So i think you all are going to like this chapter, at least i'm very pleased with how it turned out :) But you decide.

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Chapter 19: Goodbyes

DAY 14: 4/2/13

He couldn't seem to say it. The words wouldn't, couldn't leave his mouth. They were stuck to the roof of his mouth like peanut butter.

"Flight 47 to Los Angeles is leaving in ten minutes from gate 3." An announcer said.

Pepper stood in front of Tony from just outside the gate and said, "Well, I guess I have to be going now."

"Yeah." Tony mused.

"Bye Tony." Pepper said.

Tony nodded and swallowed wanting for the words to come.

"Fly safe."

It was Pepper's turn to nod. She set her bags down and embraced Tony. He had been dreading this moment for a while. He wasn't any good at goodbyes, especially to people that mattered and he knew he was screwing it up. He drew back and tucked a stray piece of her behind her ear. He held her face in his hands, his sad brown eyes pouring love into hers. He placed a sweet tender kiss on her lips. When they broke apart he said, "You should get going, your friends are going to be worried."

Pepper nodded and began to walk away with her bags clearly having expected something more.

"Oh and Pep…" Tony called out catching her attention, "I love you."

She gave a small smile and parroted, "I love you too.", before she disappeared behind the security checkpoint. Tony sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets and began to walk away dejected and upset with himself.

XxxxSpring BreakxxxX

Pepper sighed as she took her seat beside Michelle. "What's wrong Pepper?" Michelle asked genuinely concerned.

"I just…I thought our goodbye would have gone differently, but Tony hardly said a word." Pepper said softly.

"If I was him then I probably would have wanted to say more but couldn't. That's most likely what happened. I wouldn't read too much into it, we all know he's crazy about you." Michelle said nonchalantly as she looked out the window.

"Really?" Pepper asked with a little smile.

"Oh God yeah, a blind man could see that. He practically worships the ground you walk on, Nelia's words, not mine, but we agree. The way he looks at you when you're not even looking…he loves you like Clark Kent loves Lois Lane." Michelle said not knowing just how much her friend needed the assurance.

"Attention flyers, we are about to begin our accent so if you would please turn off your phones until further notice it would be much appreciated. Thank you for flying Southwest Airlines." A flight attendant said in a chipper voice.

Pepper put her phone on airplane mode before she tucked it into her hoodie pocket and stared out the window with Michelle at the tarmac passing by increasingly faster. Pepper was almost asleep when the flight attendant came back on and said that phones could be turned back on. She took hers out when the signal was reconnected her phone vibrated alerting her that she had a message. She went to her inbox and saw Tony had sent her a text.

Sry I didn't say much earlier. I wanted 2 though, honest. I jus froze. So I'll say it now. I'm so glad that we ran in2 each other. My life has changed so completely and it's all bcuz of u. U truly r my shining star, my 1 tru love, my 3, u r what makes me happy. I kno I sound like a sap, but I wont apologize 4 it. Bcuz of u, I'm a better person. Thank u Pep. Love u 4eva + always, Tony :) P.S, I'll c u soon.

~The Definition Of Sexy: Tony Stark~

4/2/13 9:38 am

Pepper smiled and closed her eyes with a yawn; she'd text him later after she was settled in and rested.

XxxxSpring BreakxxxX

As soon as she stepped foot in her dorm Pepper breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Home sweet home."

"Amen." Michelle and Marissa said in unison.

Nelia burst through the door and into the bedroom. From outside they could hear her, "Yes sweet baby, mommy's home. Yes she is. Oh mommy's so sorry she couldn't take you with her but she couldn't risk you being taken precious. But don't worry baby, I'll play you all night long, yes who's a good Xbox 360? Yes you are, yes you are." She cooed.

Everyone just chuckled and rolled their eyes. "We certainly are home." Marissa chuckled contently.

An hour later everyone was settled back in. Nelia and Michelle were playing Skyrim on the Xbox and Marissa was making beeferoni hamburger helper. Pepper was just about to sit down and text Tony when there was a knock at the door.

"I got it." Pepper called out and got up to answer the door. She didn't bother looking first and swung the door open. Upon seeing who it was her face and spirits fell along with her phone.

"Hey Ginny."

