Chapter 9

Here it is people! And a lot more to come. Sorry if there's any mistakes but I haven't proof read. Thank you to every single one of your reviews so far and keep them coming!


"Leo!" I yelled, trying to get her to stop, but she carried on stumbling up the steps. I growled and shouted, "Jarvis, hurry up and get this damn suit off!"

"I apologise, sir. Miss Hendricks' intrusion was unexpected."

"Too right it was," I muttered, finally ripping out of the suit and running for the glass door. I swung it open and took two stairs at a time. I slid around the corner, still shouting for her to stop, but paused when I saw her hunched over, clutching her stomach. It seemed like she couldn't breathe.

"Leo!" I ran towards her and tried to help but she shoved me away.

"No. Stay away from me!" She was furious, hitting my chest in a feeble attempt to get me to move. "Stay away."

"Just…Take deep breathes," I tried to help, and thankfully she did what I asked before she had a panic attack. When her regular breathing returned, she straightened up and looked me in the eye. Confused tears threated to fall and her lip quivered.

"Leo-"

"Who are you?" She said angrily. Her small hands were balled into tight fists by her sides.

I tried stepping towards her but she stepped back as I did so. "You know who I am, Leo. This is who I am."

"Liar," she spat, a tear crashing onto her cheek. "Who are you really? And don't lie to me."

Either she found out by what she saw in the workshop or she had seen something that confused her earlier. Whichever one, it was time to finally tell her the truth. But she spoke first.

"Your name is not Mark Renner." It wasn't a question.

I swallowed, a lump forming in my throat. "No. My name is Anthony Edward Stark."

Leo let out a shaky breathe. "So it's true. You're Tony Stark?"

I nodded, not knowing what to say. I wanted to ask how she knew, but there was a number of ways she could have discovered the truth. Her voice sounded so vulnerable, all the fire and firmness leaving her words. "You've lied to me…All this time…" She crossed her arms, holding herself together as if she was about to fall to pieces at any given moment. She refused to look at me. "Why?"

I sighed heavily, finally letting go of months of lies. "The day we met I said I was Mark Renner so I could have a normal time with you. If I had said I was Tony Stark then it was very likely you'd know who I am. I doubt you would have given me the time of day," I mumbled the last part.

Leo looked angry at this. "If you really believe that then you don't know me at all."

I threw my hands up, "You're right, ok? But how could I have suddenly told you the truth while we were dating? 'Oh, hi Leo, just so you know my name's really Tony Stark and I'm a billionaire weapons manufacture and part time superhero'. I thought you might not forgive me."

"Who says I will now?" She spat and I felt my heart stop.

"Leo…Please, I thought it was for the best."

Leanne looked towards the stairs where she had run from. "The night at the restaurant, the night I got hurt…That thing was you?"

I nodded.

It almost sounded like she didn't believe it. "You're Iron Man?"

"Yes," I replied, waiting for her reaction. It was not what I expected.

"You're the 'dangerous, fake wannabe superhero' that you told me to stay away from?" She snorted, but tears were still running down her stunning face. "Kind of hypocritical isn't it?"

"I am dangerous," I muttered. "Knowing who I am is dangerous, that's why I wanted to keep this from you. Iron Man gains a lot of enemies, Leo, and taking my girlfriend would be the perfect bargaining chip to make me do whatever the hell they wanted."

Leo looked at me questionably. "You wouldn't do that…"

"If you really believe that then you don't know me at all." I repeated her words. "For your safety, I'd give them anything they'd ask for. But the best way to avoid that was to keep you in the dark, and keep them from knowing who you were."

She wiped at her face and slowly walked over to the sofa, falling down and curling up. "And you kept me from knowing by throwing your money at every restaurant or place we went to together, didn't you?" She shook her head, laughing to herself. "How the fuck could I have been so stupid!"

