Repercussions of the Truth by AndromedaMarine

Author's Note: Written in Tony's point of view.

Transformation

Rhodes must've convinced Jarvis to let him inside the house, because when I came up from the gym he'd taken over my couch. "Rhodey," I said, "visitors ring the doorbell."

"I'm not a visitor, Tony," he retorted. "I'm family. Who kept your ass out of trouble all these years?"

"Pepper," I said absently, not even noticing when Rhodey's wide grin disappeared. When I glanced up again his arms were crossed and he'd gotten to his feet. I took a step back. "And you, of course."

"Tony, you haven't been seen in public since last month's press conference. Everyone is wondering when you're going to make another appearance." He glanced around. "There are rumours circulating that you've died."

I snorted. "I think you, Rhodey, will have to talk with Pepper if you want to schedule a press conference."

Rhodes circled the coffee table and stopped with his hands in his pockets, staring out the massive windows. "No...not a press conference. Just go into work, Tony. Go into the headquarters for a day – sit in your office, design weapons. Get a goddamn cup of coffee from the break room. Did you know I convinced the board members to give you another few weeks? Gave you a chance to lie low and keep a target off your back."

I felt myself deflate. "Jim, you know I'm not going to walk into Stark Industries headquarters, sit down, and design weapons for a day." I rubbed my chin, thinking of everything I've fought for. "Last month's appearance was to officiate everything I tried to say right after Afghanistan. Obi pushed me off that podium, Jim, not you. And the Ironman file is staying on my private server. It's too dangerous to put as a company project."

"I'm not suggesting you transfer the file, Tony. I'm suggesting you get back to normal. Remember racing Happy to the airport? That's normal for you. This – staying in the house all day – it's not good. I don't care how big the mansion is. You need to get out more." He sat back down on the couch.

"Things...things have changed, Rhodey. Walking into the office now takes a different kind of courage than stepping into an iron suit to fly halfway across the world."

"You seemed to have that courage before Ironman even existed." The sereneness of his face bothered me.

I threw the towel hanging around my neck to the coffee table. "You try it, Jim. You try wearing an electromagnet hooked to a car battery. You try sitting in a deep, dark cave building a prototype iron suit. You try it. Go ahead – don't wait for me to take another shot at it. I had my go. And you know what? It changed me. It changed me for the better." I threw up my hands and started pacing. "I'm relieved I rode in the 'Funvee' without you – because if you'd gotten in, you'd be dead too." I took a few deep breaths. "It took Afghans to make me realize what I was missing here at home." My arms were crossed against my chest and Rhodes mirrored me. So much for intimidating a colonel.

"You still have no idea what everyone went through, do you, Tony?" The quiet of his voice scared me – the un-scare-able Tony Stark. "No idea that Pepper cried her eyes out for you."

"I knew. I knew because she told me."

"Everything? Of course it changed you, Tony, but can't you see it changed her too? Hell – it changed me. You really haven't transformed that much – you're still the self-centred head honcho of Stark Industries."

I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what. Rhodey made sense (in some strange, sad way), telling me that I'm not the only one taking good out of my imprisonment. I stared at the floor, shrinking onto the plush chair opposite the couch. I settled for apologizing. "I'm sorry if I really am self-centred, Jim." I felt the tension disappear almost instantly, and looked up to see Rhodes' shoulders sagging and his hand rubbing his neck.

"Maybe I haven't spent as much time with you as Pepper has..." he trailed off. "I don't understand how you can sit around this mansion all day instead of work."

I couldn't help but laugh a bit. "I have Pepper to keep me sane."

Rhodes rubbed his chin. "Speaking of which – where is your ever-faithful assistant?"

"She told me she wanted to go into the office today."

It was Rhodey's turn to laugh. "So she has the guts to walk up to Stark Industries...and you don't? You're just too hard to understand..."

It took much pushing, shoving, and talking over Rhodes to get him out the front door and through the gate. "I'm telling Jarvis to keep you out – sweet-talking or no sweet-talking," I yelled after him, huffing as I returned to the mansion.

"Jarvis," I said when back inside.

"Yes, Mr. Stark?"

"You are not to allow Colonel James Rhodes entrance again until my specific instructions, is that clear?"

"Yes, sir. He shall not bother you unless you wish him to."

I heard a cup of coffee calling my name from the kitchen, but as I poured it into the mug I found I didn't want it anymore. I pushed it away, wondering what could possibly be wrong with me. "Jarvis," I said on a sudden inspiration, "you keep behavioral records, right?"

"I do, sir. Do you wish to review Miss Potts's or your own file?"

"Show mine on the wall for the past year followed by Pepper's – same length of time."

"Yes, sir."

The wall became illuminated with my records, and as I studied them I realized I'd been right all along. I had changed. Transformed for the better. "Show Pepper's." And so had she. "Thank you, Jarvis."

"Do you require anything else, sir?"

"No... Actually, page Pepper's Blackberry and have her return here within an hour..." I needed to talk with her about everything Rhodes had said. Everything now running through my head. "Tell her it's urgent."

"Yes, sir."

He said no more – silence pounded on my eardrums.

----

Keeping the house devoid of rock music failed to bother me – for the first time. It certainly helped when I heard the front door slam and the hurried click of Pepper's high heels against the floor. "In here!" I yelled from the room originally created to be an office.

"You'd better hope you're dying – " She appeared in the doorway, tufts of hair pulled free from her usually perfect ponytail. Pepper's hands went immediately to her hips. "He said it was an emergency." She sounded indignant.

"Pepper, you went through a transformation, right?"

She remained silent, but a flash of confusion and pain crossed her features. "It depends on the time to which you're referring, Tony."

"During and after Afghanistan," I said simply, watching her face closely. I was completely serious, forcing myself to keep my attention on Pepper, like she'd asked me.

"Yes..." she whispered, barely audible, probably now completely forgetting her initial statement telling me I'd better hope to be dying. "Yes," she repeated, wiping non-existent tears from her cheeks and eyes.

I stood and wasn't sure to hold her or wait for a more complete answer. I figured it out when she reached out for support, so instead of just lending an arm I pulled her into them. "How did you change, Pepper? I want to know."

She stared at me like lobsters were crawling out my nose. "Tony – we both changed that first day you left for the desert! You with being kidnapped, and me, hearing from Rhodes you'd gone missing..." It took her strength to look away. "Grasping the fact that the only reason I've been here this long to keep your life in check is because we really care for each other. I'm not just your assistant, Tony. That's what came out during and after Afghanistan. Our feelings."

Listening to her, I didn't argue. She was absolutely right. The transformation had been a bumpy ride, but for her – it was totally worth it.