Happy New year everyone!
I want to thank everyone for reading this, especially to: Harryfan011, CerysAnneT,Leticia Gonalves, the-writer1988, stylesniklaus and all the Guests! that send me their lovely reviews!
Also thanks and welcome the new followers.
I hope the characters aren't too OOC and that you all enjoy this as well.
Note: I dont own anything, I just want to write the story in Pepper Potts POV. Please don't sue me!
It was already late at night when Pepper made her entrance into Tony's mansion in NY. She found him on the phone in the living room, probably also trying to control the mass that happened early at Stark Expo.
At the vision of the redhair he smile and never let his eyes off her as he spoke on the phone.
Pepper took that moment to look at him. He was clean now. Showered, dressed with a cargo short and a white shirt. Looking handsome as ever. But now, she could see some signs that she had missed over the past weeks. He had lost weight, there were bags under his eyes, she could still see traces of that black thing on his neck, and his chest (since he left some buttons open).
Oh My God! This is real... he was really sick.
Her heart ache at the thought of him dying alone thinking that she was mad at him.
She left her purse on the couch next to her. Her body was screaming for her to lay down but she remain on her feet afraid that if she sat on that super comfortable couch she would fall sleep in a matter of seconds.
She didn't have to wait too long, soon he hang up the phone and walk close to her.
"hey beautiful" he spoke and her heart skip a beat at the sound of the sweetness of his voice. He had that look again… the same look he was giving her on that rooftop.
"Venice…" she spoke making Tony frown and stop centimeters from her. She look at him again and every crazy thing that he did over the past weeks finally made sense to her. "…you wanted to go there".
Tony lowered his eyes for a few seconds before look back at her. "Yes". He spoke quietly.
"Why?" she had a theory already… but she needed to hear it from him.
"I… I just…" she waited to him to finish, but he couldn't elaborate his answer… so Pepper decided to speak her own theory and see if she was right.
"You were ready to die!" she spoke quietly sounding more like a whisper, but it was loud enough for Tony to hear. He look at her and she saw hesitation in his eyes but also the confirmation of her theory.
He didn't say anything.
She didn't need it. It was clear. He was ready to die and he wanted to spend his last moments with her. In a place special for both of them.
The realization of it hit her so hard that she couldn't hold the tears in her eyes. The thought of something wrong with him… of him dying was enough to turn her world upside down.
When Tony saw the tears in her eyes he close the distance between them and hold her while kissing the top of her head. She hold him back, with desperation… trying to convince herself that he was alright now. Health and out of danger. And they were alright.
"I'm sorry!" spoke Tony after a few moments holding her.
Pepper took a step back to look in his eyes. "Why you didn't say something?" this question was killing her. Tony took a deep breath and held her hand on his before speaking again.
"At first… I thought that I could find a cure. I mean… I'm good at this, right? So, I didn't want to worry you… or anyone. I thought it would be easy. But it wasn't… and I keep trying… day and night... Until there was nothing left to try anymore. I had already try every element and I just couldn't… and, as the time went by, it became harder and harder to tell you… I guess.. I didn't want to believe, and telling you would make everything more real and painful…I didn't want to worry or see the hurt on your face when I tell you that I was dying".
"And what did you want?" she raised her voice a little. She couldn't help it… her mind was going through all those different scenarios… and they all end the same way. "For me to find your cold body at the mansion? Or you wanted to tell me at you last breath".
She put some distance between them and close her eyes as her mind picture what she just said.
"Pep…" spoke Tony holding her hand again making her look at him. "I know it was stupid and it wasn't fair… but I didn't want to hurt you. And to be honest, I did try to tell you a couple of times…" he add in a lower voice.
Yes he did… she knew that… she remembered the damn omelet and the conversation in her office. "You know that life is short right?" she could still hear him say that. She look at their hands and then in his eyes. His puppy dog eyes. Unable to stop herself she hold him as desperate as before.
"You should have tried harder". She spoke with her head buried on his neck.
They stay like that for a moment, comforting each other. There as a silence between them. Tony had his head resting on top of hers when he spoke again quietly:
"Do you forgive me?" he sounded like a lost kid and she nob with her head still buried on his neck.
