A/N: So, this is a story written entirely from the point of view of an original character, but it's 100% Tony/Pepper. It's her view from the outside on their relationship as it evolved into something more. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I own no characters, storylines or dialogue that comes from Marvel.

x x x

Outsider

When I first started working at Stark Industries about five years ago, I had my eye on Tony Stark. I knew, of course, that he slept with just about anything that moved, but I couldn't help it. He was, and still is, self-assured, handsome, very rich, intelligent, hilariously funny ... I was in love. And I had it firmly in my mind that I could be the one to win him over.

After all, I am a beautiful woman. I've been modelling since childhood, and have won so many beauty contests that I don't have enough room for all those damn trophies. Never in my life have I had trouble getting a man. And so, when I went in to be interviewed for a position as one of his secretaries, I knew he would hire me. He's known for that.

That was the first time I met him. And he was everything in person as advertised, and more. I wore a short skirt, heels and a tasteful, yet revealing blouse, and the man couldn't keep his eyes off me. I mean, he was so obvious, it could have counted as sexual harassment had I chosen to do something about it. He didn't listen to a word I said during the interview; he stared at my legs and my chest and the only question he asked was how long I'd been modelling for. He smirked and flirted and leered blatantly and unashamedly.

I was delighted.

Even more so when he hired me in under five minutes.

That was also the first time I met the famous Pepper Potts. Everyone who knows anything about Tony Stark knows about his faithful personal assistant. The one who runs his life. In my friendship circles, there had always been much speculation about whether they were sleeping together or not, but I always knew they weren't. He sleeps with too many women, and she's stuck around too long for them believably to be having sex. When I started there, I believe she had been working for him for five years or so.

And when I met her, I knew that I had been right. I, along with most, can just tell if two people are sleeping together, and they weren't. She was present for the interview, of course, and she asked all the relevant questions (the answers to which Tony Stark was entirely ignoring). When Tony interrupted her to hire me, she wasn't surprised. She didn't even seem that exasperated. Maybe just ... Resigned, I suppose. And amused.

She was polite to me, although I knew she knew that I was flirting with him on purpose. I could tell, because she was watching me with this half-amused half-sympathetic expression that really grated. I was already jealous of her status in his life, but I was determined to surpass her. I would win him over. After all, he obviously wasn't even interested in her. He must have rebuffed her early on, I decided.

I had little idea of their relationship in that first interview, and maybe if I'd had even half an hour to properly observe them together, I might have realised early on that it was a fruitless mission. But as it was, I didn't.

For the first couple of weeks, I dressed provocatively and flirted with Tony whenever I saw him. That was usually when he passed my desk on his way to or from his office. It was easier when Pepper wasn't there, because when she was she commanded almost all of his attention. I would possibly get a wink or a smirk out of him, but no more. At the time, I thought it was just because she was so bossy. I guess that's partially true, but in fact it's more that they get engrossed in their conversations together.

Those conversations sounded ridiculous to me at first. I didn't hear more than snippets as they strode past me, but they always seemed to be talking at the same time about different things and bickering furiously. I wondered how the hell he put up with such a nag.

When she wasn't around, he would stop at my desk and flirt much more openly. I thought then that he didn't want to do it in front of her in case she told him off or disapproved or something. But I honestly know now that it was simply that he didn't notice me at all while talking to her. And it's unsurprising, considering the concentration it must take to follow their conversations. But I would flirt until he was interested, and then I would find an excuse to walk away. Because I knew that I wasn't going to be one of those women that slept with him at once. I wanted him to remember me.

It was working, too. He tried harder and harder, and I teased him more and more. During this time, I know of at least four other employees that he bedded. Only one stayed working at Stark Industries, and she transferred to a remote department. I was determined to be different. I focussed on doing my job well. I knew that Pepper Potts was competent beyond belief, probably more so than I could ever dream to be, but it showed me that he probably appreciated that quality.

Sadly, I don't think he actually noticed much. Pepper did. She would thank me for my good work, give me more responsibility and commend me on being so helpful. He just stared at my legs. And Pepper would smirk. I hated that. Hated that she thought it was funny. I wanted her to disapprove, or feel threatened by me. But she didn't. Not once. She was polite, kind and agonisingly unaffected.

