Reaching Out

"Pepper…"

The words had barely passed his lips, and he was off. He had to get to her, save her before Vanko was able to destroy the last good thing in his life, before things blew sky high. She would be there, waiting until everyone was clear. Always her concern ran to others before herself. 'Damn it, why did she have to be like that?' the errant thought raced through his mind as he flew towards where she was.

He'd tried to send her away, bury her under work and cleaning up after him. He'd tried to make her hate him enough to go. She wouldn't. They'd been friends too long; she'd seen enough of his narcissistic bullshit to know how and when to read through it; and miss the sometimes obvious hints he'd dropped her way. He'd depended on her for too long… And now he may be too late to save her.

It had almost been too late for him. Not anymore. He'd been able to renew his life's lease. He'd fix things with Rhodey…

… He just had to make it to her first.

And there she was: a beacon of light and hope amongst the destruction. With an active self-destructing drone near her feet; still so close to danger yet closer still to being safe. He stops for only a heartbeat to grab her, before lifting off with enough time to spare to get them out of the major range of the drone's destructive force.

But he'd made it, which was the important thing. He'd managed to get to her before any more harm could befall her. However, with his suit as badly damaged in battle as it was, he couldn't be sure it wouldn't hurt her. Wanting to make sure she is okay, Tony looks for the nearest place that was both safe and private. Seeing a rooftop that fits the bill, he lands with her still in his grasp, and a faint sense of happiness wells up behind the adrenaline that had been running with him this whole time.

As soon as his face shield is pulled back she launches on him. Quitting because of the hell he'd put her through. It's taxing for him to focus on what she is saying, knowing it's important but something else is fighting for his attention.

She is alive because of him. Safe, because of him and all he can think about is trying to maintain his distance so he doesn't do something stupid. Something so irrevocably damaging to their relationship, working or otherwise, it has him stopping the thought.

But he finds himself moving closer to her, leaning in towards her as she is spewing insults at him. And his control snaps and he's kissing her.

They decide it's not weird. Truly, it's quite wonderful… Until Rhodey pipes up, thoroughly embarrassing Pepper; and himself a bit too, if he was the honest sort. After their exchange and Rhodey's timely departure with his suit, Tony returns his attentions to the very distracted Pepper Potts and asks how she could possibly resign now, before initiating another delight round of kissing.

Later, when they come up for air, he gives her his best where-do-we-go-from-here look, and ably reading his expression mumbles something. Something that sounds suspiciously like "Happy's not going to be happy."

"Umm, excuse me… Why wouldn't Happy be happy?" He asks, determined to find out. Pepper stares at her shoes like they could actually be more fascinating than him, and what just happened between her and him. Her avoidance of eye contact allowed his fogged brain to clear just enough.

"You're dating Happy?" he shouts, incredulous.

And with that, things suddenly slide into place: his now former driver/bodyguard's apparent defection hadn't been because he'd seen it as his job. Happy'd had the hots for Pepper for a very long time, and had seemingly found an opening to make his move.

She was finally looking at him, eyes sparkling for the fight to come. "We're not dating, not that it's any business of yours. We've merely gone to dinner a few times." Turning from him, Pepper began to make her way towards the stair access doors.

"It is when my friend is moving in on my girl," Tony hollers the snarky reply from behind her, all the while wondering where she thinks she is going.

"Who said anything about me being your girl, Mr. Stark?" Pepper throws over her shoulder at him. She's almost to the door; once inside and moving down the stairs, she'll be safe. She hears his suit powering up, figuring he's about to fly after Rhodey and get his property back. She can feel her safety and equilibrium rise with every step she takes towards the door.

He saw her shoulders relax a bit as his suit powered up and he checks to make sure he has enough energy left to pull one more stunt. Sure enough, he can make it to the airport and therefore his jet. Just one thing left to do, and he plans to enjoy it.

As she closes in on the door, Tony lifts off…

… And sweeps her off her feet, into his arms and begins making his way to the airport. With her.

He can read the annoyance in her face and see the tension in her body as she clutches onto him. Landing at the stairway into his jet, he gently sets Pepper on her feet and brushes his lips against her ear, "Maybe on the way home we can negotiate the terms of you being my girl."

AN: I own nothing, this just came to me as I watched with fan-girl fascination at the amazing rescue and heard him say a "stablish relationship" to Nick Fury. I originally planned to end it at the "You're dating Happy?" part but felt the need to continue for some reason. Please let me know what you think. Thanks for reading. GC817