Pepper stood to the side with her coat around her shoulders and her purse in her hand. SHEILD took over the vicinity of the place and secured the area in a matter of seconds. She curiously looked over her shoulder and saw Tony talking to Fury. Tony was sitting in the back of an ambulance with his feet dangling over the back. It looked like he was getting scolded by Fury for his idiotic actions. She saw Tony press his lips together in frustration. Something was obviously bothering him. Was it because of Hardman's brother?

"Mr. Stark is okay, Miss Potts." A voice sounded next to her. Pepper snapped out of her own thoughts and glanced at the spot next to her. Agent Coulson stood there with a small smile on his face.

"I assume this was all SHEILD's plan?"

"What?" Coulson furrowed his eyebrows. "Agent Romanoff called Director Fury saying you were in danger and that Mr. Stark was going in alone, without his suit. Director Fury decided to appropriately address this situation by calling James Rhodes, seeing as how he has possession of War Machine."

"Wait—so, you guys didn't—" Pepper furrowed her eyebrows.

"Mr. Stark never told Director Fury about Jones Hardman. According to Agent Romanoff, she and Mr. Stark infiltrated Hardman's complex this afternoon in attempt to get information on Project Kin." He explained to her.

Pepper's mouth gapped in surprise. JARVIS said that Tony didn't want to be disturbed, and I told him to tell Tony to call me when he got a chance—

"Miss Potts, Mr. Stark is a valuable asset to this group and in order for us to trust him, he needs to stick with the team, not stray away from it."

"I—I didn't know Tony was going to do that… He didn't tell me anything this morning." Pepper pressed her lips together in frustration. "Not… a thing…" She muttered.

Tony walked towards the pair with Fury sternly trailing behind him. Pepper glanced over at them, feeling somewhat disappointed to hear that he had left her out of his plans yet again.

"You okay?" Tony instantly moved next to her and rubbed her back with his left hand. Pepper hesitated a bit before responding with a nod.

"Agent Coulson, we're done here. Tell everyone to pack up and head back to headquarters." Director Fury ordered.

"Of course, Sir." Agent Couslon nodded. "Good-bye Miss Potts, and Mr. Stark."

Pepper watched as Fury walked away with Coulson trailing behind him. She felt a hand snake around her waist and a pair of lips press against her strawberry colored hair. She was honestly angry for what he did to her, but could she blame him? He literally risked his arm for her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked her again.

"Are you okay? Your arm—" She gestured towards his arm that was resting in a blue sling that was wrapped around his other shoulder. She looked up at him and saw his soft brown eyes staring down at her.

"I'm fine, Peps." His lips formed a small smile. "The EMT said my shoulder and my ribs should be fine in a few months."

"You shouldn't do any strenuous activity for a few weeks." She told him, staring down at her purse.

"You honestly think I can keep myself away from my workshop?" He smiled, trying to make her cheer up.

Pepper's lips formed a small smile but immediately retreated to a frown. She was still looking down at her purse. Tony surveyed her for a few seconds before sighing heavily.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you." He suddenly apologized.

She whipped her head around to face him and furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean? You were trying your best to—"

"But I couldn't do anything to keep him away from you." He heavily sighed again. "Pepper, I'm supposed to keep you safe. It's why I became Iron Man in the first place. To save innocent lives…" His face fell in disappointment. His arm slid off of her back to rest in his lap. He looked down at the ground and felt Pepper nudge his left arm.

"It's not your fault, Tony." She tried to sooth him. "Hardman was probably just trying to shake you up—"

"It is my fault, Pepper. I made sure no one was down there before I blew up those two factories." Tony walked away from her grasp. He felt awful... He felt useless. "I killed an innocent person—and I almost lost you." He looked up, feeling miserable, and disappointed in himself. "You could've died because of me."

"Don't blame yourself for what happened, Tony."

"How can I not?" He practically yelled at her. "How can I not feel responsible for what happened today?"

"You're not perfect. No one is." She tried to get him to see the brighter side.

"If I can't protect you—"

"Don't." Pepper sternly stopped him. "You don't get to say anything right now." Anger boiled in her blood. She was still thinking about how Tony practically lied to her.

"Pepper—"

"When exactly were you going to tell me about your little adventure with Natasha?" She angrily asked him.

"I didn't want you to worry about me—" He tried to tell her but she cut him off again.

"Don't tell me that bullshit again."

"I didn't want to put you in harm's way."

"You're Iron Man!" She shouted at him. "When am I not in danger?"

Tony looked up at her and saw the glossy coating over her eyes. In a matter of milliseconds, tears started to form.

"I love you so much, Tony." She began to mutter. "When you don't tell me anything, it feels like you don't even trust me."

Those five words made his heart warm up. He honestly felt happy to hear her say those words to him, but it didn't help their current fight. He still felt awful for putting Pepper's life in danger. "I do trust you, Pepper. I trust you with my life." He tried to reassure her.

"Then why didn't you tell me about this afternoon?"

"I told you already… I didn't want you to worry about me." He repeated.

"That isn't a valid excuse." She angrily told him.

"Then I'm honestly out of excuses, Pepper." He sternly looked up at her. "There are some things that I can and cannot tell you. If I tell you, it feels like whatever happens next will be my fault. The thought of you dying because of me makes my heart ache."

"Do you love me?"

"What?" He knew what she said, he just wasn't sure if he heard her right.

