"...So I ask you to remember the case involving Roxxon Norco. My assistant will be waiting for your reply. Have a nice day." Pepper hung up the phone, then heard the knock on the door:

"I'm going to DC, do you want something from there?"

"Honest politicians." She said, and Maria laughed. "What are you gonna do in DC?"

"Get some permissions for the Stark World Expo. On the way I will stop in a notary's office and deliver this…" She gave a document to her boss. "It came just now, from New York."

"Patent registration request…" Pepper read the paper, discovering what it was. "So Tony found a way to James to walk again…" A smile filled her face, and she gave the document back to Maria. "Give priority to this request."

"Got it. And...uh...boss?"

"Yes?" She stopped taking notes and looked up.

"Mr. Stark is here. Shall I authorize him to enter?"

"Oh… Yeah, let him in." The redhead straightened in her chair and waited. Then Maria opened the door and held it, so Tony and Happy could enter.

"Since when you wait to receive permission before enter my office, or anywhere else?" Pepper said surprised, arguing mentally if she should get up and hug the man or not. Eventually she decided not to do so. "Are you ok?"

"Always." He sat in the chair in front of the table. "And you?"

"I'm fine. And swamped. You and the Avengers have given me a lot of work…" She looked at the phone. "Just now, I was talking to the president. He, like everyone, requires explanations about the latest events. Once the government no longer be able to hold the news about the prison break, I'm gonna make an appointment for a press conference; so the Avengers can make an official statement."

"Good idea. Do it. In the compound. No one uses the tower anymore. By the way, once we're on this subject: I'm gonna sell it."

"The Avengers Tower?

"Yep."

"My baby?"

"Well…"

"Oh. Right. I almost forgot. Is not my baby; since I have only 12% of the credit and my name is not on the deed, isn't it?" She teased him.

"Uh...Uh…" Tony stammered.

"I'll call the imobiliary agency." Pepper was about to pick up the phone, when noticed the presence of the second man. "Are you still here?"

"Uh...uh…" It was Happy's turn to stutter.

"What's wrong with you guys today?" She looked at them with a frown.

"He wants a promotion!" Tony pointed to his friend, snitching on him. "He wants a promotion...but is too afraid to ask." Then he looked at his side, finding a sideboard with several drink options available. Pepper looked at Happy amazed and the head of security stuttered again.

"Promotion?"

"Yeah, he wants to de-stress a little." Tony prepared two glasses of whiskey as said.

"I think Happy can speak for himself…" The woman rested her chin on her fist, facing the head of security.

"Here." Tony handed a glass. "This will help."

"I can't drink at work!"

"Soon you will no longer have a job, if you don't start talking…" Pepper had to threaten him. Then the man filled his chest and said:

"I wanted to be transferred to asset management."

"Asset Management?"

"It's less stressful than be head of security!"

"Tony." Pepper made him shut up, then faced Happy again. "Go on."

"I... have explored this branch a little, and I have being doing really well! Tony is witness, I'm doing a good job!"

"That's true." Stark took a sip of his drink, now double, since Happy refused his. "He took care of the kid until he returned to Queens, then took care of the transport of Dum-E and U to the tower…"

"All they arrived on time and with no damages!" Happy immediately added.

"Once we're on this subject...I was wondering...what were in your mind when you decided to take a kid to war!? Are you crazy!?" Pepper exploded.

"We needed help!"

"He's only 15!"

"He was fine! I Didn't let him do anything too dangerous!" Tony defended himself, and the woman sighed, trying to calm down.

"His aunt...she knows that?"

"No."

"Of course not; or she would never allow that to happen, right?" The woman smiled ironically. "What did you tell her?"

"That the kid is doing an internship with us, and from time to time, he will need to make a few trips."

"Great, you're including me in that too!" Pepper kept the irony. "And when she connect the dots?"

"She won't. Even because I'm not calling him again so soon. I just called him before because it was an emergency. But now, no big stuff. I have made it clear that it is for him to stay in his, being the friendly neighborhood; solving little things and letting the big ones to professionals. He'll be fine. Happy is already taking care of him."

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, it will be less stressful than work with all those employees who insist on not using the damn badge…"

"By the way, where's yours?" Happy inspected his friend with his eyes, looking for the object.

"Hey, I'm trying to help you here! Can you help me to help you?"

"If you've hired him already, so why did you cross the country, just to tell me that?" Pepper interrupted the discussion of the men.

"You're the boss. The official thing is up to you." He replied with a smile impossible to resist. Then the woman sighed and men celebrated with a hi-five, knowing what was coming:

"Alright...I'll arrange the paperwork. Welcome to asset management, Hap."

"Thank you boss."

"And please, consult a nutritionist. I saw your electrocardiogram, and you really should slow down with chicken buckets…"

...

"So he will stay with you or with him?"

"Speaking that way, it seems that Tony and I are divorcing and Happy is our son…" Pepper said while stretching out on the sofa, in one of the living rooms of her home. "He stays with me. But when the kid or Tony need, he will go there."

"Do you think that will work?"

"Hope so. He really needs to de-stress."

"And nothing better to de-stress than taking care of a teenager…" Maria offered a Martini and Pepper accepted. "Changing the subject!" She sat on the coffee table. "Let's talk about your break-up."

"We didn't break-up, we're just taking a break." The woman corrected her, before giving an sipped on her drink.

"It's not what people think." Maria delivered a starkpad to her boss. "That will go out tomorrow."

"Oh my God…" It was all that Potts were managed to say, reading the cover of a famous magazine:

'IT'S OVER! Iron Couple rusts and Tony Stark and Pepper Potts' relationship comes to an end! Stark makes clear that Iron Man is priority and let Stark Industries' CEO with heartbroken!'

