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Chapter 5 – The Space Dorm
Tony carried Genie to the door of the Doctor and Rose's suite. "Press that button just there."
Pepper pointed at the button next to the door. "This one?"
"Yeah."
After Pepper pressed the button, Rose opened it on the other side. She smiled at them as they stepped in. "John said you had gotten her to sleep. Thank you, Tony."
"It's no problem. I'll go lay her in her bed."
He walked down the hall with Genie in his arms. Pepper looked around. "This is amazing. Is this your flat from London?"
Rose smiled, "Yes. John prefers it, so he copied it here. The other suites aren't so large. Yet. He's told me he has plans. There are….four bedrooms in here."
Pepper smiled as she pointed at it, "And a baby grand piano. Genie?"
She nodded and smiled proudly, "Yes. Genie plays."
Tony walked back down the hall, rubbing his hands on his t-shirt. "Alright. She's asleep." Suddenly, as if he remembered something, he snapped his fingers. He walked into the kitchen and opened a cabinet. He took out a cereal box and pulled out a Goofy doll from it.
Rose pointed at it in surprise. "I didn't know that was there!"
Tony walked over and handed it to her. "Emergency Goofy doll for Genie. Genie doesn't like sweet cereal, so it was a good hiding place. I'll let you do the honors."
Rose smiled. "Genie doesn't like sweet anything. Thank you. Mum is in with Samuel. I'll be back at the game in a bit. I'm anxious to play."
Tony looked confused at her. "When did you learn to play Peducko?"
She smiled, "While you lot were gone-"
"Shit. That means you learned from Lance the card shark. I'm done for the night then. Nope."
Pepper smiled. "Good luck. Go give them hell, Rose."
Tony and Pepper walked out of the suite and down the hallway. Tony rubbed his face. "I am, exhausted. Are you alright with not going back?"
She smiled, "That's fine with me. I'm interested in seeing this suite."
"It's okay if we stay up here, right?"
She giggled at him, "Tony, are you kidding me? Spend the night on a space ship. Hell yeah, I'm staying up here."
He smiled at her. "Right. I forgot…first time."
He pressed a button to the side of a door that slid open.
She held up two fingers as she walked through the door. "Second."
He smiled, "Right. Second time on a space ship." He held his hand out to present the room to her. "And this is it. It's nothing like Rose and John's. It's the room that came with the ship. John wants me to find a floorplan I like, and he's going to copy an apartment like he did for him and Rose. I just haven't done it yet."
Pepper walked in and heard the door slide shut behind her. The entire back wall was a large window, which displayed a wonderful view of Earth. Tony walked over to the back of the room. "Friday. Turn the lights on in here. 62%"
The lights came up and the brightened the room. Pepper could see the grey, leather like sofa that sat in front of the windows with the view of the Earth. Two fluffy chairs sat on either side. Red carpet lay on the floor and the walls were light grey plastic light material. There was a small telly that sat in the corner on a table. Pepper could see why Tony hadn't found a floor plan he really liked yet. The room reminded her of his shop in New York.
A voice spoke. "Yes, sir. Welcome back."
Pepper pointed up, "Jarvis?"
He stood at the food replicator on the other side of the room. He looked back at her and shook his head. "Friday. John's version. We've….improved it a bit."
She nodded. "So, Jarvis isn't up here?"
"He's in the suits. Well, my suits. The ones I made for the Andromedaens have something similar. I don't believe Jarvis likes space. Afraid of heights, you know." He teased.
She giggled, "Right."
He laughed with her. "Nah. They work together rather well. Jarvis is tied into so much that Friday doesn't need to be involved in. And vice versa."
She nodded her head. "Well, that's true. I haven't thought much about it."
"Want something to drink?"
She pointed at him, "You're not drinking-"
"I'm not drinking." He agreed as he took two glasses of water off of the food replicator.
Pepper continued to look around. "Tony, this is nice. I don't know if I would change it."
Tony stood behind a small dining table at an indention in the wall. "I like it. Reminds me of my dormitory in college. Woo. If those walls could talk."
She smiled and shook her head at his words. "I'm sure." She followed the room around and saw a desk with a huge pad of paper on it that sat in front of the window. It had plans drew up on it for something extremely technical. It sat on top of many sheets of paper. Two books lay opened in the floor next to the desk, and a calculator sat on top of the plans. Three different long sleeve shirts were draped on the chair. It was clear that is where he spent most of his time in the room.
