I do not own anything..Marvel does!
This will be an Iron man focused fanfic with a Xmen crossover. Just a little idea I had floating around in my head. Let me know what ya think :)
CHAPTER ONE
Tony Stark's announcement of "I am Iron Man," rang out from the television speakers and bounced around the cold metal walls that housed the pair who stood watching the screen. The older gentlemen chuckled and brought a pondering hand to his chin. "Ahhh humans," he sighed, "they really can be quite amusing."
"Yes, but he would be quite powerful with that suit. We should bring him to our side. Make him one of us," replied his female companion.
"Yes, but as you say he already is powerful. Why risk him when we could add two to our ranks. He will be on our side if we manipulate him through another."
"Ha! Tony Stark cares for no one but Tony Stark! Good luck finding that other person!" The woman snapped, arms crossed aggressively in front of her.
"Well now it sounds like you may know Tony Stark better than I thought. Let me guess, a one night stand? I must admit I am very disappointed you were attracted to the man at all."
She stood in brooding silence, refusing to acknowledge the man's suggestion, no matter how accurate it might have been.
"Anyway, that is beside the point, and I trust you will not let it influence you in this endeavor. But I do think you are very wrong on one point my dear. I believe Tony Stark cares very much for one person," the man slowed the recording of Tony's speech as he walked towards a very annoyed looking Pepper Potts, placed his arm securely around her waist and led her out of the room.
"Now go and get a DNA sample to see if she can survive it," he instructed. His eyes never left the face of Tony Stark's as his eyes fell on his lovely personal assistant.
The woman turned sharply and gracefully exited the cold, bare room on silent, predatory feet.
"If she is strong enough, I have the perfect power for her," he added to the now empty room, and a slow smile spread across his face.
It seemed every channel on television was replaying Tony Stark's announcement of being Iron Man 24/7. News anchors argued over it, put absurd spins on the story, and interviewed wackos that claimed they had been rescued by Iron Man and flown off on romantic getaways.
"Unbelievable," Pepper Potts muttered as she glanced up from her laptop to see a sixty year old woman claiming to have experienced one of those very romantic rescues. The woman's story was followed by another clip of Tony's speech. "For the love of . . . Jarvis! Please turn the television off!"
"Certainly Miss Potts," the AI replied while executing her request.
Pepper settled back into the couch in Tony's living room and continued to file through the never-ending emails that filled her inbox. She welcomed the silence of the mansion combined with the soothing trickle of the ever-running waterfall nearby. She was making steady progress when Black Sabbath's Iron Man blasted from the direction of Tony's workshop and broke through her concentration.
Pepper pushed her laptop off of her lap and set it on the coffee table. With a sigh she stretched her long legs, slipped her feet into her four inch black heels, and made her way to see her superhero boss.
She paused in surprise after passing through the new glass security doors when she did not find her employer under his hot rod or next to his shiny suit. The doors slid shut behind her, and she spotted him slouched on the couch watching something on his television which was also the source of the offensively loud music. Pepper watched as grainy images of Iron Man fighting Iron Monger flitted across the screen, edited with videos of Tony at one function or another all put to the tune of "Iron Man." The music faded and yet another replay of Tony's admittance was shown to end the video. Pepper shut her eyes and was contemplating using one of her heels to beat on Tony if she had to watch that clip one more time when the object of her annoyance noticed her presence.
"Oh Miss Potts! Wasn't that something?" He addressed her while motioning to the now blank screen. "Apparently I am quite popular on Youtube. Something like ten million hits on that one alone. I mean I can't really blame people for wanting to watch that fight over and over again even if it was only filmed with cellphone camera quality." He was wearing the grin of a young boy on Christmas morning who felt he deserved the mountain of presents beneath the tree, and he completed the boyishly charming look with black sweat pants, a rumpled T-shirt with a hole prominently displaying the arc reactor, and messy hair.
Pepper's eyes snapped open and bore into Tony's with a cold glare that made his grin falter. "Oh yes I would certainly love to watch you almost get killed over and over again! It's really too bad the end of the fight wasn't caught on film because watching that with my own eyes and pushing the button myself to almost kill you is something I really don't think I could get enough of!" She spat out venomously.
With that Pepper turned on her heel and marched back towards the door and the stairs. "And please don't blast your damn theme song or any other music 'til I'm gone for the day!" She threw over her shoulder.
Tony stood rooted to the floor for all of five minutes before snapping out of his shock at Pepper's comments and jogging up the stairs with the intent of apologizing. He found Pepper sitting on the couch with her back to him. She was slumped over with her face cradled in her hands, and he swore he felt his arc reactor weaken with the guilt that was tugging at his heart. Tony sat down next to Pepper and rested a hand on her back. "Pepper, I'm sorry... I'm such an ass." He spoke quietly as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.
