Disclaimer: 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.
As always, Cincoflex keeps me going!
***********************
It was three days before he could move easily, helped along by the little sauna near the pool and another visit from Tim, but Tony put the time to good use, tearing the suit plans apart and putting them back together in an effort to separate his dual communications array. It would require more wiring and changes to Jarvis' programming, but he had time--for one thing, Jarvis also had to machine all-new parts for the back of the armor. The 'bots were put to work cleaning up the salvageable parts and polishing them, and fortunately for Tony's peace of mind, Jarvis found him no new missions that week.
I might be willing to go after mercenaries at less than a hundred percent, but not until the armor's back in shape. There was taking risks and there was being stupid, and Tony liked to think he knew the difference.
Pepper looked after him as usual, rescheduling meetings and calls and coming down to pry him out of the workshop to go to bed. It was normality, except that she would join him, which made leaving the suit plans much more enticing even when he was still too sore to do anything but fall asleep wrapped around her.
On the fourth day he caught her rubbing her neck, and hauled her bodily over to the nearest chair. "Damn, you're all knots," Tony scolded, digging his fingers into the hard muscles of her shoulders and grinning over Pepper's head as she moaned. "Tonight you get in the sauna with me."
Pepper pressed back against his circling thumbs. "Umm. It's just wedding stuff, I'll be fine after next week."
Tony moved his efforts up her neck, enjoying the sounds she made. "Should I hire you any extra help?"
It took her a moment to reply, and he made a note to do this more often; Pepper was, he judged, just short of drooling. "No, I've...oh...got it under control."
"If you're sure." He took his time working out her kinks. "I'd offer to let you have Tim for a session, but I don't think I want you moaning like that for another man."
He couldn't see her face, but Tony had the definite impression that she was smiling. "Remind me never to take you along to my stylist, then."
When Pepper was limp and purring, Tony let her go, kissing the nape of her neck as she sighed. "You have amazing hands," she managed, stretching luxuriously.
"One of the many reasons you love me." He stroked her hair back from her face, letting it slip through his fingers. "Just think, by this time next week you'll be Mrs. Stark."
Pepper snickered, one of her hands reaching back to reciprocate along the outside of his leg. "I could still change my mind."
About her last name, Tony trusted, not the wedding. Pepper had hesitated originally, and while Tony could understand the desire to keep her last name, he'd persuaded her to take his anyway. Atavistic, he knew, but-- Call it male pride, but I don't want any doubts. Wedding rings aside, "Virginia Stark" carried an unmistakable weight, a notice served to all who heard it that she was not available.
"You know you want to be a Stark," he said, enjoying the way her fingers were curling around his thigh.
"Stark raving," Pepper mumbled as Tony bent to nibble the rim of her ear.
"Stark naked," he suggested into it. "We could work on that right now."
The way her breathing deepened told him she liked the idea, but Pepper hesitated. "Are you sure you're healed enough?"
Tony laughed, and planted a kiss right over her pulse point. "Pepper...I'm a genius, and you're brilliant. I'm sure between us we can come up with something."
As it turned out, he was right.
***********************
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Tony asked. Pepper looked up from the buckle on her shoe and sighed.
"Tony, it's traditional, and people expect it. Besides, I trust you." She straightened and came over to give him a kiss. "Now remember, Josh is number four on your speed dial in case something happens, not that I expect it to, and you can call me but I might not hear my phone."
Tony looped his arms around her waist and held on when she would have stepped away. "Isn't that one of the signs of the Apocalypse?" Pepper snickered, and he grinned. "I could come along..."
She reached up to stroke his mustache. "The whole point of this sort of thing is to do it separately. Besides, you'll disappoint Jimmy if you cancel on him at the last minute."
"That's true." Tony aimed a kiss at her fingers. "I'd say don't do anything I wouldn't do, but where's the fun in that?"
