Most of the characters and situations in this story belong to Marvel Comics, Fairview Entertainment, Dark Blades Films, and other entities, and I do not have permission to borrow them. No infringement is intended in any way, and this story is not for profit. All others belong to me, particularly Cedric, and if you want to borrow them, you have to ask me first. Any errors are mine, all mine, no you can't have any.

Note: This story wasn't supposed to be this long, and when I started I wanted to see if I could do it entirely from Tony's POV and still have it make sense. So you'll have to be the judge of whether I succeeded, because I'm bloody-minded stubborn sometimes.

This is most definitely Cincoflex's baby! *hearts*

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As usual, Pepper arrived at the mansion bright and early the next day to make sure he was dressed, fed, and coming to work. When she entered his bedroom, Tony was impressed to see that instead of a bandage, she was wearing a wrist brace that extended past the ring, neatly concealing it from view. "Nice one, Potts. Sudden-onset carpal tunnel syndrome?"

She smiled and handed him his morning espresso, her spirits obviously restored. "You have to admit, it's a good excuse."

"It is indeed." Tony swallowed the scalding thick liquid with relish, feeling his synapses snap awake, and handed her back the tiny cup. "What's on the agenda for today?"

Before Pepper could answer, her BlackBerry chimed, and she grimaced apologetically and answered it. Tony waited, using the time to straighten his tie and set his cuffs, but just as he got them aligned Pepper's voice broke into his concentration. "What?"

He couldn't remember hearing quite that combination of horror and outrage before. Pepper was pale again, her mouth hanging open as she listened to the caller, but her eyes were beginning to flash. "No. That's not--no! Where the hell did that come from?" She paused. "What do you mean, photos?"

Tony stuck his hands in his pockets, ruining his cuff placement, and leaned against the wall, trying idly to guess what disaster had her so riled. Can't be me. I haven't even been on a mission in days. Pepper was used to dealing with his escapades, even if they had morphed from women to heroism, but it had been a quiet week, and unless someone had unearthed old news, he was clean this time.

"I'll call you back," Pepper said, her voice glacial, and lowered her phone. Before Tony could ask, she whirled and stalked from his bedroom down to the living room, and he followed, curious.

Pepper halted in the middle of the big room and spoke to the air. "Jarvis, call up all the current news items related to Stark Industries. Display here, please."

The window flared with light, and a dozen separate pictures appeared on it, news clips and headlines predominating. At the bottom, the company's stock price showed up, and Tony raised his brows at the numbers displayed. "Wow, that's impressive. What the hell happened overnight, and why didn't R&D tell us they'd solved cold fusion?"

"It's not R&D," Pepper said flatly, ignoring the joke. "It's us. More specifically, it's me."

Tony focused on the various displays, and felt his own jaw loosen slightly. All the news ran along the same theme--his sudden engagement to his personal assistant.

Oops.

"I thought Ndibe didn't gossip," he said mildly, wondering what exactly had happened. Certainly Happy didn't tell tales, and as far as he knew there was no one else who'd seen--

"Jarvis, magnify number four," Pepper said, and the picture in question swelled, answering his question. The photos were black-and-white, but pretty high quality for security cameras, and they clearly showed the dark band on Pepper's ring finger as the two of them walked down the bank hallway.

"Gregory's going to be pissed," Tony remarked. "Which one do you think it was, the box handler or Gregory's assistant?"

Pepper was still staring at the screen with an expression he usually only saw when someone underage tried to press a paternity suit on him. "My guess is the woman, but it doesn't really matter." Her phone rang again, but uncharacteristically she ignored it, her attention taken up by the images before them. "Hell."

Tony snickered; Pepper so rarely swore out loud that it was always a bit funny when she did, though it also meant very serious trouble for someone. She glared at him, but only for an instant. "I'm going to have to get PR in on--but I can't--" She hissed, and Tony understood her frustration. The moment she set foot outside the property, the paparazzi would be all over her. And the brace was absolutely no use, because no one would believe that it wasn't hiding the ring.

