Pepper glanced sideways in the window as she left the bathroom, noticing her reflection and re-setting her expression to the usual one, calm, collected and level-headed, despite how she felt inside. Nobody in the building noticed anything different about the strawberry blonde as she put one foot in front of the other, treading the very familiar path out of Stark Tower. The afternoon could be completely rescheduled; she needed to talk to her boyfriend. Even though she knew he wouldn't hear her, just the prospect of telling him made her stomach settle a little.

Absently, she place her hand protectively over her stomach, feeling for the bump she knew was developing there. It made sense for her to be pregnant; it explained the moods but didn't explain the pains. They were probably normal, it wasn't as if pregnancy was something she really talked about with her girlfriends, or something her sisters ever told her about, or something she'd been particularly interested in. Only now was the thought of it even crossing her mind. Finally she'd reached the reception, so lost in her thoughts that she didn't noticed the man she walked straight into. Luckily he'd grabbed her and pulled her back to her feet before she'd even had chance to hit the floor: "You alright, Red?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine, sorry…" She blushed, her hands automatically pressing against her stomach again to check the bump when she realised who was standing in front of her, his hand on her shoulder. Since his arrival 9 years ago, Harold 'Happy' Hogan and her had been working in close proximity, so much so that Stark used to joke the two of them might as well be married without the sex. He was the only person in Stark Industries she could never keep a secret from, probably because they knew each other inside out for all the hours spent together. Pepper noticed where his gaze had fallen to before she had chance to pull her hands away: "Period pains…" She muttered, running her hands down and straightening her dress, trying to make it look absent minded

If he'd realised she was lying he didn't say anything, nodding and stepping back from her: "Where you going somewhere? I thought your meetings were all here today?"

"I was looking for you." It was partially true; she reasoned to herself, yanking her handbag back up onto her shoulder and asking him to take her would save her attempting to find a taxi driver that wouldn't ask questions. She'd been that distracted with stopping him from asking questions she hadn't noticed what had slipped from the bag, landing on the floor: "Could you take me to the hospital? I need to talk to someone."

He nodded, since Tony had been admitted Pepper had been asking him to take her more and more, the visits were almost daily, even when the hospital hadn't called her with news. Before he could actually answer she'd turned on her heel, walking off and expecting her to follow. He was struggling to watch her do this to herself; surely she knew it wasn't going to work? But you can't just stop loving someone; he of all people knew that too well. Sighing Happy went to follow her, almost standing on the thing on the floor beneath him, in one movement he'd bent down and grabbed it.

As soon as it was in his hands he'd realised exactly what it was, and in seconds the pieces seemed to fit together. It was positive; his boss was demanding to see her partner in the middle of a workday, and her instinctual reaction earlier.

Someone might as well have just broken his heart in into a million pieces.

"Are you coming or not?" Her words brought him back to his senses as she glanced back at him, her lips set in their usual scowl. Somehow they'd made their way out of the building and down to the car park without his realising, part of him was tempted to give her back the device in his hand, but her even possibly thinking he knew would probably be the worst thing he could do to her. Pepper needed a friend right now, not someone who was rather annoyed (and still madly in love with her) for ending up pregnant with Antony Stark's child.

"Yep, Sorry, New interns." He waved his hand behind him, knowing the words would make her smile as he shoved the device in his back pocket. Pepper did, uncrossing her arms as they fell into step, aiming for one of the smaller company cars hidden at the back of the parking lot, the less attention she could attract the better, every other visit had been invaded by reporters.

"Again?" The ginger teased, glancing up at him: "Think any of them will notice you this time? Or will I have to set up more dates?" It had become a habit of hers to try and find him a girlfriend, especially after she'd started dating Stark seriously. He just shrugged, opening the car door for her and letting her sit down.

The journey, in both of their opinions seemed to take longer than usual, the banter was normal, and it made Pepper relax a little, almost forgetting that she'd wrapped her arm across her stomach again. He was struggling to keep his eyes off her and on the road, joining in the conversation to stop her thinking there was anything wrong. It was old territory, a discussion they'd had many times before.

Finally they pulled up outside the hospital, only to be surrounded by the usual group of reporters and cameras.

"You alright? I could come with you?" He suggested when he noticed her expression and how pale she'd become.

"I can deal with it; I'll be back in an hour…" Pepper muttered, grabbing her bag and smiling at him as she pushed the door open, parting the crowd easily. The reporters seemed scarier than usual as she vanished into the hospital, the staff here were that used to seeing her that they never even asked, just passed her a visitor's card without any trouble, letting her make her own way through the whitewashed corridors. Almost on cue the pains started again, burning her stomach as she forced herself to keep walking, it was as if the pains knew exactly what she was about to do, and how much it hurt. The past half an hour had been a distraction, meaning that she didn't have to think about the words she was about to have to say to her boyfriend.

Forcing back the sickness that was welling in her stomach she pushed the door open, casting her gaze towards the figure on the bed. There, perfectly preserved with his hair tidy, arms by his sides and a completely relaxed expression on his face, was her Tony Stark, the cause of all this heartache. Letting the heavy door swing shut behind her she crossed the room, perching on the edge of the bed where she usually sat, gazing down at him. He looked at peace with the world, calm and quiet and content, he didn't even look like this when he was asleep in her arms.

Dropping her bag on the floor she gently placed her hand over the dim light of the arc reactor that was still embedded in his chest, avoiding the wires in his wrists and steadying herself, leaning up to brush the loose hairs from his forehead. Pepper had to tell him, she couldn't keep this secret.

Even though she was slowly starting to accept that he couldn't hear her.

"I…." Gently she rested her hand on his cheek, gazing down at his closed eyes: "I'm pregnant… and it's yours, of course." Her laugh was nervous, airy and forced but she had to keep going: "I know we never talked about children… but… well, it's a bit too late." She took his other hand in her own and pressed it against her stomach, despite the limpness in his wrist and how cold it felt: "Now you'll have to come back to me…." There were tears on her cheeks as she carried on speaking, forcing herself to carry on: "…Come on Tony, I can't do this alone, we can't do this alone…" Her words had merged into the tears and it was all a mess, pouring down her face and onto his cold hand still pressed against her: "You always swore you'd be a better father than yours was…"

Pepper bent down and pressed her forehead on his, her tears dripping down onto his dead cheeks: "Please Tony…. Please." She forced her lips over his, some small part of her praying it would work, like all those stupid fairy tales when he woke up for her kisses.

It didn't work, of course it didn't.

The words disappeared as she wept, nuzzled into his shoulder as for the first time she let her feelings go, it all her, the world hurt, everything was going wrong and she couldn't stop it happening. Hiccupping as she pulled away, Pepper placed both hands on his face, one on each cheek: "I love you, just wake up, please? I don't wanna be a mommy on my own."

The tears were useless, the sensible part of her brain was kicking back in, forcing her to pull away and stand up, tearing her gaze from his face. He hadn't responded, there had been nothing, no matter how much she cried he didn't even blink. Fighting back anger and frustration she turned on her heel, marching away from his sleeping form.