A/N: From reading the reviews, it seems most of you don't think Justin Hammer joining the Avengers is a good idea. Funny that. LOL Let's find out what the rest of the team think, shall we?

Chapter Seven

"I've taken a couple of hits to the head today," said Steve, "but did that guy just say he wanted to join the Avengers?"

Justin smoothed down his coat jacket. "I did indeed, my star spangled friend."

For a brief moment Tony had been lost for words, but he'd recovered now. Tony looked Justin over. "And what exactly would you be bringing to the table, Hammer?" he asked sarcastically. "Hair and makeup?"

Pepper couldn't help but smile at that jab, but Justin seemed unfazed.

"I bring untold resources," said Justin confidently. "My money, my vision, my belief in what the Avengers are fighting for. I have designs in my research and development section that would blow your mind."

"What would blow my mind is if any of them actually worked," said Tony flatly. "You're kidding me with this stuff, right?"

"Why is it so impossible to believe that I want to give back to the world?" Justin protested. "In prison you have a lot of time to assess where you went wrong in life and all I want to do is have a chance to prove that I'm someone who has a lot to give. The Avengers want to change the world and I want to be a part of that."

"We're here to protect the world," Steve corrected him. "Protect it from people like you, Hammer."

"I've made mistakes," said Justin sincerely, "but like I said, we all have. What matters is what you make of those mistakes and what you learn from them. That's the measure of a man."

"I can't believe I'm hearing this," said Tony and shook his head. "I can't believe I'm hearing this and not throwing you out that window, that's what I really can't believe."

"The Avengers need help," continued on Justin blithely. "I mean, today couldn't have been called a day of resounding teamwork, now could it? There are a lot of things blocking the Avengers from being a real team."

Tony arched an eyebrow. "And what, you're going to be our own personal enema, Hammer, is that it?" He pursed his lips. "Oddly fitting really, seeing as you've always given me the craps."

"I'm offering to help," said Justin sincerely. "There is a lot more to being a hero then just putting yourself in harm's way. You have to know how to play the game."

Tony's face hardened. "I guess that's where the problem lies," he said darkly, "this isn't a game to us."

Justin gave a short laugh. "Oh, the irony of Tony Stark telling me everything isn't a game." He looked Tony over. "Everything you've ever done in your life was about winning and playing a game and now you're expecting me to believe you don't see the Avengers the same way?"

"You're done," said Tony flatly. "I've got better things then to listen to delusional idiots babble on about things he knows nothing about. That's why we have a senate." He indicated the door. "Leave."

Justin sighed and looked saddened. "So, that's a no then?"

"That's a hell no," said Tony sharply.

He shrugged. "Well, I'm very sorry to hear that. I really hoped we could work together, Tony. It's long been a dream of mine."

"It's long been a dream of mine to see you squashed like a bug," said Tony in annoyance. "We all have to learn to live with disappointment."

Justin shrugged. "Ah well, I tried." He went to move towards Pepper, hands outstretched. "Can we at least part as friends, Pep?"

The Hulk let out a deafening bellow as Justin stepped closer to Pepper, rattling the windows and actually knocking Justin off his feet and over the back of the nearby sofa. Justin immerged from behind it blinking a little blearily as the Hulk glowered menacingly down at him, grunting warningly.

"Oh yeah," said Tony calmly, "and the Hulk's got pretty defined personal parameters when it comes to Pepper as well."

Justin got unsteadily to his feet, and warily backed away from both Pepper and the Hulk. "Okay, well, I feel like I may have overstayed my welcome," said Justin. He smoothed back his hair and straightened his clothes. "I hope you're not going to regret not giving my offer serious consideration."

Steve didn't look impressed. "Is that threat?"

"No," said Justin calmly, "it's an expression of concern." He smiled at them all. "I can find my own way out."

"But you won't," said Lewis steadily. He nodded at Cody and John and they immediately walked over and flanked Justin as he stepped into the elevator.

Justin gave them all a jaunty salute as the doors closed. As soon as he was gone, Tony turned to Lewis and gave him a severe look. "I told you not to let the guy up here."

"And Ms. Potts told me she wanted to speak with him," said Lewis impassively.

