Author's note: Hi! This is going to be the first work of a series of related drabbles, one-shots and multi-chapters all set in a universe where Peter is the son of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. This multi-chapter is written in the point of view of Pepper and Tony. It is only going to be 3 chapters long, but around 30K. Just a bit of an origin story to all the others which will take place at various moments of the MCU.
Note before reading:
- This is Tony Stark way before Iron Man and only having known Pepper for a year, so don't expect him to be happy about his PA informing him about becoming a father.
- There will mentions/discussion of abortion so if you are sensitive of such topic, please don't read this story, just the later ones if you are interested in the universe.
- Pepper is mostly referred as Virginia while in later works she will always be called Pepper. The reason is simple - she still uses her original name here having worked for Tony only a year.
- English is not my first language, so sorry for the mistakes. I'm really trying.
Chapter 1: The Unexpected Variable
Sunday, 26th November 2000
The shabby table in the small apartment's kitchenette was full of half-finished bottles of hard liquor. Virginia Potts raised one of them without even checking the label and poured a glass generously first to her roommate, Jessie and then to herself.
"C'me on, Gin, you can't tell me you don't want to shag him!" Jessie exclaimed with a high-pitched giggle.
"Anyone who is even moderately attracted to guys would love to. Hell, one of my gay friends, Andy once told me that if she ever tried laying with a man then it could be only him," she continued. Virginia – or Gin as Jessie usually referred to her – just rolled her eyes.
"He is not even that impressive," she replied before she gulped down the content of the glass.
Whatever she poured so generously was as strong as she hoped but tasted like nail polish remover. Currently she didn't care much, instead she poured another glass. However, she mentally reminded herself to be the one to restore their alcohol stash next time, as something less acidic would go down easier. Her attention was drawn back from the alcohol by Jessie's baby blue eyes looking at her in horror laced with fascination.
"Wh-WHAT! Virginia Potts, have you seen your boss naked? I need your job," Jessie practically shouted her roommate's name but ended up hardly muttering the end of the sentence.
"You can have it," Virginia replied with a half-smile. "I don't want it myself anymore. Stark is nothing more than a privileged man-whore."
When those words left her mouth, she was already regretting them a bit though. After a year of working for the man, she knew that he was much more than that. However, it was surprisingly hard to describe someone as eccentric and brilliant as Tony Stark to people who didn't know him personally. Describing her job as his personal assistant was even harder. No one quite understood how close and distant he was at the same time with those who worked directly with him.
"Woh-ho! What did the douchebag do now?" Jessie asked pressing her lips together as if she was trying not to show her amusement.
As if on cue with a loud shrill Virginia's mobile started ringing. Without even checking the caller (knowing that after midnight it was either Happy Hogan begging for his help or a drunk Tony Stark ordering her around) she picked it up.
"Miss Potts, I'm right outside your apartment complex. Could you come down? I need your help with the boss," Happy asked and she replied swiftly. "Yes, of course."
Jessie looked at her strangely. Her roommate was an aspiring movie starlet who on most nights was either doing some odd jobs that were supposed to help her get famous or out in the nightlife of LA 'making important connections'. So Jessie never noticed if her roommate wasn't home either because she was needed by her boss.
"So, tough job?" Jessie joked, but a look from her roommate sobered her up.
"Very tough. It certainly was not in my JD."
Though she supposed that was not entirely true. Her job description did contain a comment or two that should have forewarned her of what was to come. A year ago, though she was wide-eyed and so damn happy at the possibility of moving up on the corporate ladder from a low-level administrative assistant who hardly did more than copy some documents to the personal assistant of the CEO and owner himself that she hardly cared.
Now she sometimes questioned herself if she made the right decision. On one hand, she got a glimpse of the real business world and got to be involved in cases with more zeroes on the paper than the amount of money she could even imagine. On the other hand, her current job was just as eccentric as her boss.
Hell, the worst part was that she only had such dark thoughts in the hardest moments when she hardly slept in days and she couldn't remember having a non-work-related talk in weeks if one did not count Tony Stark's extensive flirting. On most days when her mood turned sour, one nice or even slightly thoughtful comment from Tony could change it all. Honestly, it was the fact that he had such an effect on her that frightened her the most.
As she made her way down the stairs it was again that thought that made her decide that she was going to resign. It was most certainly not normal that she accepted having an undervalued position for some flashes of appreciation from her boss. She felt a fond irritation for him, but she suspected that just a bit of nurturing would result in unrequited feelings. She has known for a while that she had to get away from Stark Industries to protect her heart, but the time it took her to go down the four flights of stairs that was between Tony Stark and her apartment strengthened her belief.
One of his less flashy Audis was waiting outside. The windows were tinted so she could not make out the figures. She easily slipped next to Happy Hogan not surprised at all that Tony was behind them, though the lack of a female partner was indeed astonishing. Tony was in a flashy suit with a freaking sunglass on, no matter the fact that it was the middle of the night. She was a practical woman, so such a thing greatly annoyed her.
"Miss Potts tell Happy to take me back to the party," he ordered surprisingly fluently for someone who was most probably drinking from sundown. She looked at the driver slash bodyguard who remained silent. Happy rarely called her during the night, so whenever he did, she knew it was better not to question him.