Her phone chimed once more, and Pepper snatched it up to her ear. "Hello?"

Tony moved past her for a better look at the display. "Jarvis, analysis," he requested quietly.

"The news of your putative engagement has had a remarkable effect," Jarvis answered, equally quiet. "Stark Industries' stock price has climbed nearly forty points since the opening bell, and while many of the headlines are deplorably sensational, the overall attitude is positive." Several newspaper articles appeared on the array. "The consensus seems to be that the engagement is proof of stability on your part, particularly given the importance of Ms. Potts' role in maintaining the company. It is early, of course, but many financial analysts are hailing the move as propitious."

Tony whistled softly, astonished. "You mean, to get everybody to calm down about the changes all I had to do was promise to get married?"

"Not quite, sir," Jarvis said. "You had to promise to marry Pepper."

Tony opened his mouth to debate that statement, realized he didn't really want to, and closed it again. Behind him, Pepper spoke.

"That was the board," she said, her voice flat, and when Tony turned to see her she looked shell-shocked. "They called to offer their congratulations."

"They called you, and they didn't call me?" Tony asked, insulted, but Jarvis broke in.

"They called you first, sir, but as you ordered all calls from the board made before noon are automatically shunted to voice mail."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Details. How'd they sound?"

Pepper sank slowly to the couch. "Enthusiastic."

Her eyes were wide and disbelieving, and Tony began to laugh at the sheer absurdity of the whole thing. So much for damaging the company. He supposed the reaction could be interpreted as an insult to himself, but he didn't care. It couldn't be more perfect if we set it up on purpose.

Pepper buried her face in her hands despite the brace. Tony got himself under control and sat down next to her. "Look at it this way, Potts, you didn't lose any respect."

She made an undecipherable noise, something between a growl and a groan, and lifted her head, peeling off the brace and tossing it onto the coffee table with more force than necessary. "This is a disaster."

"Not necessarily," he pointed out. "Nothing's irrevocable yet. We can claim anything we like about those photos, and the press doesn't know where you are. For all they know, you're home sick with a bad cold for three days, and when you're back on the job we can deny the whole thing."

Pepper shook her head. "Tony...do you really think that will work?" It wasn't a true question. "If we wait three days to counter it, the repercussions will go on for weeks...and it'll wreak havoc with the company. Think about it."

Tony frowned. I hate to admit it, but she's right. Other companies survived such rumors with few ill effects, but most other companies weren't headed up by celebrities-slash-superheroes. For good or ill, his own actions did affect Stark Industries--more so now than ever. And the company wasn't just stock points and manufacturing, it was people as well--

"If I may point out," Jarvis broke in, "engagements can be broken as well as made--but there is no reason to do so immediately."

That made him pause. Tony looked over at Pepper, who was frowning also, but thoughtfully. "What, you mean pretend for a while?" he asked.

"Exactly. Given time, the media frenzy will die down, and eventually you may end your 'engagement' with a minimum of fuss. Stark Industries will still feel the effects, but they will be much milder than if you try to deny the rumor now."

Pepper bit her lip, then started to smile. "Jarvis, are you suggesting we lie?"

"Prevarication is a common and accepted practice in the business world," Jarvis said placidly. "Given the alternative, it may be the wisest course."

Tony snorted. "I'm starting to wonder about that last memory upgrade." He regarded Pepper, who was twisting the ring on her finger thoughtfully. "What do you think, Ms. Potts?"

She slid the ring up to her knuckle, which was still too swollen to let it pass. "It does make a kind of insane sense," she said reluctantly, holding the ring there but not pushing. "If we confirm the rumors, it'll be a circus, but..."

"...But it'll be a happy circus," Tony finished for her. "I could bring in a couple of dancing bears if you'd like. Or would you prefer elephants? Would that be overkill?"

