A/N: Hi! So, this is my first story, or fanfiction. I do enjoy writing I just haven't ever really played with other characters before. I apologize if anything seems incredibly out of character, or if there are any mistakes.
Not sure where I got this idea (im sure its been done a thousand times anyways) I was just in the mood for some Pepperony and Tony whump. I was thinking about making this a series kind of, where each story Tony breaks a bone but idk. I'll wait and see what you guys think. :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Working for Stark industries was everything and nothing everyone had said it would be. Sure, Mr. Stark was as much a thorn in her side as he was in everyone else's, but he also possessed a quality of empathy that she felt most people missed; overlooked. Unfortunately that overlooked virtue didn't keep him from his stupid stunts, ranging from locking himself away for days on end, to drinking himself into the hospital; an occurrence which often leads to more self-harm than good.
Warnings didn't affect his character, nor did threatening to quit. An act he had probably been accustomed to at that point. A year into the job she was beginning to wonder why she even stuck around. The pay was great, but as it stood, a slightly sympathetic playboy and a good pay check weren't outweighing the cons to her particular dilemma. Neither was her over-opinionated mother. Not that she would tell Mr. Stark about that particular relationship. Nope, that was one secret best left hidden deep under the confines of her own subconscious, and that of her family.
Heels clicking, she hurriedly chased Mr. Stark as he wove his way around the office corridors, only pausing his fast pace to greet any employees still left in the building with a flippant remark, and a small smile. Thoughts of turning in a notice numbed her feet while she continued her pursuit, files clutched hotly in her hand. "Mr. Stark," she tried, holding open an elevator he had slipped into, and sliding in much to his obvious annoyance, "Please, if you could just sign this for the July benefit they're asking for it now to prepare the guest list in advance…"
She took a breath as he pulled the file from her, giving it a once over, before handing it back and feeling around his coat, "Pepper, while I appreciate your enthusiasm I have to remind you that it is now after…" He paused to check the time on his phone before resuming the search in his suit coat, "-after seven o' clock, which means you should be home and stop pestering me about matters that can," he held up a hand to prevent her from correcting him, pulling out a pen at the same time with a triumphant smile, "-and will wait until tomorrow."
Leaning over, he pulled the file closer, signed it, then closed and handed it back, stepping out of the elevator in one fluid motion as it stopped at the tenth floor. "That'll be all, Ms. Potts." He left the elevator, Pepper rushing to catch up with him as he slipped into his office that he never used, trying to shut the door in her face.
"Mr. Stark!" She protested, instinctively sticking her foot in to block the door at the same time. They both stopped as she let out a strained, "Ow," pulling her foot back and stepping away as he swung the door open full.
They stared at each other for a minute, giving her time to become uncomfortable under his scrutinizing stare. Not that she was going to back down, especially not then.
She glanced at the name plate by the office, then smiled at him in what she convinced herself was a professional way, "This isn't your office Mr. Stark."
Tony blushed in a moment of rarity, gently moving her to stalk down the hall, every now and then checking the names belonging to the long since closed offices. Pepper inwardly let out an exasperated sigh, wishing he would sit. Or stop. Or cease to exist.
"Mr. Stark," she insisted, stopping to slip off her heels so that she could chase after him again, "Please, one moment."
Tony ignored her, changing his direction with a twist down the hall, only to disappear down the stairs. Pepper sighed, ducking behind the closing door, both hands full. "Mr. Stark!" She yelled. She followed him as he began to descend down the ten flights of stairs, almost out of breath while trying to keep up with his rushing pace. "Please, just two moments. There's this other benefit in August…"
He didn't slow, but didn't take a turn out to another floor either. So he was avoiding her then. She grunted as, on the fourth floor, she lost her footing, sending the heels and paperwork falling to the levels below. She watched them from the stairs, breathing hard, and wanting to cry as the left shoe fell and the heel broke, right at the top of level three's first flight of stairs. The flight Tony was no headed towards she realized.
"Tony!" She yelled, but her warning hadn't been in time, as the billionaire flailed and fell down the rest of the flight of stairs, broken shoe and crumpled papers falling with him.
She stood frozen, watching as Tony tumbled, and only to stop unconsciously laid out on the last step, left leg thrown awkwardly to the side.
