Hi everyone :) Hi people who read NSI and came here through that story. Hi new folks.

Here it is the FF we have all probably not been waiting for. The Coronavirus is part of our everyday life now and I figured how would our favorite couple handle a similar situation. Especially when they're stuck not at home, but at Pepper's parents'. The idea came to me while I was stuck at my parents during the pandemic.

It's set after IM 1 so they're not in a relationship. Yet. I plan this to be a sweet, funny, fluffy ficlette. I have no idea yet how many chapters this is going to be and where this journey will end exactly. Like we're all currently doing in this pandemic, I'm winging it a little.

Disclaimer: Each mentioning of the virus and things related to it in this Fanfiction is fictional and not accurate compared to the real situation. I might draw some inspirations from how the Coronavirus is affecting my everyday life, but I dont try to portray the outbreak in this story as it happened in real life. So please don't hate on me if numbers are off or measures are not like you experienced them. Also Iron Man, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts belong to Marvel and Disney.

Regarding Not Something invincible: I don't know when I put out the next chapter, but I try to post it by the end of the month.

I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter One: The Pandemic

"I can't believe what's happening in Europe right now." Pepper sighed when she turned off the TV that hung opposite of her seat in the Stark jet. "First Wuhan and now Italy. With nearly 1000 death per day. Horrible."

"What's happening in Europe and China right now?" Came Tony's sleep ruffled reply.

It had merely been two month after his big I am Iron Man announcement. While most of the media thunderstorm had died down, Tony himself was still busy with flying around the world, ridding it of his weapons and giving press conference after press conference. Of course Pepper Potts, his loyal personal assistant was always by his side. About three weeks ago Wuhan had declared the spread of a novel virus throughout the city, that infected thousands of people rapidly and killed many. A few days ago the first countries in Europe announced the virus had spread within their population as well and it had hit Italy with full force.

"Oh you're talking about that virus, again." Tony exclaimed unnerved and sat up in his seat.

"This is going to be a global crisis, Mr. Stark. Sooner or later it will hit the US as well." Pepper said, looking at him and raised on eyebrow in annoyance with him.

"Yeah, I know. I know." He said and waved dismissively with his hand in her direction.

"Maybe we should start some preparations for a potential shut down." Pepper thought out loud.

"No need to do that Miss Potts." Tony said before he rose and headed over to the small bar at the rear of the plane.

"Whether you like it or not, sooner or later we have to take some percussions regarding this crisis that's coming, Mr. Stark." She said again, more stern this time. "And honestly I'd rather take them sooner, then later when it's too late."

"Pepper, I said there is no need to. But I agree with you, that's why Stark Industries already took all percussions necessary, including salary regulations, shift regulations and home office measures." Tony seldom managed to surprise Pepper, but this was one of the few times he did.

When the crisis started and thousands of people died Tony had a hard time accepting that there was nothing he could do. He could fight against terrorists, rid the world of his weapons and bad guy, but a virus was an invisible enemy. Something even Iron Man couldn't win against. So he tended to ignore the topic and make sure it would't bother him and his privat live. Everytime it came in the news he had Pepper or JARVIS turn them off. It was like he believed as long as he'd ignore it, it wasn't happening. Apparently it was affecting him more than she had thought and he cared more for his company and employees than he had let on.
Pepper blinked at him dumbfounded, her mouth open. "You can close your mouth Miss Potts. And I assure you when the government puts out a lockdown I have a guest room ready for you." Peppers mouth snapped shut abruptly and she gave him one of her infamous death glares.

"Sir, we will be landing in New York in 10 minutes. If you'd please put your seatbelts on." One of the stewardesses had appeared and collected their glasses and the tray of food Tony hadn't even touched.

"Remind me why are we stopping in New York again?" Tony asked unnerved. He could be home in four and a half hours if he hadn't agreed to Pepper's request to stop at her parent's home.

"I want to go visit my parents. I haven't seen them in a very long time and I want to make sure everything is okay, just in case…" The pandemic had affected her as well. For one she loved Venice and to see so many people die there - god the pictures of the military trucks with all the dead bodies would haunt her mind forever - made her uneasy. Humanity truly isn't untouchable and a virus like this made it all the clearer. They were just pawns in a greater game. And secondly her parents weren't old per se, but her mum had battled cancer a while back so she belonged to the high risk group. Her job took up every ounce of her life so she rarely visited home. Only Christmas she spent home. Sometimes. Ok the last time had been two years ago, but Tony really had needed her the last two Christmases. Anyway, as they were on their way back from Norway a stop in New York would't hurt and her parents only lived two hours upstate away from the Big Apple. "in case I don't get to see them again anytime soon, because of the virus." She finally concluded.

