I've been working on this for a ridiculously long time! Please review and let me know how I did and if you want more songfics :)
Takes place during Iron Man, the song is 'Smash Into You' by Beyonce.
And to anyway who's following it, I'm working on the second chapter of 'Some Sanity Required' :) If you haven't read it, please do! I like reviews, they make me fuzzy all over :)
He thinks he isn't going to be rescued.
He doesn't know how long he was in that cave for. Weeks, months, years? He couldn't guess.
I'm going to die in the desert, alone, he thinks.
Tony shivers despite the heat and stumbles onward, thinking that at least if he'd died in the cave he wouldn't have been alone, even though the people round him wanted him dead.
He thinks of Pepper, something he's been doing a lot recently. He thinks of the last thing he said to her before he left the house to get to the airstrip. She'd told him to keep himself safe, and he'd told her he wouldn't leave her widowed so young.
She'd smirked and whacked him with her folder out the door, and he'd been smiling all the way to the plane.
He wonders if she'll cry when she finds out he's dead, he wonders if she'll go and see his body and if she'll kiss his frozen lips and run her fingers through his hair one last time. He smiles, she thinks he doesn't know about her obsession with his hair. Sometimes if he hears her coming down the steps he'll pretend to be asleep on his keyboard, just so he can feel her sigh and run her fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp gently.
Head down as I watch my feet take turns hitting the ground
I should, I find myself in love racing the earth
She'd never run faster. Rhodey had called her 10 minutes previously and she had never. run. faster. Not in sports days, not running for the bus, not running in the rain, when Rhodey called her and told her they'd found Tony alive and okay she ran faster than she had in her life, or possibly ever would again.
Her heart bursting with passion and happiness, Pepper ran outside into the parking lot of Stark Industries where Happy was already waiting with the car ready to go.
He watches her as she sits in the back seat, jittery and not keeping still and wishes that he could make her feel like that, but he knows he isn't Tony, he knows they're both madly in love with each other but neither will admit it so he sits back, puts the car into drive, and looks forward to seeing his friend again.
And I'm soaked in your love
And love was right in my path, in my grasp
And me and you belong
They got to the airfield just in time to watch the plane touch down. Pepper saw the paramedics waiting nearby and smirked, thinking of what Tony's reaction would be to them. The rear doors opened and Pepper caught sight of her boss sat in a wheelchair, she caught his eye and he immediately stood up, Rhodey holding onto his arm to stop him keeling over and face-planting the floor. Pepper had to resist the urge to run to her boss, bruised and battered as he was and fling her arms around him and never let go. She kept her hands clasped tightly in front of her, but she couldn't escape the smile that made its way onto her face. His hair was a mess, he'd cut himself shaving in numerous places and his arm was up in a sling but he was still the most attractive man she'd ever met and looking into his eyes she thought for a second she saw a spark of something, affection maybe?
I wanna run, run, smash into you
I wanna run, run, smash into you
Pepper isn't sure if she wants to laugh or burst into tears, she feels like doing a combination of both but manages not too, but she can't hide her smile as the man she thought was lost to her stood in front of her. 'Your eyes are red, few tears for your long lost boss?'
Oh Tony if only you knew, Pepper thinks, smiling. She's forgotten just how many times she's cried herself to sleep wrapped up in Tony's bedsheets, breathing in his soft scent. She made a deal with JARVIS that he'd delete the footage as long as she didn't mention the blue screen he was planning to do for April Fool's.
It flows, what I hear no one else has to know
'Cause I know in what we have is worth first place in gold
Pepper smiled. 'Tears of joy, I hate job hunting.'
That was far from the truth as it could possibly be. She'd been Tony's PA for almost ten years, finding a new job wouldn't be a problem. She was crying because she was happy, Tony had come home, everything was right again. She had her friend back.
'Yeah, vacations over.'
