I don't own Iron Man or anything/anyone affiliated with him. Constructive criticism is the best medicine for a writer in need, but flamers are no help to anyone. Tell me what you think!

Just One More

A Tony Stark One Shot

By

The Phantom Lady

The rain fell hard and loud on the window that was the wall of Tony Stark's bedroom. The sky was gloomy and overcast, and had opened up to release a torrential downpour onto the, strangely, quiet city of Malibu.

Just one more drink, he thought. Just one more and then I'll stop.

He walked to the bar and filled his glass with the finest scotch money could buy. He closed his eyes and lifted the decanter to his nose. He inhaled deeply. Sweet bliss, he thought. His thoughts were playing a violent game of ping pong in his mind. It was the incessant bouncing, back and fourth and back and fourth, that drove him over the edge. A man can only have so many emotions flying around at one time. He looked down and saw that his glass was empty.

Just one more drink.

"Tony?" Pepper called from the living room. "I'm heading out now." Her voice sounded closer. "Tony?"

He turned around to see her standing in the doorway, her hands on either side of the frame. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Fine," he replied briskly. He smiled slightly to ward off anymore concerned questions. "You're going home?"

"No," she said, stepping a little farther into the room. "I've got some errands to run first, then maybe grab something to eat, and then I'll probably go home." She paused. "Are you sure you are alright?"

"I'm fine," he said as convincingly as he could manage.

"You're acting strange," she raised her arm to put a hand on Tony's shoulder.

"I'm fine," he said, shying away from her touch. Pepper, please leave. If you know what's good for you, you'll run so far away I won't ever be able to find you. Please just go. He cleared his throat. "Is there anything else, Ms. Potts?"

"No, Mr. Stark," she sighed. He turned around and looked out at the rain, signaling that her presence was no longer needed. She stopped at the threshold. "Tony?" she said.

"Pepper?" he answered. He wanted her to stay more then anything. But he knew this was for the best. She didn't need to get dragged into another one of his messes.

"Don't be afraid to call, okay?"

He smiled. "Okay. Drive safe."

Satisfied with his reply, she left. He listed to her heels click their way out of the hallway, and into the living room, where she picked up her laptop and keys. She shut the front door behind her and ran to her car, holding the daily paper above her head as shelter from the rain.

He put a hand to his head as he walked over and refilled his glass. He stared out at the endless storm in front of him. The sea was so morosely beautiful when it rained.

Jarvis's voice knocked him out of his peaceful daze, "Sir, may I remind you that that is the fourth drink you've had this afternoon? You have a meeting with the board heads of Stark Industries tomorrow and although I'm not well versed in the ways of humans, I can conclude that it's not a good idea to go to an important conference recovering from a day of heavy drinking."

Tony laughed, hollow and defeated. "Thanks for the opinion, but I'm a grown man. I'm fully capable of making my own decisions."

"If you say so," Jarvis said.

Shit. I completely forgot about that meeting. Damn it. I don't want to deal them this week. Now that Obadiah was gone, he was going to have to be a present figure more then ever. Before he was just the poster boy. Granted, the company wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Tony and his geek powered genius, but he was just the face and the brains. He never had much of a business sense. Well, he had some, he wouldn't be were he was if he didn't. But Obadiah was the master of all the behind the scenes work. He was the guy who made sure everything ran smoothly so Tony could sit in his lab and tinker away with his toy, interruption free. It was Tony's company, but Obadiah was the keystone. The company wouldn't be the same. Hell, life wouldn't be the same without him.

Tony tossed the last of the scotch down his throat. Just one more drink. One mores not gonna kill me, right?

He blinked back bitter tears. Damn bastard. Obadiah had been a friend for so many years. He was there for Tony through so much. He was there when Tony was born, he was there when Tony graduated college, he was there when Tony's father died. Obadiah was like family. How can power turn a man against someone he's known his entire life? He paid for Tony to be killed! He thought he meant something to Obadiah, but apparently everyone has their price. He would have expected anyone else in the world to trade his friendship in for power before he would have expected Obadiah. What was power worth, anyway? It does nothing but cause trouble.

