Chapter 18: Falling, Part II
The barrel of the smoking gun remains suspended in the air mere moments after the person pulling the trigger had raised it. The now cool night air blew the smoke up and away from its origin; disappearing into the black night above. Never before had such an action laid claim over the movements of a person's limbs as it has right now.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
The echo of the gunshots still rang in Pepper's ears as she stood paralyzed; staring at the now limp body of Vincent Case, lying on the forest floor. Just seconds before, she had watched, horrified, as Vincent came barreling through the trees with his gun poised and directed at Tony Stark. Then, as he stood seemingly victorious of Tony's prone body, he raised his gun one last time—ready for the kill.
"Now, you die, Stark."
She heard his voice and it triggered her into action. Stepping back and away from the two men, she quickly found the gun Richard had dropped earlier from his struggle with Tony. Grappling with the awkwardness of holding such a foreign object, she quickly overcame her struggle, and then almost on instinct, she had lifted the gun and fired off three perfectly accurate rounds into the back Vincent Case. The jolt from the gun made her right shoulder ache immediately, and her ears had begun to ring after the first shot. But the pain seemed like a very distant second thought compared to the task at hand.
Then, as the third and last shot impacted upon the body in front of her, she watched as it swayed forward slightly; taking an unsteady step; dropped the gun at Tony's feet; and crumpled to the ground.
She had originally gritted her teeth and tensed her shoulders as she fired the weapon, but now, as it sits smoking in her hand, her lips are parted and her eyes are wide; but her expression gives no sign as to what is truly going on in her mind. On the outside, Pepper Potts was standing strong; having just saved the life of her boss, Tony Stark.
But on the inside, she was falling. Falling from some unknown place in her mind where she has nothing to grasp on to. It was a strange and surreal feeling. It was as if she was suddenly not connected to her body, but high above it, watching as she stood there with her arm outstretched, frozen in place. Then, as if the air has come out of her, she is falling forever back down to her where she originated…but never seems to reach it.
She is falling deep down into an abyss; and she doesn't know why.
Tony stares at the limp body at his feet, then glances up to the woman still holding the gun in front of him. Her arm remains outstretched, still clutching the weapon in her left hand. Just moments before, his own life had begun to flash before his eyes, and he squeezed them shut in anticipation of being blown away by the madman above him.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
He had only flinched at the sound of the first gunshot. But, when the second and the third shot came without the accompaniment of pain, his eyes peeled open to reveal a shocked and panicked face before him. Vincent Case took an unsteady step towards him, dropped his gun right at Tony's feet, then fell to the ground. As his body dropped before him, it revealed the source of the gunshots behind him.
Pepper had just saved his life. The smoking gun in her hand was clear evidence of that fact.
He stares up at her, his own shock clearly evident on his face. But when she doesn't look at him when he moves and instead keeps her gaze fixated on the limp body before her, he knows there is something terribly wrong.
Very slowly, he gathers his legs under him and raises himself up onto his feet. His eyes never leave her face as he approaches her slowly from her left side, watching her reaction as he comes closer. Her lips are parted slightly and her breathing is coming rather quickly, but in overview of her exterior, she seems quite steady. It is only when his hand comes into contact with her arm bare that she abruptly drops the gun as if she had been burned.
She stares down at the firearm on the forest floor then back at her left hand in disgust. Her fingers start to tremble and a sudden shiver wracks her body, making her suddenly nauseous. She bends at the waist, turning her head away from the body and heaves once…twice. Tony holds her carefully as she loses control of her body, and vomits.
Afterwards, she straightens, wipes her mouth quickly on the sleeve of her torn blouse, and takes a deep calming breath. When her eyes open, Tony is relieved to see Pepper there, staring back at him. He doesn't say a word, but smiles slightly and squeezes her hand, letting her know that he is there for her when she needs it. She returns the gesture and look down at their hands, and notices the bloody gash across his forearm. Her mouth opens to say something, but she is cut off by the bright search lights coming from the soldiers and police officers heading straight for them.
Dogs bark and men shout "ALL CLEAR" as they see Tony and Pepper standing together, safe from the men who had tried to hurt them. Pepper squints into the light of one of the flashlights pointing in their direction, and a feeling of relief comes over her as the light pulls away, revealing James Rhodes running straight for them.
Tony grins at him and shakes his head as he comes closer. "Well it's about DAMN time. I was gonna save a few for you…but I guess I got a little greedy."
Rhodes comes to a stop next to the dirty couple. He slaps Tony hard on the back, grinning and laughing. "Man…you sure did one heck of job out there! We were cleaning up bodies all along the way till we got here." He stops smiling at look of warning from Tony's face. Rhodes' brow furrows, and he glances at Pepper who is staring off into the distance, watching a few of the officers check Vincent's body.
Rhodes lays a hand gently on her shoulder. "Hey there pretty lady…you alright?" he asks. Her head turns to look at him and she gives him a tired smile and speaks for the first time since firing the gun.
"Yeah Rhodey. Thank you so much." She says and gives him another weak smile. An officer comes from the side and offers her and Tony a blanket. She accepts it gratefully, pulling around her; mindful of the cut on her right shoulder.
Tony watches her through downcast eyes, still concerned by her reaction from earlier. He decides that now is not the time to talk, and instead settles his hand on her back and begins leading her out of the forest and back to the mansion.
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As soon as they reached the road, they were assaulted by a barrage of medical workers, police officers, and army rangers—all waiting to get a statement from the tired couple. Tony was shuffled off to a nearby ambulance so that the gash on his forearm could be treated and wrapped up; and Pepper was directed off to another ambulance; despite Tony's protest that he go with her.
After removing the armor on his left arm and shoulder, Tony sat somewhat still as the EMT cleaned and taped up his injured arm. He was anxious to break away and go find Pepper.
"Mr. Stark, if you will just sit still, I can finish this a lot faster…" The young medical technician says.
"Yeah, well…I'm all about the speed, but—OUCH! Hey, easy with those things!" he shouts as the man plucks at him with a pair of tweezers.
"There is dirt embedded in your skin…if I don't remove it, the cut will become infected." He says.
Tony sighs and stops fidgeting. "Fine! Just hurry it up. Are you on my payroll or something? Cause I know there are plenty of employees out there just dying to cause me some pain…Hey RHODES!" Tony's banter with the EMT is cut short as he sees Rhodes walking up the driveway. He waves at him and is awarded with another pinch of the tweezers.
"Hey Tony…how you feelin'?" asks Rhodey once he reaches Tony.
"Like a pincushion…" Tony glares at the man on his right, then turns back to his friend, "Hey, listen, have you seen Pepper? Do you know which ambulance she's in?"
Rhodes lifts his eyebrows. "Oh, I thought you knew. She refused medical treatment and disappeared into the house. I guess she wants to be alone or something. I left her a message on her cell phone to call me when she's ready—Hey, Tony!"
Rhodes' explanation is interrupted by Tony jumping from the back of the ambulance, the EMT at his side yelling at him as he runs all the way down the driveway and up the stairs leading into his house.
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The interior of the house is eerily quiet as he enters. The quiet creak of the door as it swings shut reminds Tony of the sound of the crickets in the woods; and he makes a mental note to throw some lubricant on it in the morning. He walks through the foyer and into the living room, searching for any sign of where Pepper might be. His search brings him to his newly replaced grand piano, and he runs a hand along its smooth surface as he passes by it. Then, as he comes to another hallway that leads to his bedroom, he sees it.
A pair of dirty, broken stiletto heels lay abandoned in the middle of the floor.
He swallows at the sight of them, then walks past them and into his bedroom. The large room is just as quiet as the rest of the house and it is dark, save for the faint light of the master bath emanating from under its partially closed door. As he comes closer to his bathroom, he can hear someone moving around inside. A cabinet door opens and shuts, and then a muffled curse as something clatters to the sink.
Pressing on the door slightly, it slowly swings open, revealing a disheveled looking Pepper Potts on the other side. She doesn't notice him at first and continues doing whatever it is that she is doing while hunched over the counter. He watches her as her attention is focused on an object in one of the large sinks at the end of the counter. He can see that her hands are shaking and her body is noticeably tense as she attempts to break into what looks like a first aid kit. Taking one step at a time, he approaches her slowly from behind, careful not to make a sound.
As if she could feel him coming closer, her head snaps up to stare at his reflection in the mirror. Now that there is decent lighting, they can both see each other clearly—and what a sight they are.
His white tuxedo shirt is covered in dirt and the right sleeve had been cut away by the EMT so that he could wrap up his injured forearm. The left sleeve remains folded up from being hidden under the armor. His face is smudged as well and a small cut above his left eye is concealed by a neat little band-aid. In the ambulance, he had taken the time to slick back his hair with the help of some water from the EMT's water bottle. Other than that, he just needed a hot shower and few hours of rest, and he would be ready to take on the world again.
She, on the other hand, is a little worse off. His eyes travel down her torso and settle on her blouse. The formerly white business shirt no longer holds the shape it was originally intended for, and it hangs on her body loosely, covered in dirt and grime. When his eyes come up to examine her face, it tells a much different story. Despite the fact that her features are streaked with dirt and earth, her makeup is not smudged at all, and that makes Tony smile a little. But when his eyes come into contact with hers, his smile fades and he is disturbed by what he sees. There is a sadness in her eyes that causes his heart to thump harder within his chest, making it ache. He is desperate to brush away the hurt and anger he sees in her face because he knows that he is the cause of it. If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be standing here in his bathroom, injured and upset by the fact that a man had to die by her hand.
He tears his eyes away from hers and they settle on her back; then on her injured right shoulder. Dried blood has caused her blouse to stick to her skin and he suddenly realizes why she is in here struggling with the first aid kit in the sink.
He moves towards her, glancing up at her face in the mirror. She continues watching him, but doesn't stop him from coming closer to her. His hands come up and land on her shoulders, causing her eyes to slip shut at the contact.
She sighs at the feeling of his warm palms upon her nearly bare shoulders, and she has to settle her hands on the edge of the sink to keep herself from toppling over. When his hands begin to travel down her back, an involuntary shiver runs along her spine, and she takes a deep breath to steady her nerves. She senses his hands moving in the direction of her right shoulder, and she opens her eyes to watch him again in the mirror.
His fingers settle over the bloodied piece of material on her back, and he runs the tips of them across the hole in her shirt, as if her were testing it to make sure it was really there. He then carefully begins tugging the fabric away from the wound, revealing an angry gash about two inches long across the backside of her right shoulder. Unable to see the entire area properly, he grasps the already damaged material of the blouse in both hands and tears the hole open further, exposing the pale pink skin of her shoulder. He freezes for just a moment, mesmerized by the sight of her bare skin and the lace bra strap sitting upon it.
The sound of ripping fabric makes Pepper jump slightly, and she watches in the mirror as his eyes fly up to hers momentarily; checking to be sure she is ok with his actions. She doesn't exactly nod her head, but lowers it again to focus on the knobs of the sink, allowing him to continue his examination of her back.
Now that the cut is clearly visible, he shifts his purpose to cleaning and bandaging the abrasion. He takes a step closer, reaching around in front of her to retrieve the tiny medical box. The action makes the front of his body to come into contact with her backside, and the heat from him causes her body lean back into him involuntarily. He halts his movements as her body presses back into his, nearly making him forget what he was doing. Blinking twice, he continues with his current course of action and picks up the first-aid kit and sets it on the counter next to her hand. Flipping open the tiny box, he searches for a clean cloth bandage. After locating one, he wets it under the sink, squeezes out the excess water, then brings it up to her back to wipe away the dirt around the wound. It takes him a few moments and several more wet cloths, but when he is satisfied by the cleanliness of the area, he moves back to the box in search of a packet of antiseptic.
Pepper leans a bit more of her weight onto her hands that hold her up against the sink. She watches Tony as his eyes focus intently on her shoulder as if the cut on it was some sort of component from one of his latest inventions. The seriousness etched into his features brings a small smile to her face, and she finds it almost humbling to have such focused attention paid to her injury. Her eyes glance back down to the kit next to her left hand as he reaches in to grab an antiseptic wipe. She follows its path as he brings the small packet to his mouth and rips away a corner. Then, reaching in with his other hand, he pulls out the moist cloth and gingerly brings it towards her shoulder.
A hiss escapes her lips as the medicated cloth comes into contact with the cut, causing a slight sting to spread across the area. He makes a face she can only assume means that he's sorry, then purses his lips together, blowing a stream of cool air across the stinging cut. Once again, Pepper's eyes slip shut upon their own volition and she can't help but think how strangely intimate this moment is between them.
Finished with the towelette, he tosses the soiled cloth into the trash bin and reaches into the kit once again; this time searching for bandages. He finds two small band-aids, but opts for one large bandage instead. He removes the wrapper and places it securely over the cut.
His hand presses the bandage down to ensure it is properly in place, then remains there long after he is satisfied that the dressing isn't going anywhere. She brings her head up to look at him and sees that his eyes are fixated on the back of his hand where it lays on her shoulder. His mouth is slightly parted, and he stares at his hand as if he is utterly fascinated by it. He removes his hand slowly, turning it so that the backs of his fingers travel down the side of her right arm. Both of their eyes follow its path and, once his hand reaches the end of her limb, he settles it over her hand that still sits on the counter. Impulsively, he takes another step forward and presses his lips to the newly placed bandage. The move is so unexpected and endearing that tears begin to sting her eyes.
He doesn't know why he did it; he just knows that he needed to express his sorrow and regret for her injury in some way…and this seemed like the logical course of action on his part. He keeps his mouth pressed to the bandaged shoulder for a few more seconds, then with his right hand still over hers, his left arm snakes around her waist, pulling her into his embrace. His cheek settles upon her back as holds her, and he feels her free hand come around to settle upon the hand that encircles her waist.
Pepper's chest is beginning to hurt, and she doesn't understand why. Her breathing has sped up and she is suddenly overwhelmed with the same sensation she felt earlier in the evening.
She was falling again…only this time, there was something different about it.
Unable or unwilling to put her finger on at this moment, she grasps the hand around her waist and pulls at it gently. Releasing his hold on her, Tony backs up slightly, allowing her to turn around between his arms. His eyes are pleading with her in some unspoken language, and she turns her head away, making him feel like he was just punched in the gut. Her eyes are downcast and it he is somehow upset by that fact.
He places a finger under her chin, raising her head back up. Eyes come into contact once again, and something in Tony snaps, and he can't stop himself before his lips cover hers in some desperate attempt to wash away the horrific events of the evening.
His lips are gentle but firm as he brings his hands up to settle on the sides of her neck, deepening the kiss. Pepper remains still at first, then parts her lips slowly, allowing her breath to mingle with his as she presses her body into him. Her arms grasp at his elbows, holding on to him like a lifeline, and she can feel his heart beating as his chest comes into contact with hers. His hands begin to wander down her back, and as one of them comes into contact with her injured shoulder, she breaks away abruptly, pressing herself back against the edge of the sink, breathing much harder than before.
She runs a trembling hand through her hair and then looks back up into the scared eyes of her boss; her friend; her…Tony.
Her mouth opens and closes and he moves to take a step towards her, but she holds her hand out in front of him, signaling her need for space at this exact moment.
"I'm sorry." She breathes.
Tony is shaking his head. "Don't say that—don't be sorry."
"I think I should leave…"
A laugh bubbles up from his chest and out of his mouth before he can stop it. It wasn't meant to be mean or mocking, it was just a reaction to ridiculous statement. "It's 3:00am, Pepper, and in case you've forgotten, we've both kinda been through hell tonight--"
"No, Tony, I haven't forgotten." She cuts him off bitterly. Her words are sharp and a twinge of anger sits on the end of them. Now Tony is the one who is sorry.
He changes the subject. "Stay." He says quietly, hopefully.
"I don't think that's such a good--"
Tony cuts her off this time. "Don't think." He says quickly, then he's invading her space again. He watches the panic play out over her face, but he doesn't give it the chance to take her over. He grabs her by the hand and leads her out of the bathroom, clicking the light off on the way out. The dim radiance of the stars illuminate the room slightly, casting a dreamy silhouette across them.
They walk hand in hand to the edge of his bed, and he stops there, looking down at her. She glances at him, then at the bed…then back at him, raising her eyebrows questioningly.
He smirks then. "Relax, Potts. You're not gonna get me into bed that easily." He says, then walks towards one of his dressers.
Pepper stays at the edge of the bed, thankful for the absence of light due to the fact that a blush has now crept across her cheeks. She watches him as he pulls a t-shirt and sweats out from a drawer; then another over-sized t-shirt and a pair of shorts for her. He returns to where she is standing and hands her the shirt and the shorts. She runs her hand across the front of the t-shirt; the large MIT letters standing out from the soft cotton. She looks up at him again and sees that he is already in the process of changing into his new set of clothes.
Making up her mind, she sets the shirt down on the edge of the bed…then moves to the button on her dress pants. She slides them down and off of her legs, then slips on the baggy pair of cotton shorts he gave her. Next, she lifts her fingers to the buttons on her blouse, only to find that her fingers have begun to shake again. Rethinking her decision to stay, she closes her eyes to steady herself. When they open, she sees that Tony has moved to stand in front of her.
"I thought you might need a hand…considering…" he says softly, pointing at her injured shoulder.
Still, she is determined to not let him see her falter. Not again. "I'm ok." She replies firmly, turning her back to him. She succeeds in removing her blouse, but as she moves to bring the t-shirt over her head, she whimpers in pain from her right shoulder.
He is behind her in an instant. Removing the t-shirt from her grasp, he helps by easing her injured arm through the hole first, then gingerly raises it up so she can get her head through it. He only briefly glances once more at the lace bra as he quickly pulls the shirt down to cover her entirely. She is grateful for the help and even more so by the fact that he doesn't say a word about her needing it.
He allows her to make the first move and she climbs onto his bed, moving to the far right, and settling in on her left side under the safety of the covers. Once she is there, he climbs in on the left side of the bed, and lies on his back. He immediately feels his body begin to relax at the thought of finally being able to rest after the long evening. He keeps his distance from her—after all, it is a King size bed—allowing her to sleep in peace. After about twenty minutes of silence, he turns his head in her direction, seeing that she is still lying on her left side, and assumes she has drifted off. He turns his head back and takes in a deep breath, exhaling slowly.
"Tony?" her voice startles him.
"Yeah?" he asks, surprised to hear that she is still awake.
"Thank you." She says to him, her voice sincere.
Tony smiles up into the air. "You're welcome, Pepper."
Exhaustion overtakes them both soon after, and when Tony awakes to the warmth of the sun on his face, he sits up quickly, scanning the bed beside him.
Pepper was gone, and Tony felt more alone than ever.
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A/N: Yeah…it's 2:25 am.
So, this chapter is the end of action/adventure, and the beginning of some other ...stuff :)
I do hope you all stayed tuned in for the future, because while I do plan to end this story soon…I do have some follow-ups in mind.
Alright …yawn…I am off to be to dream up some more scenarios for our favorite duo.
Read and review…I look forward to your thoughts..