And I'm soaked in your love
And love right in my path, in my grasp
And me and you belong
On the way back from Burger King to the press conference, he was quiet, his eyes were dark and he seemed to be staring at the back of the seat in front of him. Pepper knew that look, it was his 'brooding-over-something-incredibly-complicated' look, Pepper had seen it many times before over the years when she'd come into his workshop and he'd been staring at a computer screen or a car or a new set of blueprints. Pepper knew better not to say anything because she never got a response but the impossible had happened, Tony Stark was sat next to her when she'd began to think she'd never see him again and she was not going to keep quiet.
'Tony…' she said softly. 'Are you okay?'
To her immense surprise, he turned his head to look at her and to her even bigger surprise, he reached out for one of her hands. She took his immediately, noting it seemed more rough and calloused than usual.
For a few seconds, Tony simply stared at their joined hands, running his thumb over the back of her hand, as if he was remembering what it was like to feel soft skin and be close to someone. Then he said quietly, 'you have really smooth skin.'
'I moisturise,' Pepper said, smiling in spite of herself.
There were a few seconds of silence in which Tony continued staring at her hand. Then he looked up and met her eyes.
'I missed you,' he said quietly.
Pepper felt a tightness in her chest she'd never felt before. His eyes were softer and he was looking right at her with that intense gaze he used for staring at the cars, or certain parts of females' anatomy.
'I missed you too,' she whispered.
He continued staring at her and before she knew it they were both leaning towards each other, her hand reaching for his hair, his reaching for her hip, staring at each other's lips. They came within inches of each other, so close Pepper could feel his warm breath on her face.
'Pepper…' he said, then the car pulled up outside the building where dozens of reporters were waiting, they pulled away- and the moment was lost.
I wanna run, run, smash into you
I wanna run, run, smash into you, smash into you
Her heart was beating fast as she stepped out the car and saw Tony being swallowed up by reporters. Happy came to stand by her side and she looked at him and they both burst out laughing and follow him into the Maria Stark Conference Centre. Pepper stands at the back and smiles and sighs a sigh of relief.
Tony's home, everything's okay, things can go back to normal.
She actually almost looks forward to having to throw out one of his 'women' just to get back in a regular routine.
Almost.
'Miss Potts?'
Pepper turns and sees the small balding man stood next to her, she answers him more cheerfully then she's ever answered a reporter before, still in a state of complete euphoria. The rest of the conversation is brief, she wants him to go away so she can stare at her boss' face undisturbed to try and understand what the hell he's thinking right now.
Head down, as I watch my feet take turns hitting the ground
I should, I'm in love and I'm racing the earth
Pepper could see the headlines now 'STARK RAVING MAD', 'STARK STOCKS PLUMMET.'
Shutting down the weapons division of Stark Industries, a weapons company. Pepper being drafting a doctor's letter in her head because Tony must have a brain problem or something. It all made sense now, especially their romantic moment in the car, that was so not Tony Stark.
Speaking of the devil, Pepper caught his eye as he pushed his way through the crowds of reporters, making a beeline for her. He caught her hand and pulled her through the door, security keeping the press back as Obadiah tried (and failed) to save the situation.
Tony stopped outside the doors and took hold of her shoulders. 'Pepper, trust me, I am not mad.'
Pepper tried to ignore the way the heat from his hands burned her skin and made her heart pound and raised an eyebrow. 'If you say so.'
Tony grinned and Pepper nearly threw her arms around him there and then, how she'd missed his beautiful smile, she thought she'd never see it again.
'I'll see you later,' he said. 'I think Obie wants to yell at me for a bit.'
Pepper nodded and Tony gave her shoulders a squeeze before letting go and walking away.
And I'm soaked in your love
And love is right in my path, in my grasp
And me and you belong
She hadn't seen it up close before. Rhodey had told her about it when he'd call and she'd been trying to spot it under his shirt but it was too dark. Now though, with him laying out in a chair, shirt off, she had a chance to see how delicate, extraordinary and beautiful it was. She also noticed the new stronger muscles under his skin. Only Tony Stark to get out of a awful situation better off. She held up her hands when he asked her to and grimaced as her hand hit the pus, or organic discharge, in his chest. She didn't remember 'suitable candidates must be able to fit their hand into Mr Stark's chest' on her application form. He laughed at the expression on her face when she removed her hand and her heart gradually went back to its normal rhythm after sending her boss into cardiac arrest for a few seconds. He told her to incinerate the old reactor but it was so beautiful she couldn't do it, she walked away thinking of putting it in a display case and adding an inscription.
