AN: So this'll be coming to an end soon, I hope you all like and will continue to like this story.
But please do review this one.
Keep your eyes peeled for a sequel...
Chapter 25 : The Fight,
Pepper POV.
Tony entered our bedroom looking tragically agitated.
Typically, hands on hips over the soft cotton material lining his torso that just looked so flawless, it left me biting my lip a little.
His hair stood out scruffily showing he'd been ruffling it in all different directions whilst Tony was on the phone to Phil Coulson pacing up and down the length of the workshop frustrated, the phone call seemed like it went on forever, to me, it resembled a tennis match. Comments conveying sarcasm and occasionally anger.
Tony silently moved around the bedroom getting things together, still with that same expression plastered all over his face. His brows furrowing, pace stopping at the middle of the room turning to look at me.
"Coulson called."
"I heard. What did Phil want?" I asked my husband. Tony threw himself on the bed, hands going up to tousle his hair further as he lay staring up at the ceiling.
"I have to leave Malibu, and go to New Mexico. It's apparently discreet enough to build the new Avengers HQ/ slash Tower." Tony huffed out a long devastated breath. Turning to see my expression.
"Ah. When?" I couldn't say I wasn't gutted because I seriously was. Missions were a giant pain, throughout them all, even the teary goodbyes, I somehow knew Tony would be back in a matter of days and in some cases up to a week.
Saying 'I have to leave' didn't sound or feel very nice not only did I lose my husband for however long, Evelyn would be cut off from her father for a while.
Asking if we were coming sounded a little inconvenient.
"Tomorrow morning, Pep. I don't know..." Tony trailed off.
"We'd get through it, it's only a little while. I mean, yeah, sure there'd be a bit of travelling but we could do it, right?"
"If you don't want to come down that's okay. But I'd miss you both." Tony said sadly looking over to me, taking my hand.
"Huh?
"'Huh' what?"
"I-I didn't think Evs and I were coming?" Tony smirked when I mentioned the new nickname he had come up with for our daughter.
"I didn't think you would want to, but there's business meetings this week!" Tony exclaimed.
"Wow, Tony Stark cares about a business meeting.. Quick call Forbes Magazine!"
"Funny, Potts. Real funny!"
After much deliberation, we'd come to a conclusion. Tony would catch the jet down to New Mexico tomorrow morning in hope of reaching the new tower that he helped design and construct a few months in advance. I must say it had towered up to the sky in no time at all, where Evelyn and I would stay in Malibu for five days for important business meetings I had to attend with the Board of Directors and R&D. As much as I didn't want five whole days of distance in-between us, that was the only sufficient resolution that we could come up with.
Obviously, Tony didn't want to be away from us for five days to but we'd have to make do and mend.
"Deal ,Potts." Tony pledged rolling into ,bed mentally noting to finish packing tomorrow morning.
"Love you, Pepper." Tony whispered just as I was climbing into bed, so I lunged forward to kiss him on the lips which he accepted gratefully. Tony wrapped his arms against me slightly laughing into the kiss.
"Love you too." I gave him one final kiss before dragging him down into the pillows with me.
... ... ... ... ... ...
I groaned against my pillow, relishing in the warmth of the sheets around me with the addition of Tony's aura safely around me. My head rested in the crook of his neck whereas Tony's chin rested on the top of my head. His shuffle of his position told me he had woken up as well. We were both so comfortable before Evelyn started crying louder than ever.
"I'll get it." I grumbled pulling my heavy head away from Tony's chest.
"It's my turn, I'll go." He rubbed my back before standing up and exiting through the door.
Even though I knew Tony was in Evelyn's room, the cries caused by her ear infection still bounced off of the walls. Heaving a sigh I dragged my body out of bed.
"Come on, if you keep this up you'll wake your mom. I'm sorry that your ill, Evelyn honey." Tony paced Evelyn's room holding her upright against his chest with her head settled on his shoulder while she cried. Leaning against the wall peeking in slightly I listened in on their conversation.
"I know it's nasty, isn't it? But how about this? Your gonna' grow up, and maybe even call Steve 'Uncle Stevie' or Bruce 'Uncle Brucie', go to school or whatever. Do whatever you want to do in life, who knows, eh? You may even be singing opera at the MET in twenty years. It'd be great if you went to MIT, of course, but no pressure I'd love you all the same if you didn't chose to do that... See, if we keep up a chatter it distracts you," Tony paused for a moment filling the new silence with rubs and more pacing.
"Oh, and I promise to tell you everything in a few years. Of course, I'm just going to apologize in advance for all of those times I'm going to be away on missions because unfortunately the world needs Iron Man. But you'll have Uncle Rhodey and Aunty Natasha. You're mom will always be here for you. I promise to be never like Howard." I peered around enough to see him almost well up.