"Who is it Pepper?" Marissa called out.

"Uh, it's Jack, I have to go real quick." She called out picking up her phone and tossing it onto the couch before shutting the door closed. "What do you want?" She asked venomously crossing her arms.

"You." Ben replied pleadingly.

Pepper scoffed. "Yeah, and our teacher!"

"It was a moment of weakness Ginny, and in my defense she came on to me."

"Oh I saw that much, she was covering you." Pepper retorted.

"That's not what I meant. Look, I was an idiot and I'm really sorry."

"Yeah, Bill Clinton was really sorry too." Pepper scoffed.

"I'm trying here Ginny. I don't know what you want! I said I'm sorry." Ben said exasperated running a hand through his hair.

"I don't want an apology. I want an explanation" Pepper bit.

"I was weak okay! She just came on to me, I didn't think I would get caught, I was stressed out, she understood." Ben cried.

"And you thought I wouldn't?" Pepper asked hurt.

"No that's…that's not what I meant at all Ginny." Ben said trying to fix his mistake.

"You didn't think to call?! You didn't think I'd help?! She asked with tears in her eyes.

"You were busy." Ben said softly.

"With what?" Pepper cried. "I would have gotten out of class to help you Ben and if you don't know that then you don't know me very well." Pepper said softly as tears fell and her heart broke a little.

"Ginny please, I'm so sorry. I just want another chance to show you I'm still the guy you love." Ben pleaded with sadness evident in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Ben, it's too late for that." Pepper said softly.

"Too late? Please don't say that."

"It is. There's someone else. I met him two weeks ago and it's serious." Pepper pointed to the ring she wore. "I thought you should know." She said.

Bens face fell and he looked away. "What's his name?" He asked solemnly.

"Tony Stark."

Ben's face morphed into one of disbelief. "The Tony Stark? As in, I- Sleep- With-Every-Girl-I-Meet Tony Stark? Ha! This is rich. You break up with me for one mistake and go to someone who sleeps who sleeps with everyone? He's screwed all his assistants, every reporter, every employee, and you're in a relationship with him?" Ben cried amused at the irony.

"He's not at all the person you're talking about. All you see is what he wants you to see, not who he really is." Pepper replied darkly.

"Oh and you know who he really is after two weeks Ginny?" Ben said throwing her words back at her. "He's a playboy Ginny! He can't ever love you like I do now!"

Pepper snapped. "He loves me a hell of a lot more than you because he'll never cheat on me like you did! Goodbye Ben." Pepper said glaring at him as she turned the door knob and walked in.

"Whatever, when this ends bad, don't come back to me." Ben scoffed and walked away.

Pepper slammed the door and walked over to the coffee table to grab her purse, jacket, phone, and keys. "I'm going out. I'll be back soon. Don't wait up for me." No one had time to react before Pepper was gone again.

XxxxSpring BreakxxxX

Ben was still fuming a half hour later when there was a knock on his door. "What do you want?" he snarled. Nelia pushed Ben back through the door and locked it.

She swung her butter sock intimidatingly hitting it on her hand while pacing back and forth in front of Ben. "Pepper doesn't know I'm here but-"

"Who?"

"Virginia. Interrupt me again and feel what happens." She threatened. "Now, as I was saying, she doesn't know I'm here, but if she ever finds out, there'll be hell to pay. You've already broken her heart once and now you want to come in and try and ruin her relationship, which is going swimmingly well I might add, and now you've just made me mad. You had your chance and you blew it and while you broke some of her I'm really glad you did otherwise she wouldn't have met Tony. So goodbye Benedict, I know Pepper would have wanted you to have something to remember her by so I'll give it to you from her." Nelia swung her butter sock and it connected exactly where she wanted it to.

Ben dropped to his knees and then on to his side holding his groin and groaning in pain. Nelia smiled proudly and showed herself out. She texted Rhodey for a favor and a minute later she was dialing the number. The person on the other end picked up after the first ring.

"How do you feel about making a quick detour to Stanford?"

XxxxSpring BreakxxxX

So leave me a review please guys? Pretty please with RDJ on top? lol. okay that may have sounded a bit wrong. lol anyways...i'll see you soon with the final chapter.