Pepper sniffed, lips curling up again. "It's a tough decision, Tony."

Her voice was serious despite her smile, and his heart chilled at a sudden thought. "Is there someone who'd object to this, Pepper? Some boyfriend I don't know about?" He tried to keep his voice light, but wasn't sure he'd succeeded.

Her brows drew together. "No...as you've mentioned repeatedly, you don't like it when I have plans," she said tartly. "And boyfriends usually require plans of some kind."

Tony let out a breath and rubbed his hands on his thighs, relief coursing through him. "What can I say, I'm possessive."

"You're greedy," Pepper grumbled, but it lacked force.

"That too." Tony reached over and took her left hand, thumb running over the band. "Pepper, if you really want to, we can go down to the workshop and I can cut this thing off in two minutes, and that'll be that, rumors be damned. I don't want to put you in an impossible position here."

Pepper winced slightly, presumably at the thought of destroying the ring. "You put me in impossible positions on a regular basis, Mr. Stark. It's part of my job description."

She bit her lip again, obviously thinking, then spoke slowly. "All right. Let's do this."

He couldn't stop the grin that spread over his face. "In that case, we'd better formalize it." He drew her hand forward. "Virginia Potts, will you do me the honor of--"

Her free hand landed on his mouth, cutting him off. "Not. Another. Word," she said sternly, eyes wide with panic. Tony snickered and nipped at her fingers, and Pepper yanked both her hands away and stood up with a huff.

"First of all, we need to construct a consistent story," she began, smoothing one hand over her hair distractedly. Her phone began to ring again, and Tony rose as well.

"Let me handle that, I'm sure I can come up with something. You can confirm things with PR and start the ball rolling."

"Agh." Pepper took a deep breath, spine straightening. "All right." She nodded once, sharply, and lifted her phone to her ear once more. "Hello--"

Tony got out of her way, heading down the stairs to his workshop and peeling off his jacket as he went. By his guess they would be leaving the mansion shortly all the same, but for the moment he didn't have to be formal. He draped it over his diagnostic chair as he passed, and dropped onto a stool and began pondering.

The temptation was there to just wing it, to make up some outrageous tale and see if the media and everyone else would swallow it. Not this time, genius. It wouldn't be fair to Pepper, and while there were plenty of times where he'd gone ahead anyway, this time was different. For one thing, she's doing you--and Stark Industries--a huge favor.

For another, she was going to be under a tremendous amount of stress. Tony grimaced, wondering if he'd really done the right thing in going along with Jarvis' suggestion. Pepper had a great poker face, but she didn't lie well, and nothing about their faux engagement was going to be easy for her, at least in public--

Public.

We're going to have to act engaged in public.

The grin that he could feel spreading over his face was positively unholy, Tony knew, but he made no effort to stop it. Instead, he reached for paper and a pen.

It was almost forty-five minutes before he heard Pepper coming down the stairs. Scribbling a last couple of notes, Tony ripped the page off his scratch pad and looked up to watch her come into the shop. To his expert eye she looked no less stressed, but more in control, which didn't surprise him at all; Pepper functioned best when she had a plan of attack. "How'd it go?"

She raised her brows. "Okay. PR has a bare-bones press release going out now and I have Cedric in the main office triaging calls for the moment. Legal is already moving against Wells Fargo concerning the leaked photos."

"Tell 'em to go easy if the bank gives up the employee," Tony interjected. "That had to be a personal move, not a corporate one."

Pepper nodded. "I agree, but there's no recalling them now, they're out on the Internet as well as the major news services."

Tony shrugged. "Since we're confirming instead of denying, it doesn't matter, though remind me to see about putting together a file-specific virus for future use... How many interview requests have we got?"

"So far? Thirty." Pepper grimaced. "More than half want both of us."

"Makes sense." Tony grinned at her. "I'm afraid you're going to have to come out of the shadows for a bit, Ms. Potts."

