Chapter 9

A/N- OMG so many reviews! Thank you all so much ! I reply to the ones I can but those who are guests I'm sorry but it won't let me :( but thank you all :) anyway I have now decided where this story is going but I'm not going to tell you otherwise it'll ruin it ;) just be prepared for a lot of frustration ;) any way this will be another mixed POV chapter :) xx

PEPPER

All those emails, the stress I can feel it building up inside me already. He can't be serious, closing the Stark weapons industry at a weapons company. The stocks are going to plummet and..and oh god I think I'm having a panic attack. I can't deal with this, he needs to get off of that podium and get down here right now so I can slap him silly! He's got to be joking, I looked up into his eyes as we looked at each other for a minute and that minute was I needed to tell me that he was deadly serious about this. He stepped off and began walking towards me, I shook my head and turned around so I could exit the building when I was met with hundreds of cameras and microphones. I was shocked, I didn't deal with the paparazzi, I actually had a huge phobia of cameras and bright lights. My heart rate picked up as they started firing questions at me that I couldn't answer, the room started to spin and I stumbled a bit as more flashes went off. Just as I was about the stack it I felt a pair of strong, warm hands catch me at my waist, Tony.
"Get out of the way, she needs some air" they still didn't move. "NOW!" He shouted and everyone seemed to clear a path, putting their cameras and recording tapes down so that he could get through. I tried to walk but my legs were like jelly and the room was still spinning, I think that I'm going to vomit, yep I am. I flew my hand over my mouth and gagged, if I didn't get some air soon then I was going to throw up all over Tony. Before I knew what was going on he had picked me up bridal style and was running for the door, he shouldn't be doing this because it was probably hurting him like crazy, he was still bruised and battered, I mean for god sake he'd only landed 3 hours ago! Fresh air hit my lungs and I was gently put down and placed on some steps so that I could sit down. I placed my head between my knees and focused on my breathing and the feeling of Tonys hand as it rubbed my back and the bottom on of my neck. My heart rate started to slow down and my breathing turned normal again, I looked up to meet a very concerned looking boss of mine.
"You ok? Do you need water or food or something?" His voice was panicked.
"No I'm fine, thank you Tony for getting me out of there, I would have stacked it and probably vomited everywhere if it wasn't for you" I said honestly.
"Don't worry about it, want to go back to the House now? Chinese, pizza and horror movies?" He was trying to distract me and it was working.
"Sounds like the best thing I've heard in months, although no horror films, I'm scared of them, I hate them." I was being deadly serious, I'd had a bad experience as a child.
"Fine no horrors, maybe" he winked at me and I smiled, he knew how to make a girl feel special alright.

TONY

My chest was killing me from where I'd carried Pepper but I wasn't going to tell her that or this time she would definitely make me go to the hospital. When we got back to the House I quickly told Pepper that I was going to shower.
"You can join me if you'd like?" I asked her, a serious offer that I would love if she'd took up on it. Her face had turned red but she managed to keep her composure, unfortunately.
"No thank you Mr Stark" she nodded and turned away but not soon enough before I saw her close her eyes and moan a little, she was totally having visions of us in the shower together. She thought I'd left because she started talking to herself.
"Stupid, stupid Virginia! Why didn't you go? It sounds much better than just sitting here waiting for him and fantasising!" I chuckled, I new she had the hots for me, poor sex deprived Pepper. I snuck up so I was right behind her and blew gently on her neck, she shuddered a little but stayed still, my arms snaked around her waist and she leaned back into me, I smiled, I liked this side of Pepper. I gently pulled her hair band so it released those gorgeous ginger locks of hers and began to run my fingers through her hair with one of my hands, the other kept firmly around her waist. She let out a little sigh of contentment, it was beautiful.
" you sure you don't want to join me?' I whispered in her ear.
"It wouldn't be very professional" she muttered, trying to get out of my grip around her, dammit I hated it when she was like this, just when I thought that I had her she'd slip through my fingers every time.
"Whatever" I mumbled, disappointed and headed upstairs for my one man shower.

When I walked into my room, it looked exactly how I'd left if but there was something off. It didn't smell the same and everything was a bit too tidy. I shook the thought off and walked into my bathroom to get in the shower when I noticed I pile of clothes in the washing basket which consisted of my band shirts and women's underwear, now I was really confused , who had been in my room? I hopped In the shower and as I reached for my shampoo I knocked something over, I looked at it and everything clicked, in my hand I was holding Peppers shampoo. She had been staying in my room while I was away, I liked that thought, I'd look into it further later on. Quickly finishing off in the shower I towel dried my hair and body and threw some track suit bottoms on, leaving my top half bare, it was nice getting some air to the AR and as it was still healing sometimes my shirt would catch on it and that was painful. As I walked down the stairs I could hear Pepper on the phone ordering food, it stunned me at the fact that she knew exactly what I wanted, I saw her but she'd changed out of her usual work clothes and was now just in a plain white vest-top that was slightly cropped and some grey track suit bottoms which were rolled over at the waist so they were resting over her hips, which meant that her stomach was showing, god she was toned, she had abbs and was very slim, turns out that most of those yoga lessons that she moans about must have paided off.

