Bo turned off the lamp and he brought Pepper another pillow so she can be more comfortable.
"I'm going to nap in this chair until the storm passes and then we can get you out of here," he said as he settled into a recliner with his gun tucked closely next to him and Dougie at his feet.
He closed his eyes and Pepper focused on the sound of the rain. She winced from the pain going through her body. She couldn't stop thinking about Tony and the fact that she may never get to tell him how much she loves him again and how sorry she is.
She was listening to the rain when she heard something outside. Dougie heard it and barked. It sounded like footsteps and Bo was also awake now with his gun in his hand. They could see a shadow across the window and then Pepper heard his voice and she felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest.
"JARVIS who lives here? I'm going to knock and I need to know what I'm about to walk into," he said.
"TONY," Pepper shouted.
"Bo that's Tony let him in," she cried.
"Are you sure?"he asked.
"I'm positive. Open the door," she said getting anxious.
Bo got up and opened the door and there was a man in a metal suit about to knock on his door.
"TONY," Pepper shouted.
"Are you Tony? The boyfriend?" Bo asked protectively.
"PEPPER I'm here," he shouted back.
"Well go on inside then," Bo said, ushering him inside.
Tony Immediately knelt down next to Pepper.
"Oh Pep are you o-
Before he could finish his sentence Pepper pulled him down to her face and planted a kiss on him. It was a deep and passionate kiss. She wrapped her hands around him and she didn't stop. Tony was pleasantly surprised and he didn't stop either. Finally he had to breathe and they separated. He was about to speak but Pepper beat him to it.
"I'm so sorry Tony. I love you," she said as tears started pouring out of her eyes.
"It's ok. We can talk about that later. I love you. But we need to get you help. JARVIS read vitals,"
"It appears Miss Potts has sustained a compound fracture in her leg, a bite from a Black Widow spider and a fever of 101.2. The bite is not fatal but she needs medication," he said.
"Ok so I can't fly you to a hospital like this," he said.
"I called the police on a two way radio. They can airlift her out but they won't come out until after the storm passes. I gave her something for the pain and I put a rag with salt on the bite to draw out the venom,"
"I don't know how to thank you. I don't know if I could ever repay you for saving her life,"
"No need to thank me, just get home safe and maybe send word that she's all better," Bo said quietly.
"JARVIS make a flight plan from here to home," Tony told his A.I.
"Oh my GOD Dawn she is back at the cabin with Rick is she ok?" Pepper said, suddenly remembering her cousin.
"Dawn is fine. She's waiting for the police," Tony said.
"What about my cat? You need to make sure someone feeds my cat?" she cried.
"Copper is fine too. He is at my house," Tony said.
"Wow you really thought of everything didn't you?" Pepper asked.
"Actually that was Amanda. She's the one who convinced a locksmith to let her in your house and she brought him with her when she came to see me," he said.
"Amanda came to see you?" she asked nervously.
She didn't know what she told him.
"She was worried about you and so was I," he explained.
"The rain seems to have subsided. The police should be here soon," Bo said.
"I have to pee," Pepper said.
"We can't move you with your leg like that. Just go in your pants they're going to take your clothes off in the hospital anyway," Tony said.
And then they heard the chopper in the distance.
"I'll go outside so they can see me," Bo said as he went into the porch.
"I told Bo if we made it through this that you would come and install power here all through clean energy,"
"I will build him a whole mansion with my bare hands for what he did for you," Tony said and just then the paramedics came through the door with the stretcher and slowly and carefully moved Pepper onto a stretcher. They cut away her jeans and braced her neck.
She yelped for a moment from the impact of a slight bounce as they pushed the stretcher into the chopper.
"Tony don't leave me," she cried.
Tony looked at the paramedics and they looked back.
"We can fit one more," they said.
Tony hopped in and he looked back at Bo and gave him a nod as they left.
