So. I woke up this morning at 6 to get ready for school and-I'm sick! Like, stomach, fever, etc. So. After sleeping for almost six more hours I decided it was fanfiction time. :D

FIRST OFF: I'm not a big fan of Pepper in the Iron Man comics. So, none of this will make sense if you're trying to fit it into the comic's stories. It won't work. I don't like Pepper and Happy together. Sorry. I just don't. Now. Things you have to assume before you read this: The first one is that Pepper is almost 35 in the second Iron Man movie. The second is that she began working for Stark Industries as soon as she graduated from college. The third is that, like she said in the second movie, she'd been working for Tony for 10 years.

Tony Stark didn't fall in love very often. In fact, he only believed he'd actually only been in love once. And that was back in 1990 when he was in college. But that's a different story. For Tony, falling in love wasn't something that just happened, like love at first sight. It had to go through certain steps. The steps were different for every girl, so it's not like Tony could decide 'I'm going to fall in love with this girl today by following the steps.' But if he didn't follow the steps, it simply didn't work for him. And these steps took time—something Tony didn't have a lot of. But when he really did fall in love, he fell hard.

Step 7: Husband—Wife

Last time:

He smiled nervously. "All I want to say is I love you, Pepper. I have for a while now and… I just wanted to tell you, since I haven't yet and… Well, I have, but I was either drunk, kidding, or teasing. And I wanted you to know I mean it. I love you, Virginia Potts. I love you. Not maybe, not tomorrow, not someday. Right now, at this very moment. I've realized something; I need you, I trust you, I admire you, I want you. And we can be wrong most of the time, and we can fight and be mad at each other, but nothing, nothing in this world can change the fact that I love you."

Pepper grinned. Yeah, he was right. He had told her he loved her many many times. But this time it truly was different. "I love you too, Anthony Stark."

"But that's not the important thing I wanted to tell you." Tony said quickly, "I know I already got you the dress, the shoes, got your hair done, got your nails done, and took you out to dinner, but I got you another birthday present. It's not completely for you though; it's kind of for me too. I mean, this all was kind of for me too but this one more so than the others."

Tony took a deep calming breath, lowered himself to his knee, reached into his back pocket, and pulled out a black velvet box. He opened it and inside was a small silver ring. "I know this probably seems rushed because we've only been dating for two months, but we've known each other for thirteen years and you've been my best friend for at least ten of those and I know that I really love you and despite how many women I've been with there's no one in the world who makes me feel the way you do. And I know we argue and I know we fight and I know we hate each other sometimes but we've been through it all together for ten years now, Pep, and if you think this is too rushed then you can say no, no hard feelings but..."

He took another breath. "Virginia Potts, Pepper, will you marry me?"

Then the cameras went off.

Pepper hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath since he'd reached into his back pocket until he'd finished speaking. Everything was silent for a few moments while everything was analyzed in her head. Apparently she was analyzing it too long because Tony spoke up.

"It's okay if you don't' want to yet. I mean, it's perfectly fine. Forget this happened. We can ke—"

He didn't have time to evaluate what was going on. All he knew was that he was suddenly flat on his back with Pepper Potts—his former assistant, his best friend, his girlfriend—on top of him, kissing him. When she pulled away they both sat up, still sitting on the floor of the restaurant.

Pepper started laughing. "I'm sorry. I don't know what got in to me. I just… You were… It's not like… I didn't want you to think my silence meant no, because it doesn't. Tony you never pour your heart out like that and I was… I was touched, I guess. Stunned, though. I didn't know what to say. And of course I'll marry you."

Tony grinned at her and leaned over to kiss her one more time. "I love you Pepper."

Pepper grinned back. "I love you Tony." Neither of them had ever felt happier in their lives. As they were leaving the restaurant Pepper spoke up. "So, what pictures do you think will be in the tabloids tomorrow? Me kissing you across the table, you proposing, or me on top of you kissing you on the restaurant floor?"

Tony laughed. "Probably all three. With some of us shopping at the boutique and us at the salon included."

Sure enough, there were two whole pages dedicated to Tony and Pepper's date titled 'Pepper's Birthday Surprise' subtitled 'Tony Stark, more commonly known as Iron Man, takes his former assistant out for her birthday. Not only did the multibillionaire treat her to a new dress, new shoes, a spa trip, and a date with the man that many women would faint at the chance to meet, but Virginia 'Pepper' Potts also got an unexpected diamond ring.'

The next six months were full of working at Stark, planning the wedding, Iron Man saving the world, and more wedding plans. After more stress than either of them would have ever welcomed, the day was there. The wedding was a huge affair but, thanks to Pepper's careful planning, everything went okay. It took place outside the Stark mansion—the only place big enough to have sitting room for almost nine hundred people.

But-only two hundred of them were actually invited. Pepper was a bit stressed about so many extra people, but Tony (who had been expecting something like this) just shrugged it off and told her that everything would work out okay. And he was, as annoyingly always, right. So what if the reporters had to stand and it was a bit crowded?

The wedding party was small—especially considering how many guests they had. As his best man Tony had Rhody and his groomsman was Happy. All the men were wearing tuxes. Pepper's maid of honor was Rachel who still worked in the EM and her bridesmaid was Natasha. The girls were wearing dark blue knee length strapless dresses with a white bow around their waist. They carried white roses.

Pepper was wearing a strapless floor length off-white dress that was layered at the skirt. Her hair was down and curly—the same as the night Tony proposed. She was carrying nine white roses with three dyed blue mixed in the bunch. She giggled slightly when she saw the look on Tony's face, but was humbled when she realized it mirrored her own.

The wedding went quickly. They did the vows, the 'I do's,' and walked back down the aisle. The reception was in the house so they had to show their invitation to get in. Of course, some of the press snuck in but that was okay because Tony and Pepper were too happy to care. Finally (FINALLY!) it was time to board the plane that would take them to Venice for their honeymoon. As they climbed on Tony's private jet a memory flashed through Pepper's head.

"We could have been in Venice! "

"Oh please!"

She giggled as they sat down on the plane. "What?" he asked.

Pepper smiled, but then it quickly turned in to a frown and she hit him. "I can't believe you took so long to tell me you were dying."

"I was going to tell you! You wouldn't let me! Pepper. We've already been through this." Tony whined. Pepper laughed as Tony pulled her into his lap.

Pepper turned in his head and whispered in his ear, "I know. About three hundred times. But Tony?" she asked, "I love you."

Tony wrapped his arms tighter around her. "I love you."