From the Ashes

by shannyfish

Tony and Pepper start anew in New York. Starting over isn't always so easy… Post "Iron Man 3". Tony/Pepper

1. Starting Over

Title: From the Ashes

Author: Shannon – shannyfish

Disclaimer: Iron Man and Avengers do not belong to me, but Marvel Entertainment and Disney. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Rating: PG-13 (for now)

Summary: Tony and Pepper start anew in New York. Starting over isn't always so easy… Post "Iron Man 3". Tony/Pepper

Warning: none that I can think of right now!

Author's Note: I think that given what happened in "Iron Man 3" that the characters can seem to be a little rocky! I promise, if they seem bipolar, they will straighten out! :D

Constructive criticism is appreciated!

. . .

"From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king."

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

. . .

After the Mandarin (and Aldrich Killian), everything was different.

They moved into the house he grew up in. Long Island, New York. A long way from Malibu, California and the house he'd been so used to. It had made enough sense, mainly because they could operate Stark Industries from Stark Tower in Manhattan. Of course, they really could operate things from anywhere in the world… Pepper just liked actually going into the office…and more than once a week!

A lot of things were how they were before, but other things were different.

Happy was back to being his and Pepper's bodyguard as well as driver. Pepper would only allow Happy to accompany her on specific days under the guise of not wanting him bored all day. The true was, Happy still wasn't one hundred percent. They were doing the best they could to let Happy act like he was fine, but the schedule that Pepper had implemented was to ensure that Happy had some downtime. Tony was sure that Happy knew what was going on, but was humoring them. Okay, so he was probably mostly doing it for Pepper's benefit. Tony knew that Happy, like him, wasn't going to do anything to upset Pepper.

The only downfall to their new home was that it wasn't quite home yet. The house had been closed up for decades. There had been a caretaker who made sure the grounds were landscaped, the exterior of the house was maintained, and then he also made sure that someone came into dust and do basic interior maintaining as well. Tony hadn't ever realized that the house was being looked after, but Pepper had. The house was filled with staff, who were mainly there to get the house in proper shape. After all, no one had lived there for some time. The whole house had already been recently power washed and repainted. Landscaping was fine for the most part, but there was a crew working on it just the same. Pepper had a better eye for it than he did.

Inside was another story though. Rooms were being dusted, cleaned, emptied, and the whole interior was redone. Pepper seemed happy with the project, though. Tony, on the other hand, was fine not having anything to do with it. He and JARVIS had been designing what would be his new workshop. He knew he'd promised to downsize on his distractions, but he'd ensured there was enough room for everything he may ever need (including a new cellar)…just in case.

"You know she's going to find out about all of this," Happy said. They were sitting next to each other watching Downton Abbey (well Happy was) while Tony planned. He motioned wildly at all of the designs. "I thought you promised not to have all this stuff."

"I did," Tony found himself saying.

"She and I are the best things in your life," Happy told him. "And let's face it, Pepper's really the best thing in both of our lives. She keeps everything bright and sane and running smoothly."

"She has final say over these plans," Tony explained. "I just want to make sure I have the space…just in case…" Tony turned and stared at his long time friend. "Do you really think it's wrong of me to think ahead…in case I have to protect her?"

"You know I don't," Happy said. "You're just going to want to change around some of your labels." He held out one of his hands. "Here, give me one… I'll point and tell you what to rename it. You type it in."

"Yes, Sir," Tony said slowly as a smile formed on his face. He handed him a tablet with the designs on it.

"I want to make it clear," Happy told him. "I'm not doing this for you."

"Oh, I know," Tony said.

"It's for Pepper," Happy reiterated. He held up the tablet. "This whole bottom section…you're going to want to explain that you're going to hollow it out and put in the basic structures, but that you'll have that as a later project." Happy continued to point. "This bottom area…car storage…you could even call it a museum if there was enough stuff left from Malibu."

"Glorified storage?" Tony asked and when Happy nodded, he made notes. "Excellent."

"Robotics…but also a future to be used space," Happy said.

"I was really hoping to install some of it."