Then she slided to the next page, which was the full news:

'It lasted beyond the expected, but one more of Tony Stark's relationship - the most durable so far - came to an end.

Stark has a long historic of women he has been involved with - always for one night only -. So it was shocking when he revealed in a press conference, seven years ago, that he was in a serious relationship with his former assistant.

Once it was completely unexpected, and knowing Stark's past, just a few of people believed that their relationship would last. - let alone the seven years that it lasted. But indeed that Tony Stark post-Afghanistan - where he suffered an accident that resulted in the need to use his famous Arc Reactor on his chest (the same was removed years later) and was held captive for three months, until he created the first Iron Man suit and managed to escape. - is not the same as before.

Since he assumed that he is Iron Man, the amount of polemics involving Stark and parties, drinks and women has been reduced to almost zero. The last case was at a birthday party, (would it be a midlife crisis?) When, under influence of alcohol, he startled the guests and destroyed his Malibu mansion with one of his suits.

On the other hand, there has been more and more polemics involving Stark and disasters - some of them caused by himself - as when, on national television, he threatened a terrorist and revealed the address of his residence; for a few hours later, the same get attacked and destroyed completely (Stark was even given as dead at that time).

The most recent incident was the creation of Ultron, and as result, Sokovia falling from the sky, coming close to causing the complete extinction of life on our planet. Stark took full responsibility from the events; and residents and tourists who were in the city that tragic day are still trying to recover from the disaster two years ago.

The reason for the couple's separation would be not only the fact that Tony was causing problems and more problems, but the fact that with more and more problems, the Avenger spent more time with his special suit and less with Potts, who, tired of being left hand, forced him to choose between her and Iron Man. And Stark made his decision.

Suspicions that the Iron Couple was rusting arose when Pepper started to be seen always alone, even at events of charity or of the couple's company - Stark Industries.

Meanwhile, Tony was less and less seen in his social life, and increasingly fighting crime. The last time he was seen without the Iron Man suit was about a month ago, at the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), where he gave a speech and presented the September Foundation - a private organization that provides scholarships and financing projects for students of science and engineering - financed by Stark Industries and created by Potts, who did not attend the event.

Sources reveal that the presence of Pepper was scheduled - and was then canceled,

'Stark made his presentation with ease, until there was a time when he looked at the teleprompter and his face became darkened, sad. Then he said goodbye and left the stage with some urgency. The teleprompter said he should call Pepper Potts, but she wasn't present.'

The last time the couple was seen together was last year, in an annual outreach event of Stark Industries, where they even announced the Stark World Expo - which as the name reveals, will travel around the world; starting in 2018.

That brings the question: who will get the Stark Industries?

The company was founded by Howard Stark - Tony's father - and after his death, was inherited by his son.

Recently we discovered that Howard did not die in a car accident, but by the hands of James Barnes - The Winter Soldier - who murdered him and his wife, Maria Stark, in December 1991.

When the tragedy happened in the family, Tony was still too young to run the company. So until he came of age, the Stark Industries were led by Obadiah Stane - which until then was a friend of the Starks.

When reached adulthood, Tony finally took over the company. But years later he became Iron Man and gave the post to Potts - which at that time was still his assistant only.

Shortly after, the couple revealed that their relationship wasn't just as boss-employee, but that they were in a loving relationship. Potts continued ahead of Stark Industries, who were living - and still live - its glory days.

So, with the separation, who gets the empire? The heir? The savior? Or there will be a joint custody?

Stark and Potts had a 7 year relationship, and together amassed a fortune of about $15 billion. The former couple has no children.'

Pepper let a long sigh get out. Then closed her eyes and ran her free hand on her head. She thought with herself.

"I need you to convene a press conference."

"Are you gonna talk about your private life?" Hill surprised.

"Of course not. The Avengers will make statements about the accords and the latest events. Who cares about a ridiculous gossip magazine?" Pepper drink the rest of her Martini and stood up, going to prepare another one.

…

"So now you'll have to take care of a child? Rhodes asked, while walking slowly on a treadmill.

"It's being calm, so far. The worst part is that he sends me messages all the time. It's annoying." Happy complained.

"Just watch his moves, and everything will be ok…" Tony said, watching the operation of the equipment in Rhodes' legs.

"How long will you have to do that?" James drank some water.

"Until he's ready."

"That will take some time! He's a completely clumsy child! Said Rhodes, increasing the speed of the treadmill. Then he looked at Happy, who seemed uncomfortable with something. "How is this project of goatee going?"

"Scratching!" He complained, scratching his chin. Then he searched in his pockets for something to eat, until he found a small bar of chocolate with caramel.

"It is good. Now you learn to be loyal to your friends! You weren't cheering for my team, so now you'll have to be like me." Tony then stared at the small bar that Hap was about to bite; until he gave it to him, complaining silently. "Thank you, traitor!" He bit the small bar, and Hap rolled his eyes. Until his attention was diverted to James, who didn't support the speed of the treadmill and fell on the floor.

"Damn, Rhodes! Do you wanna break the column even more?" Happy screamed and, along with Tony, helped his friend to get on his feet.

"Who is the clumsy child now?" Stark joked.

"Shut up…" He groaned.

"Are you ok?"

"I'm great. Just need to go to the bathroom. Tony Stank here may want to follow me, as he's familiar with the situation…" James joked with his friend's face, and Tony watched them laugh; until they noticed a head popping up on the floor:

"Could someone explain me this story of Tony Stan…"

"Vision!" They shouted at the same time.

"My apologies..." He came back from where he had come, so he could access the stairs and enter from the door.