A/N: Hey guys! So I now have a sewing needle sticking out of my corkboard with fanfic ideas and this was the one on top. I haven't really been feeling any couple lately, but decided I could start this story. This is pretty much a few weeks following the Expo event in Iron Man 2. Tony is slightly OC but I feel Pepper might be a little bit too. So, without further a due, all rights go to Marvel and everything Marvel-ous about them! (See what I did there?) Ok, it's late, probably not the best time to be writing since I'm getting weird now. Ok. Let's just start.

Thx!

AMM

~Pepper's POV~

"Tony? Someone is on the phone for you, again!" I yell through the house, not knowing where he was. He comes from the kitchen area, looking at the phone with disgust, and 2 cups of coffee in his hands. He definitely knew what we both needed right now.

"Trade you," he says handing me a cup of coffee and then taking the phone.

"Tony Stark," he says, sitting down. The TV starts making crashing noises, showing playbacks from yesterday's events. People obviously don't understand the toll yesterday took on him. The only reason he got out of bed today was because the phone was starting to annoy him and coffee awaited him in the kitchen.

"I already told you this. I already told you and your whole company that I am no longer CEO of Stark Industries." He pulls the phone away from his ear. "Mute," he tells the TV, silencing the gunshots that could easily be heard. "Yes, Ms. Potts is CEO-what? No, she deserves the position-no! What aren't you getting? Ms. Potts is the CEO of Stark Industries because everyone is tired of me almost throwing the whole company into oblivion. She rightfully got the promotion and will do well. No, she is not in this position from sleeping with me. We've never slept together. She worked her ass off all these years and it's finally paying off for her. NO! She will not see me all the time! We are not even working in the same buildings! We are in different buildings now! I-"

"Unmute," I tell the TV as and image of a speaker shows up.

"Seems like Mr. Stark has finally realized he's on live television." The broadcaster announces.

'Well shit." And with that, Tony hangs up the phone.

"Well, weren't you going to town?" I tease.

"I'm already tired of people thinking you got this job just because they think you slept with me! You haven't! If it was me, I wouldn't be as worried, but you've done nothing wrong, Pep."

"I appreciate you standing up for me, Tony, I really do, but you've got enough on your own plate to worry about. I can take care of myself. I'm a big girl."

"I know, Pep, but I just feel this odd sense of primal instinct to stick up for you. It's strange. I've been feeling it a lot lately. And I know you can take of yourself, but-ah I don't know. I just feel the strong need to protect you."

"Tony, you're getting mushy." I tease again.

He turns and looks at me with a serious look, "No I'm growing attached and falling in love with you-wait. Ah shit, I just said that out loud."

I giggle and lean forward from my chair. "I think you did, Mr. Stark. But don't worry, I think I'm falling in love with you too." I kiss him on the cheek and feel him sigh then mutter under his breath, "Damn feelings." I giggle again then go to refill my cup of coffee.

(Later that night….)

"I'm so tired," Tony groans as he falls on the bed.

"Don't fall asleep in that position! I want some of the bed and if you sleep like that, I won't have any!"

"You can lay on me," he says in a wary voice.

"Not with the bruises I know are all over your back. Come on, scoot over." I say, pushing on his side.

"Uh, I still have to brush my teeth and put my pajamas on. I am not sleeping in jeans." And with that he hauls himself up and stumbles into the bathroom. He closes the door and I hear the sink running. I get comfortable in the bed when he comes back out of the bathroom and grabs his grey pajama shorts. He shucks his shirt off and into the hamper and then changes into his shorts and out of his jeans. He throws the jeans in the hamper too then comes over and crawls into bed.

I reach over and turn off the lamp and I hear Tony sigh loudly then grunt as he changes positions. I know Tony is in pain; he wouldn't have lasted long in the position he was in earlier when he just flopped on the bed.

"Hey, I'll go grab you some aspirin." I say, grabbing his shoulder. I must've touched a bruise or something because he momentarily cringes and then relaxes as I let go of his shoulder.

"You want water or anything?" I ask as I walk into the bathroom.

"Nah, I'll just take 'em dry." I hear him say.

I come back in the bedroom and hand him the aspirin. He sits up to take it and then stiffly lies back down as I crawl back under the covers.

"Are you comfortable yet, Mr. Stark?" I ask sarcastically.

He moves a little more then I hear, "I am now, Ms. Potts. Thanks for your concern for my well being and comfort."

"Of course Mr. Stark."

That's the last I say as he drifts off into sleep.

I lie awake, listening to Tony's breathing even out. He was out quickly, and I know he was out. He wasn't snoring, but his breathing was heavy. I sit up and look over at him. Last night I was to exhausted to have really looked, but even though I'm exhausted now, I'm too tired to sleep. I look over at him and see him lying uncomfortably on his back. His worst bruises are on his chest and on the side of his neck. Now, everything is really sitting in.

Tony was dying these past few months and I didn't even know. He had promoted me and I was so upset with him over-I can't even remember what I was angry about-to really have paid attention to the signs that he wasn't the same. He was always drousy looking and had-what I thought was an eco-friendly coffee- with him all the time and he had this nasty thing growing on his neck that looked like his veins were about to pop out of his neck. He was being more risky, not caring what happened or what the repercussions of his actions were.

Tony almost died after finally getting….I don't know if "better" is the right term. But after getting "healed" (somehow, in ways I don't know. He'll have to tell me), he was being chased by Rhody, then had drones chasing him and shooting at him, then is trapped in the park with a bunch of drones, and to top it all off, he almost electrocuted himself killing Ivan, and then he comes to save me because all the drones were blowing up. I wonder if I was his first thought when he found out the drones were going to blow or if he was already on his way to safety when he found they were gonna blow and he came after me?

The suit definitely didn't protect him from everything. He has bruises all over-his legs, his arms, chest, back, you name it-where the bullets that did hit him came close through the suit and scratches like you wouldn't believe. He has scratches and bruises everywhere, decorating him like a Christmas tree. It shows how much he's changed though. Tony used to flaunt black eyes and scratches as what he got for fights he was in. Now, he doesn't care. He actually tries to cover them up most of the time. Just like the arc.

The arc reactor is a part of Tony, but he seems to detest the thing. He's come to terms with it, but I think he was ready to rip the thing out of his body when he found out the thing that was supposed to be keeping him alive was what was killing him the whole time. How he dealt with it and kept it to himself the whole time, I just don't see how he did it.

"I don't appreciate people watching me sleep." He says, voice still thick with sleep.

"Just think of it as your secret admirer watching you." I tell him, gently lying on his chest.

"I'm flattered. I really am, Pep, but it's not that secret when I sense you doing it."

"Ha, ha," I say.

"I thought so."

"Just go back to sleep." I tell him, snuggling into him, though trying to be gentle.

Despite my gentleness, he tenses. He then moves me so he's more comfortable and honestly, I'm more comfortable.

"Then you have to too. No more watching me sleep. You should be just as tired as I am."

I yawn as he mentions it and he lightly chuckles.

"My point exactly." He wraps his arm around me and pulls me closer.

I snuggle into his chest and fall asleep for one of the best nights of sleep I've ever had just because I know he's safe and still him. He's still Tony.