She walked over and looked at the plans. "What is this?"
He sipped his water as he joined her. "A Zeppelin. Well, not a Zeppelin. But, it looks like one. It uses technology that the ships out here use, and an arc reactor to power it. Lots of room, completely safe. Unless you decide to jump out of it. Still moves slow as hell though."
"So, you want to start making these to sell?"
"No. I've promised John to keep the technology I see on these trips to myself. This one would be just for me. You. John. Pete. I imagine everyone finds it odd we don't travel in a Zeppelin. This would be a cross between our world and this one. It can float in the atmosphere and transport us wherever we might need to go. But, can also come into space and dock with the ship."
"So, you understand how these ships work?"
He nodded his head and chuckled, "Yeah. Legate, Timon and John have taught me a lot. I can even fly one of the smaller ones. John has a deal….with… well, you know how that sort of thing is. And anyway, he negotiated a ship for me in it."
She smiled in disbelief. "You. Getting a ship? A space ship?"
He laughed, "Yeah. I just need to tell John what I want."
She giggled and looked back at the drawing of the Zeppelin, "This is brilliant. What does John think about it?"
"Ah. I've not said anything to him about it, yet. I only thought it up a few days ago. I'm still working out the math to see if it would even work."
She turned to him and smiled. He handed her a glass of water with a grin. "Your drink, Miss Potts."
She thanked him and took it from his hand. He walked over and sat on the sofa. Pepper continued to walk around the room, slowly. Taking it all in. Tony watched her and smiled. "First time in a space dorm, huh?"
She smiled, "I never thought it would be a place where I would find myself."
He smiled and rubbed his eyes. The Earth spun slowly around in the windows.
Pepper sat down on the sofa next to him to look out of the window. "And I love the view. I never knew it was so….bright."
"You should see this when you fly near a star. The windows darken."
She smiled and looked at the Earth. "I could look at this all night. It's beautiful."
He stopped rubbing his eyes and nodded, "It's really colorful when we go through, nebulas and such. Looks like….cotton candy. You would like it."
She sat down her water on the table in front of them. "This room is a lot cleaner than I expected."
"Cleaner? That's not what I expected you would say."
She giggled at him. "You've been up here for how long?"
He waved his hand, "Almost a week?"
"How is this room so clean? Have you slept?"
He sat down the glass of water next to hers. "You sound like John. Yes, I've slept." He sat back and looked at her.
She looked at his eyes.
"What?" He asked her softly.
"You have beautiful eyes. Have I ever seen them without those things you took out?"
He rubbed his eyes. "Probably not. Do they really look that different?"
"Something about them is."
He laid his arm on the back of the sofa and stroked her cheek with his thumb.
"Tony. You haven't slept. I can tell."
He didn't stop looking in her eyes. "I've been taking something called, 'All Nighters.' Jack got me on them. You don't have to sleep. I've taken them the entire time I've been up here."
She rubbed his thigh, "So, you haven't slept the entire time you have been up here?"
He shook his head. "I did sleep."
"For how long?"
He sighed, "Why do you always….fuss at me?"
She pointed at him forcefully, "Because, someone needs to!" She looked back at the view and watched the Earth spin.
He smiled at her and rubbed his eyes. When he had opened them again, she was standing in front of him. He jumped. "Shit!"
She took his hand. "You are falling asleep sitting out here on this sofa."
"I just rubbed my eyes!"
"Are you certain of that?"
He looked at her hand and sighed, "No."
"You are exhausted. I'm taking you to bed."
"I'm not going to argue with that. Lead the way."
She walked into the bedroom and immediately covered her mouth. "I haven't thought about this. I have nothing to sleep in."
He laughed and walked over to the closet in the corner, "Well, you don't have to wear anything-"
"Or." She insisted.
He grinned as he pressed the button to open the closet door. "Or, you can wear something of mine. Whatever you are comfortable with." He looked around and picked up something, "Here. I got this when we went to Plentitude. I thought it was a tank top." He handed it to her. "Turns out it was a dress. Makes my ass look, fantastic."
She laughed. "I can't believe you."
"I can't imagine how nice it will make yours look."
She looked at him and smiled.
"See what happens when you're not around?"
"I've said it for years. You can't find your shoes without me."
