Next chapter! Please review!!! And in response to newworldwriter1, I may be evil, I may not be… you'll just have to wait and see… :)
'Hey, how're you feeling?' Pepper said, pausing in the doorway of Tony Stark's living room, looking in at her boss who was laid back on the sofa watching transformers.
'Cool thanks, Pep,' Tony said, not taking his eyes off the screen.
'There's pizza in the fridge if you get hungry,' Pepper said softly.
'Thanks Pepper,' Tony responded, still looking at the screen.
Pepper opened her mouth to say something else, then paused and turned away.
'Hey… Pepper,' Tony said, sitting up and looking over at her, wincing and putting his hand on his chest.
'Yes, Tony?' Pepper asked.
Tony patted the seat next to him. 'Come join me?'
Pepper considered this for all of 3 seconds. Go home and do work? Or sit next to her hotter than hell boss and watch a film directed at young boys?
Work… or hot boss?
They were connected… sort of.
Pepper chucked her coat down and sat next to Tony, who immediately took her hand and pulled her closer.
Pepper didn't complain, although he looked okay, she knew that his nightmares were worse than ever, he was paler than ever and there were dark black bags under his handsome brown eyes. She was also just beginning to realise something else.
He was lonely, and he didn't like being alone.
Pepper raised her eyebrow at the car on the screen, which had suddenly turned into a 12ft robot. And she had to know.
'Can you make a car that does that? Turn into a robot I mean.'
Tony considered the question, and then grabbed a notepad and pen from the coffee table in front of him. Notepads were littered around the house in case of sudden flashes of inspiration.
Pepper watched, amazed, as Tony's hand flew across the page, writing out and solving equations before he'd even written them.
Pepper looked at his forehead; it was furrowed, the way it usually was when he was working on something difficult.
There's nothing wrong with his mind, nothing at all. I hope.
'Yes.' Tony said, snapping her out of her reverie and making her jump.
'Yes?' Pepper asked, confused.
'To your question,' Tony said, waving the notepad at her, which was now covered in numbers and letters. 'I can make a car that turns into a 12ft robot.'
Pepper stared for a moment, and then nodded, like this is what she expected. 'Thought so,' she said.
Tony chuckled, 'and the doctors think there's something wrong with me.'
Pepper smiled, 'I was thinking the same thing.
'Well there you go then,' Tony said, beaming. 'Great minds do think alike.'
Pepper laughed, 'or fools seldom differ.'
Tony battered her with the notebook gently, 'don't rain on my parade here, Potts.'
Pepper grinned, he hadn't changed, he was still exactly the same.
'Sir, Colonel Rhodes is at the door,' JARVIS said suddenly.
'Let him in,' Tony said, taking a sip of water from the glass in front of him.
Rhodey wandered in, carrying boxes of Chinese takeaway. 'Hey,' he said. 'I thought you might be here, Pepper, so I got enough for 3.'
Pepper jumped up and cleaned the table in front of them, then noticed that Tony was looking at Rhodey funny, really funny.
Tony turned to Pepper and opened his mouth but before he could speak Pepper had put a finger on his lips and was gazing at him with pleading eyes. Tony shut his mouth and swallowed.
'Hey… Rhodes,' he said, trying to produce a close-to-genuine smile.
'Hey Tony mate,' Rhodey said. 'How're you feeling?'
'Better, yeah, better,' Tony said, attacking the food.
Rhodey looked at Pepper sadly. Pepper shook her head.
Sighing, Rhodey turned his attention back to Tony, who was leaning back on the sofa, arms up behind his head.
'You two can stop your conspiracy now, my brain has landed,' Tony looked apologetically at Rhodey. 'Sorry Rhodey,' he said.
Rhodey grinned and clapped Tony on the shoulder. 'Not a problem mate, Transformers huh? Man I love this movie.'
Tony looked over at Pepper, who was bent down over her food, her long hair hiding her face.
'Pepper,' Tony whispered when Rhodey wasn't paying attention. 'I'm back.'
Pepper nodded, but didn't look up.