AN: Last update until Saturday! Enjoy!

The seconds it took for the final gate to open wide enough for him to pass through felt like an eternity. By the time they opened, Tony was bouncing on his feet, his patience all spent getting through the other nine doors between him and Pepper.

"Come on, come on! Open up already!" he growled at the door as though that'd make it move any faster, his eyes never leaving his wife's shiny blue ones.

Pepper stood watching him with her hands covering her mouth, tears trailing down her face in an endless stream. On the outside she appeared more calm than her husband but inside she was no less impatience than he was for the barriers between them to be removed. These final seconds of separation were almost as physically painful as the months of separation they'd already endured. She knew that the only thing that would bring relief she longed for was being able to touch and be touched by Tony again, so she willed for the gate to move faster with every fiber of her being. She found relief for the all the agony the last few months had caused when exactly one microsecond after the gate finally widened enough for him to squeeze through, Tony's lips crashed against hers.

They kissed until the need to take another breathe forced them to separate.

When they finally pulled apart, Tony wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. He was hanging on as though his life depended on it, and he murmured into her ear, "Oh, Pepper baby, I've missed you so much! Not being able to see, touch, or hold you or our kids whenever I wanted to hurt more than anything they did to me in that cave in Afghanistan!"

"I'm going to take you home away from this awful place," Pepper whispered, stroking his hair with her fingers, "And when we get there, I plan on keeping you close to me for a long, long time."

"Believe me, there's nowhere else in the world where I'm gonna want to be more than with you and our kids. Not for a very long, long, long time."

"I love you."

Tony buried his face in neck and just held onto her for a long minute. His voice was still soft when he asked, "Can we get out of here now? Please?"

She pulled back, and looked at him, nodding, "Happy is waiting for us just outside."

Tony intertwined his hand with hers, "Good. Let's go."

She nodded, and she began to lead the way towards the entrance/exit she had used earlier when she entered the prison. As they walked, Pepper couldn't help the number of times she looked at him or squeezed his hand with each being a way of her confirming that she wasn't dreaming, that he was walking out of prison with her a free, living, breathing man.

Happy was waiting for them by the car outside. His face lit up with a relieved smile when he saw Tony walking hand in hand with his wife. Then before he knew what he was doing he had walked over to them, and engulfed Tony in a tremendous bear hug.

For about ten seconds Tony allowed the hug to go on without protest but when Happy didn't let go after that, he started pulling away, "Alright Hap, enough with the manly hug and tears! I get it! I got the idea! You're happy to see me!"

Happy was beet red when he pulled away, and he did actually dab at his eyes as he said, "Sorry, boss. It's just so good to see you walk out of that place instead of what almost happened!"

Pepper couldn't help her giggle as she watched them. All of their moods sobered with the security man's mention of Tony's death sentence and almost execution.

"Uh yeah, Hap, thanks."

The other man sniffed as he turned to open the car door for them, "Why don't I get you two away from here?"

Taking Tony's hand again, Pepper replied softly, "Sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Yeah, let's blow this joint, hmm?" Tony said before getting into the car, and extending his hand to Pepper.

Happy closed the door behind them, and took his place behind the driver's wheel. He intended to put up the privacy screen for them but first there was a question that he needed to ask, "Where to? The house or airport?"

"House."

"Airport… wait what house?"

Pepper sighed, "The house I rented while you were… here."

Tony nodded, "Okay, why do you want to go there tonight?"

"Because you're obviously exhausted?"

"But I want to get as many miles as we can put between us and this place tonight."

"But-"

"Pepper, please, I want to go home," he pleaded, pulling her hand up to his mouth to kiss it before he began rubbing his thumb over the back. "Let's go home tonight… if you're not too tired?"

Pepper looked at him for a long moment, and sighed, "Okay, if you're sure-"

"I am."

"We'll go home then. Take us to the airport, Happy."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied with a salute before hitting the button to put up the privacy screen.

As the car began rolling out of the prison, Tony stared into his wife's eyes, "I love you." He kissed her hand again, the caressed her face, "I really hope that you're ready to hear that a lot because I am going to be like the most epic broken record of all time in the history of the world. I'm gonna say that to you several times a day for every single day that we have for the rest of my life."

She leaned towards him, pressing her lips against in a gentle kiss of renewal, and then touched her forehead to his as she said, "You're my world, you know. You and our kids… I don't need anything else as long as I have you and them with me. I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with you showing how grateful I am that you're still here with us, that you're still in my... our world."

They stayed that way for a few minutes until Tony sat back. He was still holding her hand, staring at the rings on it, and sighed, "I guess we'll have to find a replacement for mine as soon as things get settle down."

"A replacement for what?"

He released her hand so he could hold up his left hand to her what he was talking about, "My ring. It wasn't in among the stuff of mine when they returned my personal effects to me. I guess it got lost or maybe sto-"

Pepper cut him off by putting a finger of her other hand over his mouth, "It's not lost or stolen." Reaching inside of her sweater, Pepper pulled out a chain, "It's here."

