Disclaimer: Most of the characters and situations in this story belong to Marvel Comics, Fairview Entertainment, Dark Blades Films, and other entities, and I do not have permission to borrow them. All others are mine, and if you want to borrow them, you have to ask me first. No infringement is intended in any way, and this story is not for profit. Any errors are mine, all mine, no you can't have any.

Editing, and support, and general cheering on all by Cincoflex, who put up with angst and whining and distraction and saw this one through. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

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He'd blown off the afternoon and gone home early. It's Friday, isn't it? Tony had spent the last two days in New York at the Avengers' headquarters, and he was sick and tired of work. And he wanted to realign the environmental system in the suit. He definitely didn't want a repeat of the last fight's mistakes.

Between calibrations Tony watched the picture on his big video screen. Pepper was seated on the sofa, typing busily away at her laptop, still bandbox-neat from head to toe; she wouldn't so much as kick off her shoes until she was officially off the clock. It was her way of maintaining a division between work and rest, not that the line didn't get blurred on a regular basis, but Tony was too glad that he had talked her into coming home with him to worry too much about it--though of course the urge to go up and at least release that prim ponytail was always there.

He had a system, even--sneak up behind her, bend down, and start exploring the velvet skin of her nape with his lips. By the time he worked his way around to the pulse under her ear, he could tug away the elastic and turn her half-hearted protests into the happy little moans that he loved to hear.

Of course, every so often she didn't argue at all, and Tony loved those times too, because getting thoroughly pounced by his not-so-proper PA was always a fantasy fulfilled...

He sighed, and went back to tinkering with circuitry.

The next time he glanced up, the screen was empty, and the familiar tap of Pepper's heels was echoing in the stairwell. She punched in her code and pressed her palm to the scanner, and the door opened; Tony grinned at her. "Come to give me a good-night kiss, Potts?" The banter at least was familiar.

She sniffed with dry amusement. "Your donation to the Brazilian aid group has gone through." She handed him a thick folder. "Plans from the teletonics division. There will be a quiz."

He laughed, glanced at the top page, and set the folder down. "How about dinner out? We could take the jet up to San Francisco and hit Tsunami--I haven't had decent sushi in weeks."

Pepper tapped the folder. "Did you not hear the quiz part?"

"I can cram later." Tony propped his elbow on the workbench and his cheek on his fist, and gave her his most winning smile. "Come on, Pepper. You've been working too hard. I've been working too hard. Let's take the evening off."

She hesitated, and he sighed exaggeratedly. "I'll even take the plans along. You can test me over dessert."

"I can't, Tony, I'm sorry." Pepper shrugged, though she did look regretful. "I'm going out with some of the front office girls tonight."

Tony smothered his disappointment, glad that she was reconnecting with her friends from work. "How about tomorrow then? Hell, we could go to New Orleans if you like--"

Pepper shook her head. "You have an appointment to look at that Crocker cycle, remember?"

"I could cancel," he offered hopefully.

"Not after all the trouble I went through to set up the meeting," Pepper shot back, lips twitching with amusement. "Besides, if you buy it you'll want to spend the rest of the day taking it apart."

She knew him too well. Tony shrugged. "Guilty...but I could take you for a spin on it afterwards."

"Only if you find the other helmet." Pepper blinked, looking surprised, and by now Tony knew why--another crumb of memory had popped to the surface, giving her knowledge she didn't know she possessed. In this case, he guessed, the fact that his second motorcycle helmet had gone missing in the chaos of his workshop. He smiled, encouraged.

"I could just buy another one. Something in green, maybe?"

"See if you want the motorcycle first." Pepper hesitated, then shook her head and started to walk away. Tony straightened.

"Something on your mind?"

Pepper stopped and turned halfway around, her expression gone thoughtful and shy. "Tony...I..."

He cocked his head, and made his voice coaxing. "What is it?"

"I was just wondering...when we..." She blew out a breath. "Never mind, I shouldn't be asking--"

"Anything you want to know, Pepper, I'll tell you," Tony interrupted softly. She still hadn't turned to look at him straight on, and as he watched, the cheek he could see flushed.