He looked longingly at her. His eyes followed her figure up and down. "Yeah." He said under his breath.
"Tony?"
He seemed to snap out of a daze. "Sorry, what? Oh. Shoes. Right."
He turned and pointed at a shelf that had three pair of his shoes on it. "Only because you are standing here." He laughed at her.
She smiled as she felt of the tank top dress he handed her. "It's really soft."
"It's made of some….alien shit. I can't remember what. Same thing my boxers are made of. I'll step out and you can change. So, ummm…. yeah."
She watched him walk through the door. She looked at the odd dress and smiled as she shook her head and sat it on the shelf. She grabbed one of his t-shirts and changed into it. She hung her jeans next to his suits.
After she had changed, she walked into the bedroom and sat on the side of the bed. She started to take her hair down when she felt him walk across the bed on his knees. "Here, you can't see what you are doing."
She sat her hands on her lap as he gently took her hair down and ran his hands through it. She turned to look at him.
"I didn't pull it, did I?"
She smiled at him, "No. When did you change?"
He was wearing the same t-shirt he was wearing before, but had on some cotton pajamas on instead of the jeans he had worn. "I had these in the bathroom."
She lay back on the bed and pulled the blanket over herself. "This is nothing what I would expect."
He lay down under the blanket and faced her. "It's nice isn't it? I like this bed better than the one in New York." She felt his hand run up and down her back.
She smiled at him, "Why?"
"Well, at the moment, because you are in it with me."
She felt of his beard. "This looks almost back to normal."
"Should I shave it off? What do you think?"
She whispered, "I think you should go to sleep."
He laid his hand on her hip. She moved to lay closer to him. He smiled at her and turned over on his back. "Friday. Dim the lights to 5% in here."
Friday spoke. "Yes, sir. Good night." The lights dimmed. He rolled back over and caught her eyes with his. They lay looking at one another for a while.
She finally broke the silence and whispered to him, "Tell me what you are thinking."
He smiled at her. "I'm a secret admirer."
She returned his smile. "I suppose you are."
"I've never been this before. I think I can do it."
She giggled, "I think you should go to sleep."
"Close your eyes."
"Why?"
"Because you are going to sleep."
She smiled and closed her eyes. She felt his lips meet hers as he kissed her. She opened her mouth to allow his tongue to come into hers and dance. She felt his hands on her cheeks as he continued to kiss her. She put her hands under his t-shirt and rubbed his chest. It seemed to encourage him more. She felt him move his hand to her hip and press her body to his. He pulled down the back of her underwear and she felt his hand on her bare bum.
He whispered to her. "It's okay?"
She smiled and opened her eyes, "You should sleep."
He rose his hand to cover her eyes. "Don't look. Close your eyes, Pepper."
She giggled, "This is rather fun."
He began to kiss her again. Pulling up the back of the shirt of his that she wore and running his fingertips up and down her spine. "Yeah?"
She smiled without opening her eyes. "It's relaxing. You are an excellent kisser."
He chuckled at her. "So are you. You need to go to sleep, Pepper."
She didn't open her eyes, "I'm trying to go to sleep. Someone keeps kissing me."
He whispered, "Do you want that someone to stop? Let you sleep."
She smiled, "No. But, he needs to sleep."
"Let him worry about that. You relax so you can sleep."
She didn't open her eyes, feeling his fingertips continue to go up and down her back. "I'm relaxed. This is so nice."
"Tell me. What are you thinking about?" He laid his forehead to hers.
She smiled without opening her eyes, "This guy I know."
He rubbed her nose to hers, "A secret admirer?"
"Yes. Someone I've known a while."
He whispered, "A while, huh?"
She smiled without opening her eyes. "Do you know this guy?"
He met her lips again and kissed her. She pulled his t-shirt closer to her with both of her fists. She wrapped her leg around his, feeling him run his hand across her bum under her underwear again.
He grabbed her bum, "I've heard of him. What's he like?"
She felt him kiss her neck, "He's…oh…he's good at this."
He rolled over on top of her and pulled his t-shirt off of her. He whispered, "Don't open your eyes. Let me stay a secret."
She felt him kiss to her breasts and gently suck the nipples both in turn. She took his shirt off of him and felt his skin against hers as he met her lips again. "What do you know of her?"
He smiled at her, "She's amazing. Has beautiful red hair. So smart. So…..bossy."
