With both Pepper and Tony gone that didn't leave much for Lennon to do. Yes, she had noticed that her life was revolving around them a bit more, but she didn't realize just how much until they weren't there, leaving her with nothing to do.
She still wasn't allowed to leave the building yet either. Apparently Jarvis' orders were to keep her in the building until either Tony or Pepper got back, and she was getting pretty Damn tired of being trapped.
So without Tony or Pepper there to give her any direction she decided that she would go down and check out her old office. Tony didn't advertise her job, so it was currently unfilled, he had told her that they would manage.b
She didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Because to her, it made it sound like her job wasn't that important, and when she asked him, he quickly diverted the question.
Lennon was now currently standing in the elevator, alone, waiting to stop on the floor that held the Human Resource Department.
Her skirt couldn't have been any smoother. The last couple of levels before were spent wiping out any wrinkles that may have been left by Jarvis. And yes, Jarvis. Apparently Tony had him press all his clothes.
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened, allowing Lennon to exit. She had barely stepped outside the elevator when all eyes in the office had turned towards her.
It was understandable, she had only been in the office once since Tony had made her Pepper's assistant. Or well, Pepper's very far future, replacement.
Putting one foot in front of the other, she held her head high and walked through the room. She could hear all the whispers, but she chose to ignore them. The rumors that they had surely come up with were something she could live without hearing.
Her office was still the exact same, except for the few items that she had taken with her to the top of the tower. Lennon wasn't even in her office for five minutes, when there was a knock on her door.
She had left it open to allow her to see people coming, but was too preoccupied with looking through the hundreds of emails she had to see someone coming.
It was a woman from the office. Her name was Susan, and Lennon had probably only spoken to her a handful of times the whole time she had worked for Stark Industries.
She sat back from the desk and motioned for her to come in. The young woman quickly walked in and didn't even wait for the offer before plopping herself down in the chair on the other side of the desk.
It was a little forward, given that most people wait for an offer. However, Lennon chose to ignore it and plastered on a smile, she could feel how forced it was. "Can I help you with something?"
Susan scooted forward in her seat and put her elbows on Lennon's desk. She felt her hands clench and sighed, she knew from there this wasn't going to be an enjoyable conversation.
"I just wanted to know what it is like." Lennon knew what she was talking about, but chose to play dumb and asked her anyway. She had actually hoped that she would give up, but of course, she didn't. "What it's like working with Tony Stark?"
Another sigh left Lennon's mouth and she sat up straight in her chair, looking Susan in the eye. "I don't work with Mr. Stark." Susan's face fell a little, but she pushed on. "I work with Ms. Potts, and Mr. Stark is my employer. Just like you."
Her tone was very professional, but she could feel the irritation building up, along with a headache. She really didn't like unprofessionalism.
Sure, she had lied, she worked an unfortunate amount of time with Tony, and he was quite annoying most of it.
"Is that all?" Her tone was still professional, but there was now a tightness that she was sure the woman couldn't have missed.
Susan didn't even move from her position and what she could only describe as a sly grin crossed the woman's face. "I had actually heard of something I wanted to ask you." Lennon really didn't want to hear whatever it was she had to say, but she continued before she could stop her. "I heard that Mr. Stark was leaving Ms. Potts for you, that's why you're staying at his place and she is gone."
Lennon had expected to hear something ridiculous come out of Susan's mouth, but that was just way too out of line, and even more ridiculous she had thought.
If course the office was going to spread rumors about her, but those were just ridiculous and uncalled for. And how did she even know that she was staying there, that Pepper was gone?
The fake smile she was trying to hold was long gone, and she was surely glaring at the woman across from her now. Lennon stood up from the chair and walked over to the door, pulling it open even further.
A shocked expression was on Susan's face but Lennon ignored it. The woman still hadn't moved so Lennon rolled her eyes. "This conversation is over, I don't know who told you such outlandish lies, but this is not the appropriate time to be discussing such things."
Susan quickly stood up from the chair and rushed over to her. "I am so sorry Miss Williams, I didn't mean any offense. I didn't mean to make you sound like a home wrecker."