"Tony Stark, I believe you may have gone soft." I announced myself into the room, smirking slightly. Tony circled around hugging Evelyn into his chest tighter.
"Potts. It's finally happened then, Christine was right." He narrowed his eyes.
"Huh? Have you been drinking chlorophyll again?"
"No, no. I mean you've caught me with another woman!" Tony laughed sleepily at my confused expression.
"I'd be worried if you smelt of a cheap motel but all I smell is her nice baby scent."
He only laughed. Tony shifted Evelyn's weight into one arm and reached the other one out towards me, I happily complied tucking myself into his side leaning into him looking up and smiling. Tony wrapped his arm around my waist and leaned down to kiss me.
"She doesn't have to go to MIT, and you won't bore her with techy facts!"
"I know, I know. Hey! She's gonna love it. You know how old I was when I first went to MIT I was-"
"Yes, and we all know what that did for your emotional maturity." I laughed into his t-shirt, reaching over to tickle Evelyn's tummy lightly as she seemed to be drifting off.
"There." He whispered as Evelyn's eyes drooped shut, breathing shallowed out showing she was perfectly asleep. She was the most gorgeous little thing in my whole world.
"You should tuck her back in, come to bed." I broke the silence in which we stared at Evelyn.
"But-"
"Tony!" I whisper-scolded him.
"I haven't got long left with her." Tony mumbled, walking over to perch on the arm of Maria's arm chair to stare down at her with the deepest compassion of fatherly love.
"You're not dying again, are you?" "No, Pepper I'm definitely not dying. Five days seems like a long time at the moment." He grieved over her and me in this quiet little intimate moment that we shared right now.
"Fury'll keep you busy, I'll have my phone with me twenty-four seven and my Skype account logged in. So don't worry okay?"
Tony didn't answer, only looked up when I slipped my hands under his to relieve him of Evelyn's weight. I placed her in her crib, my own caring hands tucking her in safely.
Leading Tony back into our bedroom for a final nights sleep together,
... ... ... ... ... ...
"Ready to go, Tony?" Emerging from the walk-in-wardrobe where I had changed for today's busy work schedule, I asked Tony the dreaded question. That same one we had been dreading all morning.
After Tony sadly said he was ready to go, reluctantly. All three of us piled into the Bentley, including Happy who drove us to the airport. Tony refused to set Evelyn down in her seat for the whole duration of the car ride he only hugged her close. Unable to offer any other comfort.
Happy decreased the cars speed to a crawl now that we had arrived on the tarmac, with the Stark Jet in view, luggage scattered around with it's owners slowly ambling up to the awaiting plane.
Clint and Natasha stood around quietly quarrelling over something - I wonder if Natasha told Clint about the baby yet?
Steve perched on his large suitcase checking his brown leather watch the shiny gold face of it reflecting light from the sun.
Fury and Phil Coulson walking over to the small gathering crowd waiting for the rest of the passengers to arrive.
A little more behind them, Bruce and Betty traipsed over as well, luggage trailing behind Bruce as he dragged it but Betty had her luggage too I supposed as she was a scientist Betty could lend a hand down at the facility. Sweetly, Betty looked snug from under the comfortable stance of his arm around his love's shoulders. It was lovely to see Bruce was beginning to get accommodated with those around him, accepting who he was finally himself.
Finally, Thor and Jane walked by. Hands intertwined on one of these special times for them when he travelled down to Migaurd - Earth. Unlike myself, both Betty and Jane were travelling down to New Mexico with their partners which saddened me greatly as I looked over at Tony who smirked, and slipped out of the car into the windy environment
Getting out too Tony approached me from the side hiking Evelyn higher on his hip.
" 'Gonna miss you both." Tony swung his arm around my shoulders, Evelyn fitting nicely in between us.
"Same here-"
"STARK! Let's go!" Fury barked herding the team up the steps and to the doorway to the plain in which they all disappeared through.
"Seriously?!" Tony snapped back, rounding to face me positioning his back to Fury.
Tony enveloped Evelyn securely in his grip closing his eyes just to feel her one last time.
"Bye." Tony whispered into her neck.
I took her from him; teary eyes and all.
"STARK!"
"Alright, Alright!... Bye Pep." He said his farewell and inclined for a final, much needed, passionate kiss.
Ambling off, expression grief stricken, toward the plane he glanced behind several times.
As soon as the plane descended from the tarmac gliding on the clouds, Evelyn started sobbing into the skin of my neck.
"Home, please Happy." I tiredly sighed instantly missing the warm spaciousness of the sea over looking mansion.
I spent the rest of that evening hopelessly devoting myself to Evelyn. Trying to calm her from her endless cries that quite truthfully made me rather teary knowing she missed the scent, touch and comforting voice of Tony.
On this one exception; I kept her in my bed overnight as I had no hope in hell of sleeping. All Evelyn wanted was at least one parent by her side.