When he reached out to take the chain from her hand, she moved it out of his reach, "No, let me do this."

"Okay," he said softly, watching her.

Pepper unlatched the necklace, and removed his ring off of it. Putting the chain down in her lap for the moment, she lifted his left hand with her right. With all the gentleness in the world, she slid the ring onto the finger on which it belonged before she lifted his entire hand to her mouth, and pressed a kiss on the back.

"There. Back where it should have always been."

"I love you,"

She kissed his hand again.

He looked at his ring for a long time after, "Feels good to have it back. My hand didn't feel right without it on. I mean they offered me one to wear while I was in there but it didn't feel right."

"Why? Because it was really cheap?"

"No," he said looking at her sharply, "No, of course not! You know that wasn't the reason at all!"

He yawned, and leaned his head back on the back of the seat, slumping down on it.

"Why?"

"Huh?"

"Then why didn't you take the replacement?"

"Well, because I wanted my own ring. The ring you chose for me, not some poor imitation."

She smiled.

"I'm so glad that you had mine with you all this time."

"Me too. It helped having it with me."

"Close to your heart."

"Close to my heart."

A moment of silence fell over them and was interrupted by Tony yawning as his exhaustion was had finally started to overwhelm him. When she look over at him, Pepper could see that he was fighting to keep his eyes from closing now. So Pepper watched him for another moment then she placed her hand softly on the other side of his face then gently guided his head towards her shoulder.

"Come here," she said tenderly, kissing his brow as his head settled into place on the offered pillow.

"Sorry," he muttered. "Just…. can't keep… my eyes open 'nymore."

"I know, I know." Pepper began stroking his hair, and after kissing him again, said, "Shhh, you have nothing to be sorry for. I know you're completely worn out."

"Mmmhmm."

"We've got an hour's drive to the airport. It's alright if you go to sleep, baby. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. It's okay if you want to go to sleep, okay?" She felt him nod. "Go to sleep."

"Mmmkay. Love you," Tony said, wrapping an arm around her waist before succumbing to his exhaustion.

"I love you too."

Pepper continued to kiss him and stroke his hair all the way to the airport, pausing only long enough occasionally to wipe away a few stray tears, so thankful to have him laying against her resting, alive, and warm after they… after she had almost lost him.

It was going to take some time but Pepper hoped and prayed that one day she might be able to forget the image of him laying strapped down on that gurney. It had only been a few minutes of time, but if she closed her eyes right now she could see him laying there with the white sheet covering his body, waiting to die in the moment when they sent the drugs rushing through the IVs they had inserted into his arms.

A grunt from Tony brought her out of her thoughts, and immediately she tightened her hold on him.

"No… no! I wanna see Pepper. Please she's… she's the only thing that matters to me. Please… please…"

Uncertain what to do at first, Pepper could only sit there and listen as he begged someone that she could not see, to allow him to see her. Was he reliving the day of his execution in his dreams or was this a new torment his mind concocted because it didn't understand fully yet that he had been exonerated? She didn't know which it was and she didn't care. All she knew he was being haunted in his sleep, and she had to put a stop to it.

She kissed the top of his head, and breathed soothing words tenderly into his hair, "Shh, Tony, I'm here. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere again. No one is ever going to separate us like that I again. I promise you that it is never going to happen again!". Her words must have gotten through to his unconscious mind because she felt him relax against her again.

The rest of their drive to the airport was uneventful, and Pepper allowed him to sleep until she felt the car roll to a stop. Knowing Happy would open their door any second, she kissed his brow, and patted his shoulder, "Tony?" There was no response from him other than a snort or a snore, she wasn't sure which, so she tried again, "Tony, honey, you need to wake up."

"Mmm."

"I know that you're still sleepy, and I'm sorry but we're at the airport now."

The whine that emanated deep from within her husband's throat reminded Pepper so much of their son that she couldn't help but smile, or doing what she usually did when Ethan didn't want to get up out of bed. Running her fingers up and down his spine she said, "You know, if you want to, you can sleep more on the plane after we've taken off."

He nodded while still leaning against her, then he pulled away. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, "Yeah, that sounds like a plan to me."

Before another word could be said, their door opened and Happy stood back on the other side, waiting for them to get out. With a nod, Tony slid out and immediately turned around to offer Pepper his hand as she got out of the car. Happy closed the door behind them, and followed them as they walked hand in hand into the airport together.

Ten minutes later they were secured into their seats in their private jet, waiting for the pilot to receive final clearance for takeoff. They were silent as they waited, electing to conserve what little energy they both had left. The ordeal of these past six months had depleted every last ounce of fortitude they may have had in their reserves. All they wanted now was to just go home, and heal by being with the people they love.