"You need to tell me things Tony…" she spoke looking back at him. "If you want this to work, you can't hide things from me".
"I won't…" he add fast trying to reassure her. "Ever again… I was falling miserable anyway…"
She look in his eyes and she knew he was telling the truth. This time she didn't resist though, and close the distance between them, kissing him with all she got: her love, her worries, her dedication towards him. It was an intense kiss. And he kissed her back with the same passion.
When they broke the kiss, there was this new spark on his eyes.
"So…" he spoke smiling ear to ear. "You are thinking about this". He pointed to them.
"Aren't you?" she question back feeling her insecurities growing.
"Yes!" He spoke immediately making her fears disappear. "I want this. For a very long time to be honest". He add as he look at their holding hands..
"You sure?" Pepper ask. They need to make things clear now, so none of them would get into this expecting way too much from the other and ended up hurt in the process. "You can't hide things like that from me anymore. Never again at any circumstances. Doesn't matter how busy we are… want to know what's going on with you.. we need to work as a team".
"Got it. I know that".
"…Your women would have to go". She spoke seriously. She haven't seen him with any during those last months, but wouldn't hurt to just make things clear right?
"Have you seen any lately?" He questioned her and spoke again using that lower, serious and very sexy tone of voice. "I'm serious when I say that I want you, and only you". Pepper felt her legs weak. "We can start slow…" He add. "Stable-ish relationship and see how it goes… what do you think?"
She smile at him and he seems to be satisfy with her answer. He gave her peck on her lips before speak again:
"You forgive me?"
"I hate you for that... But I forgive you…"
"You love me". He tease her.
"Don't push it". She warned him only making his smile grow.
"You should get some rest… you had a long and stressing day". He spoke worried. He was trying to take care of her.
"I will… but first I want to see it".
She didn't need to tell him what, he knew. Tony sighed knowing he couldn't win this and start to unbutton his shirt.
At each button, the black marks on his chest became more visible. He finally open it all and she saw as all the marks leaving from the reactor on his chest spreading through his skin. She run her hand through his skin until the origin of them.
How did I miss that?
She thought angry at herself. The reactor look different. It was a new model?!
"What happened? What cause this?"
"Palladium poison"
"What?"
Tony explain to her how palladium was the basic element of the reactor. And how, little by little it was infecting him, infecting his blood. He told her the pain he felt, and how hard it was, even to breath, as the infection consumed him.
"I'm okay now" he assured her at her worried face.
"How did you find the cure?" she question unable to stop looking at the new reactor and the black marks.
"My dad"
"What?" She look at him.
"My dad create the formula for a new element that could replace the palladium. But he didn't have the tech to do it at the time. SHIELD gave me his notes and research … then I created".
"Why SHIELD had your dad's notes?"
"Yeah… turns out he was one of the founding members of the SHIELD"
"What?"
"Yeah… My dad had his secrets". He spoke sarcastically and she let it go for now… his father was always a sensitive subject.
"Speaking about SHIELD… Agent Romanoff" she saw as he became a little tense at the mention of her name. "Care to explain?"
"I didn't know that she was a SHIELD agent when I hired her" he spoke fast in his defense.
"Of course not… because you hired her-"
"To piss you off… basically…" he spoke before her. "I was dying Pep… I didn't want you to watch me die, and she pissed you off since the first minute. Plus she was hot!" he spoke smiling a little and she knew he was trying to mess with her.
"You're a pig!" she answered making his smile grow.
But, after everything that she heard from him that night she couldn't deny that it made sense in his weird logic, so she believed him. The exhaustion of the day finally consumed her. She gave him one small kiss before announced.
"I'm going to bed… We'll talk more about this tomorrow.".
" Okay"
She started to walk out of the living room when a thought came to her. Pepper stop immediately and turn to him.
"Tony… one last thing that I need to know now…"
"Anything".
"Did you make me your CEO just because you were dying?" It wouldn't make much difference… but she needed to know.
"Yes and no". at her confused look Tony add: "Even before I found out about the infection I already had that idea in my mind. I made you CEO because you are the most capable person I ever met. And you care about the company as much as I do… hell, even more than I do. I had already put that on my will-"
"What?"
