Fall Out

Chapter Two: Reasons

Disclaimer: I own nothing…

Chapter Song: Listen by Goo Goo Dolls

Author Notes: Flashbacks are in italics. And Jarvis is in bold italics.

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Pepper Potts had kicked off her heels and was seated yes, on the bathroom floor, long legs crossed at the ankles and laptop, well, on her lap. She had removed her hair from its tight bun and was presently answering email number 106… some progress had been made, mostly because she had gone in and made it so any Iron Man queries were sent to a folder titled exactly that so she could focus on the business end of things for the moment, plus she assumed that Tony himself might actually want some input on the Iron Man emails.

Iron Man emails… how ridiculous it all seemed, unreal, like a bad dream she hoped to wake up from at any moment. If only she was that lucky.

Sighing, the young assistant let her head fall back softly against the wall as she stretched her fingers out, they ached from all the typing and the typing to come. She'd probably be here all night, nothing new. In fact she actually had a guest room that belonged to her just for that reason, half of her wardrobe lived here, half of the time she lived here… which wasn't always good timing on her part apparently.

Pepper looked at her silver watch and sighed, two am… at least it wasn't three like yesterday. Suddenly a sound from the front room grabbed her attention as she padded on bare feet from her room and paused embarrassedly in the hall.

There was Tony, his lips locked on the neck of some random blonde, her back pressed against the wall and her head thrown back in sheer ecstasy, but it wasn't just from his lips on her neck… his hand was sliding up her naked thigh towards…

Pepper turned her head sharply not wanting to see anymore and went back to her room and shut the door as softly as she could and went for the dresser, her headphones atop it when the voices in the hall stopped her.

"Ya know as fun as this could be… I'm just not in the mood anymore." Came Tony's voice.

" Aww. But Tony I am in the mood." The blonde sounded just how she looked. Go figure.

"Maybe some other time, Happy will drive you home or where ever."

Pepper opened her door slightly to catch some of the blonde's pleading sexual protests… she even went as far as to slowly remove her underwear from beneath her skirt and toss it at Tony. Pepper rolled her eyes, but watched as the play-boy did a very unplay-boy like thing, he gave them back to the woman and ushered her out the door. Then before Pepper could shut her door again, he had turned and was facing her.

"Sorry about that." His tone truly apologetic.

Pepper sighed and nodded, " It's okay…" She didn't know what else to say and moved to close her door when suddenly his hand was there keeping it open.



"Have a good night Miss Potts." He smiled.

"Good night, Mr. Stark." She slowly returned his smile and was then allowed to shut the door.

After that night, Pepper remembered her never did bring another woman home if she was there, or if he suspected she might be there. Although Pepper was willing to bet that Jarvis undoubtedly alerted her boss to her presence in such instances. It was a nice gesture to be sure… and one of few he ever did. And yet even now with his change of heart he still didn't stop to think of anyone else but himself.

Tired of answering emails, Pepper closed her laptop down and stood from the floor adjusting her skirt and slipping back into her shoes. She would finish up later, in the comforts of the guest room. However when she unlocked and opened the bathroom door, Miss Potts almost slammed it shut again in shock.

"Did I startle you?"

"Obviously. You could have made your presence known."

Tony noted that the steel content of her eyes had decreased, this was good, "Up for some dinner, Miss Potts?"

Pepper looked at her watch and ignored her slightly growling stomach, "No."

The tone was back again, and it was Tony's turn to roll his eyes, "Honestly Miss Potts, I don—"

"You don't what?" She stared at him, her index finger pressing into his chest to the left of the arc reactor, "Don't understand why I have to use this tone? Come off it Anthony Stark. You know why." With that she pushed passed him, the sharp heel of her shoes almost connecting with his foot in the process, "Jarvis?"

"Yes, Miss Potts?"

"Prepare the guest room I use for lock down, I'm turning in." She glanced up at Rhodey standing at the head of the hall and shook her head, "I want to be alone right now, so do not try to patch this up for him." Rhodey had been here before, in fact he had saved her job several times, well saved her from quitting it anyways.

" No. No. No. I've had it."

