Sorry the delay. I'm working two shits now, and it's been a little hard to write. But I will keep updating this.

I want to thank everyone that is following this fic, especially those that send me your reviews and PM: oneiroitane; Luna Violeta; scantp; Reikajen and Stark05 Thank you so much for your words! It really motivates me =D

I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Two things came to her mind when Pepper woke up the next day. First: her magic moment with Tony on the roof of the Disney Hall; their dance; their almost kiss; followed by his rejection, running away from her. Second: she was still on her couch dressed with the blue backless dress.

Pepper could still feel Tony's warm hand at her lower back, making her shiver just to think about it.

Stupid dress. - she thought frustrated as she get up from her couch.

She went into the bathroom. Once inside she took off her blue dress and stop to look at herself in the mirror. She was a mess! Her eyes were puffy red. Her make up was blurred. Her hair… she didn't even know how to start to fix it. She sighed heavily.

I can't go to work like this. Besides, I need to speak with Tony. I need to make sure that we are okay. She thought getting inside her shower.

How will I do that? She try to think about all the excuses she could use to justify her actions towards him yesterday. Tony always have flirt with her. Since day one. So much that it was his natural way around her. Sometimes heavily, sometimes just making insinuations. But he never make a move on her. A real move on her. And yesterday she made a move on him.

Oh God! What I was thinking? She thought embarrassed. I'm not sure if he moved. She started to think about their moment last night.

He did. She reassure herself. He was holding my waist. Was he? I'm not really sure. If he did, he was probably teasing me and got scared when I came closer. How did I let myself do this? Once again, she cursed herself for putting her position in his life at risk.

Pepper took her time in the shower. Trying to think of an excuse to use. But nothing good came to her mind.

Maybe I can blame the alcohol. She thought getting herself dry and dressing her usual black dress to go work. That's stupid. He knows you hardly drink on events like that. He won't buy it. He is smarter than that.

Although Pepper was nervous, she was also anxious to speak with him. She needed to know that they were okay. During those three months Pepper spend her days fighting with her logical side telling herself that he was alive, that he had survive, that he would come back when the whole world and evidences was telling her against it. And that was worthy, because he was back, alive and well. All she wanted was to spent time with him, working or chatting, it really doesn't matter how, because even though she doesn't show it, she still have nightmares about those three months.

I guess I just let my emotions get the best of me. She was in a hurry and just put her basic makeup on and left her apartment.

On her way to his house, she listen to the news about an attack at a city called Gulmira in the Middle East. However, Pepper didn't pay much attention to that. She was still trying to figure it out an excuse for her behavior towards her boss and best friend. She definitely scared Tony, enough for him to run away like that.

-o-

She arrived at Tony's late than usual. At each step, she became more and more nervous. Pepper had decided that she was going to do anything prevent things between then be awkward.

Pepper started to walk for the workshop. When she reach the stairs she started to listen JARVIS voice, which was weird since the door classes prevent most of the noise of the shop to come up.

"Sir the more you struggle the more this is going to hurt".

From where she was, Pepper could see what it seems to be broken glass at the entrance of the shop.

What Tony had done this time? She wonder.

Then she heard Tony's voice

"Be gentle.. it's my first time".

She finally arrived at the entrance of Tony's sanctuary and as she suspected all the glass were broken. She look up and saw one of the weirdest things she ever saw during all the years she work for Tony.

He was in the middle of his shop, surrounded by mechanic arms that were trying to get, what it seems to be an iron suit, painted in red and gold that Tony was dressing. As the arms try to remove the piece, Tony complain and move around.

"Ow! Hey! I designed this to come off, so… ow!"

"Please try not to move sir".

She came close to take a better look at the bizarre scene in front of her. The more she came closer the more she saw the suit in details.

"What's going on here?" she gently ask making her presence known. Tony became visible tense and the mechanic arms stop their job.

Could it be that this is what Tony was working nonstop all this time?

Tony finally look at her with the expression that he usually gave when he is caught doing something he shouldn't. Like a kid with a hand on the cookie jar.

"Let's face it" he spoke gently, "This is not the worst thing you caught me doing".

But what scary her the most was the damage that the suit seems to have. And those damages look familiar in a way that she saw a lot in movies and video games.

"Are those… bullet holes?" she asked in horror. The thought that he had put himself in something dangerous break her heart.