Just one more.

How many times had he saved the world from impending doom? Too many to count. How many times had he been thanked? Zero. How many times have they complained about it? Every single time! He could understand the whole not being thanked part. Being a superhero means giving up everything you have to save humanity. Wanting a thank you would be selfish. But, come on! Next time Iron Man saves you from a supervillian hell bent on the destruction of the universe, don't whine about the intersection being closed for reconstruction the next morning! Maybe the next time a meteor is about to crash into earth and knock it out of the solar system (which would normally constitute as impending doom) he'll remember just how badly they treated him. And just maybe he'll be in the middle of something important… like brushing his teeth… or finishing a really good book… and just wouldn't have the time to save them. Did they ever think that maybe he didn't enjoy saving everyone's ass? Did it ever cross their minds that he might just have something better to do? Did they ever even consider that he has his own life and his own problems to take care of?

Just one more.

Pepper. Beautiful Pepper. Smart, beautiful Pepper. Smart, beautiful, way too good for him Pepper. She put up with so much. Every day he marveled at the fact she hadn't walked out on him. He loved her. He always had, he just wasn't sure what that love meant. Some days he felt like proposing to her and whisking her away to some tropical island where no one would ever find them. Some days he felt like ripping her clothes off and fucking her until she couldn't walk. Some days he just wanted to break down and cry in her arms, letting her take care of him. But none of that would ever happen. She was… well, Pepper. An independent, self sufficient woman, far too intelligent to fall into the trap that was Tony Stark.

Just one more…

"I forgot my blackberry," Pepper said as she walked back into Stark Mansion. "I think I left it on the…" the house was quiet. The house was never quiet. Not even when Tony slept. He always had some kind of music playing or television running. He hated silence. "Tony?" she walked around the living room. "Where are you?" Her mind jumped to conclusions and she flew down the stairs, expecting to see him dead on the floor of his shop.

Breath returned and pulse steadied when she saw that the lab was deserted. But she continued the search for Tony worriedly, hoping everything was alright. She checked the kitchen, the game room, the gym, the pool. He was nowhere to be found. Come on, Pep. Think rationally. Where was he when you left?

She walked passed the bedroom with a glance, not expecting him to be there. She stopped a few paces away from the room. Tony? She walked back to the open door and stared.

There was Tony. Sprawled on the floor, scotch glass in hand, and mouth open wide. If Pepper hadn't been so worried, she would have laughed. She glanced over to the bar. The Swarovski decanter lay on its side, every drop of the imported scotch gone. She walked to Tony's side, and bent down low. His breath reeked of alcohol. "Jarvis?"

"Yes, Mr. Potts?"

"How much has Mr. Stark had to drink?"

"Approximately 960 milliliters."

"Oh my," she said under her breath. "Does he do this often?"

"More often then he should," Jarvis said. "This is the third time this week."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Tony," she whispered. She'd seen this happen before. She knew what was to come. "Is he alright?" she asked, the strength in her tone wavering.

There was a pause as Jarvis computed the information. "His blood and alcohol levels are higher then normal, but nothing to worry about. He's breathing rate and pulse are normal. He just seems to be sleeping."

Pepper grabbed a blanket and pillow off of Tony's bed. She laid the blanket over his unmoving body and gently lifted his head to slide the pillow under it. She knelt next to him, tucking the blanket around his shoulders. Please don't do this to me Tony. I don't know if I can handle it. I love you, you selfish bastard. Can't you see that? Please, Tony, Please. Don't give into this monster. Don't break my heart. She wiped her tears and kissed his forehead. She cleared her throat and stood up, brushing her skirt off. "Keep me updated on his condition. If anything goes wrong, call an ambulance… Then call me," she added as an afterthought.

"Yes, Ms. Potts," Jarvis said politely.

"Thank you." She took a deep breath and looked out of the window. The wind was stronger then before and the clouds even darker. The rain hadn't let up at all and she could hear the faint boom of thunder. The storm was getting worse.