In Marvel terms, the First Phase of my story is nearly over, :P

So to mark the end and because the trial was damn long, there shall be some fluff and smut... next week, if I can finish it in time. Soft maybe.

And then after that Phase 2 kicks off with Wakanda. And I never planned on this story having a Phase 2 (I was going to end with Pepper and Tony coming back to Earth) so I need to plan that out.

Thank you for sticking with the story so far!


They spoke for another fifteen minutes about this and that. Then Rhodey yawned widely. "Shit, I am beat."

Tony patted his back. "Go back to your barracks, soldier and get some rest."

He stood up and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"I actually should. I have a meeting with my CO at 9 am and then I got to teach an aerodynamics class at the Army college nearby. So Tony, you'll tell me when you plan to fly to Wakanda, right? I'll try to get some shore leave and meet you there."

"Yes, Rhodey. Hey, wait a minute, won't you get into trouble?"

Rhodes looked confused, so he elaborated, "You and I aren't supposed to be working together, remember? The Avengers initiative is disbanded. I am no longer an official super-hero of the United States government."

His friend smirked. "Hey, you and I are still friends and I ain't going to pussy-footing around, trying to hide that from Ross. If he comes at me, I am going to tell him to shove off. I don't work for him anymore, either. My CO is going to bring War Hammer under his division of the Air Force, since the government doesn't have any superheroes anymore. And Ross really can't object to me going to Wakanda, because what I do on my own money and own time, is my business."

Tony smiled at him and Rhodes asked, "You guys going back to Malibu tonight?"

Pepper said, "No, James. We have to attend a conference tomorrow. The Adoite Energy Conference."

"Oh! Wait, we? As in..." he pointed at Tony. "Stark is coming with you?"

Pepper nodded happily, beaming from ear to ear and Tony hugged her to him.

"Yes, I am, JAMES."

"Really?" Rhodey raised his eyebrows and smirked at him. "I know you and conferences, Tony, you are going to be there... after it is all over."

"No way, Platypus! Tomorrow, I am going to be Miss Potts nerd-a-hire for the day. And I am going to be there on time. At 10 am."

Rhodes looked at Pepper. "If he doesn't wake up, call me, so I can kick his ass and get him there."

"That won't be necessary, James, if Tony doesn't wake up on time, I am going to do that myself."

James grinned and shook his head. "I'll see you in Wakanda, Tony."

He kissed Pepper on the cheek and left them.

Pepper leaned her head on his shoulder. "So, what's next?"

"Whatever do you mean, Potts?"

"Don't play coy, Stark, I saw you stare at that Ferris wheel from time to time. You wanna go for a ride?"

"Yes, please! Let's!"

"Okay but just one ride, Tony! Then we go home."

"Just one ride, I promise!"

They walked up to the ticket counter, bought two tickets and approached the ride. The ride operator turned the wheel, lowering an empty seat. Tony handed him their tickets and he opened the safety bar.

Pepper climbed into the seat and Tony sat down next to her. The operator fixed the bar back in place, turned the wheel and they slowly rose into the crisp night air. The bright lights of the park lay below them, sparkling in the darkness.

"It's so noisy down there but so quiet up here." said Pepper, snuggling up against him.

"I know..." he said, burrowing his nose in her hair and taking a deep appreciative whiff.

"Pepper."

Tony looked at her, trying to find the words to tell her what he wanted to say.

I don't want to sound emotional... or corny...

He swallowed hard and Pepper said softly, "What is it, Tony? You can tell me anything, you know that."

"Pep... I... I do not know how to face Steve again. I don't know what to say or what to do or how to behave..."

She caught his hand gently and something burst inside him.

"The last time I met Rogers... things ended badly. I'll admit, I lost my temper. I know I should have thought things through. I should have paused to think. Barnes was obviously being brainwashed. He was being held hostage, well, his mind was being held hostage and I know what that's Iike. I should have been more understanding. I should have..."

He looked out at the twinkling lights below.

"I lost a good friend in Siberia and I want... I want to mend things between us. We need to stand together, now more than ever."

"Tony..." Pepper said softly. "What happened in Siberia, wasn't entirely your fault. Yes, you lost your temper. But you had just been told that you had been lied to for nearly twenty years. That your parents didn't die by accident, that they were assassinated in cold blood. And your good friend, your teammate, a man you looked up to... he knew about it. And he intentionally kept it from you. It was a lot to take in at that moment. And personally... I feel Steve went about it ... rather crudely."

"Pep. Bucky is his friend. Was. His good friend. And Steve was looking out for him. It is just that..."

He lowered his head, unwilling to finish his sentence but Pepper completed it for him.

"You thought you were his friend too and it hurt you that he was willing to fight you, just to keep the Winter Soldier safe. Just to protect the man who murdered your parents."

Tony looked at her as she tightened her grip on his hand.

"You weren't wrong to feel hurt, Tony. But you have to let it go. You have to let your anger and hurt go."

"I can do that! But... but I don't ... I don't know if I can trust Steve again!"

"That's true. You lost your faith in your friend, which is perfectly natural. And rebuilding such faith, such trust is going to take time. My advice to you, is to let it."

"What do you mean?"

"You can't go back to the way things were before Siberia. A lot has happened since then..."