"I can explain that" spoke Tony gently. "Once I get out of here, I will explain it all".

She watch in horror as JARVIS and the bots try to get that suit out of him, imagining the worst scenarios that he had put himself through this time.

She remembered that he told her the iron suit that he build while he was in a cave to scape.

He did it again. She thought with sadness. James was right, I thought Tony was dealing with his kidnapping in a good way, but clearly, I was wrong.

Almost half hour later Tony was able to free himself from that suit and the bots collected it's parts so he could repair it later. Tony approach her with caution looking hesitant. He sat next to her and start playing with his hands searching for a better way to explain things for her. Pepper was the one that broke the silence.

"Tony… what are you doing?" she ask gently. If he was suffering with PTSD she didn't want to scold him; but she was so worried and afraid! There was so many questions that she wants to ask him. "What is that? What happened?" he sighed.

"I didn't want you to figure it out like that". He murmured.

"Figure it out what?" she whispered.

"Obie is double-dealing". He spoke watching her reaction. It took her a few seconds for her to understand that. Obadiah is double-dealing?! Is that what he said?

"What?" she frowned. Tony bit his lower lips before speak again.

"He is the one that is selling my weapons to terrorists… under the table".

Pepper was still trying to understand. Obadiah? Double-dealing? That's not possible.

"Tony… What are you saying?"

"I found out about it yesterday" he spoke avoiding her eyes trying to hide the hurt on them. "When I went inside to get the drinks" he briefly look at her and she could feel herself blushing at the memories of them on that roof. "And that reporter… Carrie, I guess" he frowned trying to remember her name. "Anyway... she showed me pictures of my guns, and the Jericho at the hands of the terrorists. She said it was taken the day before yesterday".

"That's impossible. You didn't approve anything!" she spoke remembering all the documents that came to her hand the last few weeks. There was nothing about a weapon shipment.

"That's what I thought, so I went to speak with Obie and I found out that…" he make a pause there and she waited patiently for him to finish. "He is the one that is locking me out… he lied; he filed that injunction against me".

Pepper took some time to assimilate what he said.

"So I found my weapons and destroy it"

"What?" Did he said what I think he say? "You found your weapons?" he nodded. "You destroy them?" he did the same gesture. Fear took the best of her and when she spoke, she raised her voice at him "Do you have any idea how dangerous is this?"

But Tony seems relaxed and confident. "Remember the iron suit that I build in that cave? Well, I perfect it. "

"That thing?" she pointed at the red and gold suit.

"Yes." Tony smiled.

"You... were fighting with terrorists?! On that thing?! Tony…. That's not… it's not your duty… it's not up to you. You will hurt yourself… look at you! Look at all this bruises!" She pointed at his face, neck and arms.

He gave her a flat smile "I'm okay". Pepper was quiet for a moment, letting everything that he just said sink in.

Okay. Now she could forgive him for ditch her on that roof. He had just discovered a betrayal from the man he consider to be a second father.

No wonder he didn't come back. But…

Tony. Tony Stark. The billionaire, genius, playboy. Her boss. Her Tony. The man that couldn't even cook noodles without having the house almost burn down. Was fighting with terrorist. Alone. With nothing but a metal suit to protect him?!

She look at the red and gold suit for a moment. It's metal look so thin! Like it could be easily destroyed. And to think that Tony was inside that thing, facing bullets and missiles. Just the thought of it made her feel nauseous.

It is one thing to build that thing to force your way out... it was an extreme situation. It was all or nothing. But another entirely different is fighting missiles alone. He is not a soldier. He is not-

Pepper felt like crying. She was still having terrified thoughts about Tony and his new toy when he got up to leave.

"Oh" He turn to speak with her again and Pepper look at him, still with a terrified look on her face. "And I owe Platypus a plane".

"What?!"

"I kind hit an F-22 when I was coming back. Technically the plane hit me… but anyway…"

"…What?!" Now he got hit by a plane too… and not just any plane but an F-22!

He didn't gave her much explanations and started to shout at JARVIS to run diagnostics on the suit.

Pepper was quiet for a moment. Still thinking about everything that he just told her.

I was wrong. Tony never really started to deal with his kidnapping. He is doing all this as if he still needed to get out of that cave again… he is obsessed. He can't keep doing this. He needs help. Professional help.

