The Epilogue

Placing the new picture of Tony and herself over the desk she thought would never see again, Pepper smiled. They did make a lovely couple, like Rhodey had said. Sitting down, she stared at the pile of papers to her right and then to her computer, where a couple hundred e-mails were waiting for their respective answers. With all the work to be done, specially that lovely speech she had to compose early this morning to apologize to the guess of the wedding that would never take place and the call to the airport for that ahem donation, Pepper decided that she would rather be here that anywhere else. Tony passed by the door, once, twice and then jumped into the office and to her couch.

"Morning, love." He said softly, looking at her from the comfy leather seat. "Did you have breakfast already?"

"Yup."

"Why don't you join me... You said yes? Come on, love, you were suppose to say no and let me woo you to share..."

"Morning guys!" Said Jim entering the office with a box in hand.

"Hey Rhodye." Tony turns away. "Party pooper."

"Pep, what am I suppose to do with these?" He dropped the box unceremoniously so on her desk, she stared at them in disbelief.

"Are those..?"

"Yep, wedding invitations. I sort of forgot to mail them." Sweet sweet Rhodey, trying to help his own way.

"See why I keep him around?" Said Tony from the couch.

"If I might interfere I also forgot to deliver the order for the catering services, and the limousine's never got the call you asked for Mss. Potts."

"Atta boy Jarvis!" Pepper looked up at Jarvis, unable to believe what she just heard. The world was been taken over by machines, and if her guest was correct Jarvis was the one leading them. Thank heavens she had him in good spirits. "Thank guys. You just spare me a lot of work." It was as if the planning for this wedding had never taken place, no wonder no magazines or reporters had ever called her.

"The only thing that did seem to be confirmed is the cake, Mss. Potts." And they all turned to see a truck parking in front of the house and two clumsy bakers pulling out boxes full of cake and plastic stands.

"Oh no, the devil's food..."

"Chocolate? Are you kidding?" Said Tony amazed, Rhodey nodding dumbly beside him. Suddenly the two men turned to each other. They sprinted out of the room to greet the bakers.

"Guys no wait! Maybe we'll receive a full refund if we return the merchandise complete!" Her heel almost double over and Pepper cursed, her eyes suddenly falling on teh white material of the wedding dress at the corner of her desk. The perfect dress...She neared the mess of silk and pearls looking at it longingly. Maybe if she tried it on once more...

"Pep, come down and grab a spoon!!" Cried Tony from downstairs waking her from the daydreaming. But it wasn't a daydream anymore.

She could wear this dress someday. Closing the door that lead to the small closet the dress was at, Pepper smiled brightly. Someday dress, you'll see, i'll wear you down that aisle...

The laughter of her unborn children was heard from teh livingroom and smiled, Pepper walked towards the two cildren having cake.

The Two Months Later Epilogue

As the lights glowed over the audience Pepper cleared her throat, unlike usually, she was the one been interviewed today, and she was used to be not nervous around the camera crew or the directors... But today she was terrified. Double checking her appearance again, and smoothing down the skirt and sleeves of her jacket, Pepper cleared her throat again. One of the directors came over, smiling at her.

"Ok, you'll be on in a minute. Ready?"

"Yes, thank you." She had memorized the lines in her blue cards and had them safely stored in her pocket in case she forgot any phone number (doubtful) or e-mail address. The show's music started and the interviewer a woman wearing a comfortable business suit and snickers started to welcome the viewers back to her show. Pepper took a deep breath and heard her name been mentioned. "Please welcome, Mss. Pepper Potts."

If Tony were here (that he wasn't because hopefully he'd made it to that meeting she send him to) he would said she had quite the fanclub, because most of the people in the audience clapping were men. She stepped into the spotlight, fanfare was played as she neared the desk of the very jolly woman they shared a kiss in the cheek (as if they were close friends) and sat down. They had met earlier and spoken of proper etiquette for them, and it was discussed what question they would be asked, or what shouldn't be ask.

"Welcome, so tell us; what's new at Stark Industries?"

"Actually many things, we are planning on some green solutions for the planet and we have absolutely stepped away from harmful agents for the environment." She continued to answer politely and very cheerfully to each question, although all she wanted to do was stand up and run off. They shared a few laughs, commandatory in her position, and suddenly the owman pressed the earpiece tightly, sort of unable to believe what she was listening. Pepper worried for a second, and discarted the movement as probably the next act not coming up or something.