"We've discussed this," Tony ground out, ignoring the fact that the Hulk was actually transforming back into Bruce as they were speaking.

"Yes, we have," agreed Lewis evenly. Impressively he didn't bat an eye at the transformation going on over in the corner.

Tony wasn't letting go. "I told you to keep that guy out." He sent a quick look over at Bruce who was bent over and trying to get his bearings after transforming from the Hulk. "Ass crack, B."

Bruce immediately fumbled to pull up his pants which hadn't shrunk down quite as easily as Bruce had and revealed a portion of his no longer green buttocks.

Pepper moved to take Bruce's arm to steady him. "Lewis doesn't take orders from you, Tony," she said firmly, "he takes them from me." She smiled at Bruce. "Are you okay?"

"Did we win?" asked Bruce, shaking his head and still looking a little out of it. He frowned. "Did the other guy hurt anyone?"

"We vanquished the metal creatures," Thor informed him, "and thy brute hurt no one. Take comfort, my friend, all has ended well."

"Except that I got a woman shot," said Steve unhappily.

Pepper looked at him in surprise. "I'm sure it wasn't your fault, Steve."

"It's becoming my speciality," said Steve, his face darkening, "letting women get hurt."

"If it was anything like the circumstances of what happened with me then you have nothing to feel badly about," she told him firmly.

Steve didn't look convinced by her reassurance.

Bruce looked out the large window at the city below. He blinked a couple of times. "What happened to the Statue of Liberty?" he asked unevenly. "Oh God, please tell me the Hulk didn't do that."

"No, no," said Tony quickly, shooting a warning look at the other men, "that's been like that for ages. I can't believe you haven't noticed before now."

Bruce gave him a sour look. "That was me, wasn't it?"

"Technically it was more the ring-shaped bomb that the other guy took a shine to that caused the issue," said Tony.

"Ring-shaped bomb?" repeated Bruce in confusion.

Pepper gave Bruce a reassuring smile. "Steve, Thor, why don't you debrief Bruce downstairs while I have a quick word with Tony?"

Tony nodded. "That's a good idea and Jarvis, is my suit properly quarantined now?"

"Yes, sir, in a glass containment unit as you instructed."

"Start running proper diagnostics on it," Tony instructed him.

"What happened to your suit?" asked Pepper in concern.

"He got cooties," Steve informed her as he and Thor helped Bruce to the elevator.

"No, I didn't," said Tony in annoyance. He paused and then cocked his head. "Okay, maybe I did."

"What does that mean?" asked Pepper with a frown as the elevator closed on the other men, leaving her, Tony and Lewis.

Tony looked over at Lewis. "Do you have somewhere else you need to be right now?"

Lewis looked over at Pepper and she nodded. "I'll be heading out soon," she informed the other man, "can you make sure we can actually get out of the building, please, Lewis?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said and immediately went to do as she asked.

"I don't like that guy," Tony announced as soon as he was gone. "Won't do what he's told."

"Lewis does exactly what I tell him to," said Pepper, turning to face Tony, "and that's your problem with him."

"That's not it," Tony argued. "I just don't think he's taking your safety seriously enough."

"Like you, you mean?"

"I expressly told him not to let Justin Hammer, a guy who's already made an attempt on your life, into the building and what did he do?" asked Tony in frustration. "Just let him waltz right in, that's what."

"Because I told him it was okay," said Pepper simply.

"It's not okay," said an aggravated Tony. "Hammer is insane, you heard him, he wants to join the Avengers, what the hell was that? I don't want that lunatic anywhere near you, Pepper, end of."

"And I don't want you anywhere near a nuclear bomb," she threw back at him, "life isn't always about getting what you want, Tony. Sometimes it's just about dealing."

Tony gave her a disbelieving look. "You're mad because I saved the city? I totally knew what I was doing with that bomb, Pepper."

"I'm not mad," she said calmly, "and I totally knew what I was doing with Hammer."

"You can't compare the two things," said Tony with a frown. "Justin Hammer is a proven menace."

"While a nuclear bomb is totally harmless, of course," countered Pepper dryly.