Tony held onto Pepper's hand while they waited for takeoff, rubbing his thumb against the back of it. He stared out at the runway as they slowly taxied down it into position. Pepper didn't say anything, watching her husband as he watched that was happening with the jet.

"We're fixing to take off," he murmured after they felt the jet come to a stop.

A chime over the intercom confirmed his supposition a split second later, and they each began a mental countdown knowing that in two minutes they'd feel the jet zoom down the runway then began its ascent. They weren't wrong: first they zoomed and then were pressed back into their seats as they aircraft climbed upwards into the air. Once they leveled off and given the all clear, Tony unbuckled his seatbelt right away. Pepper was a bit more slow to do so but soon she freed herself from her seatbelt too.

"Can I get you anything, Mr. Stark? Mrs. Stark?" the attendant asked a moment later as she appeared from the back of the plane. "The bed has fresh sheets on it if you'd like to go lay down." She was of course referring to the bedroom in the back of the jet that was furnished with a king sized bed.

After exchanging a look with her husband, Pepper shook her head, and said "Thank you but I think we're okay here although some pillows and blankets would be nice, Andrea."

Tony nodded, and yawning said, "Yeah, those sound, great."

The young woman smiled, "Sure, they're coming right up."

After she disappeared, Pepper turned her eyes back to her husband, and felt immediate concern when she saw he staring blankly at the space in front of him. She touched his arm, and said, "Tony?"

He looked at her blinking, "Huh?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, or rather nothing's wrong if I'm actually here with you in a private jet bound for New York instead of having some kind of cruel dream." He sighed, squeezing her hand like he was trying to convince himself that he is actually awake, and not dreaming, "I'm not, am I?"

"No, you're not. But I know what you mean. I-"

Andrea reappeared at that moment carrying their requested comfort items. She gave them pillows first, and once those were in place behind their heads, she helped with the spreading out of the blankets. "There, do either of you need anything else?"

"No, I think we're good."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, thank you, Andrea. Why don't you go get comfortable yourself and get some sleep? I know we got you out of bed because we decided to fly home tonight."

Andrea had a look on her face like she wanted to deny that she wanted to go take a nap herself but then she yawned, then smiled, blushing, "Oh, sorry."

Pepper gave her an all too understanding smile, "Like I said, why don't go get some sleep too while you can? Because..." She looked at Tony who was clearly fighting to keep his eyes open, "we're not going to be awake too much longer ourselves."

The young woman yawned again, and nodded, "Okay, I guess I will go grab a nap." She turned to leave, then stopped, "Mr. Stark?"

Tony opened his eyes to look at her, "Yes?"

"I...uh," she stuttered, then took a deep breath before continuing, "I'm glad things... that they finally figured out that you didn't do what they said you did."

He nodded a thank you, and the young woman quickly continued on her way, disappearing out of sight. "So what were you saying before?"

"Nothing that can't wait until after we've both gotten some sleep," Pepper replied, pushing the button to put her seat back.

"You sure?" Tony replied around another yawn.

"Yeah, I am. Now why don't you put your seat back so we both can get a little sleep? Hmm?"

With a nod, he put his own seat back, finally settling down after fluffing his pillow, and reaching out for his wife's hand.

Pepper readily took his hand, and squeezed it, "I love you."

"I love you."

She looked at him for a few seconds more, then closed her eyes, and felt him staring at her for several seconds more before the feelings went away. She laid there with her eyes closed for a few minutes just listening to the sound of his breathing. Finally when she had not fallen asleep, and she couldn't stand not seeing him a moment longer she opened her eyes to find his beautiful browns looking back at her in return.

"You know staring at your wife while she's sleeping won't help you get to sleep yourself, Mr. Stark," Pepper stated with a smirk.

"And just what were you planning to do yourself, Mrs. Stark?" Tony countered in a tone as playful as his wife's.

"Okay, okay, you caught me!" she admitted, "I couldn't help it! I needed to see you again!"

"Same here. I mean I am way beyond exhausted at this point but I can't seem to get enough looking at you or," he paused bringing her hand to his lips for a kiss, "touching you."

"Yeah, I feel the same way," Pepper murmured then kissed his hand.

"Maybe we should have went to lay down in the bed?"

She knew what he was thinking, that laying down together would make it so much easier for them to sleep in each other's arms but Pepper knew she didn't have the energy to make the transfer to the back. "Maybe, we should have. I don't think I can get up from here now even if I wanted to."

Tony nodded, yawning, "Okay, we'll make the best of staying right here then." He moved over as close as he could to her in the seat, and she did the same.

"Better?" she asked, closing her eyes.

"A little."

"Good, I'm going to try to sleep a little bit now."

"Okay, I'll try not to keep staring."

"Tony."

"Just kidding because as much as I'd like to keep looking at my drop dead gorgeous wife, I don't think I can keep my eyes open anymore."

"If I didn't have the same problem I'd be staring at my equally drop dead handsome husband."

"So let's sleep then?"

"Yeah, let's. Love you."

"Love you."