"Then make sure you have two entrances…and hide the other part you don't want her to see."

"Genius! I'm rubbing off on you!" Tony exclaimed as he continued to make notes. He didn't miss the eye roll from Happy.

Happy sighed. "You better not go overboard. She needs you… I know that sometimes it's hard to think that Pepper needs you rather than the other way around, but it's true."

It was true, sometimes he forgot. Pepper had taken care of almost every detail of his life for so long as his personal assistant…he was still adjusting to their relationship (as horrible as it might sound). He would lay down his life for hers…and he had no problem in the past firing anyone who talked to, looked at, touched, or treated Pepper wrong. He'd never let her know that's why they'd actually been fired though.

"I know," Tony said.

And it was true. The romantic everyday stuff just didn't come as easily to him as building weapons or suits of armor. He was working on it, though. Sometimes he just got it wrong…like the rabbit.

He didn't want to keep things from her, lie, or deceive her in any way…but he also wanted to be able to protect her. To protect them.

"I know," he repeated again.

. . .

"How was your day, Honey?" Tony asked. He had JARVIS alert him when Pepper was approaching the house. He knew that she'd been excited to go into the office and though he had his own lab at Stark Tower, they had figured that Pepper in the building on a permanent basis was enough of a change for the employees. He'd start going in to work in a couple of weeks, just so people had time to adjust.

"Productive," Pepper responded. She wasn't even in the door yet, but Tony had to admit that a bit of the domestic life wasn't horrible. Really the only things they fought over were building and modifying the house.

"I wouldn't have thought any less," Tony said with a smile. He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in for a kiss. "I missed you," he told her before leaning in for another kiss.

"How's Happy?"

Tony led her into the house. "I told you not to worry about him! I fed him, made sure he had a comfy pillow and blanket, and I even let him watch his show!" He knew it amused her when he talked about Happy like he was a five year old home sick from school. "I even made him get up for a walk."

"I talked to Rhodey today," Pepper told him.

"Why didn't he call me?" Tony asked, pouting a bit.

"Play date," she teased. "You let your voicemail get full apparently…not sure how since I know what kind of storage we have."

"JARVIS' fault," Tony lied. "East coast is throwing him off."

"That is not the case, I can assure you, Ms. Potts," JARVIS spoke up. He was a little muffled. They were still working on installing updated systems and speakers throughout the house. "I am operating per the specifications set."

"And how much voicemail storage does Mr. Stark have available on his phone?" Pepper asked.

"One space."

Pepper just looked at Tony, arms crossing. "That's really not helpful."

"I pick up all of your calls," he tried to defend himself. In truth, he had only told him to alert him if Pepper was calling. He just really didn't want the distractions.

"He's up for a promotion," Pepper filled him in as she set things down and removed her heels. "He may be relocating to DC."

"Much closer for a play date than California," he said. "He has the War—I mean…Iron Patriot armor." Tony's voice changed when he talked about the armor. He was still firmly in believing it was lame. "He could fly here…no gas needed…" He'd already made both Rhodey and the US military sign an agreement stating that there were to be no more changes made to the War Machine/Iron Patriot suit that wasn't done by Stark Industries and not without his and Pepper's express approval. So, maybe Pepper had worked with legal to have it done, but it had come up during one of his rants.

"You two can discuss fixing what AIM screwed up," Pepper told him.

"They screwed up a lot…not just their brilliant rebrand idea," Tony said. This was his moment. "Plus, you know…no workshop…and I thought no more distractions?"

"I think I said less distractions," Pepper told him. She stared at him for a moment. "I know you can't give up the suits or being Iron Man," she said evenly. "But you don't have to spend so long in the workshop."

"Sounds like the workshop on parental controls," Tony quipped.

"If that's how you want to think about it…"

"I have the plan layouts," Tony said and moved to retrieve his tablet. He just hoped that Happy's labeling suggestions would help. He brought up the plans and turned the tablet over to her. "Was trying to think ahead…easier to dig out now rather than later on…"

He watched her as she looked it over. He really wasn't sure how it would all turn out as soon as Pepper decided, but Tony had high hopes for it. Suddenly she was making notes directly on his plans. Tony wasn't sure what to make of this, so he just tried to keep his mouth shut and waited.

