AN: I apologize for taking so long to update. I've been so busy, it's ridiculous. But here it is, the next chapter. I really appreciate all of the nice reviews, it makes me feel much better to know people actually like reading this. Just reminding everyone this is how I interpret the relationship between Pepper and Tony, so it's my creative interpretation. Hope you enjoy.
Chapter Ten
Tony was dreaming about Pepper when he was shaken awake by Steve.
"What the hell Rogers," Tony opened his eyes. "You can't just do that to someone." He said and looked at his friend.
"You are such a sound sleeper. We've been trying to call you for the past ten minutes Tony," Steve said. "Your computer thing found the correct feed. I don't know how much more I can explain it."
That was all Tony needed him to say. He quickly sat up and walked back with Rogers to where everyone else was. This time, there had the other computers set up with Fury and Hill on the other side..
"Took you long enough, Stark," Fury said from the other monitor. Tony rolled his eyes and looked over at the main scree, which was now showing a live feed of the lab Hammer was keeping Pepper in.
"Yeah, same to you." Tony said and looked at the screen. "So Jarvis found the right feed? This is live?" He wanted to double check.
They all nodded. "This video feed is streaming live this instant. There's been no activity for the past thirty minutes. Miss Potts has been asleep this whole time." Natasha told him.
Tony looked at Pepper on the screen. He noticed that she didn't look like she was comfortable, but she was strapped a table. It tore his heart out, seeing her in so much danger.
"What time is it?" Tony asked, looking over at Coulson.
"It's one-thirty in the morning." Coulson said to him. The plane landed about a half hour ago. We're approximately forty-five minutes away from the site Hammer is at now."
"Have you considered infiltrating now?" Tony suggested.
The room went silent.
"You know that's not going to happen Stark," Fury gave him a stern warning from the other screen. "The rest of us are on our way to you right now. We're assembling the teams right now, we'll be there in no time."
Tony couldn't reply however, a voice coming from the screen made him turn away and watch. He could tell Pepper was having some sort of nightmare. She was rambling on about something, and whimpering in her sleep.
Everyone looked at the screen, where Tony quickly muted it, giving Pepper her dignity. No one else needed to hear her nightmares.
"Agents Barton and Romanoff were just explaining what the compound looks like." Coulson mentioned at Tony, trying to peel his eyes off the screen. "They were able to get the blueprints from Hammer's system."
"Your computer program rocks," Clint looked at Tony, while Natasha rolled her eyes at him.
Tony glanced away from the screen for a few seconds as Natasha started explaining what the blueprints looked like, but went right back to watching Pepper on the screen. 'If Only I was there for you now,' Tony thought to himself.
As he was half-listening to Natasha, Tony noticed something on the feed that he automatically turned the volume back up.
"Stark, what do you think you're -" Coulson was quickly cut off by Tony.
"Listen, someone's coming." He said and everyone turned their attention back to the screen.
As Pepper was asleep on the table, the door to the room opened.
"I'm just going to loosen the straps around her wrists," A man's voice came into the room. The lights didn't turn on, but two men holding flashlights appeared into the frame.
"Hammer's going to kill you if he finds out what you're doing." Another voice said.
"Yeah, well I'd rather be the one that died. She has no business being here. What he's doing to her is wrong." The first man's voice spoke up.
Tony watched as the man who was trying to help Pepper, loosened the wrist restraints.
"I'm really sorry about all this Miss Potts." He said and the two left the room.
Tony wished Pepper would wake up and realize that there was a man who was willing to help her escape.
"How much longer do we need to bear witness to this before we can stop this?" Tony looked at everyone around. He was adamant to get an answer.
"We need one more feed from Hammer in order to find out his exact plans before we can storm in on something we don't know anything about." Fury said to him from the other screen. "Once we catch sight of what Hammer is really planning, then we can take action."
Tony was furious, but he didn't feel like arguing with them much longer.
"You're right, fine." Tony said and shut down. He couldn't deal with this anymore. He just wondered how Hammer could even do something like this.
"Alright, I think we all need to get some rest," Steve spoke up. Most people actually agreed with what he was suggesting. "How about we pick this back up later?"
With that, JARVIS was on alert in case something was to happen with the feed. The others headed back to the sleeping area of the plane and tried to get some sleep.
Tony reclined in the chair, but he was unable to sleep. Pepper was within his reach, but he wasn't allowed to get her. It made him feel terrible. As he lay there, he thought of some of the better days.
It was early May and the air in New York was beginning to get warmer. Pepper stood out on the balcony of the hotel suite they had been staying while Stark Tower was being finished. Holding her coffee mug, she looked out at her view of Central Park and took in the sweet smell of spring.
"Enjoying the view," Tony came out and slipped his arms around her waist and gave her a peck on the cheek.
"Mhmm, it's nice. We should come out here more often. I miss this side of the country, sometimes." She looked at him.
"Well, once the tower is finished, you'll have more reason to come here," He told her and let go of her waist. "Not to mention, you'll have a much better view of the city."
Pepper smiled and looked back out towards the city.
"Are you hungry?" Pepper asked. "I can make you something before you go to the tower."
Tony shook his head. "Nah, I'm going to shower in a few and head on out."
Pepper nodded and walked back into their suite. Tony followed and closed the door to the balcony.
"Alright then, I'll just make breakfast for one." She said sarcastically and walked into the kitchenette. Tony rolled his eyes at her sarcasm and went into the bathroom.
In the kitchenette, Pepper turned on the radio and started to cook herself breakfast.
As the eggs were frying in the pan, one of Pepper's favorite songs came on.
Listening to the music, something in Pepper made her want to dance and sing. She rarely showed this type of enjoyment since college, especially around Tony. But Pepper figured since he was showering, he wouldn't see her.
Continuing to cook herself breakfast, she shuffled around the tiny kitchenette, while getting other things ready to eat.
'She loves to laugh, she loves to sing, she loves everything. She loves to move, she loves to groove, she loves the lovely things… Anyway you want it, that's the way you need it, anyway you want it.'
Pepper was halfway through the chorus of the song when she swung around in her slippers and saw Tony standing in the doorway.
"Oh my," Pepper immediately shut down and looked at him. "I thought you were showering?"
"It doesn't take me an hour to shower like you, Pepper." Tony said and looked at her. He wondered why she stopped so fast. He thought it was cute seeing her dance and sing around like that. It was a different side of Pepper he had never seen before. "What are you doing?"
Pepper could feel her face flush and most likely turn bright red in color. "I was cooking." She said as she turned down the radio and scooped the eggs onto a plate.
"Sure you were," Tony said and took the orange juice pitcher from the counter. Pouring himself a glass, he looked as Pepper, who was still parading around in one of his button-up shirts, and wondered about her past that he didn't already know. "You sounded nice, will you sing me a song?"
Tony was trying to be cute, but Pepper shot him a look that could kill.
"I can't sing, I don't sing." She told him and got up from her chair. "I'm going to shower."
Pepper hadn't touched her breakfast when she walked towards the bathroom. Tony watched her walk away and wondered what nerve he had hit.
'She did sound lovely,' Tony thought to himself as he took over her uneaten plate and took a piece of toast before walking out the door for his meeting.