She rolled her eyes and picked up his jacket, shaking it out. "Have you got a story for us?"

Tony waved the paper. "On the principle that simple is easier to remember, we've been dating secretly since I got back from Afghanistan--six months is a nice round number--and this past weekend I bit the bullet and asked you to marry me. And we went to the safe-deposit box to pick up the ring, natch."

"Under the radar, good," Pepper approved. "Am I going to keep my job after the wedding?"

She was smiling, getting into the spirit of the thing, and Tony relaxed a bit more. "For the stockholders' sake, I certainly hope so." He glanced at his notes. "I figured it was better not to set a date, though."

"That sounds wise." She lifted a finger. "I also got a call from your attorney. He wouldn't tell me why he wants to meet with you, so I'm guessing he wants to discuss a prenup."

"Big surprise." Tony stood up, turning his back so that Pepper could help him into the jacket. It wasn't something she'd done until he'd come back hurt and needed the assistance, but even after he was healed she'd kept the habit, and Tony wasn't about to stop her. He loved feeling her breath on the back of his neck, and her hands smoothing out the wrinkles over his shoulders as he settled the garment. "Well, I think you can trust me to be generous, Ms. Potts."

He expected a sardonic comeback, but behind him Pepper laughed as he put his arms into the coat. "I honestly wouldn't expect anything less from you, Tony."

Her tone was gentle, and he straightened his lapels and turned. Pepper wore a soft little smile as she reached out to adjust his tie. "When it really matters, you can be amazingly generous. It's one of your finest traits."

Tony had to curl his hands into fists to keep them from settling on her hips. He cleared his throat. "Careful, Potts, you'll ruin my rep."

She snickered and stepped away gracefully, heading for the stairs. "Time to go, Mr. Stark."

As they neared the front door, Pepper slowed. "Can we tell Happy the truth?" she asked, looking pained. "I really don't want to lie to him."

Tony smirked. "He probably figured it out after yesterday anyway. I think we'd better let Rhodey in on it too, or things will get really awkward."

"Like they're not already?" Pepper muttered, and opened the door.

Hogan was waiting outside the limo, which had one door swung wide like a wing, and as they emerged he straightened from his lean against the vehicle. Tony bounced down the stairs ahead of Pepper. "Morning, Happy. How bad is it at the gate?"

"Thick," Hogan replied easily, touching his cap to Pepper as Tony ducked into the vehicle. "But the SI security Ms. Potts called for is in place, so we shouldn't have any trouble getting out." He shut the door as Pepper climbed in, and went to the front.

"Good, good." Tony leaned forward as the chauffeur settled into his seat. "Listen, given what's happened this morning we've decided to roll with this thing for the moment, so as far as you're concerned our engagement is real."

Hogan glanced at the rear view mirror, his gaze finding Pepper, and apparently she gave him whatever reassurance he was looking for, because he nodded. "Got it, sir. How long have you two been a couple?"

Tony sat back. "Six months. I finally came to my senses and asked her to marry me."

Beside him, Pepper snorted, and Hogan grinned. "Wise of you, sir."

The divider hummed up behind Hogan's head and the limo pulled forward. Tony poured himself a scotch and relaxed, satisfied. Happy was legendary for his silence; over the years, Tony estimated, his chauffeur had been offered almost three-quarters of a million dollars, total, to spill information about Tony or Stark Industries, and he had refused every time. Loyalty like that can't be bought.

He glanced over at his PA, who was now texting busily. And it's priceless when you find it...

As Hogan had said, the crowd outside the mansion's gate was considerable, a mix of paparazzi and the curious, but the SI security team had them well-cordoned. The limo slid through without a hitch. Tony sipped his drink and considered the day ahead.

The crowd outside company headquarters would be worse, that was a given, though there again Security would be in place to handle things. Tony ran down a mental checklist of probable events--certainly a videoconference with the board of directors, possibly a press conference--and sighed. Responsibility's a bitch.

