WHEN BIRDIE RESURFACED, IT WAS AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. Of course, they did acknowledge it in some ways, Remy hugging her longer than usual and walking on eggshells more, too afraid to ask her how she was doing, but too aware not to keep his eyes on her for long periods of time. As much as he could, at least, as, when she went back to work, she had a large pile waiting for her.

"I did do some for her, but there was only so much I could do," Jayne apologized when Tony had to drop by and watch over Remy while waiting for the woman to come home, already past dinner.

"Don't apologize, you didn't have to do it," he said, ushering her towards her car, locking the door and turning towards Remy who was sitting on the floor, facing something in front of the couch.

"What's up, kid?" he asked, toeing off his shoes and padding over towards where Remy was sitting, peering over the couch, unable to stop his scoff.

There, in front of Remy, was Roomba, the robot decked out in paper cranes and boats of all different colors, looking everything like a dog dressed up by its owner, though not necessarily as well-kept as the more well off dogs seen on dog shows the boy used to watch when he was younger.

"I've been neglecting Roomba, I feel bad," Remy said, raising his head to look at Tony, "And Marc. He's been doing all my homework while I was away, can you believe that? He learned my handwriting and everything."

Tony blinked. "Your friend is really scary."

Remy smiled, a slow, soft smile, so unlike his usual bright, spontaenous grins. "You think all my friends are scary. BUDDY, Marc..." he trailed off, shrugging, "Yeah, that's about it."

"I think Vision is pretty scary too," he added lightly, and Remy positively glowed at that, though his smile didn't change.

"You know, Happy misses you," he said, and the boy laughed, but it wasn't his usual laugh that seemed to be so loud for a body so small, so grating and shocking and surprised. No, this was a breath of a laugh, so unlike the boy that Tony couldn't take it anymore.

"Who are you and what've you done with my kid?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrows and Remy rolled his eyes, though he didn't look all too upset.

"I'm just worried about mom, that's all," he sighed, "I don't know what to do. She looks better, but I don't know if she feels better. Can you talk to her?"

Tony nodded solemnly, reaching out to tap the boy's cheek, trying to get him to smile. It took some time, Remy struggling to keep a straight face, but eventually the boy started to laugh. It wasn't his usual laugh, but it was enough.

"She talked about you last night," Remy said, moving to set up his video game which he had gotten while he was still staying with Tony, "She was wondering if you were okay and if we actually ate something. I told her we ate pizza and she sighed for a really long time."

Tony chuckled, shaking his head. "Kid, you know better, we're not supposed to tell your mom when we eat pizza."

"What was I supposed to say?" Remy demanded, "We ate salad? She doesn't even eat salad."

Tony laughed, standing up and moving to sit on the couch, Remy grabbing his controller and pressing himself right next to Tony's side, eyes wide as he watched the screen. The man simply rested his arm along the back of the couch, watching with vague amusement.

After a few minutes of watching Remy play, he pulled out his phone, figuring he might as well try to text Birdie now before she got home, whenever that would be.

'DON'T WORK TOO HARD.'

It took her about twenty minutes to reply, and the alert for her text had both Remy and Tony screaming, the tension in the game getting to both of them, causing Remy to die, having to restart the game.

'TONY, I'M WORKING. AND IT'S TOO LATE NOW, I'M NEARLY CAUGHT UP.'

He rolled his eyes, typing back quickly, in the hopes that she'll reply faster.

'WELL SEE YOU TOOK TWENTY MINUTES TO REPLY THAT MEANS YOU'RE WORKING TOO HARD.'

Her reply was instantaneous.

'I HAVE TO DEAL WITH ONE CHILD, DON'T BE THE SECOND.'

He snorted, too caught up in texting to notice Remy's raised eyebrow and slight glance before going back to his game.

'WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOME, THE KID AND I ARE HUNGRY AND I'M FALLING ASLEEP.'

The next reply earned a full laugh. Not just a breathy laugh or an exhale or any other indication that he found what she said funny, it was a full laugh, one that hadn't come out of him in such a time he even shocked himself.

'GO BACK TO SLEEP. AND STARVE.'

º º º

Birdie had returned home to find Tony passed out on the couch, Remy with his game on pause, doodling on his face with washable marker and Tony's phone up recording, snickering to himself as he did.

"What are you doing?" Birdie demanded, trying to seem like the responsible adult, "How long has he been asleep?"