That made her laugh out loud. "It's a party. We'll dance, we'll drink a little, we might even sing karaoke, but that's about it." She seemed about to say more, but Jarvis broke in.
"Your friends have arrived, Ms. Potts. They are pulling up to the front door now."
"Great!" Pepper ducked out of his grip and grabbed her shoulder bag. "Have fun, and no strippers in the limo, no matter how much Jimmy begs." She kissed him once more and hurried to the door.
Tony followed. The minivan outside looked somewhat incongruous in the setting of his front driveway, but the women leaning out didn't care, greeting Pepper with shouted hellos and what seemed to Tony to be a lot of feminine giggling. He recognized Mei-Lin in the front passenger seat, but none of the ladies in the back were familiar as they helped Pepper inside. He waved and smiled at their greetings, wondering just what the hell they were planning on doing with his fianceé.
Pepper threw him a last grin as the door slid shut, and then the van was pulling away, passing the stretch limo making its way up towards the house. Tony sighed, and went to fetch his jacket.
"I still don't get why you can't tell me where we're going," Tony grumbled a few minutes later. The limo's windows were tinted to impenetrability, and it wasn't Happy driving; Rhodey had hired the vehicle and arranged for the two Stark Industries security men sitting opposite them in the car. Or rather, Tony suspected, Pepper had handled the latter. He'd wondered if she would be displeased at the thought of a Stark-style bachelor party, but she'd taken it in stride, as if it were just another event on his schedule.
"Why spoil the surprise? Be patient, Tony, for once in your life." Rhodey smirked at him and fiddled with his bow tie. He looked good in a tux, but never seemed comfortable wearing one.
"I'm very patient. If it's Las Vegas, you'd better have stocked this thing," Tony retorted, reaching to investigate the bar. Rhodey rolled his eyes.
"That's a four-hour drive, give me a break. We're not even leaving the city."
Tony poured them both vodka and sat back. The destination didn't really worry him; he just couldn't stop thinking about Pepper's party. He didn't know much about bachelorette parties, but if they were anything like the guy side of things, drinking a little didn't quite cover it. The idea of a tipsy Pepper surrounded by inebriated friends and men on the make made him...itch.
I trust her, he told himself. It's everybody else who's the problem.
"Quit worrying. She'll be fine," Rhodey said, and Tony stared at him. His friend snorted. "Oh, stop with the bug eyes. You think I can't tell what you're thinking?"
Tony took refuge in his glass. "I'm not worried."
"Sure you're not. Here." Rhodey poured him another inch of alcohol. "Pepper can take care of herself. You, my friend, need to shape up and consider the freedom you're losing."
Tony took a fresh swallow, starting to smile despite himself. "I'd pay attention if you actually sounded like you were serious."
"Who says I'm not?" But the twinkle in Rhodey's eyes belied his words.
The building that the limo halted in front of had no neon, just a discreetly lit sign proclaiming it the Malibu Gentlemen's Club. Tony whistled as they got out of the limo. "I haven't been here in ages." And the last time had been for business, if he remembered correctly; his tastes in strip clubs usually ran to establishments equally high-end but flashier.
"Yeah, well, I figured you should go out with a bang, huh?" Rhodey clapped him on the shoulder. "But something with taste."
Tony smiled slowly, and adjusted his cuffs with care. It was the perfect venue for the last wild Stark party. "Let's go have fun."
Three hours later, the dim and expensive refuge of the club was a swirl of beautiful, near-naked women and tipsy men, and Tony reflected idly that it was a good thing that Rhodey had booked the entire establishment, because it would have been leave or join in for the other patrons and Tony didn't like party-crashers unless they were him. From where he sat he could see at least three SI board members, various college friends, the VP of marketing, and Happy. The board members had a lady each, except for the third who was flirting with the bartender; Happy was ensconced in an armchair equal to his proportions, with a surprisingly smug look on his face and one stripper on each chair arm; and Rhodey was leading many of the rest of the guests in a conga line around the room, singing not quite in-key with the music blaring over the speakers. Several of the other strippers and waitresses had formed their own line and were dancing in the opposite direction.
