Sorry for the long wait, it's been a few long weeks for me as well. Also, that chapter did not write itself easily. Anyway, here's the update. it's shorter than what you're used to for this story, but this chapter is a rollercoaster. I hope you'll enjoy the ride!

Love, Callie xx

Chapter 4:

She takes a look at her reflection in the mirror and she sighs. She is in no mood for a wedding. It's not that she's not happy for John, or for Aurelia to finally see one of her sons married. It's not either because she is going alone when Rhodey had to back out at the very last moment because of an emergency at the base. Pepper is simply exhausted, and therefore, far too tired to smile and pretend that she is going to have fun, when she's really going to be bored out of her mind, and wishing she could be at home, or working, or watching TV.

Also, that dress is ridiculous.

Annalise, John's fiancée, caught her alone at their engagement party two months ago and was "so sad" because one of her bridesmaids wouldn't be able to make it to the wedding because she had an accident and broke both her legs. " I mean, who goes climbing mountains in this day and age when you've got helicopters?"

Pepper had smiled apologetically and falsely sympathized. Annalise was nice enough but Pepper shared no real affinity with the younger woman. She wished she could, really, but it was simply not happening. She wasn't going to lose sleep over it either.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure you'll be able to find a friend to take her place." Then, Annalise's face had literally lit up and Pepper had internally cursed herself. "Oh, you are such a pearl to say that! You see, Lorelaï - my friend - was also my brother's date. We need someone to even the ranks on John's side. Would you be a dear and take her place? Otherwise, I won't be symetrical and I can't have that. And you're her size, so we won't have to refit the dress!"

Until that precise moment, Pepper had not known you could sincerely wish for self-combustion. However, she was well aware that she wasn't going to get out of that predicament so easily. In the meantime, Annalise had taken her stunned silence for her unequivocal agreement. " Oh, you're saving my life!" Well-manicured hands were now holding hers. "And don't worry about your date, Major Rhodes isn't it? You just have to be with my brother for the ceremony and the pictures. After that, you're free to be with your date"

But now that Rhodey isn't able to attend anymore, she is stuck in a peach colored dress with an enormous (and hideous) bow at the back. She knows sitting for hours on end will not be pleasant.

She sighs again before she grabs her purse. A town car is waiting outside to take her to the Wannamaker's mansion where the ceremony and reception are happening. A small blessing, she thinks. At least, at the end of the day, she'll be able to make it to her own bed rather than a hotel room. And these days, she treasures the nights she spends at her flat and not in another state or on another continent.

Annalise and Aurelia have certainly been working hard these past few weeks. The garden is completely transformed. A large tent is sitting in the middle of the roseraie and two identical fountains have been imported from Italy to agreement the scenery. It's tasteful, if a bit ostentatious to Pepper's taste.

A hand takes her arm and Aurelia is smiling at her. "Oh, Virginia, what a pleasure to see you. I'm sorry I wasn't able to have lunch with you last week, but with the wedding-"

Pepper kisses her on both cheeks. "Oh, you shouldn't apologize. I understand perfectly. I mean, look at this place, you've certainly been busy these past few months."

They go inside the mansion through the French doors. The mansion staff and the wedding staff are all busying themselves in the house. Pepper hadn't seen so many persons in here since their last Christmas dinner, when Andrew was still alive and relatively healthy. She looks at Aurelia and wishes he could have been there, just for his wife and son's sake. Aurelia continues to speak:

"Annalise has asked me to direct every bridesmaids to her bedroom so that she can have a look at you before the ceremony. She's very dedicated to this wedding." Pepper hears the strain in her voice and smile with sympathy. Today, they were both at the mercy of the bride. They arrive in the blue bedroom and Annalise all but jumps on them, curlers in her hair and wedding dress half on.

"Oh, thank lord, you are here! You're the last of my bridesmaids to arrive. I was so worried you wouldn't be able to make it!"

Pepper is about to apologize for her lateness – she wasn't aware she had been late, but surely arriving an hour before the ceremony isn't late, especially when you're just the replacement – but Aurelia speaks before her.

"I told you Virginia was busy with the company, dear, and that she was going to be there as soon as she would be able to. And as you see, she didn't make me lie."

