Chapter 7:

Pepper was stressed. It had been almost three months since Pepper and Richard broke their engagement and she was now living with a friend.

The place where Karol lived was far from S.I. and Tony Stark's mansion. Everyday Pepper spent almost two hours in the traffic to get there, and that was on a good day! So to avoid being late she had to wake up absurdly early and usually go back home later than she normally did.

During those days, Pepper started to search for a new place to live. She wanted a place where she was comfortable, close to S.I. or Tony's place and at a reasonable price. That was the hardest one. Properties in LA were really, really, expensive.

When Pepper left Richard's house, she left him half of her savings as they had a joint account for their wedding, although the majority of the money there was hers, she just couldn't bring herself to take it all so she left half of it for him.

Pepper was never obsessed by money, and always believed that money was a consequence of your work. There were moments, yes, that she had regretted that decision.

The good places that she found closer to her job were really, really, expensive, and she couldn't afford them right now. On the other hand, Pepper always hated moving. She wanted to find a place where she could live for a long, long time and not just somewhere she would live for a year and then find another one, or another, until she settled down. She knew some people who almost moved every year because, as they explained: "the new apartment is better than the old one", or "that apartment was better but this neighborhood is the best". No! Virginia Potts was efficient, and she wanted a place that felt like home.

It was late at night and Pepper had spent hours in front of the computer searching for an apartment. Another reason she was in a hurry to find a place was because she felt like she was bothering her friend. Karol never said anything, never made her feel uncomfortable rather on the contrary, she was being very supportive. But Pepper had always had a place of her own and didn't want to overstep her friendship.

By accident, she looked at the computer clock.

Oh great! I have less than 4 hours to sleep.

She shut down the computer and went to sleep. It was almost 5am when her alarm went off. Pepper released a tired sigh and started to get herself ready for work. Once she was ready, she left her room and went to the kitchen to make some coffee for Karol. She always did that since she was the first one to get up. Pepper had her back for the table when she heard her friend sit down.

"Now that's a miracle. You are up before 8!" Pepper said, teasing her.

"Ahh I couldn't sleep, so I heard that you were up and decided to come in. For the fresh coffee".

Pepper smiled, took the coffee bottle and went to sit with her friend. That was the moment when Karol looked at her.

"Jesus! You look horrible!"

Pepper was taken aback by her comment.

"… Thanks Karol," she murmured.

"Seriously… horrible!" her friend continued.

Although Pepper was dressed impeccable, as always, she had eye bags that not even her makeup was managing to hide. She looked exhausted, and stressed. Pepper rolled her eyes at her friend but that only made her concern increase.

"Pep, when was the last time that you went out?"

"I'm too tired for that."

Karol looked at her in disbelief.

"Honestly, you've been living with me for three months now, and I have never seen you going out to have fun to meet new people."

"I meet new people every week," she said with a bored face.

"Non-business related people Virginia!" insisted Karol.

"I don't know. I'm just…" But she couldn't finish it, she was just what? Stressed, tired, bored? She had to start over and she missed Richard. Yes, her job kept her busy but he was always there at the end of the day giving her comfort, making her laugh, or just his presence was enough. But, at the same time, she was sad and frustrated that he didn't trust her or wanted her to give up a job that she, in general, enjoyed. She was tired of traffic, of house searching, Tony's antics… literally everything! The thought of giving up her job and resign had crossed her mind once or twice during these months and she didn't need that stress right now, but she would always tell herself that this was a temporary situation. And she really like her job!

"We're going out this weekend and I won't take no for an answer," said Karol.

Pepper sighed. "You know it's not so simple like that, I have to look at Mr. Stark's schedule-"

"Fuck Stark! If you need I'll go there and tell him that you need a day off!"

Pepper smiled a little, imagining her friend invading Tony's house and yelling at him.

"You are just saying that because you want to meet him." That was true as Karol was very curious about Stark. Every now and then, she would ask questions about him.

"Yeah I do…" she said, smiling. She was busted and she knew it. "But seriously open his schedule and let's start to think about our girls night."

Pepper started her computer and opened Tony's agenda for the week. For Karol's luck and her infortune, Tony didn't have anything important that particular weekend. Pepper sighed in defeat.