I began to suspect that she hadn't actually ever tried to seduce him, although I struggled to comprehend the concept. Gossip in the office seemed on the surface to indicate that she wanted him, and that it was funny that she couldn't seem to nail him. People laughed and called her pathetic and clingy. Except that it was only certain ones. I began to notice, albeit reluctantly, that it was the women like me who said that. The young beautiful ones who hadn't been around long.

The jealous ones.

The employees who had been with the company longer, who were older and wiser, merely smiled disdainfully at such talk and shook their heads. And those were the ones who stayed. The gossips? They ended up sleeping with our overactive boss, and leaving the vicinity. The others knew the truth. They knew of Pepper's honest dedication.

I ignored it for that first month, choosing to believe the gossips instead. Because the truth, in fact, was a far greater threat. But I didn't understand it just yet. I was still playing my game. As it happened, just after a month of my employment, I was the one who caved and followed Tony into his bed. It was incredible, unsurprisingly, and I fell asleep content. Because he knew who I was, and he told me that he had been waiting for me to cave for a month. I took that to be an indication of something.

It was. Of his triumph in conquest.

I was awoken the following morning by his robot computer thing announcing the weather at me, and found the other side of the bed empty. I got up and peered into his en suite bathroom. Nothing. I looked around for my clothes, but they were gone too, so I put on his shirt, the only clothing item left in the room. Curious, I wandered out of the room and down the hall. I had never been inside his mansion before, and I was uncertain about where to go. I almost collided with Pepper Potts as I turned a corner.

I flushed at once and waited for her to react at all. For her eyes to widen at the sight of me. For her to jump slightly. For her to look hurt or exasperated or disappointed or something. But she didn't. She was utterly neutral.

"Oh, good morning," she said once she had stepped away from our near collision, so polite as always. "I've brought your clothes. They've been dry cleaned and pressed."

She handed them to me. I took them wordlessly.

"You can change in the room. Feel free to take a shower. When you're done, there's a car outside that will take you to any destination you so choose."

She was smiling very slightly, and it was a kind one. I hated that it was kind. It was only at this point that she gave any indication that she knew who I was, because she said, "You are excused from work this morning, and we'll meet in my office after lunch to decide how you would like to proceed with your employment at Stark Industries."

I finally managed to stutter out, "Is - is Tony here?"

"Mr Stark is unavailable at this time."

It was also said in that kind, professional voice, and I felt that sinking sensation that I had failed. I also felt an odd respect for Pepper Potts at that moment that I chose not to analyse. I merely nodded at her, throat tight.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked me, all manners, as though I were a guest and not her boss's one night stand secretary that she had to get rid of.

"No. Thank you."

She nodded, said, "Good day," and turned away, suddenly absorbed in her blackberry, me forgotten until our meeting.

By the time I reached her office that afternoon, I had recovered from my shock. She glanced up when I knocked and let myself in, and as before, treated me with a professional kindness. She more or less told me that I was free to do as I chose. She said that I was doing a very good job where I was, and was free to keep that job. She added that if that made me uncomfortable, I could request a transfer to any other department or branch of the company. Alternatively, I was allowed to resign, with no notice required and two weeks severence pay.

It was such a protocol that I felt cheapened. I asked her what people normally did in this situation, and she merely said that it varied. I asked what Mr. Stark thought, and she said that he agreed with any of the above options. She gave me until the following day to decide.

Ultimately I chose to keep my job. I decided that I still had a chance. I thought that maybe if I continued in my efforts, he would realise I was something more. For the next couple of weeks, he was slightly more distant with me. I still got smirks and winks, but he didn't stop over for a prolonged flirt anymore. I was invisible when Pepper was there. I was just beginning to feel hopeless when he finally began to actively flirt again.

It took three weeks before we slept together the second time. Everything was so similar that it felt like watching the same movie twice. Tony was gone in the morning. Pepper found me once more. She had my clothes, she told me how to proceed, and then held a meeting with me the afternoon. The meeting was similar, only she earnestly told me that further sexual encounters with my boss would be ill advised.