"Oo er ar," came the muffled reply.
"Uhhh what was that?" He asked trying to hide a grin. Pepper raised her head from her hands to reveal her tear streaked face, and Tony easily swallowed that grin.
"I said, you sure are!" She said, swatting him on the arm for emphasis. "I mean, God Tony! It's only been a few days since your announcement and your fight with Stane and you're acting like its no big deal!" She furiously swiped at the tear tracks on her cheeks. "Don't get me wrong I am so proud of the man that you are being, and I fully support you helping people that you believe you put in harms way and all, but I can't help but feel like you aren't taking this seriously! I mean, do you even get how much danger you put yourself in with that little announcement?! Like you needed any more!! You were kidnapped before Iron Man!!" Pepper was literally shaking with pent up emotion. "And now there's all these emails and phone calls, and the board is freaking out! And I just...I just couldn't handle it if anything happened to you Tony. Remember the whole 'I'm all you've got, and you're all I have' talk? I need...I don't know. I just need..."
"A break!" Tony interrupted. "You need a break. Breathe Pepper. Listen I'm really sorry. Really! Now just calm down..."
"Don't tell me to calm down Anthony Stark! And how could I possibly take a break?! There is way too much that needs to be done!"
"Not anymore there isn't! Come on I'm the boss, and I will order you to take a break if I have to Miss Potts. And quit interrupting my apology!" They both glared at each other determinedly, her with her arms crossed, and his grasping her shoulders forcing her to face him.
"Now," he continued, his eyes softening, "Again, I'm truly sorry Pepper. I'm an idiot for not stopping to think about how all of this would affect you and how it has affected you. I never want to cause you to worry and I especially don't like to see you cry. But I really have to do this for me. And I know I act flippant and you know I'm not one to hate hogging the spotlight, but I do understand how serious this whole situation is." His left hand began to trace unconscious circles on Pepper's shoulder and he felt some of her tension ebb. "I plan on being very careful, mostly because I care for your sanity Pepper, and I don't need you going out of your mind with worry, but I also am not on some kind of suicide mission here, contrary to some reporter's beliefs," he gave a slight nod to the television screen where that infuriating blonde reporter now stood...What was her name again? Katie? Clementine? Christie? ...oh, Christine....Tony shifted his full attention back to Pepper.
"This is not about thrills or self destruction, this is about being the man I should be and righting the wrongs that I have a chance to right in my life." Tony took Pepper's hands in one of his and used the other to wipe the tears from her face. "Trust me Pepper. I found out I had a lot to live for when I was in that cave, and I'm not going to throw that away."
Pepper wasn't sure, but she thought Tony was trying to say that she was what he lived for. She mentally shook her head at the notion and pulled her hands from his. She felt emotionally drained, but admittedly a little less weighted down after their talk. "I do trust you Tony. I'm sorry for exploding like that. I guess I'm just a little stressed out." She said quietly.
Suddenly Tony was leaning very close to her and Pepper's breath caught in her throat. She felt her heart rate accelerate and she glanced at the lips that were now inches from her own. Then Tony abruptly pulled back after successfully reaching her laptop that lay behind her and snapping it shut. He smirked at Pepper as she tried to hide the blush that was creeping down her neck.
"Now are you going to give it to me or am I going to have to take it?" Tony asked, his eyes were dancing and his smirk turned predatory.
"Wh..wh..what?" Pepper stuttered, scrambling to figure out what he was asking exactly. He inched closer to her and brought his hand to her hip. He slowly lowered it and reached into her pocket, his eyes never leaving hers. She realized what he was doing just as he grabbed her blackberry from her pocket and stood up, holding it triumphantly in the air.
"No! I need that!" She said lunging after it.
"Ah ah ah! Tsk tsk Miss Potts. I do believe your employer told you to take a break. Now you can have your little toy back after you have been a good girl and finished your nap."
Pepper really wanted to wipe the cocky grin off of his face, but she was still feeling drained and her body was screaming for her to rest since the four hour average nights of sleep were not cutting it anymore. "Fine, but only because I am really tired. Don't think I'll let you order me around so complacently in the future Mr. Stark." She slipped out of her shoes and laid back on the couch. Tony disappeared only to reappear a second later with a blanket that he draped over her. Pepper's eyes drifted shut and a smile spread across her face when he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
Tony leaned down and whispered in his best sultry voice, "You know Miss Potts, you are really quite good at the whole 'emotional worry over the superhero' thing. I think we should just go ahead and give you the title of the superhero's girlfriend since you fit the role so nicely."
Pepper sat up quickly, and threw one of her heels at the now retreating form of Tony Stark. She missed, and she heard him laugh before humming Black Sabbath down the stairs to his workshop. Pepper couldn't help but grin as she laid her head back down and finally drifted off to sleep.