I marched up to her and crouched in front of her body. "You are not stupid. It was stupid of me to think you couldn't handle the truth." I took her hands in mine and kissed them, even as she tried prying them away I kept them against my chest. "I promise you that I will tell you everything from now on."

Her distraught face tore my heart apart. Her words were broken and she swallowed loudly. "Everything we had together was a lie." She sobbed loudly and she pulled her hands away, holding them over her mouth. Her words were muffled when she said, "You let me fall in love with a lie."

She flew off the sofa to get away from me, and she sobbed, hard and raw like everything she knew was ruined. I sat there in shock, hating myself, then got up and turned to see her leaning against the wall, her body rattling with cries. It was true. I had ruined everything. Everything I had told her had been a lie. Our relationship was based on a lie yet I couldn't even think about losing her.

"I don't think I can do this." Her voice was only a whisper but even those few words tore my heart out of my chest. I got up and stormed toward her. I was oblivious to my own tears showering my skin and my hands were trembling. I took her face in my hands and made her look at me.

"Listen, I know what I've done is unforgivable. But you must know how I feel?" I searched her eyes and I'd never seen anyone so sad. "I am nothing without you! I won't work without you. I am yours, Leo. If you leave," I choked, my eyes closing and my forehead resting against hers. My lips touched hers now and then, my words tumbling over her mouth, "If you leave me then I don't think I'd be able to survive."

"Don't-"

"Everything we felt, everything we did, that was real. It doesn't matter what my name is, or what I do or how much I'm worth. This," I kissed her again, willing her to believe me, "is what's real."

She succumbed and let her lips take mine. Her tears were salty on our tongues and she tasted delicious. I grabbed the back of her neck to pull her closer and she yanked my top to pull our chests together.

"No, Tony, no," She ripped her body from mine, and as she did so, I felt sick as if she'd ripped a piece of me with her. She chuckled to herself hysterically. "God, even your real name doesn't register to me." She looked at me as I slowly had the courage to turn to her, my own body needing support from the wall. I saw the emotions run across her face like a slide show and soon she settled on determination. Leo's jaw was tight and she harshly wiped her eyes.

"Tomorrow night I'm going to fly back with my family." She gave me what seemed like a final look. "I'm going home."

For the first time since we'd been together, my anger came out, this time directed at her. I pushed myself off of the wall, determined to change her mind. "This is your home! This life is where you belong. You're the only family I have, Leo! You can't leave."

She bit her bottom lip, her hands shaking. "Not anymore, Tony." She walked towards the door and picked up her purse. She looked back at me, watching me crumble before her eyes. "I wish you could have been honest with me."

"Leo, please!" I begged, screaming roughly, my words choking on my anger.

"Don't follow me, Tony." She threw open the door and stormed out. I could hear her ordering Happy to take her to her dad's house and then the engine roared, taking Leo away. I crumpled to the floor, hitching on my breath, never feeling lower than this. Not even in that fucking cave in Vietnam did I feel sick like this. It was if my reason for existing had dumped me and walked right out of the door, leaving me completely empty.

Very well done, Tony. Once again you've messed up everything for yourself and destroyed any chance of happiness you had. I pushed on my knees to lazily stand and then moved into the kitchen. Locating the drinks cabinet, I took out a bottle of whiskey and started drinking.

It was about half eleven when Potts came round. She had called me eight times but I had ignored every single on. As persistent as she was, she had turned up inconveniently when I was almost finished with the bottle and I was partying alone with the music turned up. She looked around, amazed at the mess I had created. I was dancing on the sofa with a shirt with the whiskey bottle in my hand.

"What the hell is going on here, Tony?" She was yelling over the music and I smiled at her.

"Hey Pep!" I jumped off the sofa and grabbed another bottle and chucked it at her. She squeaked and quickly turned so it missed her and just dumped on the floor, luckily not breaking. She turned back to me angrily and I grinned. "Have a drink."

"You're drunk," she deduced, suddenly looking around the apartment. "Where's Leo? Is she alright?"