"Mansion," was the only thing she said, and Tony, of course, started complaining about being kidnapped by his own staff and whatnot.
She needed but a week to learn to tune him out though. The journey from downtown Los Angeles to his mansion in Malibu was more than half an hour long and during that time Tony did not shut up for even a moment. The few times she cared to listen she learned that unsurprisingly before her there was another woman in the car ('a leggy blonde' as Tony put) who received a call from her nanny that her kid was sick, and she had to go home.
"She just left!"
She couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. She knew that Tony had as hard time accepting not getting something he wanted. Sometimes she wondered if that restlessness was the reason why SI has become such an unstoppable force in the industry in his hands. One way or another Tony Stark always got what he wanted.
"Generally, parents care about their children's health more than about a quick shag, Mr. Stark," she couldn't help her sarcasm at the formal address.
No matter how brilliant and influential the man behind her was, he often reminded her of a little kid. She supposed the saying that there was a fine line between genius and insanity was based on Tony Stark.
"But what am I supposed to do now?" he asked like he couldn't imagine a night without a woman in his bed.
She didn't even try to answer that. In the year she had been working for him she also learned that there were just battles she shouldn't even engage in. Tony had a way of words, and while she usually enjoyed their verbal wars, she was too exhausted now to bicker. When Happy parked the car in front of the beautiful Malibu mansion, that still took her breath away every time she saw it, he looked at her seriously.
Dealing with Tony after a party was something Happy usually did alone. On most nights out he shadowed the billionaire, then took him and his escorts home. Her job usually started early in the morning when she had to make sure the girls left, and he was ready to work. She looked at the man next to her who had dark circles under his eyes. She supposed he called because he was simply too exhausted to deal with Tony anymore.
They could have just left Tony in the house, but even with alcohol blunting her mind, she knew his schedule perfectly. He had a very important meeting at nine o'clock, so he had to be presentable by then. She feared if she just left him here now, he would not be in the state to attend the meeting the next morning. No, knowing him he would drink all night instead of sleeping. She couldn't ask Happy to babysit him even more, but someone had to stay at least a bit to make sure he got into bed.
"Just go home, you need some rest," she told Happy.
She seriously needed resting too but she didn't add that. She knew even when Jessie suggested a bit of girls' night with drinking that it was a bad idea on Sunday. However, it didn't occur to her that she couldn't just fall into her bed when the alcohol knocked her out. Plus with both of their schedules being so packed, it rarely happened that they got to spend a night just hanging out, so she agreed. It was a mistake.
"You sure? How will you get home?" he asked uneasily.
"Don't worry, I'll call a cab," she replied simply.
There were also six guestrooms in the house if she was too exhausted to go home. She even kept some emergency clothing in his house just like in her office because in her line of work, one couldn't look bad. She prided herself of always looking ready to conquer the business world.
Happy shot her a thankful look. She needed only about five minutes to convince Tony that he should just go inside the house and not call a cab to take him back somewhere in the city. She was surprised that using the card of tomorrow's meeting worked. Tony cared about the project happening it seemed. He was sitting already on the beige sofa when she entered the house after saying good-bye to Happy. Tony reached for a glass bottle on the coffee table full of rich amber liquid she didn't know the exact content of, but she was sure it was something strong.
She sat down next to him. The sofa was surprisingly comfortable, it was not the type where the design was more important than the function. Though she supposed for a certain price the two could go together. On the sofa her mind wondered, and she came to the conclusion that this was the first time she wasn't completely sober when she had to deal with Tony. She didn't possess the same patience just now as she usually did. So she decided that letting him drink a few more glasses was an easier solution than taking it all away from him and forcing him into his bed just yet.
She couldn't help but close her eyes for a moment. A loud "Potts!" made her open them. A glass full of the same amber liquid he was drinking was right in front of her eyes, as Tony was shaking it in front of her. She needed only a moment to realize that her boss wanted to share a drink with her. She took it with a small smile. These little moments were the reason she hadn't resigned after a week like most in her position would have (and had done in the past).
"Thanks," she muttered and took a sip.
The liquid was so strong it burned her throat, but the ache was a welcomed one because the taste was so rich. She wondered how much a glass of whatever it was, costed. Knowing Tony Stark, it was better she didn't know, she decided even if she would have loved to have this stuff at home instead of whatever cheap liquor Jessie bought. Her musings were interrupted by the said delinquent.
"So, Pepper, what were you doing before Happy called you?" he asked conversationally. She couldn't help but laugh out.
"You mean before you ruined my night?" she asked, and Tony grinned. "Oh, and my name is still not Pepper," she added as an afterthought.
Indeed, it was an afterthought as Tony was right when he said she would get used to it when he gave her that nickname. Most of the people she directly worked with at Stark Industries were referring to her as 'Pepper Potts' by now, many not even knowing that Pepper was nothing more than a nickname made up by an irritating boss. She supposed she even liked it, simply because she was never fond of the name Virginia as she didn't like being named after a state she had never lived in, especially one which was named after a virgin English queen. However, one of the first things she learned about Tony Stark was after she started working with him that fueling his ego was a bad idea. Oh no, she always made sure to remind him that she was not called Pepper.
