After The Truth Happened
Chapter 1
Secrets Are Still Being Kept a Secret
They were all ok. Tony turned out to be right, everything was going to be ok. So why is he still on a mission? He knows what he has to do now, but why? Why him? He wanted to know so badly. He sat on his bed alone. he wanted this to all be over, he wanted a break from being Iron Man. He wanted to relax, but he knew he couldn't.
"My father is alive. And I know ill find him." He slowly stood up and headed for his dresser to get a clean shirt, and started to clean up for school. Now that he thought of it, there were a lot of secrets there. Gene and his step-dad both being the mandarin, Tony being Iron Man, Pepper got so hurt……
He walked out the door of his room and into the kitchen to eat breakfast and meet Rhodey for school. Just the thought of school reminded him of how, if he did save his father, what would happen? Would he stop going to school? Would his dad get the company back? Life would change….again.
"morning, Tony." Rhodey walked in the kitchen and joined his depressed friend for breakfast.
"morning." Is all he could spit out. Just barely though.
"whats wrong?" Rhodey asked, curiously.
"just…..in shock, I guess. I cant believe he said….he has my father? And now I have to get him back. i-im just-well….i don't know. shocked and depressed?" he could barely explain, he didn't really even know.
"yeah, we discovered a lot more than the 5th ring in that temple. I can't believe Gene is the Mandarin." He said, simply agreeing. The room fell silent and they left for school.
The several events of news they got the previous day shocked the three so much that Pepper wasn't even talking as much as usual. She was depressed that she thought Gene-her friend, the one she thought was good, but started out hating, was evil, and that she was right about his step-dad. She was right all along, and Tony never believed her. She couldn't blame him, though: they both fell into Gene's trap. That, and she also didn't know how she felt for Tony. It was like the world gave her another chance at Tony. Gene is an enemy, Whitney doesn't remember anything. What are these following events trying to say? That…..she possibly, just maybe, liked Tony? Or….more? Love? It's such a bold word, so strong. She tried looking into her heart, to see if it said love.
I am trying
Not to tell you
But I want to
I'm scared of what you'll say
So I'm hiding what I'm feeling
But I'm tired of
Holding this inside my head
I've been spending all my time
Just thinking about ya
I don't know what to do
I think I'm fallin' for youart, to see if it said love.
She didn't know what to do. (A/N:yes, I know, that's part of the song. Get over it!) Before she Continued her next thought, she was interrupted by a voice. Not any voice-oh crap.
"Hey, Pepper." Tony's here. She was so busy at her locker thinking about all that "what does your heart say?" crap that she forgot he went here. She was glad he couldn't read minds, so he doesn't know what she just went through. She still felt embarrassed.
"Hey, guys." She fake-chirped back to the pair, pretending to be her normal, annoying-in-a-good-way, talkative self. She failed. She couldn't be happy after she figured out someone she became a little too close to was evil. They walked off to class, but soon after, agreed to get over it for the moment and have some fun. So they did, they moved on. Until after school, when Tony decided that he was going to go to his lab and start trying to find Gene, so he could demand the location of his father.
"what happened to 'hey,guys. Come on, lets get over it for now and have a little fun?' " Rhodey terribly mocked and questioned his friend.
"I did say for now didn't I? If you want to come with, feel free to join me anytime." He stated his point, and left. Rhodey decided not to, so he could do his homework. Pepper decided she had nothing better to do, so why not?
Later, Tony and Pepper were alone in Tony's lab, trying to locate a power source of 5 makluan rings. The computer was still trying to locate after 10 minutes, so Tony decided he should charge his implant. As he carefully took off his shirt, all Pepper could do was stare. What am I doing? Staring at him like this…..but I cant resist! Those abs…..his smooth looking skin….all that body. Why cant I resist? Pepper kept thinking, uncontrollably, about how hot Tony looked shirtless, and how the one moment he took his shirt off seemed like forever. Or, that's how long she wanted it to last, anyway. Tony noticed Pepper staring, and started to get curious.