"Come on Pepper, you know he didn't mean it." James Rhodes was at his wits end with both his friend and his assistant. If he dared, he'd lock them in a small room together so they could stop acting like children… of course then he might lose his best friend in the process.

Pepper sighed and stopped just short of the front door, a cardboard box in hand with her belongings in it from her office, " Jim… how much am I supposed to take from him? I'm only human, I can only take so much. " She turned, she had been on the job a year and was glad to have at least two kindred spirits, one of them humanly standing before her, the other was always there, everywhere.

"I know. Believe me I know, I've known him longer than you and I admit… he can be an ass at times, a total ass. But he needs you." Rhodey is doing everything he can, he knows this girl can cut it, he's seen it.

" Why me?"

"Because you give him peace of mind Pepper, he doesn't have to worry about anything. I mean hell you've been here only a year and between you and Jarvis Tony has it made, I wish sometimes I could borrow you. You answer all his emails, get him coffee and pick up after him. And you're smart; he knows that, it's why you got the job in the first place. "James had to laugh, " Tony Stark doesn't make mathematical mistakes. And it took a woman to correct the one he did make." He caught the look on Pepper's face and stopped laughing, "Sorry. But you have to admit it's funny." Jim had a point, in a way it was, " If nothing else think of the money. Girl, you're making more than I am and I working for the fricking government."

He had two points, "Fine. I won't quit. This time." And at the time it was because of the money, but months later that peace of mind changed into something else, concern for her boss. Rhodey had been right, he needed her.

" Your room is ready Miss Potts."

"Thank you Jarvis, that will be all."

She moved passed Jim as he paused her, a hand on her arm, " Remember," He whispered quickly, "He needs you." It was as if he had remembered the same incident as she had.

"Jarvis. Ignore that command from Miss Potts."

"As you wish, Sir."

Tony was tired of this sudden attitude that had invaded his assistant. He looked squarely at Rhodey, " If you could excuse us."

Rhodey let go of Pepper and looked at her with knowing eyes, and Pepper sighed as the man went downstairs into the work area leaving boss and employee all alone, except for an AI system.

"For once I'm going to talk and you will listen Virginia Potts." If she pulled the full name thing, so could he, well not complete full name as she had left out his middle one, which was fine by him.

This time it was her turn to open her mouth to say something and then shut it, mostly out of curiosity than anything. Folding her arms and hugging her laptop to her chest, Pepper waited, her eyes locked directly with his.

"Good. Now I know I dropped quite the little bomb today, I understand that I've just made your job a helluva lot worse. I would say I'm sorry, or that I wish I could take it all back, but I'm not and I can't." He watched her lips part and raised a hand, " I'm not done."

" Mr.—"

He wagged his index at her again, "Uh-uh." He moved right in front of her and leveled his gaze into hers, " If there had been any ounce of me that feared you couldn't handle the extra hassles of this I probably would have kept my mouth shut, as it is you and I both know that you can, that…" He almost added that I need you too, but thought better of it, " you will."

"Can I speak now?" She watched him nod, "Thank you. As for not being able to handle the hassles, that isn't what I'm having issues with. It's that… you just put yourself and everyone tied to you in more danger than before and you didn't stop to think about it. That's your biggest problem, you never stop to think. And this time your bad habit doesn't just hurt you, it hurts Jim, the company and me."

He blinked, and frowned. She was right, of course she was right. When wasn't she right? Damn it. Tony sighed and looked at his assistant and beheld the toll all of this was already taking on her, forehead creased with lines, a slight sag in her ever so straight shoulders and in that moment he was sorry, not that he'd ever admit to it however, " Hmm. That will be all Miss Potts."

Pepper blinked, it took her a moment to realize he was backing down, for whatever reason, "Good night Mr. Stark." And she turned and went for the guest room and shut the door leaning against it and just for a moment she thought she was actually going to cry. She felt a little guilty, not much but a little. However she was truly tired of taking his antics lying down. But she knew that she did have to cut him a little slack with this, not much but a tiny bit. All in all she decided at the moment she was very tired, it had been a week from hell and a good night's rest would make dealing with what tomorrow held easier.

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Okay… chapter two, a little rough but all in all okay I hope. Three is coming soon.