"Ah, Miss Pepper Potts, doesn't it sound delightful?" he asked leaning a bit closer to her than was necessary. Tony Stark was a flirt. However, a drunk Tony Stark flirted even more.
Her breath hitched. The thing was Jessie was not exactly wrong – there was something fundamentally charming about Tony Stark. He was far from the most handsome man she had ever seen, but there was something about the way he held himself that made pretty much every woman drop their panties without a thought as nothing more than an automatic reaction. She supposed being a genius and a billionaire did great things to one's ego and confidence.
She always denied being one of 'those women' but her liquor-induced mind couldn't help but come up with some fantasies. The fact that her ex had broken up with her more than six months ago (for 'choosing her work over their relationship') and she didn't even have the time or the chance to go on a date let alone for more to happen certainly did not help those fantasies.
"Not something I'll hear often soon enough. I'm resigning," she replied off-handedly. Tony stiffened but then a lazy smile appeared on his face.
"Well, good for you – cannot do it though," he said as if she was just making a stupid joke. Anger fueled by alcohol boiled in her.
"Of-of course I can!" she replied, and she abruptly stood up.
However, she was obviously at the point of alcohol consummation, where without any forewarning the booze suddenly affected her making the world spin. Tony stood up too and he put his hands on her waist steadying her. Now the world was spinning less, but Tony was directly in front of her. As usual, she was in high heels, so she was a bit taller than he was, but his dark eyes bore into hers directly.
"What'd I do without you, Miss Potts?" he mumbled, and she let out a high-pitched chuckle that she would have never made was she completely sober.
"Die, probably," she replied because honestly, she found it surprising Tony had never forgotten about basic human necessities for long enough to die before she met him. She supposed Happy kept him alive though she wondered about the pre-Happy times. Has there been always a trusted employee around who made sure he didn't forget to eat or sleep?
"Exactly! You don't wanna have my death as your fault, do ya?" he asked, and she just shook her head fondly. It was a bad idea though because now the world around her was even shakier. His arms snaked around her waist pulling her closer. She swallowed to stop herself from reacting to his proximity.
"You know, Miss Potts, you are more beautiful than that blonde," he muttered and now she couldn't help but shudder as he ran a hand down her right thigh.
This was where she should stop him. Tony was a flirt from the worst kind, but he was no jerk when it came to consent, he would get the memo if she just stepped away from him. However, Jessie's words rang in her ears: "Anyone who is even moderately attracted to guys would love to shag him." Standing in his arms she knew that no matter how deeply she had been denying it to herself and everyone around her, she was not an exception to this universal rule.
"I wasn't kidding about quitting," she replied shakily.
"Tomorrow, Potts," he mumbled as one of his hands found its ways into her hair tugging the hair tie that held together her stiff ponytail. The result was her long strawberry blonde hair flowing freely around them.
"I'm quitting, you can't order me around," she replied with no intention of stopping whatever they were doing.
This was not professional at all and she often prided herself for being able to remain professional in dire situations as well. However, she easily stopped that annoying guilty little voice in her mind by reminding herself that she would no longer be Tony's PA. Surely, using probably the last chance to do what most women would love to do was not a bad decision. She would be just another name on his long list of women but to her, it would be more than that – the Tony Stark, genius, playboy, billionaire and more importantly, the man that has plagued her mind for the last year.
"You sure of that? Potts, into my bed – now!"
In the end, she was right as they never made it to his bed. He kissed her first right after that, but they didn't get further away than the sofa (knocking over the carafe filled with the alcohol in the process, but hardly even noticing it).
Monday, 27th November 2000
She was used to sending home the women he arrived with to the mansion. She never would have thought that one day she would be one of those girls though. She woke up to pounding headache completely naked on his beige sofa that was surely worth thousands of dollars. He was still out cold next to her snoring peacefully looking more innocent than she ever had seen him.
She quickly picked up the pieces of her clothing from the floor and dashed into the guestroom where she had stored her stuff. She then had a quick shower and in about half an hour she looked as professional as ever in a just above knee-length dark grey dress and her hair in a perfect bun, the make-up hiding the signs of an alcohol-filled night and not enough sleep. She quickly started the coffee maker and once the coffee was brewed, holding two cups of it she sat down on the sofa hoping to wake her (ex-)boss.
"Mr. Stark, you have to wake up – Happy will arrive in about ten minutes to take us to the office."
Slipping back to the formal boss and employee roles was easier than should have been after what happened only a few hours earlier. She supposed no matter that there was no woman to escort outside just now the setting was still very familiar and this was part of her everyday job and routine. It took her another fifteen minutes (while sipping on her cup of coffee) to have Tony wake up.
"Ah, just another minute, Pepper."
She rolled her eyes and gave the other cup to Tony not caring about his usual "I don't like to be handed things" response. He was still utterly naked, and he didn't seem to care at all that his assistant was sitting next to him fully clothed ready for the day. This was part of the job she never could explain to anyone.
"So, about last night Mr. Stark..."
