Finally it seemed to be working, deep breaths and her eyes closed tight whilst she settled her mind. Tonight she had to do a speech. It was common practice at these events, for Pepper to stand there and thank everyone, explain about why they were having another gala and convince them all to donate copious amounts of money to the charity before the end of the night. Originally the job had been originally intended for Tony, but she couldn't recall a single year when he had done it. During her very first public appearance as his PA years ago, she'd discovered him too drunk on whiskey to stand up straight and half-forced him to let her, rushing to save the company's reputation before he climbed up there and started singing about how hedgehogs can never be buggered at all.

She couldn't help the slight smile pulling at her lips as they turned another corner, the almost fond memory calming her down for a moment, ignoring the pains in her abdomen for the millionth time. She could do this; there was nothing Virginia Potts couldn't do.
...

Bruce Banner prided himself on one thing in particular, the ability to keep the green monster inside him, inside him. Over many years he'd learnt to stop at least minor things triggering him, like the specially adapted SHIELD hospital bay electronically exploding. Staying on the floor however was a very good idea, laying there in silence and listening to every creak of the building, the raindrops on the roof and the wind humming through the rafters. Despite the fact the place stank of gas and burning it was almost peaceful for a moment or two. This entire plan, all the methods and equipment had been created by Tony Stark for use on him and him only. Up until yesterday they'd lain dormant in a cupboard, useless and uninteresting and untested. Stark had always been very instant that you couldn't test them on anyone but him, and since he was the only one with a reactor and he wasn't dead, Banner would just have to trust him when he said they would work.

Shifting just enough to roll over onto his back Bruce started to concentrate on the ceiling above him, calming his breathing with every meditation technique he knew. Closing his eyes slowly he started to count, counting down the numbers in his head from where Tony had told him to start from. If the countdown reached 42 then it hadn't worked.

Could Doctor Pym, himself and their associates in Wakanda actually have managed find a way to re-start the Arc Reactor Technology? They'd only finished off what Tony himself had started, and nobody knew how the geniuses mind worked at the best of times. The only woman that had ever come close had been too busy crying herself to sleep every night to help. Pepper had no idea how much they'd been fighting to save his life for her, and the rest of the world. His attempt at calling her earlier had been futile and pointless, and probably made his own worry worse. Agent Hill had promised to call to, but he'd heard nothing from her, and nothing from anyone else at SHIELD.

Did Virginia have any idea what was going on?

…..

Taking the microphone she was handed, Pepper smiled, sweeping across the stage in her white ball-gown, it was one of those moments when Tony would have joked she looked like an angel off to threaten him to death. The crowd was the usual sea of expectant, almost sympathetic faces as she finally caught the eye of Tony's bodyguard from across the room and the American captain flanking him. Her hands were shaking despite herself as she held the device to her lips, nodding in acknowledgement at the thumbs up she was given by both men as Rhodey stepped up beside her, taking over the position behind her that Tony had been holding for the past few years, his hand on her shoulder as she started to speak. The speech was something she never struggled to do; the words were almost the same as every other year.

Pepper was about half way through the speech when suddenly the words turned to liquid in her mouth, collapsing back down her throat and blocking it as her body suddenly started to scream internally, as if the bump was trying to claw its way out. Violently, disgustingly hot pain was pouring down between her legs, bleeding red into the strands of white silk keeping her together.

….

The noises were faint, cutting into the slow, methodical counting that was going on in his head. The bleeping noises were so soft they could have almost been coming from a mouse. Dr Banner had to stop himself from getting too excited. The sudden rush at the thought this grand plan had worked was rekindling a dead hope from before the room collapsed.

That noise could only mean one thing.

It was an improvement on the flat line that had been echoing around the room for weeks on end.

Scrambling up from the floor Bruce cleared the floor in three movement, shoving debris and dust off the monitors to check them.

For the first time, there was a pulse. Faint and broken but it was definitely a heartbeat .The reactor started to burn with bright blue power, swelling from the centre of his chest. Tony had warned him this would happen. The reactor was rebooting itself, burning up as Anthony Stark's body stared to kick back into gear.

…...

Pepper screamed.

For the first time since this mess had started she was screaming vocally, the noises tearing through the room as her knees finally gave out.

Her three protectors moved as one, the crowds parting in horror at the sight of the blood destroying her dress and her reputation. The CEO of Stark Industries was on her knees and screaming blue murder, her arms wrapped around her stomach as the bump started to claw at her again, ripping her heart to shreds again as the pains tore her apart. Rhodey was on his knees in front of her, reaching to grip her hands, her shoulders, only to find them slapped back as she tried to move, her face contorted in pain.

"Pepper...Pepper look at me." Happy had cleared the way faster than Steve, overpowering his best friends protest and taking her in his grip, picking her up in one movement despite the stains and her screaming. The ballroom was clear of terrified people, the bosses and men that judged her and her company had run at the sight.

"W-where's Tony...?" She asked nobody in particular, tears and pain etched into every line on her face, grabbing her stomach as the monster tore at her again, tearing thought her gut from the inside out.

"He's not here... He's...He's gone..." The answer came from somewhere above her head as she dug her nails into the growth in her body, desperately tearing at it. The thing that had been destroying her life was trying to force its way out of her. And he wasn't there to stop it.

She couldn't do this anymore.

Suddenly her vision turned red, swimming in blood and fire and pure pain.

Pepper Potts fell limp in Happy Hogan's arms without another word.

…..

Bruce had his hand shading his eyes just as the reactor glare reached its peak; bright light flashing through the room for a split second before a very groggy noise broke thought the silence in the room.

A noise that fell from the open mouth of Anthony Edward Stark.