"About an hour," the boy replied, pulling away from where he had drawn a variety of things on the man's face, ranging from stars to eyeglasses to lopsided paper boats.

Birdie scoffed and gathered up the markers, placing them on the coffee table, lifting Tony's legs and dropping them across her lap, settling down next to Remy. "This looks scary, are you sure you won't get nightmares?"

Remy sighed heavily. "I won't get nightmares, it wouldn't even make sense."

Birdie made a face away from her son. "Okay, if you're sure..." She was already prepared to make warm milk and wake up in the middle of the night when Remy decided that the shadows casted by his toys were a little too similar to a frail woman watching him.

"You made Tony laugh a lot, he kept making me mess up," Remy said, knowing fully well that Tony's laugh only messed him up once, as the man had subdued himself back to soft reactions.

"Really?" Birdie hummed, glancing over towards the man who hadn't stirred even after the movement caused by the two Walshs, "Did he apologize?"

"No, 'cause he was too busy talking to you, didn't even notice," Remy said, and if Birdie had been around more, she could have noticed his slur in words that meant he was lying.

But since she was distant, all she could focus on were his words, eyes landing back on the man who looked so tired and content asleep. He didn't seem as tense, almost happy, a real happy that she had never really seen while he was awake, though maybe it was because she had never looked.

"Mom, don't stare at him, that's creepy," Remy said, nudging her as he continued to play his game, "You wanna try playing, I can't get over this one part."

Birdie opened her mouth to decline the offer, to say that she was too tired and that she'd play another time, but one look at her son had her words dying on her lips. Remy was barely even looking at her, too embarrassed by how much he wanted her to stay and spend time with him, glancing over at her, as if afraid she would get upset by his request.

She smiled and nodded, taking the controller from his hands. "Okay. How about while I help you, you ask BUDDY to order us some takeout. Something somewhat healthy, okay, we're going to have burgers tomorrow."

Remy jumped to his feet, but paused at her last sentence, raising an eyebrow. "Why are we having burgers?"

She smiled. "I was going to tell you when Tony was awake, but...we're going on a picnic."

º º º

Remy was glad that he was told in advance. Liking to be in control or, at least, in somewhat control, at all times, he didn't take well to last minute plans or big changes, sometimes needing a few days in preparation to be fully okay with decisions. But a picnic in Central Park, he was okay with being told the night before.

"It's pretty warm out, that's interesting," Tony said, walking alongside Remy who was holding his mother's hand, the woman making sure that he was close by at all times.

"I like to say it's global warming, but some guy yelled at me when he heard me telling that to mom, so I don't talk about global warming a lot anymore," Remy said, and Tony quirked an eyebrow, looking over towards Birdie who simply shrugged.

The three were off to meet up with Jayne, Brad, and Wilma's family, deciding to go on a simple picnic to make up for the events of Thanksgiving. Of course, Jayne didn't say that to Birdie when proposing the idea, but it was inferred for all those involved.

They all startled when they heard a man screaming loudly at another man and Tony raised an eyebrow, moving towards Birdie's other side, acting as a barrier between them. He didn't do much else, only mumbling for them to move a little faster as she had been clearly startled, but it was enough.

"Sorry," Birdie mumbled, loosening the grip on Remy's arm and glancing over to Tony.

"You're fine," he said, too preoccupied with texting Happy to look over and let her know he was sincere.

The three walked in silence until they caught sight of Jayne and Brad waving at them, Wilma, Ethan, and Wilma's wife Treshelle still setting up their own blanket and setting out their food.

"You look so good!" Jayne squealed, rushing over to hug Birdie, her long sundress and cardigan fluttering past her, the blonde stopping to admire Birdie's similar get up, tapping her wide brimmed hat with a finger.

"You were the one who told me what to wear," Birdie pointed out, but she appreciated the compliment nonetheless.

Jayne laughed and turned to Tony, smiling at him the same way she had all those years ago, moving to hug him in that high class fashion that Birdie hadn't seen in some time, though she always knew that Jayne could adapt to any occassion.

"It's good to see you, Tony," she said, all the magic of him being a celebrity gone over the time the two were forced to watch over Remy.

"You too, Jayne," he said, hugging her before moving to shake hands with Brad who also went to hug Birdie, ruffling Remy's hair.

The three families all convened at their set out picnic blankets, Remy rushing to set up theirs as well, Ethan helping him when the wind decided to be particularly harsh. It was a much more casual affair, but not at all less lovely, all of them chatting over burgers and hot dogs and whatever other food they had prepared before arriving.