Lennon scoffed and shook her head at the woman. Susan's mouth dropped open and she covered her mouth with her hand. "I think it's time you leave my office Susan."
Susan just nodded her head and rushed out of the room as fast as she could. Groaning, Lennon closed her door this time and went back over to her desk.
She began going through the emails again, but it was hard for her to focus. She couldn't believe that those were the sort of rumors that were going through the office.
Lennon couldn't even stop herself from thinking about it. So what better thing to do than get more information. She sighed, stood up from the desk, and crossed the room before throwing the door open. "Anita!"
Ten seconds was all it took for the woman to come bustling across the room and into her office. Lennon shut the door behind her and crossed to sit back down at her desk.
Anita stood in front of her and waited for her to speak. "Please sit down Anita." She motioned to the chair and the older woman slowly lowered herself into it. That was what a polite person would do, and she allowed a real smile to cross her face. "I have a few questions to ask you, if that's okay."
Anita quickly nodded and placed her hands in her lap, "Of course Miss Williams." She smiled at her and crossed her legs.
She looked tired, Lennon noticed. Which was to be expected, she was getting older. "Well firstly I would like to discuss the rumors that are going around, I assume you know of which I'm speaking of."
Anita's smile dropped and her shoulders even drooped, "Yes Miss Williams. I do."
Lennon gave her a smile and say forward in her desk. "What information can you give me?" Anita's face contorted into a look of confusion, "As to how these rumors started."
"Oh." The older woman let out a sigh and Lennon noticed her hands clench slightly. "I really try not to listen to the gossip these people talk about, but this mornings was a little hard not to."
"And what was this mornings?" Lennon urged the woman to continue.
An uncomfortable look came over Anita's face, but she sighed anyway. "It was said that Ms. Potts had left a couple nights ago." She paused and Lennon nodded, well that part was true. "They said that she left, and that you moved in."
Lennon's eyes rolled before she could stop herself. Of course, it wasn't anything different from what Susan said, but it coming from Anita made it that much more real. "Do you know who started this rumor?"
The uncomfortable look came back and Lennon waited patiently. "It was the security." Of course it was, they were the only ones still here when all of that happened. "I don't believe them."
Anita was looking Lennon straight in the face, and she knew she was telling the truth. She let a large smile cross her face, "Thank you Anita."
"Is that everything Miss Williams?" She nodded and the older woman stood up and started walking to the door. She paused at the door and turned back. "I've missed you around here Miss Williams."
The smile on Lennon's face widened and she gave a slight nod. "I missed you too Anita." The older woman grinned and slipped out of the office, going back into the busy room outside.
Flopping back in the office chair Lennon let out a loud groan before picking up the phone. She quickly dialed Stark's number, and he picked up after the third ring. "Hey Kiddo."
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me kiddo?" The tightness in her voice was definitely still present. Understandable from the bits of gossip she was just filled in on.
Tony could be heard humming into the phone. "Probably another two hundred and thirty seven times, then I should get it." Rolling her eyes she leaned back and kicked her feet up on the desk. "There something you need? Kinda saving the world here, you know."
A scoff left the woman's mouth, "Yeah sure." She cleared her throat and thought of how she would approach the subject. "There's rumors going around H.R." Just dive right in.
"What kind of rumors?" He sounded distracted and Lennon could sense that she barely had his attention.
"Apparently I'm a major home wrecker." Her voice was so right at this point, trying to keep in her anger that it hurt. Tony was silent on his end. "Well?"
"Home wrecker." The tone in his voice was thoughtful. "And who are you home wrecking?" There was some movement and talking could be heard in the background. "Yeah just a minute." He said to someone else.
"You and Pepper."
It was silent for another moment before a, "Huh." Lennon let out a loud groan in anger so Tony continued, "Who's the starter of these rumors, and how did they come up with that?"
"It came from your security." A small chuckle came from the man, "It's not funny Tony. Everyone's definitely thinking I'm not legit now."
"Well you are legit." He paused. "And Pepper and I know you're legit."
