Fluff! Could be a sequel to 'Tears On My Pillow' but doesn't have to be.

Please review!

The first time it happened Pepper had fallen asleep at her desk in Stark Industries. Sitting up, she was glad to see that no-one had noticed and she carried on working, thinking of other things to block out the images in her head.

The second time it happened Pepper was at home. She woke up in her bed in a cold sweat and dived into the shower before making toast and going over to Tony Stark's Malibu mansion 2 hours early.

The third time it happened Pepper woke up with a start on Tony's sofa, almost falling off. Before she had time to work out what was happening she felt strong arms grip her arms and pull her back up. 'Careful Pepper!' she heard Tony Stark say. But although he was sat next to her, and she could see him, her mind was elsewhere.

The fourth time it happened Pepper was at home again. She woke up once more in a cold sweat and was too frightened to move anywhere. Glancing at the clock on the wall Pepper realised it was 3am. Seizing her phone she dialled one of the only numbers she knew by heart.

Tony Stark's voice was leaden with sleep when he answered. 'Pepper do you have any idea what time it is?'

Pepper said nothing, she didn't know what to say, she only wanted to hear his voice, to know that he was alive and not still in that dank dark cave in Afghanistan.

'Pepper? Pepper? Is this you? Pepper are you there? Are you okay?'

Pepper choked back a sob when she heard her boss's voice calling her name.

Tony heard this and sprang out of bed saying, 'Pepper, hang on, I'm coming over okay?'

When he arrived 10 minutes later (which was impressive considering that it usually took Pepper 45 minutes to get home from Tony's) Pepper was sat in bed, arms wrapped around her knees.

Tony came in and sat next to her, hesitantly putting his hand on her back.

'Pepper? What's wrong?'

Pepper said nothing, and Tony instantly knew. 'You get nightmares too?'

Pepper nodded, 'every night,' she said quietly.

Tony hugged her. 'You and me both Peps,' he said. 'Do you want to talk about it?'

Pepper hesitated. Tony grabbed the duvet and pulled it up over both of them, lying back with his arms still wrapped around Pepper, who curled next to him.

They said nothing for about 10 minutes, during which Tony convinced himself that Pepper was asleep, until she said: 'What did you think of? In that cave?'

Tony held her tighter. 'Escape, mainly.'

'Did you, did you… did you think of me? Ever?'

Tony smiled and stroked her hair. 'I heard your voice,' he whispered.

'What do you mean?'

Tony thought for a moment, before saying: 'They wanted me to build a missile, the Jericho missile.'

'The one you were demonstrating?'

'Yes.'

Pepper was alert instantly, Tony had never mentioned his time in captivity but she often heard him talking in his sleep when JARVIS called her to come and wake him up because he was having nightmares. He never said much, usually only, 'No… wait… Yinsen… stick to the plan… I refuse.' Pepper had never asked what he meant when he said this; she never asked what he meant when he said 'Yinsen'. She'd only wake him up and give him coffee before getting on with her work.

'I refused to build it.' Tony said, snapping Pepper out of her reverie. 'They dunked my head under water until I couldn't breathe.'

Pepper gasped and clutched at his t-shirt.

Tony paused before continuing. 'You know how, when you're drowning, people say that your life flashes before your eyes?'

Pepper nodded.

'Well it did. And I heard your voice.'

'What did I say?' Pepper whispered.

'Tony.'

Pepper sat up and looked at him. 'Really?' she whispered.

Tony nodded. 'Really. And after that I thought of you all the time. You were my motivation for escaping, Pepper.'

Pepper hugged him tightly and the two of them drifted off to sleep, knowing that while they were together; the nightmares wouldn't haunt them.