"So what are you gonna do about Robert?"

It was a three day weekend and her best friend had decided to visit her. They were at the mall and had been for the last couple hours.

"I don't know." Pepper sighed. "He's dead set on going and I can't do anything about it."

"I think you should dump him. The guy can't even stand up to his own father."

"I'm not breaking up with him. You can stop trying."

"Pepper, come on. He's always going to put his career ahead of you. You deserve better than that," Morgan said, both of them now walking to an empty booth at Starbucks. They had decided to take a break from shopping.

"It's only seven more years," Pepper reasoned.

"That's what I'm talking about! We'll be 23. Why wait? You could have a new boyfriend."

She couldn't help but laugh at Morgan's logic. "I'm not you. I don't go through guys like I go through lip gloss."

Morgan, of course, wasn't offended. "I can't help it if guys want me."

Pepper shook her head and took a sip of her coffee. "Well, that explains why you were taking so long to order." She had stood off to the side after paying for her drink and she couldn't believe how long Morgan was taking. It wasn't the first time this happened. "I thought you forgot about me." She couldn't blame Morgan though. The blonde standing in front of the cash register was incredibly good looking.

"He's hot, right? I think I'll call him."

She opened her mouth in disbelief when Morgan showed her the seven digit number written on her drink. "And what? You're only here another night."

"One night's all I need," Morgan replied, a grin on her face.

Pepper contorted her face in disgust. "Just don't wake me in the middle of the night to talk about it. You give too much detail as is."

"What are best friends for if we don't share that kind of stuff? And since you're holding out on Robert, I thought you'd want to live vicariously through me."

"How you think that helps me, I'll never understand."

"I still don't see why you won't just sleep with the guy," Morgan said.

"What do you mean?"

"Seriously?" Pepper nodded, causing her to sigh. "I'm a hundred percent certain he'll drop out of his internship if you did."

"Where'd you hear that?"

Morgan shrugged. "Common sense."

"I don't think so," she argued. Robert wasn't like that and she wouldn't do that.

"Just think about it. There's a reason why men will do just about anything after they're laid."

"Well, yeah, I know, but this is his career. It's important to him. I won't mess it up."

"Don't think about it like that. Think about it as you helping Robert see what he can't himself."

"Morgan, I'm not sleeping with Robert just so I'll get my way."

"I'm beginning to wonder if it'll ever happen," she told her with a raised brow. Pepper nearly choked on her drink. "People sleep with each other by the third date and you guys have been together for two years. I know Robert wants to. What's holding you back?"

"Well, I had planned to. Do you remember that time he flew over?"

"How could I forget? You screamed at me for an hour. I can't believe he tattled on me. What a dick."

"And he speaks so highly of you."

"I was just watching out for you. He's in college, Pepper. Brandon says he goes to all these frat parties and you know how those girls are. I had to remind him of the girlfriend he has at home and that if he breaks your heart, I'll fucking kill him."

"You must have scared him." Then she transitioned back to the topic. "Anyways, we were out on a date and I had this plan where we'd have dinner, then take a walk on the boardwalk. My parents were out of town and Peter was out so I had the house to myself. If he initiated something once we got back, I was willing to go through with it. I trust him and it feels like the right time, you know? But then he told me he was going to Africa and I just lost it. I forgot about everything I had planned, but when Tony was driving-"

"Okay," Morgan said, interrupting. "Tony?"

"Yeah. He gave me a ride home. Robert had the keys to the car and Peter wouldn't pick up."

"We're talking about Tony Stark, right? The same guy whose room you slept in?" Pepper nodded, skeptical of what her friend would say next. "Wow, you two are just randomly finding ways to be together."

An unamused look crossed her face. "You did not just say that."

"Someone has to," Morgan replied, shrugging.

"Okay, like I said before, having a crush on him isn't the same thing as liking him."

"Right," she said, not believing her. Something was definitely going on. "So what happened?"

"I realized I overreacted, so I had an apology thought out when he got back. He was really sweet about it and said I was right and understood why I had gotten so upset. We went upstairs and started making out, but before anything happened, we heard the car door slam outside."