As they neared their destination, Tony broke off his reverie and turned to Pepper. She had set down her BlackBerry and was staring out the window, her right hand worrying absently at the ring on her left. He felt a rush of tenderness at the sight, a feeling he'd only recently learned to recognize. It was coupled with an odd sort of regret.

Fuck. I wish this was real.

"You do realize," he said, keeping his voice light, "that we're going to have to make this believable."

Pepper stopped fidgeting and turned to face him. "Hmm?"

Tony glanced out the window. The limo was rolling into the Stark Industries front driveway, and it was as bad as he'd foreseen--there had to be at least twenty security guards holding back the crowds. The mass of people started to sparkle as flashes went off.

"If we're engaged, Potts, that entitles us to public displays of affection. Starting as soon as we get out of the car." He jerked a thumb at the paparazzi. "They're going to expect it."

Pepper blinked, and a flush began to climb up her throat. "I...is that really necessary?" Her fingers twisted together.

Tony grinned at her. "We can start small. I won't kiss you until we get up to the office."

She sputtered, and the limo glided to a stop. Tony sat up as one of the guards reached for his door. "Showtime, Ms. Potts. Put your game face on."

The door swung open on her muffled protest, and Tony got out, ignoring the cameras and the calls with the ease of long, long practice. But instead of heading straight for the building and trusting that his PA would be right behind him, he waited as she slid across the seat, and took her hand to help her rise.

He was proud of her. Despite her dismay seconds before, Pepper looked as cool and collected as always, and they moved smoothly towards the front door as if they'd rehearsed it a dozen times. The fact that her muscles tensed beneath the hand he settled on the small of her back was evident only to him.

They swept into the huge lobby, leaving the crowd outside, though there were a few people moving around besides the usual front-desk security. Some days Tony stopped to talk to whoever was on duty, but today he kept moving, straight towards the elevators. Pepper paced him perfectly, her face calm, as though the stares from every employee they passed didn't exist at all.

As the elevator doors closed behind them, she let out a sharp breath. Tony glanced sideways at her and let his fingers circle soothingly along her spine. "So far so good."

Her glare was not muted by the fact that she was still facing the front of the elevator. "I understand the necessity of...this, but next time--"

The elevator stopped, and she bit off her words. Only one person was waiting, a young intern as fair as Pepper who stepped in automatically and then blushed a vivid crimson when he realized who else was occupying the car. He was clearly too intimidated to say a word, and Tony let it go rather than distress the poor kid further.

Two floors later the intern was gone, scooting out through the doors as if pursued. Tony waited until they closed again before speaking. "You were saying?"

He still hadn't removed his hand, and he wasn't sure if Pepper was being cautious or was just too distracted to take offense. She sighed. "Never mind."

Tony let one corner of his mouth curl up. "Nervous about that kiss?"

Pepper sniffed dismissively. "That would be highly unprofessional in the workplace--"

She really was rattled, he thought with amusement. Since when have I ever been professional?

The doors opened on their floor, and they stepped out in tandem. The path to Tony's suite and Pepper's adjoining office was straight through the main floor, whose open plan housed a handful of top support staff. Given the mid-morning hour, most of the seats were occupied, and a low mannered hum of voices kept the big room from silence.

As they traversed the expanse, though, heads lifted, and a slow patter of applause began, spreading to fill the room like rain and punctuated with a whistle or two. Tony grinned widely, and beside him Pepper blushed again, shaking her head at the smiling workers and smiling back.

"Looks like they approve," Tony said in a low voice, waving to acknowledge the tribute.

Pepper shook her head again. "It's terrifying." Her voice was dry, but edged with humor.

They made it into his office, and Tony closed the door behind them knowing that they had about three minutes before someone would want Pepper's attention. She apparently had the same thought, glancing at her watch. "Cedric's going to--"

Tony cupped the back of her head in one hand, ignoring her startled jerk, and kissed her. Nothing too intense, just a warm easy touch that conveyed affection rather than sex. Her lips were soft, and cooler than he expected, and instantly made him want more, but Tony kept it to three seconds. Releasing her, he stepped back and gave her a small smirk. "How's that for practice?"