Annalise has a forced smile before inspecting Pepper's appearance. Aurelia winks at her while the future Mrs. Wannamaker looks at her dress. At least, Aurelia is still on her side.

"Well, I was right, the dress is a perfect fit. Although, wouldn't you like one of my hairdresser to do something more sophisticated with your hair? It would look better on the pictures."

Pepper wants nothing more than to strangle her. She gives Annalise her brightest smile. "I'm sure it would. However, I like it just as it is, and I do have a conference call very early tomorrow. I'll need my hair to behave. So, thank you but no thank you."

Annalise looks like she's been slapped but recovers almost instanteanously. Pepper can at least give her credit for being able to master her face that well.

"Of course, I'm sure people won't notice anyway." Then she turns her back to Pepper and Aurelia to harass another bridesmaid. They get out more quickly than they came in. Aurelia has a little laugh when they're up the stairs, near John's bedroom.

"I'm sorry for my future daughter-in-law's behaviour. She's a very nice girl but this wedding is getting on everyone's nerves, even John's. I'm sure we'll all be very relieved when the wedding is over. And then we'll have lunch, I promise."

Aurelia kisses Pepper's cheek before she knocks on John's door. "Darling, Virginia has arrived. Can we come in?" A tall man that Pepper doesn't recognize opens the door. "Oh, Mrs. Wannamaker. Hmm.. he is not done yet. He'll be down in a minute." He looks at her now. "Hi, I'm William, I'll be your date for the ceremony." Pepper shakes the hand he presents her. "Very nice to meet you. We'll wait downstairs then."

Aurelia doesn't say anything until they are near the kitchen. "Have you spoken to John recently ?"

Pepper doesn't tell her that the last time she had a real conversation with her son was after Andrew's funeral. "No, why?"

Aurelia softly taps her hand. "Oh, it's nothing. I just haven't had time to talk with him these past few weeks either. It'll be better when he comes back from the honeymoon."

Aurelia leaves her to go and check on the preparations. Pepper, not wanting to get in the way, goes to the library to wait until the ceremony starts. Out of the window, she can see the that everything is almost ready. The first guests shouldn't take too long to arrive now.

Pepper takes a book and starts reading. She knows Aurelia will find her when they need her.

She closes her eyes after the first page and doesn't hear the door open when someone comes in twenty minutes later. She does wake when she feels someone taking her hand and kissing it. She nearly jumps out of the armchair.

"Potts, you look like a pumpkin. It's the most fucking endearing thing I've ever seen in my life. Wanna let me play Prince Charming?"

Tony Stark looks extremely sharp in a tuxedo. Even with the bowtie undone. And she's sure he knows it.

"What are you doing here?"

Tony chuckles. "Well, hello to you too sweet Virginia. I've been very well, thank you for asking."

"Hello Tony, glad to see you are still able to speak. I was getting worried when you didn't answer any of my phone calls."

At least, he has the decency to look embarassed. "Yes, well, I was busy running my company and having fun. Can you blame me?" Apparently, embarassment doesn't last very long when it comes to Tony. It's probably why there are so many videos of him in various states of undress on the Internet.

"I can and I will. Now, you haven't told me how you got here. I didn't see your name on the guest list."

He sits on the couch in front of her. "Looking for me, were ya? I'm accompanying of the bridesmaids. Harmony… Something."

Pepper raises an eyebrow. " Melody Sommerset? I didn't take you for the wedding date type. Are you sure you're not the one looking for me?"

Tony eludes the question altogether. "Rhodey told me he had to stand you up. Don't you just hate it when a computer virus ruins the day?" His back is turned to her, feigning to take interest at the extensive library.

This time, Pepper sees red. "Please, tell me you didn't." Tony turns to her, the picture of innocence. "I don't know what you mean."

She gets up and tries to leave before the urge to imprint her hand on his cheek takes over her better judgement. He catches her wrist. "Look, I'm sorry. I needed to talk to you without Rhodey looming over us like an overbearing mother."

"And you couldn't do that over the phone?"