She was usually very good at controlling her emotions, but she was nervous to bring up what happened between them. She felt hot and knew without a doubt that her pale skin was betraying her again, a blush creeping up her cheeks. Tony was until now staring in front of him as if studying the mug in his hands but now he turned in her direction.
"You cannot quit, Miss Potts," he simply replied with his usual arrogance that made everything he said sound like an order. She gaped at him.
"That is not what I meant Mr. Stark. I wanted to talk about what happened between us thanks to the effect of alcohol we both consumed. I just wanted to apologize for losing my sense of decorum." To her immense irritation, he started to laugh.
"Oh, come on Potts! We are two adults here who had a bit of fun. If you don't sue me for sexual harassment and intimidation based upon power relations, we can just forget about it," Tony easily replied. She nodded hesitantly. She was of course not planning on any lawsuits as nothing happened without her consent, but she still thought that having sex with her boss should warrant more than a simple laugh from the said boss.
"Of course, my plan of resigning from my position and quitting Stark Industries is still in motion. You will have the papers on your desk today," she added in a rather detached tone finding a bit of strength in herself to slip back into her business persona. Tony frowned and put down his mug.
"I told you that you cannot quit, Miss Potts. Plus, I thought you didn't want to talk about that but the sex. Maybe all you need to change your mind about this nonsense of resigning is a second round?" he simply asked, and she pressed her lips together not even thinking about answering his question. She stood up and took her mug to the kitchen, making her way to his bedroom only to come back with a stock of clothing for him.
"You reek of sex and booze so shower and then dress up," she pointed at the clothing. "We will talk afterwards, Mr. Stark."
To her surprise, he didn't protest, and he disappeared in the general direction of one of the many bathrooms. She let out a sigh. They were only half an hour behind schedule which was pretty good by Tony Stark standards, better than most mornings, really.
She quickly picked up the pieces of the glass they broke, and the clothes Tony left behind and tried to clean their mess up while waiting for Tony. Happy found her in the middle of her stress-relieving cleaning, but he was smart enough not to comment on her mood or ask what caused it. Tony – probably the biggest genius on the planet right now – was not as smart of course.
"Happy, tell Miss Potts, she is being stupid. She wants to quit just because we had sex," he ordered his bodyguard as he approached them while buttoning up his shirt.
She stiffened and felt the anger boiling in her. How did he dare to announce that to the world like it was nothing, and like it was not something completely private? She didn't think of herself as a prude, she was most certainly a modern woman, but she certainly did not like her sex life being brought up in front of one of her colleagues while she was doing her job – especially if that sex life included her boss.
"I announced my resign before that happened actually," she said completely emotionlessly and straightening her back.
She crossed her arms and met his eyes. Happy seemed like he wanted to be anywhere else than between the two of them and honestly, she felt bad for the bodyguard. It must have been uncomfortable being in the crossfire of a one-day surely legendary battle.
"Come on, Pepper! If I fired all the women I had sex with at my company only fifty-year-old greying ladies would remain, or I would be accused of sexism," he replied with his usual acuteness and she once again felt the fond irritation she now associated with Tony.
She wondered if he really slept with so many of his employees or he just thought he was being clever with his response. She believed he was just being a smartass again as according to her observation, he usually found his one-night stands at parties and rarely had he appetite for anyone other than actresses or models. There had been a few reporters, scientists and even business partners in between, but that mostly only happened if there weren't any models around.
"Great, then you should be happy as you haven't fired me, I'm quitting. According to my contract, I have a month-long notice period, so don't worry Mr. Stark, you will have time to find a replacement, she can start by the new year," she answered promptly and gesturing towards Happy to get to the car.
There was a schedule to be maintained after all even if Tony was being an ass. She composed his agenda always leaving some leeway knowing that Tony Stark couldn't follow any schedule perfectly, but if she never prompted him to hurry, even with the added flexibility nothing would come out of it.
"Utterly irrational, Miss Potts – how could I find a replacement for you in so little time? How can anyone replace those legs?" He pointed to her legs which she knew seemed endless in her new high heels she put on for the first time the morning before. This time her eye rolling was good-natured.
"J.A.R.V.I.S., look up the legal regulations of the company and find a way to make sure Miss Potts can't quit," Tony said to the air, but she knew that the A.I. was probably already doing what was asked of him.
"Of course, sir."
With a huff, she exited the mansion and didn't stop until she reached the car. She was more than ready to pen that notice after Tony's stubbornness though she had to admit that somewhere deep-deep down she was touched by the fact that Tony still found her work essential even after she showcased such unprofessionalism as sleeping with him. She was somewhat surprised that he didn't want to get rid of her as he usually did of his one-night stands in fear of them getting attached. She hated her heart for beating so rapidly at the idea that he thought more of her than his usual conquests even if it was for professional reasons. It still meant that he appreciated her more than any of those perfect Victoria Secret angels.
"Even an A.I. won't find a way to stop me from quitting, Mr. Stark as I have the right to change jobs. I am also familiar with the content of my contract," she reminded him once they were all seated in one of the many cars he owned. He looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I could just double your salary," he said, and she couldn't help but shake her head.