"Yay! Great! Saturday night it is girl's night!"

Pepper rolled her eyes, grabbing her purse. "I have to go. I see you tonight."

The rest of the week went pretty much as usual. Although Pepper was very polite, everyone around her could tell how stressed she was, even Tony was being quieter than normal around her. At one time she looked at herself in the mirror and was able to see what Karol was talking about. She barely recognized herself. After that, Pepper started to think that it might be a good thing to go out with Karol and do something different.

-o-

Another reason for her stress was a very important meeting that Tony had on Friday with a rival company, although it was surprising to see how seriously he took it.

To be fair he had been talking about it for weeks. Tony wanted to buy the company to take them out of the game but the price they were asking for was ridiculously high. The company wasn't worth that much. They spent days making plans and strategies to get them to yield.

That was the first time that Pepper saw Tony completely focused in a meeting, and it scared her! He was cold, he was calculating and she thought that he put their negotiations at risk when he threatened to walk out and crush them in the market. But that only made the business men retreat and accept Tony's deal.

Honestly, Pepper was taken aback in seeing that new side of him. He could be indestructible in a meeting if he wanted to.

Why..? Whycan't he be like that more often?! she thought, impressed and frustrated with him at the same time. You could always count on Tony to give her a roller coaster of emotions! After that, part of her stress faded away. Pepper saw herself actually looking forward to going out with Karol.

-o-

When Saturday arrived, she managed to do all her work fast and by 4pm she was almost ready to leave. She took the messages and the documents that she had to deliver to Tony and met him at his living room where he was playing an online video game.

"I need you to sign this." But Tony pretended he hadn't listened and kept playing on his Xbox. Noticing his non-response Pepper kept talking. "Larry called; he wants to know if you were interested in anything from the Art Gallery, and Mr. Stane wants to talk to you about the details of the meeting yesterday when he arrives from New York on Thursday." She stepped in front of the TV and put the papers in front of him. "Sign this and think about the Art Gallery. He wants an answer by Monday."

"Why are you so eager for me to look at this?" He took a second to look through the files and signed it without reading. He trusted Pepper enough for this already.

"I'm leaving early today," she said, holding the files and starting to walk away.

"Uhmmm.. Wait... What?" he said, as if he just processed the information seconds later. He left the sofa like it was on fire and went after her. "You are leaving earlier? Why? Is it because you have been stressed these days? Because you can chill here! There's a pool, a sauna – please put a bikini on, I can totally see you wearing one."

"No. And who said that I'm stressed..?" Automatically she started to think about her behavior that week. She couldn't remember having mistreated anyone.

"We noticed you were more… quiet than usual, and you know… you look like shit at the end of the day…"

She stopped to look at him. If looks could kill, the one that she was sending him now would have done the job. But he kept talking, even after seeing her look.

"…like that, right now, ready to kill somebody… Why did you think I was hiding downstairs?"

"Because you love that place, and maybe it is because my boss is giving me too much to do..."

"He is an asshole… We already know that, but that's no reason for you to leave earlier!" He was following her like a puppy followed its owner when they realize they are about to be alone. She was already collecting her purse.

"Not that's your business, but I have plans tonight."

There was a moment of silence before Tony spoke. "You have plans?"

"Yes".

"You..? ...Plans?" It seemed it was an alien concept to him or a complicated equation that he needed to solve.

"Yes. I'm allowed to have plans on the weekends." She gave him a flat face and started to walk away.

"We need to change that…" he murmured, then he chased her back. "What if I need you?"

"You won't."

"You don't know that." He stopped in front of her. "What if I was about to die?"

"You are in perfect health."

"I could get a disease."

"It would take longer than 24 hours for it to be mortal." She walked past him and was at the door when he started talking again.

"Okay… What if JARVIS decided to rise up and get revenge on me?"

"That would be highly improbable sir, I have protocols-"

"Mute!" Tony didn't let the computer finish it. And Pepper was trying to suppress a smile at his attempts to make her stay. It was funny for her that in public Tony had this bravado, to be confident, careless and independent but when they were alone he was almost incapable to tie his shoes without her. It was funny how in less than a year she had reached at this level of trust with him. She remembered how he used to test her all the time. It seemed like it was a long time ago now.

