Chapter 10:
After 5 years of working for Tony Stark, Pepper couldn't say that she'd had vacations like a normal person would have. In fact, she didn't remember when she actually took vacations.
I was probably still working for the Account Department, she thought.
The reason why she was thinking about this is that, finally, Tony had decided to give her some long vacations. However, he insisted that she needed to go with him.
"You won't work Pepper. We'll travel, have fun, see different people and different places… I promise I won't pest you out, and we will do whatever you wanna do."
And she had said "yes" but only because he'd agreed to let her visit her family during half of their vacations.
They would take 10 days of vacation. During 5 of the days, she would be traveling with Tony, Rodney, Martha and Happy. The other 5 days she would spend visiting her family while Tony stayed in his mansion in Long Island.
Now she was looking at the pile of work in front of her which was everything that she needed to solve before their trip tomorrow. Surprisingly Tony helped her a lot! By the end of the day, most of the important matters were taken care of, and Tony announced that he was going out for the night.
They said their goodbyes and she reminded him the time that his plane was due to leave tomorrow. Pepper decided to stay in his house for a while longer finishing some reports before going home. She was in her office, therefore she decided to take her off heels to be more comfortable and started to work again.
Due to the quiet environment of the mansion without it's owner, she was able to finish her work, and start some paperwork that she only thought she would get to see when they returned.
Hours later, she heard a noise coming from the living room. Pepper looked at the clock; it was almost 1am!
I guess I lost myself in my work. I better get home!
She grabbed her purse and her heels and started to walk out towards the living room when she heard a moan.
"Ohhh Tony!"
But it was too late, she had already entered the living room. The red-haired froze at the vision in front of her: a half-naked woman laid next to the fireplace and a very naked Tony Stark with his head between her thighs while the woman squirmed in pleasure. Pepper heard Tony's moan as he decided to move his attention to the woman's breasts.
It all lasted just a couple of seconds but it felt like an eternity.
What do I do? she thought desperately.
She couldn't go back and sleep in "her room". It would be taking away Tony's privacy.
He is a healthy bachelor man and deserves to have his fun without me being around to spoil it.
So she decided to take the only other option she thought of at the moment: walk out of his house in silence.
Thankfully, she had her heels in her hands since she left her office. Seeing that the couple were too busy to notice her, judging by their moans, Pepper started to walk fast and in silence to the main door, careful not to make any sound to disturb them. She could swear that the distance to the exit had increased as she walked on her tiptoes. It was the only explanation because she felt like she was walking for hours!
Then she made it! Pepper was already at the exit glass door, thanking every possible Gods that existed, that they hadn't noticed her. Finally, she stepped out and she could feel the tension already leaving her body, when:
"Have a good evening,Miss Potts," said JARVIS.
Pepper closed her eyes and silently cursed the A.I. System.
I could swear that he did that on purpose, she thought.
Seconds later, she heard Tony's voice:
"Pepper?"
She didn't wait to see if he found her and ran fast to her car and finally left his mansion.
-o-
During her way home, all Pepper could hear was Tony's soft moans that she just had witness.
That was the first night that she dreamed fantasizing about her boss with his voice… his perfect lips… his hands and tongue all over her body. Pepper woke up aroused still feeling the sensations that her dream had caused her and wondering what the reality must feel like.
For the first time she let herself question: how would it feel like to sleep with Tony Stark? The things she heard his women talk about and the things she read about him, he must have some talent. Her brain quickly started to display images of the woman beneath him moaning in pleasure then replaced by her own image in his arms.
Stop thinking about this! she chided herself. He is your boss, and you know exactly what he does with those women after he is done with them… You want to put your job and your friendship with him at risk for only a fantasy? she censored herself.
She looked at the clock. In less than two hours, she would have to face Tony again.
He can not see me flushed like this! she told herself, trying to calm her nerves and decided to take a very long and very cold shower. Later, she drove to Tony's house. Much to her delight, that woman wasn't there anymore. She took a deep breath.
Be professional, as always.
"Pepper." He was in front of her with a smirk on his face and she just knew he was going to say something.
He will talk about it. Of course he will, he is Tony Stark!
"Stark, your plane leaves in half an hour. I thought you were already ready," she said, trying to sound as natural as she could.
"I am… the bags are already in the car." He stepped close to her. "I was waiting for yours."