"I'd rather not. It's not the kind of things you say over the phone, if you see what I mean." Pepper feels her heart speed up. "No, I don't see what you mean, Tony. Because we haven't talked in six months."

"I love you, Potts." This time, she slaps him. She feels silly for doing that. But the man does have the frustrating ability to make her behave out of character.

"Six months without a word from you and you think this is the time and the place to make a declaration? In which reality do you live, Tony?"

She is trapped against the wall, just by the door, and it all looks achingly familiar. Except this time, they're doing it in her former mentor's mansion rather than on Tony's yatch. She feels nauseous just at the thought.

"I think about you all the time. Please, don't reject me. Give me a chance. I can be good. We can be so good together." He kisses her on the lips. It's so chaste, Pepper almost didn't feel it. However, she can smell the scotch on his breath. The bastard, he wouldn't…

"Tony, are you drunk?"

"No more than usual."

He would.

Before she can formulate a reply, the door opens and someone comes in. Pepper can't see from behind the door. However, she can still hear very well:

"There you are, Tony. I thought you said we could try to do it in one of the bathrooms before the ceremony begins and I found the cond- "

Melody just realizes there's someone on the other side of the door. Tony looks away. Melody becomes slightly red and Pepper has heard enough.

"Oh, Pepper, I didn't see you there… hmm.. well, this is embarassing."

Pepper gets away from Tony's grasp. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Mr. Stark and I were just finished anyway."

She leaves the room without hearing Melody's answer.

Xxxxx

She all but runs to the first floor and hides in one of the unoccupied guest bedrooms. She takes some time to catch her breath although she tries not to think why she needs to in the first place. She sits on the bed. Surely, she shouldn't be so surprised. Or so disappointed. She hates that Tony fucking Stark always makes her second guess herself and her emotions. She's one of the most rational persons she knows. And yet, put one playboy billionaire in the room and every inch of common sense goes out of the window.

She trembles, she can't stop. Her whole skin is shivering, as if she had escaped death. There's a hollowness in her breath. There's an emptiness in her lungs and she hurts more than she thought she ever could. It angers her. She's so furious, she might just explode. She fights back bitter tears because it all came to that. Six months of waiting expectantly, even though she wouldn't admit it to herself, six months of worrying and he...

He was drunk. Correction. He is drunk. He's here with another woman (inconsequential woman, nevermind Melody, nevermind the rest of female kind) and on top of that, he acts as if the last months haven't happened at all. She'd been worried sick about him. Several times, she'd almost made the trip to his Malibu house, just to see if he was alright, or to give him an earful about not answering calls. At night, she had dreamt several times that she'd never left the yatch and that he had abandoned her anyway.

(She can still smell the salt of the sea and hear the wind hollowing and her heart beating so hard in her ribcage and her nails digging in her palms.)

Those fears had prevented her from doing more than just to get in touch with Rhodey. She doesn't know if she should regret that choice or not. She might have stumbled on him and another woman (insignificant woman, nevermind the woman) and he might have laughed at her.

(He might not even have let her in. He might have ignored her entirely.)

Because there was nothing concrete between her and Stark to talk about. There still isn't. A drunk love declaration is not something one can boast about. If anything, it's embarassing that Tony thought he could only get sentimental or truthful - she doesn't know, she never knows with him- if he was drunk beforehand.

And yet, even though there's nothing to talk about, Pepper wants to scream.

She was entangled in a mess before she even understood there was one. She wished she could just disappear, leave the wedding and just… just forget all about those last two years. He isn't worth the hassle and she is owed more. So why the struggle? She can't seem to explain her attraction to Stark. He is everything she normally despises in a man.

She feels nauseous, all of a sudden, and she goes into the ensuite bathroom to splash water on her face. The last thing she want is to be sick because of a man. Even him. Especially him.

She doesn't hear the door opening in the bedroom. When she comes back, feeling a little better, John is there, looking aghast.

"Pepper, you're- you're here…"

If it wasn't the man's wedding, she might have commented on his eloquence. Her self-restraint is admirable.

"You did invite me, John. Congratulations by the way. I don't think I told you at your engament party. I'm very happy for you."

He has a small laugh, but it rings false. "Yeah, congratulation to me. How are you Pepper? Are you enjoying yourself?"