"yeah… It's on my will.. Happy get the cars and the house on the Valley… Rhodey some of my toys, the Iron Man suit and my Yacht… you get everything else…the other houses, the money, the company… all I did was speed up the process as a guarantee. I want you there. You can manage this company way better than me. So… Please… Stay".
"I will sleep on it". She spoke already knowing her answer.
"Give me a good night kiss? It's gonna take some time until we see each other again…"
"Like 5 hours?"
"Very long time! The apocalypse can start in 5 hours".
"I highly doubt that" she spoke smiling.
"The Hammerroids can uprise again… You don't know.. a lot of things can happen".
She smile fondly at him and close the distance between them giving him a very long and passionate kiss teasing him as much as she could with it… and taking by the moaning that he was letting out, it seams to be working.
"Have a good night Mr. Stark" she whispered giving him one last peck before turn to leave.
"…You… you really can't expect me to sleep after that… teaser!" She heard him yell and let out a smile.
-o-
Despite the events that took place the night before, Pepper was fell asleep fast, if it wasn't for her alarm clock she would be still asleep, but they have a little explaining to do. Therefore, around 7am she was already up and ready to face the public and reporters again.
She walk to the kitchen to get some coffee ready when, to her surprise, there was Tony, also dressed with a beautiful Tom Ford suit and ready to go.
"Hey there!" he greeted her.
"Hey! Did you make coffee?"
"Yes!" he spoke looking very proud of himself. She look at the table and saw the food was also ready.
"Did you cook too?" spoke the red haired woman impressed.
"I wish I could say yes, but no… I ordered".
Tony making coffee it wasn't new, he used to make coffee for himself all the time when she wasn't around… but the food though, that was new. Usually Tony wait for her to make some breakfast or order him something.
"Someone is trying to impress!" she said smiling.
"Someone is worthy to be impressed" he spoke leading to kiss her. "Good morning Miss Potts" he whispered resting his forehead on hers. She run her hand through his hair, still feeling the happiness to know that she could do this anytime she wanted now.
"Good Morning Mr. Stark".
They sat on the table to eat while talking about the events of the night before. As they talk, Tony gave her some more details about what he knew and how he figure it out. They were already finishing when Happy enters the room informing them that the car was ready and the reporters were waiting for them at Stark Industries.
"Ready to go?" Ask Tony getting up and offering his hand. She took it and the engineer took as an excuse to hold her close.
"Yes".
They walk together out of the house to the car parked at the front. At some moment, during the ride, Tony start to talk to Happy also giving the driver a few explanations.
Pepper look at him, still amazed and trying to believe how things between them change over the last 12 hours. Still felt like a dream, one of the many she had over the years… but no, there was Tony, looking more than happy to make their "stable-ish" relationship work… and she couldn't be more excited.
Go easy on this Virginia… if things don't work out with him, you don't want things to be weird between you two… but why wouldn't work out?
He was still her best friend, only that, now, he wasn't her boss, and they could touch, hold and kiss each other when they feel like it.
But it' his first relationship.
"… right Pep? Tell him!" at the mention of her name by Tony, Pepper came back to reality. The billionaire was looking at her and Happy looking at the road.
"What?" She questioned making Tony pound.
"I'm mad at you" spoke Happy. "Pepper ain't gonna change that. Why you let me out and didn't told me that something big was happening to you?"
"It wasn't just you I left in the dark…" the other two make some noise at the statement of the obvious, "the point is… Pepper forgave me, Rhodey did too, so you have to…
"No, I really don't think I do…" spoke Happy seriously, making the billionaire squirm and Pepper smile.
"You have to… I'm gonna bother you until you do".
Happy look at Pepper through the mirror. "I wanna a raise boss". Spoke the driver making her laugh and Tony frown
-o-
At the press conference, both, Pepper and Tony, explain who was Ivan Vanko, his connection with Stark industries and his reasons to attack Tony. Thanks to SHIELD they also had some concrete proofs to present of Vanko's connection with Hammer, how the businessman help him escape from the prison and fake his death to hire him for his droids program.