Tony made a note to tell his friend later that the electric blue feather boa Rhodey was wearing would go well with his dress uniform, and adjusted the black-and-white one looped around his own neck. His tie had vanished long ago, along with his tuxedo jacket--the place was kept warm for the comfort of its ladies--but the undershirt he was wearing would, he trusted, keep the reactor's glow from showing through.
"Another Scotch, Mr. Stark?" asked the brunette lovely by his side, and Tony smiled at her and took the glass she held out.
"Thanks. Hey, can you see if there are any more of those little quichy things still lying around?"
She smiled back and sauntered off, giving him an excellent view of her backside and what little covered it. Tony sipped his drink and eyed her with detached appreciation; her curves were lush and well-toned, her skin smooth and tanned, and Tony suspected that a discreet whisper in her ear would gain him her phone number and the date of her next night off.
It had happened before, more times than he could count.
The blonde on his other side--short and slim and dressed mostly in very long, very red boots--leaned in close. "Are you sure you don't want to dance?" she breathed, every line of her body an invitation. "You're the birthday boy--exceptions can be made."
To the house rule of no touching the performers, Tony surmised. Her hand played with the feather boa, and on impulse he ducked out of it and wrapped it around her neck, taking care to keep his fingers at least a centimeter from her skin.
"Not yet," he told her. "But if you want to dance, don't let me stop you."
With a smile that would have done Mae West proud, the blonde--he'd already forgotten her stage name--straightened away from his chair and began dancing, performing an impromptu tease with the boa. Tony watched, absorbed, and barely noticed when the brunette returned with a full plate of nibbles. She settled down on the footstool of his chair without visible annoyance, carefully ornamental, and Tony popped a pastry into his mouth and munched, wondering vaguely what Pepper would say if he bought her a half-dozen boas.
Probably make me wear them myself, he admitted, and had to breathe a little deeper at the image of himself wound in feathers and nothing else, Pepper teasing him laughingly just out of reach...
It was when he was in the restroom taking a piss that the fly appeared in the ointment. The appearance of Jack Roberts had to be planned, Tony decided with annoyance; the timing was just too good.
"I thought this was a private party," Tony told the other man when Roberts stepped up to the next urinal. "Did you come in the back way?"
Roberts, who came from generations of money, only smirked at the insult. "Actually, I was invited. Your flyboy friend talked me into it."
Lie, Tony thought. He might have forgotten to mention to Rhodey that he didn't consider Roberts a friend any longer, but if he knew Rhodey, the colonel had sent out a mass e-mail and probably not even asked for RSVPs. "Consider yourself uninvited, then." Tony finished, zipped himself up, and flushed, brushing past Roberts to the sinks. "I don't like you, and I definitely don't like the way you treat Pepper."
Roberts chuckled. "The divine Ms. Potts? She deserves better than you, Stark."
Tony washed up, watching Roberts in the mirror. "That may be true, but I'm the one she picked. Despite your many offers."
The smile dropped from Roberts' face. "How do you think she'd react to video of your little party, Tony? The head of Stark Industries, Iron Man, on the verge of his wedding, immersed in sordid entertainment. That girl dancing for you..." Roberts shook his head exaggeratingly, and stepped away from the urinal. "If Virginia thinks you've changed, she's sadly mistaken."
Video? Oh, come on. Tony snorted and dried his hands. "Again, it's a private party. I can have Security frisk you at the door for anything capable of recording."
Roberts sneered. "You didn't do your research, Stark. I've invested heavily in this club. One word, and they'll give me anything I want." He finished and swung around to face Tony. "Including all the surveillance footage."
Tony stared at Roberts, mind racing. The man wanted Pepper; that had always been his goal. Which meant he wasn't bluffing. Roberts would do exactly what he said, if it would break their engagement and make Tony lose; even if it didn't gain him what he wanted, he would have the pleasure of knowing that Tony didn't have her either.
