Tony never actually sat down and watched TV. Supposedly people who weren't superheroes actually do that. He couldn't see the point of it. Where were the bad guys? The explosions? What happened to the AC/DC? It sickened him. He saw the screen change.

"I think it's broken. I should fix it," he stated. He started to get up but felt a hand on his shoulder bring him back down.

Pepper sighed. "Tony, it's just a commercial."

"But they stopped playing the show!" he objected.

"It's supposed to that, dear. Don't you watch TV?"

"No, I watch Iron Man kickass, that's what I watch," he said grumpily.

"Okay, Tony."

He started to grumble some more. "I'm going downstairs to the workshop." He walked down the steps trying very hard to stomp. Led Zeppelin started to blare through the speakers as soon as he closed the door. The bots came to life and started to whirr in excitement as if to say, Daddy's home!

"Welcome sir," Jarvis said.

Tony smiled. "Glad to be back. Bring up SHIELD's tech."

"Yes sir," Jarvis said as a map of SHIELD and their locations popped up. Nothing new. Tony sighed and looked at his cars.

"Any of these need fixin'?" He cracked his knuckles and got ready to tinker.

"I'm afraid not sir." He sighed and looked around.

No more suits. No more projects. No more grease. No more metal. No more tinkering. What was he supposed to do? He's Tony Fucking Stark. Give him something. But…Pepper…she didn't like it when he tinkered. If he couldn't tinker, what was he supposed to do? He couldn't just stop…

"Sir Director Fury is on the line," Jarvis said surprising Tony out of his inner monologue.

"Let him through."

"Stark," he stated sternly.

"Yes dear?"

He rolled his eyes. "Look, you know about the Mandarin?"

"Yeah dude, you're late. He's a fake."

"No, that was Killian hiding behind his image. The Mandarin is very real and he's out there Stark."

That's impossible. "How?"

"Killian was just being a coward. He was working for the Mandarin but failed. Mandarin is still out there taking people out one by one. Anybody with power. And he claims you next. He took the ambassador of Egypt and he's slowly taking over the whole country. He's the real deal."

Tony squared his shoulders. "I got him."

"Don't underestimate this guy, Tony. He's extremely powerful and has followers. If you want to take this guy, you can't trust anybody. You have to watch your every step; when he claims his next victim he gets the job done."

"I'll take him. His followers too, I'll stop him."

"You don't have to go through this alone, Stark."

"Gosh is everybody a therapist? First Banner now you? I'm okay and I can damn well handle him. He's not your problem anymore."

Fury frowned. "If he's your problem then he's mine. Just don't do anything stupid. We'll give you his location and keep you posted." And with that he was out.

"Jarvis. Let's start the Mark 48."

Pepper walked to the living room. She had nothing to do. She had already finished the latest season of Supernatural. Perhaps she could start a new show? No, it was already late and she didn't want to be a couch potato. With her day off from Stark Industries with Tony, she didn't know what to do with herself. Speaking of Tony, where was he?

"Jarvis? Where's Tony?"

"Mr. Stark is still in the workshop, Ms. Potts."

"Still? It's been 5 whole hours. What's he doing?"

"I apologize but Mr. Stark has instructed me not to tell you."

Well obviously Tony was doing something he's not supposed to. Pepper sighed. "Is anything on fire?"

"Surprisingly, no, Ms. Potts. Although Mr. Stark does seem to be rather occupied. Perhaps I could leave him a message for you?"

"No thanks, I'll just head down there myself."

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that Ms. Potts. Mr. Stark gave me specific instructions not to give you access to the workshop."

She raised an eyebrow suspiciously. Being the badass Pepper Potts was, she went downstairs anyways. It was amazing how the glass door muted all of the music from inside because she knew he was blasting it. She saw him leaning over something. She typed in her code and walked in towards him. "Tony."

He jumped and banged his head on the thing he was working on. "Dammit Jarvis! I told you to not let Pepper in!"

"And I told you that would not work with Ms. Potts, sir."

She smiled. She could've sworn Tony hardwired some heavy sarcasm into the AI. "What am I not supposed to know about?"

Tony looked around and tried to cover up what he was working on but failed miserably. Was that a…suit? Before Pepper could say anything he said, "It's not what it looks like. Peps—"

"Then what is it?"

"It's just a prototype it's not the real deal, well not yet but—"

"Yet?! I thought you were done tinkering."

"It's not tinkering its engineering!"

"Don't give me that bullshit! Tony, you said there were no more suits."

"And that wasn't a lie! This is a new one!"

"So it's just another distraction? Is this whole thing going to start over again?"

"No, baby, it's not a distraction. It's a precaution actually—"

"I thought you were done being Iron Man!"

"Pepper I am Iron Man!" he yelled. Tony rarely raised his voice. Pepper stood there, worried but kept her face calm. He lowered his voice. "And I always will be, baby, I'm sorry about that. I can't just stop. I can't…" He trailed off.

"Can't what?"

"I can't not protect and defend people. It's my job."

"Tony, Stark Industries is your job. They have the military for that."

"Some people the military can't handle. Pepper…" Fury said how big of a threat the Mandarin was. He didn't want her to worry and live in fear. "There are people still out there that need Iron Man. I can't turn my back on them."

"Well I need you, Tony. I'm sick and tired of sleeping alone."

Tony's heart broke. He didn't know what to say. He sighed and took her into his arms. "Pepper, I will always be there for you. I promise."

It slipped out before she even thought to stop herself. "That's what you said last time."

His grip on her tightened as fear and guilt took a hold of him. "I will never forgive myself for that. I wish I could guarantee you everything. I wish I could promise you that we'll live forever and not lie, Pepper, I really do. But I'm just a man in a can."

"Tony you are much more than that. You can do anything you set your mind to. You're a hero, my hero. You are Iron Man. I'm sorry I just keep dragging you away from that. I just want you to be safe and here. I want you to be happy—"

He interrupted her with an adoring kiss. His lips moved against hers as if she were another one of his projects. Well, to him, she was a work of art. "Pepper," he murmured against her lips. "I can never be unhappy when I'm with you, don't you ever doubt that. And there are two things I can promise: I will always love you and I will never give up on you. Without you, Iron Man can no longer be."

She looked up at him and smiled. "I love you too, Mr. Stark. And I will never give up on Iron Man."