Fall Out

Chapter Ten: Empty

Disclaimer: I own nothing…

Author Notes: Peeks out of hiding place I promise it will all turn out right in the end. And warning, mature scene ahead. ducks back into hiding again.

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Surprisingly Pepper had slept well when she got home, she hadn't realized how exhausted she had been. How emotionally tired she was, but now she felt refreshed as she paused at the front door of Tony Stark's mansion and waited for Jarvis to scan and recognize her. The pleasant computerized British accented voice never greeted her, no good morning, nothing.

Quirking a worried brow, Pepper took her electronic key and unlocked the door. As she stepped inside, she returned her key to her briefcase and froze just inside the foyer, the darkened foyer.

A strange chill worked its way down her spine, something told her to go right back home, to leave. Ignoring the warnings, Pepper walked further into the house, her steps slow and as quiet as one could be in four inch stilettos.

"Tony?" She called out, her voice but a whisper. She noted that the window panels had not shifted to allow the morning light in, which left the living room cased in shadows and that's when she saw him. His presence made her jump and swallow a small sound of surprise.

"Have you been there all night?" She placed her briefcase in a chair and approached him, stopping cold when he finally looked at her.

"Yes." His voice was rough, his eyes blood shot, his skin pale.

The look on his face caused Pepper's blood to run cold, her eyes took note of the empty bottle in his hand, and the fact the room smelled of it, "Are you—"



"No!" He stood then and slammed the bottle onto the coffee table, shattering it before he could move his hand, causing tiny cuts to appear in his palm and on his fingers, "I am not okay. You had to think?" He walked towards her, stalked more like it, "What in the hell was there to think about?"

She wanted to run, instead she stood her ground, "You're bleeding."

"So I am Miss Potts, so I am." He stood before her now, looking down at her, towering.

"Tony…you're scaring me." She backed up, "Jarvis?"

There was no answer.

"Jarvis is shut down for upgrades right now." He leered, very, very drunk.

"Tony. Snap out of it now." Her tone became authorative, but failed slightly, wavering.

"Am I making you nervous, Miss Potts?" He spat her name like a curse.

"No."

He laughed, but it was mocking, "You suck at lying."

She took another deep breath," Enough. You Tony Stark are going to bed, and I am going to pour every last drop of scotch and whatever else I find down the sink." She moved to lead him into his room when his hand snatched her wrist, "Let me go. Tony, you're hurting me."



"Good. I want you to hurt. You've hurt me, a lot." He pulled her against him, his blood hand roughly pushing hair out of her eyes, "You. Had. To. Think!"

"Let go of me." She struggled, pushed and pulled to no avail.

He began to pull her towards his bedroom, and then turned and pulled her against him, his lips crushing against hers roughly.

Pepper's fight instinct kicked in and she bit his lip, hard. Seconds later she found herself throw down onto the sofa, "Leave. Me. Alone."

Tony heard nothing but white noise in his mind, he saw her lips moving, but nothing fell from them. He kissed her again, his hands working the buttons of her blouse, he took her struggling for something it wasn't when the world went black and he slumped onto the floor, crashing into the coffee table with a thud.

Pepper was gasping for air, buttons from her blouse were missing and she held the tv remote in her hand as though it was a knife. She had hit him hard enough in the back of the head to knock him out cold. For a moment she sat there and then she cried, her make up leaving black smears down her face as she stood on shaking legs and went for her briefcase and cellphone.

"Please answer, please answer…"

"Colonel Rhodes speaking."

"Thank you… Rhodey. I need you now… he… " She couldn't talk, she was sobbing now, choking, " Just hurry."

As soon as she heard the click on the other end, Pepper went for the control console for Jarvis and brought him back online.

"Colonel Rhodes has just arrived. Shall I—"

"Yes. Let him in." Pepper raced for the door and fell against the man in uniform, her body going limp as she passed out.

(Ten minutes later.)

James Rhodes had put Pepper in the guest room she often occupied and settled on the sofa and waited. He watched his best friend shift, turn slightly and wince until he was on his back, "Need some help?"

Tony nodded, and winced once more, "I feel like someone beat me."

Jim's eyes narrowed, and he thought to himself 'You haven't felt the worst, yet'. The black military man stood and held out his hand, He easily helped his friend up from the floor and then punched him square in the jaw sending him right back down.

"Son of a bitch. What the hell was that for?" Tony rubbed his jaw, the warmth of blood filling his mouth," And have you been working out?"

James Rhodes rolled his eyes, " You know exactly what it was for, you jackass."

Tony laid there a moment, his mind mulling and then he remember, it all flooded back like a very bad dream, "Where is she… I need."

"Nope. She doesn't need to see you right now or hear any excuses." Jim shook his head, "And don't think about drowning your misery, I've cleaned the liquor out of this place. Hopefully for good."

Tony frowned and rubbed the back of his head, a small knot was clearly forming, "We'll see."

"What was going through that head of yours anyways… attacking her like that. What happened between you two that I'm missing?"

Tony sighed and slowly stood, he moved, but the action showed the stiffness in his body, the hurt, "We..uh.." He literally fell onto the sofa, "I… think I'm in love with her."

Rhodes eyes grew wide, "What?!" But of course it made sense, the tension between the two of them was hard to bear, even he had to go home and take a cold one some days after watching the two of them interact.

"Yeah, I know. I really screwed up…"

"Ooh. Yeah. Ya know you got a funny way of showing a girl that you love'er." Col. Rhodes shook his head.



Tony sighed heavily, "She got scared last night. Worried, something, said she needed time to think. I was tired and it made me a little peeved. So I knocked back… a whole bottle." He rubbed the back of his head, hissing when his fingers brushed the knot, "She came in this morning and found me drunk… beyond drunk actually. And, well you know the rest."

"Man, I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of a damned soap opera." James stood and brushed off his uniform jacket, "Just give her some space for now, a couple of days away from each other might do you both some good. I'll take her home."

Tony nodded and stayed on the sofa and watched his best friend walk down the hall. There was a few murmured words exchanged and, then he saw her, his eyes met hers just before she looked away, down at the floor as she put one foot in front of the other. She didn't look like her, she had been crying what little make-up she wore was long gone or smeared down her cheeks. Her blouse was buttoned funny and the reason why hit him solid like another punch.

"Pepper I…"

"Just leave me alone. Do not talk to me right now Anthony." She sharply turned her head from him and let Jim lead her out the front door.

"I'm sorry…" But only he heard it, well and Jarvis. Tony Stark laid down on his sofa and curled into a ball the best he could for a man of six feet, his eyes blinked back tears. He felt stupid, worthless and nothing like the hero, the man everyone thought he was. He felt like nothing…

Empty.

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Please don't flame me. goes back into hiding and working on chapter eleven