Don't own 'em.

The Bugatti zipped down the PCH at a suicidal speed as Megadeth blared from the speakers. As he rounded each turn, Tony replayed the argument in his head. Sure, they'd had their spats, but it had never been this bad before. There had been a lot of screaming and words said that both would regret in the morning. In the end, Tony had been so livid that he'd stormed down into the basement and fired up his fastest car. A drive would clear his head, and get him away from her before he did something really stupid.

That had been three hours ago, and only after several one-sided conversations could he finally see her point. The seething rage that had filled him evaporated away, leaving within him a longing to see her again, to hold her in his arms. He pressed the gas pedal to the floor as his mansion loomed in the distance, eager to get back to her.

The living room was dark when he ascended the staircase, but the moonlight filtering through the panoramic windows illuminated her prone form on the couch. He crept over to her and crouched down, his heart breaking at the sight of dried tears on her cheeks. She was clutching something in her hand, and he carefully pried her fingers open to free the photo.

It had been taken at the last gala they'd attended together, still not public yet but clearly more than boss and employee. He had his arm draped loosely around her waist and she was leaning toward him slightly with a proud smile on her face. The media had, for once, been thankfully obtuse and chalked it up to the huge deal Stark Industries had just made. Pepper had found the picture on the internet and immediately printed and framed it.

Tony looked over the back of the couch and, sure enough, there was a spray of broken glass on the floor next to the staircase. He clenched his jaw tightly as he imagined Pepper hurling the frame in a fit of anger at his retreating form. Their argument seemed so silly now, and he fought back a wave of fear at the thought of having possibly done irreparable damage to their relationship.

But the fact that she not only retrieved the photo but had shed tears gave him hope, and he brushed an errant lock of hair away from her face. Her breathing was even and shallow, a good indication that she was sleeping deeply. In the faint light, he could see rapid movement beneath her eyelids and wondered idly what she was dreaming of. As he watched, her lips parted and she sighed lightly, her mouth forming whispered words in her sleep.

"Tony…come home…"

Tears stung his eyes as the realization washed over him; she thought he'd left her. He shifted from his feet to his knees, settling down into a comfortable position next to her. He set the photograph on the glass coffee table next to the couch and slid his hand into hers. She clutched it as tightly as she'd held the picture, as if she were afraid of letting go. He took a ragged breath and spoke softly, not wanting to wake her just yet.

"Pepper…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. Being angry is no excuse for the things I said. I knew I was hurting you, and that's why I left. I couldn't bear it if I did something irreversibly stupid. I can't live without you, Pepper. Without you, I'd probably just fade away into nothing. You make me want to be better than I am, and I swear to you I'll try every day to be the man you deserve."

She stirred then, and her eyes blinked open slowly. For a moment she just stared at him, as if she were making sure he was really there. Suddenly she pushed forward, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, and he felt her tears soaking his shoulder through his t-shirt. He pulled her off the couch and into his lap, letting her legs drape sideways over his as he rocked her against him.

"Shh, Pepper, it's alright. I'm not going anywhere, you hear me? It's taken me this long to finally be with you, I'm not changing my mind anytime soon." His hands rubbed her back soothingly as her sobs subsided. Finally, she pulled away and wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Tony. I was being selfish and –"

"It's okay," he kissed her nose lightly as he interrupted her apology. "Hey, we've had fights before, right?" He tried to lighten the mood, but she either ignored it or didn't register his tone. "I'm new to this whole relationship business, Pepper, but I'm pretty sure fights are part of the deal. We're not always going to agree, and we may get angry with each other, but don't ever doubt for a second how much I love you, okay?" She sniffed and nodded, her eyes puffy and red from all the crying she'd done. He chuckled softly to himself, then lifted a hand to wipe away her tears.

"What?" she questioned as her fingers toyed idly with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I was just thinking…" he started, letting his knuckles trail down her arm and back up again. He pushed her hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek lovingly. "All of my accomplishments, graduating at sixteen, all the innovations I've made over the years, building the suit…" he pulled her head gently to his for a sweet, short kiss. "The smartest thing I've ever done was making you mine, Pepper. I might have to walk away sometimes, but I swear I will always come back to you. I can't imagine a life without you, and I don't want to."

Her eyes filled with tears again, but this time Tony recognized the look of happiness on her face. She hugged him again, her voice slightly muffled by his shoulder.

"I love you, Tony." He kissed the side of her head and slid his arms underneath her. With only little struggle he managed to stand with her in his arms, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders to steady herself as she laid her head on his shoulder. As he ascended the stairs to his room, she lifted her head and took a shallow breath.

"Do you really think I'm crazy, Tony?" He winced as he recalled some of the harsh words he'd spat at her earlier, and some of the unkind things he'd called her. As he stepped into his room he set her on her feet and settled his hands on either side of her face. Looking her directly in the eye, he smiled softly.

"Of course you are," he answered. "You put up with me, Pepper. Hell, you love me. If that's not crazy, I don't know what is." She laughed then, and it lightened his heart to hear the sound. He stepped back and grabbed the hem of his shirt, lifting it over his head in one fluid motion. The light from his reactor illuminated the immediate area, and he didn't miss the appreciative look she gave him. He shed his jeans on the way to the bathroom, and when he came back she was already changed and under the covers.

He climbed in behind her and slipped an arm over her waist. She hummed contentedly as he pulled her back against him, and he kissed the back of her neck tenderly. Her hand fell over his on her stomach and she laced their fingers together as she settled down to sleep. He waited as her breathing evened out again and her muscles relaxed completely. He watched her sleeping for a few moments, cherishing the feel of her body molded perfectly to his. Finally, the emotional drain of the evening caught up with him, and he fell asleep with a content smile on his face.

R&R por favor :)