(Hi! Oh my gosh guys, thank you so much for the reviews and suggestions. :D I'm so glad so many of you love this story! Thanks for sticking with me and hello awesome new fans as well! I love you all, Tony plushies all around! The Avengers was wonderful I must say. Anywho, enjoy this chapter, I hope you all like it! I don't own Iron man, Tony or Pepper or any of it...or the Hulk)

Chapter 5: Pepper SMASH!

The walls of papers stacked in Tony's work shop had accumulated everywhere. It was a fortress of documentation, which is something Tony never wanted his super hero hideout to be labeled. "The billionaire-playboy-philanthropist hangout of tomorrow" was one idea he had played with. Other super heroes labeled their secret hideouts, so, why not? He was a super hero; his hideout deserved an awesome name. But this idea would have to wait for another day; currently Tony had to deal with the elimination of the evil documents that had taken over.

He sat in his desk chair glancing through a document and signing the bottom. He put it into a stack and picked up his phone as it rang. "Hi, no this is not the amazing Tony Stark. Nope, sorry, wrong number." He hung up. It seemed like the billionth phone call today! He had never received or answered so many phone calls in his life.

"Sir, I don't believe Miss Potts would appreciate the way you are ignoring company calls." Jarvis noted.

"I don't believe I asked you Jarvis for your opinion." Why had he agreed to this? "Narcissistic tendencies." He muttered under his breath. Pepper's job, on top of his job, on top of Iron Man's job was proving difficult.

The phone rang again. He looked annoyingly toward the celling knowing Jarvis would guilt trip him some more if he ignored this call as well. He pushed the receive button and held the phone to his ear, "Stark Industries. …Is he available for a meeting tonight, let me check." He held the phone away from his ear, "Jarvis am I available for a meeting tonight?"

"You do have an opening tonight-"

"No can do, he's a bit preoccupied." Tony quickly answered, ignoring Jarvis. "Yep, I'm sure he'd love to merge with you too, some other time? Uh-huh, meeting with RA Industries, ok, I'll let him know." He hung up. "No comments Jarvis."

"I wouldn't dream of it sir." The snarky A.I. replied.

Tony turned to Dummy. The robot hand was signing papers best he could and putting the papers into a stack next to him. "How's it going over there Dummy?" As soon as these words came out, the robot turned its hand to face Tony, knocking down two stacks of paper.

Tony stared at the mess and then turned away, "Why did I ask."

"Buzz Buzz Buzz…" a noise sounded throughout the workshop.

"It's Miss-" Jarvis started but was quickly cut off by Tony.

"Yes, I know. I'll be right there." Tony stood up and before leaving spoke to Dummy, "Why didn't I donate you? I can't remember! Not exactly coming to me here." The robot lowered it arm in shame. "Fine, fine you know what, here's another chance, just clean up your mess."

Dummy opened and closed its claw in reply and began to try and pick up the papers.

Tony bounded his way out the door of his lab and up the stairs.

Tony's punishment to take on Pepper's job was proving to be more of a punishment for herself. She hated not working. Her blackberry had been disabled be Tony and kept out of her reach. Any personal calls came through Jarvis to her and all business calls were redirected to Tony. Pepper still was unsure about this whole set-up. She wanted to go home. If the press found out about any of this, she might have to quit her job to avoid scandal. She didn't want to do that. Her job was everything to her. But Tony informed her everything would be fine. He had told the press that Miss Potts was on a much needed vacation and they didn't seem to suspect a thing.

The one good thing that had come out of this was Tony really was at her beck and call. The "service button" had been his idea after Pepper had accidently rolled off the bed and couldn't get back up. She tried to but finally had to tell Jarvis to get Tony. He felt very guilty about the whole thing although Pepper insisted it wasn't his fault. His solution to this so it wouldn't happen again was a service button. Pepper hated this idea. She was used to doing everything for herself and thought having someone wait on her was a ridiculous notion. But Tony of course wanted his way and had gotten it by utter annoyance.

She hadn't thought he would actually be the one waiting on her. She just assumed he would build a robot or something to do the job. But as he had said he would, he was the one wanting on her. It was strange and wonderful. Pepper had not expected this. She knew what kind of man Tony truly was, more than anyone else did and yet she hadn't seen this coming. His care for her confused and scared her. It also filled her with delight. She loved him and she was sure he loved her as well, this only confirmed her suspicions. But what could she do? Tell him how she felt and live happily ever after? No, they didn't live in a fairytale, this was the real world. Maybe someday it would work, before or after Tony saved the world from a near apocalypse or something but, not now.

Tony entered the spare bedroom. There was no need to search for Pepper as she was still in recovery mode and couldn't go far, not even on her new crutches. Tony had provided her with a private physical therapist to help her grow stronger day by day. Mr. Stark paid the doctor a hefty fee to keep his mouth shut about her condition and location. He didn't want the press to know anything other than what he had told them.

Miss Potts was sitting on the bed watching the television. Tony glanced over at the TV and was about to ask what was on when she seemed to read his mind, "Have you seen our stock?"

