Pepper sighed to herself, it was almost midnight and she had just gotten home from work. She wasn't sure how much more of the fifteen hour shifts she could take.
Stripping down, she ran herself a bath and just cried, cried because she felt so alone, cried because she wasn't exactly sure what Tony was anymore. He was obviously her boss, but was he anything more? Did he want to be anything more? Did she want him to be anything more?
'I really need to stop wallowing in pity, this is not solving anything.' Pepper told herself before another sob overtook.
After a couple minutes of her pity party, she decided to take a day off for herself. 'What would it hurt,' she asked herself, 'I've got plenty of sick days lined up'
Pepper picked up the phone and dialed that ever-familiar number. "Jarvis, could you leave Tony a message for me and tell him that I will not be in tomorrow. Thank you."
"Certainly Ms. Potts, may I inquire as to why you are taking tomorrow off?" He sounded about as questioning as a computer could.
"It's just a personal day. Talk to you in a couple."
Getting ready for bed, Pepper vowed to not get out for at least 12 hours. She deserved it. Ten minutes later the phone rang, and Pepper just tuned out the ringing as it went to voicemail.
"Pepper? It's Tony, is everything all right? You didn't answer your Blackberry. I know you're there Jarvis just gave me your message. Please call, thanks." Pepper snorted, how unlike her boss, he actually sounded concerned. Rolling over she decided he could live without her for a day and finally fell asleep.
Sitting up in bed, Pepper looked at the clock. 'Two o'clock in the afternoon, no way.' Not believing it she stumbled into her kitchen to check the oven clock, sure enough it was two. 'I haven't slept that long since college.' Smiling, she decided that was just what she needed.
The only thing left to do was get dressed and enjoy hours of pointless shopping. While locking her apartment door she heard the phone but decided to let the machine get it.
Tony was not a pacer, pacing implied a lack of control and Tony Stark never lost control. But he was seconds from a fierce explosion; his PA Pepper Potts had been out of contact for almost sixteen hours. Granted sixteen hours was not that long, but for Pepper it was unprecedented. She hadn't answered any of his phone calls, and he had called at least five times.
He was now on his way up her apartment complex's stairs, fuming silently. If it ended up that she was just avoiding his messages he would not be held responsible for his actions. Tony couldn't recall being this worried about anybody in his entire life.
Reaching her door he knocked loudly waited three seconds then knocked again. "Pepper I swear to god if you don't answer this door in the next ten seconds I will get the suit and blow it to pieces, or I could save time and just kick it in." Tony waited ten seconds stepped back and let his anger out on Pepper's door.
Walking in he didn't notice anything unusual or out of place, her purse and keys were gone and her apartment didn't show signs of a struggle. The only issue was the Blackberry left ominously on the kitchen counter. He let out his held breath in a rush, he had probably just missed her.
Suddenly he let out a frustrated growl, why was she avoiding his calls? Didn't she realize how worried he would be? Tony decided he would let her know just what she had put him through, and sat down to wait.
Pepper had found the perfect pair of high heels to make her feel just a little bit better about herself. She was smiling as she went up the stairs feeling ready to face her workload tomorrow, 'Maybe Tony will even notice my new shoes.'
When she got to her door Pepper did a double take. Her door was slightly open, gasping she warily pushed it the rest of the way open. It was dark she had been shopping for at least six hours, heading straight for the phone on the wall she didn't notice the shadow detach itself from the corner.
"Pepper." Said a strong smooth voice.
Screaming Pepper whirled around and wildly grabbed for the phone not expecting the person to rush her and pick her up in a fireman's hold.
"Where have you been?" Pepper sighed in relief, it was Tony, the relief was almost immediately gone as she registered the tone of his voice.
"What? What are you doing here? Put me down! How dare you break into my house! How dare you scare the bejeebees out of me! I swear put me down! Seriously Tony if this is your idea of a joke I don't know what is wrong with you." Her voice was raising as every question was asked. He just threw her on her living room couch and stood there with his hands on his hips.
"Joke? Pepper what you put me through this afternoon has made me forget what a joke even is. Care to enlighten?" Pepper didn't even miss a beat.
"Well a joke is something someone says or does when they want to be funny." She had a touch of sarcasm to her voice that made Tony's frustration explode as he threw his hands up into the air and started pacing.
Suddenly he was in her face snarling, "Cut the crap Potts, you know what I mean. Do you care to enlighten me as to where the fuck you've been all day?"
Pepper was just as angry if not more so in that instance. "What Tony, I haven't taken a day off in years aren't I allowed to have some time to myself? News flash! The world doesn't revolve around you!" Huffing, she got up off the couch and stormed into her bedroom slamming the door.
Seconds later the door bounced off the wall and Tony filled the doorway.
"Look Pepper, I just don't understand why you didn't call me back." His voice was quiet and questioning.
Sighing Pepper sat on her bed asking for patience. "Tony, I just needed a day to myself. I'm sorry that I worried you."
Tony sat down next to her putting his arm on her shoulder. "Just don't do it again, I was pretty worried."
Smiling Pepper asked, "Pretty worried? You kicked in my door you big lug." When he didn't reply she looked up at him, he was eyeing her intently.
"Pepper, you are my everything." Her scoff was lost as he grabbed her chin and his lips covered hers. Shocked was an understatement, Pepper couldn't even move.
Smiling Tony pulled back and murmured, "Pepper you're supposed to kiss me back."
Pulling away she moved back a couple feet from him, "Stop playing with me Tony, it isn't funny."
Frowning Tony closed the distance between them, "Pepper look at me." Her eyes fluttered up to his, "I am not playing with you."
He looked so serious Pepper gave in as he pushed her back onto the bed. Frowning he smashed his lips to hers in a desperate attempt to show her what she meant to him. Pepper's gasp was swallowed and Tony thrust his tongue into her mouth to claim possession.
Eventually they pulled away for air, and Tony stroked her hair away from her face. "We're going to take it slow, why don't we get some dinner?"
Pepper could only nod as he led her to the door.
Please review! This is my first Ironman fic, so don't hate. Oh and I don't own Ironman, it's be kind of kinky if I did though.