"She's perfect!" I laughed. "She left me."

"What?"

"Yep," I drank the rest of the whiskey and threw it at the wall, feeling some sort of pleasure as it smashed into pieces. "Found out that I was a big fat liar and dumped my sorry ass."

Pepper crossed the room and mumbled 'mute', turning off the incredibly loud ACDC song. Pepper came closer to me and took my face in her hands, checking my eyesight and smelling my breath. It possibly stank of the alcohol I had practically inhaled rather than drunk. She gave me a pitiful look.

"Did you try to explain to her why you did it?"

I snorted and raised my hands, "Yeah, like that made a difference at all. She made her choice; she doesn't want anything more to do with me." I chucked myself on the sofa, took furious with myself to cry again. Pepper sat by my waist and patted my arm. "You should have seen her Pepper," I stared at the ceiling, "She was distraught. She couldn't see past the lies I'd told." I looked at Potts and swallowed heavily, trying not to cry. "I've ruined everything Pepper. What do I do?"

She smiled gently at me. "Tony, this was bound to come out sooner or later. It doesn't matter what you did in the past, what matters now is what you do to show that this," she gestured greatly to the whole of my body, "isn't worth leaving."

"And how do I do that?" I muttered.

She looked at me quizzically. "Tony, have you even told her how you feel?"

It occurred to me that not once had I told Leo just how much I needed her, how much I cared for her. I had told her that she knows, but did she really? She had told me she was falling in love with me. And it was so clear that I adored and loved every inch of her. I was in love with her. I hadn't told her. And now it was all too late.

"I have to tell her," I said silently. "Even if it's too late, she needs to know." I started to get off of the couch but Pepper grabbed my shoulders.

"Whoa there, metal man. You're not going anywhere." I looked at her as if she was crazy and speaking gibberish. "Listen, you stink, you're drunk and you're half naked." She pointed down to my alcohol covered jeans. "Sleep it off, sober up and take a shower."

"But Leo's leaving tomorrow," I argued.

"Her family's flight is tomorrow at 10:00pm. She'll be at work by nine, so you can speak to her then."

I nodded. "No more secrets."

"No more secrets," she repeated with a smile. She took my hand. "Regardless of what's happened, Tony, I'm proud of you. You're a better man than you ever were before."

I chuckled lowly, "Yeah…because of Leo."

"You'll get her back," she reassured me, nudging me with her shoulder. She rose from the coach and started to clear up.

"Did I ever tell you you're the best assistant a guy could have?" I asked, positive I don't tell her enough.

She didn't look at me but laughed, "Assistant slash maid, remember?"

I chuckled. "Goodnight Potts."

"Sweet dreams, Mr Stark," she called back when I travelled up the stairs and fell onto my bed. Tomorrow I wouldn't tell Leo how I feel. I would show her.

The next day I woke up really early. I took a shower, dressed in my blue jeans and black leather jacket then nervously drove to the Los Angeles Times office. On my way I stopped off at a florist to get them to put together a colourful bouquet of pink and white lilies; Leo's favourite flowers. Without Happy, I drove up in front of the office and all of a sudden, as I stepped out of the Audi, flashes of paparazzi's cameras and reporters clambered to get a quote on the bank attack on Monday. I didn't say a word and when I got inside the building, I asked the security to keep them outside.

"Mr Stark, what a surprise!" I recognised Julia Simpson's voice as she walked next to me. "I don't believe you're scheduled in for an interview, but it's always a pleasure-"

"I'm not here for that, Julia," I waved her off but gave her a dazzling smile to ease the edge of my irritability.

"Oh?"

"No, is uh, is a Miss Hendricks still working here?" I pressed the button to the elevator and waited with Julia for it to arrive.

"Leanne? Yes, well, at least for now. She quit last night." She tutted, shaking her head, "Such a shame; she only just started."

I cut to look at her shocked. She quit? I put on my most knee-knocking smile and face the older editor-in-chief. "Julia, may I ask a favour of you?"

