A/N
I'm so sorry that it took me so long to update. University assignments got in the way. That being said, there is a new chapter now and I should be able to update sooner this time.
Reviews are important to me and unfortunately I don't seem to get much, so I would really appreciate it if you could leave a review at the end of this chapter.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!"
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Pepper wrapped her arms around Tony who startled jerkily in response, having not heard anyone approaching over the blasting sound of rock and roll.

"Clint I swear to – Pepper! Oh thank Thor you're back," Tony sighed in relief, turning off the music.

"Thank Thor?" she responded with a raised eyebrow.

"Have you not embraced Thor as your lord and saviour? It's alright we'll get to that later. First, to the bedroom!"

Tony grabbed Pepper's hand and started off towards the exit of his lab. Pepper laughed lightly and pulled Tony back into a kiss. It was gentle and loving but she could feel the tension he held in his body.

"Not now, but later, alright? I would like to get something to eat for now. Then maybe we can talk."

Tony nodded and both of them headed to the private kitchen on their floor of the tower, not wanting to run into other people just yet. Once they had made themselves some sandwiches, they sat down at the table to eat. Tony was happy to sit quietly and just enjoy having her back, but Pepper was curious and concerned in equal measure about the situation that had arisen between the inhabitants of the tower. She was fuzzy on the details. Tony had called her about a week earlier, obviously upset but refusing to talk about the actual problem. At first he had deflected with his usual sarcastic quips before finally admitting that there was a problem with Bruce, but he didn't want to talk about it just yet. He said he was calling because he needed to hear her voice. She didn't press him after that.

She couldn't say for sure what was wrong, but she was working under the assumption that Dr Banner was going to leave again. She knew that this was something that worried Tony. She had also noticed that Bruce just hadn't seemed really happy for a while now. She'd been concerned, subtly informing the doctor that she was there to talk if he ever wanted to. Pepper had grown quite fond of the man. He was kind and considerate, but with a certain spark that reminded her of Tony.

"So are you going to tell me what happened?" she enquired.

"How have you been anyway? Working to hard as usual?" Tony said, ignoring the question.

"Tony, I care about him too, you know."

Tony was silent for a moment, torn between respecting his friends privacy (ok so he told Capsicle and Tasha and Clint knew too but for some reason he sort of felt that Bruce wouldn't want Pepper to know) and getting it off his chest. And so what if maybe he was also a bit of a gossip? From time to time. So some would say.

"I'm going to worry anyway. I know that something is wrong so you might as well just let me in on the secret. Besides, I know you're itching to spill the beans," Pepper said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Fine then."

Tony preceded to tell her the story, from how he found out to the blow up between Bruce and Steve. He told her that things had been relatively quiet since Sneaky and Sneakier had arrived. Bruce had been keeping to himself, and while he was clearly upset at the idea that his behaviour was hurting people, he didn't seem likely to stop any time soon. By the end of the tale Pepper was sitting tensely, eyes glazed over in thought. Life was never going to be simple for her or the people she cared about, was it?
At least she could never complain that things weren't interesting.

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Bruce, Clint and Natasha all sat gathered round a table in the rec room. Clint and Natasha stared down the scientist with piercing gazes. Bruce directed his eyes downward, all his energy being poured into maintaining a blank expression. The air was thick with tense anticipation. The two assassins were waiting. Expecting. It was beginning to become clear that Bruce had no intentions of meeting their expectations. They wanted him to keep going, yet clearly he was ready to fold.

"I raise $50."

Bruce spoke suddenly, eyes darting up to meet the stares of his friends as he placed his chips on the table. The move had surprised them. He had seemed so ready to opt out. Was it a bluff? A double bluff?

"I call," said Natasha, chips thrown into the pool.

"Me too," echoed Clint.

The three glanced at each other, nobody willing to make the first move. The pool was up to $2000 and while none of them really needed the money, each dollar represented pride and dignity that none were willing to forfeit. The tensions in the room were running so high that the boys both jumped minutely when Natasha spoke.

"We each show our cards on three. Agreed?" They nodded their heads.

"One," eyes studying the cards in their hands, checking and rechecking that they hadn't misread them.

"Two," the chips on the table were piled high, creating a barrier that would be broken by either victory or defeat. There was no middle ground.

"Three!"

Each player slammed their cards down onto the table, quickly examining the hands of their opponents.

"Yes! Fuck yes motherfuckers!" Clint called out, jumping up on top of the couch and pumping his fists in the air. "Who got a straight flush? Was it you 'Tahsa? How about you Doc? No I don't think so I think it was me who got a straight flush and would you look at that I just won $2000! But don't fret losers I'll buy you some lun – Ow!" Clint jumped back as a poker chip struck him hard in the side of the head.

"Get off your high horse Barton. It was a lucky break," said Natasha, picking up another poker chip to use as a projectile when Clint stuck his tongue out at her.

Bruce slumped back in his chair. He could have just folded and left with his dignity at least. Anything would be better than Hawkeye's taunting. He and Natasha exchanged the looks of exasperated parents as Clint continued to brag, adding some rather complex acrobatics into his victory dance. Natasha just reached over and pulled his legs out from under him, landing him flat on his back on the couch.

"Dammit! Way to be a sore loser 'Tasha," Clint moaned.

"I think you might have deserved that one for being a shitty winner actually," Bruce chimed in. "As for buying us lunch, I'm thinking pizza is in order. You get on that Mr Straight-Fucking-Flush while I go check on my centrifuge."

"Wait, no, don't leave me alone with the spider!" said Clint, suddenly alert. "You don't know how she gets when I'm better than her at things! She'll do horrible things to me Bruce..."

"That's the idea," replied the doctor, stepping out of the room as Natasha approached Clint, a dangerous smirk gracing her features.

Bruce smiled to himself as he left the rec room, ready to head off to his lab. He really did have the centrifuge running, though they all knew that wasn't the only reason he needed to step away. The cravings were setting in. Bruce's mind was occupied as he walked past the kitchen so he didn't notice Pepper approaching from the other direction, apparently heading towards the rec room herself.

"Hello Bruce. It's good to see you," said Pepper with a friendly smile.

He turned in her direction and smiled back. He walked towards her and they shared a friendly hug.

"It's good to see you too Pepper. Do we have you back for long this time?"

"A few weeks thank Thor." Bruce stared at her questioningly. "Don't ask. Tony is a bad influence on me."

"Well it's lucky you're a good influence on him then," replied Bruce.

"So is that Clint and Natasha I can hear making a fuss in the next room?" asked Pepper.

"Indeed it is. We were just going to have some Pizza if you would like to join us. That's if you're not too tired, of course. I know how all that travel can take it out of you."

"I'd love to join you. I probably won't be up for long but it will be nice to catch up with everyone."

"That's great," Bruce smiled warmly. "I just have an experiment running that I need to check on but I'll be with you soon."

As Bruce turned and started walking in the direction of his lab he felt a gentle touch on his arm. He paused his movements, knowing instantly that Pepper knew everything. He suspected as much. Of course Tony wouldn't keep something like that from her. He was just hoping she would pretend nothing was wrong. He was hoping everyone could just pretend nothing was wrong. He didn't turn to look at her. He couldn't meet her eyes.

"If you need me, I'm here."

With those words Pepper removed her hand and walked into the rec room. Bruce stood silently for a moment. Her voice held no judgment.
Bruce once again set off in the direction of his lab, taking a detour to his room along the way where his source of peace lay in waiting.