... ... ... ... ... ...
Tony POV.
Everyone was here with their partners.
Clint and Natasha naturally together.
Bruce finally allowing Betty properly into his life.
Thor and Jane reuniting after a little time apart while he was in Asgaurd dealing with Loki matters and Jane back on Earth.
Steve was here alone, as per usual.
All I had to occupy myself was devices in the Avenger's Tower to fiddle with. Keeping my genius mind busy is proven to be quite the task. In between; Phone and Skype calls to Pepper was all I had thought about for the past few days.
I had spent the last three days exploring the lab Bruce and I had been given to work in, reluctantly participating in Fury's stupid training exercises and working out.
These - idiotic -training exercises were apparently an excellent way to simultaneously increase mobility, flexibility, stamina, targeting, and team 'relationships'. Ew.
"Stark! Put some effort in; Cap isn't picking up your slack again!" Fury yelled through the microphone to the underground training arena. In reply I swivelled, aimed and shot at him with my repulsor which hit the bullet proof glass the bright white shot splitting at the contact of the glass and spreading through the room. Fury looked disapprovingly at me but otherwise unaffected by my deliberate shot.
Seeing the team scattered in the holographic room designed with masked villains we were supposed to defeat in a set time in this futuristic wreckage setting.
Fuck sake, Tony. Get your act together
. I thought to myself.
Steve rushed around me, shield in hand throwing it like a boomerang beating down some masked holographs. He rhythmically swivelled and kicked just like everyone else.
Suddenly the blustering collision of metal bashing metal shocked and knocked me forwards totally unexpectantly. Captain America's blue, white and red vibrainium metal made shield hitting me right at the base of my spine, even through the gold titanium alloy exoskeleton of the Iron Man suit; the vibration of the collision radiated through the metal leaving my back feeling unbearably black and blue.
"Get a MOVE ON!" Steve yelled from across the room catching his shield at full speed.
I grunted at the pain developing in my back.
"JARVIS? Do me a favour yeah? Get him right in the spine, special treatment for our old Super Soldier."
"Sir, I don't think that would be the Samaritan thing to do, Mrs. Stark would not approve." JARVIS scolded me with his British accent.
"Pepper isn't here JARVIS, get a backbone. Do it." Instantly JARVIS fired up the RT chest piece, the white light rapidly filtering upwards illuminating each strip of metal across the stomach and chest. The shot of it caused me to recoil but hit Steve right out of his very occupied state, the shot so powerful Steve flew off of the upturned car he stood on.
I lifted my faceplate, the interfaces projected in the helmet disappearing so I could see fully around me.
"What the hell, Stark!" Steve yelled pushing himself onto his feet, marching over to me.
"Lay off! It's a training exercise! Not real life!"
"And how's that an excuse?! Just because your lazy doesn't mean that we have to do double the work to cover you! We have to train!"
"Guys, leave it. Jesus." Clint sighed jumping down from a built in building, grabbing Natasha by the hand.
"No! No, way! He's way out of line! Why should I take his shit?! Oh yeah; 'Captain America' right? We're not his soldiers, how many times must I say that?!" I snapped at Clint shoving past Steve being careful to clip him on the shoulder with my shoulder plate.
So embarrassing to be seen in public with him I-
Another screech across my back and stab of sharp searing pain threw me on my stomach.
Well, then.
I snapped down my face plate using the jet thrusters in my boots to give myself a slightly higher altitude. Before Steve could think to react, I took him out by yanking his torso into my grasp and accelerating forward until we hit the hard cold concrete that was the wall.
Steve yelled out in anger and jumped out of my grasp with some help from his feet which advanced against my chest pushing me effectively away, down to his feet, throwing me down with a deathly metal crash. The crash urged some cringed intakes of breath.
I tired blasting him with the repulsor but Steve quickly picked up the fallen shield to the side of him with his red leather glove clad hands. My head pulsed in my helmet, limbs ached, back felt as if it was breaking. I suddenly lost Steve from my sight only to be greeted with a door from one of the upturned cars across the left side of my head. Ow. Just as I was about to make contact to Steve's spleen with my cast iron hand, Fury's infuriated voice echoed off of the walls.
"STARK! ROGERS! In here; NOW!"
Clint grabbed Steve by the shoulders pushing him away from me (quite uselessly as Steve happened by to around a thousand times stronger than Clint) . I followed. Really pissed at Steve.
Being the last to enter the examination room I found everyone to be staring at me. Like I had done something wrong. All except a less green Bruce who stood there frowning at Fury.
"Clear up your act. The both of you. Or I will both lock you up in solitary confinement with only Justin Hammer's voice for company. Got it?!" Fury said to us both angrily not even waiting for an answer before sweeping out of the room with Maria Hill hot on his heels.
Boy, I couldn't wait for Pepper to get here.