When she finally handed the tablet back to him, his jaw dropped in response to the notes.

"So, I was thinking," Pepper began. "Maybe we should make the move to Stark Tower once you're there full time. We could stay there during the work week and then be here on the weekends."

Tony barely heard Pepper. He was floored by her notes. She'd relabeled what Happy had helped him with. She'd gotten almost all of the zones correct. One had been labeled 'Tony and Bruce's play zone'. He wasn't sure what to think about that. Tony was sure that there could be a more technically term he could come up with.

When he finally looked up, Pepper was still staring at him…she was waiting calmly. She didn't look upset, but she didn't look thrilled either. "You do realize that I know what your workshop in Malibu looked like, right? And I'm aware of the cellar area and its contents."

"Yes," he said slowly. He frowned down at the plans. He was busted. He was waiting for his workshop to be scrubbed from the planning list.

"And you didn't hear one word I said about our living arrangements or Stark Industries, did you?"

"No." Tony frowned. "Well, actually I heard you, but my brain was too busy trying to process the notes," he admitted as he pointed to the tablet. "And I just don't remember anything that you said."

"I said," Pepper told him as she took the tablet from him and set it aside. "I think that we should plan on moving into Stark Tower once you've settled into the office. Then we can come home here on the weekends. Maybe adjust the schedule, so that the work week only goes until Thursday."

"Four day work week?" Tony asked and then cringed. "Thursdays only are better for me."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "The paperwork I handle is going to take me at least four days a week."

"Sucks to be CEO," he teased. He knew that Stark Industries was better for having Pepper in charge. He had never regretted making her CEO and then insisting she remain after the explosion at the Stark Expo.

Pepper responded with a sour expression. "You really aren't cooperating very well today," Pepper told him.

"There are days I cooperate?" he asked with a smirk. In all honesty, he was excited about starting over, so to say, in New York. It would be nice, though he maybe wouldn't tell Pepper that…not yet anyways, to go to work everyday with her. The arc reactor and the shrapnel being removed from his chest had been a huge weight off of him. Knowing Pepper was CEO of Stark still had given him relief as well and the fact that she was still right there by his side after everything… He couldn't be luckier.

"Tell them to go ahead and start construction for the workshop," Pepper told him. "This project still isn't putting you off of coming to Stark Tower."

"I know," Tony said. He was pleasantly surprised that she'd just green lighted his workshop even knowing all of his intentions with it. Pepper seemed to be the one person in this world who could leave him utterly speechless. "I just—"

She stopped and stared at him. "I know," she said quietly.

Tony had come through on figuring out the Extremis that had been forcibly introduced to Pepper with the help of Doctor Banner. Ever since Killian and Extremis…Pepper had been different. He couldn't put his finger on it exactly, but she was. They didn't talk about it, though. Pepper wanted life to be like business as usual. It was how Pepper dealt with things. She was focusing on Stark and he could just hope that she'd work through things when she was really ready for it.

"How about dinner?" Tony suggested. "You and me…we'll go out... What do you say?"

"Bruce should be here any minute," Pepper reminded. "You two were going to do whatever you two do…"

Tony frowned. He'd completely forgotten. Not that he wasn't excited about Bruce being there. They had way too much fun and were far too productive when they were together, but with everything going on…he'd forgotten. And right now, he wanted to take some time for Pepper. They really hadn't had much alone time to just be together and not worry about everything else.

They'd saved the president. Killian was gone. They'd left Malibu. He and Bruce had fixed Pepper. Pepper had been focusing on the house and the company. He'd been babysitting Happy.

There really hadn't been time for them.

What they really both needed was therapy…and a vacation.

They both had nightmares every night.

Tony just didn't know how to fix this. He had hoped that with Pepper no longer worrying about burning up from Extremis that things would settle down. She'd just dug into Stark Industries.