"And we aren't even the same people anymore." Tony said wryly.

"Exactly. So don't go back. Try to build something new."

"I still don't understand, Pep."

"Meet Steve and the others. See what they have in mind. Exchange stories and ideas. But keep in mind that it's going to take time to trust each other again. Accept that and work together for the future. Forge a new friendship from this tragedy brought out by Thanos. And if you want to talk to Steve, to get it out, then definitely do so but do so civilly. Explain how you felt."

He nodded, seeing her point.

"Tony, you lost someone close to you, Steve has too. You both are grieving. Remember that. Unite in your grief. Anger at the past is of no use."

Pepper pushed his hair back from his brow.

"Don't worry, honey. I know the first steps are tough. But think about this. It isn't just Steve you are meeting. You can catch up with Bruce and Thor."

"Yes!" Tony said excitedly. "I want to discuss my accelerator and my nanobyte Arc and my... Shit! Me and Banner have a lot to talk about! And it will be good to see Point Break again."

"And you always wanted to see Wakanda tech."

"Yes! I always felt there was more to Wakanda than meets the eye! And Bruce and now Rhodey just confirmed my hunch! Also, I really want to meet Princess Shuri. T'Challa always spoke about his sister's intelligence and inventiveness and I want to discuss so much with her!"

Pepper smiled and he added, "Whatever has happened in the past, it will be good... good to be part of a team again. To discuss things with others, others who know what it's like to fight... others who have gone into battle, with you before... and knowing..."

Tony stopped and then swallowed hard, trying to clear the lump in his throat.

"Knowing that you aren't the only one still alive."

She kissed his nose and nuzzled him.

He sighed, enjoying the way Pepper felt cuddled against him and then whispered softly, "Honey, will you come with me to Wakanda?"

She just looked at him quietly.

"I know you are busy with Stark Industries but we haven't gone away together in a long long time. This could be like a mini-vacation. This could be like our second trip to Venice... after we got together... Pepper..."

He cupped her cheek. "I just want to spend time with you. Once I go to Wakanda, I do not know what is going to happen, especially since the others can't come back to the US. I may have to stay there for some time. So we could spend some days together and then you could leave. What do you say? Just for a day or two, at least."

She nodded with a small smile and he stroked her satiny skin with his thumb.

Tony kissed her forehead. "We could go on a safari! Or a waterfall rafting ride! But none of those boring official state tours! And no museums. At all."

Pepper giggled. "Tony! We won't go to a museum on our own but if such a tour is arranged by the Princess, I don't see how we can get out of it."

"I'm sure you will find a way, Potts."

"Oh, now I have to find a way out of tours, huh?"

He grinned cheekily at her. "I get us in trouble, you get us out of trouble, remember?"

Then Tony leaned towards her and she placed her hand on his Arc, her blue eyes searching his.

He whispered slowly, "What I really want to do... is find a secluded watering hole or pond... and..."

Tony tilted his head and moved towards her ear. He whispered against her soft skin, "And go skinny dipping with you, Potts..."

She shivered against him and took a deep breath, her chest pushing against his.

He pushed her hair away from the side of her face and whispered again, making sure to brush his lips across her ear.

"Think about it, cool blue water, hot African sun... you and me, floating lazily, you in a teeny-weeny bikini... I know you have one, Potts..."

Pepper moistened her lips with her tongue.

Tony followed the movement with his eyes, watching as her lips curved. Then she whispered sexily, "I do have such a bikini, Stark, and it is in your favorite color, hot-rod red."

He grinned broadly, gazing into her deep blue eyes as her hand tightened against his shirt.

Tony leaned in to kiss her when Pepper said firmly, "But I'll wear my bikini... if and only if... you wear the tiny baby-blue Speedos, that are buried at the back of your closet."

He backed away, shaking his head in the negative and she laughed musically.

"Don't be such a wuss, Stark!"

"Those... those... those are way too small! They hardly cover my butt, Potts!"

She cupped his jaw. "That's why I want you to wear them, Stark..."

"I could be arrested for indecent exposure." Tony protested but he was distracted because Pepper was tracing his beard with her fingers, caressing his skin slowly.

"Don't worry, Stark. I'll make sure to cover your... naked bits... with my body..." she said sultrily and brushed her lips with his, kissing him oh-so-softly.

Tony sat perfectly still as she wound her hands around his neck and kept kissing him, her lips slowly moving over his, while her fingers played idly with the back of his hair.

When her tongue teasingly touched his, he shuddered and held her to him, kissing her back equally slowly.

They kissed slow and soft for sometime, the comforting darkness of the night sky surrounding them as the park sparkled and shone below them.

Pepper finally let him go, her sapphire blue eyes gazing tenderly into his as she stroked his hair.

"Tony. I don't have enough words to express... how thankful I am, that you are back here with me. I don't know what I would have done if you..."

He touched his forehead to hers and whispered back, "I don't know what I'd have done without you either, Potts..."

She closed her eyes and whispered fervently, "Promise me, Tony, promise me!"

"Tell me, Pepper."

"Promise that you won't disappear back into space, leaving... leaving me behind again... Promise..."

He could sense the fear behind her words but whispered his promise and felt Pepper smile against his face.