"You already pay me a lot of money – you were pretty out of it when you signed my contract, tripled the sum saying the original salary was too little for dealing with you," she replied. Yes, her salary was never a problem. It was ridiculously high, really.
"I did? Huh, I always knew that there is never enough money to pay for people to handle me."
She was surprised to hear a dull bitterness in his voice as if no matter the money he had and was willing to give away people kept leaving him. She suddenly felt sorry for not only him, but for doing the same as well, becoming one of the many. If he said the exact same thing but the night didn't happen, she surely would have just withdrawn her termination, but how could she continue being his PA when they had sex? That memory – even if it was rather hazy thanks to the alcohol – would always stand between them and a real professional working relationship, wouldn't it? Honestly, she was not sure as she had no previous experience with such a situation. However, if she was afraid of her heart's state before yesterday, after the sex, she was even more worried. Obviously, she couldn't trust herself when he was around.
"I am really sorry Mr. Stark, but after what happened between us last night, I do not believe I am the right person for this job. It was very unprofessional of me. Please, accept that," she said with clear determination in her voice. "I will handle finding the right replacement, of course, you will just have to choose from the selected candidates."
She hated job hunting, but she knew that she needed a new workplace just now before her heart was permanently taken by someone who would never want it. She needed a job where she could keep the three feet distance and where she wouldn't get so emotionally attached to a playboy billionaire genius.
Wednesday, 20th December 2000
Between her usual work, trying to find her replacement, looking for a new job, keeping Tony out of trouble when everyone was in a party mood thanks to Christmas and getting him to accept that she was quitting for real Virginia Potts was truly exhausted. Currently, she was sitting in her office with another candidate in front of her. The girl, Sarah, was about the same age she was. She had dark brown long hair in perfect curls and big brown eyes, she was also skinny and curvy, with her blouse being just a bit tight emphasizing that she was very talented in the breast department. She even had those pouty lips the playboy billionaire seemed to love. Virginia was pretty sure that the girl would be hired on the spot if Tony saw her. She couldn't help being a bit judgmental of Sarah because of that.
"You do not have any previous experience as PA."
It was no question, but of course, the girl already started on a lengthy explanation. She leaned closer to the desk as if the physical closeness meant that Virginia would understand her lack of experience better and the PA was hit by the girl's strong perfume's scent. It was the sickeningly sweet type of perfume she never liked, but now it was more than that. Automatically she reached for the bin just under her desk, but the moment she had it in her hands she was already vomiting in it. The girl abruptly stopped talking.
"Are you okay?" she asked awkwardly. "I could come back later if you are not feeling well," she offered, and all Virginia could say was: "Please."
Sarah stood up and grabbed the folder she came with and left abruptly with a half-wave and while saying that she was going to call to set a new interview up. Virginia had half a mind to call the sushi place where she had her lunch, but then a more important problem came into her mind. She had lunch with Tony – she had to check if her boss got food poisoning too. If he was sick, she would have to reschedule his appointments after all and set up a completely new agenda for the upcoming days.
The office right next to hers belonged to Tony. She didn't knock knowing that Tony currently was not supposed to have a meeting, and as his babysitter slash personal assistant she often checked up on him, so it was not unusual for her to appear unannounced. When she walked in, he was sitting by his desk watching something on the screen of his computer.
"Ah, Miss Potts, I did not expect to see you just yet. Mrs. Smith said that you were interviewing your potential replacement. Complete waste of time though, because no one can compare to you," he said with his usual confident grin. Before she could reply there was knocking on the other door which led to the reception area and after a "Come in!" the receptionist, Mrs. Smith appeared with a cup of coffee.
"Mr. Stark, Miss Potts," the elderly woman greeted them and put down the cup on Tony's desk before turning to the PA.
"A coffee Miss Potts?" she asked but just as Tony was raising the cup Virginia was once again assaulted by a strong smell, this time by Tony's black coffee.
Not wanting to destroy another perfectly fine bin and not feeling like getting sick in front of her boss, she put her right hand on her mouth and practically ran out of the office directly to Tony's private restroom. Luckily, she reached the toilet just in time. After the bin incident she didn't think there was anything else to throw up, but she still spent awfully long time bending over the loo.
Leaving the toilet was awkward though. She noticed that Tony didn't have the cup in front of him anymore. He was already working again but he looked up once she reached him.
"Do you feel okay, Miss Potts?" he asked surprisingly nicely. She nodded half-heartedly.
"I think the sushi we had didn't agree with me. Do you feel well?" she questioned him, and he shrugged.
"Told you that you shouldn't eat that shrimp nigiri sushi, it looked strange," he replied, and she nodded easily. Her attention then was caught by the table of numbers on his screen and she swiftly asked after his impression of the report he was studying. She later noted with satisfaction how the food poisoning she had was quickly over.
That night was probably the first time in weeks she was at home the same time as her roommate, Jessie. While she felt better after the sushi-incident (as she labelled it), she decided to cut her usual ludicrously long hours a bit shorter. The said roommate was currently parading around the living room of their shared apartment in a ridiculously short red dress that highlighted her perfect curves but left about nothing to the imagination. Her blonde hair was in a classic updo and if Virginia was not so damn exhausted then she would have felt a bit jealous of the blonde who looked like she stepped out of a fashion catalogue while she looked like a complete mess.