Tony in response didn't say anything at first he just rolled his eyes and looked at the approaching city.

"Can I come?" He asked eventually.

"Uhm... If you really want to. I won't force you to come, and it will take a while. It's a two hour drive each way and…" She stopped and Tony noticed how she was fumbling with her hands in her lap. She was nervous, and that rarely happened. So there was something she wasn't telling him.

"Spill it Potts." He said, but knew what probably was coming.

"I planned on spending the night at my parents'." She confessed eventually and her face turned beet-red. "But you don't have to come. You can fly directly home, I'll catch a flight tomorrow from JFK to LAX." She stuttered directly after her first sentence.

"Your patents hate me." He deadpanned. "They think I am an irresponsible boss, a slave owner, war monger and probably satan's spawn."

"My dad, doesn't hate you for making weapons." She offered. "He is a soldier. But like I said, you are welcome to head home directly. I know you and my parents won't get along." It was true from the moment she started working for him her mom was in her hair and trying to make her quit and find a better job with a more responsible boss. And it certainly hadn't helped that Pepper had missed the last two christmases because her boss couldn't stay sober for more than a few hours and decided to trash his house. And it certainly hadn't helped that it had made the tabloids with the headline being: WHY IS POTTS STILL TAKING OUT HIS TRASH? LOVE OR DESPERATION? READ EVERYTHING ABOUT IT ON PAGE 10 AND FOLLOWING

Both had been bullshit of curse. Yes she liked Tony, but there was nothing between them. All issues between them - romantically or whatsoever - had been settled. Especially their nearly kiss at the balcony and his proposal before his big announcement. And their heartfelt conversation prior to her steeling data from his murderous co-CEO. No, they were simply employer and employee. Maybe even friends. But nothing more. And Pepper Potts was anything but desperate. If anything their numerous nearly encounters and her cool demeanor towards it proved that. Of course the press had no idea about that. She couldn't even imagine the headlines those would make, but she could imagine the field day the press would be having.

Tony's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "As much as I want to go home, I don't feel good letting you out of my sight at the moment, Pepper. I don't like what's happening in the world right now, especially with this virus going around and my new super secret identity." She stared at him and hoped he wouldn't say it. Of course he did. "I come with you. It's one night only. I think I can manage."

"Mr. Stark really, I'll just catch a flight home tomorrow. Nothing will happen to me and before you know it, I'll be back in Malibu." She tried reasoning with him.

"Sir, Ma'am we have safely landed. We need to fuel the plane, so we kindly ask you to leave during the process for safety reasons." The stewardess from before had reappeared with their carry on luggage in hand and the toothpaste smile still plastered on her face.

"See it's decided." Tony announced, unbuckled and stood. With a light thank you he took his suitcase from her hand and left the plane.

"The car will be here in a minute, Mr. Stark." Pepper sighed, knowing she had lost the fight and appeared next to him on the runway.

"Pepper, I'm about to meet your parents. I think you should really call me Tony." He teased, his prominent and smug smirk on his face.

"My parents hate you enough already, so I don't think we don't need to further it, Mr. Stark." She said and stormed toward the approaching car.

The car pulled up to brownstone in a spacey area in New York State. The house seemed modest, but could easily house seven to eight people. There only was one house directly next to her parents' and she informed him briefly that her grandma still lived next to them, whom was 83 years of age, but still pretty active. By the looks of the entire property it seemed to be quite spacious and he supposed there was a huge backyard behind the fence surrounding the property.

As Pepper got out she stepped around to the trunk and accepted her suitcase the driver offered her politely. Tony took a duffle bag and a small suitcase as well from his hands and they walked in quiet together to the pavement and the small path leading up to the door.

Before she rung the bell she turned to him once more. "Please Tony, try to not cause a scene. These are not business people who you can send off and it won't matter in a few weeks. These are my parents." Her words touched and stung him at the same time. It really seemed like she wanted to change her parents thoughts about him, but he was sad he had left such a bad impression to them and especially her that she needed to remind him.

"I promise to keep that in mind." He smiled and held up his pinky finger. "Scouts honor."

She raised her eyebrow at him, but a smile played her lips. "That's a pinky promise, Tony. Not scouts honor."

"Like you would know." He shot back in a light tone.

