A/N: Hmm...I've realized after several updates that my promise of updating weekly is slowly slipping or rather, dramatically stretching to two weeks, three weeks or sometimes even as far as a month. I honestly am sorry for updating so late all the time and I'm quite aware I've lost a few readers because of this. I sincerely apologize but at the same time I thank all those loyal readers who still grudgingly follow and put up with my extended updates! Thanks again!

She awoke that morning to the familiar sensation of his hand rubbing circles on her swollen stomach and instead of making her woken presence known she kept still and instead enjoyed his ministrations for the next few minutes. She knew exactly what would happen should she let him know she was awake. He would start with greeting her, kissing her gently before becoming heavily engrossed with keeping her in the bed for the next hour before even contemplating whether they should get up. She knew how easy it was for him to let time slip past him whenever she was concerned. But something about the way he touched her seemed a trifle different this morning. She knew it from the touch of his hand and the way he breathed unevenly beside her. He seemed tense and at a loss of reality but rather thinking deeply about work or she was sure, something Ironman related. She always knew the changes in his mood and how effectively they changed the way he touched her.

She had contemplated telling him a few times but resulted in keeping such thoughts from him as bothering him with such menial details seemed a waste of their precious time spent together. Not that they had much time between them, Stark Industries and his Ironman responsibilities. It seemed that as time passed, days quickened and weeks became almost like minutes slipping past her unnoticed until Natalie reminded her of such eventful events. Today was one of them.

She hummed lowly and shifted slightly so that her hands were able to capture his. She intertwined their fingers and brought his hand to her lips and kissed them gently. He seemed to loosen in her hold and she smiled inwardly at her ability to make him forget whatever it was he was thinking about with such a simple gestures.

"Everything okay?" she murmured softly, not bothering to open her eyes as she felt him tighten his hold around her. She felt his chest pressed up against her back and she revelled in his warmth on this particularly chilly morning.

"Fury left a message," he said simply.

She sighed and blinked her eyes open as she thought blankly, 'I should have known.' But instead of questioning him further as she normally did she kept quiet this time and stared out the window. She noticed that Jarvis had bothered to darken the windows slightly but without much requirement. The sky was greyed, cloudy almost as if crying tears for such a day as today.

"I suppose it was inevitable," he said finally after several moments of silence.

"I was expecting it," she answered softly, "Given the history of today."

"Stay away from the city today," he murmured softly as he pressed a kiss at her bare neck. "Okay?"

"Tony-" she started but he interrupted.

"Please?" his tone was pressed and his voice mumbled from between her hair.

"Okay," she sighed, knowing she would get nowhere with arguing with him about this matter. But as an afterthought she added softly, "We'll be okay."

"I know," he whispered softly as he flattened his palm against her swollen stomach. "But after everything I've seen…after everything I've done…I just can't help but worry, you know."

"We'll stay home," she murmured to him, "I'm pretty sure Jared will like that anyway. You know how much fun he has hacking with Jarvis on Sundays…"

"What will you do?"

She smiled as she shifted around till she faced him. "Watch a movie, or watch Jared hack. It's not as boring as I make it out to be you know. It's actually quite interesting to watch your six year old son type a bunch of nonsensical code hacking and every so often wave his hair around so that he looks almost like the splitting image of his father."

"Ah…well, what can I say?"

"Like father like son?" she mumbled with an amused tone.

He chuckled before his laughter died away and his open grin faltered into a warm, cherishing smile. "What would I ever do without you, Pep?" he murmured softly to her.

"Be completely and utterly lost?" she tried.

"Nah, I'd be nothing," he whispered and paused for a moment before he murmured, "Feels like only yesterday that this," he motioned to her swollen stomach, "was Jared."

She smiled warmly. "I know."

"Mr Stark, Fury is on line one. He says you're requested to be at base in approximately an hour," Jarvis noted in an indifferent tone.

"Did you request for time extension?" he asked his eyes barely left hers as he instructed Jarvis.

"I followed protocol but Fury rejected your time extension. He said it's urgent."

"Alright," he sighed lowly this time, "Let him know I'm on my way."

He looked at her wearily and opened his mouth as if to say something.

"We'll be okay," she said simply. "I promise."

"You better," he muttered with a sheepish smile, "I can't sleep well without my cuddly pregnant wife to snuggle up with at tonight."

"Uh huh…your snuggly wife won't be so snuggly soon when she squeezes your hand until oblivion."

"It's okay," he grinned as he slipped from the bed. "I've got the Ironman gauntlet ready to go."

She rolled her eyes at him as he threw her a grin.

"I love you, Pepper."

"I love you too. Be safe."

"I always am."