She laughed at his words. "You need to sl-"
He began to kiss her again and slipped her underwear down to tease between her legs. He whispered, "So wet. I think she likes this secret guy of hers."
She opened her eyes and looked into his. "I'll tell you another secret."
He smiled, "Tell me."
"It's a bit stronger than like."
He smiled and looked surprised, "Yeah? Really?"
She laughed and pulled down his boxers. She felt his erect member in her hands. He looked down at her hands and then back at her. She smiled at him, "Are you going to do this or what?"
He smiled at her. "Bossy!"
She giggled at him.
"Close your eyes. I don't want you to know who it is."
She closed her eyes as he slipped inside of her. "I know who it is. He's been there before."
He shook his head as he stroked, "Not the mystery guy. I'm a secret. This is all new."
She rose her head up and moaned, "You're so good at this."
He leaned down and began to kiss her again. She felt his fingers tease between her legs as he twisted his hips and thrust inside of her. She moved her hand to hold his.
He whispered, "What?"
She teased herself and guided his hand where she wanted him to tease her. She cried out. He smiled as he saw her touch herself. "Wow. I've never been so turned on in my life."
She felt where he entered her and rubbed his balls. He started to kiss her neck again and she was certain she heard him whisper, "That's. So. Tight." She pushed him over in the bed and sat on top of him. He slid his hands up her chest as she sat up.
"You are supposed to keep your eyes closed, too."
He smiled, "I've never been one to follow directions."
"Do it your own way?"
"Always."
She leaned down and continued to kiss him and stroke. He sat up, pressing himself deeper inside of her. He held her face and smiled, "Open your eyes."
She opened her eyes and looked into his.
"Pepper…I…."
She ran her hands through his hair, "Yes?"
He looked into her eyes and whispered, "You…."
She kissed his lips and pressed him deeper inside of her. He groaned and held her head to his. She leaned back from him and saw him bite his lip.
"What is it?" she asked him.
He whispered, "It will scare you away."
She smiled and put her finger over his lips. "I don't scare easy."
He smiled at her. "This is great. And I meant it when I called you bossy."
She laughed and climbed off his waist.
"Wait. Just a second." He reached over and grabbed his t-shirt to clean them both up. He stood up and pulled back up his boxers and pajama bottoms.
"I'll get another shirt. Do you want some water, or something? Wine?"
Pepper pulled back on the t-shirt she had been wearing before. "Water. You're not drinking. Although, it might help you sleep."
He pointed at her, "You kissing me isn't helping me go to sleep."
"You started it!" She insisted.
He laughed as he disappeared in the closet and reappeared pulling on another shirt. "Wine it is. Get comfortable. I'll be right back." He walked out of the room.
"No, strawberries!" She yelled.
"Right." He called back.
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She laid her head down on his chest and heard him tell her, "You smell nice."
"You are so tired. Go to sleep, Tony." She told him quietly.
He continued to run his hand up and down her back. "I really don't need to go to sleep."
She held him around the waist. After a few minutes, she whispered, "Tony. Are you asleep?"
He hummed.
"Good night."
He kissed her head and ran his fingertips up and down her back as she drifted off to sleep.
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Tony was back in the cave. He hurt, everywhere. The cold in his hands and feet made them ache worse. He was confused and as his eyes focused, he felt something pulling his nose. He raised his hands to feel what it was, only to discover a feeding tube. He pulled it out and nearly gagged. The pain was unbearable. He tried to sit up only to hear someone say, "I wouldn't do that."
His chest hurt worse than he could describe. It felt wet and odd. He reached down and saw bandages across his chest. He ripped them open to see what was causing the pain. He saw a circle of metal with wires running to it. Had he been converted into a Cyberman? He rose his hands to see they were still flesh.
He couldn't breathe. They were holding his head under the water. It splashed back on his chest and caused the electro-magnet there to shock him. He was sure he was going to die. He just wished they would be quicker about it. He was going to die from the shrapnel pushing its' way into his heart in a week anyway. He had seen the movies and when people drowned. All he had to do was take two deep breaths of water. He couldn't bring himself to do it.
He was frightened as watched them put a hot iron to his cell mate's head. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but was certain that the man who had saved his life needed his help now. He hurt all over but, rose his hand to get their attention as he shouted.
