AN: Hey guys! This is my second book and also the second book in my trilogy "Hurt, Distrust, and Profound Love". Remember to comment, review, and PM me your questions. If you have any constructive criticism or suggestions, please share! Hope you guys enjoy!

Anthony(Tony) Stark walked into the room, dropping his bags on the floor. "Ahhh. Home sweet home." He tried to take a step forward, but tripped over the bags he'd just dropped on the floor.

Pepper Potts followed Tony's footsteps into the room, only to find her boyfriend on his knees. "Look's like home isn't as sweet as you thought it would be, huh?"

Tony forced a smile over the pain of his nerves overreacting from the impact of his knees against the floor. He winced before saying, "Where are the luggage guys when you need them?"

Pepper rolled her eyes while putting her bags down the floor. "You're the one who told them to get a life."

Tony smirked. "Well, you didn't expect me to encourage them, did you? They're only getting the minimum wage."

Pepper walked to the kitchen and dropped her purse on the table. She sighed, tired from the plane flight to New York City from Malibu. "I'm going to go shower before we go back out. Maybe it'll help me get over this jet lag."

Tony smiled at her in understanding. "Okay, go ahead. I'll just be in here, pretending to take a nap."

Pepper gave Tony a worried smile before walking into the bathroom in their bedroom and locking the door behind her. She knew Tony would take his "medication" before even attempting to take a nap. Tony hadn't been sleeping much lately. He'd wake up at like 11 PM and then go drink the rest of the night away. He called it his "medication".

New York had not only made Tony a stranger to her, but her a stranger to Tony. He never wanted her to touch or comfort him in his down times. He always pushed her away saying he was fine and went to take his "meds". But once, Pepper had tiptoed down the stairs of the Malibu house and looked into the living room to see Tony slumped over two almost empty bottles of Vodka, crying. She had wanted to go over and comfort him, but she hadn't. Instead, she gone back to bed and cried herself to sleep. They're relationship was being held together by thin strings and strings were gona snap if things didn't change soon.
_

Tony walked into the kitchen, looking for a can of beer to drink before he took his 'nap'. Reaching for his newly replenished stash, he saw a note stuck to the bottom of the can. It read:

Dear Ms. Potts,

Thank you for visiting our congregation last Saturday. We will continue to pray for you. I hope you don't get discouraged because of Mr. Stark's religous convictions. Something tells me that this will not determine whether you will visit us again or not. I hope you will at least consider visiting us again.

Your brother in Christ,

Christopher A. Blake

Tony was confused. (Congregation? Pray? My religious convictions? Brother in Christ? Christopher Blake? Who in the world was Christopher Blake?) Tony wrinkled his nose in disgust. (This can't be good,) Tony thought.

Tony crumbled the note and dropped it in the trash. Maybe Pepper was just trying to pull his collar, trying to get his attention. But still, it wasn't like Pepper to play tricks on him. She hated it when he played tricks on her. Maybe she was trying to get back at him.

Tony grunted as he let his body fall on the couch. It had been a long day and he was too tired to think about the possibilities of Pepper cheating on him with this Christopher guy. Besides, the last time he thought she was cheating, she wasn't at all. Tony closed his eyes and fell asleep, dreaming about Pepper and Christopher Blake...

AFN: I hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter. I'm kinda putting a twist on this story. A Christian twist. But don't get scepticale. It will still be as exciting as ever. So please review, comment, and share your suggestions.