Pepper decided not to pressure the subject today. Maybe tomorrow she will talk to him about seen a psychologist or something. She left the workshop without saying another word to him and decided to search for professionals that could help him. Tony always hated doctors. Especially those kind of doctors. But she couldn't do this alone and he needed to talk to someone.

-o-

Later that night Pepper couldn't sleep. She couldn't get what Tony said out of her head. It was too much. Obadiah's betrayal, that suit, Tony's fighting missiles.

He will die! Today he got lucky. But next time… next time the missile can hit him and the suit won't be enough. He will die if he keep doing this. - she cried – Tomorrow I will talk to him.

It was one of the worst nights that she had in her life! She dreamed with Tony in a coffin, being buried, and that suit stained in red, but not from the painting but from his blood.

When the morning came, Pepper printed a small list with the best and most discreet professionals that could help him.

When she arrived at his house, she met him in the kitchen.

"Morning" he gave her a charming smile she couldn't help but notice that he still with some bruises on his face and body.. Any other day that smile alone would have make her legs feel like jelly, but not today, Pepper had more important things in her head.

"Tony… we need to talk". She spoke seriously.

"oh oh, I know that look". He spoke narrowing his eyes and then smiling a little bit. "What did I do?"

She look at him and took a deep breath. As an employee, she was stepping out of the line here, but Tony was more than just her boss; he was also her best friend. And as a friend, Pepper felt like this was the best way to help him through a traumatic moment, and maybe save his life.

If this goes on, he will start a crusade that it's not his… not his duty.

"I think…" she start talking with caution. "…you should see a doctor".

Tony frowned not really understanding her point. He open his mouth to protest when she spoke again. "I made a list of the most qualified doctors to help you" she gave him the paper. Tony took the paper on his hands and started to read it. "You don't need to go to their office, they will come here-"

"Those are shrinks". He spoke sounding hurt. "You think I need this?" Pepper saw the hurt on his eyes. But she needed to be stronger now.

"Tony… what you are doing, it's not… normal, it's not healthy you need-"

"I thought I explain to you what and why I was doing this. I don't need a shrink. I know what I'm doing". He ripper the paper.

"Tony, please…" she pleaded. " A lot of things happened with you in the last five months. Especially now-"

"Pepper, I need you to trust me". He spoke slowly but firmly.

Pepper sighed heavily and Tony didn't gave her time to reply and left the kitchen walking down to his shop.

The following hours Pepper started to think of ways to talk to him again about this. Ways to bring the subject up. She guessed that it will take some time until he got that suit repaired, and that will give her time to talk to him.

-o-

It was past lunchtime and she didn't saw him again after that morning meeting. She came to the conclusion to try again tomorrow, since pressuring Tony into seeing a psychologist it was the worst thing to do now.

He would only run away and fight against it.

"Miss Potts". Her thought were interrupt by JARVIS. "Mr. Stark is asking for you at the work shop."

"I'll be right there JARVIS".

But she didn't make a move right away. She was there for a few seconds thinking. Maybe this was the moment. Maybe, now, he is more open to talk and maybe now he will listen to her fears and accept help. Because this could not go on! Otherwise, he will get himself hurt or worse, killed! Just for his little adventure yesterday, he already got some bruises all over his body.

Go easy. She thought making her way to the workshop to meet with Tony. Nice and easy.

All her hopes dropped into the ground when she saw him kneeling on the floor fixing that… thing!

The red suit was facing her while Tony had his back to her; the noise of the workshop's door being open called his attention. He look at her a little unsure. A strange and different change from his usual confident and cocky self.

"Hey" he spoke calmly as she approach his work desk. "You busy? You mind if I send you on an errand?" he ask avoiding looking at her. Suddenly he seems to find the ground of his shop very appealing. But Pepper was focus on the red and gold suit in front of her. No matter what Tony say, it's material looks too thin to protect anyone!

"I need you to go to my office". Spoke Tony holding a lock chip. He came close to her, still avoiding her eyes, while he explain that he wanted her to hack into the Company's system and specific orders how to find the files that he wanted.

That was not what she was hoping for when she came downstairs. It seems that Tony didn't take their early conversation into consideration. He was initiating a crusade that Pepper wasn't sure he would be able to finish. They should be calling the police, make them investigate Obadiah. Anything… but this.