"Good. Rhodey must be at Edward's by now." She started to walk to his car when he called her back.
"You really aren't going to comment about what happened last night?" he asked, amused.
"What happened last night?" she asked, not looking back at him. She couldn't talk about this and face him at the same time. Nope! Not after that dream.
Dammit! He is talking about it!
That smirk was still on his face.
"Pep, sorry you had to see that."
And she knew she had nowhere to run but to face the subject. "You have nothing to be sorry about, Tony. It's your house, you are a healthy single man. I was the one that overstayed. I did try my best not to bother you but…"
"I know…" He was being surprisingly serious and considerate. "But I'm sorry."
She blushed and gave him a nod as they entered his R8 Spyder.
"Although," he said, his manner changing as a smirk spread across his features. "Let me know if you want a real demonstration of what you just witnessed last night."
"Tony!" She couldn't believe him!
"Just saying… It would be my pleasure to pleasure you."
It amazed her how he could say these things with a serious face, and she had to ignore the feelings that his proposition was causing her.
"You have your girls to do that," she replied, annoyed.
"I do… but can I think of you while I'm doing them?! If not can my right hand pretend to be you?!" he asked her seriously.
"You are disgusting! Say something like that again and I'm out!" She rolled her eyes. "Drive!" She couldn't help blushing and let out an exasperated sigh as he laughed at her reaction and sped up the car.
"I will take that as a yes."
"Don't you dare Mister!" she warned him.
-o-
Tony Stark, she learned, drove like a maniac! Because of his perchance to speed, they arrived in record time at the Air Force base. Rhodey, Happy and Martha were already there. Rhodey had an annoyed face due to his due to his friend's delay.
"Really, Tony? Not even for your vacation are you able to be on time?"
"I was having pleasure time with Pepper." He smirked at her and she rolled her eyes.
During the flight, Pepper and Martha were catching up while the flight attendants were busy entertaining Tony, and Rhodey and Happy were drinking next to him.
"How is possible that they don't sue him for sexual harassment?" asked Martha, while watching one of the attendants dance on Tony's lap.
"We have to draw up a special contract for them to prevent this," answered Pepper.
Martha shook her head and murmured: "Unbelievable!"
Pepper agreed with her in silence.
Finally, they arrived in the Maldives. Pepper was amazed at the beauty of the place and couldn't stop looking around.
"Feeling glad that you came, uhn?" teased Tony, and she smiled at him. They had arrived at a luxury resort where Tony had reserved a five-bedroom island cabin for them.
Again, Pepper was breathless at the beauty of the place. The water was crystal clear. Their cabin was constructed above it, and it also had a huge pool, a sauna, a wine cellar, and a butler waiting for them. Tony had first choice of bedrooms and decided upon the master room, so Pepper and the others chose the other rooms between them. It was luxury; luxurious everywhere you look.
"Beautiful!" Rhodey said to her as she was looking at the pool and contrasting it with the view of the sea.
"I've never seen anything like this in my life!" she said, amazed at the beauty of it.
Five seconds later Tony came running and screaming as he jumped in the pool. He laughed as he ducked his head under the water.
"How is the water Stark?" asked Rhodes.
"Perfect! Lets see what the other one is like now!"
He got out and Pepper saw that he was shirtless and wearing his swim shorts. She turned away to hide her blush; the views of her dream were still very fresh on her mind and the view of her boss and his perfect body wasn't helping. Pepper always thought he had a great physique.
Come on! she thought, angry with herself. It's not like you never seen him shirtless before! Be a grown up and stop acting like a teenager.
"You guys really need to be here!" she heard Tony scream from the sea.
She decided to go unpack first and went back to her room. She took her time with her bags, admiring the view of the ocean in front of her.
"Pepper?" Martha knocked before coming in. She was dressed in her bikini. "We are missing you out there. Where is your bikini?"
"I don't think-" she started.
"Oh no! Don't even start that on me! We travel half way across the world… You will put on your bikini… come on! It's just your friends here; nobody is here to judge you!"
"I guess, but Tony-"
"Tony will behave! You know how he is... He just likes to tease, especially you."
She sighed, defeated by her friends comments and changed into her bikini. It was navy blue and the colour gradiented until it's color became white. She tied her sarong at her waist and went to meet the boys by the pool.