He was going to tell Bruce that he'd have to take a rain check. He knew his friend would understand. It wasn't like he wouldn't be seeing him; Bruce was supposed to be trying to stay in New York with them. He was going to go to work at Stark Tower with them and Fury promised to leave them alone as long as there were no problems with the Hulk. Bruce and Happy could spend the night hanging out on the couch watching Downton Abbey and eating pizza.

"No," Tony said. "Get changed. We're going to go out."

"Tony—"

"You and I are going to go out…we're going to go anywhere you want… I mean it, if we have to get the jet ready…we'll fly anywhere you want for dinner," he told her quite seriously.

"I don't think we need to go quite that far…"

"Let's go to Manhattan… You and me. We'll eat in the city…and then we'll spend the night at Stark Tower…" Tony proposed. "You and I need this…" He was trying not to make it sound so desperate, but he knew it came out like that. He stared at her and reached out to touch her. She moved before his hand came into contact with her skin. He wondered if she still worried about Extremis and what she could do accidentally.

"Not tonight," Pepper told him as she got up.

"Pepper, please…"

"Bruce—"

"This isn't about Bruce… This is about you and me," Tony told her. He sighed. "I know that I have been screwing up left and right the last year… This is our chance to start fresh… I don't want us to be in this limbo… We deserve to be happy, Pepper…"

"I just need space…and I need some time," she told him.

And she was being honest. He could tell. She'd come to bed, but she'd stay to the edge of her side of the bed and he wouldn't try to push things. He'd known that she needed space…he just didn't know how much space she needed.

"I need to get things under control before I can—"

Tony frowned. "Please… It's just dinner. That's all I'm asking…"

"Tony—"

"Please, Pepper," he begged.

He watched her face. He knew that coming home and just being casual was one thing, but when it came to them being more intimate and close…Pepper was completely unprepared and uncomfortable. He just felt like they needed this. He hoped that maybe that if they went to dinner and were just together that maybe it would give him a chance to know how to help Pepper.

"Okay," she whispered. Pepper sighed and looked down for a minute before looking back up at him. "I need you to do all the decision making," Pepper told him honestly. "I've made decisions all day long…"

"I can do that," Tony told her. "I'll make some phone calls… You go ahead and get ready…"

"What kind of get ready?" Pepper asked.

"Something nice… We haven't gotten dressed up and gone out in a while," Tony told her. "It'll be nice."

Pepper smiled at him. "Are you going to need help figuring out what matches?" Before, Pepper was always helping him with everything. Which included making sure he looked right, especially in front of press and the media. She knew what colors to wear and what looked sharp. Though, sometimes he'd gotten away with wearing what he wanted.

"You know I'd love you to do that," Tony told her. "But only if you want to."

"White shirt, grey pants," Pepper told him. "And then I'll check on you…"

He just watched her as she disappeared. Maybe this was what she needed… He hoped so at least. Maybe it was what they needed.

. . .

Tony had changed into what Pepper had requested and she was there to supervise the rest. She picked the tie and Tony let her put it on him and tie it. The tie was a light purple with thin silver patterns through it, and the color matched her dress beautifully. "Purple…must be a special occasion," he teased. Jokes. It was really the only way he knew to break the ice. Joking about anything made it easier.

"It's more of a lilac," Pepper told him, a smile on her lips.

"Not sure if that makes it better."

Pepper smoothed his tie and he took the chance to reach up and touch her hand. She started to pull her hand away, but he held it there against his chest. It was a little odd without the arc reactor. It had been apart of him for so long. He almost missed it sometimes. But without the arc reactor, the feel of her hand there…it was so much better than the arc reactor.

"Tony—"

"You look absolutely gorgeous," Tony told her as he stared at her. Pepper was wearing a lilac sleeveless dress that fell to right above the knee. There was nothing extraordinary about the structure of it; it highlighted all of her curves perfectly but was still tasteful.

"Thank you," she said as she looked down.

He held out her arm for her. "Shall we?"

"Are you sure about this?" she asked.

