A/N: Hello! *Waves* I'm back again this week, updating on schedule like a normal person. I hope you guys like this chapter, featuring Pepper Potts and taking place in the second Iron Man movie. Dmitri will be about three and a half in this chapter.

Natasha had to go to work at Stark's and had nobody to watch Dmitri. The toddler was usually the most easygoing of children, but he had the flu and wanted nothing more than someone by his side at all times. She was going to have to call in sick to work. She sighed and picked up the phone. "This is Pepper Potts."

"Hi, it's Natalie; I don't think I can come into work today."

"What? But we really need you here today! There's a mountain of work that has to be finished today and I'm in a meeting so I need you to handle a few things."

From down the hall, Dmitri called out "Mommy, I need another tissue." His nose was stuffed so it sounded more like "Bommy" than "Mommy".

"Just a second, sweetheart, Mommy's on the phone."

Pepper's voice softened upon hearing this exchange. "Sick kid?"

"Yeah; my son. I can't for the life of me find someone to watch him. The woman that usually watches him is on vacation, my best friend is out of town on a work trip, and the neighbor decided to take up college classes. I couldn't even get someone at those agencies to come down here."

Pepper chuckled. "That's how I feel with Tony sometimes. I really do need you here, but you can bring him with you, if you'd like."

"Thank you so much, I promise he'll behave."

"Okay."

Natasha hung up and grabbed a tissue box before hurrying to Dmitri's room and wiping his nose. "Mommy's got to go to work, but my boss said you can come too."

He looked up at her with glazed green eyes. "Mr. Coulson said I can go?"

"No, that's a different boss. This boss is named Pepper and she's very nice, but you'll have to be on your best behavior."

"Otay, Mommy."

Natasha quickly pulled out a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt from the closet and dressed him. She packed a bag with some coloring books and two picture books for him to read while she worked. Before they left, she put a hand to his forehead. "You have a fever; I'm going to get you some medicine."

Dmitri nodded and took the spoonful of cold medicine she offered him. "That tasted bad."

"I know, but it's going to make you better."

At the office, Natasha grabbed Dmitri and his bag before hightailing it upstairs. Pepper was the only one in the office, thank goodness and Natasha smiled. "I'm sorry I'm late, it took a little while to get Dmitri ready."

Dmitri smiled at Pepper. "Hi."

Pepper grinned back. "Hi, Dmitri."

"Mommy said you were her boss and that you were nice."

"I am your mommy's boss."

"Are you nice?"

"I like to think so."

"Good, cause my daddy wasn't nice and I didn't like him."

Natasha shushed Dmitri. "Not here, sweetheart. We don't talk about stuff like that when Mommy's at work."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mommy."

Natasha kissed his temple and put him down at a table in a corner with his books. He pulled out a coloring book and began to color in a picture of a transformer.

Natasha pursed her lips and stood awkwardly next to Pepper. "I'm sorry about what he said; I didn't think he would say anything like that."

"It's fine. I am a little curious though. His father, what happened?"

Natasha took a deep breath. "His father was a drunk that didn't want a son. He yelled at Dmitri whenever he could, even though he was only a year and a half old. I don't think Dmitri even remembers his father, he just remembers what I told others had happened."

Pepper sighed sadly. "People like that are not meant to be in this world."

"Tell me about it."

They stood in silence for a moment, watching Dmitri color. Then Natasha spoke up. "I'd prefer you didn't tell anybody about him. People look at me differently when they know I have a son since I'm so young."

Pepper nodded. A week later, Pepper sat on the jet next to Natasha on the way to SHIELD for a debrief, still in shock over the fact that Natasha was a spy. Tony was asleep in the other room. Pepper looked over at Natasha. "Is Dmitri really-"

"Yes. He is."

"And his father?"

"Not a nice man."

Pepper nodded accepting the answer. "Okay." The rest of the flight was spent in silence.