When they arrived there, Pepper and Martha went to sit in the deckchairs. The boys were swimming in the pool. Tony had his sunglasses on but she could feel his eyes on her during all the time that she was making herself comfortable. Until he came closer to them and stopped at the pool's border.
"Helloooo gorgeous!" he said, smiling suggestively and singing a little.
Pepper looked at him with a serious face. "Drop it Stark. Don't even start it!"
"What did I do?" he asked, putting on his best innocent face.
"If you want my presence here, zip the inappropriate comments." He opened his mouth to say something but she spoke first: "I'm warning you! Zip it!"
He made the gesture of zipping to lock his mouth, and then threw a kiss in her direction before smiling and swimming away. Pepper blushed at his kiss but kept her serious face.
"See.." said Martha. "Just a teaser…"
They spent the day there, swimming in the pool or in the ocean, drinking, eating, and chatting about anything and everything. When she took her sarong off for swim, she was half expecting to hear a comment from Tony. But he didn't say anything.
Perhaps he was taking what I said seriously. First time for everything, I guess… She could still feel his eyes on her from time to time but every time she looked, he was distracted with something else. Maybe it is my crazy imagination?
-o-
At night, they decided to go to a village nearby. Since it was not far they went on foot. As soon as they arrived at the beach next to their cabin, Pepper saw why it was the most beautiful sight in her life. The sand and the water next to it were shining; a beautiful neon blue shine.
She stopped walking to admire the view in front of her. It was just unbelievable.
"Nice, isn't it?" She heard Tony say at her side.
"It's beautiful…" she whispered. "What is that?"
"Phytoplankton" he said and she looked at him, silencly questioning him. "It's a microscopic organism that lives in the ocean. The interesting thing about this one is that this glow, that they are showing, is a defense mechanism. They feel threatened by the waves so they started to shine."
Pepper looked back at the scene, even more amazed after Tony's explanation.
"You can make your footprint on the sand with them. Look," showed Tony as he guided Pepper to her feet on the water and went back to the sand. While they were walking Pepper saw the mark of their feet covered with the neon blue on the sand. She smiled at the view, feeling like a kid on the beach for the first time.
"Pretty cool, right?" Tony asked, smiling.
She smiled back at him. They started to walk again towards the village but from time to time Pepper looked back to see the blue of her footprint subsiding.
At the village, they walked around to see the place. Most restaurants were next to the beach. They picked a table on the sand away from the bar.
"Wow, those blue things on the water were spectacular!" said Martha. "Tony, you should buy an island here so we get to be here from time to time!"
"Not the worst idea." Tony agreed with her. "Maybe I'll do that."
"Really?" Pepper asked skeptical.
"Why not?" questioned Martha. "So that way I could say: 'Hey I'm going to spend some days on your island' and the only thing that I'll have to worry about is the plane tickets!"
"Oh, so you want me to buy an island for your use?" questioned Tony, pretending to be offended.
"Uh, yeah! That's the point of being friends with a billionaire! What else?"
Tony put his hand on his chest pretending to feel hurt by her words.
Rhodey started to play along. "Poor thing, he thinks that we like him."
"Hey Platypus, I won't let you near any of my toys again."
Pepper smiled as her friends bickered with each other.
"I will get something to drink," she announced.
"Just call the waiter," suggested Tony.
"It's okay, I want to walk a little."
"I'm going with you," said Happy.
"Me too," added Martha.
The three of them left the table and walked for the bar leaving Tony and Rhodey alone. Once they arrived there, they ordered their drinks. Happy started to talk with a woman next to him while waiting. It didn't take longer until a blonde guy came next to the girls to order his drink. While he was waiting, he started to talk with Pepper and Martha. He was a doctor from Australia, also spending his vacations there. When Martha saw that he took interest in Pepper, she took her drink and left them alone to sit with her brother and Tony.
The minute that Martha arrived on the table, Pepper started to feel Tony's eyes on her, watching her while she spoke with the blonde doctor. They talked for a while longer and were already saying their goodbyes with the promise to see each other again during that week. As he walked away, Tony came to her side, watching the man who was now further away from them.
"What's up with that guy?" he asked.
"What guy?" she said annoyed, already half expecting this to happen the moment that the blonde doctor came to her side.
"That guy who you were talking to?"
"What about him?" Pepper asked as she started to walk back to their table.
"Well…He looks like a psycho." He followed her and she raised an eyebrow when he spoke.
"You are being the psycho one." She retored in which he threw her an annoyed expression.