Tony could tell that she was unsure, but he really felt like this was important for them. "I couldn't be more sure of anything else right now." When she took his arm, he led her towards the door. He opened it and came to a full stop when Bruce was there with his hand up mid knock. "Oh crap…"

"You didn't call, Bruce?" Pepper asked as she tilted her head to look at him.

Tony frowned at Pepper for a moment. She wasn't happy. But he knew he could fix this. Bruce would understand. Bruce had to understand. "Why don't you go ahead to the car—"

"Which one?"

"Pick one?" Tony said and then held out the keys. "That one?" She pushed forward a smile. "I'll be there in just a minute."

"But Bruce—"

"He's here…to babysit Happy…" Tony tried to think quickly.

"No he's not," Pepper said. She reached out and patted Bruce's shoulder. "He's having an interesting day…"

"I'm seeing that," Bruce said.

As soon as Pepper was out of earshot, he pulled Bruce into the house. "Hi, so…I meant to call you. Pick a guest room. I'm sorry, but tonight…I need to take Pepper out. I told you how she's been. How I've been worried…"

"It's okay… I understand," Bruce said. "I'll make myself at home and I'll read."

"Happy may still be watching Downton Abbey," Tony said as he pushed Bruce in the general direction of where Happy was parked on the couch (at least that's where he'd seen him earlier). "Don't forget to feed him!"

Bruce just laughed in response.

Tony hurried in the direction of the car that he'd given Pepper the key to. He just hoped that the night went better than things were currently going. At least Bruce could keep Happy company… He doubted that the two of them could get into too much trouble.

"I'm sorry," Tony apologized as soon as he got into the driver's seat of the car. He turned the key, which Pepper had already placed in the ignition, and waited for the engine to hum to life. He turned down the radio to low so it was just a murmur. He didn't want it to be a distraction. "Now Happy will have company," Tony told her with a smile. She didn't seem amused, but just stared out her window in silence.

Tony had headed for Manhattan, though he knew it would take well over an hour to get there, even at his speeds. "I hope you're hungry… I made reservation at this great place. We've never been before…" He stopped talking and looked over at her, she was still staring out the passenger side window. He let out a soft sigh before going on about things that he thought that she might be interested in.

An hour later and Pepper was still silent. She hadn't even told him that she didn't want to hear him speak. She'd just remained silent, staring out the passenger side window.

"I thought that maybe going out tonight would help," Tony spoke up quietly after being quiet for a few minutes. "I just… I love you," he told her as he turned to steal a glance at her and then his eyes were back on the road and traffic. "I love you, Pepper…"

"And I love you," she whispered back.

He almost hit the car in front of them, but managed to break quick enough. It was almost as if he had never heard those words from her and when he looked over to check on her, she looked surprised. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"You know I love you, Tony."

"I know," he whispered. "But…I've felt like maybe…I lost you…or apart of you…and I think that maybe it's my fault."

"Don't say that," she whispered and this time she looked at him. Tony wasn't sure how she looked exactly. It wasn't exactly sadness, but it was an emotion that he didn't like seeing on her face. "It's not your fault…"

"Killian—"

"I worked for him before I worked for you," Pepper pointed out.

"But if I hadn't been such a jerk to him in Switzerland," Tony said. "That was before you worked for him…before AIM was real…"

"You were a jerk then," Pepper told him matter of factly. "And you didn't have me… You're a different person now."

"I don't want you to be afraid to even touch me," Tony told her. He was afraid of losing her, but he never thought they'd live together and lose her. He turned his attention to the road, not wanting to repeat the screeching brakes again. "I swear, Bruce and I…Extremis isn't going to hurt you or me…"

"It's complicated," Pepper told him. "I'm still processing things…and trying to figure out… I don't know what I'm trying to figure out." Pepper was quiet for a moment and Tony just waited. This was a big step, Pepper actually talking to them…having a conversation. "We both have nightmares," she whispered. "All I can think of is the Extremis and how I could have killed you…by touching you or becoming unstable. Every night, I dream about killing you because of the Extremis that Killian put in me…and then he's there…alive and laughing because you're dead. And I can't do anything to bring you back…"

