Guest Review Responses

Guest: Amazing chapter loved it soooo much ;) – Thank you! This is a much nicer chapter. I think you'll love it even more :D

MARIO: AMAZEBALLS STORY! Hope the next chapter is put up soon! – LOLZ! I love that word now: amazeballs. I'mma start using it more. Thank you for the review :)

Kyii: Yes yes UPDATE – I have a feeling I'm being stalked :P Sorry this took so long to post. I had half of the chapter done one the weekend, and the other half done by Wednesday, but my hubby wasn't around to proofread it for me. Hope the wait was worth it ^_^

Allie: Omg whyyyyy where's the update ? – Here it be! ;)

Chapter 13

This was awkward for him; to say the least. Very difficult, in fact. But he knew he had to endure. For the sake of his best friends, he had to bear the duty that had been bestowed upon him, the moment he realized what Tony had done.

He knew he had to keep her company and act cool and nonchalant. He knew she was out of the loop right now; much, much, much more than he was himself. He was not sure of the details yet – or anything at all, actually, other than knowing that bringing up with Pepper the news that Tony and Samantha had skipped their first two class periods of the day and had spent them together in who-knew-where doing who-knew-what, was not how Rhodey wanted to spend his lunch.

Oh, yeah! Then there was that!

It was lunchtime at the Academy already, and Tony was not here right now. And he would probably not be seen for a while either, at least until after school was done for the day. Perhaps not even then.

Tony, through Sam's efforts, had gotten the chance to meet Dr. Richards during the third period science symposium on campus; just like Pepper had suggested he did in the morning, and he and Sam were now excused from going to class for the rest of the day. Dr. Richards had been so impressed by the brunette's and blue-eyed boy's understanding of his lecture's highly-advanced topics and of their science know-how, that he had requested more time to speak with them. Principal Nara, recognizing an opportunity to increase the reputation of the school when he saw one, had not even batted an eye at the request.

As wonderful and unique as the experience was, Pepper could not help but feel left out. She was happy for her boyfriend's good fortune, as he had needed a major pick-me-up today, but she was also worried about what Tony being alone with Samantha could mean for her… and for their relationship. She did not want to get ahead of herself, or succumb to paranoia: at the end of the day, she trusted Tony's commitment to her. He had made it clear to her, on multiple occasions, that he was with the person that he wanted to be with – even if that person could not tell the difference between the mass and the weight of an object.

Yes. Pepper trusted Tony. Wholeheartedly. She really, really did.

But her sister, she did not trust.

At all.

She just could not find it in herself to trust that something good would come out of Tony spending time with her. How could she trust her own sister, actually, when the moment she had turned her back, Samantha had tried to put on her armored suit? What could she do to her boyfriend, if given the chance to be alone with him?

Nope. No, siree. As far as Pepper Potts was concerned, her sister could not be trusted with anything – not even with watching a dead worm.

And this was without her knowing that Tony had already spent most of the morning with her sister, behind her back.

How was she going to react, when she found out?

Rhodey could only wish that, when it happened, he was nowhere around.

Hope you know what you're doing, man, Rhodey thought with resentment, the corner of his left eye staring at a crestfallen Pepper sitting next to him on the roof of the Academy, her food untouched, while already thinking about what he would tell his friend the next time he saw him.

Or, more accurately, where his foot was going to land on the inventor.

xxxXXXxxx

How was he supposed to tell her that he knew?

Was he even supposed to tell her that he knew?

How was he even to start that conversation?

He doubted that confessing to her that he was told by Samantha about how their mother beat her up while still a child would go well, no matter how he tried to bring up the topic. It was obvious to him now that this was an extremely sore spot for his redhead – one that she had not wanted to talk about, even with him, no matter how much he was dying to confront her about it.

"It's… it's just such a long story. And I don't want to talk about it… yet. Or ever."

Tears began showing up again, and she closed her eyes once more.

"I want to tell you. I do. But I don't know how… because I'm not ready yet. And-and you didn't deserve what I did to you yesterday. You still don't deserve it. Never will. You just don't. I… I'm sorry, Tony. I'm so sorry!"