"Seriously… look at him... That blonde hair with that sunburn skin… Way too burned. He clearly doesn't know when to stop."
Pepper just rolled her eyes as he started rambling.
"And did you realize that when he passes next to the light of the lamp his skin looks like a fried shrimp? And what about those googly eyes-"
"You have big eyes…" she interrupted him.
"They are brown, sweet chocolate and adorable… and not the only thing big that I have…"
"Says you."
"Would you like a taste?"
"Tony!"
"Brain! I'm talking about my big brain Pepper! Now who has the dirty mind?" he questioned her with his hand on his waist as they arrived at their table. "But just so you know, it's big too," he whispered in her ear and went to sit smiling.
She blushed but ignored his comment.
They spent their first night there. At some point Happy returned to their table, feeling proud of the woman he had just met. Later that night they went back to their cabins to get a good night sleep.
-o-
The following days Tony managed to convince Pepper to do activities she had never even dreamed of doing.
She was a quiet person by nature. Just leaving her alone, appreciating the environment and she would be fine with it. Tony was the adventure one.
While Pepper was calmly appreciating the sun at the pool, Tony was flying boarding on the sea and screaming:
"Yeahh, I can fly uhuuu!" From time to time, he would dive just to fly out of the water, pretending to be a dolphin. Pepper was having fun just by watching him.
At some point, she saw herself sitting on the Fun Tube for two. Tony insisted on going next to her and during the entire ride, he was jumping on the float until he managed to turn them upside down. He couldn't stop laughing, she had to admit, even though she was scared to death when it turned, it was really fun.
During all the week, they managed to do activities like that: diving, which she loved because she got to see the corals; Jet Skiing and Kite Surfing, which terrified her because of the speed. Tony did try to make her go water skiing with him but she strongly refused.
When the night would come, they would stay in the cabin, having some beers and just relaxing or they would walk to the village again to see other people. Pepper did meet the doctor again, but this time Tony wasn't around to annoy her. He was busy with a group of girls that they met at the village.
Before they realized it their five days of vacations were over and they were flying back to the USA. Rhodey and Martha returned to California, Happy and Tony went to his mansion in Long Island and Pepper visited New York to see her family.
-o-
When the taxi arrived at the familiar garage, Pepper left her car to get her baggage. She had just grabbed her bags when a red-haired woman opened the front door with a smile on her face, coming to meet her.
"About time you visited your family! That man makes you work way too much! You don't have time for us anymore!" she said as she hugged Pepper.
"Good to see you too Mom, and it's not like I don't have a day off!" she said while walking towards the house.
"He treats you like a slave!" continued the older woman.
"He doesn't!" defended Pepper, praying that her mother would drop the subject at least until she was inside the house, but she didn't.
"Virginia, that job has already cost you a fiancé, a really nice man by the way. And for what, I heard a boyfriend. I don't know if you realize that, but you are not getting any younger. Your clock is ticking! You need to find a man to have a couple of kids with. I want to have grandkids," insisted the woman.
"Mom, you also have Sarah for that. I'm not your only daughter," replied Pepper, finally entering inside her old house.
"Nonsense! I want that from both of my daughters," her mother said firmly.
"Mom, I like my job. I'm happy with it."
"I'm just saying-"
"Ahh, leave her alone mom!" A blonde woman walked into view and went directly to hug her younger sister. "Ginny barely came in and you are already giving her THE speech! Hey sis! How is that man of yours?"
"How can you ask and I can't?" questioned their mother.
"I'm not giving her THE speech, am I?" replied Sarah.
Pepper smiled at her sister's answer. "He is fine. We just came back from a vacation trip."
"You were traveling with him?" she kept questioning.
"Yes. We took some days off. He insisted that I went with him," explained Pepper.
"To work?" her mom asked
"No mom," she answered, a little annoyed. "Not to work. It was actually a lot of fun! We went to the Maldives Islands." Her mother seemed surprised at her answer.
"Oh my god! Are you serious? Did you take pictures?" asked Sarah, excited.
"Yes!"
"You need to tell me all about it," she said, holding one of Pepper's bags when a man came in to view.
"There she is: my little girl." He hugged her.
"Hey dad," smiled Pepper.
"Let's get your bags to your room."