But a moonlit terrace rose in Tony's mind's eye, and he began to laugh, genuine malicious amusement filling the room and making Roberts' expression shift from threat to confusion.
"Go ahead," Tony told him as soon as he could speak. "Release whatever you've got to the press, I don't care. Stark Industries will sue you into the ground."
"That won't do you any good without your assistant," Roberts hissed, discomfited but apparently not ready to give up.
Tony waved a hand dismissively, still grinning. "Jacky, there's one thing you haven't taken into account." He sobered, and stepped closer, summoning the force that had made him one of the top CEOs in the world long before he'd started designing his own armor. "Pepper. Trusts. Me. And since I've done nothing to betray that trust, she'll laugh you off like the pitiful annoyance you are."
His will was strengthened by the surety that he spoke the truth. Pepper knew exactly where he was and what he was doing, and she trusted him to be faithful to her, and that knowledge made doing so easy. Roberts could threaten, he could do his worst, but he couldn't take Pepper away.
Tony realized he'd backed Roberts into the wall. The taller man was glaring down at him. "Stark--"
"Save it." Tony turned away and walked out the door, ignoring Roberts as beneath his notice.
One of the SI security men was standing outside, waiting for him as unobtrusively as someone of that size could manage. Tony beckoned him closer. "I want Mr. Roberts removed from the premises immediately," he said in a low voice. "Discreetly, please. And then find me."
The man nodded and spoke into his earpiece to summon his compatriot. Tony moved back to the party, where the conga lines had broken up and turned into what appeared to be impromptu lessons in pole dancing, and pulled out his phone.
"Yes, sir?" came Jarvis' voice the moment the connection went through. Tony watched Rhodey and Simon from Microfluidics attempt a basic pole-dance move, and smirked.
"Do you know where Pepper's party is?"
"I do, sir, but I have been--"
"I don't want to know," Tony interrupted. "I'm going to have Security call you, and I want you to tell them."
"Understood," Jarvis replied.
"Good." Tony snapped his phone shut, and reversed it to get a good shot of the two men. You know, Jacky, you're right. You never know when blackmail material may come in handy.
Less than five minutes later the Security man loomed up on Tony's left. "Mr. Roberts has been removed," he murmured.
"Good. You've earned your bonus tonight." Tony beckoned him a bit closer. "Call up Frances and--hmm--Doreen, and have them call my house line for a location. I want eyes on Ms. Potts as soon as possible." The two women were also SI security, and he figured they would be a little less obvious hanging around the edge of a bachelorette party than a couple of guys.
The man nodded, and faded back to the perimeter of the party. Tony grinned, stuck his camera back in his pocket, and vaulted up on stage to show the other two how it was done.
****
By the time the limo rolled up the driveway, Tony was pleasantly drunk. He'd dropped Rhodey home first and let a very unsteady Happy out at his little cottage at the gate, and the driver, clearly used to this sort of assignment, had neither blinked nor flinched at their less-than-tuneful rendition of "The Wanderer", though Tony suspected the man had let out a discreet sigh when the noise level had fallen to silence.
Somewhat to his surprise, the minivan was back. Curious, Tony tipped the limo driver and went inside, stripping off his jacket as he went. "Pepper?"
"In here!" Her call trailed off into giggles, and he followed the sound into the living room.
Pepper was sprawled on the couch, flanked by two women he didn't recognize, all three of them with the silly smiles that bespoke some level of intoxication. The projection window showed a scene from Real Genius, apparently paused when he'd come in.
"Did you have a good time?" Pepper chirped, tilting her head back to look at him, and Tony laughed.
"About as good as you did, it looks like." He unwound his feather boa and draped it over the end of the couch, along with his coat. "Ladies."
"Oh." Pepper sat up, wobbling slightly. "This is Cherie, and this is Sarah." She gestured at each woman in turn. "This is Tony."