Pepper's eyes were wide with outrage. "Tony--" She--quivered was the only word for it, he decided--with anger and surprise and presumably the desire to punch him.

"Did you really want our first kiss to take place in front of an audience?" He strolled towards his desk. "Now that's out of the way and we don't have to worry about it."

Tony collapsed into his chair and looked back at where she was still standing near the door, and licked his lips. "You still taste great, though." He winked.

Pepper growled, then closed her eyes and regulated her breathing. Tony watched, still amused--his comment about an audience was perhaps unfair, but it was logical, and Pepper throve on logic. "Cedric will have a list for me shortly," she said in very measured tones. "And you're an ass."

"Guilty, Potts, but you know I'm right." He watched as her eyes opened in a glare. "Just think of all the fun you're going to have jilting me when we call it off."

Pepper's lips tightened further. "The day's schedule will be on your desk in fifteen minutes. You'll have to decide about some of the interviews, so don't put it off." She whirled and headed for the door, her back very straight. Just as she reached it, she glanced back. "And I'd assumed that you would be the one doing the jilting. You're not known for your fidelity."

She opened the door and was through it and gone before Tony could move. He stared at the spot she'd occupied, astonished at how badly her words had hurt.

Okay...I guess she's a little more pissed than I thought. He clenched one fist, rubbing his thumb over his knuckles, and tried to figure out why she was that angry. He'd taken advantage, he knew that, but he hadn't expected to do more than ruffle her feathers like usual.

Maybe I should stay out of her way for a while.

The wisdom of his choice was borne out when the schedule was carried in by Cedric, who put it down, pointed briefly to the various sticky flags poking out along the edge, and waited. Tony was used to the man by now--Cedric spoke to Pepper all the time, but almost never to Tony, though the latter had no idea why. He didn't bother worrying about it; Pepper didn't, so he figured it wasn't a problem.

He picked up the schedule and scanned it quickly. A videoconference with the board in half an hour, then a few smaller meetings after lunch with Legal and the microengineering section. Notes in Pepper's precise script told him that the time in between the afternoon meetings could be filled with a couple of interviews, and did he want her to attend?

Yes. Tony scribbled in addenda and handed it back. "Please request Ms. Potts' presence at the board meeting as well," he said, and Cedric nodded and took himself out. Tony sighed, and pulled up the pinball game on his computer. Half an hour wasn't enough time to get involved in something more interesting.

Twenty-five minutes later he opened the side door in his office that led to Pepper's. She was on the phone, mostly making acknowledging noises, but when she saw him she straightened and held up one finger in a gesture to wait. Tony leaned against the doorframe and put his hands in his pockets, and watched her, listening as she wrapped up the conversation. When she hung up and sighed, he walked forward to rest a hip against her desk, and opened his mouth to apologize.

Pepper beat him to it. "I'm sorry about what I said, earlier," she began, rubbing her forehead. "I lost my temper, and--"

Nettled, Tony took her nearest hand in his. "Stop it."

"I--what?" Pepper looked up at him, brows drawing together.

"I'm the one who should apologize," Tony told her, annoyed and amused both at being upstaged so neatly. "I got a little carried away."

Her smile was sardonic. "Tony, you always get carried away."

He squeezed her hand and let it go. "Which is one of the many reasons I have you, and that fact is why the board is all happy this morning. You're coming, right?"

She sniffed. "I think I'd better." But the line between her brows was smoothing out, and Tony was relieved to see it.

He stepped back as she rose. "For the record, I really am sorry, Pepper."

She picked up her BlackBerry and put it into her jacket pocket. "I know. And you did have a point. Just...take it easy, Mr. Stark?"