After Pepper took her bags to her room, they met in the living room to catch up. Sarah announced that she was engaged, much to Pepper's mother's delight. They decided to celebrate the news by making a little family barbecue. Her father set up the grills while the girls were sitting in the backyard.
"The pictures of your trip, please let me see them!" reminded Sarah.
Pepper took her tablet and started to show her the pictures of the cabin that they had spent those days in.
"My god! All this, only for you guys?"
"Yes!"
"There was no one else around?"
"Not for a couple miles, no," confirmed Pepper.
"Must be good to have money like that," commented her father. He was, at some level, an admirer of Stark. He didn't agree with many of Tony's attitudes or life style but he admired him as a business man and the intellect that the playboy has.
"Money is not everything," censored her mother.
Sarah changed the picture again to see a photo of Pepper and Martha at the pool with the ocean behind them. Then there was another picture of them at the same place but behind them was Tony Stark in the middle of the girls, with his arms opened, posing for the camera.
"That's Tony Stark?" asked Sarah.
"Yes."
"So, this is the man," mused her dad when he came closer to see the picture.
"It's not like you guys don't know him," noted Pepper.
"Well, it's different to see a picture of him in the newspaper or the magazines and see a picture of him all natural like this," he replied.
"Different how?"
"It's just different, Ginny. You are used to him, we're not," explained Sarah. "Do you have more pictures of him?"
"Yes, I do." Pepper showed her a picture of him that she took while he was at the deck pool. It was during the sunset, and the sky was a mixture of colors: yellow, purple and dark blue all reflected in the water next to him. He was shirtless, sunglasses off with a relaxed smile on his face and he was distracted, talking to Happy so she took advantage of it to take the picture. It became her favorite picture of him so far.
"My god!" said Sarah. "This is Tony Stark! How do you manage to work with this man every day? Look at this! I already want to throw him on my bed!"
Pepper laughed as her father smirked.
"Don't let you mother hear you," he whispered, looking around to search for his wife and found she had gone inside the house a couple of minutes before.
"I thought you were engaged?" teased Pepper. "That's what we are celebrating here."
"Ahhh, I'm sure he would forgive me… Just as I would forgive him if he slept with Angelina Jolie one time."
They laughed at her.
They spent the rest of the night together enjoying small talk; just relishing the company of the family back together.
Later that night, when Pepper's parents were already sleep, she and Sarah were still in the backyard when her phone started to ring. She glanced at the ID: T. Stark. Pepper took a deep breath before answering.
"Mr. Stark, I thought we had an agreement?" she reminded him and noticed her sister's face shine at his name.
"I know we do… But I need your help. It's urgent… I'm kind of lost here."
"What is it?"
"I'm trying to buy something but they need me to register. Well,you are the one that usually does these things for me."
"You want me to go there and make the register for you?"
"No! No... could you?" When she stayed silent, he spoke again. "Of course not… We have an agreement. I need my social security number."
"You want your social security number?"
"Yeah.. It's the info missing here."
"You don't remember that?" There was a long, long silence on the other side of the phone.
"…f...fi…five?"
Pepper forced her lips together attempting not to laugh at the man. He was incapable of learning 9 digits but was able to learn the most complicated physics formulas and a varied number of calculations. She would never understand how his brain worked.
"I will text you your social security number."
"You are the best Pep… I won't bother you anymore." And he hung up.
"We'll see about that," she murmured.
"Wait… was that conversation serious? Tony Stark doesn't know his own social security number?" queried Sarah, finding the situation hilarious.
"Oh.. you guys don't know even half of it," replied Pepper, laughing.
The two sisters spent the night chit-chatting. Sarah tried hard to get some details of Tony out of Pepper, but the red-haired wisely avoided answering.
-o-
During all those days Pepper spent time with her family, visiting her old neighborhood and old friends. It was a good break from the crazy world that she had been living over the past 5 years.
Apart from her mother always bugging her about her work and for a man that, in her words is: "Irresponsible, libertine…" among other words that Pepper decided to ignore, it was a very good trip. She could feel her energy renew. From time to time she would look at the occasional email from Stark Industries but her sister always lectured her if she caught her doing so.
Tony did not keep his promise and every single day he was calling her for the most stupid of things.
"I can't find my ties!" he said, sounding desperate.
"They are in your closet!" she simple said as she kept helping her sister in the kitchen.
"They are not. I need you!" he cried.
"The compartment to the left of your suits." There was a moment of silent before he spoke in a much calmer voice.
