Repercussions of the Truth by AndromedaMarine

Author's Note: Due to midnight inspiration, I've decided to put this chapter into Pepper's present point of view. Enjoy the change in perspective! Reviews will tell me if the next chapter, already named "Transformation," should be written from Tony's POV. Tell me what you think!

Don't Look Away

I don't look away from him. He's always somewhere in my peripheral (or at least a reminder if he's on a mission) and it always makes me smile. I can't keep the grin off my face when he catches me looking his way, and when our eyes meet I can't look away. His kisses are like fire that re-ignites when I see him.

He stood, leaning against the frame of the kitchen doorway with his eyes burning fiery holes in my back. I knew (and still do) exactly where he is...able to sense his position like people who're really meant to be together. Sure, I still have a twisting feeling in my gut at times when I wonder, what the hell am I doing? My boss? My friend? My lover? Since when have I thought of Mr. Stark exclusively as Tony? But every feeling of uncertainty disappears when he took my shoulders and pulls me into the warmest, most comforting hug in the world. And everything goes into it. I can feel that he isn't doing this as a ruse. He seriously, honest-to-God, loves...me. I still find that hard to accept (Eight years of showing the door to a blend of models tainted everything), but I know I must. I have to.

My face still burns red when I remember Rhodey interrupting our heavenly first kiss, but when Tony pulled me into his warm arms afterwards I realized that I didn't have to look away. He is my life now (that is, if the last eight years haven't counted to anything) and I wonder if we'll have what his parents had – true love. What has it been? Three or three and a half months since Obadiah's death? Three and a half months since he's known the truth: I love him.

Walking into the job eight years ago, with nothing but my rock-hard courage and the list of already-failed assistants for legendary Anthony Edward Stark, I asked myself: can I do this? I resisted (and triumphed) against all his initial attempts to "get into my skirt," and became the only person he's trusted more than his father. I can be Virginia Potts in his arms. I don't have to be Miss Potts all the time – I've seen the real him and he's seen the real me.

Tony withdrew from the embrace but stayed barely inches away – I could still feel the warmth of his body, but it's nothing compared to the inferno his looking at me creates. I decided a while ago that the one physical thing about Tony I couldn't live without is his eyes. All I want to do is fall back into his body without another care in the world (but he does have a crazy schedule to juggle) so it was my turn to reach up, kiss his cheek, and retreat to the computer.

"Pepper," he whined, "there's a reason I'm always holding you." His hands found my shoulders and began to work the knots that have been building up for a week.

"And you, Tony Stark, have a very busy day ahead of you."

"Can't you just erase it like last week?" He paused, and then added, "Or I could just have Jarvis lock you out of the server." I sensed an evil grin expanding across his gorgeous face.

I twisted to look up at him, and he unleashed his puppy-dog expression down on me. I wish I could resist his charms, but who am I kidding? I love the man. "Tony, it's the middle of May. Do I have to remind you what next month is?"

He ticked off his fingers: "January, February, March, April, May, June – " He froze, his mouth halfway open as the realization dawned on him. June.

"I take it I don't have to remind you what takes place in June," I began, studying his reaction. "I haven't harangued you for a while, Tony," I finished quietly, remembering the moments before he left for Afghanistan.

"MIT commencement," he stated blandly, removing his hands from my shoulders to wring them together, "is in June."

I stood up, reaching out to rest a hand on his wrist. I didn't know what to say to him – I'd brought up these memories.

He pushed a hand through his hair. "I should get to writing that, then, eh?"

I screwed my face up in confusion. "Tony," I lectured, "since when have you actually written any of your speeches? Or even stuck to the words on the cards?"

Tony grimaced.

"Exactly. I'm sure Jarvis can come up with a splendid speech to give to the young Stark-wannabes floating around the MIT campus." I grinned, catching his eyes again. There it is again: he's become my anchor for another day. I can't look away. So I don't.

He seemed equally mesmerized. "Pepper..." He trailed off. I could tell my boss didn't want to break the connection. It seemed to pain him when he turned away from me.

A split second forced my left brain to make a decision. Before I knew what I was doing I was blocking his way to the kitchen, my hands gripping his wrists almost threateningly. "Tony Stark," I began, and then the words formed themselves. "I understand that you still find it hard to accept everything that happened when words trigger the memories and that feeling of fear inside you. I know you want to tell someone everything, but you just don't know if you can! I have never looked away from you. While you were gone everything was a reminder: the razor by your sink, the house itself – and you already know I always knew you'd return. And to get out of there you had hope. Hope to see Rhodey and me again – even Happy! You didn't look away from that, so don't look away from me now. Let me be the light at the end of your tunnel, because you're not out of the dark yet. There will come a time – yes, there will, don't argue with me – a time when words won't make you think of Afghanistan...or even the moments before your life changed forever." I took a few deep breaths, intently staring at the glow of his arc reactor. "Bringing up the commencement shouldn't've shut you down like this. You're stronger than that, Tony. I know you are."

He sighed, weary. "We've been over this, Pepper. I know."

I punched his shoulder as hard as I could, driving everything into it. "No, we haven't, and no, you don't. Don't argue with me, Tony. There's a reason I never quit this job."

"Oh? You've mentioned you hate job-hunting." As much as he tried to seem slightly peeved, his eyes stayed the same: loving. His face softened.

"It's the same reason you don't have nightmares when I'm beside you," I said, now fiddling with the material of his t-shirt.

Tony pulled me into a warm hug again, stroking my hair and breathing deeply. "I love you too, Miss Virginia Potts." Inside my mind I wondered if he'd be able to call me 'Miss Potts' for much longer. I grinned into his shoulder, letting my imagination take hold.

Two Starks would be better than one.