Pepper pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously and unconsciously fiddled with her engagement ring.

The same news report that had been playing for the past three hours was still on. The tv was on mute, but the horrible, heart wrenching words were still scrolling on the bottom of the screen.

"New York Attacked - Anthony Stark Lost - World Famous Billionaire Presumed Dead -"

Pepper sat on the couch, staring at the tv screen like her life depended on it. If she looked away for even one second she felt like something would change. And if something changed she might never get to see her fiance again.

Tony said he was done. He said that he wasn't going to be Iron Man anymore. He was just going to be Tony. He was just going to be her Tony.

After everything they've been through Pepper had hoped that he actually meant it this time. That they were going to live a quiet, peaceful life.

A normal life.

A life where they didn't have to constantly worry about their lives being endangered.

But the second there was any chance of danger he put on the stupid suit and flew head first into danger like an idiot.

He was her idiot.

Both Tony and her had warmed up to Peter, and Pepper knew that Tony thought of him as his son, even if he was hesitant to admit it. But Pepper hoped that maybe, one day, far in the future, she and Tony would have one or two kids of their own.

But none of that would ever happen if he got himself killed.

If that phone call was the last conversation she ever had with him, she didn't know what she would do. She was already missing him… ego and all. She wished he would just show up and make some witty, sarcastic remark and act like nothing happened.

Then Pepper felt a sudden, uneasy swirling in her stomach and a burning acid started to creep up her throat.

She jumped to her feet and ran from the room and down the hall. The bathroom. She needed to make it to the bathroom. Then…

Too late.

Pepper doubled over and vomited violently in the hallway.

She groaned and clutched her stomach before lowering herself gingerly onto the floor.

Pepper wished she could blame the vomiting on stress, but she couldn't. That was the third time she vomited that week. She felt absolutely awful.

Pepper pulled herself to her feet and put a hand on the wall to steady herself.

She needed to change out of her exercise clothes and get properly dressed for the day. However, when she tried to walk again another wave of nausea washed over her and she lowered herself back onto the ground.

"Where are you Tony?" she muttered to herself.

Pepper laid back in the doctor's office and pinched the bridge of her nose as another headache started. The dull, painful throbbing started at her forehead and slowly crept to her temples. She wished she had some Advil on her...

After a few more moments the door opened and a short, elderly gentleman in glasses and a doctor's coat came walking in with a polite smile on his face.

"Good afternoon, Miss Potts." he said with a faint British accent.

"Hey." Pepper replied with a weak smile. "I dont mean to be rude, but do you know how long this will take? I have three board meetings, a press conference, and a fiance that is… out of town…"

"Oh, not very long." he said kindly. "I have some very good news."

"Oh?" Pepper said.

"Congratulations Miss Potts," the doctor said with a smile. "You're going to be a mother."

Pepper froze.

All the blood drained from her face. She couldn't have heard him correctly…

"What?" she said, her voice cracking slightly.

"You're pregnant." he said.

"O-oh…" Pepper said.

She felt… weird, to put it bluntly.

Under any other circumstances she would be squealing from excitement, maybe even crying tears of joy. But not knowing whether or not Tony would… if he was going to… if he would come back from his 'trip' or not…

She felt… worried.

Scared, even.

"That's… that's wonderful news." Pepper said with a nod and another small, weak smile.

"I knew you'd be excited!" he said.

All of a sudden the door swung open and a young nurse ran inside, her face flushed.

"Doctor!" she squealed. "There's an emergency! People… everyone… gone!"

"Huh?" the doctor said and tilted his head, confused.

"You must come!" the nurse insisted.

"Alright…" the doctor said slowly. He turned back to a concerned Pepper and plastered a fake smile on his face. "You must excuse me, Miss Potts. My attention is required elsewhere."

"Go." Pepper said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Thank you." the doctor said. He quickly slipped out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Pepper laid back on the bed and closed her eyes. Though she was worried, she didn't have the energy to fret over whatever what was wrong right now.

She was pregnant.

Pregnant.

And Tony was nowhere to be found.

Pepper sighed. Why do crazy things always happen to her?

Out of nowhere a small tingling and burning sensation crept across her leg. She frowned and shifted slightly, trying to get more comfortable. The burning sensation grew and went up to her waist as her feet went completely numb.

Pepper sighed and opened her eyes, glancing down at her legs.

She froze.

Her legs were gone.

And more of her was disappearing every second.

"Tony…" she said quietly.

Everything went dark.