_ …creeps tentatively back onto … heyo again… sowwy I've been so long… errr… yeah… *runs*

Pepper comforted him so perfectly - he could feel the truth and the care in those words. His mind still trailed around… he remembered, when he was researching Anton Vanko... Howard had trusted him, and then Anton had dealt under the table, had been a spy… in the seconds he'd learnt this, he felt his stomach shift uncomfortably - a bitter jolt of remembrance; It was so similar to Obadiah.

Tony had zoned out again, processing and thinking over what they'd said, and Pepper's words of comfort. He continued to think… past the Vanko's… he thought of his father. How, despite years of abuse, pain, being told he's not good enough, beatings, being ignored, being… alone…

He forced his eyes closed as he felt them burn into tears, tears he didn't want to show. He wasn't supposed to cry, he told himself, and he effectively didn't, but after all he'd been through… to be told he was his father's best creation… he abruptly had to swallow, and in doing so wedge the information to the back of his mind. Pepper didn't need to know this. He'd told her everything, so easily… but wouldn't she want to know about how his father treated him? He was exhausted - the both were, from the emotional tension and stress… he wanted to build his mask back up, but he couldn't then allow it to tear down again, to tell her anything else… so maybe letting her know now, would be easiest, as he was in so deeply.

He didn't want to feel so vulnerable. He kept himself distanced. He felt so close to just, to just wanting to be cradled by her, comforted whole heartedly, as though he were a child… but it was so out of character, a longing of care he'd been forced to repress at an early age.

Even so, he resisted, simply turning ahead of him, and looking down to the floor. He nudged his hand onto hers to show his acknowledgement of her last, beautiful words, and to show he thanked her, but to tell her, to spill his whole, dark childhood… he needed just that little bit more reassurance. He shouldn't wallow, he scalded, - so many others have experienced worse… but he knew no different - to have experienced both lives would have put it into more perspective, but as it stood, he could only compare his emotions with those of normality, and he felt he was set a world apart from normal.

He felt utterly, emotionally broken. He wanted comfort, but he couldn't quite, not yet. Pepper's comfort was so tempting, making him want to just… to just shatter, and build himself up again, as if to properly put back together a piece of china, rather than hastily patch it up until it was lost forever.

''Tony…' she said softly, seeing he was so physically and emotionally tense, - so ready to just let go of his resistance.

''Tony, I love you, I will always be here for you. You are all I have, all I need, all I want. Tony - it's ok. I will never betray you… I love you''

She felt soppy, but it was all deeply true. Her words were enough. As much as he tried to help himself, he couldn't stay so tense, so literally and mentally rigid and taught with emotion for any longer. She knew what was coming, and she caught him as he turned to her, comforting him, as he trembled and sobbed into her shoulder. This was more than the hugs they'd exchanged throughout the emotional evening, more than the crying Pepper had done, and more than the bits of emotion he hadn't managed to suppress throughout the talk.

This was an utter breakdown, but somehow made him feel so much more relaxed. For once feeling at one with her, trusting her enough to know she didn't mind or judge him for his outburst, and that he didn't need to reprimand himself for getting so disturbed over ''nothing'' (as he would usually have classified it.) - the collective sadness and matter of his entire life was now somewhat openly shown. He did cry. He sobbed. He shook. He'd admit that. No real thoughts went through his mind, he just knew this pit of sorrow, the layers he'd suppressed, had to tumble out, he had to clear his mind.

Pepper was there for him during this outbreak - she understood, and felt relieved he was finally pouring out the pent up emotion. He didn't need to, nor worry about having to be tough - he was a child again, needing comfort, needing to know he was cared about. As she willingly comforted him and ran her hand through his hair, there was no-one else in the room, it was a safe void of care, love and understanding. He felt himself relax, and tension and knots of sorrow freed themselves in sobs. Tony was safe. He was loved.

So, this was inspired by a dream I had. The first in ages. Well, not accurately inspired, more the emotional side - I had this really fanfiction-y dream where:

I was so tense with pent up emotion, and just needed someone to make me feel secure enough so that I could literally release all tension and break down and sob and let them comfort me…

Surprisingly though, I don't actually feel that emotionally distraught XD well… yay for random dream / nightmares _

Its understandable though, if people feel like that, so hopefully Tony's very emotional behaviour can be understood :) Sorry for another short chapter v_v

If anyone feels like I even deserve, after so long without updating, to have a review, then I thank you very, very much as they are very much appreciated ^^ :D

Thanks! ~ True Shapeshifter