"The robots won't upraise in 24 hours, Tony."

"Okay… I can trip and hit my head and bleed out.. Who's gonna help me?" He put his hand on his hips, staring defiantly at her.

"You have JARVIS, Dum-E and U to call 911."

He pretended to be offended after she said that. "You are gonna leave me with them? They hate me." Now he was pouting.

"They don't hate you and you yell at them for nothing," she responded.

"The point is, I need you here." He was trying to sound calm.

"I'm not going to ditch my friend just because something may happen to you."

"You wound me, Potts."

"Besides I know you have invitations for a party today… You won't be needing me."

"That's not true I always need you."

"You won't need me to drink and get girls."

"I…I… I need you to…to… keep me in control of my drinking and… and… evaluate my girls." Tony was desperate.

"No, you don't."

"So that's it! You're going to leave me..? Like this? I thought we had a thing."

"The thing is called employment contract and it says that I have the day off Saturday after 5 and Sunday free."

"… We really need to change that," he murmured.

"Bye, Mr. Stark. See you on Monday!"

Tony sighed in defeat and watched her walk out the house to her car.

-o-

Once home, Pepper took a shower and started to get ready. She dressed in a summer green dress with little pearl flowers on it. It wasn't too short as the dress stopped above her knees and as she didn't know how long they would stay out, she decided to put a jeans jacket over it. As always she put on her heels. She couldn't leave the house without them.

"Ready to go?" Karol asked as she entered Pepper's room.

"Yes!"

At the beginning of the night, they took a cab and went to a bar near downtown. They ordered a couple drinks and something to eat.

"You were right, I needed this…" said Pepper, really enjoying the place.

"Of course I was right! You couldn't keep living like that, you would go crazy."

"It's just the routine is a little difficult now."

"You know what you need?"

Pepper looked at her in curiosity.

"A new guy".

"Oh don't…"

"Nothing serious… just to get Richard out of your system…"

"Not right now…" Pepper looked at her friend with a serious face and Karol knew better than to push the subject.

"Okay, but promise me something. If by the end of the night you find a guy that it is at least interesting, you will consider what I said?"

Pepper laughed at the insistence of her friend.

"What do you mean 'by the end of the night'? Have you planned anything else?"

"Honey, I have tickets for a rave party," she said happily, taking the tickets out of her purse and showing them to Pepper.

"Oh no, not a rave party," groaned Pepper.

"Yes! Come on, I've never been to one! And this one would be next to the Hollywood Sign: how cool is that? Imagine the view!"

"I've been in a lot of rave parties."

"You went at the ones that Stark hosted… that's different, you were working it doesn't count!

Pepper looked at her friend as she begged. "Come on! It will be fun! The two of us, you can let go all of your stress dancing… and you get to sleep the whole Sunday! I won't disturb you."

"And just how do you think we will get there? Uhn… at Hollywood Sign? I'm not using my car to drive us there and the taxi would be a fortune!"

Karol smiled deviously. "I've got it covered!"

"What do you mean?"

"There's a van that will leave from that park over there." She pointed towards the park across the street. "See those vans…? They will take the people and drive them to the party and will wait for us so we can get back."

Pepper looked at the van, then at her friend… "You really thought this through ahn?"

"What can I say… it's not every day that you have a day off!"

Pepper really didn't want to go. A rave party wasn't her idea of "having a good time". In her mind, a good and relaxing time was what they were doing right now. Sit on a bar, have a couple of beers and a decent conversation. But she felt like she owed her something for letting her stay at her house and not pressuring her to move out, so she ended up agreeing to go to the party.

They had a few drinks before going to the van. It was about 10:30pm and Pepper found herself sitting at the back of the van with her friend, surrounded by strangers who Karol was chatting with as if they were old friends. While Pepper was more reserved, Karol was more open and friendly.

It took a while for them to get to the party. Once she was out of the van, Pepper looked around. They were in the middle of nowhere! Above her, she could see the Hollywood Sign, below the lights of Los Angeles far from them.

It was indeed a beautiful view.

Other than that, it was just brushwood.