Oh, I wanna run, smash into you
I'm willing to run, smash into you
I'm willing to run and run, and run, and run, ooh
I'm ready to run and run, and run, and run, ooh
He wasn't moving. The Arc in his chest was flickering on and off and he was so pale and still. One arm was thrown precariously across the remains of the grill from the roof and smoke was rising out of the ruined Arc Reactor below him.
'Tony!' Pepper shouted, the smoke rising into her nostrils and making her cough.
'Stay here,' Agent Coulson said, looking at her seriously and jumping down onto the roof, running over to her fallen friend.
Pepper moved as close as she dared, wondering why on earth she was wearing heels on today of all days. They were certainly not 'being chased by a giant robot' shoes and if she stepped on the grill the heel would get stuck and snap.
Screw it. If he survives this the least he can do is buy me a new pair of shoes.
Pepper pulled her heels off and stepped out onto the grill, making her way towards Tony while Coulson glared at her. 'I thought I told you to stay back,' he says, a statement not a question.
'Sorry, no can do,' Pepper said, inching her way closer.
Coulson nods like he expected this and pressed his fingers against Tony's neck. 'He's alive,' he called across. 'But judging by the look of the Arc he wouldn't be for much longer.'
Pepper dropped down next to him and held his free hand. 'What do you need me to do,' she said, surprisingly calm.
'I need you to get the other reactor,' Coulson says.
Pepper stares at him. 'How?' she asks. 'It would have been incinerated in the reactor!'
Coulson shakes his head. 'It's down there,' he says pointing.
Pepper follows his arm and see's the chestplate of the Iron Monger armour lying in the parking lot under scrap metal and what looks like what used to be cars. She stood up and picked her way carefully back to the stairwell, climbing down the fire escape and jogging barefoot over to the chestplate. The arc is warm in her hands and hums, like a beating heart. She hears Coulson's shout for her to hurry and runs back up the fire escape and across the grill, handing the Arc to Coulson, who sticks his fingers into the grooves in the armour and pulls the chest panel off, exposing the Arc below. He pulls it out and hands it to Pepper, sparking and smelling of burning metal. He reaches into the gap left to put the new Arc in but his hands are too big.
Wordlessly, Pepper takes it off him and slips her fingers into her boss's chest for the second time, clipping the socket into the baseplate. His chest leaps into the air and he slams back into the grill, snapping more of it off. His eyes open for a second, seek her face then roll back in their sockets, his head leaning towards her.
Pepper pushes her fingers through his hair while Coulson stands up and makes a few calls, something about requiring the equivalent of a small crane while Pepper squeezes Tony's hand and plays with his hair.
'Feels nice,' he mumbles.
Pepper jumped. 'I thought you were unconscious!' she said,
'I was pretending, I always pretend,' he mumbled. 'You don't do it when I'm awake.'
Pepper smiled and brushed his hair away from his face. 'I'm glad you're alive,' she said quietly.
'So am I,' Tony replies, opening his eyes and looking at her. 'Hey, Pep? Can you promise me something?'
'Anything,' Pepper says, tears in her eyes.
'That you'll let me sleep on your lap for the whole of tomorrow?'
Pepper laughed. 'I promised, we'll put a movie on and I'll make us strawberry pudding.'
Tony smiles and closes his eyes. 'That sounds nice,' he says, and his breathing evens out and Pepper knows he's asleep.
Coulson gets back then and she hears a helicopter approaching from somewhere. 'That's our ride,' Coulson says, sounding a bit too please with himself.
Pepper looks at Tony and half of her realises in that moment that actually, she would do anything for him. The other half realises she's indisputably and unconditionally in love with him, but the sensible of her tells her to shut up.
And I wanna run, run, smash into you
I'm willing to run, run, smash into you
Fin.
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