"Tony!" she screamed. Her mind helpfully reminded her of what good yelling produced, as she began slowly down towards him, careful to mind the paper still littered on the stairway. The receptionist, Carry her mind supplied, was walking over, obviously annoyed at the noise. When she saw Tony, obviously broken leg splayed on the last step, she squeaked, covering her mouth with her hands, remaining shocked and frozen beside him. Pepper descended the last couple stairs, coming behind him.
"I'll-I need…Is he…?"
Pepper looked up, tears brimming in her eyes, "Call an ambulance."
Carry came out of her stupor at Pepper's command, pulling her cell-phone out as she situated herself comfortably by Mr. Stark. Pepper placed shaking, cold fingers on his neck, sighing in relief as she felt a pulse, sporadic ever so slightly, but still existent. Carry was babbling to the emergency dispatcher, assuring them, with a look from Pepper, that he had a pulse but was probably concussed.
"Yes, we need an ambulance at Stark industries?" A silent pause, Pepper brushed his hair away from a nasty bruise growing under a nasty gash above his left eyebrow. "Mr. Stark, yes. Thank you. Nothing too severe, I think. A broken leg at least, and a bleeding temple." Another pause where she eyed Pepper before looking back at the stairs, "I believe he fell down the stairs. Around thirty-five I believe. Yes, I can stay on the phone."
She looked up at Pepper, an inquisitive stare that made her uncomfortable. "He fell down from floor three," she said stupidly after a few seconds.
Carry raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Tony, still lying awkwardly on the floor, remained unconscious while Carry waited for a response from the dispatcher. "Can we move him?" Pepper implored, unsure as to whether the comment was meant more for herself or for Carry.
Carry looked at him, biting her lip before switching her phone to the other hand, seemingly having forgotten Pepper's previously embarrassing comment. "Can we move him?" She repeated over the phone. Pepper watched as there was a large pause, Carry occasionally nodding to words only she could hear, "They say not yet, especially because they aren't sure yet of the extent of his head injury."
Pepper nodded, brushing away the locks even further away from the wound as sirens could be heard in the distance. "PR is going to be hell," Carry mumbled.
Pepper ignored her, moving back towards the stairs, as paramedics rushed in. She made to move, but couldn't look away as they worked in mechanical movements. Immediately they began taking his pulse, hooking him up to an IV, cutting his pant leg to look at the injury, all in what looked like one motion to Pepper. Carry, across from her, was hanging up the phone, and rushing to get paperwork that a paramedic had requested. The time it took them to get him hooked up to everything felt like forever, as another man rushed in with the gurney. Behind him, through the glass, she could see police cars beside the ambulance.
"Ma'am?"
Pepper turned, facing a stern, large policeman whom she realized had a strong hand on her shoulder, "I'm officer Ryland, If you could stand aside while the paramedics do their work-" she noted that he must have come around from behind the paramedics, quite possibly called in with them to keep press at bay. It had only been about eight minutes after the fall though it couldn't be possible that reporters around the building? "Ma'am," the police officer repeated, a no nonsense tone gentle, but getting the message across, "It may be best if you step aside. We're going to have to ask some questions as well, as long as…"
In her peripheral vision she saw Carry run across, papers clutched in her hand. A younger, skinnier Policeman looked up from helping, taking the papers and Carry aside, notepad out and asking questions. Pepper looked up, shocked to see two other police officers now helping two paramedics lift her boss onto a stretcher. As she watched his arms tied around him, a neck brace put on, his leg injury came into full view. The one that had been at an awkward angle was definitely broken. What she assumed was bone poked through his pale flesh, outlined in a horrific lining of blood that drizzled lazily. A paramedic covered it, as the they rushed him out the door, Pepper leaning to the side to vomit on the policeman's shoes, eliciting a sharp yelp from the man.
"Ma'am!" he shouted. She went to her knees before him, gasping as her body gagged again. The image of Mr. Stark's leg burned into her memory, bone grotesquely protruding from his flesh before a paramedic had rushed him out the door. She looked up, feeling dizzy, listening as the ambulances sped away with her unconscious boss.
How was it?
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TBC