"I know Tony, but I still don't want people thinking that I'm breaking up you and Pepper." Lennon was now messing with her hair, and she knew it had to be a mess.
An over exaggerated groan was heard from the man. "Well then fire all security then, start new."
"I don't want them all fired!" Lennon screeched into the line.
"Well what do you want me to do?" Tony was definitely exasperated by now, the woman was driving him crazy with her ridiculous problems. "Handle it however you want to handle it, you're in charge right now."
"Tony!" She sighed and calmed herself down. "I'm not going to fire anyone, I guess everything will get resolved once you and Pepper are back."
"Sure." He didn't sound too sure but that was Tony for you, the sarcastic ass who is of no help. "Wanna hear how my time has been with this ultra band of misfits?"
"Sure Tony." She didn't really, but she had the feeling that he needed to let things out.
"So first, I caught the maniac, and then he was stolen." Lennon let out a little screech, questioning what he had said, but he just shushed her. "We caught him, again. And he is contained."
"You could have left all the rest out, I didn't need the details." She paused and thought about it. "So what's going to happen with him? Jail or whatever they do wherever he's from?"
"Eh, we've still got to get something back from him before he can get locked away."
Lennon's brows furrowed together and she began to tap her foot. "Why haven't you taken it yet?"
She could hear a humorless chuckle come from him, "If I could have just taken it from him I would be home already." There was a shout from the other side of the phone before Tony hollered back. "Yes Star Spangled Banner, I'm almost done." He lowered his voice and spoke to her again. "We better wrap this up, The Cap is about to blow a tube."
Lennon couldn't help but laugh, Tony was always managing to bother someone, she was just glad that it wasn't her this time. "Well you seem pretty busy, I better let you go."
A loud groan came from the other line and she heard Tony yell something at someone, but it was muffled. "Yeah, yeah, I'll talk to you later kiddo." And the line went dead. There was just silence, and she waited, for what, she didn't know. But she felt alone.
"Yes, Pepper. He's fine." Lennon sighed as she laid back on the bed in the guestroom. She had thought maybe Tony would give up and allow her to leave, but it was still a no go.
This was the same conversation she had been having with Pepper for the last half hour. Apparently Tony hadn't contacted her at all, leaving her with absolutely no knowledge of what was going on. So Lennon filled her in on the very little bit she knew, and from what she knew, he was alive and well.
"I just hate this." Lennon could practically see the older woman pacing on the other side of the phone. "He knows I don't like it when he doesn't give me updates. So they caught the guy?"
"Yes Pepper, they caught him." She told the woman for the third time. She obviously was losing it, and that ladies and gents, is why she chose to be single. Well that, and she has no life outside of work.
"Well, the meetings are going well, I will be back tomorrow." Lennon let a smile come to her face, she could hear the panic still, but she was beginning to calm down. "How are you holding up? No one's giving you trouble?"
"No, everything's good here." The whole rumor fiasco was something that she decided Pepper didn't need to hear, especially since she was choosing to do nothing about it, "I would like to be able to see some of my friends though."
"Dean could come see you there." Pepper told her and she groaned. She was trying to get Pepper to let her out, but that wasn't going to happen. "I'm sorry Len, if I could get Tony to listen to me. I would."
Lennon knew that, but it was worth a shot. "Thanks."
"Miss Williams." The voice rang out above her, so she looked up at the ceiling and waited. "Your pizza has arrived, it is in the lobby."
"Thank you Jarvis." Lennon stood up and stretched her hands above her head. "My food is here Pepper, I got to go." She could sense the woman going to say something, so she continued. "Tony is fine, go sit by the pool, relax. Everything is fine Pep."
Lennon stopped at the door and waited for Pepper to respond. "Thank you Lennon, for everything."
"No problem, I'll talk to you later." Before she could say anything else, Lennon ended the call and tossed her phone to the bed. She then turned back and pried the door open, making her way into the main room.
There she grabbed her clutch off the end table and got into the elevator. It was a pretty long trip down to the main level, and it seemed even more long with her stomach growling in hunger.