"Do you?" She raised her eyebrows at him, waiting for his answer. Tony stood there with his eyes widening. Of course he loved her, but not once in his life has he ever told that to anyone—except for his parents.

"I—"

"You're stupid, you know that, Tony?"

Tony and Pepper looked to their right to see War Machine standing there with his visor up. Rhodey smiled at the pair with delight.

"How are you two doing?" Rhodey walked towards them.

"You always know when to crash a conversation at the wrong time, Rhodey." Tony flashed a small smile at him. Pepper smirked a bit before staring back down at her feet. Tony glanced over at her form. He knew he would have to tell her his answer sooner or later.

"I called Happy just now. He's coming to pick you guys up."

Pepper's head popped back up. "Thanks, Rhodey." She smiled in his direction.

"So, that's it?" Rhodey asked the pair.

"Hm?" Tony hummed in confusion.

"It's over? The bad evil villain is gone and done with?"

"I highly doubt it." Tony responded. "Hardman's actions don't explain Leon's disappearance or the attack at Leon Industries."

"Care to explain, Tony?" Rhodey raised an eyebrow at him.

"Maybe another day." He widened his smile at his friend. Tony looked over at Pepper and noticed how distant she was from him. He wanted to move towards her and wrap a protective arm around her shoulders. He wanted to comfort her for the rest of the night, but he wasn't sure about their relationship anymore. He lied to her again, and it almost cost him their relationship. She was obviously pissed off at him about it.

He didn't even resume their conversation when Happy arrived and Rhodey blasted off. Five minutes in the limo ride back to his house and they were already giving each other the silent treatment—Pepper was actually giving him the silent treatment. Tony actually wanted to set things right with her. An empty seat separated them from each other. They were in the very back of the limo. They were each looking out of their own window, but Tony glanced at her every so often.

He didn't want to leave things like this. If he didn't talk to her now, they would be stuck in this state until one of them had the nerve to talk to the other person. Pepper wouldn't give in that easily. Tony would, because he couldn't go a day without talking to her, or knowing how she was feeling.

"Happy, could you give us some privacy?" Tony asked the driver.

"Sure thing, boss." Happy pressed a button on the ceiling. A dark tinted window slid up from the section behind him, giving Tony and Pepper their space.

Pepper still looked out her window, acting like she didn't hear Tony's request. He glanced over at her and eventually let out a heavy sigh.

"I admit that I've left you out of my plans more than once." He started out, but she didn't turn to face him. "And I know you're my personal assistant, but you're much more than that to me."

She still didn't budge.

"You're the reason why I make it back alive from all of those missions Fury keeps sending me on. You're the reason why I've changed and why I can finally smile every day. You're the one person that I thought would get away. I thought you were going to run off with Rhodey or Happy and live happily ever after – no pun intended."

This time, Pepper turned her head to glance at him. She noticed how closer he was getting. He managed to scoot towards her with every sentence that came out of his mouth.

"I know I sometimes don't act like I care about you – or your feelings – but I do, Pepper. I really do." He widened his smile. "You're the only person, besides my parents, that can actually get these feelings out of me. Before you, before Iron Man, I've never opened up to anyone. I've been a first degree ass to everyone, including Rhodey, but you were different – I mean, I've been an ass to you before, what with the hot women that I keep on bringing back to my bedroom—"

"Just finish what you were going to say." She sternly interrupted him. Pepper felt his arm snake around her waist, and his hand that rested firmly on her hip. He drummed his right arm's fingers gently against his stomach, wishing there was an easier way to say everything to her.

"You're all I look forward to in the morning." He pressed his lips together, carefully searching her face for a response. "And I know I'm still an ass to you, but trust me, I'm working on it."

"But that's why I'm angry at you, Tony. How can I trust you when you won't tell me anything?" She folded her arms across her chest.

He rubbed her hip with his hand before giving it a gentle squeeze. "Is this about that time I didn't tell you I was dying, because I'm not—?"

"No!" She exclaimed, making him retract his arm from her waist. "It started there!"

"What—"

"I don't want to be a burden to you." She pressed her lips together in frustration. "I want to help you in every and any way possible. When you don't tell me things that involve Iron Man or infiltration, it makes me feel like I'm useless to you."

"You're not useless, Pepper—"

"Then stop making me feel like I am." She snapped back at him.

Tony hung his head low and heavily sighed. He opened his heart to her and she shot him down. He understands why she's so pissed off, but it didn't help their relationship. A part of him tore up inside when she resumed her normal position and angrily looked out the window.

"I'm sorry." He muttered before pressing a gentle kiss to her temple.

She felt his soft lips press against the side of her forehead and eventually turned to face him, but noticed that he retreated back to his spot, a seat away from her, and looked out of his own window. She bit her bottom lip and gloomily looked out of her window. The rest of the limo ride was silent. Neither one of them thought to bring up another failed conversation in hopes of making amends.

When they had arrived back at Tony's mansion, he immediately retreated to his workshop, while she retreated back to her apartment. They both slept in their own beds, missing each other's company. They both laid there, hoping that tomorrow would be a better day.

A/N: Please review! I know I've been MIA for a while. College, League of Legends, and midterms got the best of me. I honestly think I failed my Biology final… I think everyone failed it, lol. But at least I got to go to Fox Studios and visit the Bones set. Everything was under dust covers, and it was dark. But they left a nice little present for me: the finale's body and how the person died. From far away, it looked absolutely disgusting.