Pepper answer all the questions with calm and confidence, including the ones about Tony's behavior. Of course leaving the part of "dying by palladium poison" away.
"You are amazing you know that?" spoke Tony once they were out of the public eye. "Seriously, I don't know how you manage to be so professional and so in control of things". He smile warmly at her. "So… did you reconsider?" he asked holding her hand.
"I did" she spoke, closing a little the distance between them. "You didn't see me announcing my resignation did you?"
His smile grow and his eyes moved from her eyes to her lips. "Can I… show… how much that means to me?"
"Buy me a drink first Mr. Stark" she spoke teasing him.
"I will… I already have everything planned". At her surprised look he added. "What? I want to take you out for our first date. What did you think? Wait to see when we are back in LA".
She could feel the anxiety growing on her and Pepper couldn't wait to see what he was planning for their date.
-o-
During the flight back to LA, Pepper decided to call her family and friends to just to assure them that she was alright. She had send them some messages the night before but still.. she felt like she needed to.
She was still on the phone with her mom when Tony decided to sit next to her. He sat there, as quiet as Tony Stark manage to be, while using his cellphone. When she hung up the phone he put his away to talk to her.
"So… you free this weekend?" he asked her trying to hide his nervousness.
"Why?" she questioned smiling.
"You know… Our official date". He spoke slow raising his eyebrows when he finished.
"Tony… you don't have to-"
"I want to… It's you.." he hold her hand… "and I want to do things by the book"
"You never do thing by the book" she spoke with a smile on her face.
"I would do it for you. Seriously, I want to take you out on a date… to make us, official".
She felt the butterflies in her stomach go crazy after that.
"Yes Mr. Stark… I'm free this weekend". He light up at her statement.
"Great. Tomorrow, 7:30pm good?"
"It's perfect!"
"Great!"
She look at him and he was with that look on his face… a distant one that he usually give to a very hard equation that he had to figure it out. She waited a few seconds for him to tell her the place of their date but he was still in silence in is own thoughts.
"Where?" she asks giggling a little.
"Where what?" That made Pepper let out a small laugh.
"Where should we meet? The date?"
"Oh right! My place".
"I thought your place was destroyed".
"Yeah… it was…" he spoke shameless. "But I already made the arrangements there are people working there as we speak. It will be ready for us".
"It's a good thing that you are rich". He laugh.
"Very good thing… or I would be homeless by now". She laugh agreeing with him. Tony close the distance between them to kiss her again before resting back on his seat.
Both of them were exhausted. And they spend the rest of the flight sleeping next to each other.
-o-
Once back in LA Pepper went to Stark Industries office, the Stark Expo crises was in control, but she still had something's to deal with.
By the end of the day, Happy was driving her home when her cell phone rings. She smile when she saw a message from Tony.
"Good day at the office? The house is ready :D"
"Yes… I guess I could say it was quieter than any other day I had the past week". She text him back. Seconds later, his answer arrived.
"I already apologize for that :/ Hope tomorrow I can make it up to you ;P do not forget that you have a wonderful date with me"
"How can I? See you tomorrow then…"
"We are here". Announced Happy stopping the car at the entrance of her building. He opens the door for her unable to hide the smile on his face.
"Thank you Happy".
"You need me to pick you up for tomorrow?" at her puzzled face, he add. "Date with Tony".
"Did he told you that?"
"You kidding? He wouldn't shut up about it. He was seriously driving me crazy calling me all the time this afternoon to help him with his house and some arrangements". Pepper laugh trying to imagine the scene the driver was describing. "I was seriously thinking to drive there and knock him out to have a few moments of peace… but we wait for this to happen for too long so…" She smile caring at him.
"Well… we will see how it goes".
"You two already act like a couple… you are only making things official now… we are really happy for you two".
"Thank you"
"So tomorrow? 7:30pm?"
"Sure"
"I'll be here".
-o-
Once in her apartment Pepper took a very long and relaxing shower while thinking about the events of the past 24 hours. She was still amazed about how things between her and Tony were going… still felt a little surreal but at the same time so right!
She was already dressed with her pajamas when her doorbell ring. Her neighbor Sandra and her friend Karol were at the door.
"Hi!" Pepper greeted them.