"Pepper—"

"Let me finish," she insisted. "And our home was gone… We were still trying to figure things out. In some ways, we know each other so well…but in others, we're struggling… And I thought moving here was going to be like we'd be picking up right where we left off…with the rabbit…" Pepper sighed. "And I try…and you try…and I just can't let what happened go…not yet… And until I can, I'm not sure I can be where we were…"

He wasn't sure how he felt with what she was saying. He'd thought they were in a better place then what she was saying. "Let's start over," Tony found himself saying. Tony really wasn't sure why he was saying that, but he was. It seemed like the most logical thing, so logical that he didn't even think before he spoke.

"What?"

Good to know that he wasn't the only one that had been surprised by his words. "Let's start over," he repeated, but slower this time. "We're in a new state…we have a new house…and Stark Tower…and work…and a new routine… Let's have date nights, the real kind where I take you out… Let me…court you."

"Court me?"

"I'm pretty sure that's what they called it," Tony said. "What I'm trying to say…is…that no matter what… I'm not giving up on you…on us…on what I know we have…" He came to a stop and pulled over and put the car into park, so that he could look at her and focus on her. "Pepper Potts, I love you with all the madness in my soul…and I do whatever I have to to make things right…"

"You know, you don't always have to fix things," Pepper told him.

"That's really all I know how to do…fix things."

"Sometimes you invent things," Pepper pointed out.

"True," Tony said after a moment. "But let me do this… Let's make this more of a date, not just dinner… You know I love you. I know you love me. Is that enough? I think we need to celebrate. We're alive. We're going to be okay. We have Happy and Bruce at home."

"You know they're not five…or dogs," Pepper reminded with a look.

Tony smiled at her comment. "The point is…our life…it's good."

"I don't know if you really know what a date night is," Pepper told him. She tapped the clock in the car. "What time is the reservation?"

"I'm Tony Stark," he told her with a smile and then pulled the car out. "I have learned what is not date night."

"And?"

"Giant rabbits do not make good Christmas presents…"

"And?"

"I should not challenge a villain on television and give out our address."

"That last part is important," Pepper told him.

Tony nodded. "Though, you know… We're sort of famous."

"You are," Pepper told him.

"I'm pretty sure you've been all over newspapers, magazines, television, and the internet…" Tony told her. "Even the tabloids…" He sighed. "The point is, they don't need me to say the address on national TV in order for us to be found… But I understand…no challenging villains… I'll stick with the sneaky approach then…"

"You're not that great at that either."

"Hey…"

Pepper smirked over at him. "It's something you could learn from one of the Avengers, I'm sure…"

"I think Agent Romanov would say that I'm a bad student…" Tony told her with some confidence.

"Mostly because you can be difficult when you want to be?"

"There is that…" He liked the banter. Their banter reminded him of where they started… At the beginning Pepper might have been his employee, even though really she ran everything (including his life), but that changed…and he felt so blessed for that changed. He had experienced briefly what life would be without Pepper in his life. It was dark. It was empty. There was no purpose. And he didn't think he could go on…well once Killian had been stopped. And then he'd been given a second chance. It was because of Extremis and how extremely strong Pepper was…but still it was a second chance.

"You're quiet," she whispered.

He looked over at her for a moment and then back to the road. By now, they were in Manhattan and quite close to where he'd made reservations. He just hoped that the night would help things along between them. "I was thinking…"

"That can be dangerous…"

"I was thinking about you," he admitted quite quietly. "I was thinking about how much I love you and how much I need you in my life…and how I almost lost you."

Her touch was a surprise as he was focusing on the road. He jumped a bit and she stopped, but then allowed her hand to move through his hair. Tony was thankful that his surprise didn't stop her from this turn of things. He'd missed her touch. "I'm here," she whispered and he didn't miss how sad she almost sounded.

"I'd tell you that we should go away to some resort, but I know what you'll say," Tony said as he pulled the car into the valet area of the restaurant he was bringing Pepper to. He just hoped it was a good choice and that she hadn't gone there for lunch or something without him.