Tony sighed at the memory, her actions becoming much cleared to him now.

It was not so much that he wanted to know why she had not trusted him enough to tell him about her rough childhood – it was more of him wanting to know if she still felt affected by it. It was more about him wanting to help.

She must be reliving it now, he thought with sadness. I mean: who wouldn't?

It all made sense now, why she had been shocked to her core when Samantha had shown up in her living room. Why she had been hiding in the Academy's closet and why she had been so pensive and on edge for days.

Yes, the sisters had a bitter past that was yet to be mended, but seeing the brunette had very likely also brought back memories of her violent childhood – memories he was certain that she had never wanted to think about again. Even if Samantha had never laid a finger on Pepper, seeing her sister again was probably enough to make Pepper feel personally attacked, encroached upon, unappreciated and, well… like utter dirt.

Because, what else would a child that young think when being hit by the one person on the planet that is supposed to protect you from harm at all costs? What is one so young to think when your own mother uses you as a way to release her anger at the world? What would one think of their sibling, if you were beat up almost every day and they were untouched?

How had his Pepper turned out to be as cheerful as she was, despite the abusive environment she had been a part of, way back when? How had she become such a caring person, one who was able to see the best in everyone, despite their flaws? Like she had done so for Gene? For the Hulk? For him?

He honestly had no freaking clue. And he so desperately wanted to find out.

But, more importantly, he wanted to be able to wipe out her memories of it. He wanted to go back in time and make it so that she never had to hurt, or at least not hurt alone. And if he ever met her mother, he would…

Pepper, he sighed for the umpteenth time, his fists shaking both in anger and in powerlessness; hoping that he had another opportunity to find out more about her life – more about what he could do to make it all better for her. Even if it was not from her. Even if he did so behind her back. Even if she had no idea that what he did about it from now on was all for her.

He did not want to lie to Pepper about what he now knew. But he also did not want to hurt her by forcing her to talk about something so painful about her past. He felt caught between a rock and hard place; caught between breaking her trust and possibly losing her because of it, and keeping quiet and hoping he did not lose her if she ever figured out why his behavior around and towards her had suddenly changed.

Because it was. It was going to change.

Because if there was something he wanted to make sure Pepper knew without a doubt was that, for him, she was the most precious thing he had in this world.

His world.

And that no matter how unworthy her mother had once made her feel, she was worth everything to him.

So much so that he was now sneaking inside her bedroom through her window, in the middle of the night; quite possibly risking his reproductive system being shot to pieces by a very angry Virgil Potts.

But he had not been able to help it. He just had to come see her. Right now. He had not seen her since the beginning of the day, yesterday. And he could not wait six more hours to see her again.

She had walked home from school, all by herself, per Rhodey's angry recounting of the facts, because the genius had not finished his talk with Dr. Richards until an hour ago – Samantha having come home several hours before he had been able to tell the good scientist goodbye.

Pepper, his Pepper, had walked home alone. And by golly, Tony Stark would make sure she never had to do that ever again!

He retracted the armor into its backpack form and carefully laid it on the floor, near the only window in her room. The lights were off and she was fast asleep, but he could see the outline of her figure under the covers just fine. He had memorized the inner workings of her room a long time ago, anyway – shortly after they had begun dating and she had invited him home for date night, so he was easily able to find his way to her.

He gave her a minute to realize someone was lying behind her, her back against his chest, and hoped against hope that she did not kick his butt, momentarily thinking that a burglar – or a stalker – had just climbed onto her bed.

"Tony?" her groggy voice made him smile.

"Yeah, it's me," he whispered his response and snaked his right arm around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. Her warm skin radiated an inviting heat through her thin night shirt, making his torso and arms tingle at the touch. She smelled of strawberries, a scent that emanated from her shampoo, he knew, which was rather ironic in and of itself, seeing as she was actually allergic to said fruit.

The redhead frowned, turned around in place to lay on her right side and face her boyfriend, and then proceeded to repeatedly poke his cheek with her left index finger.