She hardly waited for the doors to open before she squeezed out of the elevator and marched right passed the security. She may not do anything about the rumors, but that didn't mean she was going to just forgive and forget.
The teenaged delivery boy was waiting at the front desk, next to the night time security manager. "Good evening Miss Williams." The man said with a large smile as she walked the distance between them. "I assume that this pizza is for you."
"It is Raoul." She told The man with a smile, just because she was mad at some security, didn't mean she was mad at all. Especially Raoul, he was such a sweet heart. "Would you like a slice? I can't eat it all myself."
"Oh, no thank you Miss Williams. I wouldn't dare take food from you." The easy grin slid into his face and she couldn't help but give one back.
"How much?" She asked the boy as she opened her clutch and dug around. The boy didn't seem in a hurry from the way he was gazing around the room. Most people weren't allowed in without a badge, so she could understand. "Cool huh?"
The boy instantly snapped out of it and his face became red as he looked down at the receipt. "It'll be fourteen fifty three."
She woman laughed and pulled out a twenty, handing it over to the flustered teenager. "Go ahead and keep the change." He handed her The box along with . little bag and gave her a large smile, and with his face still red he quickly walked out of the building.
She gave another small laugh before turning back to Raoul. "How's your evening Raoul?" Popping the lid open she grabbed a large slice and began eating right there.
The man watched her as she took a bite, "No complaints, pretty quiet evening here at the tower." He continued to eye her as she took another bite.
Swallowing the large bite she grinned, "Well that's good." She pulled out a few napkins from the bag and put them on the counter next to Raoul. "I know you said no, but I insist." Grabbing a couple slices of pizza she placed them on the napkin.
"Thank you Miss Williams." The man said as he pulled the slices over to himself. "I had actually forgotten to pack my dinner tonight."
Smiling at the man Lennon closed the lid before picking up the box, "No problem, you're actually helping me out." She held the box in one arm and picked up the bag with the other. "Have a good evening Raoul."
"You as well, Miss Williams." When she stepped into the elevator and looked back Raoul was already digging into his food. The security guard next to the elevator tried smiling at Lennon, but she turned away and chose to ignore him.
Lennon waited until she was back in the guest room before she had another slice. She put everything on the bed and climbed up to the head of the bed, pulling everything with her.
She had just pulled out another slice when she noticed her phone flashing, signaling that she had missed a call.
Reaching back down to the door of the bed she picked it up and checked the screen, it was Dean. "Of course." So she pressed the call back and put the phone between her ear and shoulder and continued eating. "What do you want?"
She didn't even wait for him to say anything before her question came spewing out. "Jesus, I just miss you." He said back to her with a scoff. "But I can see that the feeling is not mutual."
Lennon put down her slice of pizza and leaned back against the wall. "I'm sorry, I have no reason to be pissed at you." A few moments passed in which he chose to be silent for once. "And I do miss you too."
"There we go!" He exclaimed with a laugh. "That's all I wanted to hear you say." With a roll of her eyes Lennon picked up her pizza and started eating again. "When am I going to see you?"
"As soon as Tony gets back and let's me off house arrest." It wasn't technically house arrest, but it sure felt like it, especially since she couldn't even step outside of the building. She decided then, that she was going to take a couple days off when he got back. "Let's go somewhere this weekend, a trip."
"Where to my sweet?" That had gotten his attention. She could just see him sitting up and waiting for her answer. She really did miss him.
"I don't know, but out of the city." She sighed and picked up the box of pizza before placing it on the bedside table. She then pulled back the blankets and slid in. "I just want to get away."
His chuckle went through the phone and she smiled. "Whatever you want to do Len, I'm down." Lennon smiled to herself and snuggled deeper into the bed. "So tell me about Tony Stark's amazing living space."
Lennon let out another laugh and proceeded to tell him all about it, and even went on to tell him some things about Pepper and Tony. She really hadn't been able to spend as much time with him as she usally did, and she was worried that it was taking a roll on their friendship.
But after that conversation, and their plans for the weekend made, she knew that nothing would come between them. And she was incredibly grateful for such an amazing friend.