I should stay away from Tumblr.

"...and she's not talking to me..." Steve was saying as the guys followed him down to the lockers the next day at school.

"No wonder she's avoiding the rest of us," said Clint.

"Don't worry. Natasha will come back around..." Bruce started to say, his voice trailing off as they spotted Natasha standing down the hallway, looking right at them; her eyes met Steve's, and Pepper, Jane, Darcy, and Betty turned around too. Pepper gently turned Natasha around and they went the other way.

"Soon, I hope," Bruce finished.

"Damn, why do I have to leave today?!" Tony whined. "Just when things are getting good! First Thor getting freaky with Jane, then Peggy stirring up a storm between you and Nat!"

Thor blushed at this.

Meanwhile a heartbroken looking Steve opened his locker, head hanging down as he put his things away. He received pats on the back, but that didn't help.

"Steve!"

Tony sighed, "Aw this heffer..."

Bruce and Clint were roughly pushed aside, Tony putting his hand on Bruce's shoulder to calm him while Clint looked bewildered and offended.

"Steve," Peggy greeted, flashing him an almost seductive smile.

Steve did not turn. "Ma'am."

"So I was thinking, if you're free later-"

"No." He finally turned around to face her, and she took a step back by how devastated, yet downright furious he looked. "I'm not free later. As a matter of fact, as long as it concerns you, I will never be free. So you can take that, and shove it up your-"

"Steve!" Tony and Clint said, trying not to laugh and be serious at the same time.

"Come on, guys," said Steve. "Let's get to class."

"Okay."

"Indeed."

"Right behind ya."

Clint and Peggy looked at each other.

"I'm gonna go..." Clint awkwardly retreated, "do something."

And with that, he practically ran off.

Even though Natasha wasn't talking to Steve, she did show up to say goodbye to Tony at the airport.

"Have a safe flight," Natasha said, pulling back from the hug.

"Thanks, Red," Tony said back.

"Tony!" a familiar, angelic voice called from behind him.

"Wha-oomf!" Tony staggered backwards as Pepper slammed into him. He smiled anyway, returning the hug snugly. "Looks like someone's gonna miss me."

"Don't be so cocky," Pepper pulled away, playfully slapping him on the arm.

"Wanna gimme a kiss? For luck?"

Pepper's lips pursed, fighting a smile. "...Don't push it."

"Aw, you know you wanna..." He inched closer to her jokingly, shaking his hips and smiling while biting his lip. "You know you can't resist the hip swiveeeeel!"

Pepper giggled. "Stop. Just stop!"

"You know you can't resist the hip swiveeeeel!"

Admittedly, just three days without Tony wasn't the same.

And mysteriously, he didn't show up at school on Monday.

As a matter of fact...he didn't show up throughout almost the entire week.

On Wednesday, almost a week after his departure, Tony made headlines in the news that after an explosion, the young billionaire was reportedly missing.

Steve, Clint, and Natasha were especially worried.

Bruce was trying not to let out...The Other Guy.

Thor was outraged.

And Pepper was flipping her shit.

"He'll be okay," Betty was saying to a panicky Pepper. She was normally the one to ease the tension in their little group.

Pepper was fighting back tears, sinking down the lockers and collapsed on the floor. As soon as the news was turned off by their teacher, Pepper had gone out the room to get some air, and Betty was allowed to follow. Ironically, Natasha had been returning a stapler to a teacher, and Jane and Darcy came from the restroom.

Tears poured down Pepper's cheeks, and Natasha sat down next to her so she could cry on her shoulder. Betty sat down on the other side of Pepper, rubbing her arm gingerly.

"I-I should've kissed him..." Pepper sobbed quietly.

"Why?" Darcy and Jane said in unison.

Natasha answered for Pepper.

"For luck."

On Thursday, Pepper sat on the balcony of Stark Tower, just outside the penthouse. She didn't move until nightfall.

Because at nightfall, she saw a jet.

A jet heading straight for the Tower.

Flying to her feet, she retreated back several steps as the jet slowly landed on the platform. Her hair blew in her face from the wind stirring up and she hastily moved the strands out of her face.

Pepper gasped as the door opened, bodyguards helping a very beaten looking Tony out of the jet. As soon as he rose his head and saw her, he started to smile at his now tearful friend.

"Tony!"

He took two steps towards her then fell on his knees.

"Oh my God!" Pepper flew down to him, hugging his head and back. "Oh God, what happened to you?" she demanded through sobs, burying her head in his shoulder. "What happened?!"