They both giggled at the obvious statement, and Tony grinned. "Nice to meet you both."
The woman on Pepper's left--Cherie--sighed, casting a regretful glance at the window projection. "That's our cue, I think." She leaned over to hug Pepper, then rose, waiting until Sarah had finished a similar embrace to tug her to her feet.
"Thank you for the party," Pepper said, sounding like a cheerful five-year-old but not moving to stand. Sarah staggered slightly, but then regained her balance, giggling anew.
"You should get married every week," Cherie said merrily, and all three of them laughed, as if at a private joke. The two women made their way around the end of the couch, heading for the door, but as they came abreast of Tony Sarah stopped, put both hands heavily on his shoulders, and kissed him on the cheek.
"Hottie," she declared, wafting tequila fumes in his direction. Tony was too surprised to react as she stepped unsteadily back.
"Um," he began, only to have Cherie repeat the exercise on his other cheek, her lips lingering a fraction of a second longer.
"Nerd," she added, though her tone sounded approving. Then she released him and strode forward to hook her arm through Sarah's. "Goodnight, all."
"Niiight," Pepper caroled from the couch, and Tony turned to look at her, still bemused; she was waving one long hand, and looked not at all put out by their kisses.
"Uh, should she be driving?" Tony asked, pointing at the disappearing duo. Pepper's farewell turned into a wave of dismissal.
"Oh sure. Cherie doesn't drrrink."
He wheeled around to look after the women, but they were gone; the sound of the front door closing reached his ears. "Are you sure? She sounded like she was high on something."
Pepper craned her head around to look at him. "Sugar," she said. "Lots and lots of sugar."
That made Tony chuckle. The world wasn't spinning, exactly, but it had the warm wavery edges that a good buzz produced. Pepper, however, was a good deal beyond buzzed, if he was any judge. It was fascinating, really; he couldn't recall ever seeing her more than tipsy before.
Gathering up the feather boa, he draped it gently around her neck, then leaned over the sofa to scoop her up into his arms. "You're not going to be sick, are you?"
Pepper managed to snuggle and look indignant at the same time. "I feel fine."
Tony laughed again. "I'm sure you do." He headed for their bedroom, placing his feet carefully, so as not to drop his treasure. "Mind if I take advantage of you in your intoxicated state?"
Pepper smiled against his neck. "I was hoping you would," she purred, and Tony tightened his grip and walked faster.
***********************
When he woke, it was because something was nagging at him. Tony lay still for a while, eyes still closed, trying to recall what was bothering him, but his mouth was fuzzy and his brain tired, and he couldn't quite bring it within reach. It was nicer to remember the night before; Pepper was a sweet drunk, and while their lovemaking hadn't been earthshattering, Tony had enjoyed it thoroughly. She's so adorable when she giggles. And a lot louder when she's sauced.
At least there had been no question that she had enjoyed it too...
That reminds me. Tony cracked one eye, but the space next to him was empty, the head that had lain cradled on his arm gone. Tony opened the other eye, wondering how badly Pepper was hung over.
"Good morning." She didn't sound hung over. Tony looked around to see Pepper coming out of the bathroom in a robe, hair wet and tangled over her shoulders and a glass in her hand. She smiled at him cheerfully. "Do you need some ibuprofen?"
He blinked at her, then sat up. "Nah, I wasn't nearly blitzed enough last night." He took the glass she extended gratefully, however. "Um, what about you?"
"I'm fine." Pepper's grin was innocent, and Tony drank down the juice and gave her a suspicious look.
"Suuure you are. Pepper, you hardly ever drink more than a couple glasses of wine--how the hell are you not hung over?"
She snickered. "Water and B12. And experience. I went through a party phase in college." She sat down on the bed and pulled a comb from her robe pocket, beginning to work out the snarls in her hair.