"And Mr. Stark? Tell us is he a good man?"

"Oh, absolutely." That wasn't one of the questions she was suppose to ask, or answer, and Pepper frowned. She didn't trust tv girls. "He's currently very busy with some new projects that require his full attention..."

"Ask her about them high heels and how fast she can run on them." Said Tony's voice coming from the side of the stage, making Pepper freeze. Loud cheers were heard, and unfreezing, Pepper turned to see the very man of the hour, Tony 'Iron Man' Stark walking casually into the set. She smiled, very politely so, at him but shot daggers at him. What was he doing here!?

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Tony Stark!" Louder cheering. And Tony was loving every minute of it, Pepper turned pale and fought to breath and calm down. Neither was working. "Please take a seat."

"Thanks, hey Pep." He sat beside his secretary and smiling, fixed his coat, he was acting weir and as more questions (that weren't suppose to be even asked) were fired and answered smoothly by him he sat at the edge of his seat, leaning casually towards Pepper, hands brushing. She was so used to having his hand so close she didn't pull away, and when she did realized what was happening and pulled her hand away it was too late. Everybody had notice something weir was going on between them.

"So Tony we haven't seen you in the dating scene lately." Commented the woman in sneakers, smiling at them. Tony chuckled, and an alarm went on inside Pepper's head. Damage Control! Damage Control!

If you value your life, don't answer that question, Tony. She looked at him, eyes clear and wide with the message. Tony ignored her. Of course he always ignores her.

"Actually I've been busy, very busy." Good boy. "But I've been dating, going for a few months now, I tell you she's the woman of my dreams so I have no need to go out find her."

Can opener! Where is the can opener to bust his iron man covered ego!

"Really, can you tell us more?"

"I'll do more than tell you. I'll show you." And he leaned into Peper and kissed her, quite deeply too. They shared many kissed in the last three months, some soft, hard, bruising, butterfly kissed, but this one was new. It was soft yet demanding, yet wilding... And she actually held the back of his head gently, leaning onto the kiss demanding more of it.

Until her inner alarm reminded her she was in national television and in front of a few hundred people. No damage control was going to fix this. She pulled away hastily, getting up and against the host's (who was struck dumb) desk.

"Are you crazy? It's national T.V.!"

"I know." He said knowingly, eyes calm and very tender. Unable to pull away, Pepper watched as he got up. "I know." There was a dead silence in the stage and when he suddenly got down in one knee and took her hand, she tried to whimper, really did but no sound came. "Virginia Pepper Potts, would you marry me?" A loud collective gasp followed, and the rest of the world held it's breath along with Pepper and her entire family (that was watching the show anyway). Pepper covered his mouth with her free hand and watched as with his other hand he pulled out a velvet box, and opening it with his fingers showed her a rock over a slim silver band. Pepper wasn't sure why, but she could tell that was his infamous titanium alloy. It was a huge rock, she could dazzle the Hubble with it for crying out loud! It was a diamond, maybe still in the rough, no way that thing was polished. When did he got it?, she'd done his personal expenses reports a few days back and there was no way in hell he'd bought this last week... You are running with you feeling again, get back to that stage! Screamed her inner self as tears build in her eyes. Whoever said Pepper wasn't multitasking was lying.

"You are crazy." She murmured, uncovering her mouth for a second.

"Uhm, that's not the answer I was looking for." He smiled, playfully. She laughed and he tugged at her hand. "Hmm, will you?"

Eyes closing and tears rolling down her face, she chuckled. "Yes." He quirky got up, unable to believe her answer and held her tightly to him, lips whispering promises of happiness to come and grateful words, really grateful words. The crowd was cheering, but Pepper didn't hear any of it.

Tony had just proposed to her and she was marring him. And he'd done it in live TV.

Take that Chandler!

--

Oh, my. That's it's. Hahahaha! I'm free!! Oh but I'm writing more, these two are just hilarious to write about. Thanks for all the reviews, I really felt the love! But keep it coming! Keep it coming! Thanks for reading to the very end... And I don't think I'll be writing a sequel, maybe a one shot of afterwards but ... I don't know, what do you guys think?

Have a nice day!