Tony pursed his lips and regarded her steadily. "I'm not going to get an apology from you about this, am I?"

Pepper gave him a sweet smile. "Of course you are, Tony." She stepped closer and cupped his face, giving him a loving look. "I'm so very, very sorry you're an idiot, Tony Stark." Tony opened his mouth to complain but Pepper didn't give him a chance. She pressed her lips against his in a kiss which quickly became very passionate. It just felt so good to be in his arms again after the anxieties of that afternoon. Pepper knew there wasn't an easy fix for this particular type of friction between them. Neither one of them wanted to see the other hurt and it'd always make the other one a little crazy when they were in any kind of danger. It was just the way things were.

"No fair," Tony groaned his complaint into their kiss, "you know I can't think straight when you do that."

Pepper smiled knowingly. "You never think straight when it comes to Justin Hammer, so I don't know if my kisses are totally to blame."

Tony tightened his grip on her and gave her a troubled look. "He hurt you, Pepper," he said hoarsely. "I can't ever get past that. Every time I see that guy I just want to pound him into a bloody pulp with my bare hands. I can't stand the thought of him being near you, saying your name, looking at you. It tears me up inside, the thought of him being within a hundred mile radius of you."

Pepper stroked his face. "I know," she said softly, "but we can't let fear rule our lives, Tony. I could drive myself crazy with all the possible 'what ifs' when you put on that Iron Man suit and fly out of here but I just have to trust that you'll come back to me." Pepper leant in so their foreheads were touching and she could look deeply into his eyes. "It's not easy, Tony, and even though it scares the hell out of me, I have faith in you to do what you need to do."

Tony made a complaining groan. "Damn it, I hate it when you play the grown up card. That means I have to pretend to be one too."

Pepper smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You don't have to be anyone other than who you are, Tony."

"Who I am wants us to have another serious talk about that hamster ball," said Tony, only half-joking.

"If I was in a hamster ball, I wouldn't be able to do this," Pepper reasoned, fitting her softness against Tony's hard angles.

Tony's eyelids drooped. "I do like it when you do that," he conceded unevenly.

"What were those things today, Tony?" Pepper asked, her voice low. "And have we seen the last of them?"

Tony rubbed her back and grimaced. "I don't know and I don't know."

"You'll figure it out," said Pepper confidently. "You always do. I'm just glad you're safe now."

"Do you really need to be going out right now?" Tony quizzed her. "The city is a mess and it's not that safe, there has been a lot of structural damage done."

"Hammer Industries isn't the only company who is helping with the clean up," said Pepper indulgently, understanding Tony's concern. "I'm on the board at the New York Presbyterian Hospital and I've volunteered to come in and help manage things until the crisis is over. Stark Enterprises is a big supporter of the hospital and its work and they really need our resources right now."

Tony sighed. "This is so oddly familiar. I make the mess and you spend all your time cleaning it up."

"You and the rest of the Avengers saved New York," said Pepper with a smile. "I'm cutting you some slack this time. Besides, the day you came out as Iron Man I quadrupled our public liability insurance to help cover these kinds of things."

"Smart thinking," said Tony admiringly. "I think fixing our lady of the lamp is going to cost big on its own." He gave her a pleading look. "Just, be careful, please, Pepper."

"You be careful debugging your suit or whatever it is that you have to do with it," she countered.

Tony smiled. "Deal." He caught her up in another passionate kiss which was only finally broken with Lewis announcing the car was ready.

"Did I mention I really don't like that guy," Tony grumbled against Pepper's lips.

Pepper treated him to a quick kiss before stepping out of his arms. "You'll get over it," she said teasingly. "Besides, I like him enough for both of us."

"You're not helping the guy's cause with that kind of talk," said Tony dourly.

Pepper shook her head at his jealousy. "You're an impossible mess," she informed him with feigned resignation.

Tony grinned, watching her leave. "But the good news is I'm your impossible mess, right?"

Pepper stood in the elevator and replied as the doors closed. "It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it," she teased him and then the doors were closed and she was being whisked down to the basement, happy that Tony had come safely home to her once again.

A/N: There you go, guys, some Pepperony for all of you who were hanging out and there is more to come in the next chapter. :D