Tony set the glass aside and took the comb, scooting up behind her and taking over the job. "Really, Ms. Potts? You have a hidden past as a bad girl? I've often suspected as much, but--"
He could practically hear her roll her eyes. "Yes, Mr. Stark, for all of three months. Then I got bored. But--" She sighed happily as he gently teased out a knot. "--I learned a lot, like how to minimize the aftereffects."
Tony had to laugh. Only Pepper would come up with the most efficient way to deal with the consequences. He smoothed back the last strands, and remembered.
"Damn. Okay, in the department of letting you know about developments, something happened last night." Pepper's shoulders stiffened, and Tony cupped them in his palms, gripping reassuringly. "Jack Roberts turned up."
Pepper turned her head to look back at him. "What did he want?"
"To threaten me." Tony grimaced. "Said he had video from the club last night. I don't know if he was planning on slapping it up online or just releasing it to the press, but--"
He recognized the set of Pepper's jaw; it meant cold, implacable anger, and on instinct he dropped his hands. "He wants you, Pepper. He thinks he can make you walk away from me."
Pepper rose in one fluid motion. "Excuse me," she said politely, scooped her cellphone off the dresser, and stalked out of the room, every inch a queen despite the terrycloth and bare feet.
Tony lay back on the bed, gave her twenty seconds to get out of earshot and dial, and spoke quietly. "Jarvis, give me audio on Pepper's phone."
Her voice was sudden in the big room, though Jarvis kept it low. "--care if he's asleep," Pepper was saying icily. "I need to talk to him right now. Yes, give him my name."
There was almost a minute's wait, and Tony closed his eyes and imagined Jack Roberts roused from sleep by a harried secretary or assistant, frowning and trying to focus on the phone held out to him, on the person waiting on the other end.
"Hello?" Roberts' voice was rough with sleep, but he sounded alert enough.
"Mr. Roberts," Pepper said, clear and crisp. "If you so much as think about threatening either Mr. Stark or myself again, in any way, I will see to it that you will never do business again."
An indrawn breath. "Virginia--I don't know what--"
"Don't bother." No hint of temper, just the implacable certainty. "You cheat, Mr. Roberts, and you try to take what doesn't belong to you. Reputation is a very fragile thing and it would take very little to shatter yours."
Tony could sense the outrage on Roberts' end of things, and the growing fear. "Are you threatening me? Because--"
"I am not," Pepper said, cutting him off. "I am simply telling you what will happen if you persist. Obsession can be a dangerous thing, Mr. Roberts. Be sensible."
If it had been him, Tony would have hung up on the man, but Pepper waited. Tony listened to three heavy breaths, and then--
"All right."
It was grudging and furious, but it was capitulation. Tony smiled slowly at the ceiling, eyes still shut. Daaaaamn. Pepper, there is a reason you're the highest-paid PA on the West Coast, and it's not just for putting up with me.
"Very good." Pepper's voice was sweet and cool. "Take care, Mr. Roberts."
She didn't wait for his reply; there was a click, and then silence. Tony rolled off the bed, grabbing his boxers on the way, and went to find her.
Pepper was standing at the end of the hall, staring at the phone still clenched in her hand. Her color was high, which meant she was over the first dangerous fury, and as he approached she blew out a breath and relaxed a trifle.
Tony didn't hesitate to pull her into a hug. "Have I told you lately that you're absolutely amazing?"
Her sigh gusted along his cheek. "I can't believe he'd actually try that."
"You're worth it," Tony told her; she hadn't returned his embrace, but she leaned against him without hesitation. He smirked into her hair. "Does that mean you belong to me?"
She sniffed. "Not the way you're thinking." One hand crept up to touch his implant, tracing its shape with a forefinger. "He tried to steal what we have, Tony. Our trust. I couldn't let him do that."
She looked up, her eyes wide and so open he felt like he could step inside her. "You're not the only one who can defend."
Tony breathed out, and pressed his forehead against hers. "I have never felt so safe in my life," he told her, utterly sincere.
Her curling smile was sweet against his lips.