Irritated, I decided that she was threatened by me after all. I kept my job and kept trying. Only this time he was far less interested. It took two more months and a very drunken Christmas party to get into his bed a third time. The pattern the next day was the same, except for the meeting. This time, Pepper seemed more tired, and more irritable.

She presented me with my options as before, but then ended off with the following:

"I should warn you that Mr. Stark has no interest in pursuing any form of a relationship. He ... Is not likely to sleep with you again, and I personally think you may consider transferring to a different department for your own sake."

I bristled, thinking she was trying to get me out of the way, and haughtily told her I would let her know the following day. I had every intention of staying. After the meeting, I went to the bathroom. When I came out, I passed by her door again, and stopped as I heard Tony in there with her. They were bickering as usual.

"- wish you would just -" she was saying.

"C'mon, it's not like this usually happens-"

"- try not to make my life difficult-"

"- it was the party, I was drunk-"

" - Oh, sure, I never have to break it off with your women, this was totally a one-time -"

"I'm not trying to make your life difficult, Pepper-"

"- I don't care how much you've had to drink -"

"- I meant they don't usually stick around, so this isn't something you've often -"

" - can you not just sleep with someone not in your employ every now and -"

"- and besides, I've asked her to move now, so you won't have to -"

"- like I don't have enough to do without counselling and rehiring for every -"

"- I didn't realise it was her -"

"- yeah, I was the one who had to ask, Tony -"

"-okay, okay, I'm sorry, I know you're busy -"

"- and, damn it, she was good at the job -"

They stopped there for a second, and Pepper sighed in exasperation. I was still trying to catch up on what was going on, although the general message was abundantly clear.

I backed away silently, and as I did, I heard Tony say, "She was very persistent."

His tony was irritatingly smug.

"It's because she actually cares, Tony."

He sighed there, and I bolted. It was too humiliating in the end. The following day, I transferred to a different department, as suggested by Pepper. I must have looked particularly down, because just as I was leaving her office, she said, "I'm sorry about all this. You did good work."

I looked at her then, and could no longer hate her. I don't think I ever really did. Envied, yes. But no hate. So I asked, "Does he ever fall for anyone?"

She smirked at me then, and said, "He's too in love with himself."

I looked at her, the laughter, affection and indulgence apparent, and properly realised that one truth about their relationship that had eluded me until then.

They were friends.

It was difficult to figure out why I'd missed it. Or why it hit me that day. I think it was overhearing their conversation, in the end. They were so in tune with each other, so comfortable in their argument ... It was also the first time I'd heard them address each other by their first names. That had not been a boss and an employee talking. That had been two friends bickering.

And understanding that, the nature of their relationship, finally clarified my own feelings of jealousy and resentment towards Pepper Potts. It was because, even though they weren't sleeping together, he cared more for her than I had seen him care for anyone. She was the one person he actually listened to while he talked over her. She was the one person he respected. The one woman he looked in the eye when she spoke. That respect and courtesy was reserved for her.

And I came to realise that nobody would ever manage to grow closer to Tony Stark than she had.

I stayed in the same building, and with time returned to their floor again. I don't think Tony had any idea who I was, or if he did, he didn't show it. Except that there was no flirting. Not that I gave him any opportunity. I found that I became an employee who stood up for Pepper during those horrendous gossip sessions. No, I would tell them, she most certainly isn't interested in seducing him.

And I would think to myself, "She already has him."

Somewhere over a year ago, after Tony had returned from his captivity in Afghanistan and reformed the company, it hit me that his own attitude towards Pepper Potts may be more than anyone had ever guessed. It was at this charity ball for fire-fighters, or something of the like. He arrived unexpectedly, and made a beeline for Pepper. I was standing nearby, and I saw him drag her out to dance in spite of her protests.

I realised I had never seen them dance, which I thought was strange considering how many functions they had both attended. But judging by Pepper's uncomfortable flushed face, I'd say it was a professional boundary or something. He was staring at her with the kind of look I had only ever dreamed of getting from him, and I wondered how she could resist. How anyone could resist.