"uhh…Pepper? What….are you doing?" he wanted to know why she was staring at him. Maybe because im taking my shirt off right in front of her. But…ive done that before. Why is it now that shes staring at me? He really wanted to know.
Pepper blushed. Tony did, too. They both just stood there, in dead silence, red-cheeked. After a few minutes that seemed to last forever, Pepper answered.
"uuhh……umm….i……i-I was ahhh……..what's the word….uuhh…" she couldn't find a good excuse to spit out.
"st-staring a-at me?" he barely got out, it was so…..foreighn? they didn't know what to say.
Sing us a song and we'll sing it back to you
We could sing our own but what would it be without you?
This heart, it beats, beats for only you
This heart, it beats, beats for only you
This heart, it beats, beats for only you
My heart is yours
They stood there, drowning in their own silence. They didn't know what to say, at all. Finally, they broke the silence.
"listen, forget it I-" they said, at the same time. Tony continued.
"forget it, it's ok….i don't mind." He blushed intensely and turned to his computer.
Power source of Makluan rings found. Power source is coming from Machupichu, Peru. The computer said.
"computer, where in Machupichu are the rings?" Tony asked the computer.
Power located in a hidden temple. Past reference says user has been to this temple before. The computer responded.
Update-power has moved. Relocating source. Tony got annoyed. He sat back down on a ledge and the two were, once again, silent.
I think we should talk. I cant go on living in silence with him like this. Pepper stated, in her mind.
"uhh….Tony? should we talk or something?" Pepper asked, nervously.
Nothing to lose One of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right
And it's you and me and all other people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
I'm tripping on words
You've got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here
"Uhh…..well sure. I guess, what did you want to talk about?" he responded.
Pepper gulped. She had to. Had to….
"about why were being so shy to each other when normally we can talk all the time?" Pepper responded.
"oh….uhh….err….well…..i guess it started when you were staring at me. Uhh….why were you staring at me, anyways?"
Pepper swallowed hard. "uuhh…..because…..you know, I guess I couldn't help myself? Maybe I'm…..you know?" Pepper really hoped he knew.
"Perhaps….some secrets are still secrets?" he stated back to her. There was a moment they spent just getting lost in each other's eyes. They didn't need words to explain what was happening, at that moment, when they seemed invincible, like they were on top of the world.
Power source found in The Tong Building located in New York City. The computer interrupted, breaking the moment.
"oh…I, uhh…better go there then…..its time for some questions." He said, anger filling his voice. He got into the armor, closed the mask, and headed off to question Gene. Pepper met him on the Com Systems.
"GENE!" Iron Man bursted into the building, shouting to his enemy. "you have some questions to answer." He sounded really angry, from Pepper's position. She thought it sounded like he was angry that not just because he lied, but that he hurt Pepper, and that just furiated Tony. She thought about what he said, 'perhaps some secrets are still being kept secret?' what does that mean? Pepper suddenly felt something in her chest.
Oh, is it love?
What was it? It wasn't just in her chest, it was in her heart. A little voice fell into her mind."put it together, girl! You feel like it's magic when you touch, at all. You cant ever stop staring at him. You felt on top of the world when he grabbed your hand! Pepper realized the shocking truth. She was in love. Soon after, Tony realized that Gene was gone now, and gave up for the day and left. But, for he did not know, the shocking surprise he got on his way back, or what was waiting for him when he returned.
Simple,
Wonderful,
Awaited,
Love.
He was in love.
He got back, and he got out of the armor, and the two just stared. All the sudden, they both made a move, and met in the middle….
Touching lips. Kissing. Brushing lips. Simply loving eachother.
Your heart may long for love that is more near
So when I'm gone these words will be here
To ease every fear
And dry up every tear
And make it very clear
I kiss you and I know
It is love