California had no obvious seasonal changes. All year round, it was like the most beautiful summer people remembered: blazing sunlight and faintly cool evening breezes.
The helicopter's rotors scattered the heat haze and sent the nearby palm trees swaying wildly. Before the helicopter had even landed, a gleaming red-and-gold figure shot out with a whoosh, traced a graceful arc through the air, and landed with a boom.
With a click, the faceplate opened. Stark scooped up the charging Helen and vigorously rubbed his rough, bearded chin against her little face, making Helen shriek.
Pepper, stepping down from the helicopter, gave Stark a dissatisfied shove and jerked her head toward the back, telling him to push the stroller. She reached out to pick Helen up herself, but Helen had grown quite a bit and was already too heavy for her.
Helen leaned over the stroller to look at the much bigger Little Morgan, while Schiller and Eddie crowded over as well.
"Babies really change every day," Schiller sighed. He remembered Little Morgan when she had first been born, all wrinkled up and practically like a red rat. It had not even been that long, yet she had already grown fair and chubby.
Stark retracted his armor. He was wearing a floral shirt with shorts, flip-flops on his feet, and his beloved sunglasses. He shooed everyone away, pushed the stroller forward, and said, "A baby's skin is very delicate. She can't stay exposed to such strong ultraviolet light for too long. Why haven't Matt and the others come down yet?"
"He really does look like a father now," Eddie teased.
Only then did Matt and his wife get off the helicopter. The tiny child Elektra was holding by the hand toddled along unsteadily, and everyone was delighted. Helen ran away from Pepper's