He gave her a Hogan salute, two fingers touching his temple. "I'll do my best."

"That's what scares me," Pepper sighed, but the dimple that accompanied her words made them a tease. Tony grinned and followed her back into his office, snagging a chair so that they could both sit in front of the camera at his desk.

The board as a whole was clearly not expecting Pepper's presence, but no one was stupid enough to object, and Tony spotted approval on more than one face--especially those of the female members. Tony had done a little housecleaning after Stane's death, but replacing all the members was neither practical nor desirable. Nonetheless, he felt fairly confident that they would be eating out of his hand that morning--or, to be more precise, Pepper's hand.

And he was right. It was fun to watch the powerful people who helped run his company shower his putative bride-to-be with compliments, and he didn't feel terribly guilty about deceiving them. For one thing, it was still his company, and for another...

I still intend to end this with a real wedding.

Pepper bore up magnificently, answering questions with composure, shunting a few to him. It was a good thing they knew each other so well, Tony thought as the meeting went on; they hadn't discussed how things would in theory change after they were married, but the answers she gave were pretty much what he would have suggested anyway. Pepper already knew how Stark Industries was run and was empowered to act as Tony's proxy should he be unavailable, so the board was used to regarding her as a power in her own right.

"As my wife, Ms. Potts will share my controlling interest in the company," Tony stated in response to one question. "Beyond, of course, any stock she already holds." Which was quite a bit, in fact, though nowhere near a major share; stock options were part of the SI executive package, and while Pepper was not exactly an executive, she had all the benefits of one.

"What if a conflict arises?" asked one member, raising her brows. Tony turned his attention to her; Takayo Fukushima was astute, no-nonsense, and someone he actually trusted.

"I'm sure any conflict between us can be worked out in private," he said smoothly. "If not, we'll cross that bridge when we reach it."

Fukushima did not look convinced, but let the matter drop. Tony saw more than a few glances pass between members, and held back a grimace. It was clear that his reassurance wasn't enough to soothe everyone. Too bad. They can suck it up, or they can leave.

On the whole, however, the meeting went well, and broke up for lunch with many congratulations and best wishes. Tony watched Pepper smile graciously at the effusions, and made a mental note to add another bonus to her next paycheck. Bad enough she has to put up with me--

"Let's go get some lunch," he suggested as they stood, but Pepper shook her head.

"I have too much to do. You go ahead, just make sure to be back in time to meet with Legal. I mean it, Tony, we don't have time for you to be late today."

"I know," he sighed. "Are you sure? 'Cause we could make it quick."

Pepper chuckled as they headed for the door to her office. "Your version of quick is ninety minutes. I can eat in ten."

"That's bad for the digestion," Tony began, then trailed off as she opened her door. "Whoa."

Her desk was all but invisible under what seemed to be a dozen vases of flowers, all different. Pepper's eyes widened and she stepped inside, glancing back at him, and Tony raised his hands. "Wasn't me. Though I wish I'd thought of it."

"Yes, well..." Pepper shrugged, and he understood what she meant--they were playing a part, not the real thing. She plucked an envelope from the nearest explosion of blooms and opened it. "Felicitations from Jack Roberts."

Roberts was the CEO of Robitech, one of Stark Industries' competitors. Tony snorted, and Pepper smirked. "He's just being polite, Tony."

"He's a sore loser." Roberts had put himself on Tony's permanent blacklist by blatantly trying to hire Pepper away every time they met. The last offer had been a position as vice president of finance, and Pepper had hesitated just long enough to make Tony start sweating, though in retrospect he suspected she had just been yanking his chain.

"He's very nice." Pepper replaced the tiny card, her dimple showing again, and now she was yanking his chain. She reached for the next one, and Tony couldn't resist rising to the bait.

"Maybe we really should, just to keep you from running off to my rival." Tony absently snared a card from a vase full of irises, recognizing the name of a prominent senator.

