Fall Out
Chapter Seven: Picking up the Pieces
Disclaimer: I own nothing…
Chapter Song: Tell Me Where it Hurts by Garbage
Author Notes: Okay some more angst, but we're getting closer to the light at the end of the tunnel for Tony… and we're going to have a Pepper/Tony moment, so we're getting closer there too.
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The sound of breaking glass woke him. He blinked and rubbed his eyes sleepy and looked around trying to remember where he was. Ah, right, the shop, "Jarvis, time."
" 3:02 am, sir."
Tony blinked, "Err… okay, then." He stood and stretched, eying the almost forgotten half drunk bottle of vodka and sighed, when a loud thump above him grabbed his attention. What had woke him a few minutes ago? Oh, right, breaking glass.
"Jarvis if someone is breaking into the house and you didn't alert me… I'm going to give you a Jamaican accent." Tony headed for the stairs.
"I am sensing no one else on the premises but you sir and Miss Potts."
"Pepper?" A puzzled look crossed Tony's face," What is she doing here at this hour?"
" I believe sir that she is getting drunk."
"What?!" With that, Tony raced up the stairs two and a time and slid into the kitchen and beheld a rather out of place sight. Pepper was seated, legs crossed on the floor with an array of empty, half full and broken glass bottles around her. She had a bottle of Jack Daniel's currently at her lips and was savoring it, sort of. The second the bottle left her lips she coughed and gagged.
"Oh. Hey Tony…" Her words slurred, and she took another swallow of the amber liquid.
"Pepper, just what do you think you're doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" A small hiccup escaped her lips and she giggled, something she never ever did.
" It looks like you're trying to drink yourself under the table." He frowned and eyed the open and almost empty secret cupboard, " And it also looks like you found my secret stash. Tsk, I never pegged you for a snoop Miss Potts."
"Well… you're almost right." She looked at the JD bottle and tossed it aside, it hit the tiled floor and shattered, the brown liquid inching towards the hem of her black pencil skirt, "I'm trying to… drink you, under the table."
"Come again?"
"Yup." She reached for his red wine now, a bottle that had once belonged to his great grandfather, " I figured if I drink it… you won't be able to anymore." She worked at the cork, yanking and pulling and then with an annoyed huff tossed it away as well, luckily Tony's reflexes made it possible to snatch it before it to met the tiles.
Carefully he sat it on the counter and moved in front of the very intoxicated Miss Potts, "Come on Miss Potts, I think you've had enough for tonight." He took a hold of her arms and went to help her to her feet when she tore out of his grasp.
"No! I'm not done yet… there's still bottles." She pointed at the cabinet and folded her arms childishly.
"You my dear Miss Potts are very drunk and I will not let you get any drunker." With that he yanked her from the floor and into his arms, " And don't blame me when you wake up in the morning, you will have no one to blame but yourself for the way you're going to feel."
She let out a yell of frustration and began to fight at him, kicking, scratching, slapping and punching, "Put me down now, damn you." She wiggled just enough that he almost dropped her and she screamed a little.
"Do not tempt me to drop you right on your little ass, because I will do it if you do not stop squirming." Tony Stark had little trouble holding his liquor, sure he could get a buzz now and then, but he doubted if Pepper Potts had ever drank anything harder than champagne… until now obviously.
"Oooh no. Tony put me down." She swooned slightly, and felt her stomach do one hell of a summersault.
"You're looking rather green, Miss Potts. First stop, bathroom."
Thirty minutes later after holding her hair for a second time, Tony Stark settled himself on the bathroom floor and stared at his assistant. She looked like hell, death warmed over and still a little green around the edges. Her head was now resting against the side of the tub and she stared back at him with almost empty eyes and it was then that he decided not to have anything stronger than scotch in the house from now on.
"How are you feeling Pepper?"
She groaned slightly and tried to lift her head, bad idea, seconds later her head was back over the toilet again, Tony gently holding her hair from her face and rubbing circles across her back. This time she wasn't at it as long and her head felt a little clearer when it was all said and done," A little better now." She said weakly and fell back against him.
Tony gathered his assistant up in his arms and readjusted himself so he was sitting with his back against the side of the tub, indian style with her in his lap, "Good, you look a little less green." He chuckled," Promise me that you will never, ever wear green. At least around me."
The movement of his body as he chuckled lulled and comforted her, even the sound, "I promise." She smiled sleepily, "I'm to pale for the color anyways." She found herself snuggling against him, the low hum of the arc reactor in his chest soothing. She fought to keep her eyes open, but soon discovered it was a losing battle and let them close, her head falling against his chest.
He held her like that, afraid to move, afraid he'd wake her. He shifted a little more and slowly brought her down onto the floor with him, laying down, his body curling around hers.
(Several hours later)
"Sir, Colonel Rhodes is at the front door. Shall I let him in?"
Tony Stark shot up, his body stiff and looked around… why was he in the guest bathroom? And then he looked down and was instantly reminded, Pepper had tried to get drunk. Now she lay asleep unaware of the hell known as the hangover that awaited her when she opened her pretty eyes, "Sure, let him. Tell him I'll be a moment."
"Certainly Sir."
Tony ran a hand through his mussed hair and leaned over his assistant, shaking her gently," Pepper, time to wake up sleeping beauty."
Pepper tried to open her eyes, but even that simple act felt like it was going to hurt, a groan of protest left her lips as Tony shook her gently and she tried to pull away from him, "Lemme alone." She muttered and brought her hands up to her head and whimpered.
"Now Miss Potts do you really want our dear friend Colonel Rhodes to see you like this?"
In that instant she shot up and regretted it as the world slammed her in the face, "Oh lord… what or who hit me?" She looked around and blinked, a lost expression crossing her face, " And why am I in the bathroom and on the floor?" She looked to Tony accusingly.
"Hey. Don't give me that look, this my dear was all you. I just held your hair back." He grinned a little, her being that plastered had been rather interesting, but he really didn't want to witness it again.
"Held my hair… " Her eyes grew wide as the night before hit her, " Oh…" They grew wider still, "Oh!"
"Come on, I can't wait to see the look on Rhodey's face when he sees you in the same outfit from yesterday and with me." He chuckled.
Pepper's hand instantly connected with the back of Tony's head, "Not funny."
The chuckle grew into unrelenting laughter, "No, it's hilarious." Tony stood and offered Miss Potts a hand up, " Now come on, I know the perfect hang over food for you."
When the two of them finally departed the bathroom, they came up the hall and was greeted by a rather curious look from Col. Rhodes, "Do I want to know?" He had his suspicions, but kept them to himself.
Pepper gave him a glare that spoke volumes.
"Right. I don't want to know. Gotcha."
"I'm going to order some pizza, everything on it okay for you Rhodey?" Tony ignored the disgusted look on Pepper's face as he waited for his friend's approval.
"Everything on it?" Rhodey quirked a brow," You don't seem very hung over Tony."
" I'm not, Pepper is." And thanks to fast reflexes, Tony was able to dodge the throw pillow that had been aimed for his head.
" Next time it will be one of my shoes." She glared at him, " Heel first."
James laughed, "Ooo, she's pissy when she's hung over." And that earned him a throw pillow as well, only he didn't duck in time.
" I hate you both. I'm going to take a shower."
Tony grinned at her, " Aww, you know you love me." He winked at her, that boyish charm shining through.
"Keep dreaming." And with that, Pepper headed off for a shower and a fresh change of clothes, ignoring the double roar of laughter that chased her from the living room.
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Okay we're done with the angst pretty much… it might show it's emo face again here and there, but not as much as it has already, promise. And props to all my readers and reviewers, luff you all.