"Oh! There it is!" He hung up.
Pepper smiled apologizing to her sister and they began to cook again. The two of them had decided to give their mother a break and do their lunch today.
Five minutes later Pepper's phone rang again.
"I can't find a tie that matches my suit!" said Tony, sounding equally desperate as he was before.
"That's highly unlikely Mr. Stark. You have hundreds of ties," she said, rolling her eyes.
"It's the truth I can't… Wait, how is it possible that I can hear your eyes rolling from here?"
She decided to ignore his statement. "What suit are you wearing?"
"How should I know?"
"Look inside. Tell me the brand and the color," she continued, as if she was speaking with a desperate child.
"Desmond Merrion, Graffiti."
She knew what suit he was wearing. She loved that suit on him. He was so handsome when he wore it. Pepper always thought that the dark colors suited him better.
"Use the dark gray with small white dots."
"Where…? Where is it? It's not here."
"Yes it is… On your right. At the height of your head." Again he was silent for a moment.
"Ohh there it is… Thanks Pep…. I won't bother you again."
She shook her head, not believing her boss's last words.
As she predicted later that night Tony called her again. She and Sarah were sitting on the balcony, drinking some beers, looking at the street and chatting.
"What time do you leave tomorrow?" Sarah asked.
"After lunch. By afternoon I need to be in Long Island to take the jet with Mr. Stark."
Her sister smiled at the thought. "Wow! That is so cool! Who ever thought that you would be traveling in a jet, while the rest of us mere mortals, need to go in economy class!"
Pepper smiled at her sister. It was pretty cool, she could not deny that. Those were the privileges of working for Tony Stark.
"It is a totally different world from the one that we are used to, right?" she asked and Pepper nodded.
"Totally different-" She couldn't finish her thought because of her cellphone ringing. Somehow, she was already expecting his call.
"Pepper… I'm curious about something," She could hear that Tony was intrigued.
"What?"
"What if Batman gets bitten by a vampire?"
"…What?" she frowned, not really understanding what he was talking about.
"Batman bitten by a Vampire… Will he turn into a Batpire? Or Vampman? Or Vampbat."
"Where did this idea came from?" It was times like these that she questioned his sanity.
"I got bored and went to see a movie... Batman, then there was a commercial of a Vampire. It mades me think. So, what do you think?" He didn't wait for her to answer and started rambling about his theory. "I think it would be Batpire. Vampbat is redundant, don't you think? Because it's a Vamp and then it's a Bat, it's just the same thing."
"Bye Tony…" She didn't realize the smile on her face while she was listening to him and his crazy theory. Pepper hung up the phone and looked at her sister who was smiling at her.
"What?" questioned the red-haired.
"He really likes to annoy you, doesn't he?" teased her sister.
"You have no idea!" replied Pepper, pretending to be annoyed by the fact that her boss won't stop calling her.
"Just between you and me…" mentioned Sarah, sitting a little more closer to Pepper. "You like him, don't you?" she whispered.
"What?"
Her sister gave a questioning look and Pepper answered.
"Of course I like him…He is a very good boss and a good friend."
"You know what I meant… You like, like him. I even dare to say that you love him."
Pepper started to laugh, hard, at her sister's statement. "Are you drunk already? Don't be ridiculous. I already have to take this shit from the tabloids. Not you too."
"I'm serious… You haven't realized it yet? You are different when you are talking to him or about him," the older one tried to explain.
"Now you reach the highest level of stupidity!" Pepper rolled her eyes at her sister.
"It's true! You have a different light in your eyes when you do that… and you smile more often. If you didn't realize it yet you will… soon…"
"Right," answered Pepper, feeling annoyed at her sister. "I think it's time to call it a night. Clearly you have drunk way too much!" She started to collect their bottles and went inside the house.
In her bed, Pepper started to think about what her sister had just said. She couldn't deny that she found Tony handsome. Any woman with eyes couldn't. Hell, she realized that from day one! And lately that sexual energy that he had, had started to affect her. But it was just sexual tension. A girl can have a fantasy right? She had caught him masturbating before but when she caught him having sex it had not helped her at all. It just fueled the things that she was avoiding thinking for the last couple of years.
But love him?! No! He is a good friend. My best friend and I'm happy to be part of his life as it is.