"How's everyone, Treshelle?" Birdie asked, turning towards the woman whom she had worked with back when she was still a practicing nurse.

"They're good," the woman said, nodding, "Did you hear about what happened? Rosie's husband came back, but he's locked up for good now, he's got a string of charges against him, it's amazing."

"Oh finally," Birdie breathed, feeling relief at hearing that her once dear friend was finally away from her abusive husband, "Tell her I say hi, I wish saw her more, she's so nice."

"Isn't she?" Treshelle agreed, and Wilma smiled fondly at how easily her wife got along with her sister. Of course, it had been Birdie who had introduced Wilma to the woman, but the point still stood.

"Mom, Remy and I want ice cream, can you buy us some?" Ethan asked, tugging on Wilma's shirt.

"Ask your mother first," Wilma said, glancing over to Treshelle, hiding her smile.

Ethan stifled his sigh, turning towards his other mother. "Mama, can we have ice cream?"

Treshelle hummed in thought, unable to hide her smile. "I don't know...ask your mother."

Everyone laughed as Ethan groaned, hitting the picnic blankets. "This stopped being funny when I turned nine, seriously!"

The two woman laughed and stood up, grabbing their purses. "Okay," Wilma agreed, "We'll go buy the ice cream, but you two stay here. What does everyone want, we'll carry them all back."

After writing down all the orders, the women were off, heading towards their favorite ice cream stop which wasn't too far away, dead set on bringing the best flavors after hearing that a good number of the people involved hadn't tried the ice cream.

While they were off, the kids decided to bother Brad, who was the most fit out of the ones left on the picnic blankets, dragging him off from where he was talking with his wife, forcing him to play catch and tag with them.

It wasn't long before Ethan dragged Tony into the fray, grabbing his arm and tugging him up, leaving Remy to fend for himself, getting picked up and spun by Brad, shrieking madly. Before Ethan returned, he grabbed another one of his not-toys from the bag, throwing the balls at Brad, causing him to drop Remy, the boy grabbed some of the projectiles and throwing them, trying to get away as the game shifted to a modified version of tag.

Birdie and Jayne laughed as they watched, content to just relax under the sun and leave the strenuous work to those without too strenuous jobs, just chatting softly. Of course, Jayne's relaxing was cut short by Brad rushing towards her and picking her up, dragging her into the game despite her protests and shrieking.

Birdie laughed as she watched, only to find Tony jogging towards her, taking it as an opportunity to get out of the game and relax, dropping onto the blankets, dropping his head into Birdie's lap, face turned up towards the high risen sun, sighing.

"They wear you out?" Birdie laughed, reaching out to idly run her hands through his hair, stopping when she remembered all the times she did that with Mark.

Tony had stiffened at the touch at first, instantly thinking back to Pepper, but pushed the thought out of the way and relaxed, glad that Birdie went back to it. He sighed, groaning softly, "The youth of the day. They should put their energy into something productive. Like aiding the economy."

"There are child labor laws," she pointed out, laughing softly.

"What the laws don't know won't hurt them," Tony said, shushing her lowly, and she laughed, throwing her head back.

Tony raised himself up onto his arms, giving her the opportunity to lean back against the blankets and stare up at the sky. He smiled down at her for a moment, just watching, before moving to lie down next to her, his back aching happily as his muscles relaxed.

Turning his head towards her, he stared until she turned as well, giving him a small smile. He smiled back, the two of them so content and, for a short while, at some semblance of peace.

"How are you doing, Birdie?" he asked, his voice quiet, all the other noise turning dull.

She shrugged, moving one of her hands off her stomach. "I'm doing better. How are you doing, Tony?"

He smiled, not looking down to see where her hand was somewhat resting over his.

"I'm getting there."

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Ya'll. Ya'll, I'm so proud of this chapter, you have no idea. I'm so happy with how it worked out, it showed the development in the characters while still showing room for improvement, bonding with all the characters, Roomba is back! Life is good ya'll, and we're slowly healing.

I hope I didn't say before that Wilma had a husband, because I feel so much better with her having a wife, I'm so much more comfortable with it. I honestly just loved her having a wife, and Ethan having to deal with the endless "ask your mother"s it's so good. I'm just so happy with this chapter, it took me a while to write it, but I'm happy with how it turned out.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!