"Just you wait and see." She mumbled and pushed the button. They could hear a shrill bell ringing in the house and a few seconds later a woman appeared on the other side of the door. As she opened the door she smiled wide at her daughter, but the smile fell a bit as she saw whom she had brought with her.

The woman was approximately in her late fifties, but beautiful, had blonde hair with a dash of red in them, blue eyes like her daughter and was a few inches shorter than her, which wasn't surprising as Pepper still wore 3 inch heels. Her eyes remained a second longer on Tony then necessary but returned soon back to her daughter. "Gin, honey it has been forever." She stretched to hug her daughter and Pepper hugged her back warmly. Never in the past sixteen years had Tony wished for his mom more than in this moment. The way Mrs. Potts was hugging her daughter made him think back to the last time his mom had hugged him and sadness puddled in the pit of his stomach for a second, before Mrs. Potts turned slightly to him, but still spoke to her daughter. "I see you brought your boss with you, Gin." She outstretched her hand toward him with a reserved, yet not too unfriendly look on her face. "Mr. Stark, nice to finally meet you in person."

"Thank you for having me, Mrs. Potts and may I say you have a lovely home." He kissed her hand and tried working his typical Tony Stark charms on her, but just like with her daughter it didn't work in the slightest. Unimpressed she took her hand back and Tony walked into the house behind Pepper.

"Where's dad?" She asked her mother over her shoulder as she placed her bags at the foot of the staircase.

"He's in the backyard, honey. You know him, it's spring time and he's planting flowers outside." Her mother answered.

"Ok, I'll get us settled in and then I'll go out and greet him."

"You are staying the night?" Peppers mom looked surprised but not unpleasant.

"Yeah, I thought I hadn't been home for a long time, and figured a few hours for teatime wouldn't cut it." Pepper answered with a genuine smile and her mother nodded in appreciation.

"May I ask where I can find a bathroom?" Tony chimed in, he felt totally out of place, like an intruder. He wished he'd have stayed at the plane or taken the jet home and send it back to pick Pepper up in the morning. Maybe this had been a bad idea after all.

"Sure, guest bathroom is down the hall on the far right." Pepper gestured to a door at the end of a small hallway and he excused himself. Inside he found a small, but comfortable bathroom with a shower nook, sink and toilet and a few toiletries at his disposal. And he could hear the conversation between his PA and her mother from within.

"Why did you bring him, Ginny?" Mrs. Potts asked in a sharp whisper. "You know how we feel about him and that you are working for the worlds biggest playboy. And now this whole Iron Man affair… Ginny, why-"

"Believe me mom, I know. But frankly he is not half as bad as you make him to be. And he really changed since becoming Iron Man. He is more responsible and he never treated me badly." She said in a firm voice, silencing her mother's prejudices.

"But why did you have to bring him along?" Her mother asked again.

"We're coming straight from an expo in Europe where Mr. Stark gave a presentation. He did a stop over for me in New York, because I requested it. How exactly could I have asked him to stay at the plane then?" She asked her mother. "That would have been not very nice after he took a detour for me."

"So he's staying over night as well?" Her mother asked again, and Tony could he her resistance in her voice.

"Mom, we're gone by noon tomorrow, so relax. He'll be out of your hair, faster than you'll know it. And besides he promised to behave." Her diplomatic skills have always been a trait he admired in her. She could have probably solved the entire Middle-East conflict by herself with her abilities.

"Are we talking about one bed?" Her mother asked suddenly out of the blue and he didn't know why but suddenly his blood was rushing in his ears. Him and Pepper sharing a bed? He suddenly found himself praying to god there was no guest room in this house, but Pepper's voice cut through his thoughts like a knife.

"What?" Her voice was pitchy and slightly dumbfounded.

"Well you're bringing him here, you're constantly defending him, saying he has changed since Iron Man… I thought maybe you two…" Mrs. Potts was interrupted again by her daughter.

"Mom, no. NO. He is my boss and friend. Nothing more. I brought him along, because I didn't want to make him sleep on a plane for me. So, to answer you question, Mr. Stark will be sleeping in the guest room." Her words made hurt and determination rise within him and he opened the door pointedly to announce himself.

"I'll accompany him upstairs and show him where he can sleep, then I go and say Dad and Nana hello."

She handed him his suitcase and bag and took her own, before complementing him upstairs.

"Will I see you childhood room now?" Tony teased as they reached the top of the second set of stairs, and honestly how big was this house? Pepper was a little breathless from climbing two flights of stairs with a small, but surprisingly heavy suitcase.