Oh my God… why did I agree with this? She was already starting to regret it.

"Let's go!" said Karol, exited.

Pepper gave her an uneasy smile and followed her… although it was in open air there were lights illuminating the path towards the main stage that was built around a natural rock; and around it, they put benches for people to sit - or in the case of that party - dance above it. Behind the main stage were the bars and bathrooms.

In less than a minute Karol was already dancing with the beat. She looked at Pepper who felt out of place.

"Come on let it go!" she yelled.

"I think I will get something to drink," Pepper yelled back and went for the bars. The line to get a ticket for beer was huge!

Half hour later Pepper went back to the main stage where she found Karol at the entrance.

"The drinks here are ridiculously expensive!" she commented. Karol laughed and accepted the drink.

Pepper turned around and much to her surprise, she saw some colleagues of work there. Pepper introduce them to Karol, and they chatted a little, drank even more until Pepper gave up and entered the main stage dancing. She was trying to enjoy it since she was already there.

She didn't know how but at some point of the night she saw herself and her friends dancing on the bench around that natural rock. A couple of men approached her and tried to dance with her but she rejected them. It wasn't time. It didn't feel right.

At one point Pepper looked around her and didn't see Karol. She looked at the clock. It was past 4am.

I'm tired of this. I better try to find Karol.

She looked around but didn't see her friend. She probably found a guy and is making out with him somewhere… dammit Karol!

The red haired sighed impatiently and decided to get another drink while she waited for her friend to show up. She was almost at the bar when everything went black. Pepper looked around at the blackout. All the lights were off; the only light she could see was the city below them.

The generator probably went out of fuel. That is just great! Just what I needed! she thought frustrated. Now I won't find Karol even if I wanted to! Pepper was looking around thinking what she was going to do next when she saw a familiar face. He looked back at her and grinned as he came closer.

"Look who I found here!" Even though his voice was smooth, Pepper could see he was a little tipsy. "Looking good, Potts! Hot! Very, very hot!"

"Tony! What are you doing here?!"

"Same as you apparently… so this was your plans uhn! Could have told me! Where's your friend? The one that you exchanged me for..?"

"Don't know. I lost her. And I want to leave here."

"Well I'm leaving. This party sucks and even more with this blackout now… wanna go with me?"

Pepper thought for a second.

"No. I came here with the vans so…"

"Pepper… those vans won't leave until the party is over, and that would be like around… 12pm. Look around do you see anybody leaving?"

It was true, although they were out of light nobody moved to leave. It was like the dark hadn't even bothered them. "You're right… I'm going with you."

They started to walk, leaving the crowd behind them for the exit dirt road. They were almost at the end of the parking lot when Pepper decided to ask.

"Tony… where's your car?"

"It's parked… At the second party that I've been at tonight," he said cautiously.

"Wh-what?"

"Just so you know this is the third one… So it's not that biggie… all of them were really boring-"

"Then how did you get here?"

"I got a ride with two gorgeous ladies that I met there… at the second party… I guess I can say the night wasn't a completely waste of time-"

"Where's your cellphone?"

"I kind of left it in my jacket… that is in my car…where's yours?"

"It's dead…"

"Hum.. Remind me to take a look at your battery… I can make it last longer…"

"How are we going to get out of this place?"

"We walk…" At the look she gave him, he completed his sentence, "until we find a ride…"

"Tony, nobody gives a ride for two strangers in the middle of nowhere!"

"We will find one… you will see…"

They were already coming down the dirt road when a car came down the hill. Tony made a sign for the car, but it drove pass them.

"Told you," said Pepper, but the car stopped a couple meters ahead them. Tony then turned to Pepper with a triumphant smile.

"I told you," he repeated her words. When they arrived at the car, they could see four women inside.

"Hi…" said Tony, already throwing on his charms to the driver.

"Are you… Tony Stark?" asked one of the girls, a little insecure about it.

"Yes I am… my friend and I need a ride… could you girls..?" he explained the situation for them.

"Sure… but … We only have space for one…"

"We can make it fit…" said the other one. Tony smiled and turned to Pepper.

"Wanna sit on my lap?"

She gave him a mortal glare that made Tony's smile grow.