"Your parents?"

"Yeah. It was chaotic. We were scrambling to find our clothes. The only thing that saved us were the living room lights."

"Tell me you got away with it."

"Well, yeah. I'd be forbidden to leave the house if I hadn't."

"Maybe next time," Morgan suggested.

The comment made her cheeks blush and the thought of it gave her butterflies in her stomach. "Maybe."

"So what about Tony? You have to know on some level the guy wants to get in your pants."

"I know. He's been very vocal about it."

"And Robert doesn't know any of this?"

"No. I just tell him he's annoying me or being widely inappropriate. But that's how he is. Everyone knows that. I don't want Robert to make a big deal about it."

"It is a big deal! If he knew anything about you spending the night in Tony's room, he'd flip."

"I didn't lie to him. I told him I stayed the night there," Pepper defended.

"It isn't all truth, either."

"Oh, so suddenly you're on his side?"

"What? No! Tony Stark trumps Robert Sterling. Hands down."

"It's nice to know where your loyalties lie."

Morgan shrugged. "Tony's hotter than Robert."

"Sure," Pepper humored. "You want to finish what's left of the mall? It closes in three hours."

She sighed. "Just chose one already."

"I think white is better since it's more girly, but don't you think black looks better on it," Morgan asked as she alternated between each grad outfit on the bear.

"Maybe you should get both of them and let her decide."

"Pepper, be serious."

"I am! And I like black," she decided, taking a seat in one of the small chairs near them.

They had been in this store longer than she ever wanted to, and if Morgan didn't make a decision soon, she was going to leave without her.

"Agreed. Now I need to get the bear made."

"I'll wait for you here," Pepper said, not getting up. She was tired and all she wanted to do was go back home and take a nap.

"Great. Make the birth certificate while you're at it!"

Pepper turned to face the computer screen and did so. She filled out what she could and left the rest for Morgan. Groaning, she got up and looked around.

Turning the corner, she came across a girl, who didn't look more than five, trying her best to grab hold of a dress.

"Do you need help," Pepper asked, walking up to her.

She liked kids and wanted them someday, but she never had any experience with them. None of her family members had children and she was the youngest of all her cousins.

"Here." She smiled at the girl as she handed her the dress.

The girl was happy. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Pepper said, kneeling down. "Did you find shoes for her yet," she asked, taking a pair of pink ballet flats from a hanger.

"How about this one," she asked when the girl shook her head. "It matches the dress."

"It's pretty!"

Pepper handed the girl the pair of flats and looked around. There were no parents around. "You should show your mommy," she said, hoping this little girl wasn't lost.

"I don't have one," she sadly replied, looking at the ground.

"Oh, alright." Now she was worried. "Then who did you come here with?"

"Tony," the girl suddenly yelled, taking off faster than she thought a five year old could. Tony?

"What'd I tell you about running off like that?"

Pepper froze at the familiar voice. Great. Maybe she could walk away before he even noticed.

"Pepper?" Too late.

Smiling, she turned around. "Hi, Tony."

"What are you doing here," he asked, picking the little girl up.

"What are you doing with a child?"

"Hey," he said accusingly. "I asked first."

"My friend's getting a bear for her sister's middle school graduation."

"Uh huh, sure," he teased. "I won't tell anybody. Your secret's safe."

"And yours, too," Pepper replied, gesturing to the girl in his arms.

"She's cute, isn't she?"

"All the more reason to keep an eye on her," she said, walking towards them.

"I knew where she was," Tony said with a matter-of-fact tone.

As soon as they got to the mall, Whitney asked if she could get a new stuffed animal and he said yes, and before he knew it, the girl had ran off. He had no idea why he hadn't checked Build-A-Bear first and not Toys-R-Us.

"Want to say hi to Pepper," he asked, looking at Whitney.

"Hi," said the girl, doing as told before going back to her bear.

"So where is she..." Pepper trailed off, laughing as Tony tried to dodge the little girl's hand from messing up his hair.

"Hey, stop it," Tony said, putting her down. This only made Whitney start giggling. "How would you like it if I messed up your hair," he asked, then doing so.

