I wasn't sure which song to use next, and this was actually going to be a separate one-shot. Turned out that this fit right in here. Tell me if you can point out the movie reference. The song: "Someone To Watch Over Me"

Dislcaimer: Totally NOT my characters/franchise.


Pepper cracked open one eye at the sound of her phone vibrating on her bedside table. Her arm reached for the phone as she eyed the clock.

1:49 AM

This had better be a big emergency, she thought darkly.

Caller I.D.: Tony Stark.

She sighed and answered. "What did you do now?"

His breathing sounded irregular and she could sense the pain in his voice. "Um, could you come over?"

"Why?"

"Well… I just got back from a really tough mission, and, well… I feel like shit."

"I think that's how you're supposed to feel, Tony. Now go to bed."

"Wait! I mean, the reason I feel like shit is because I got hit pretty badly. Like, everywhere on my body hurts."

Pepper sighed again. "I left a big bottle of Vicadin next to your bed. Now get some sleep."

"Pep, I think I may have some internal bleeding."

"Then call an ambulance!"

"I don't want a lot of attention. Can you just come over?"

Pepper let out a deep sigh and looked at her clock again.

1:52 AM

"Damnit, Tony. You had better be in some serious pain, because I am NOT happy."

"I owe you big time."

"Yes you do. Be there in 10 minutes."

She was there in 7. Pepper grabbed some ice packs from the freezer and a glass of water. "Mr. Stark is in his bedroom," droned Jarvis. Pepper nodded and walked through the dark house, her bare feet slapping the cold stone in silence. She pushed open his bedroom door to find him shirtless, sitting up on his bed, and grimacing in pain.

"How many did you take already?" she asked, eyeing the open bottle of painkillers.

"Five," he breathed. Pepper frowned. The dosage was 2. Tony must have seen her face, because he said, "Two is NOT going to help me, Pep. Plus, I've done worse."

Pepper didn't reply as she applied the ice packs to his legs. "What the hell did you do?"

Tony attempted to lie down on the bed, which only led to him letting out a cry of pain. Pepper looked and saw his back was entirely black with bruise. "Again, what did you do?"

He sat up again. "I was back in Afghanistan. The bastards got me with an RPG while I was in the air," he gestured at his upper body, " – then they used light bombs instead of bullets," he motioned to his legs, " – and then I got ran over by a tank, which explains my back."

Pepper's mouth was open. "You got run over. By a tank."

Tony nodded. "So, yeah. That's why I'm pretty sure I have some broken ribs."

Pepper immediately reached for her phone. "No ambulances," said Tony. "I don't want another media circus at my door."

Pepper utilized her Red Cross training and began to feel for broken ribs. "Too late for that," she mumbled.

Tony winced every time she touched his ribs. "See – they're broken."

"They're not broken," said Pepper, still feeling for cracks. "You're bruised to next year, but they're not broken. Somehow."

Tony's expression eased and she saw the painkillers start to work. Pepper propped up his bed pillows and he sat back, looking slightly more relaxed. Pepper got used to watching over Tony – making sure that he didn't do something fatally stupid – and she let up on her annoyance at being woken up in the middle of the night. Now, she was only concerned with the well being of her boss.

She continued to feel for cracks and fractures in his arms and legs. Every time she touched him, he let out a small, "Ow." Somewhere after the tenth "Ow," she finally gave up. "Goddamnit Tony! Where doesn't it hurt?"

He thought for a moment before pointing to his left wrist. "Here," he pouted.

Pepper took his hand and gave it a small kiss. Tony looked surprised for about a half second before he said, "Here," and offered up his right elbow.

Pepper gave that a kiss as well. Tony eased back into his pillows and pointed at his left eyebrow. "Here."

She kissed that too. She removed a pillow from behind him and threw it to the other side of the bed. They looked at each other for a long time. Tony pointed at his lips. "Here," he said in a voice that was barely a whisper.

Pepper gave him a small smile before they kissed. They stayed like that – patient and nurse in liplock – for an uncounted amount of time. Pepper pulled back, smoothed his hair, and eased him into a sleeping position. She got up to leave.

"My balls don't hurt either."

"Go to bed, Tony."


Gotta love his humor. R & R, please.