"Hey! I was waiting for you" spoke Karol holding her friend and entering her apartment.
"We were so worried when we watched the news and saw what happened at the Expo" Spoke Sandra while Karol and Pepper sat next to her.
"Yes… but you good now right?" questioned Karol
"Yes, everything is good…" Pepper reassure them. "Thankfully nothing more serious happened, we are taking care of the people who got hurt, and suing Hammer Industries for all the damage".
"See, spoke like a true CEO" joke Karol.
"Speaking about that… you are not forgetting that we still need to celebrate your promotion. It's this weekend, you promised remember?"
"Did I?" questioned Pepper.
"You forgot?"
"You kidding right?" Questioned Sandra.
"I'm so sorry!" spoke Pepper. So many thing had happened that week that it felt like her promotion was weeks ago! So she completely forgot about her night out with her friends.
"Don't be… you had a crazy week… and tomorrow we will celebrate with you". Spoke Karol getting excited and speaking a little about the plans they made over the week.
"Girls.." interrupt Pepper as they speak. "You think… we can reschedule?" she spoke cautiously.
"Oh no… you are not turning us down…" spoke Karol.
"It's… I kind made other plans".
"You gonna have to undo them" insisted Karol.
"I can't…"
"What is it? Business? Date?" at Pepper's look Sandra figure it out. "It's a date! Who? Do we know him?"
"I don't care who the charming boy is… we recruited you first". Spoke Karol.
"It's… it's Tony". Spoke Pepper looking at her friends to see their reaction. They all knew how she felt about the billionaire and they all tease her about it.
"What Tony?" questioned Sandra clueless. At Pepper's look the two of them seems to understand who she was talking about.
"Wait… Tony… are you talking about Tony Stark? That Tony?" questioned Karol.
"Yes"
"Your former boss"
"Yep" The two of them look at Pepper like she just spoke something in another language and they were trying to figure it out.
"You have a date… with Tony Stark?" questioned Sandra. "A date date or a business date?"
"We… are kind starting a stable-ish relationship…" they two of them were in complete silence and Pepper continued. "It would be your first date, he already made plans-"
"Omg this is big!" Spoke Sandra unable to hold the smile on her face.
"How you didn't tell us?"
"I was about to-" spoke Pepper.
"You are dating Tony Stark!"
"How did this happened?" questioned Karol. "in details"
Pepper told them everything, from his crazy behavior to Stark Expo, the drones and their kiss on the rooftop.
"So…He planned the date… he is making a lot of effort of this so…" finish Pepper silent asking her friends to understand.
"Hell yeah! We can celebrate later" spoke Karol
"Yep! We waited years to see this happening!"
"You are going to this date, and you will tell us everything the next day"
"Can we celebrate this?"
"I'll get the wine" spoke Karol walking to Pepper's kitchen.
They spend the rest of the night talking about the new couple… Pepper told them how Tony was with her that morning and how excited he was to their date. She couldn't help the feeling of happiness on her chest. She was starting a relationship with the man she loved for years, and her friends were more than happy to support her.
-o-
In the morning of the following day, Tony had texted her asking her to dress something comfortable and casual.
He didn't send her anymore text after that.
It was a long... long day! From time to time Pepper caught herself looking at the clock just to be sure if it was time to get herself ready for her date with Tony.
This is ridiculous! She thought angry with herself when she look at the clock and saw that it was still 11:30am. I'm behaving like a teenager at her first date. Calm down Virginia! Its just Tony!
And that was the problem! How long was she dreaming with that day? How many times she caught herself wondering how would it feel like to date him. Just one night with him… and now he was offering her even more than that!
Finally the clock show 5:30pm and she started to get herself ready. Since Tony ask her to dress something casual and it was a hot day she decided to use a summer dress that she bought not long ago.
She let her hair down and put some basic makeup on. She was still trying to figure it out her earrings when Happy texted her informing that he was waiting for her.
Once she was done she let herself look at the mirror one last time. She liked what she saw but she couldn't hide that she was anxious.
Be cool Pepper… it's just Tony!
She thought smiling at Happy that seems to be just excited as she was and getting inside the car.
I'm waiting for your review! ;)