The characters belong to Marvel/Disney (I wish I own them) and I don't get any profit from this writing.
WE NEED TO TALK
It was late in the evening at the Avengers Compound. Pepper Potts was sitting on the big white couch in the living room, reading casually on her tablet meanwhile Tony's head rested pacefully on her lap. She was caressing his head with her free hand absentmindedly, in a familiar patern, curling his dark and silky hair between her fingers in that sweet way Tony loved so much, and he was surprisingly quiet, lying there, eyes closed, enjoying the momment. Reveling in the feeling of being there cuddling with her again. Trying to let rid of the awful memories of those two months withouth her that felt like hell. He was so lucky. It was all in the past now and the future, their future, never looked so bright.
Tony Stark thought about the day before, when he was in the roof of this same facility, feeling miserable and looking sadly into the horizon. Lost in thoughts of what he missed, Pepper, some of his friends... When he was less expecting it, Pepper was suddenly at his side dressed in a white bussiness suit and looking at him. After two entire months of self - imposed distance.
"Hey!" he had said trying not to sound desperate. She was beautiful. And he loved her with all his soul. Being near her again, knowing they couldn't go back to be boyfriend and girlfriend was so difficult. It felt so unnatural. It felt wrong. He wanted to hug her, kiss her... But he knew far too well he couldn't.
"Tony… I need to tell you something" was all she answered back. "It's important"
He turned slowly and stared at her. Waiting. She looked nervous, probably because both were so near each other and alone in that roof. After all that had happened between them.
"Well, it sure must be important if you needed to get here to tell me in person. You didn't say much at the hospital when you came to visit Rhodey"
"We weren't alone then" Pepper said, the wind disheveling her beautiful red hair. Giving her a fierce look. Damn he needed to stop staring into those beautiful blue eyes before it was too late...
"All is fine, Pepper" He tried to reasure her and himself. "I know what you said at the hospital. That you were worried about me. That I could have died in that hellhole in Siberia... Because I was emotionally inestable and out of my mind. That you feel so sorry about what happened with Mom and Dad. I know you'll always be my friend and you'll be there for me. I know that." Tony paused. He breathed hard. "I know that doesn't mean we are going to be back togheter like nothing ever happened between us. I know why we decided to give us, this, our relationship some time..."
Pepper caressed his cheek. She was cold and he was warm. And familiar. And she loved to touch him again. Had missed him so much.
"I just needed space. I couldn't live like that. You broke your promise. You said you were done with the Iron Man suits... You were wrong. I felt hurt. I didn't want to wait for you. To worry about you dying every other day. It was too much I..." Her voice cracked and she sobed. "You broke your promise, Tony"
He reached for her and put his hands over her shoulders like some other times before, soothingly. "It's okay, Pep" he whispered. "I wish I could stop being Iron Man... Maybe now I can. I'm so tired..." She looked at him with shiny eyes and kept talking.
"But, it hasn't passed a week that I realized that I missed you so much Tony and that being apart of each other was even worse than before. Because I was so worried about you but I couldn't talk with you. I needed you with me. I needed to tell you... I couldn't do anything and that sense of impotence was truly devastating…"
Tony sighed deeply. "Pepper I... I'm sorry... I..."
"I love you." Pepper blurted out. "You know I always will"
"I know." Tony replied looking into her eyes. "And I love you too." He smiled at her. Hopeful. "I'll always will. I would never love anyone else"
"Oh Tony..." She threw herself into his embrace.
They both knew they were THE ONE for each other. They hugged tenderly under the moonlight for what seemed hours. And that night neither of them felt alone again.
Now, they were pacefully starting again. TOGHETER. The thing Pepper wanted to tell him forgotten. Until NOW.
She left the tablet aside and mildly touched his shoulder. The engineer got up and sat in the couch, looking at her surprised.
"Tony, I came here to tell you something. But... We started to talk about our feelings and trying being togheter again and I wanted to give us a new opportunity so much... I know I must have told you this as soon as I knew but... With Rhodey's recovery and everything else... I'm so emotionally... I needed you. Now I... I was looking for the right momment. Please forgive me..."
She was pleading at him. Tony was puzzled.
"What's wrong? You want to leave? Please don't tell me that... We can make it work... I know it just... Please..."
Pepper felt he sounded desperate and afraid. Maybe he would be more now... But he needed to know. She decided to blurt it out and brace herself. Enough stalling.
"I'm pregnant. Two months. Remember our date night, the week before I left? Well... It looks like we made a baby..." He was astonished looking at her with those amazed big eyes of him. She continued. "I wanted to tell you as soon I found out, but we were on that stupid break and then the accords and everything else between the avengers was happening and I couldn't get to you... I thought... It never was the right momment... I'm so sorry Tony... I just... "
"Did you tell Rogers before me?" Tony screamed, hurt suddenly reflected in his chocolate brown eyes.
"What? Tony are you serious? Why would I have told Steve something like this? So private? No, only my doctor knows..."
Tony messed his hair with both hands and got up, bewildered.
"So, why did he ask about if we were having a child in Berlin? Is he some kind of psychic now, the son of a bitch?"
Now was Pepper's turn of being surprised.
"What? He asked you if we were having a baby?" He nodded. "Oh God Tony, maybe it was because that's what's to expect from people in a stable relationship that's lasted for years? I don't know what goes trough our friend's mind..."
Tony looked at her and narrowed his eyes.
"Ex-friend"
Pepper arched her brow significantly.
"You know you can't stay mad at him forever..."
"I'll be mad at him some more time" The father of her child replied.
"Tony" She tried to reason with him.
"Pepper" He softened his expression.
"You sure understand what is like... He was trying to help his best friend... Someday you need to think about forgiving him..."
"I understand it. And that doesn't change anything, Pep. But I don't want to talk more about Rogers... You and our little nugget, on the other hand, have all my attention, baby"
He motioned towards her again, his gaze so sweet.
Pepper smiled a little. Feeling more relaxed.
"So you say you didn't tell him..."
"Of course not, idiot. I wanted you to be the first person to know we are going to be parents."
His face changed and he suddenly looked more relaxed, a big smile forming in his mouth. He looked several years younger...
"So... Miss Potts... This means we are going to have a baby..." Tony said caressing longinly Pepper's belly.
"Yes." She smiled back at him. Her eyes full of hope and happiness. "Are you afraid?"
Tony looked into her eyes, kneeling down in front of her. His right hand never leaving her stomach.
"I'm terrified. But strangely happy too. I mean if this has to happen I'm glad it's going to be with you, Pep. You are the only one I've ever thought I'll want to have a family with. You already know that, honey"
She smiled broadly at him. Bringing light into the room.
"I know. And I'm terrified too. I want to raise this baby with you, and I would have wanted you to be part of this child's life even if we weren't together anymore. I want you to know that."
He leaned into her. Looking into her eyes lovingly.
"We will raise this baby, and we'll do it together Miss Potts. I promise you I'll never let you go away from me again"
And then, their lips met halfway and they kissed tenderly.
It was a promise and both intended to keep it.
This is my personal vision of what happened between Pepper and Tony after Civil War and nobody can tell me otherwise... ;)
Published withouth a beta reader, sorry if there are mistakes...
I like to think this one and Squirrel happen in the same timeline :)