Fall Out
Chapter Seventeen: An End for a Beginning
Disclaimer: I own nothing…
Author Notes: We are getting closer to the end… it almost seems anti-climatic now thanks to the previous chapter but I promise to deliver the very best. Oh and two days have passed since the last chapter.
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Pepper stirred and knew she was alone. Blue eyes stared at the alarm clock and a sigh left her lips, it was two am… same as it was the night before and the night before that. Slowly she pulls herself from the bed and the covers, bare feet touch the floor and she shivers a bit because the floor is cold.
"Jarvis?" She sighed again.
"Yes, Miss Potts?"
"Where is he?" She had a fairly good idea, but figured it was best to ask.
"Mr. Stark is down in his work shop."
"Thank you." She replies humbly, tired and exits the bedroom. As she heads down stairs and into the living room, lights slowly flicker on to illuminate her way, she gave a brief smile knowing the AI would see it, she he'd know she was grateful for his assistance. She pulled a bit nervously at her old t-shirt that served as a nightgown as she approached the stairs leading down into the visible part of Tony Stark's mind.
The room was bathed in the soft glow of the television, the sound off. She looked around for him and at first didn't see him, but he was in there somewhere, possibly under one of his many sports cars. She punches the access code in and slowly the glass door slides open and she enters, the floor even colder down here. He definitely needed some rugs.
"Jarvis?"
"He has fallen asleep in the Hot rod."
She liked when she didn't even have to ask. Cautiously she approaches the red and fire embossed collector car. She marvels at it, how good it looks, brand new. The car held special meaning to Tony, he began working on it with his father, and never had the heart to finish it after he died. He came close, but then he'd purposely do something wrong so he'd have to take something apart on it again. There was something different about it tonight, but she couldn't put her finger on it as she slipped into the seat next to him and shook him gently, "Tony?"
"Mmm… lemme alone."
She chuckled as he scooted as far away as he could get, "Tony, wake up." She leaned up and placed a breath of a kiss on his cheek.
Her lips on his unshaven cheek got him, he stirred and slowly secured his arms around her, his hands running up and down her spine, "Sorry." He muttered sleepily, his eyes half open.
"It's fine. Why don't you come back to bed." She slipped from his arms and took his hand and pulled, of course it was like trying to pull a tractor with a pint-sized pick up, but she hoped the attempt would get him moving at least.
"Inna minute." With swift reflexes, he turned his hand, snatched her wrist and pulled her back next to him, the action bringing her against him, her strawberry blonde head coming to rest on his chest. He kept his arms around her securely, his fingers playing with a strand or two of her hair as he rested his head atop hers.
As she laid there against his chest, Pepper listened and smiled as she heard his heart beat. She relaxed at the feel of his fingers playing in her hair and then slowly she realized what was different about the car and she shot up, "Oh, Tony." He had finished it. It was then that she noted his eyes were rather misty and she bit her lower lip.
"I had to finish it sometime Pepper." He pulled her to him again, clinging to her as though she was his new rock to hold now, "Now was the right time." He ran a hand over the leather steering wheel and felt a tear break from the corner of his eye. Clearing his throat, he quickly brushed it aside and sat up, "Yeah. Let's go back to bed. Big day tomorrow with the gala and all."
She nodded solemnly and stood, her hand finding his. She glanced back briefly at the car and felt a little sad for it and then smiled sadly, Tony Stark was nostalgic after all. As they ascended the stairs hand in hand she forced their progress to halt as she moved in front of him and reached up, pressing her lips against his. Slowly she felt her kiss awaken him, and Pepper felt his hands smooth down her sides, over her hips and stop just below the swell of her behind. She felt his fingers apply pressure there and gave a little gasp as he lifted her from the floor and carried her back to the bedroom.
(Stark Industries)
He had hid in the supply closet, it was a little cramped, but it had served the purpose well. Slowly he removed himself from it and glanced around, his eyes falling on the doors to the office of Tony Stark. He remembered earlier that moment he had knocked on those doors, sandwiches in hand and no answer. Slowly he opened the right hand door and froze at what he saw. His beloved Pepper was kissing Stark. Stark's hands were in places only his hands belonged…. In her hair, across her back, on her ass and the way she clung to the undeserving man was enough to shatter him. Paul wondered how far the two would have gotten had he not barged in when he had. Then he wondered if they had been that far already, Stark wasn't known for wasting too much time in that area.
He was willing to bet that they were at it like rabbits right now. Stark would probably get her pregnant no doubt, Stark would be the father of her child. He wanted that honor. Then the bastard would marry his Pepper and she'd belong to him even more. Anger boiled through Paul's veins, he needed a release. His fist connected with the wall, it left his knuckles bleeding and a small but noticeable dent in the wall.
"Damnit!" He swore and held his quickly bruising hand against his chest, he quickly flexed his fingers glad that nothing was broken and then eyed the wall, "Whoops." And with that he walked into Stark's office and looked around. The man had it all, especially now. But he wouldn't for very long, if Paul couldn't have Pepper then no one, especially Stark could.
Keeping his anger at bay, Paul fingered the picture that now graced the man's desk, it was one of her and recent. She looked beautiful, unsuspecting as though Stark had taken it without warning or notice and yet still his Pepper had managed to smile.
Seconds later the picture crashed to the floor, the glass breaking. He needed to get out of her, but not before obtaining something first. Slowly he approached the glass cabinet to the right of Stark's desk. He looked over the contents of it and smiled, there it was, all he needed to make his place succeed.
Taking the picture frame from the floor he slams it into the glass door of the cabinet and breathes a sigh of relief when no alarm sounds. He slips his hand through the broken glass, and closes it on the silver antique pistol sitting there looking harmless. He removes it and opens its casing, a smile spreading to find it loaded with one bullet. All he needed.
He left without a sound and returned to the maintenance staff area and the supply closet. There he pulled out a clothes bag that contained his tux for the evening and went to find a restroom to change.
(Stark Mansion)
Today was going to be hectic, Pepper could already tell. To begin with she woke up late, Tony's fault. And then she couldn't find one of her shoes, again Tony's fault. Finally she had located it underneath the bed and had quite the time getting it out all while Tony stood there and laughed mentioning something about her having her ass in the air more often.
Finally she was ready to go. First things first she had to stop by the dry cleaners and pick up his tux for the event. Then she had to go over to the dress place to get her dress and make sure that it was good to go and she still had to go to the office and do a few reports, and then head straight over to the even center on the Stark Industries lot and instruct the set up of the silent auction and the gala after.
Pepper sighed as she got into her car, Tony had already left to go and do something with Rhodey, she didn't want to know what, but it involved something to do with Iron Man. He had the suit's plans in his hands as he left. She wouldn't see him again until tonight and that bothered a part of her, but she'd live. With a squeal of tires, Pepper Potts pulled out of the garage and headed into town, dry cleaning first. This was going to be a long day.
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Almost there, we're getting closer… and I'm trying to build it all up so bare with me.