She went to sleep still thinking about this, and because her mind always liked to tease her, she spent the whole night dreaming about Tony. Dreams that made her insides and her feelings go crazy. The kind of dream that she tried hard to forget every time that she woke up, knowing she'd be having to face him that day.
-o-
At the end of her vacation, Pepper went to meet Tony at his mansion in Long Island. When she arrived there, she was surprised to see a military car parked at the main entrance. She left her bags in the entrance hall and found Tony and the military man in the living room of his mansion. Tony smiled the second he saw her.
"You back! Finally vacation is over!" he said, teasing her.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Stark," she said, immediately reverting herself to her professional mode, than she turned to the military man. "Good afternoon, I'm Virginia Potts-"
"Pepper Potts," Tony corrected her.
She sighed and let out a small smile. "Pepper Potts, Mr. Stark's Personal Assistant".
"Ah I've heard about you, Miss Potts. I'm General Ross," he introduced himself then turned to the billionaire. "Mr. Stark, we need to talk."
"Then talk."
The General looked at Pepper for a second and she got the message.
"I'm going to leave you two and organize my things." She turned to leave.
"I need you here," said Tony, demanding her to come back and sit next to him.
"Stark," insisted the General.
"She is my assistant. Anything that you have to say to me you can say in front of her."
Pepper looked at Tony, giving him a silent warning look, but he ignored her, and being professional as she always was she did what he asked.
"Otherwise you know where the door is".
Pepper could feel the tension in the room, but the General just accepted Tony's request. She sat next to her boss and began to distract herself with her cellphone, by opening some S.I. emails, when the General started to talk.
"We want to reactivate an old project and we want you to be the main scientist."
"What project is that?" she heard Tony question.
"It's an old project dating from the World War II that your father helped. I'm sure you are familiar with the 'Super Soldier Program'."
Pepper frowned at the name of the project and moved her eyes to look at the man speaking and her boss.
"The 'Super Soldier Program'?" queried Tony, but his voice showed that it wasn't a strange term to him. "The same one that created Captain America."
All Pepper could do was look at the two men talking. She had heard about Captain America when she was a child, who hadn't? But she didn't know that he was created by a military program, much less that Howard Stark had been involved.
"Exactly that one," confirmed the General. "We want you to help replicate that formula."
"And what exactly do you plan to do with the serum once it's done?"
"We will use it on our soldiers. Create an army. We need to be prepared for any threat that may come. We need to have our defenses ready. You better than anyone understands that."
Pepper saw Tony give the man a fake smile and spoke again.
"It's not that simple. You do realize that people can change their minds. What would you do if those soldiers decided to rebel themselves? I always thought that a machine is much more trustworthy than a person is. It does what it was programmed to do. But people can get ambitious," explained Tony, then looked at the general with a serious face and spoke with a firm voice that Pepper only saw him use at the meetings that he decided to take super seriously, and intimidate the others CEO's. "I do not agree with this program, General, and I will not help you replicate the formula that created Captain America."
There was a moment of silence where the two men stared at each other until the General sighed.
"I'm sorry to hear this from you. I'm sure your father, wherever he is, might be disappointed his son didn't want to finish his work."
Pepper flinched, already knowing that speaking of Howard Stark's memory wouldn't make Tony change his mind, which the General was clearly hoping would happen. Tony spoke back quickly.
"Well, he wasn't my biggest fan to start with. He'll get over it." His statement about his father surprised Pepper as it was rare for him to speak about the man.
"You do realize that we can find another scientist?" This was his last attempt to bring Tony on board.
"And I can't stop you to do that. Just be aware that the results might not be the same that it was for Captain Rogers and it can become a huge headache for all of us," warned Tony.
The General finally got the message and stood up. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Stark."
Tony gave him another fake smile and watched as the man left his house.
"What was that?" Pepper questioned once the General had left.
Tony explained to her everything that he knew about the Program that his father had never shut up about.
"That's very dangerous," she concluded.
"It is. These people have no idea what they are messing with. I am not going to be a part of this. Instead of protecting us, it could kill us." He had a rare, serious look on his face while he spoke.
"Tony… the way you spoke about your father-" she started.
"It's only the truth, Pepper."
He avoided her eyes and gave her a smile - a hurtful one - and she decided to drop the subject. He would speak about it with her when he decided it was time.
That same day, Tony and Pepper flew back to Los Angeles. Vacation was over, and it was time to get back to the mess that was their real world again.