She wants to leave the room, but he is in the way to the door. He is flushed in the face. She can't smell the alcohol, but she knows his first drink has not been his last. What is it with men and alcohol at weddings? She is more annoyed than she is scared. Mostly because she knows John is not the violent drunk type. If anything, he is a sad drunk. She surprises herself in comparing him with Tony. The man is obnoxious but at least he knows how to hold his drink.

"I am. Actually, I think I should go find your fiancée. She'll need me to help with some of the preparations."

He doesn't stop her when she passes him and reaches for the doorknob. She opens the door then leaves it ajar as she turns back towards him. "Is everything alright John?"

"I still love you, you know."

Pepper would slap him if he didn't look so sad. She won't acknowledge what he just said. It's not her problem. She can't be responsible for other people's emotions. Not when she never asked for them in the first place. "Maybe you should go find your best man. Drink a lot of water. Have an aspirin. You'll feel better. This is a stressful day."

She leaves the room. On the other side, Tony Stark is looking at her intently, casually resting against the wall, his hands in his pockets.

"Why Miss Potts, do you always leave men hanging after they've poured out their heart to you ? That's rather cold."

She might have had some remorse when it came to John but not with Tony. So she slaps him. Hard.

"Fuck you, Tony."

Damn her self-restraint. Damn the man. She is not his commodity. He has no right to be jealous. Hell, he has no right to be here, taunting her with something he can't deliver. Her blood boils and her hand hurts but her heart is made of steel. She never wanted that.

Tony has an odd look on his face. He didn't expect that from her. Actually, Pepper thinks he expected her to apologize, make up some sort of explanation for what just transpired between her and John. Like hell she will.

"Don't ever pull a stunt like that again. I am not yours to dispose of. And I certainly don't owe you anything."

She storms off before he can respond. She goes directly to the kitchen, bypasses the catering staff and opens a bottle of Veuve-Cliquot and pours herself a glass. She's going to get through this wedding if it's the last thing she does.

Xxxxx

Aurelia finds her in Andrew's old office shortly after. Pepper knew it was the only place she could find some peace and quiet before the start of the ceremony, and god, did she need some.

"You look tired, my dear."

"I just want the day to be over."

Aurelia laughs. "Don't we all! I think Annalise is ready to bit one her bridesmaids' head off. Anyway, it's time. Go find Annalise. She's asking for you."

Pepper can't hold off a long sigh. "Thank god it's almost over."

Xxxx

Annalise is indeed ready to kill someone. And by the looks of it, Pepper is high on the hit list. She couldn't be less bothered. She ignores Annalise's rant about lateness (again), arranges her make-up one last time, takes her bouquet, and pairs herself with William, who also seems to be having a long day. And it's only 11 AM.

Xxxx

The ceremony goes without a hitch. John seems to have found his soberness once more, Annalise gets her ring and Pepper manages to stand, smile and not yawn during the twenty intolerable minutes it takes for people to get married. Also, she notices Tony isn't at his place. And Melody has turned around a few times, searching the room with her eyes.

Pepper is relieved. She doesn't think she can deal with Tony once more.

They take the wedding pictures shortly afterwards (at least the ones with the bridesmaids) and everyone is directed to their tables. William thanks her for standing in for his sister and goes to his own table. And as predicted, sitting with such a large bow at the back of her dress is not the most confortable thing. She decides to wait for the end of the speeches before making up an emergency at the office. She can only take so much in one day. Aurelia will understand and she doesn't care for John and Annalise's opinion.

She's in her car forty-five minutes later (who knew people could talk about nothing for so long?) and she's at home less than an hour later. She gets off that ridiculous dress, puts on some sweat pants and an old T-Shirt before checking her voicemail. She presses play and the message is scrambled, she hears feminine laughter, and then, in the background "Come on, Tony! Don't make me wait!" Another laugh and then- "Until next time, Miss Potts." And the line goes dead.

She immediately deletes the message.

Tony Stark is from now on a thing of the past.

Xxxxx

A few years later, she meets him again in a restaurant. She never stood a chance.

Reviews are love, as always ;)