Pepper snickered. "Tony, if I really wanted to change careers, being married to you wouldn't stop me." She scanned the card and replaced it as well. "However, I like my job, so you can stop glowering."

"Mmm." As Pepper took a third envelope, Tony replaced the one he held, then scooped up Roberts' offering and carried it with him into his office. If Pepper noticed, she didn't say anything, and Tony kept going into his private washroom. With vindictive pleasure, he dumped the flowers in the trash and the water down the drain, then mashed the blossoms into the wastebasket using the vase. Roberts had a more than professional interest in Pepper, Tony was sure, and while she had never displayed any return interest, the mere idea made Tony testy.

She's mine now, Jacky, and she's going to stay mine. Sneering at the crushed flowers, Tony dropped the lid on the container and stalked out of the washroom, feeling better even though he knew the entire thing was irrational. The suspicion that Pepper was quietly laughing at him in her office didn't mute the feeling.

Dropping into his chair, he reached for his phone.

Thirty minutes later he returned to Pepper's office carrying a large paper bag. She looked up from her computer, surprised; the vases were now neatly arranged on one of her cabinets. "I thought you went to lunch."

"Nope, I had lunch come to us." Tony set the bag on her desk and began unloading the contents--sandwiches and a salad, and the bottled tea Pepper liked. "Figured it would look bad if I went out by myself and left my fiancée alone the first day we got engaged."

The quirk of her mouth told him he wasn't fooling her, but her eyes were crinkling with pleasure, and that was plenty for him. Tony handed her a fork. "Eat up, Potts, you've only got ten minutes."

They took twenty, chatting easily about the board members and the people who'd sent flowers, and he counted every minute well-spent. When he went back to his office, though, her voice followed him. "I'd like the vase back, at least..."

Tony sighed, and retrieved it from the trash.

It wasn't until they were back at the mansion that evening that Tony brought up what he'd been thinking about off and on all day. "If we're supposed to be engaged...shouldn't you be living with me by now?"

Pepper's head snapped up from the report she was studying and she glared at him over the back of the couch. Tony swung one leg over the piano bench to sit sideways and held up his hands. "Hey, I'm not suggesting that we share a bedroom here--but as you said, public perception's an issue. This place has a dozen rooms--"

Pepper was already shaking her head. "No," she said firmly. "I need my own space, especially now. I'm prepared to be seen as eccentric on this, Tony, but I...have to maintain a boundary."

"Boundary? Against what?" Tony asked, smirking at her, but her glare grew stronger.

"You're pushing."

"All right, all right." Tony turned back to the piano, disappointment mingling with hope. Having her live at the mansion would make it easier to get her used to the idea of really marrying him, but the fact that she felt there was something to guard against was a good sign. "Sorry."

He heard Pepper sigh, and played a few bars of "Imagination". "The press may catch on if you never spend a night here, though."

Papers rustled. "Let's see what happens, okay? It's just the first day."

Tony kept playing, saying nothing. He had a strong suspicion that the media was not going to let them alone until they got married, if it did happen--he was just too big a story, and half the time there was some third-stringer hanging around the mansion gates anyway, looking for a scoop. But there was no point in arguing at the moment; time would prove him right.

Or not, but he was pretty sure.

He looked back over at the couch, letting his fingers find the keys with thoughtless precision. All he could see of Pepper over the back of the couch was the back of her head, but the sleek ponytail drew his eyes all the same, making his dancing fingers itch to stroke that shining fall of hair. It was a familiar allurement, and Tony fell into equally familiar reverie, imagining walking over there and bending over to cup her chin in one hand and kiss her. In his fantasy she always kissed him back, letting her work fall aside and reaching up to touch him--

Have you ever felt a gentle touch and then a kiss, and then and then, you find it's only your imagination again...oh well...

Somehow the song seemed a bit too appropriate. Tony wound it to its wistful conclusion, then rose and quietly took himself downstairs, away from temptation.