A/N – Certainly have come a long way since chapter 1. The way this story has developed has been such a joy to write and the reviews have fueled my writing. Thankyou. Love reading them all. Okay, so here we go. Left Chapter 12, Pepper is pregnant since confirmed by Jarvis. Things get interesting. Yes there are Stark babies!

I don't own anything you recognize...Iron Man, Pepper Potts etc are all owned by Marvel/Stan Lee. I make no claim to any of it. Just my imagination and my words. I hope you enjoy this installment. Please leave a review. I love reading them.

Rated M for language, adult themes/situations and sex. If you're sensitive, please don't read.

Song for the fic: They can't take that away from me – Frank Sinatra

My little Pepper Pott

Chapter 13

The next morning, Tony and Pepper were down in the workshop and Jarvis was running the full works of a scan on Pepper. They had no confirmed she was 8 to 10 weeks pregnant, with a single baby. Tony had flinched at the idea of twins, handling one Stark progeny would be enough of a handful. Pepper, to give her credit had been impeccably calm and patient throughout all these scans. Tony was a little concerned about her, usually she wasn't this quiet. Poor Pep,she had not had it easy but Tony vowed to do his best for her and their baby to make her happy again. Jarvis was still working magic with the scans, Tony had Pep sat on a desk and he was taking her bloods. This was just to check for abnormalities in hormone levels, chemical imbalance and disease. Just a health precaution. Tony insisted on doing it himself as he was highly suspicious of regular Doctors, especially now Pepper was carrying their child.

Pepper, sat patiently as Tony took the final vial of blood and put the sample into the analyzer machine. She smiled, meeting Tony's eyes, "Tony..."

"Yes dear," he replied looking at her

"I am worried...about the media honey...how are we..." Pep said trailing off slowly, her hands wandering to her stomach, fingers spread but barely interlocking.

Tony nodded, looking at Pepper, he exhaled, "Honey, if we stick together we can handle this. Trust me" he said calmly. Pepper was a bit concerned, he was taking all this very well and had not freaked yet. What was he actually thinking, feeling or wondering. She just nodded, giving him a little smile as the analyzer done its work. A few agonizing minutes later the machine had done its work and emitted a little buzz to signal it was done.

Together they both looked at the small Grey machine at the same time. Tony went over to it, "Jarvis what's the verdict? Are we healthy?" he asked

"Sir, my analysis of Miss Pott's blood are complete. All categories checked indicate she is in perfect health with no hormone imbalances or abnormalities" Jarvis replied

"Thanks Jarvis," Tony said, smiling relieved everything was okay.

Tony put both hands on Pep, rubbing her shoulders trying to shake some of the anxious tension in her arms out. He smiled a flashy grin and drew her lips in for a brief, loving kiss. Just enough to say he cares without making it sexual. Pepper's tension slowly melted as he kissed her. She was nervous but strangely content with this new shift in their relationship dynamic. Gradually they broke the kiss and stood there, in the workshop holding each other. For the moment there was calm and serenity in the world of Stark and Potts.

Tony had instructed Jarvis to keep all the details on a deeply encrypted file on his private server. Nothing was going to get out until they both were ready. The one concern he did have was when to go public with their relationship. A lot had happened between them but thus far they had managed to to keep the press away from that. Perhaps they should make a statement but before Tony was going to do anything stupid he was going to have to talk to Pepper. After all, it wasn't just them anymore. They had a baby to think about. Tony decided he would talk to Pepper over dinner. He had plans to cook. Yes, the great Tony Stark...in a kitchen...that would break headlines but, all things considered he was not that bad. Pepper was busy on her computer as per usual that afternoon, Tony decided to stay down in the workshop and thrash out some frustrations on a new kind of repulsor he was developing for the Mk VII suit. It needed his attention because some of the energy signatures being emitted were not right. Just a little bit off key from where he really wanted them.

"No dummy...come back here with that," Tony hollered, "or do I have to threaten you with the wine rack again" as the robot whizzed across the floor with the lead of his soldering iron. Tony got up from his swivel chair and paced after dummy, caught up with him heading up the ramp outside and pulled the cable away. He smiled, shaking his head and returned to the desk he was at. Tony threw up the magnifiers and examined the repulsor. More fire power or a dampener to settle these weird energy signatures, he was wondering as he mindlessly thumbed his goatee. Thinking his calculations out loud, "yep, that's the one," he said to himself and swung over to the tool cabinet on the chair. Came back with an assortment on micro tools This was an intricate job and demanded concentration, he needed it, take his mind off other things. When it came to his robotics, there was never a thing as too much thinking. He wasn't trying to be selfish to Pepper through all this but the man was afraid to admit he was terrified beyond words. Shaking his head, his skilled grip tightened again on the tool in his hand and he went back to the repulsor.

It was several hours before Tony was finally happy with the now completely rebuilt repulsor. He dismantled the entire unit and put it back together, modified. It was something completely different now. Ego stroked and Stark satisfied. Pepper had been at her desk except the moment she saw Tony come into the room, she choked, sprung up out of her chair and dashed to the bathroom. Her first moment of sickness. It wasn't horrendous but it was not pleasant either. Pepper clutched at her stomach, bent over holding onto the edge of the hand basin to steady herself, "Tony...," her voice cracked, "Can you come in here...please..."

Tony cautiously made his way in, pushing over the door which was ajar, seeing her over the basin he put a hand to her lower back and rubbed. It was soothing, loving and above all else what she need. Tony kept his eyes trained on her, "Honey...is there anything you need me to do?"

Pepper slowly got up from her hunched position and slowly fell into Tony's arms, she clutched him tightly her head resting at his neck, nuzzling softly. She murmured under her breath, and her lower lip dropped a notch quivering. It was the only sign Pepper had started to relax. Tony just done what he thought was right and held her for as long as she wanted, their hips pressed against each other bodies closer than before.

Pepper didn't say anything, she just murmured under her shallow breathing quietly. Tony could still pick up on it, only just as her head was close up to his neck, her hand on his chest next to the arc. It was a moment of peace within their world, Just for a moment. Brief solace before the storm that was to come. Tony wrapped his arms closer, hands high up her back, he whispered into her ear, own eyes closed, "You're all I have too you know" and smiled remembered the moment when Pepper had told him that.