Hey guys, sorry this took a while to update it's just I had an exam to study for, then the exam then drinking because that's the end of my final exams for the year, then the hangover, then my birthday party and my birthday and the associated hangovers (Tony Stark would be proud, my liver and mother are not =p)

Healing

Rhodey walked back up the stairs and saw Pepper sitting on the couch, he looked at her and she wasn't the normal Pepper Potts (Stark) she was broken and she looked tired, almost like she'd aged five years. Tony was going to have to do a lot of grovelling before things could even start to look up.

"He's jumped in the shower Pep; he'll be along as soon as he's done." Pepper nodded at Rhodey's statement and the air force colonel let himself out.

Pepper was in her own world looking at a photo of them on vacation that was up on the wall.

"Hey." Tony said as he gently laid his hand on her shoulder.

She shrugged it off and he was hurt, so he sat in the chair opposite her. "Did I ever actually tell you what happened in Afghanistan?" he asked, he knew the answer already.

"No, but what does it have to do with yesterday?" The pain in her voice broke his heart.

"Everything." He stood and moved over to her taking her hand, this time she didn't let go.

"I was in a Humvee, uh…the funvee I called it, Rhodey was banished to the hum-drum-vee, we were driving along and I was joking about with the soldiers…soldiers one of them was just a kid…when the vehicle in front of us exploded." He took a break before continuing.

"This kid who wanted a picture from my 30 seconds earlier was having his insides ripped apart by the bullets and then I'm on the floor outside, I needed to get out of the car. That's when it landed next to me, a Stark Industries missile. I was so shocked I needed to get away that's when the thing exploded and all I remember after that is the blood…

…after this it's just bits and pieces for a while, flashes of Yinsen and surgery, waking up to find a car battery attached to my chest. Then I remember some guys ripping a bag off my head and talking in Arabic at a camera. Them asking me to build a Jericho and the water torture till I agreed. When they figured out I was working on something other than the Jericho they tried to kill Yinsen. Then when the suit was finished he ran outside to give it time to boot up so they shot him, I remember walking in this suit and finding him laying there all shot up, he was dying. He told me not to waste my second chance, he'd told me about his family but it turns out they were already dead, and then I remember flying off and crashing. I walked for days to find someone, when Rhodey shows up and I come home and all I can think about is you…

…this is where yesterday and the last few days come in. They found some of the original members of ten rings and they still had my weapons and I followed them, and the deeper I went in to the cave the more familiar it became. I spent days just retracing the steps from the cave to the entrance. Then I came home, when I realised I could and I needed to. You were there waiting and all I could think about was how ridiculous it was to let it get to me that much it was five years ago and I was mad and I projected that at you. I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry Pepper, hurting you was the last thing I wanted to do. What I wanted to do is come home, have you wrapped up in my arms telling me it's all going to be ok." He looked at her, she was crying, hell he was pretty sure he was too.

"It's all going to be ok Tony." She looked at him "Not right away but it is. It has to be, it's not just us anymore." She put his hand on her stomach, there wasn't a change yet but they both knew that's where their baby was. Tony knew then, that whilst Pepper was still mad and they weren't fixed yet, they would be.

"Excuse me sir, I know you asked for no interruptions but I believe this is important. I have a call from Mrs Stark's mother in Ohio." Jarvis broke up the moment.

"Connect the call Jarvis." Pepper said before Tony could hang up on his mother in law.

"Virginia is that you?" Pepper's mom called down the phone.

"Hey Mom, what's up?" Pepper was worried, her mother sounded panicked.

"There was an accident at work, Joey something happened; I don't know what he's in the hospital…" Tony was on his feet; he called his pilot and told them to have the plane ready ASAP. He pulled Pepper off the sofa and upstairs they needed to pack.

It was 5 hours later when they touched down in Ohio, a car was waiting, Pepper had organised it from the plane. They drove to the hospital where after they were directed to the waiting room they found Pepper's family sitting waiting for news. Tony watched as Pepper was hugged by her mother and sister in law, her two nephews playing quietly on the floor. The small area was also slowly being filled by state troopers.

"What happened?" Pepper asked, she still didn't know why they were here.

"It was a routine traffic stop, the guy he pulled over had a gun, and he shot him." Pepper's mother was whispering so the two boys didn't hear. "It missed his vest and hit him in the throat, he's in surgery now." Tony reached out and grabbed Pepper's hand, whilst she processed the news her brother had been shot.

"Uncle Tony?" A small voice called up, it was one of Pepper's nephews, they were twin boys aged 8 years old.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking at the little boy.

"Will you play cars with us?" he asked, looking from Tony to the small pile of toy cars they'd found in the waiting room.

Tony sat on the floor with the boys and quietly played. Pepper looked at him as he did, not quite believing how much he'd changed. She watched them play for hours, the two boys eventually curling up on hard plastic seats sleeping.

"You should rest too Pepper." Tony said, looking at her, not wanting to bring up the baby, it wasn't the right time. "You've not touched that coffee, it must be cold by now." One of the troopers had brought them all coffee earlier. "I'll take you and the boy's home." He offered.

Pepper nodded and stood up, a nearby trooper came over and picked up one of the boys and followed Tony who'd picked up the other out to the car. "Call if anything changes ok? We'll be back in the morning. I'll make sure the twins get to school ok." Pepper said goodbye to her family and went out to the car.

The next day after dropping both boys at school Tony and Pepper went to the hospital, when they arrived there was a doctor telling them that Pepper's brother was out of surgery and that it was looking good, he should be awake in a few hours.

Pepper was sat next to her mother when she just blurted out "I'm pregnant."

Tony was shocked, Pepper's sister in law was shocked, and Pepper's mother shot the man who impregnated her daughter filthy looks. "That is to say, that we're having a baby." She tried again.

This time Pepper's sister recovered first and hugged her "I'm so happy Ginny." A sentiment that was also echoed by her mother (Surprisingly). They talked for hours about the baby, stuff for the baby, had she thought of any names or if she was hoping for a boy or girl (healthy was her answer), Tony left to escape the baby talk and to pick up the twins from school. He chuckled, whoever would've thought that you'd find Tony Stark on the school run?

By the time he got back, he was happy to find Pepper's brother was awake. The twins mother explained as gently as she could what happened to their father, who was currently giving Tony a death glare for touching his sister, although he could tell, Joe Potts was happy his little sister was going to become a mother.

Tony and Pepper stayed in Ohio for a while looking after Pepper's nephews, who Tony had finally learnt were called Ben and Scott although he still couldn't tell them apart. They took them to the zoo and the park and for the cheeky happy meal. The relationship between the married couple was also starting to improve. Tony had told Fury where he could stick it, he was where he needed to be right now, as the man had pointed out, Tony Stark was not the only superhero in the world. They went back to California strong, not as strong as they were before the fight but they were getting there.

TBC…

A little drama, but unlike the last chapter a happy ending. I already have all the kids sorted as well as the order, and because it's my birthday and I'm feeling nice, I'll post another chapter pretty soonish.