"I have too much to do with Stark…and so do you," Pepper told him. "But…we'll do it…just not right now."

"It's like Operation: Clean Slate…on everything," Tony told her and then got out of the car. He handed the keys off and made it around the car, opening Pepper's door. He held out his hand for her to take, she did, and once she was clear of the door he pushed it shut.

"Except less explosions," Pepper told him. "No explosions at Stark Tower…"

"We did that… I think Steve was happy to see it all messed up."

"I'm sure he wasn't…"

"He said it was ugly!" Tony told her with irritation.

She laughed and wrapped her arms around his. "Let's just get our table… We can talk about the house…and stuff…"

"Mr. Stark! Ms. Potts! It is so good to see you! Please, this way," the man said. He was obviously the owner of the restaurant. Sometimes it was nice to be rich and famous. The regular host got kicked to the curb and the owner insured you got the best treatment.

Tony nodded and smiled at the man and then turned back to Pepper. "You don't want to call the house and check on the kids?" he teased.

"I wasn't aware you two have children, I'm sure it's hard to get out and have dinner alone," the owner said as he pulled out Pepper's chair for her.

"We don't," Pepper said.

"They're adopted," Tony said.

The owner just looked confused and handed them menus. "The seasonal faire is on the front page… If you need anything or have any questions, please let me know…"

Pepper waited until the owner was gone before using her menu to smack Tony lightly. "Do you really need to be so confusing?"

"In public? Yes."

"You—" Pepper froze. "You're doing this on purpose!"

"What?" Tony asked even though he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"This," she said. "You and I… This is how we did everything before…"

"You mean the banter?"

"The arguing."

"I think 'banter' is a better word," Tony said. "Sounds less tabloid material."

Pepper rolled her eyes at him. "Why don't you look at the menu, so you know what you want to order when he comes back?"

"I'm going to order something that's not on the menu," Tony told her.

"Don't do that!" Pepper scolded quietly. "That's so annoying!"

"It isn't!"

"Why did we even come here if you're going to order something not on their menu?"

"I…" Tony started and then thought about it. He hated when Pepper was right. She disappeared behind her menu a moment later and he was forced to pick up his own. Why did Pepper have to be right all of the time?

. . .

The night had gone well and Tony was very happy with himself. They'd retired to Stark Tower. Their suite was nicer than he remembered and he had to admit, it was nicer coming in when no one else was in the building. Maybe Pepper had the right idea about a four day work week and staying there during the week. He could get used to it.

"Please tell me you're not going to disappear down into R&D," Pepper said as she walked towards the bed. Normally, she'd been wearing some kind of science shirt of his that he'd worn once. Tonight, it was a whole different story. She was leaning against the doorway in a coral colored silky and skimpy nightgown.

"Definitely not," Tony said as he started to make quick work of his clothing as he approached her.

. . .

They lay in bed, under the sheets, wrapped in each other's arms completely naked. Tony couldn't be happier right now…well at least, not that he could think at the moment. He was sure that any future with Pepper would be a happier life…and she would surprise him with moments that would outshine this one.

"Eleanor Roosevelt said, I am who I am because of the choices I made yesterday," Pepper said aloud.

Tony stared at her in confusion. "Why are you bringing a dead first lady into our bed?"

Pepper smiled at him. "I think it's a fitting quote."

"I suppose…"

"Do you have a better one?"

"Keep moving forward?"

"Why does that sound like something you stole from Disney?"

Tony smirked. "It might be."

Pepper giggled. "You're impossible."

"I know," Tony said with a grin. "I'm good at it!" He tickled her for a moment, laughter filling the room. "I've got one," he said after he allowed her to breathe again. "I'll make better mistakes tomorrow… I think we should put it above the front doors…"

Pepper shook her head. "That's very…Tony…" she told him.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Of course you would."

Tony grinned and pulled her tight to him before kissing her forehead. "You make me the luckiest man in the whole world…"

"That sounds like a line you've used before."

"It's true," Tony told her. "And I've only used it on you…"

"Good answer."

. . .

TBC…