"I...how...how did we...end up together?" Her eyes squeezed shut, and Tony drew in a breath, memory assailing him--

Such an ordinary evening, just another Thursday, he'd peeled off his tie as soon as he got home and Pepper had undone her ponytail with a sigh of relief. They were sitting on the long couch in the living room, Pepper making him sign memo after memo, clearing out the small tasks of the week, and he looked up to see her gaze on him, calm and bright.

"I really am proud of you, you know."

Her words ran through him like a shock, and with that he knew that at last he'd done it, earned her pride and approbation, and he reached out with shaking hands and pulled her to him. Her lips were soft and her body willing, and the incredible, incredulous joy spreading from behind his arc implant was the best thing he'd felt ever, ever. And she was smiling against his mouth, hands sliding into his hair, and he was never going to let her go--

It hurt, with a sharp unexpected pain, and Tony felt the muscle in his cheek twitch. He hesitated.

"You...you said you were proud of me. And then I kissed you." He winced at the bald words--he could be glib without effort, but he didn't know how to distill that moment, how to express the sheer miracle of it.

Pepper's head bent. "I can't remember," she said lowly, sounding tired and baffled. "It's like a huge numb spot in my brain, I know it's there, but I can't touch it..."

Tony paced over to stand behind her, and let his hands rest lightly on her shoulders. "It'll come back to you, Pepper. It will." Her scent, delicate vanilla, filled his senses, and he wanted to tighten his grip, turn her around, lay his mouth on hers again so that memory or not she knew his kiss once more. He was trembling with the desire to do that, to go further--

She sighed. "Maybe."

Her hand reached up and touched his fingers where they rested on her collarbone, and then she stepped away, heading for the stairs. Frozen, Tony watched her go.

At the door, Pepper glanced back, still pink. "Thank you for telling me," she said, her mouth quirking sadly.

All he could do was nod.

He stood there for a long time, long after the tap of her heels had faded into silence. Then he flung himself down on the couch with a groan of frustration.

Closing his eyes, Tony replayed her visit, but this time he did turn her, catching her lips in a hot kiss that proved his possession and acknowledged hers all at once. In his mind Pepper yielded, let him brush her clothing away and bear her down to the cushions, let him prove with his body that he loved and needed and adored her, gave into his caresses with gasps and moans, tightened her hands at his hips and loved him back.

In his mind, in his dream, she remembered, remembered how to love him. In the real world, his body found a harsh release, and he wept for what he'd lost.

Pepper inhaled the scent of varnish and fresh paint, and smiled happily. "Yes, this will do."

The round little man next to her sighed in relief. "I have the papers ready for you to sign."

She let him lead her over to the marble-topped breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the dining room of her new apartment, and signed all the places he indicated. With a last smile, he handed her the keys and took himself out.

Pepper walked out into the middle of the empty living room and put her hands on her hips, turning slowly to look at the light-filled space. Now that the floors were finally finished, the place was ready, and for several minutes she arranged the rooms in her head, placing furniture that was now on order and hanging art that was stored in Tony's basement. The walls were just on the white side of green and the floors were a pale honey, and it was ten times nicer than her old place, with a decent view of the ocean even--

But slowly the pleasure ebbed. Pepper moved from living room to bedroom, imagining her carefully saved wrought-iron bedstead in the center, but all of a sudden it seemed too small and narrow. Firming her lips, she mentally placed the cradle shelf in the corner, and that worked better. Plants at the windows, nice thick rugs on the floor, vivid towels in the immaculate bathroom...she strolled back into the kitchen and thought about filling the drawers and shelves with spoons and spatulas, and the space with the smell of baking. Pepper ran one hand over the smooth cold counter, enjoying the texture under her palm.

It was a great apartment. It would be all hers, every inch of it.

Lonely.

Pepper squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. It's a good thing you're moving out now, Virginia, she told herself. Any longer and you won't be able to.

Her memories might be slowly returning, but part of Pepper wanted to stay where things were at least somewhat familiar.

Oh, be honest. You don't like the idea of leaving him.

It wasn't just attraction, Pepper thought, opening her eyes again. It was worry too; Tony still needed looking after, and it went against the grain to leave him on his own. Especially now that he was in the habit of going out and taking on heavily armed hostiles, suit notwithstanding.