"No! Stop!" He shouted as he sat up in the bed, panting and covered in sweat. He was still on the ship. His heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest. The pain he had felt all over his body, faded away as he became more awake.
"Friday, turn the lights up in here." Pepper said.
He closed his eyes tightly. He had forgotten she was there with him. He hadn't meant to fall asleep. He looked back at her, "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No."
"You are alright-"
She took both of his hands in hers and told him softly. "Tony. Stop. You are alright. You are safe."
He felt as if he couldn't catch his breath. He rose up and sat on the side of the bed. Pepper wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Tony. It's alright."
He looked down at his t-shirt. He had ripped it apart like he had done the bandages in his dream. He wasn't surprised. "Damn it. I liked this shirt, too."
She let go of him. He slipped the ripped t-shirt off and wiped the sweat from his face and his neck with it. Pepper got up and walked out of the bedroom. He slowly wiped the sweat from his chest and shoulders still not looking up. She walked back into the room carrying a glass of water and sat down next to him on the bed.
She handed him the water and watched him as he sipped it slowly. After he had caught his breath he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Pepper. I didn't-"
"You didn't do anything to be sorry for. Tony, this is why you don't stay with me at nights, isn't it?"
He looked confused and wiped his face with his ripped shirt again. He didn't look at her. "You know about that?"
"Tony. You need to go back to the doctor-"
He threw the shirt in the floor. "I'm not going back to the doctor. It doesn't help."
"Maybe some different medicine-"
"Nothing helps, Pepper. It's easier not to sleep."
She rubbed his back. "Tony. You have to sleep."
He shook his head and grit his teeth. "Whenever I sleep, I go back there."
"Every time?"
He shook his head. "Not every time. Most of the time. Of I, I don't know…. Can get so tired that I won't dream, I won't go back there."
She took both of his hands in hers. "Tony. Look at me."
He shook his head. "I didn't mean to go to sleep. I could have hurt you."
"Tony."
He still didn't look at her.
She got off the bed and knelt down in the floor in front of him. He held her hands tighter. "Pepper, I'm alright."
She looked up at his face. "You're not. And you don't have to pretend you are with me. Tell me why you think you could have hurt me."
He shook his head and looked away. "I went to sleep a few days ago. I had a…. flight stabilizer on my hand. I thought I saw, something that wasn't there. So, I shot at it. It was my suit. It blew the hell out of the hanger downstairs. If John hadn't put a force field on the room, he believes I would have destroyed the ship."
She nodded, "Well, that's the other day. Tony, I know this is embarrassing for you to admit, but it's not like I didn't know."
"What do you mean?"
"I've heard you. Back at home. Shouting in your sleep. Tony. Why do you feel as if you can't talk to me about this?"
He took a deep breath. "This is so…new. I don't want to mess this up. I don't want to scare you."
She smiled at him and kissed his hands. "Tony. You know I don't scare easy. Why do you think I'm still here after all of these years?"
He smiled at her and chuckled.
She climbed back onto the bed. "Come here."
He lay down on his side not facing her. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his shoulder. "You're safe in my arms. I'm not going to let you dream anything that will scare you."
He held her hands tightly and sighed. "If only it was that easy."
"It is that easy. Go to sleep. I'm right here. Friday, dim the lights back to 8%."
He pulled her hands up to his mouth and kissed them. "Thank you, Pepper. I need to put on a shirt."
She held onto him tighter. "You're not going to move. You are going to lay here and sleep."
"You're the boss."
She teased the hairs on his chest and kissed his back.
He smiled, "That's nice."
"Is it helping you relax?"
"Turning me on a bit."
She could feel him finally begin to relax in her arms. "I'm right here. Go back to sleep."
He kissed her hands again. "Your hands are so tiny. So, petite."
"I'll fight a bear off with them if you dream it. Now, go to sleep, Tony."
He laughed at her reply to him. "Really? A bear?"
"It's late. It just came out."
"Boss the bear into submission."
She groaned, "Tony. Go to sleep."
He held her hands and settled back down in the blankets. "Pepper."
She whispered, "Yes, Tony."
"Don't let me hurt you."
She kissed his back and held him tighter. "I won't. Let me help you know you are safe. Sleep. I won't let you go."
He closed his eyes and held her hands tightly in his own. "I'm so glad you are here with me, Pepper. Please, don't let me scare you."
"You don't scare me, Tony. Now, go to sleep."
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