Chapter 7

AN: Hi everyone. Here is chapter 7. Thanks for the reviews and alerts. Keeps me writing, so keep 'em coming Hope you enjoy this one. I enjoyed writing it. I hope I captured the characters and the situation. Let me know what you think.

Turns out I was right. So far it was a very interesting ride home. Tony and Pepper were in the back. One was very happy with himself, the other was not. Pepper had the look of a gathering storm, angry and potentially dangerous.

She had explained basics of the story to me after Tony's big revelation. Of course this was only after I offered to dry clean the suit of the guy in front me, who was now wearing my double mocha latte. Not pretty.

The whole thing was surreal. Tony Stark, playboy extraordinaire was, well, was a superhero. Apparently he wasn't selfish all the time. Perhaps self-serving superhero might be a more apt description.

A lot of things were making sense now. I found out that all the scratches and bruises that appeared the other day were from a mission he took on in Afghanistan. After finding out that Obie was selling to terrorist, he took it upon himself to seek out and destroy the weapons. There had been some sort of run in with some military jets where he was almost shot down.

Have I mentioned I'm having a hard time grasping this? I barely trust Tony to drive his own car, he's just too reckless. I can only imagine how he behaves, and the risks he takes in a suit like that. In fact Pepper told me why she had been so mad at him. She had walked in on him, ah, desuiting I guess, and noticed that he was riddled with bullet holes. She didn't understand his need to do this, to put himself at risk. Based on her tone and the look on her face as she spoke, it was easy to read between the lines that Pepper was scared for Tony. A feeling I can totally understand.

She had already lost him once when he had been held captive. Then he returned, as if from the dead. It was apparent that her heart was frayed and it likely wouldn't be able to survive another assault like that.

The start of a conversation pulled me away from my thoughts.

"Are you going to speak to me again?" Tony asked playfully.

Glancing in the mirror I caught Pepper's response. She turned her head sharply and narrowed her eyes at him, "No," she returned.

Clapping his hands and rubbing them together, Tony straightened in his seat, "Alright, a one word answer. Now we're talk'n. I knew you couldn't stay mad at me. Let's see if Pepper knows anything other than monosyllabic words," he chuckled.

He caught my eyes in the mirror and I shook my head.

"No?" He questioned. I was trying to let him know that his implied humor at this moment was not exactly the best course of action.

Getting my drift he tacked his course.

"Ok, seriously. Pepper," he turned toward her, "I had too. The world needed to know that the US was capable of hunting down terrorists whenever and wherever."

She turned to match his position. Her face held the look of barely contained rage.

"How dare you!" she breathed in a furious hiss. "This had nothing to do with the US or helping others. This had everything to do with you and your oversized ego. Will it ever be enough Tony? Or will you keep being so outrageous until you get yourself killed."

"I wasn't thinking-"

"No, you weren't thinking! What do you think the government is going to want to do with that suit Tony? Did you think of that? Have you thought of the ramifications of what an admission like that will have? Have you?"

"Stark Industries, Happy," my head snaps up at the mention of my name, "me. We are all possible targets now of the groups that you are going all vigilante on."

Hmm…I hadn't thought of that.

Tony appears offended, which considering, is a very difficult thing to do seeing how up to now he has rarely taken anything seriously.

"Of course I've thought about that. Do you think I'm stupid?" He returned raising his voice.

"Sometimes I think you can be the stupidest genius when your ego or your…," her words trail off as she gestures to his crotch area," is leading the way!"

"That's low Pep. You may not believe it, but everything I do is calculated. It may not seem that way, but don't for one minute doubt it. I would never purposely put you or Happy in harm's way. Never," he stressed with a pointed finger jabbed at the ground.

"Well, you probably just have. Not to mention the inherent danger to yourself. Did you think about that? There are people relying on you Tony, and I'm not talking about us," she says gesturing to her and I. "What about all the people Stark employs? They rely on you to be able to come up with the next great thing to keep the company going."

"But don't you see, that is what I just did. This is the best thing for Stark," he said.

"And by the way," he continued, "that was pretty offensive what you just said."

She looked at him with a skeptical face. Tony Stark did not get offended.

"No really. If you ever, EVER, imply that I don't care what happens to you, then I'm not sure you know me at all after 10 years," Tony emphatically told her. Then as if an afterthought, "you too Hap."

"Appreciate that Boss." I just love being an afterthought. But in this case it's ok. Tony had shared more of himself in this five minute exchange than he had in the past five years. Gone for the moment was the selfish being intent on his own pleasure. In its place was a man driven to do the right thing and protect those he loved. Quite the metamorphosis.

Pepper looked at him, saying nothing. I'm not sure there was anything that could be said after that.

"The whole thing just scares me Tony," she said quietly, turning to glance out the window.

Her admission hung in the air between them. I was interested to see how he would respond. Messy emotional scenes were not Tony's forte. He's avoided them like the plague for the entire time I've known him, never spending the night with a woman, never getting too close to someone, never allowing himself to feel too much.

"I know Pep," he says in a whisper, "But I promise I'll always come home."

An interesting response. While I know he means what he says, that is not the type of promise to make lightly. None of us can truly promise something like that, especially him, now with his new dangerous lifestyle.

I see her stealthily trying to wipe away a tear that has escaped her lashes as she watched the ocean passing by. Tony sees it too.

Her hand is resting between them on the seat. He lays his hand on hers, grasping it tightly. She returns the pressure. Both are holding on for dear life to what they have.

Tony turns to watch the blurred scenery through the window, both of them now lost in thought. The remainder of the ride is silent, but they never let go.