Thank you all for your kind words and your nice reviews. Here's the next chapter. Have fun.


(iii)

She couldn't stop laughing. It was ridiculous. He was being ridiculous but that didn't make either of them stop though. She let out a squeal while he grabbed her hand and whirled her around, his feet still moving rhythmically to the beat.

Tony Stark was making her dance stupidly with him in the middle of his workshop in the middle of the day and Pepper really couldn't believe she was actually letting him.

He laughed and pulled her back to his broad frame and then with another twirl moved so she was whirling him around and Pepper giggled again all while the Pointer Sisters bleared how excited they were. Pepper had no clue how this kind of song actually ended up in Tony's playlist because for all she knew he only ever listened to entirely too loud rock music down here but as soon as the tunes of the current song had started, Tony had just put down the glass of the freshly made lemonade Pepper had made and taken down to him a few minutes earlier and had grabbed her in order to start dancing wildly and chaotically and it was fun. It was fun and sweet and while she had always known Tony to do crazy things she had never seen him like this, free and unrestrained without the assistance of at least a few glasses of scotch.

"I'm so excited, I just can't hide it," he sang joyously and Pepper couldn't help but sing along because his enthusiasm was contagious and seemed to envelop her entirely. She couldn't remember the last time she had that much fun and it was the middle of the day and Tony was wearing a strained, slightly ripped top and oily jeans and she was wearing a fancy white business suit which she knew was going to be ruined once this was over but she didn't care. Because the utter joy on his face and the free smile made her silly heart skip beats and all she wanted for him was to never lose that feeling again.

Tony pulled her back again and this time let his lips catch hers. She could feel him smile against her mouth and couldn't help but giggle into the kiss. Yet, her arms came up and she fisted the straps of his top to stay as close as possible. With a chuckle Tony pulled away and danced around her again, entwining their fingers together. They were both beaming and in the back of her head Pepper could only imagine how ridiculous they must have looked for Jarvis, but she didn't care and she was sure Tony didn't either.

"I know, I know, I know, I know I want you, I want you!", they sang together and this time it was Pepper who pulled him closer and he came willingly, one strong arm winding around her waist while his left one still held hers. Their lips met yet again and with a happy sigh, Pepper wrapped her free arm around his neck, letting her chest come into contact with his.

"So you guys are actually doing this?", a voice interrupts them, making them almost jump apart in shock before they turn towards the entrance of Tony's workshop.

Rhodey, yet again. Damn it.

"Jarvis, how about a little warning?", Tony complains, glaring up at the ceiling and the music stopped.

Pepper, embarrassed to have gotten caught making out with Tony by Rhodey yet again, discretely wiped her mouth with her index finger.

"With all due respect, sir, you seemed to enjoy yourself and I calculated you would not mind having Colonel Rhodes unannounced," Jarvis explained. "I apologize if I miscalculated though."

Tony dismissed him with a wave of his hand and focused on his friend instead. "And what's with you interrupting us? A guy's gotta develop a complex, you know."

Rhodey rolled his dark eyes. "I'm sure."

"Yeah, well, I know your life's pretty sad and unfulfilled but voyeuring on Pepper and me is not okay."

Pepper shook her head upon their banter and Rhodey rolled his eyes again. "Actually, I am here because I got news for you. Although your own news are pretty big yourself, guys."

Pepper blushed but Tony was unfazed. "What do you want, Rhodes?"

"There's gonna be a thing. Medals and thanks and all that," Rhodey said. "In DC, next Friday."

"You inviting us to share your glory day?"

Pepper couldn't believe how obtuse he could be for a genius. "He means you'll get one as well, genius," Pepper corrected with a good-natured shake of her head and couldn't hold in a smile.

Tony's dark gaze jumped from her to Rhodey. "She's right, isn't she? I'm gonna get honored for my excellent services, won't I?" There was a slow grin forming on his lips and Rhodey closed his eyes. Pepper was sure he was counting to ten in his head. Tony tended to have that effect on people.

"Yep. Wear something nice and I'm gonna see you next Friday." Rhodey turned around to leave. "You can get back to whatever the two of you were doing before I came here," he said and then went back upstairs.

While Tony yelled something obnoxiously after him, Pepper quickly pulled up the calendar on her phone. Confused, she noticed an appointment scheduled for Tuesday. More information showed that it was with N. Fury and she had no idea either who that was or what the meeting could be about.

"Hey Tony, did you put that meeting in my phone?", she asked, showing him the details.

He took the phone from her hands and inspected the entry, before blinking. "No," he said, "I bet SHIELD did."

"SHIELD?"

He waved her off. "Some stupid agency. Long story. Natasha works for them. Fury is the head and apparently wants to meet up again."

"Again?", Pepper asked confused, "as in you've met before?"

"Yup. He helped me come up with a plan B for the…you know," he trailed off, meeting her gaze uneasily. The way his hand crept up his chest though, Pepper knew exactly what he was talking about and swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat.

She knew that he was fine, she had insisted on him letting her see the progress of the grey lines on his chest vanishing every day for the last two weeks. But having it mentioned again, being reminded of that time, especially knowing that at the time Tony had been under the impression that he was going to die rather sooner than later, it left her cold and frightened inside. She had no idea what she would have done if he had not been able to find a replacement for the palladium.

"Do you know what he wants though?", Pepper asked, trying to force her mind away from the depressing thoughts.

Tony shook his head. "No clue. I'll go though."