Tony wrapped an arm around her, holding her as close as he could manage before he finally lifted his lips to her ear and said, "Betcha feel bad about not kissing me, eh? 'Cause this is kinda your fault."

Pepper never thought she'd be so happy to hear his cockiness and sarcasm. She giggled in relief before helping him to his feet. He was smiling, so at least that was a good sign. She wrapped her arm around his waist, then slung his arm over her shoulder. He walked with a limp, but she was able to get him safely inside. She called for Teresa, who nearly had a heart attack but immediately went for the jumbo first aid kit she had.

"Where should I-?" Pepper asked.

"Couch, couch," Tony instructed through pants, sighing in relief as well as pain when she assisted him down on the couch. "Aaaahhhh," he sighed deeply, and she sat next to him, running her fingers through her hair.

"JARVIS?" he asked.

"Yes, sir?"

"Contact Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, and Thor Odinson."

"Very well, sir."

Pepper sighed, gripping her forehead. "You don't understand how worried I was..."

Teresa came in, but Pepper wanted to take care of Tony herself. Teresa agreed, knowing that she could play 20 questions later; the nanny could tell he was exhausted, and she left the room once more after dropping a kiss to his forehead.

Tony winced.

"Sorry," Pepper whispered, but continued her dabbing extra carefully.

And then her eyes fell on his chest.

"Tony?"

"Hmm?" he breathed out.

"What's that?"

"What's what?"

"That..." she placed her hand on his chest. "That glowing thing..."

Tony hesitated. "Long story, Pep..."

Pepper sighed when he said nothing else and continued nursing him. It seemed soothing after a while, since Tony's eyes fluttered closed, head resting against the couch, tilted in her direction.

He looked so peaceful...Pepper couldn't help herself.

She rested her palm against his neck, leaning forward, and gave him a lingering peck on the cheek facing her.

Tony opened his eyes in shock.

Pepper smiled a little, cheeks pink as she resumed to her work, missing the blissful look on Tony's face. Finishing up with the major injuries, she sunk down to rest her head on the inside of his shoulder, causing him to grunt. Before she could pull back, he rested his cheek on top of her head, letting his scarred fingers intertwined with her flawless ones.

Ding!

The elevator doors opened, and Pepper sat up.

"TONY!" Five different voices exclaimed.

Thor reached Tony first. "YOU HAVE RETURNED! WHO HAS DONE YOU HARM?! I WILL SHOW THEM NO MERCY."

The other four voiced their agreements.

"Guys, guys, guys!" Pepper said, and they quieted. "One at a time...You're overwhelming him."

"Good to see you guys too," said Tony, smile spreading.

Bruce sat on the other side of Tony, putting his glasses on as he observed Tony's...whatever that glowie thingy was.

"Tony..." Bruce said.

Tony sighed. "This, my friends, is my handy dandy arc reactor, brought to you by the terrorists who captured me."

"What?" Clint and Natasha said in unison.

Tony looked over at Pepper. "Help me up?"

Pepper did so.

"You can take my shirt off now."

"W-What?"

"Pepper, honey, it's okay. You don't have to hide your unbridled desire for moi anymore."

Pepper glared at him but reached for the hem of his shirt anyway. "You got jokes."

Tony shrugged, raising his arms with a cocky grin. Avoding anyone else's gazes, Pepper raised his shirt over Tony's head, sliding it off of him before folding the piece of clothing over her arm. Ignoring his toned stature, she and the others took his appearance in. The various scars and wounds looked to have been cleaned already, but that wasn't the focus.

"Interesting..." Bruce mused, running his finger around the metal rim. "How did this come about?"

"Chest wound I think, iono. One minute I'm out and the next, I wake up and I have this in my chest. I figured out that if it gets removed for too long..." He slid his index finger across his throat, making a dramatic face.

Pepper visibly shuddered.

"What have they done to you?" she whispered.

"It's a terrible...privilege," Tony said, morely to her than the rest of them.

"Well, whatever's going on..." Steve said. "We got your back."

"Yes!" said Thor. "Consider your back covered!"

Tony chuckled. "I'm flattered. Who wants a drink?"

It's up to the reader whether the beverages are alcoholic or not xD

This chapter was morely Pepperony because I love them, okay? :D

THE SLEEPOVER IS NEXT THE SLEEPOVER IS NEXT I REPEAT THE SLEEPOVER IS NEXT! OMG AFTER THAT CHAPTER IS UP I CAN RELAX BUT THIS IS WHY I'M ON A ROLL.