"Of course, dear." Her voice was close to flirting and if I was my old self, I may have considered bedding her to get my way. Now, there was no chance in hell.

"If Miss Hendricks changes her mind, is her job still available?"

She frowned, "Well, yes. But I doubt that would be the case; Leanne seemed very upset on the phone last night. I believe she's leaving for London tonight." The lift beeped and the doors slid open as she added, "Such a waste of talent. She's on the twelfth floor, here, I'll take you." Julia pressed the button and we moved upwards, and I was suddenly very anxious. Julia noticed the large bunch of flowers in my hand and she smiled. "I'm guessing there not for me?"

I smirked at her. She added, "She must be one very special lady."

I grinned to myself. "You have no idea."

We made it to the twelfth floor and Julia let me step out. I gulped and started searching. There were cubicles in the centre of the room, and several offices outlining the floor for the staff at Los Angeles Times. I scanned the heads in the boxed off cubicles and couldn't see Leo anywhere. Several reporters nudged each other and pointed towards me. Some scrambled for a pen and paper to try and interview me, but before they could, Julia stepped next to me and pointed to an office about ten metres away.

The office was modern and spacious. It appeared to be empty until I noticed Leo crossing the office to her desk, piling desk items into a cardboard box. I noticed she stared extra-long at a picture frame; it was my favourite picture of us when we walked along the beach as the sun began to set. She looked beautiful and it was then that I realised I never wanted to let her get away from me.

Slowly I began walking up to the open door and knocked lowly on the glass. Leo looked up and her eyes widened a tiny bit. But then she carried on packing away her desk, speaking almost silently.

"What are you doing here, Tony?"

"I came to see you."

She sighed, pausing as she dropped my favourite picture inside the box. "You shouldn't have."

"I know," I stepped into her office, conscious of everyone listening in on us. "I know that you don't want to see me. I know that I ruined things between us, but…I wanted to tell you how I really feel, rather than just assuming that you already know."

She looked at me then, her eyes sad and red from last night. A wave of guilt washed over me. I rested the bouquet on her desk and stood in front of her.

"Leo Hendricks." I stared into her eyes and got so close we were almost touching. "A few years ago I was some cocky, egotistical billionaire who didn't give a shit who he screwed over." She frowned, confused how this was supposed to make her feel better. "But then I met you…And I had never felt more alive! God, Leo, you're so beautiful and funny and loving and sweet…" I took her hands, my eyes closing slowly then opening. "There's never been anyone else I've even considered spending the rest of my life with. But you…You I couldn't imagine not spending every day with."

Tears pricked her eyes. "Tony-"

"Leo, I love you." I smiled, chuckling suddenly. "I've never said that to anyone before, but I do. I adore you and everything about you. I want to spend the rest of my existence with you." I paused, taking in her expression. I could see the hint of a smile. "If you'll let me…"

"I don't know what to say, Tony."

"I'm so sorry I never said it before. But if you give me another chance, then I want to spend every moment of every day telling you until you believe me."

She smiled slightly. "I do believe you."

A grin wrapped around my lips.

"But what about everything you were worried about, Tony? How dangerous it is, how you were thinking of my safety-"

"Just say you want to be with me, and it's sorted." I waited for her answer patiently but nervously.

"I…I want to be with you…"

I grinned, took her lips in mine and kissed her curtly yet fiercely. When I let her go, she was crying, this time, happily. Everyone outside of her office began clapping and whooping. I turned to them and declared.

"With your permission from your editor-in-chief," I smiled at Julia briefly, "one of you will write an article, telling California exactly how much I love this woman, and how I plan to spend the rest of my life with her." Then I flashed a look at her, pulled her by the waist and protectively held her. "And you heard it here first, that if anyone tries to hurt her, anyone at all," I stared every one of them in the eye and stood firm, "then they'll be answering to Iron Man."


TBC