When they got to the hospital Tony was booted out of the room until Pepper was finished being cared for. So he took the time to call Amanda and inform her of the situation.
"I found her. She was in bad shape but I found her. She has a broken leg and a spider bite from a Black Widow. She's ok. The bite wasn't that severe and they are fixing up her leg now," he said.
He felt bad delivering news like that over the phone as he listened to her getting frantic. She wanted to fly out but Tony talked her off the ledge. He told her that they really needed to talk alone and she understood.
Tony was finally allowed to visit Pepper and he was terrified. Now that she was safe they needed to have a real talk. He knew what happened in her past and she didn't know he knew and he was afraid to tell her that he knew.
"Hey Pep," he said quietly as he walked in and sat on the edge of her bed.
"Six weeks I'll have this cast on," she said as she patted down on it.
"Let me be the first to sign it," he said, grabbing a pen and writing out I love you.
Pepper smiled at him as they locked eyes.
"We need to talk. I owe you an explanation," she said quietly avoiding his eyes.
"I was so hurt and confused when you ran out on me," Tony admitted.
Pepper grabbed his hand.
"There was a good chunk of time in my life that I blocked out due to a traumatic event. It's called dissociation. When I got that letter there was something in it that spiked my memory and I couldn't handle it. I panicked. I needed to get away and it's so terrible that I couldn't tell you so that's why I broke up with you. I didn't mean it. I LOVE you Tony. I missed you so much,"
"You hurt me but I knew you were going through something. I was so worried about you. But you know you can tell me anything and nothing would ever change the way I feel about you," he said letting go of her hand for only a moment to brush her hair off her cheek.
"When I was nineteen and still playing in the band we were booked to play a show where lots of record execs were going to be in attendance and I was in my dressing room and someone came in and raped me. I never saw his face. He must have worked at the venue. I don't know how anyone else would have gotten in. He got me from behind and raped me and sodomized me. I was a virgin and he took that from me. He hurt me so bad and he didn't use protection either. I tried so hard to pull myself together. This night was so important for the band and I let everyone down. I left. I disappeared. I couldn't face them again after what I did and I didnt have my parents, they died like a month before. I went to live with Dawn and it was the worst year of my life. Because of the rape I got pregnant and I gave birth in the bathtub and gave my child away. I gave my child up," Pepper said now between sobs.
Tony felt even angrier that this happened to her now after hearing this from Pepper herself.
"I'm sorry Pepper. I'm so sorry and I want to do everything I can to help you," he said as he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace.
"The letter I read was from my daughter. She wants to meet me. Tony I don't know what to do," she cried.
"You don't have to do anything now. There is plenty of time to think this through," he said trying to be as supportive as possible.
"I was so traumatized when I got that letter. I felt like I was reliving the horror and these last couple days with everything that happened to me I feel like I'm going to be ok. I survived a broken leg and bite from a black widow spider in the wilderness and I think I'm more traumatized by that. The thought of never getting to tell you again that I loved you and I'm sorry was the worst pain I ever felt," she said.
"Do you realize how amazing you are? Pepper you are the CEO of Stark Industries, you were the lead singer of a band, you fought your way back from death, and you brought a life into the world at the age of nineteen with no parents and no family to help you through. There is nothing you can't do or overcome. I'll always be on your team," Tony said as he hugged her tighter.
A sudden knock the door startled them both.
"The police are here to take your statement," the nurse said.
"Are you ok? You want me to stay? I was going to get a coffee but I will stay if you want," Tony said.
"No I'll be ok," she said as she gave him a reassuring nod.
Tony got some mediocre coffee and then decided to peruse the gift shop. He bought flowers, balloons, and the biggest teddy bear the store had and hurried back to the room. When he got there it was quiet and empty and Pepper was fast asleep. Tony put the flowers and balloons and the Teddy Bear all around her in the tables and chairs and he took a seat next to the bed. He just watched her gentle movements as she slept and before long he was sleeping too.