What Sweet Dreams Aren't Made Of

Authors note: Just a little thing. No words to describe this. May be horrid. Read at your own risk. Just kidding. But I'm serious... I know. That didn't make sense to me either.

Disclaimer: I only wish I owned Ironman. That would be amazing. Oh Tony Stark... *Slap*... Woah! Okay back to reality... Enjoy.

Flashes passed through his mind. First things from the past. Losing his parents. Being kidnapped in Afghanistan. Waking up hooked up to a car battery. Obidiahs betrayal. His technology being stolen. Then his dream began to change. Images he hadn't seen before came in. Pictures of people suffering. People he loved. Rhodey tied up. Pepper being tortured. Pepper.

"PEPPER!" Tony's eyes popped open, here awoke covered in sweat. His pulse was racing and his head ached.

"Sir?" Jarvis questioned from above.

"Just another nightmare Jarvis." He rubbed his eyes.

"Shall I phone a doctor?" Jarvis asked.

"No, no. Call... Jarvis, call Pepper."

"Right away sir."

These nightmares had become more and more frequent with Tony. The more he was out being Ironman, the more these nightmares came along and haunted his sleep. For this reason Toby hadn't gotten more than a couple hours of sleep in the last few days.

The speaker above him began to ring, signaling that Jarvis had dialed Pepper.

After the third ring, a tired "Tony?" Was whispered through the phone.

"Hey Pepper."

"Tony? What's wrong? It's two am." Pepper yawned into the phone.

He ignored the question, "Tell me about you, and how was your day? We could play a game... There's a few I can think of... All of them are dirty though... Should be fun..."

Pepper cut him off, "Is something wrong? Are you alright? Have you been drinking Pepsi again? You know what that does to your..."

"Pepper. Please. Can we just talk?" Tony pleaded, running his hand over his sheets.

"Talk? At two am? Can't it wait until morning? What could be so important that we have to talk right.."

This time Tony cut her off, "I'm having nightmares again. Terrible ones. I relive all the horrible things in past. But then it changes to things that have never happened. Rhodey getting hurt. You getting tortured..." The other end of the line was silent, so Tony took it as his cue to continue.

"Please Pepper! Just talk to me for a little while. I just need to hear your voice, to know you are okay." He listened to her sigh into the phone.

But finally she began to talk.

After a while Tony was finally calmed down. He lay on his bed and listened to Pepper talk sleepily into her phone.

"Pepper?" Tony said suddenly, interrupting whatever she was going on about.

"Yes?"

"Maybe I should let you sleep. You do have to work tomorrow." He smirked.

"Ha! This better count as work hours!" She said sharply. Tony smiled.

"Thank you Pepper." Tony said quietly.

"Goodnight Tony." Pepper said before hanging up.

*Around 4am.*

Tony sprang up in bed; a scream tore through his throat. He panted as he demanded Jarvis to once again call Pepper. He sat up on the side of the bed and rested his head in his hands, trying to calm his rapid heartbeat.

'Hello you've reached Pepper Potts, I can't get to the phone right now, but if you leave me a message I'll get back to you as soon I can. Bye'

"Shall I try again sir?" Tony sighed loudly and thumped his fist against the headboard. 'Why wasn't she answering her phone?'

"Oh Tony!" A worried voice gasped from the doorway. His head shot up.

"Pepper?" There she was in all her glory. Pepper Potts stood in his bedroom doorway, decked out in a vaguely familiar Black Sabbath t-shirt and striped pajama short-shorts.

"When you told me about your nightmares on the phone I left right away. Then i heard you scream just now when i came in. How are you doing?" She walked to the bed and stood by Tony's bed.

"I- uh. I can't sleep. At all." Pepper noticed the dark bags under his tired brown eyes. "Pepper. Please. Stay." He looked at her and grabbed her hand, pulling her onto the bed gently.

Pepper looked weary but lay down nonetheless. Tony soon joined her, pulling her even closer to him. So close, until his nose brushed her neck. He stayed like that, wrapped up in Pepper until he gingerly fell asleep, still clutching Pepper, just to make sure she was really there. Eventually Pepper too fell asleep in Tony's arms.

Tony had his best sleep in months.

Authors note: Uhhhhh! I know! So much! Uh! I can't even explain. I just needed to write it. My head was gonna explode! Not sure what I think of it yet though I know Tony was kinda off character... but I wanted to write it where he was vulnerable and not his typical badass self... But cuddling is so adorable! Girly thoughts aside… let me know your thoughts.