"Stock?" he repeated in confusion, and then turned to look at the screen, "You know those are just a bunch of random numbers made up by the media."

"Ours is down." She didn't sound too happy.

"Lies."

Pepper sighed, "Tony we need our numbers to stay up."

He shrugged, "So they're having performance issues, it happens."

Pepper tilted her head, ignoring Tony's one track mind, "You know what I mean."

The TV stock announcer continued to shred Tony's company, "Stark Industries better kiss there days of glory good bye! Tony is no Howard Stark that's-"

"Mute." Tony didn't like listening to this trash-talk, he moved over to the screen and touched it, "I no longer like this channel." he tossed CNBC into the little trashcan icon on the side, "Now here's something better to watch." He opened up CNN which started playing footage of a village in China.

"I was watching that."

"Now you're not."

"Our stock is important." Pepper pleaded

"Iron Man's stock is good. No performance issues there." He grinned.

"Iron Man doesn't have stock."

"Well he should, he just saved a village in China." He gestured to the screen behind him which showed Iron Man clearing tourists out of a little village.

"Wait, but how were you-"

He shrugged, "It was a few hours ago. There were terrorists; I stopped them, lives saved. Seriously, we should be celebrating my awesomeness right now."

How could egotistical smugness appear so adorable to her? Pepper's lips curled into an amused smile, "Did you forget I'm the one who called you up here Mr. Save-the-World?"

"Only China, not the world…today." He replied.

"Uh-huh. Could you save that pillow over there-" she pointed, "and give it to me."

"Is that all you wanted?" he easily walked over and picked up the pillow. He tossed it over to the bed.

She looked at the pillow on the edge of the bed. The one thing Tony had not anticipated while making the service button was Pepper abusing the system. She didn't realize she had started doing it. It began when she had gotten used to his consistent service and started to ask for more. It was small at first but then the requests become constant and petty. Pepper looked up at Tony, "I can't reach that."

"Really?" He looked at the pillow; it was within arm's reach for her, "What are you doing with that therapist? I thought you were getting healthier. Are you two playing strip poker or something because I'm not paying him enough for that…and why wasn't I invited, clearly I am hurt."

"The pillow."

"Your foot is in the cast not your hand." He walked over and picked up the pillow replacing it next to her.

"Could you fluff it?"

He stared at her. What was happening here? Tony tilted his head and stared at her. This was still Pepper, right? Not some evil robot sent to replace her and annoy Tony. Maybe a hologram. He walked over and poked Pepper's forehead.

"What are you doing?" She asked in confusion.

"Making sure you're real. Have you been taking too many drugs? How many fingers am I holding up?" He quickly held up five fingers, then two, then three.

"Tony! I'm fine." She pushed his hand out of the way.

"Did you get infected with gamma radiation? Is this Hulk Pepper?"

She was clearly annoyed now, "Do I look green?"

He paused and stared into her eyes, studying them, "Are you angry?"

"Well, you're making me." Pepper glared back.

"Hmm, maybe I haven't pushed the limit."

"Oh you're pushing Tony." She replied. "And why would you think I'm the Hulk, because I want you to fluff my pillow?"

"Hey hey hey, no Pepper smashing Tony ok?" He held up his hands, "Do you hear yourself? You asked me to fluff your pillow. You really don't hear how ridiculous that is?" he watched her for some realization but Pepper turned away and crossed her arms. Tony formed his next words carefully, "Pep, we need to talk."

She rolled her eyes, still not understanding why fluffing her pillow was so wrong.

"Pepper…Miss Potts, you've been somewhat of a demanding slave monger-"

"What!"

"-the past two weeks. The two weeks before that you were fine but, I think my tech has corrupted you." Tony sat down on the bed next to her.

She looked down at her lap; she seemed to be deep in thought, pondering what he had said. Pepper bit her lip and looked over at Tony with a look of sympathy. She had realized how she had been acting. She had been horrible to Tony demanding so much of him at all hours of the day. Getting her favorite meal, making sure her cat was being feed by the neighbors, filling her baths, giving her ice, getting her whatever book or magazine she demanded (even before it was on the shelves)…she felt awful. He always demanded so much of her and so in a way her mind must have justified it. "Oh Tony, I was so, I can't believe" she sighed, "I'm sorry."

Tony smiled, "Better." She smiled as well and they gazed at each other in silence for a moment. "You know" he continued, "there was something you didn't ask me to do." He smirked.

Color rushed to her cheeks and she shook her head, and laughed lightly. She knew where he was going with this, "And I won't ask you."

"But-"

"No." She replied with a playful smile on her face.

"Well," Tony stood, "since my services are no longer needed here I'm going to attend to some papers, and then, more papers. Do the papers ever end?"

"No, not really."

"Great." He turned to leave and then paused, by the door frame looking back at her, "Will that be all Miss Potts?" Tony smiled.

Pepper smiled back at the familiar phrase they often exchanged, "Yes, that will be all, Mr. Stark."

They looked at each other for another moment. Studying each other's eyes till Tony broke off to head down to his Fortress of Documentation.

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