Then they left the dance floor, and I admit that I wondered. I thought back over their relationship, all the bits I'd picked up, and realised it made sense in the end that Tony Stark might fall for Pepper Potts. I also sighed, knowing the negativity that would come about from his many female admirers were that to come about. Pepper had enough resentment to deal with as it was.

But he came back quickly, and headed to the bar. Alone. I didn't know, of course, but I wondered if she had rebuffed him up there. Or if I had been entirely off base.

But I remembered that look in his eyes, and I wondered, because Pepper Potts is only a woman after all. And that look could cripple anyone, let alone the one who already cared about that man enough to have stuck by him for something approaching a decade. (Once I fell out of love with him, I came to see why that was such a spectacular feat)

It was some time later, after Tony Stark became Iron Man, that the rumours evolved again about Pepper Potts. Because he seemed to have lost all control of himself, and the gossip turned nasty. Nasty because the superhero thing made him all the more desireable. Sentiments to the effect that Pepper was too far gone to quit, that she was caught in his charm, that she had no dignity. That was all bullshit, too. And those of us who knew the truth, knew and understood.

Whatever the situation, we know that Pepper Potts will stand by Tony Stark, and that Tony Stark will rely on Pepper Potts until ... The end. They always will function in that unit, and that unit is impenetrable by any outside force.

And that, I realised during those days, was why she would always be the only woman in his life. However things turned out.

With time, his attentions towards her grew clearer, bolder. And his interest in other women waned. People picked up on it, and many of them loathed it. I knew that she hadn't caved, though.

I wasn't so surprised that he made her CEO. Not really. Maybe that he had stepped down, but not that he had made her his successor. Who the hell else?

By that time, he was pretty unlikeable to those of us who could resist his charm, and it was plain to anybody who paid attention that she was having trouble putting up with him. But most people weren't paying attention, and bitter gossip was rife among the envious employees. By this time, Tony Stark wasn't even flirting with the women anymore. Not for a second. He was reckless, a recluse and only seemed to speak to Pepper.

Sometime after he had settled back to normal, it came out that the two of them were in fact a couple. I don't know when it happened, but it was some time around his little breakdown. Maybe after. Probably after, actually, because I don't know if she'd have taken the job if she had been sleeping with him. She's too professional about it.

But the gossip reached unchartered heights, and it became a game. The bitter admirers of Tony Stark were certain that it wouldn't last. They said Pepper was an idiot. That everyone knew he couldn't keep it in his pants. That she was making a fool of herself. And the majority of them seemed intent on proving the fact.

I honestly admit that even I wasn't sure at first. Except that I trusted in Pepper Potts. She must know he's crazy about her, or something. Or she wouldn't have risked it, because her place in his world means as much to her as it does to him. It's clear as day to me, looking back, how head over heels that man in fact is.

And I'm amused to report that no-one has been successful in their attempts to seduce Tony Stark out of her arms. He is receptive to flirting, as always, but never allows follow through. The exasperated reports I overhear in the coffee room also indicate that it's rare to find him available anyway. It makes sense. He's hardly ever away from her at the office - it's always been that way. But now he keeps her close at dances and parties as well. There's no opening.

In the meantime, things between them are not so different. Pepper Potts is as competent and professional as ever. Tony Stark is as infuriating and flirtatious as he always was. It's only in the subtle moments that the change is clear. And it's such a natural progression that it hardly feels like change at all.

They don't bother pretending with the formalities anymore; the titles "Mr. Stark" or "Ms. Potts" are only used as teasing endearments. He finds her more often, and there's a touch here or a significant smile there. There's a peck goodbye. An arm around her shoulders on a shared sofa.

I was helping her organise an event recently, and she was sitting to the side of the large room busy on her tablet as usual, sort of overseeing the set up. Tony came in, obviously looking for her, and sort of just wandered over there, and leaned his forearms on her shoulders for a bit. There was a kiss on the hair, a small laugh or two, and then he was gone.

They're in their own little world, and they're so happy in it that the women are becoming a bit hopeless. I don't know why they even bothered trying to break up that bond in the first place. I don't know what I was thinking either. She's in there, in his heart, with him.

To Tony Stark, the rest of us will always be irrelevant. Outsiders.

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FIN