Jessie popped down next to her on the couch abruptly. "Uh, I so don't want to go," she said miserably which surprised the other girl.
From the little conversation, they had recently most of it had been about this party. Jessie scored an invitation to a Christmas party hosted by some hotshot up-and-coming movie director and she had been telling Virginia how this was her big chance to get a life-changing role. Honestly, Virginia had heard the same being said about other events before, so she wasn't sure about that, but she didn't voice her opinion. Instead, she happily listened to Jessie rambling about all the important people in the show business who were bound to show up at the party.
"Why?" she asked incredulously. Jessie frowned.
"I'm dying," she said and the added, "Period pains."
Ah, that certainly explained just about everything. Virginia froze though because a thought occurred to her. Jessie's period always happened about two weeks after her own, but no matter how much she was trying to remember her own period in December, she just couldn't. She paled at the thought as thanks to the birth control pill she was taking every day ceremoniously her period was supposed to occur just about precisely in every twenty-eight days. The only reason for missing it would be…
No, she wouldn't even entertain that thought, it was not possible. She was taking the pills perfectly, always making sure to have them the same time every day. Still, no birth control method was a hundred percent safe, she knew that much, she was the type to research such a topic thoroughly. Surely, she was not the unlucky one of the statistics though? To make it worse the only man she had been in months was her soon to be ex-boss who was one of the most well-known playboys of the country. She wasn't even sure she knew what to think about the ridiculously 'wealthy, smart and eccentric' part.
"You okay, Gin? You look deathly pale," Jessie stated, and Virginia slowly nodded.
She was surely just exhausted and that was the reason why she couldn't remember her period. Not to mention that she had a highly stressful job, she could have easily just missed it because of all the problems she recently had. Yes, there was no reason why she should suspect such an unlikely explanation as pregnancy. She was too wasted that night a month ago to remember such detail if Tony used a condom but knowing her boss who hated responsibility and who as a playboy billionaire was always in paternity lawsuits (everyone and their mothers wanted to have his kids for the sake of fame and money) she couldn't imagine him being so careless.
"I'm okay, just a bit tired, lots of work, you know. Tony has disappeared for the night in his workshop and business is slow thanks to the upcoming holidays so I might actually get some sleep today," she simply answered with a faint smile.
There was no way of course that after so many women who wanted to get pregnant with Tony's child turned out to have kids with other men instead, she would be the one who ruined Tony's perfect childless record. No, she was just being paranoid, she was sure of it.
Thursday, 21st December 2000
The next morning, she was less sure of her supposed paranoia as she was woken by severe nausea which screamed 'morning sickness' even if all she knew about pregnancy came from romantic comedies and trashy books. This time she couldn't even reach the toilet soon enough instead she had to vomit in the kitchen sink.
Luckily, Jessie's party must have been a real blast because she wasn't yet home. Honestly, she had no idea how she would have explained this to her roommate. After cleaning the sink, she sat down on the cold tiles of the bathroom as she was not yet over the nausea. She decided to stay close to the toilet as she still felt quite sick to the stomach, though this time she was close to crying as well.
Her right hand slipped to her belly automatically, but there was nothing there to feel. As she was sitting there on the floor with her hand around her flat belly, she was quite certain that it was not the shrimp that caused this. As if taunting her a box of unopened tampon was sitting on the top of the washing machine, the brand she used and not Jessie.
She stood up and swiftly crossed the tiny bathroom. In the highest bathroom cabinet, Jessie and she had a calendar, she grabbed that and started studying it. She noted that this month held no signs at all – probably Jessie hadn't marked her period just yet and she was reminded of the fact that she had missed hers. Turning back to the previous month she found her own writing with red on 12th November. She had to close her eyes when she saw that – it meant that she was about two weeks late. Worse, thanks to all the paperwork required on her part she knew well that she officially handed in her notice on the 27th November meaning that the night before when she had sex with Tony was circa two weeks after her last period. If she remembered anything at all from all the SexEd classes she had in her life, she very well could be like – she did the math quickly – six weeks pregnant. She closed the cabinet door on the calendar forcefully like putting it away and getting rid of the evidence would just stop this from potentially happening.
It was a workday, but she was not sure how she was supposed to go to work after such thoughts occurred to her. How could she look into Tony Stark's eyes and not break down crying?
"Honey, I'm home!" She heard Jessie's cheerful voice. Virginia couldn't reply instead she was silently sobbing on the cold bathroom tiles like the hot mess she was. Their apartment was not big enough to hide so she wasn't surprised when Jessie opened the bathroom door only a few minutes later.
"Ah, there you are!" she said enthusiastically but one look at her roommate's face was enough to ruin her mood as well based on her changing expression.
Jessie sat down next to Virginia in that tiny piece of clothing that was her sexy red dress putting her arm around the other girl who now had tears running down her face. They were sitting on the floor for about ten minutes before Jessie spoke up.