After he told her what he wanted Tony went back to his computers.

"Tony", she called. "What do you plan to do with this information if I bring it back here?" she asked already fearing the answer.

"Same drill" he answered fast. "They've been dealing under the table. I'm gonna stop them. I'm going to find my weapons and destroy them".

That's what she was afraid of. Each syllable that left his mouth at his answer physically hurt her. Unconsciously she shook her head while listen to him, as if it could help her; as if she would be able to not listen what she was listen right now.

"Tony" she stop. Pepper didn't know what else to say to him and she ended up letting a little laugh out of her nervousness unable to believe the situation she was living right now. "You know that I would help you with anything" she spoke with a smile on her face remembering his crazy request before all this madness: party invitations, wooing some woman or women, last minute travel plans, fashion cars… Things seemed so simple back then now that she knows he wants to fly in a metal suit to fight terrorists.

"…but I can not help you if you are going to start all of this again". She spoke seriously. She wanted him to know that she mean it.

He realize that. And when he spoke he spoke more seriously, with a firm voice and sounding a little inpatient. And if she thought his previous words hurt her, she was not prepare for what he was about to say:

"There's nothing, except this! There's no art opening. There's no benefit. There's nothing to sign" each word felt like knifes going into her chest. "There is the next mission and nothing else". He finish speaking and look at her.

"Is that so?" she ask feeling empty and hurt. She waited to see if Tony was going to say anything more, but he was in silence. "Well, then I quit". The words came out of her mouth as she throw the lock chip on his table. She couldn't look at him right now therefore she turn herself to leave. Leave his house and Stark Industries. She could not see Tony destroying and isolating himself, neglecting help… it was too much. After all they been through.

She was almost at the door of his workshop when Tony spoke again sounding hurt by her decision.

"You stood by my side all those years while I reaped the benefits of destruction. And now that I'm trying to protect the people, you are going to walk out?"

"You're going to kill yourself Tony". She told him firmly while she turned to face him. "I'm not going to be a part of it".

He was silent after he heard her. Pepper look at him as he look down maybe thinking of ways to keep her, or maybe, finally, thinking about her words.

He sat at the chair next to him. "I shouldn't be alive…" he spoke more calm now. "…unless it was for a reason".

In those few seconds that he stay in silence looking down Pepper look at him remembering what he told her about his days on that cave, all the horrors. It was indeed, a miracle that he manage to escape.

"I'm not crazy Pepper" he spoke so low that sounded almost like a whisper and she couldn't help but listen to him and try to understand his side, what is motivating him.

He look at her with those deep puppy dog brown eyes, staring her blue ones and she couldn't look away. There was that brutal honesty on them again but also that vulnerability that he been demonstrating so often around her lately. "I just finally know what I have to do. And I know in my heart that it's right".

They look at each other for a few seconds. She could tell that Tony was begging her to understand his side. "I don't have anyone…but you" she remembered his words the moment that he broke their eye contact and started to play with a small laser. He look so lonely and broken; silent pleading for her to understand and support him. And she knew that she couldn't walk away. Pepper wasn't sure if she would have manage to do it before he say this much less now that he explain to her his feelings.

The feeling of being able to do more, to help and save more. To be responsible for those who he doesn't even know. She always knew he cared about people, he was a gentle person by nature, he just didn't like to show it afraid to be hurt. But now he was risking it. Risking it all to take responsibility for something that it wasn't his fault. Not directly. Obadiah was the one to blame for terrorists having Tony Stark's weapons.

And he was risking his life to make it right. It was noble of him. So noble that she couldn't take this away from him.

Pepper came close to him and took the lock chip in her small hands and look at him. He was watching her curious and quiet. And she felt the need to let him know how important he was in her life too.

"You are all I have too, you know". She spoke quietly. Maybe now, he would be more carefully. He needed to know that there are people who cared about him, and she needed to let him know.

She didn't waited for his answer and left his shop to do what he request with a mix of emotions. Happiness for letting him know how import he is for her; relieved, to know that contract to what she thought Tony wasn't going crazy; proud, for the man that he was trying to become and afraid that his new motivation might get him killed someday.

I'm sorry if they were a little OOC, I did try my best to make them fit at the original story.

Write me your review! Let me know what you think. I love to read them.