PEPPER

"Can I have some honey dried spare ribs, 2 chicken noodles, some lemon chicken but with the lemon sauce on the side, half a duck actually make that a whole duck with plum sauce, some crispy chilli beef please oh and can I have 3 lots of vegetarian pancake rolls and two bags of prawn crackers. Yes that will be everything, to Mr Starks mansion please, you know the address? Brilliant, bye" as I hung up the Chinese place, ordering way to much food I then dialled Tonys favourite pizza place.
"Hey Charles, it's Pepper, yes he's back, I know it's fantastic, yep some celebration tonight, can I have the usual for me and Tony? Brilliant thanks, ok see you soon bye" as I went to put the phone down I could feel his eyes on me, I turned and looked at him and oh god he was shirtless, and that thing in his chest that was keeping him alive looked red and angry.
"Have a nice shower Tony?" I asked
"It was mediocre" he whined. God I'd missed that.
"Tony I've ordered the Pizza and Chinese but you know what I really fancy as well?"
"What would that be Pepper? I'll drive and get it if you want?" He said this as he walked closer to me, his hair was still slightly damp and fuzzy so I walked up to him and began fixing it. I ran my fingers through his hair so it was restyled and perfect, I gave him that messy bed head look which really suited him.
"A McDonalds milkshake, a chocolate one." I really wanted one of them, I was craving it.
" of course Pepper, I'll have the same. JARVIS would you get them to deliver that?"
"Of course sir" the AI responded. Perfection.

By the time the milkshakes had arrived we had already started the Chinese and were half way throughout the Pizza, eating them at the same time. I was stuffed, on the edge of exploding but yet I still ate more because the food was so good. Tony had eaten so much, a whole pizza, all of the noodles, 3/4 of the duck and the chilli beef he now was munching on the prawn crackers and dipping them in the plum sauce before putting them into mouth. I loved the way he loved food, he savoured every bite, he didn't even need the fancy stuff as long as it tasted good he didn't care where it came from. So far we had just finished Love Actually, the film I had picked because it was my favourite and now it was Tonys turn.
"Come on Pep please, it's not even that scary!"
"Tony I am not watching Saw!"
" fine then! What about paranormal activity?"
"No! Not any horror movies!"
"Oh I'm sorry after being captured by terrorists for 3 months, am I not allowed to pick the film I want?!" He had taken it to far this time. I couldn't say no to that, and he knew it.
"You can not pull the kidnapping card! It just not fair!"
" I'm allowed to use it AT LEAST 3 times a week, maybe even more" he shrugged.
" 3 times is to many! I'm sorry Tony but I'm not agreeing to that"
"Fine 2 times ?" I gave him the look.
"Fine once a week! Whatever! I'm using it now so you can't not watch it, and you have to stay here, you can't go home" he looked at me and I knew I couldn't get out of this one.
"Fine! just make sure it's not that scary! Can you pass me the blanket?"
" sure, here you go, why do you want it? Are you cold?" He sounded concerned.
"Nope it so I have something to HIDE under!" I explained.
"Aww is little Potts gonna get scared? Come here, scoot over"
"I'm not scooting anywhere" I protested.
"I bet that by the end of the movie you'll be hiding in my chest!" He started. Bring it.
"Fine but you're going to lose, and if I don't I get to shave your goatee because it desperately need trimming" I wanted to shave it so bad, and this was the perfect opportunity!
"Done, but if you loose, you have to sleep in my bed with me tonight, no sex just sleep." Well that was new and unexpected.
"Done." And with the bet made we played the movie.

TONY

I knew I'd win. She was hiding under the blanket, her head on my chest and she was shaking. I gotta admit it this movie was pretty scary, even I was a little spooked and creeped out on an unbelievable scale. I'd picked 'the human centipede' oh god nope I can't even finish it. I switched the film off and shook Pepper.
"Hey Peps it's over now, I got bored so I turned it off" she looked up and her face was white as a sheet, I suddenly regret making her watch it I didn't realise just how frightened she would be.
"I'm not going to be able to sleep for weeks, months even. Thank god I lost the bet because I don't think I'd be a me to sleep on my own tonight" she whispered, her voice full of fear.
"Wanna head up then?" I questioned, I was looking forward to a night with Pepper in my arms. She nodded and we made our way up the stairs to my room. When she got there she got straight under the covers and then her head popped up again, she threw the bra so it landed in the washing pile, she was braless, oh god. She gave me a funny look, as if she was saying, 'get over it I'm not going to be uncomfortable just because you're hear' I chuckled to myself and climbed into bed next to her. She immediately rolled over so she was as far away from me as possible and considering the size of my bed, it was pretty far away. I sighed admitting defeat, no matter how much I thought she was the hottest thing in the universe I still wouldn't force her into anything. Just as I was about to drift off she said something.
"Tony, I can't sleep, I keep thinking that some crazy guy is gonna kidnap me and attach me to someone else." She sounded genuinely frightened. I rolled over so that I was facing her.
" I'll fight off anyone that comes deal?" My eyelids were heavy as I began to drift off.
"Deal" she muttered as we both fell asleep.