Tony's recovery from his last mission had been faster than she'd expected, though he'd been quiet and thoughtful for a couple of days. Pepper had been afraid that he would try to make something of those intimate, innocent moments together, but he'd seemed content to let them lie as they were, and they'd gone on as usual, working and planning. He'd spent much of his free time working on suit repair and redesign, anyway. Pepper had turned down his smirking invitation to share his hot tub as he soaked his bruises...but had found herself tempted nonetheless.

Whatever happens between us...I want to take it slowly.

The influx of random memory had slowed over the past week, and Pepper figured that her mind was settling down to a status quo. As she'd told Tony, she had to deal with things as they were, not as they used to be. And while she might yet move back to the mansion in the end, for now--

Pepper's eyes widened as memory shouldered in.

Leaning against Tony as he rested his hips against the counter and his hands on her ass, and the expression on his face was mingled pleasure and amusement, the lambent-eyed, lazy delight that she only ever saw when he was looking at her. "Marry me, Potts," he said, and it wasn't the first time he'd asked, if asked was the word. She laughed and brushed his lips against his, evading his attempt to make the kiss a real one. The humor disappeared, leaving just the intensity, and he slid his mouth towards her ear. "Forever, Pepper," he whispered. "I want forever."

She blinked, struggling to focus, and sucked in air. What--

Pepper leaned against the counter, searching for more, but that was all there was. A wave of aching sadness swamped her, though she couldn't pinpoint its cause.

I don't even know what my answer was.

"Is he sulking?" Rhodey whispered as they climbed the front stairs to the mansion.

Pepper shook her head. "Not quite. I think he wants to but he's...refraining."

Rhodey smirked, though it held an edge of sadness. "He's done a lot of growing up lately."

"So I'm learning." Pepper didn't give in to Rhodey's glance. She appreciated his support in her struggle to deal with her amnesia, but despite the fact that he'd volunteered to help her move, she knew he thought she should stay at the mansion. She had deliberately refrained from asking why.

"I still don't see why you didn't hire moving guys too," Rhodey said in a normal voice, opening the door for her.

Pepper glanced back at the rental truck parked in front of the house; she'd refused to let Tony "borrow" a Stark Industries vehicle for her. "Because I really don't have all that much stuff--it's mostly just boxes. Besides--" She waved ahead of them as they walked into the house. "Tony insisted on programming the 'bots to help."

Butterfingers was just rolling past on his way to the elevator, propelling a handtruck stacked with bundles and looking both ridiculous and efficient.

Rhodes laughed. "Of course he did. Hey, Big B, how's it going?"

The 'bot chirped at them but didn't pause, advancing smoothly into the elevator. "Where is Tony anyway?" Rhodes continued.

"Right here," Tony said dryly, emerging from the hallway leading to Pepper's room with a box in his arms. His expression was cheerful, but his eyes didn't meet theirs. "You here to work, platypus, or just supervise?"

Rhodes rolled his eyes and pulled off his sweatshirt, slinging it onto the couch. "You forgot who won the last bench-press battle, didn't you?" He jogged back in the direction from which Tony had come.

Pepper snickered and stepped out of Tony's way as he headed for the door. "I'll get a mop for the testosterone."

Tony gave her a wink over his shoulder. "Two guys at your beck and call--enjoy it while you've got it, Potts."

She shook her head and went to fetch a box herself.

She'd scheduled the Saturday morning so that they would have plenty of time, but between the five of them it actually took less than an hour to transfer her possessions to the truck. Unloading would take longer, since the 'bots weren't coming along, but Pepper had promised to buy Tony and Rhodey lunch if they gave her a hand.

Though I don't think I could keep them from helping if I tried...

Rhodey drove the loaded truck to Pepper's new apartment, with Pepper riding shotgun, the two of them trading moving horror stories. Tony drove himself, zipping in and out of traffic around them but somehow never outdistancing the truck despite his speed. Pepper flinched every so often, watching him play chicken with slower cars, but Tony was an expert driver and collected nothing more than a few indignant honks.

"He hasn't wrecked a car since '99," Rhodes said easily after Tony cut off an overloaded SUV. "He's got reflexes a fighter pilot would kill for."

"I know," Pepper murmured, watching the little sports car slip into their lane. "That doesn't mean he's not reckless."