"Actually, we remodeled my room after I finished college, so no not really." She opened the first door on the right to reveal a beautiful room in whites and grays with a four poster bed and a grey duvet with white flours by the wall opposite of one of the two large windows. There was a rug in a cool gray by the bed, a closet in the same color in the corner and a nice table by the other window with a gray chair complemented by a white sheep skin thrown over it. The walls with the bed and windows were covered in grey wood, while the other two walls of the rectangular room were smooth and crispy white. Behind the door he found a small bookshelf and a grey loveseat on which a folded fluffy white blanked lay. Yet when you looked closely one could see that this room still belonged her. There was a photograph of her graduation day sitting in a frame on the table. Another photograph stood on the small bookshelf of two girls, arms flung around each other. One redhead, Pepper, and a blonde woman her age. Her diploma hung in a frame as well over the bed and a pennant of Columbia University hung on the door.

"Ok," Pepper said as she had sat down the luggage by the closet and turned to him again. "I'll show you your room, now."

His room was the one across the hall and it looked quite similar to hers, but instead of gray and white it was decorated in light grey and blues, and instead of the four poster bed it housed a simple futon. Also it lacked the personal touches.

"Uhm, the bathroom is over here," She pointed to the third door on the floor. "We have to share, but you can lock the door, so it shouldn't be a problem." She showed him the bathroom briefly and told him the left sink was his. He kinda liked the idea of having his own sink and Pepper having her own sink, in a shared bathroom of course. Somehow being domestic didn't seem so scary anymore.

"Alright." Tony concluded. Suddenly a heavenly smell invaded his nostrils. "Hmmm, what's that?"

"I think mom's making dinner. I'm going to go downstairs to see if I can help her. You are welcome to join or you can stay and unpack if you want to." She said but was already on her way down.

Tony was hot on her heels. "I want to help. I'm an intruder, remember? That's the least I can do."

Pepper giggled at his words. "My mom will warm up eventually, she just needs time."

As they reached the kitchen her mom was busy stirring in two pots at the same time and roasting a few chicken breasts on the stove. The kitchen was open to the dining room and had white cabinets, a steal side by side fridge and a steal kitchen island with the gas stove in the middle and a bar on the opposite side.

"Can I help you, mom?" Pepper asked as they stood at the island.

"Please ask your father to put table up in the sun outside and take out the cutlery and plates, would you? Mr. Stark, if you don't mind, there are pillows for the outdoor chairs in the shed by the garage would you provide every chair with one. Also we need drinks. You find them in the fridge in the shed."

"Mom, he's my guest." Pepper exclaimed indignant, slightly offended by her mothers refusal to treat her boss like she would treat any other guest.

"Pep, it's alright. I invited myself so I can help. The shed by the garage you said Mrs. Potts? Can I also take out some glasses for drinks already?" He offered and Pepper gaped at him. At home he had never done as much as take his plate to the next flat surface and leave it at her or the cleaning staffs disposal, heck sometime he didn't even use any plates at all, leaving a mess on the counter for her to clean up.

"I'll prepare a tray for you to take outside." She answered, ignoring her daughter who was currently throwing daggers at her with her eyes. "Everyone fine with self-made lemonade? Or would you rather have something stronger Mr. Strak?"

"Mom!" Pepper chided, hands full with plates and silverware now.

"Lemonade is fine." Tony called over his shoulder and ushered Pepper outside, before they threw a fight because of him. "Calm down, Pepper. It is alright. I expected worse from what you have told me over the years."

"I am so sorry, Mr. Stark." Pepper said, still mortified by her mothers behavior. "We shouldn't have come."

"Pepper, it really is alright, and it's for one night only." He tried reassuring her again. "And by the way I am excited to meet the rest of the family now."

They stepped into the backyard. It consisted of two lawns one directly behind Pepper's parents' house, connecting it to the second house he had seen and the second lawn behind a few trees and bushes. Behind the second lawn was a small area dedicated to gardening and the families chickens. Her father stood in a greenhouse and watered a few small plants.

"Hey dad." She came up behind him and he turned halfway.

"Virginia!" He cut the water and put down the hose to greet her.

Pepper stepped aside to reveal Tony behind her. "Dad, this is my boss Tony Stark. He did a stop over in New York for me so I could visit you guys."

Her dad walked over to him and took of one gardening glove and outstretched his had toward him. "Thank you Mr. Stark. I am Gerald Potts, Virginias father."

"Pleasure." Tony answered. "And really Pepper wanted to stop over and it was on the way, so I had nothing to do with it really."

