A/N: Howard Cage is a character that comes from my delusional and malnourished mind. :p

After roughly 10 minutes of Tony being verbally berated and pushed around by Rhodey for being a "god damned moron," Tony had, had enough. He hadn't even been listening to Rhodey. All he was thinking about was Pepper and the way his lips still burned and how he felt like a complete shit head. He knew why Pepper cared. He knew exactly why Pepper cared, because he felt the same way. He just never admitted to anyone else, including himself. Tony couldn't stand still any longer. He walked straight past Rhodey, leaving his best friend even more pissed off. Tony jogged down to the living room.

"Where is she?" Tony ripped off his tie and threw it to the floor.

"Miss Potts, sir?"

"Of course. Who else would I mean?"

Jarvis could sense the anger in Tony's voice and decided it wise to be direct. "Miss Potts has just finished gathering up her belongings and is currently in the garage."

Tony broke out in a sprint. When he got to the garage she was already in her car, starting the engine.

"Pepper!"

Pepper looked away, ignoring him. She was done. Tony rushed over to the car when he noticed that she was about to put it in reverse. Pepper let out a gasp of fright as Tony's hand flew threw her open window and turned off the car, pulling the keys out. Pepper's jaw tightened. She opened the door and slammed it shut. Tony was holding the keys between his thumb and index finger. When Pepper made a grab for them Tony raised them high above his head, out of her reach.

"Stop being a child, Tony."

"I'm being the child?"

"Yes, YOU are." Pepper reached for the keys again and Tony jerked away holding them even higher.

"You're the one who chews me out and then pouts and runs away." Tony fought back.

"Yeah, well I didn't exactly see you make any type of move to stop me as I was leaving."

Pepper made a quick grab for the keys and ended up stumbling and went crashing into Tony. He caught her and the car keys fell to the ground unnoticed by both of them. Tony held onto Pepper's elbows as she straightened herself out. This time, Pepper was the one to make the first move. She wrapped her arms around Tony's neck and kissed him long and slow. In return Tony circled his arms around her waist and pulled her firmly against him. Tony reluctantly pulled away when he felt like his lungs were going to burst from lack of oxygen. Pepper felt light headed and dizzy. She leaned against Tony to keep herself up and Tony gladly held her in place.

"You can't go. I don't want you to go."

"Tony, I can't do THIS," Pepper waved her hands between them, "anymore. I'm not going to watch you kill yourself."

"That's why I need you, Potts. So I WON'T kill myself. Stay."

Pepper squeezed her eyes shut and breathed in. After a long moment she opened them again and looked at Tony. "Will that be all, Mr. Stark."

The corners of Tony's mouth lifted up into a smirk. "No that will NOT be all, Miss Potts."

Tony saw confusion flash across her face before he lightly grabbed her by the back of the neck and kissed her again. "I could get pretty used to this."

Pepper laughed. She was angry and scared and confused and had no idea what was going to happen with the entire world now, knowing that Tony was Iron Man and she had no idea what was going to happen with the two of them. Was this simply a one time thing? Where they just getting rid of all the years of built up tension and then tomorrow it would be back to their usual banter and business? Pepper had no idea but she was fine to stand their and kiss Tony, even if it was only for this short time.


ONE MONTH LATER....

Private eye, Howard Cage, was a short, stocky man, 45 years of age. He was partially bald and had a face like a weasel. Howard had been trailing this Virginia Potts chick all day. The man who hired him, Kearson Dewitt, made him feel very uncomfortable but Dewitt offered much more than the standard going rate and Howard was never one to turn down money.

Dewitt had told him some story about this Virginia woman being his girlfriend and how he thought she may have been cheating on him with another man. Howard scoffed and took a bite of his salami sandwich as he aimed his camera lens towards the front of the shop. From one look at Virginia, Howard could have told Mr. Dewitt that his girlfriend was cheating on him. Anyone with a functioning brain could have told him that. The woman was a stunner. Shoulder length wavy red hair, legs that went on for miles, a perfectly curved slender body, and then of course that gorgeous face. A woman like her was too good for a man like Dewitt. Howard wondered how he even scored her in the first place but it was his job to follow her around and get evidence for his client so he did what he was paid to.

Pepper walked out of the shop holding a couple of bags and checking her blackberry. Howard snapped a few photos of her walking to the car that was waiting for her and a few personal shots for himself, of those killer legs. The car drove off and Howard pulled out of his parking space, trailing her.

Howard's car was non desrcript. It was a popular color and blended in perfectly with the sea of traffic. Whoever this Virginia was knocking boots with, he had money and lots of it. It was simple to tell from the more upscale part of town they were heading into. The car finally came to a stop in front of a classy little restaurant. Virginia didn't get out so Howard pulled into a space not too far away. He picked up his camera and his salami sandwich and went back to munching on it.

A tall dark man wearing an expensive suit and designer sun glasses came strolling out of the restaurant. The man looked oddly familiar but Howard couldn't quite place him. He was too far away and the sunglasses where helping to disguise the man's face. Howard snapped away at his camera. The man got into the car Virginia was in. 'Bingo,' Howard thought to himself. Lucky for him the rear window was slightly rolled down and when he zoomed in he could get a few semi decent shots. Howard shook his head and snapped incriminating photos of of the tall dark man smiling and kissing Virginia. They drove off. Howard leaned back in his seat and let out a happy sigh. That was the easiest cash he had ever made.


Howard Cage scrunched up his chubby face, confused, as Mr. Dewitt laughed delightedly over the photos. He just wanted to get his money and get the hell out of there. This Dewitt guy was a whack job.

Kearson tucked the pictures inside of his suit jacket and shook Howard's hand. "I thank you for your services, Mr. Cage."

"Yeah no problem." Howard really wanted to leave.

"Oh but there is a tiny problem."

"A problem? You wanted proof your girlfriend was cheating on you and I gave it to you. What's the problem?"

Kearson went over to a cigar case sitting on the coffee table. "Simpletons such as yourself really do give me a good chuckle." Kearson flipped the lid off of the cigar case and pulled out a Walther P-22 Pistol. "The problem is, that I can't have any witnesses and weasels like yo would readily blab." Kearson unloaded a full round into Howard's chest and watched, pleased, as Howard fell to the floor with a thump.


Pepper was desperately trying to get some work done but Tony would constantly walk by and purposely lean over her shoulder, close enough to make her squirm. When Tony added nibbling on her neck to the equation Pepper gave up. She shut down the lap top and contained her smile as Tony hopped over the couch and landed next to her, his brown eyes wide with excitement.

"I can't get any work done. Are you going to have to make me send you to your room, Anthony Edward Stark?"

"I'll go if you come with me."

"I can't because GROWNUPS have work to do."

"Hey, I'm a grownup." Tony said mock offended.

"Really?" Pepper raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Yeah, and I know all the fun things that grownups get to do." He bounced up and down a bit.

Pepper laughed and let Tony lower her down onto the cushions. A few playful kisses turned into them making out and grinding against each other like two horny teenagers. Pepper was pulled out of the moment as her blackberry went off. She reached for it, while Tony's hands found their way under her top. Before he could reach his destination, Pepper slipped out from underneath him and began straightening out her shirt. Tony just looked at her, his black hair messy and his jaw agape."

"Sorry, meeting." Pepper smirked at him and sauntered off, making sure to add a little more sway to her hips.

"Temptress!" Tony yelled after her and got a throaty laugh in response.

He sat back up and crossed his legs, trying to cover his massive hard on. His head fell back and he let out a pained laugh. Pepper Potts would be his undoing.

TBC....