"Do you want to talk about it, Gin?" she asked softly, and her roommate shook her head. It was another few minutes later that Virginia decided that it would be better if she talked about it.
"I think I'm pregnant," she muttered, and Jessie stiffened.
"I didn't know you had slept with anyone recently," she said cautiously. It was indeed true. Virginia convinced herself that having sex with Tony was a good idea with such arguments as to how great of a story it would be, but the truth was, it was something she didn't feel comfortable sharing – not even with Jessie.
Maybe it was the professional personal assistant part of her, or her loyalty towards Tony and the Stark Industries was still strong but now that there might be a baby involved the idea of telling anyone who the only candidate for the father post was, had made her even more uncomfortable.
If she really was pregnant and the story leaked, no matter if she decided to keep the baby or not, it would be all over the media. That was not something she wanted, not for herself, but not for Tony or the company either and especially not her baby if she was to have it. If she was pregnant it had to be something between the two of them only, she decided. It was not that she didn't trust Jessie, but she decided that repeating the same story to everyone (except for Tony who obviously would know better and Happy she supposed) would be safer.
"Adam from Legal asked me out for a drink last month, we got drunk, had a good night, I thought that it might turn into something but the next day I learned he was married, so that was all," she simply said though she was not sure how believable her story was because she was always a bad liar. Tony even told her that he wanted her as his PA for that exact reason when the whole story with the pepper spray happened.
She supposed if she really was pregnant, she would have to practice telling her little tale so it would sound more believable. However, just now she had the pass of being upset, so she didn't think Jessie suspected that the story was made up on the spot. Honestly, she had no idea if there was a married Adam at Legal as Stark Industries had thousands of employees. She didn't feel bad for naming anyone though because she knew that her reluctance to provide further details would discourage people to investigate the story and look up the supposed father as she obviously didn't want to do anything with him.
"Remember my pregnancy scare a few months ago? I brought home like a dozen pregnancy tests, but used only two or three, so I just stashed all the remaining ones in one of the outs of the way cabinets. I think you should check – maybe you're upset over nothing."
Virginia was eternally grateful then for having a friend like Jessie who even knew what she was going through having the same happening to her not too long ago. She nodded while wiping away her tears. Jessie opened first one cabinet door and then another. She needed only about two minutes to turn around with like five long boxes in her hands. She was thoroughly studying them.
"Okay, so none of them has expired, but as all of them are different brands we should check the description of all, there might be some differences and we don't want faulty results."
Virginia nodded through her tears. Between the two of them, it was not a long process. While some of the brands varied in the length of waiting time and had different methods to show the results, all were the very basic 'peeing on the stick' kind. Once she had four of the sticks on a piece of toilet paper on the sink Virginia sat down on the floor again with Jessie following her suit.
"What if – what if they are positive?" Virginia asked softly. Jessie started stroking her roommate's hair as if Virginia was a small kid in need of comfort.
"Well, then there are all three options available still – keep, adopt or abort. It wouldn't be the end of the world."
Virginia knew this of course. Still, on paper and in theory it was completely different. She always prided herself of being a feminist and she thought that if she ever faced an unplanned pregnancy the choice would be obvious. As someone exceptionally organized something that was not in her plans just wouldn't do, it couldn't happen. Yet, now on the cold floor with the tests on the edge of the sink, for the first time the choice did not seem obvious at all. She knew most certainly that if she carried the baby for nine months, she wouldn't be able to give them up. So, there were just two real options – both frightening in their own ways.
"What would you have done if you were pregnant?" she asked so softly that she was surprised when after a long moment Jessie answered. She didn't think her friend heard her.
"Go straight to an abortion clinic and then chicken out, decide to keep the baby only to realize what a failure I am and then give up the kid so a normal family could bring him up," Jessie gave an oddly specific answer which suggested to Virginia that her roommate a few months ago had her thoughts running wild the same way she was experiencing now. She wondered if Jessie had ever spent dreamless nights wondering about 'what ifs' since the day she learned it was a false alarm.
"You're stupid, you'd make a great mom," she insisted. The only answer she received was a bitter chuckle.
"C'mon, between the two of us you are the mature and successful one, that's a fact. Tony fucking Stark has been wailing like a kid for a month for losing you as his PA."
Virginia wanted to point it out that if she were such a collected adult, she wouldn't be sitting on the bathroom floor just now but be on her way to work, but she remained silent. The fact that if she was indeed pregnant it would be by the said boss kind of proved to Virginia too that she was not the perfect mature mother-material as Jessie thought.
"Could you really give up the baby?" she asked instead imagining signing away a baby she had just given birth to. No, no matter what the test said she decided adoption just not for her. She looked at Jessie who pressed her lips together.
"If I knew that the baby would be cherished? Yes. I barely make enough money for one person, Gin. I can hardly pay half of the rent, if it wasn't for you, we would've lost this place a long time ago. I'm a mess. Sure, if the baby daddy was a billionaire and I didn't have to give up my dreams for some underpaid nine to five monotonous job while not being afraid that my kid won't have anything to eat the next day it would be different, but you know that the potential father was Danny, never more than an extra, Andrews."