"Dad, mom wants you to set up the table in the sun." Pepper interrupted and wiggled the plates and silverware pointedly.

"I already put it up by the old apple tree." He told her and Pepper mumbled thanks before turning and walking back to the front part.
After she put down the plates and silverware, they went to the shed and got the pillows for the chairs.
"I'm gonna go real quick and say hi to my Nana." She said as they finished setting the table.

"Ok, I come with you."

"No, she is really into getting me married and hooking me up to anybody, and I don't want to give her the wrong idea about you and I. Maybe some other time." She said apologetically and left him by himself.

Half an hour later the three Potts and Tony sat at the dinner table outside and ate Mrs. Potts Chicken Casserole with fried rice and peas, drank her astoundingly good home made lemonade and Tony and Pepper's father even had a beer together.
After dinner Pepper went inside to help her mother with the dishes and Gerald took Tony further into the backyard and showed him plants and the chickens before everybody returned to the table to talk and enjoy the last remains of the evening sun.

The moon was already high in the sky as Pepper, eyes heavy with sleep called it a night and everyone decided to head to bed.

Tony was sitting on the edge of his bed, waiting for the bathroom door to open again, so he could get inside and at least brush his teeth. For him it was still early, compared to when he normally went to bed, but he had is Stark Pad and a mobile version of JARVIS with him so he could at least work on some blue prints.

His door cracked a bit open and Pepper stood before him in his doorway, a fresh towel in hand, feet bare, dressed in cotton shorts and an oversized hoodie with the Columbia armorial over her now barely visible chest. For a second he briefly wondered what she would look like wearing one of his old MIT shirts, but her voice chased that thought away.

"I brought you a fresh towel. There was only one in the bathroom" She explained.

"Oh thank you." He smiled and went to take it from her. "Well the evening went fairly well, don't you think?" He asked.

Pepper folded her arms often her chest and leaned against the doorframe tiredly. Tony noticed her guards were fully down right now, and she looked exhausted, but she was also the most adorable thing he had ever seen. Bare of make up, hair down and in old baggy clothing, she was more beautiful than every bombshell or model he had even encountered.

"Yeah, I guess my dad likes you. But he's a soldier after all, so he's not against everything you ever did, like my mom."

"If she hates weapons so much, why did she marry a soldier after all." Tony asked.

"She doesn't hate weapons," Pepper admitted, but smiled at him tiredly. "She just hates you." A small oh escaped his lips and he wasn't sure whether she was kidding or not. Pepper pushed away from the frame and left his room. "Good night, Mr. Stark. Sleep tight."

"Pepper?" He called after her and stepped into the hallway. For a second they stared at one another, him standing in his door frame, she halfway turned toward him, one hand on her door handle, her eyes big and inviting. He wondered briefly if he was going to kiss her, but then he continued. "When is breakfast tomorrow?"

She blinked at him, but recovered quickly. "Uhm… Half past nine normally." She told him eventually.

"Alright. Sleep tight, Miss Potts." He walked past her, into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

The virus has officially spread to the United States. This night alone New York City reported 20 casualties and more than 500 infections.
The government decided measures against the spread of the virus which are in place immediately.

1. Everyone with symptoms has to stay at home. Don't just go to your doctor for testing, call ahead. The medical stuff will decide whether someone is to be tested or not.

2. Everyone who had contact with an infected person or has come to the United States from Europe within the last two weeks has to stay in quarantine.

3. People who are not living in the same household have to keep at least 6 feet of space between them. No Meetings in public are allowed.

4. All work, not indispensable to everyday life has to be terminated until further notice. Grocery stores, hospitals, police stations, public care services like fire departments and garbage collections remain open at all events.

5. There is a travel ban across the entire United States. That means closure of all airports, ports, Amtrak stations, ferry services, etc. The police will control people in cars at random. Please be prepared to have a valid explanation of where you are going to. People who work in indispensable areas, please have a written statement from your employee about what and where you are working.

6. You are free to take walks or do sports in the areas around your house, as long as you obey rule 3. Please notice you are not allowed to stay and relax outside. You must be in transition.

7. The penalties for not obeying the rules consists of up to 25.000 $

Sooo... This was basically an Prologue/First chapter mix.
I hope you liked it a little and want to read more. Tell me what you think. If you have ideas plot wise let me know, maybe I'll be able to include them.

Because it worked at NSI well I'm giving you a sneak peak:

On his way inside he heard Pepper's mother deadpan: "He's only her boss, mother." And somehow it felt like a challenge he was eager to win.

As always: Leave a little love (: