First off—So terribly sorry for the long wait in updates! I got a new computer, then had to return it—it has been one #! of an odyssey trying to get myself back on line!! So…until I recover all of my work, I will be posting this chapter in 2 parts:

Part 1: Arriving at the Ball

Part 2: The Paths We Travel

Previously...

...'He hesitated, as if he were unsure that what he was about to say was entirely appropriate. What the hell, he thought. "You…" he took a breath. "You are a part of the reason I survived those hellish three months in that cave.' …Tony to Pepper, chapter 7

...'She always dabbed her perfume—never sprayed. One small dab behind each ear, one on each wrist, and for reasons she could not explain, one small dab behind her left knee.'… Pepper, chapter 10

…'there was definitely something behind those guarded eyes of hers that was beginning to drive him mad. He wondered in disbelief why he hadn't noticed it in all of the years before. Perhaps the walls they both had built around their hearts to protect themselves from getting hurt were starting to crumble. Regardless of what the reasons were, he now felt a renewed passion stir from within him; and it would be the driving force behind finding out what that something was.' …Tony's thoughts on Pepper, chapter 13

..."This is not a date, Mr. Stark…merely a night out where we both happen to be in the same place at the same time." …Pepper to Tony, after agreeing to go to the Costume Ball, chapter 21

As I have in one previous chapter, I will be borrowing a line from Peter David's novelization of the movie. If you've read it, then you'll be able to spot it easily. If not, then it will be a fun game trying to figure out which one it is… enjoy the story…and thank you Peter for the line, as I could not come up with a better one that would do Pepper justice.

Chapter 22, Part 1: Arriving at the Ball

Two hours later and desperate to get out of her heels, Pepper Potts is quickly making her way up to her apartment. Just as she reaches her door her neighbor, Peter, catches her attention.

"Oh, hello there, Virginia!" he greets her politely. Peter has lived in the building for several years and often has his grandchildren over to play.

"Hi, Peter. You're up late," she replies with a wary smile. She cares very much for the older gentleman, but right now, all she wants to do is settle in for the evening, have a glass of wine and go to sleep. Pressing further into her now open door, she begins to wave goodbye to the older man. "Have a good night…"

"Oh, wait! I have something for you…" he says and disappears back into his apartment. Pepper sighs and brushes a lock of red hair away from her face, waiting for him to reappear. When he does, he is carrying a large white rectangular box. "A delivery man came by this afternoon with it. I told him I would give it to you when I saw you." He hands her the large box, nods his head, and heads back into his apartment. Pepper accepts the box with a look of surprise on her face and stands for several moments in the hallway just staring at the item in her hand.

Balancing the package in one hand and her purse in the other, she kicks her door the rest of the way open and enters her apartment. Once inside, she tosses her purse onto the hallway table, kicks the door closed, and makes her way over to her kitchen table to set the box down. Curiosity and wonder are itching at her fingertips, but she held back; hesitant to find out what lies within the large box.

"Snap out of it, Potts," she says aloud to herself. Then, shaking her head free of the hesitation, she grasps the top of the box, sliding it from its bottom. Pushing aside the tissue paper, a genuine smile graces her lips as the contents are revealed.

Within the box is the same lovely white dress that Tony offered to her the night of the Benefit nearly a month ago. Shaking her head in disbelief, she realizes that Tony must have had the box sent over here this afternoon while she was at work.

Presumptuous bastard, she thinks to herself, amused.

Pepper sighs, and runs an appreciative hand over the silken material. The fabric flows like water under her fingertips and the pearly color glimmers in the moonlight. Her exploration stops swiftly when her hand comes across a lump underneath the dress. Carefully, she lifts the gown from the box and drapes it neatly over one of her kitchen chairs. Turning her attention back to the box, a small gasp escapes her as she sees the remaining items.

A small pair of angel wings are folded neatly on the bottom, accompanied by a pair of sparkling diamond earrings. Glancing at the dress and then back to the wings, she notices that they somehow match the shade of the dress perfectly. Looking closer, Pepper can see that they are made of silk and when they catch the moonlight, the glitter shimmers like tiny diamonds. A folded piece of paper sits off to one side attached to another small box, and much to Pepper's own surprise, she bypasses the earrings and reaches for the items. Unfolding the paper, she is not surprised to see Tony's rather neat handwriting scrawled across it—

I hope you don't mind—I took the privilege of having this sent over to you.

I figured you wouldn't have enough time to go searching for something to wear for the party—

and I just so happen to have this dress lying around the house.

As for the other stuff—well, you'll see it on my expense report next month. Just ignore it.

Take Thursday off, as well as Friday Morning—I'll have the interns run all the errands.

Until Friday Miss Potts, --T

Until Friday…

She repeats the words over and over in her head still not believing the fact that she had agreed to accompany Tony Stark—the man whom Maxim Magazine called this generations' Hugh Hefner—to a party. A fancy, dressy, crowded, spotlight of a party to be more accurate…

Falling into the chair closest to her, Pepper sighs and closes her eyes…her mind wanders to recall the events over the past few weeks.

The violence at the mansion was only one part to a chain of events that has forever changed her employment at Stark Industries—as well as her relationship with its CEO.

Ever since Tony Stark had returned from his captivity in Afghanistan, he was a changed man. It was evident to her the moment she laid eyes on him descending the ramp of the airplane. His eyes had changed—there was a darkness in them that frightened her; made her think that he would never be the same man. Truth be told, it worried her to no end when she looked him in the eyes that day—but then, three days later, she became an unwitting nurse and helped him replace the arc reactor in his chest—and during that moment she saw something else in Tony Stark that had already begun to outshine the darkness. There was an excitement and a purpose that emanated from him, and has since driven him to accomplish many great things over the past few months.

This Tony…the post Iron Man suit Tony…was undeniably different.

Less were the instances of unnamed women showing up in his bed come morning, and even less were the moments of glib playboy antics that Tony Stark was famous for. In fact, Pepper couldn't even recall the last time she walked into the mansion and was alerted by Jarvis that she would be needing to usher out a female houseguest.

On the opposite end, more were the restless and sleepless nights on Pepper's part knowing that Tony Stark was out on some mission to reacquire or destroy Stark Weaponry or diffuse some other dangerous situation. She would often tell herself that the worry and the stress she felt was due to the fact that she cared for him as a long time friend and employer—and nothing beyond that fact…

But as of the last few months, even those thoughts have lost their influential edge on her emotions.

Deny…deny…deny…

She has long been denying the fact that Tony has been making efforts to become a better man—Not for the one reason she held close to her heart to be true; which was to make the world safer from the destructive things he had created; But for a more personal reason, she has been denying 

to herself that Tony Stark as been striving to become a better man for the sake of a certain personal assistant he had been taking for granted all of these years.

"I can do serious, Pepper…"

Everything came rushing back to her. The looks, the subtle touches, the blatant words and showing of affection…these things were not typical of the Tony Stark—But now, coming from the newer version of the man she had known over the years to erase and obliterate all personal connections with almost every person he has ever come into contact with, was a very clear and precise invitation to take a risk and to see just where the two of them might end up. And, even though it scares her to death to admit it, she was just as curious and ready to take it. The months of flirting and bantering and private glances have left her wanting more.

…she ached for more.

His kiss—as brief and as poignant as it was, left her still being able to feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. The tenderness in his touch that night had made her knees nearly buckle, and she knew at that single moment that she had never before received such a loving gesture of comfort from a man in her life.

Setting the note down on the table she then reaches for the remaining item in the package. She lifts the tiny cardboard box and turns it in her hands, inspecting it from all angles. Then, lifting the tiny flap on one end, she opens it, allowing a tiny bottle to tumble into her palm. The familiar sight sends her mind reeling and her mouth hangs open in stunning disbelief.

He found it. How the hell did he find it?

A matching perfume bottle to her original sits in her hand, and she wastes no time in twisting off the cap to ensure it is the same scent. Breathing in the soft floral aroma, her eyes close involuntarily and she feels a smile tug at her lips. When her lids flutter open, she glances down to the box it came in and notices writing on the open flap:

Samantha Galle—she lives in France, makes

it in her boutique—You know how hard it

was to find this thing? I have 12 more at the mansion for you.

A full blown smile crosses her features and a burst of laughter escapes her lips.

Pepper's previous hesitation at attending the Costume Ball begins to melt away, and she is suddenly filled with an anxiousness she has not felt since she was a teenager. Her eyes travel back to the dress next to her. "Until Friday, Mr. Stark…" she says with a confident, sure voice; and then makes her way into her bedroom, taking the perfume along with her.

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The scene at the City Centre is something comparable to the Academy Awards. The bright spotlights, stretch limos, the flashing bulbs of cameras, and the glamorously dressed attendees making their way up the red carpet all signify that tonight's event is one that will be the talk of the town for weeks to come. The only difference of course is the fact that instead of tuxedos and designer dresses, the people attending are all clad in costumes to fit the theme for the evening:

…Dreams & Fantasy

Elves, both men and women, float along the carpet up to the grand entrance. They are flanked by mystical creatures, princesses and kings, queens and dragons, goblins and ghosts…Fire blowers light up the night, causing the crowd to 'ooh' and 'ahh'. Men on stilts weave amongst the people on the red carpet, twirling batons with ribbon attached to the ends. Contortionists bend and twist their bodies into impossible shapes at the very front of the entrance and men and women swing upon a trapeze high above the crowd. The scene is much like a Cirque du Soleil show—leading people to believe that the prospect on the inside must be even more amazing.

Most costumes are elegant and tasteful with a lot of thought and time put into them. Some are a bit more risqué and border on the edge of public indecency—but you'll get no complaints from the onlookers. Some guests are not in costume at all and have decided to attend in formal attire instead.

Tony Stark sits anxiously in his Audi R8 waiting for the line of limousines to disappear off into the night and allow him to finally arrive—but he is in for a long wait as there are still several more cars and limos ahead of him in line. Happy had insisted on driving him to the party, but he said no, sent the loyal driver home for evening, grabbed the keys to his favorite sports car, and sped off quickly down the hill leading towards the city.

Tapping nervously on the steering wheel while he popped his gum, he leans forward to turn on his stereo, hoping some music will help to calm his nerves. The sudden blast of Black Sabbath permeates the interior of the car and even a few passersby are startled by the sudden onslaught of heavy metal coming from the expensive speaker system. Tony on the other hand welcomes the deafening music and can already feel the tension easing from his neck and shoulders.

Friday was a long day—albeit a fun day. He spent most of the afternoon scaring the interns into thinking that Pepper had finally quit and he needed them to pick up the slack around the office. He had them running errands all over the city, running back and forth from the research department to the labs, helping out in engineering, and fetching coffee. Then, just when they thought this was going to be the worst day of their lives, he had dinner catered for them from his favorite Chinese food restaurant, told them to take Friday off, and even gave them each a hundred dollars to keep their mouths shut when Miss Potts returns to work on Monday.

Come Friday, Tony had cancelled all of his office appointments and spent the day working from home, attempting to distract his mind from the fact that in a few hours he would be in the company of a woman who, as of late, could literally make his mind turn to mush and send his ridiculously high IQ flying straight out the window.

Tony presses a button on the control panel, lowering his window. Sticking his head out to determine his wait time until he reaches the valet, he discovers that there are still several more cars ahead of him; indicating that he would be stuck in here for at least another twenty minutes. Glancing at the clock, 8:32, he makes a split-second decision. Revving his engine as a warning to the people around him, he quickly shifts his car into gear and pulls the Audi straight onto the sidewalk that leads to the front entrance of the venue. Making sure he's going slow enough not to hit anyone, he expertly maneuvers the car down the pathway, around a police barricade, and slips in right in front of a stretch Hummer. Despite the angry looks, loud curses, a few bent orange cones, and lots of honking horns, no one is hurt and no damage is caused by Tony's sudden desire to create his own driveway. As he exits his car, he straightens the jacket of his costume, tosses his keys to the nearest guy in a valet uniform, and heads towards the main entrance.

It takes every ounce of his remaining self control to not break into a run up the red carpet and through the double doors.

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A surprising difference to the imaginative and exuberant scene outside of the City Centre, the interior of the ballroom is decorated in a very different fashion. Velvet curtains are draped along the walls giving the room a feel of luxuriousness, while the soft lighting fades in and out from deep hues of blue and purple to radiant reds and oranges against the tall white pillars that fill the expansive room. A large golden staircase leads from the main entrance and down onto the main floor where most of the guests have already gathered and are chatting boisterously with each other. Hanging from the ceiling are large circular orbs of varying size. They each have their own luminescent glow and their colors change along with the lighting on the pillars, making it seem as if they are bubbles floating seamlessly through the air above the heads of the guests.

There is a live band playing a soft and melodic waltz, while several more costumed characters on stilts wander amongst the crowd. There is an elegant yet dreamy feel to the room; and with the champagne flowing smoothly, the guests are beginning to feel as if the fantasy landscape they are in is truly a magnificent one.

To the right of the dance floor there are several French doors that lead out onto a private terrace that is lit up by white lights along the pathway and in the greenery—making it resemble a garden of Eden, complete with a delicate fountain and dozens of fragrant and colorful rose bushes.

Along the perimeter of the room there are several elaborate ice sculptures, and a spectacular food buffet, which has been quite popular already. All in all, the party is quite unique and extravagant, making it a hit with its attendees even before it's over.

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Tony Stark does not get nervous.

Anxious, yes. Apprehensive, yes.

But nervous was just not a quality that has ever been a part of his repertoire.

At least, not until tonight.

As soon as he entered the lavish party, he'd made a beeline straight for the nearest bar; which, thankfully, gave him the perfect vantage point to watch the front entrance for any sign of his absent date. Perched at one end of the bar with a glass of scotch in one hand, he fiddles absently with a purple cocktail sword with the other; stabbing at an olive mercilessly over and over.

A slap to his back makes him jump a few inches in the air, and he turns to find Rhodey as the culprit to making his overworked nerves spring into action.

"Dude! You are tense! You look damn good though." Rhodes says, taking in his friend's appearance. He points to the top of Tony's head. "I like the devil horns. They…uh, really make the outfit." Rhodes laughs, then turns to order a drink from the bartender.

Tony's outfit isn't the most original in the world, but it is tailor-made and fits him perfectly. Taking the influence from an old English style aristocrat, his suit has all the makings of an original hand-crafted artisan. The colors have been altered from a simple grey and white motif to a more rather …fitting look. The usual grey tailcoat was now jet black with the lapels sticking out in an unmistakable 'hotrod-red' shade. The double-breasted vest underneath matches the red of the lapels and the buttons glimmer with their golden coloring to matches the silk puff tie tucked neatly under the vest. The high collar of the white shirt underneath it all gives him the appearance of a royal ambassador of sorts…but the colors of his outfit signify his obvious portrayal of another suit in his possession. Given the option, he would have happily attended the party in the Iron Man armor, but he decided against it. After all, Rhodes was still cleaning up after the mess at the mansion.

The last feature of his outfit was an impulsive addition. Considering the theme of the party as Dreams and Fantasy, he had pulled a set of miniature devil horns off of one of the entertainers out in front of the building and settled them into his own head, completing his ensemble as something akin to a devilish marauder of sorts. Although, that is not what his response will be when he's asked.

Rhodes takes a sip of his martini then nods to his friend. "What are you supposed to be anyway?"

Tony's mouth lifts into a smirk. "A handsome devil, of course."

Rhodey surrenders a forced a laugh. "Haha."

"What the hell is this get-up?" Tony asks, pointing to Rhodes' outfit. "What's with the skirt?"

Rhodey frowns. "It's not a skirt. It's an Egyptian Kilt. I am a King," he says regally, lifting his chin proudly. The material of his costume is in stark contrast to Tony's, but displays just as much elegance in its creation. The fabric of the kilt is a light grey color with a black belt and sash hanging down in front. His feet are clad in leather sandals that have straps that circle up and around his legs. The collar around his neck that drapes across his bare torso is a similar dark color with embedded jewels lining the entire expanse of the leather. His headdress is simple, yet stylish and matches with the same colors and matching jewels. There are elaborate symbols woven throughout the headdress providing proof that this was not a simple rented costume. Rhodey has obviously put a lot of time and effort into putting his costume together, and it shows. He has even gone so far as to having a professional artist apply a few final touches which include a few strategically placed tattoos, a fake ear-piercing, and even…

Tony squints and looks closer at Rhodey. "Are you wearing make-up?"

"It's NOT make-up! It was common for Egyptians to paint their faces for their Gods—oh, forget it," he says in a huff. He changes the subject back to Tony. "Where's your usual arm candy? Usually by now you'd have three or four women hanging off of you, what's up?"

Tony's jaw twitches slightly. "More like five or six—But I am meeting someone. Although, they seem to be late," he grumbles into his scotch. "She's never late," he amends under his breath, too incoherent for Rhodes to hear clearly.

"Yeah, well…If you ain't gonna chase after some of these fine lookin' goblins," he growls, scanning the room ahead of him. "Then I sure as hell am going--"

Rhodes' voice trails off as he catches sight of something completely unexpected and thoroughly mesmerizing. The abrupt end to his words catch Tony's attention and he looks to where Rhodey's eyes are fixated.

It's as if all the breath in his lungs has been suddenly whisked away by some invisible force and he finds himself having to lean upon the sturdy oak of the bar to keep his body upright.

Pepper is descending the staircase, and she has the attention of the entire room.

She is beautiful. More than beautiful, in fact…

Heavenly.

And still, that word would only barely do her justice.

A perfectly placed beam of light illuminates the glittery glow of the wings attached to her and she appears to float down towards the main floor as if by some magical way the wings carry her there. Golden-white beams of light cascade across her features and Tony knew that in this moment he truly was seeing an angel before him.

Casting a look around the room, Pepper's eyes settle upon the bar, and she smiles knowing that the man she is looking for is there, staring right back at her. She pulls her lips into her mouth and bites on her lip in a nervous gesture, then, picking up the end of her dress, begins walking towards him.

Tony can feel his heart hammering a staccato beat through the arc reactor and he hopes that by the time she comes to stand in front of him, the look of astonishment has dissipated from his face. Rhodey, finally over his own shock, gathers control of his limbs and has the sense of mind to finally close his mouth, as it had been hanging open since the first glimpse of her.

As if planned, the sea of people on the floor part ways, allowing the angel to drift towards her destination. As she comes closer, Tony can see the light reflecting off of the glittery makeup that has been elegantly painted across her eyes and down the soft curve of her cheek. Tony's eyes seem to caress her as she approaches; distracting her in such a way that she doesn't even realize Rhodey is there until he steps in front of her.

Rhodey smiles warmly and eagerly reaches for Pepper's hand. "My dear, words cannot express what a lovely sight you are…" he says sweetly, rubbing her hand warmly between his own.

Pepper smiles to her friend and she can feel her skin begin to flush. One, for the sweet comment made by Rhodes, and two, for the fact that Tony has not stopped staring at her since she has arrived at the bar. She can feel her nerves begin to climb, but she manages to keep them at bay and focuses her attention on Rhodey, smiling back at her friend.

"Thank you, Rhodey," she replies kindly, squeezing his hand in return. "You look fit to be a King," she compliments him and receives an appreciative smile in response.

Pepper turns finally to look at Tony and their gazes' crash together like a hammer upon iron. Pepper's voice shows no signs of her nerves as she speaks. "Mr. Stark, you look…devilishly handsome tonight," she says with a hint of playfulness in her voice.

Tony speaks to Rhodes from the side of his mouth, keeping his eyes still focused on the woman in front of him. "See?"

Rhodes grunts. "Yeah, whatever," he shakes his head dismissively. "Anyways, who's your date tonight Pepper?" Rhodes casts a nod in Tony's direction. "This one here says he's waitin' on someone, but I think he's full of--"

As if a light switch has been flicked on inside his head, Rhodes finally takes notice of the impenetrable stare going on between the two, and he suddenly feels extremely out of place. "Oh…uh, I'll just—I'm gonna go thank the mayor for the tickets…yeah," he stammers and points across the room, then makes a hasty retreat.

"Pepper…" he says softly. Her name hangs in the air, creating a sudden sense of intimacy even amongst the loud bustle of people around them. Her eyebrows arch in response, waiting patiently for him to say something else. "You look…"

An unrealistic sense of insecurity washes over her and her eyes dart down to her hands. "Ridiculous, I know--"

"Hardly," he interrupts, taking a confident step towards her. She looks back up at him questioningly. His gaze travels over her in a seductive, appreciative way; sending heat to all of her limbs and few more private places. She swallows the lump in her throat, but still manages to keep a small smile on her lips.

When Tony continues, he is standing close enough to whisper. "You look like you should always wear that dress." He smiles sincerely, reaching for her hand.

Pepper watches as he brings it slowly to his lips, his eyes staying locked on hers until the very last moment when he closes them briefly and places his lips to her skin. She lets out the breath she has been holding and as Tony lifts his head to look at her again, she pulls her hand back safely to her side.

Figuring that he should slow down his own rapidly beating heart, Tony allows her to retreat safely back across the invisible line she has seemingly drawn, and decides to play a familiar safe card. "May I get you a drink?"

A smile quirks at her lips. "Promise I'll get it this time?"

"Seeing as how we are two feet from the bar, I don't think it will be a problem."

"Then yes, I would love one. Martini--"

"Extra dry, extra olives…gotcha," he gives her that oh so recognizable smirk of his, and reluctantly tears his eyes away from her and turns towards the bar.

The appearance of some of his familiar behavior sets her at ease slightly, and its only then that she realizes that the costume he's wearing resembles another familiar sight. "Did Jarvis help you with those colors, or are they all your own doing?"

Tony cranes his head back around to look at her. "I designed this whole thing myself, thank you very much…Jarvis merely did the stitching. He's quite handy with a sewing machine." He smiles smugly at her and turns back towards the bartender, ordering up their drinks.

Pepper shakes her head at his back and then sighs…this was going to be a very memorable evening.

Thank you all for your patience! Remember to review...

I will update ASAP...