge to cry over how badly he was struggling with his nightmares, "I know and I love you."

            His breathing started to slow after she said that but it was still erratic. It pained her to know how much he needed to hear that and she uttered quietly, "Tony, not even death could take me from you. It'll never be the end of the world for you and me. I love you too much."

            "You'd beat death for me, angel?" his lips quirked.

            "I'd do anything for you," she promised and he pressed a kiss to her shoulder affectionately.

            They laid there like that in the shadow of their two hearts that beat for each other. She kept running her fingers through his hair and his breathing was so calm. She was sure he was falling back asleep with the safety of knowing she'd live for him and she wanted him to sleep but she had finally worked up the courage to tell him what she wanted to.

              "Tony," she said nervously. "I'd...like to say yes."

               "Yes?" he said tiredly. "Yes to what?"

            "I'm saying yes," she swallowed before she replied. "I want to marry you."

          She could feel his whole body tense and freeze. Then he lifted his head to look at her intensely, "You want to marry me?"

              "Yes," she said with a small smile but his intense look made her nervous. "I mean, unless you changed your mind then that's..."

He cut her off by kissing her. It was a kiss she got lost in and she was breathless once he was done with her.

"Snowflake, why would I change my mind?" he said incredulously. "Why would I not want to marry you?"

"I don't know," she blushed sheepishly.

Then he smirked as he began to tease, "You're going to make a honest man out of me?"

She giggled, "I thought I already did and it was too easy..."

"Why wouldn't it be?" he said a bit proudly. "I mean, look at you. And you're all mine."

She blushed again before he looked at her nervously, "You're really going to marry me?"

"Yes," she smiled.

"I swear you don't want me to ever sleep," Tony teased again.

"Shut up," she pouted before he claimed her lips again.

He kissed her until she didn't want him to stop. Then he pulled away as he looked down at her with a love drunk smile, "Say yes again."

"Yes," she grinned.

"God, I love you," he caressed her cheek gently with his thumb before he pressed his lips back to hers.

And the rest of the night was filled with kissing and the periodic yes as Tony kept asking her just so he could hear her say it again. She was going to marry him. The thought made him ecstatic and he couldn't wait to see her become a vision in a white dress.

AN: I'm kind of iffy about this chapter but I'm moving on. Now the next couple of chapters of iron man 3 are going to get bumpy