"He's Tony." Rhodes shrugged.

"Mmm." Pepper settled back in her seat and kept an eye on the silver Audi, which stayed put for once, leading them on towards her new apartment. Once she'd chosen it Tony had insisted on vetting the building, but in the end he'd had to admit it was suitable; even Jarvis couldn't fault the security. And it was closer to the mansion than her old apartment, a mere ten minutes' drive if the traffic was good.

Plus, it had a freight elevator, which was definitely a good thing when one was hauling boxes, and Tony had been right about one thing--she hated moving. Pepper liked her life organized, and no matter how carefully she packed and coordinated, there was always a certain amount of chaos inherent in the moving process.

Still, between the three of them it didn't take long to get the boxes upstairs and neatly stacked along the walls.

Tony carried in the last one and set it down, then used the hem of his t-shirt to wipe his forehead. Pepper automatically glanced at the open door, but there was no one to see his arc implant glowing through his undershirt. "Where's Jimmy?" she asked.

"Flirting with one of your new neighbors," Tony said with another light grin. He wandered towards her kitchen. "You got anything to drink?"

"Check the fridge," Pepper said automatically. She'd stocked it with a few essentials earlier, and now Tony opened it and came out with a bottle of Perrier, which he regarded thoughtfully before removing the cap. "Where do you want to go for lunch?"

Tony swallowed his mouthful of water. "I'm easy--" he started, then glanced down at the beep coming from his hip. Sighing, he pulled the little phone free of its clip and opened it.

Pepper took a few steps away out of politeness, and to get out of blast range, but this time Tony's conversation with Fury was short and quiet. When Tony closed the device, she turned back.

"Just a meeting." Tony shrugged. "But I...have to go."

Pepper nodded, disappointed that he was going to miss lunch. She had been looking forward to the three of them eating together again--they didn't do it often enough. "Thanks for helping me move in." She didn't add I know it was hard for you.

He laughed, an empty sound, and ran a hand through his hair. His face was held in pleasant lines, but the tautness of his mouth hinted at pain, and in the back of her mind Pepper heard his whispered plea. His tease was automatic. "Sure I can't change your mind?"

Pepper didn't really do things on impulse. She preferred to plan, to consider, to choose out of calmness. But, occasionally, she let herself do something without thinking first. Lifting a hand, she stepped forward and cupped his cheek. "Tony...keep trying."

His eyes widened, and lit. Slowly, as if afraid she would pull back, he turned his head enough to brush his lips over the heel of her hand.

The sensation, tickling warmth, made goosebumps rise all over her body, and Pepper let her hand drop. Tony's phone beeped again, and he squeezed his eyes shut, said a very bad word, and whirled, heading rapidly for the door. As he reached it, he glanced back, gaze incandescent. "I'm going to hold you to that, Potts."

Then he was gone, jogging out of sight, saying something she couldn't quite make out in response to Rhodey's startled query.

Pepper cocked her head, then picked up the bottle cap he'd left behind and tossed it into the trash. Her skin was still tingling, and an odd, unfamiliar delight made her lips turn up.

Rhodes came in the open door, tucking a scrap of paper into his pocket and smirking. "No Tin Man for lunch, huh?"

Pepper shook her head at him. "Does that make you the Scarecrow?"

Rhodes' smile went wry at the reminder of her memory loss, but he shrugged. "Sometimes."

"I suppose I'm Dorothy." Pepper snickered, amused at the image. "There's drinks in the fridge."

"If I remember right, Butterfingers ended up being Toto," Rhodey said, peering into the refrigerator. "Tony threatened to put a bow on him."

Pepper regarded the man now twisting open a bottle of Coke, her earlier pleasure dissipating into melancholy. She couldn't remember whatever conversation had prompted the series of silly jokes, but she could imagine it, the three of them chatting and teasing, Rhodey's face creased with amusement, Tony's eyes gleaming with wicked mischief.

Had she rolled her eyes, she wondered, or laughed and joined in?

Rhodes took a long drink, then glanced over at her, sobering. "He used to joke that you gave him his heart, not the Wizard. He never would explain it, though."

A glass box.

Pepper turned away and felt for her keys. "Let's go get some lunch."