"I can sit on your lap," said, with a suggestive tone, of one of the girls on the back seat.

"Well thank you… so this way everyone can fit in…"

They entered the car. Tony sat in the middle so this way he could chat with the girls… Obviously Tony was flirting with them, especially the one on his lap.

"You know that's a really provocative dress that you have here." Pepper heard him say to the girl as he played with the girl's dress edge.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark."

"What do you think of mine?" asked the other one, also using a suggestive tone.

Pepper rolled her eyes and decided to stop listening and put her head against the window and started to pay attention to the view.

They drove for a while until the car stopped.

"Here is the place that you asked," said the driver, looking at Pepper. "We are actually going in the opposite direction after here so… this is the closest I could get!"

"No, it's fine! Thank you very much," she said, opening the door. The driver looked at Tony.

"You're welcome to join us if you want."

Tony looked at Pepper and then at the girls. He pressed his hand hard against the thighs of the one on his lap, squeezing it and smiled.

"Sorry girls… another time!" He gave two little slaps on the girl's ass so she could let him leave. They complained as he left the car and closed the door.

"Tony, you can go with them," Pepper said the second he got out.

"And leave you to walk alone in this part of the city when the sun hasn't even come out yet? Come on… I'm an asshole but I'm not that asshole! And boy! This is far!" he commented as they started to walk.

From the point where the girls left them to Karol's it was about 30 minutes walking distance. They were in silence for a moment. Pepper's heels were killing her.

Nice shoes, but not comfortable at all.

"Oh God I hate this..." she murmured.

Tony grinned when he heard her. "Of all things, I never took you for a rave girl… you're full of surprises Pep."

"I'm not. I just went because of a friend. And I'm so going to kill her!" Her comment made Tony laugh hard.

"A friend that can convince you to go to a rave and actually try to enjoy it is a must know person. She must have super powers." He was laughing at the situation, but Pepper was so pissed that nothing was funny for her now. She was having a perfect nice night before that rave, now she was tired of the lack of sleep, her ears hurt for the loud music, not to mention her feet hurt because of the heels and her walk on that dirt road before the ride, and they still had a couple of blocks to walk.

"No… she doesn't, I just went because I felt like I owe her for letting me live at her place."

"Why are you living at her place?" he asked, curious. Before she could answer, he added: "Is it because of the broken engagement?"

Pepper looked at him in surprise. She never mentioned that she and Richard had broken the engagement to him, or anyone else in the company.

Tony saw her face. "Missing ring." He pointed to her hand. "I'm more of an observer than you think, Pepsy. Having trouble finding your own place?"

"Something like that." He made a sign for her to continue and she sighed in defeat. He was not going drop the subject at this point and she already knew him enough to know that. Walking with a complaining Tony Stark in her actual state of mind would be a living hell.

"All the decent places next to your house and S.I. are too expensive to buy or to rent. I guess I'll have to start searching in a more distant neighborhood."

Tony looked at her for a second before suggesting: "Let me help you with that."

She was about to deny his offer when he stopped in front of her. "No, no, no, no hear me out! Please. You don't want me to buy you a place. Got it. I know that, you are the kind of person that would never let me do that kind thing for you-"

"People talk and they can misunderstand that. And I don't want to seem like I'm the one who is trying to take advantage or make a move on you". She started to walk again, now she already could see Karol's place. Just one more block, she thought and when he didn't make a joke about her making a move on him, she realized how serious he was.

"I know that. I never thought of you like that. But then, let me lend you the money. You find a place that you want and if, if you can't afford it, I'll help you". He didn't give her time to respond and added. "Nobody needs to know. Its money that won't make a difference to me, plus its taxes free, and you can pay me back in your own time. You have access to my bank account so you make the deposits with the amount you feel like when it is necessary… This will stay between you and me. And even if you feel like you have to leave or resign, our deal will stay and you can pay me as much as you can, but you don't have to feel obligated with me or the company… but please don't leave," he added quickly.

She let out a little smile at his last request. "Why are you doing this..?" she asked, stopping at the gate of Karol's apartment and looking at him.

"Because I can… billionaire, you know…" He smiled. But Pepper didn't buy it, and gave him a flat face, demanding a serious answer from him.

