Hi guys, this is my first story. I have been an avid fan of the Iron Man franchise and let's not forget totally in love with RDJ.

This story follows Pepper and her love for Tony. Please stick around, I promise this gets only better! Think love, death, life all wrapped up in a nice Pepperony package.

As a first time author, I am dying to hear reviews! (just not too critical ;) ) let me know what you think.

Chapter 1

Malibu, CA

3 months after the fight with Killian

Peppers POV

You know those days that on the surface look just like any other, yet in reality they are completely and utterly different...wrong...just incredibly off? Well, today (starting from last night, even) was one of those instances.

Yesterday evening was just like any other. I got home late from work. Tony was playing around with his bots...everything normal, as usual. Until a special, one eyed someone called. At about 9 at night, Nick Fury requested the help of the great Iron Man for a mission next morning. Hearing his words actually made me giggle. Didn't he know that Tony was done with that part of his life? That Tony destroyed all of his suits? That he promised me it was over? Hah the "all-knowing" Fury didn't know something.

Or...

Or was it me that didn't know something. I saw that look in Tonys eyes as he told me Fury's request...it was guilt. He lied to me. He absolutely and completely lied. He wasn't done...

"Pep, how can I just abandon being Iron Man? All those people may..."

But before he even had a moment to finish, i interjected

"All those people? They have the rest of the Avengers to protect them Tony!"

"but Pep.." he protested,

" but WHAT? you made a promise to me! Or is that not important? Is that the least of your worries?"

"now Pepper, you know that's not..."

I couldn't...I couldn't even let him finish. "no! I'm not allowing you to go. We JUST got married, you are no longer just you...now it's us...we have to...have to...protect each other...Tony...how can you not see? Thor is a god, Steve a super soldier, even Nat and Clint are specially trained assassins...you are a genius, but you are still JUST a flesh and blood human who flies around in a tin can...you no longer have the arc reactor...it's no longer part of you. What if you get killed!? God, Tony! I cannot survive without you! Being the Iron Man while having the reactor with a new element embedded in your chest was one thing, but now it's too dangerous...I can't...you can't...no..."

Sure his reasons were noble, but he is just a man...one single, human man. He was all I had, there was no way I could let him go out and fight another monster...another threat...god, what if it was like New York...he just stopped having the nightmares...we just restarted our lives...how could he even consider the suit again... However, those were not the thoughts Tony heard...all he heard was something different...

"just a human in a tin can?! Really Pep, that's what you think? I though after YEARS of proving myself to you and the rest of the world I'd earn a bit of understanding. Yes, maybe I'm not a god...but I am just as good as the rest of them..if not better!"

"Tony...that's not..." now I had no time to finish

" it's not fair! I am doing everything for you and on an off chance I want to help some poor people, this is the response I get from my beloved wife? I thought out of everyone, you would be the one who could understand that responsibilities are greater than just silly promises!"

It was something about that night where neither of us were listening to each other...we were more focused on the words than their meaning...

"silly promises!? Is that what I am to you? Are our wedding vows also some silly promises? Well Stark, if I'm such a bother how about you do whatever your little heart desires! Keep me out of it! I'm tired of caring! ...oh and you are sleeping on the couch tonight"

Obviously, Tony did not in fact sleep of a couch. However, he stayed in one of the guest bedrooms in our new home. Yes, a house we finally made in to a home. It was not far off from where the original Stark Malibu mansion stood. Still the same neighborhood, the same killer view. That night, alone in our bed, I couldn't sleep. All I wanted to do was run to Tony, to hug him, apologize for calling him a man in a tin can, and sleep peacefully in his strong protective arms...but my pride kept me away. I knew that deep down I was right...it was dangerous to go back out there ...so dangerous...

Now it's 11 am the next morning. I havnt gotten a wink of sleep, but a strong cup, who am i kidding, cups of coffee are keeping me awake and standing upright.

So we are back to the notion of the same day as always, only completely off. Let's examine how.

As before the removal of the reactor, before all of his other missions, I am standing in his lab watching him get assembled in to the suit. As always I'm holding on to a cup of coffee and he is shouting commands at various bits and pieces of flying metal. Only this time, we are standing in a lab in a new home. This time the suit looks different, and most importantly this time he is missing a comforting blue glow above his heart.

As always, he is assembled. Only today we are still mad at one another. No one had the guts to apologize first. So as they say, we both started our days on the wrong side of our (separate) beds. He hesitates...waiting for my regular "be safe-I love you-don't die-you are my everything" goodbye kiss. This time I don't kiss him goodbye. I am simply standing here, few feet in front of him drinking my coffee.

As his face mask clicks closed, I notice sadness and a glint of tears in his gorgeous eyes. I should say something...anything...I love you...

Too late...he is off with not a single word exchanged.

As always, as before all of his other missions, my stomach drops. Only this time, it sends me running to the bathroom to empty all of its contents.