"Stop it," the girl yelled, laughing, shooing away his hands.

"Not fun, is it?" Pepper stifled a laugh. The entire situation was amusing.

"And you're in big trouble for running away," he said, kneeling down and taking her stuffed bear so he could get her full attention.

"Why," the girl asked. She immediately turned on the waterworks.

"You know why," Tony reprimanded.

Whitney averted her gaze and glanced down. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"It's okay. Just don't do it again." He smiled and gave her back the stuffed bear. Whitney nodded and left to go find something else after promising to not leave the store.

"So where did you get her," Pepper asked as Tony made his way over to her.

"A shelter in LA. She's been wanting a stuffed animal and I thought I'd get her one."

"She has a crush on you."

He smirked. "I'd be insulted if she didn't."

Pepper scoffed. "Your head's gonna explode one day from all that ego."

"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" He turned his head to look at her for one second. "That way I'd stop annoying your life."

"I never said you were annoying."

"You tell me every time I walk into the room."

"When have I ever said you were annoying?"

"A lot of times. During the first day of school."

"That's only once."

"But you still said-"

"Hey, I finished. Did you print it out," Morgan asked, walking up to Pepper and not noticing her company since she was busy replying a text message.

"Not yet." This is not going to go well.

"Make it up. She won't care." That was when she looked up and saw Tony standing next to Pepper. A smile crossed her face and she ignored the glaring daggers Pepper was sending her way. "Aren't you gonna introduce us," she asked, looking at Pepper, who falsely smiled in return.

"Sure. Morgan, this is Tony. Tony, this is Morgan."

"Hi," Tony said, glancing at her. Pepper's friend was a brunette. She had light blue eyes and an amazing body. This girl was definitely his type. "Aren't you on the volleyball team?"

Morgan giggled. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm actually from Maryland."

Tony furrowed his brows. He could have sworn he'd seen her somewhere before. But, then again, all the volleyball girls looked alike. "Really?"

"Really. I'm visiting Pepper."

"What are you doing after this?"

"Oh no," Pepper stepped in.

Both Tony and Morgan turn to look at her, waiting for her to continue. He was confused. She wasn't.

"You are not going to sleep with my best friend."

Morgan looked over at Tony and grinned. "Someone's jealous."

"I'm not," Pepper denied.

"I might have a date tonight, but if you want, I'd be happy to cancel my plans."

Tony smiled. "Great. I'm having a party tonight." Morgan was hot, but he still preferred Pepper. "Bring Pepper, too."

"What do you think," Morgan asked, finally regarding her friend.

"What do you think," Pepper shot back. She didn't know who to be mad at: her best friend purposely baiting her or Tony putting the moves on her best friend.

"Sorry," Morgan said, looking apologetically at Tony. "Next time."

"You and Pepper have plans?"

"We're gonna do a girls night."

"I'll come to the next one," Pepper spoke up.

Tony looked at her and sighed. "That's what you always say and you never do."

"I promise."

He was still skeptical. Pepper wasn't a party girl and would never show up unless her friends made her. "Really?"

"I promise," she repeated. Then she turned to Morgan. "We still need to finish that thing."

Morgan nodded and followed Pepper's lead, but stopped once she was standing in front of Tony. "Pepper's in a mood if you didn't notice."

"Isn't she always like that?" Pepper definitely earned the connotations that came with being a red-head.

"Only when she has boyfriend problems." The moment she said it was the instant she regretted it. "I got to go." It just slipped.

Tony leaned against the counter and sighed. Boyfriend? Did he hear Morgan right? Of course she had a boyfriend. It wasn't shocking. It just wasn't real until now. You're such an idiot.

He saw Pepper wave at him as she walked out the store and he faked a smile. He was being hard on himself, but he also knew he was right. Even if he had a chance, would they work? They were too different. She was mature. He wasn't. Just stick to girls like Morgan. And that was exactly what he was going to do. Tonight he was going to get wasted and forget about her and that boyfriend.

So Tony's bummed out and the drama officially begins! Yes or no, should Pepper and Robert have sex? :D