Tony avoided her eyes when he spoke. "You are a good assistant. Actually, you are the best assistant… ever! The others only lasted like a month…"

"I wonder why…" she said, teasing.

"The point is… I don't wanna lose a great assistant and a friend for something so stupid like the geographic location of your new house, and seeing how far this place is and how you were really stressed in these last weeks it makes me feel like it's just a matter of time before you give up."

"I can resign for a whole other reasons too."

"I know that… and it would be probably because of me."

She rolled her eyes at his answer.

"That's why I told you that you don't have to feel obligated… In less than a year you have done a lot for me, I just wanna to do a little. Like I said, nobody needs to know."

"…I'll think about it," she replied.

He smiled, relieved at her answer.

"Is this the place?" He pointed at the building.

"Yeah."

"Pep... you really need to get out of here."

Pepper laughed at his attempts.

"Come on, let's go inside so you can call Happy to pick you up and get you your car back."

In record time, Happy arrived at the place. "Morning Boss, Miss Potts," he said, stepping out of the car and opening the back door for Tony.

"What took you so long?" complained the playboy.

"Sorry Boss… It took me forever to find this place."

Tony looked at Pepper with a smug look.

She rolled her eyes and repeated. "I said that I will think about it."

"You are hard to get, Peppy," he retorted as he entered the car. He closed the door but opened the window to add: "But I'll take pleasure that you will be thinking about me."

"You are making it easy to reject!" she said goodbye to Happy and her Boss and went back to the apartment. She connected her cellphone to charge and soon Karol was calling her, asking where she was. When she looked out the window, the sun was already out: she needed to rest.

Pepper went to her improvised room, lay on the bed, and she could feel the exhaustion winning her over.

What a night! she thought. Tony's proposition came to her mind. I'm too exhausted to think about this now. She pushed that thought to the back of her head and suddenly she fell asleep faster than she ever had in her life.

-o-

Pepper didn't need to accept Tony's offer. Although she couldn't say that it wasn't tempting - and she really considered it in the following days - she kept strong and weeks later after that day, she found her apartment. It was perfect for her: a good neighborhood, good view, excellent localization - 30 minutes from Tony's - and because the owners were in a hurry to sell it, the price was very low.

"You are leaving early again," said Tony, when he saw Pepper organizing her things to leave his house on a Saturday afternoon. "You know, don't forget that we need to change that employment contract of yours, and don't think that I forgot about that, Miss Potts!" Pepper just rolled her eyes at him and Tony added: "You know... I've decided that I don't like when you have plans. Another rave party?" he said, teasing.

"Not this time," she said with a smile on her face, remembering that tragic day. "Today is moving day."

"You found an apartment!" He pointed out and frowned when he looked back at her. "So you accept my offer?" he smiled. After that day Tony had never touched the subject again. He didn't want to pressure her in to his idea.

"No. I didn't have to, and I don't want to mix things," she said, walking out her office.

"What do mean 'mix things'? I thought I said it would stay between the two of us?"

"You are my boss, it would be highly inappropriate, not to mention unprofessional I take your money to buy me a house."

"But-"

"I found one, at a good price-"

"The location-"

"Thirty minutes from here. It's a good place and I'm really happy that I found it." She looked at him and he did look kind of disappointed. Pepper sighed. She knew he meant well but her principles didn't let her accept that. What would people say if this came out? She knew that people still made insinuations about their relationship, and she had never given them a reason to. Taking Tony's offer would be a reason for them to talk. No, she wanted people to realize that her relationship with him was professional and nothing more than that. "But thank you for your offer, Mr. Stark."

"But you didn't accept it-"

"That doesn't mean that I do not appreciate your gesture."

He smiled a little, and before she left the house, Pepper heard him say: "Are you gonna invite me to your place? To… to celebrate! I can help you relax after a busy day of moving… I know a few massage techniques, really efficient and really, you know… pleasurable…"

"Bye Tony," she said simply.

"Don't say I never try to do anything for you!" He yelled back and caused her to smile as she entered her car. Maybe professional was too much to ask of Tony Stark, at least when they were alone. But let's work on that latter, she thought, driving her way to her new home.