Virginia nearly stopped breathing at the 'billionaire baby daddy' part. To her so far, the fact that if she was pregnant it was Tony Stark's baby seemed like an added obstacle, a problem and not a solution. Really, she thought 'Adam from Legal with a wife' as the father would be a simpler situation. It was strange to hear Jessie talking about such an outcome as a positive one.
"Isn't it time?" she asked awkwardly not knowing what to reply.
She was not sure if she was ready to know the result, but she knew that sooner or later they would have to get up. Jessie had some fizzy drink commercial to shoot at twelve if Virginia remembered correctly and she should have already been on her way to work. She was still not sure how she could survive this workday no matter the outcome, but that was a problem for later.
Jessie checked her watch. "The quicker ones should surely be ready by now and the longer ones might be too."
Virginia nodded hesitantly. She slowly got up from the floor feeling not only nauseous but dizzy as well. As the world was spinning around her, she grabbed the edge of the sink to support her. She closed her eyes for a moment before she dared to look.
She saw the tests but honestly at first, they made no sense to her, her mind was completely blank. Then suddenly the information shown reached her mind: 'pregnant', plus sign, two lines. From the four sticks, she ended up using there was not even one that didn't imply in some ways that there was a baby growing in her tummy currently. She suddenly felt violently sick and dashed to the toilet hugging the cool white porcelain as if it was the only thing holding her together. While she was retching Jessie must have checked the results herself, because once Virginia flushed the toilet her friend just silently hugged her while she wept.
"It's going to be okay," Jessie repeated like a mantra. Virginia was not so sure. "We are just going to book an appointment for you to an OB/GYN and go through the options."
Options. That one word made the whole thing a lot more real for Virginia than all the plus signs together. Options meant that as an adult she would have to make a mature decision over life and death because there was a baby growing inside her that a few weeks ago was only a few cells but in a few months' time, would be a functional human being. Well, a human being that would need to be looked after, but the same was true for Tony freaking Stark, so she supposed it still counted.
"I-I can't go to work today," she muttered into the fabric of Jessie's dress which she probably ruined with her tears. She hoped that the dress didn't cost Jessie too much.
"You should text your boss, write that the sushi wasn't bad, but you have a stomach bug and you are terribly ill today," Jessie suggested, and Virginia nodded lifelessly.
She felt too upset to even react to the irony in Jessie's 'stomach bug' excuse. In the end, she was shepherded into her room to take a nap and Jessie took her phone and wrote the text instead. Virginia couldn't even imagine ever facing Tony Stark again and she was glad Jessie took it upon herself to alert him of the absence of his sick PA because even the idea of writing something that he was to read seemed frightening for now.
She spent hours in her bed silently weeping, sometimes even shaking from the endless flow of tears. She was laying in the bed in a fetal position hugging her pillow as if her life depended on it. Jessie checked on her ceremoniously, but then she had to leave for her shooting promising to bring some food with her when she came home.
Instead of getting sleepy from all the crying she became restless from the hours spent in bed. She got up and reached for her mobile calling the one person most women in her current position would turn to – her mother. Her mother always had Thursday afternoons off, so she wasn't surprised when the call was answered.
"Hi, darling. Got the afternoon free? Never thought that would happen," her mother enthusiastically greeted her.
"Hi M-mom," she replied as she sat down on the edge of her bed.
"What's the problem, honey? Are you hurt?" Obviously, from one short sentence, her mother had caught on that she was upset.
"No-no… I'm pregnant, Mom," she replied, forcing out the words knowing that it wouldn't get easier if she waited any longer. Her mother remained silent for a moment. She impatiently waited for an answer though honestly, she didn't know what she wanted to hear.
"You don't sound happy, honey. Do you consider it bad news?" she softly asked and now it was Virginia who was unable to reply.
When she was young, she always imagined that one day she would have kids. She didn't know the specifics other than that it would happen after she was married, but it seemed like the mature adult thing to do, part of life. Then she grew up and found herself being an independent woman and suddenly the thought of having children and a great career at the same time didn't seem to work. She thought that she was too ambitious to spend her days changing diapers and wiping off drool. Children after that realization were just not part of the plan.
"I decided during college that I wouldn't have children," she answered carefully. Her emotions were not to be trusted right now so she wasn't about to reply directly to the question.
"You know that your father and I would support you no matter what. You are an adult, honey, it's your decision. Think about it though and give it some time. It's not a decision you should make overnight," her mother advised her. "Don't worry darling, we will work this out during the holidays."
Honestly, she was not sure how they could 'work it out', but just telling it to her mother and hearing her reassuring words calmed her down somewhat. She felt like a child again who got in trouble and felt too young and inexperienced to find a solution herself, instead turning to her mother who was able to always save her and find the right answer to the problems.
"I-I don't know what to do, Mom," she muttered not sure if she even wanted her mother to hear her words. Admitting defeat was not something she was good at.
"Oh, sweetheart, it's okay to feel that way. I promise you, after some days at home things will get better. By the new year, you'd know what to do."
Virginia believed her mother then. That very moment the idea of a solution seemed unimaginable, but like a little girl still awed by her parents, she felt that she could trust her mother's words. The new year seemed so close and yet so far at the same time.