"Hey," he chuckled at the gesture but did not stop her finger. "What gives, Pep?"

"Just want to make sure I'm not dreaming again."

Tony's eyebrows rose.

"Again? You mean you've dreamt about me being here?"

Realizing what had escaped her lips, she covered her mouth with both hands, her tiny gasp of embarrassment becoming a source of further amusement to him.

"It's OK," he pulled her hands away from her face and kept them in his. "I… I dream about that, too."

"Oh," she gulped loudly in nervousness, but still felt slightly relieved at hearing his admission. "Is that… is-is that why you wanted the bet to be… us doing this… at your place?"

He smirked, recalling how he had previously suggested that, the next time they fell asleep together, they did so on his bed, alone, and at night. Back then, he had been trying his luck, and he had accidentally hit the jackpot. This time, he felt surer of himself, his actions, and his words – bolder, perhaps; all due to the growing sense of comfort he experienced when he was with her. This time, his previous embarrassment at asking for such an intimate action from her was completely gone; all of it replaced by his need to make good on his promise to somehow undo the damage done to her while growing up.

"Yeah," he rubbed the back of her hands with his. "And now, it's your turn to host our sleepover… if you'd like."

"Oh? Really? Yes… but… I mean… We, uhm… we can't make a lot of noise here. My dad's home."

"Don't worry," he threw her arms over his shoulders and leaned closer to her, "I was planning on talking until we fell asleep, after making out … unless…"

"Unless… what?"

"Unless we just make out."

Pepper smiled and closed her eyes, her heart fluttering at his words.

Yup. She had nothing to worry about. Tony was truly interested in her.

"I would love to stay up with you for a while again…" she opened her eyes again, "If we didn't have a test tomorrow."

"We do?" Tony's head recoiled.

"Yup. Science class."

"Oh. Man. Darn."

"Yeah. Darn."

"Mmhhh," he playfully nudged her nose with his, "Didn't plan for that. When was this test announced?"

"Today."

"Ah! That explains it."

"Yeah. While you were drooling over Dr. Richards, I was groaning at finding out about this stupid test."

"Huh. How did you know that I was drooling?" he teased and she giggled, earning her a wide, satisfied smile from him before his face turned mildly stern.

"But seriously, did you study, Pep? Maybe we should fly back to my place and cram for it?"

"Nah, I'll be OK."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I know enough. Thanks."

"OK. As long as you're sure."

"I am," she said with confidence before she surprised him with what she had intended to be just a quick peck on his lips to thank him for his offer to help her study, but he instantly turned it into something a lot longer and deeper than that. They had both discovered, a few nights ago, how much easier it was to lose themselves in the cascade of emotions brought on by making out when they did not have to worry about keeping their balance while they were standing, or about having to hide from prying eyes when all they wanted was a moment of peace and quiet for the both of them.

When they finally parted, they did so for only a few inches, both still too entranced in the overwhelming sense of having their skins brushing together while breathing the same air.

"Sooo… is that a yes?"

"A yes? For what?"

"Me staying tonight?"

Pepper scoffed. "What do you consider a no? Me beating you up?"

The inventor immediately flinched at her words, Samantha's confession returning to him in an instant. He knew that Pepper's comment had been meant to be a joke. Nothing more; nothing less. Yet now, any insinuation of Pepper being involved in any type of physical violence – even on the delivering end – would forever trigger a worry response in him.

"You OK?" Pepper frowned.

"Yeah, why?" he pushed back his grim thoughts.

"You made a face?"

"Oh," he one-side shrugged. "Yeah. My bad. You just reminded me that your face still has a bruise. I forgot. I hope I didn't hurt you just now?"

"You didn't," she beamed. "Or, if you did, that's not what I was thinking about right now."

"Oh? What were you thinking about then?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to find out," she winked at him and he felt his heart skip a beat.

She then waited a second before she turned in place to get right back to sleep, but she was once more surprised by his next move.

"Challenge accepted, Pep," he whispered into her right ear. "And I never lose."

He silently enjoyed the goosebumps his words had caused her.

Yup, she smiled, eyes closed. Nothing to worry about.