Of course he finds out. He is a genius after all. Well, it does take him some time though. He gets out of the car once they reach, bumping the door closed with his hip. Poor Happy, he doesn't know how he's supposed to tell Tony that his girlfriend's probably halfway to Florida, or some other godforsaken place. He smiles weakly at the other man, and follows after him as he booms greetings to his AI.
''Pepperr?'', Tony drawls out. He's very, very loud. Pepper probably heard him from wherever she is.
'' Pepper? Honey? Pepper, are you deaf?'' He calls out again. He then turns to Happy. ''Happy, call Pepper's cell, she's probably at a meet she's just dying for me to disrupt.'' Happy hesitates, then sighs .''She's not at a meeting.''he admits.
Tony gives him a look, like the confession wasn't really a confession and it does not shock him.''Well then, where is she?'' When Happy stutters, his eyebrows rise higher in question.''Hap, you know how much I cherish our off-the-clock games, even when they're not off-the-clock, but twenty one questions isn't really my forte, so would you tell me where my girlfriend has gone gollywogging?''
''I don't think that's the correct use of the-''
''Happy.'' His tone holds a warning. Then Happy says something that sounds alarmingly like airport, and then some.
''What?''
''Okay, okay! I tried. I'm sorry, she left.'' He finally blurts out.
The look of sheer confusion on Tony's face makes him want to laugh, but now is so not the time for a guffaw.''She said somethin' about you two needing to be away from each other, I don't know, most of it was some kind of nonsense-''
''Happy, leave.''
''I tried to stop her boss, I really-''
''Leave.'' Tony was shaking now, the anger clearly evident. He was one word away from blowing up. The former boxer skulked away and slid into the drivers seat of the car.
''Jarvis?'' he looks up, which s hard, because his eyes hurt. His heart hurts.''You too?'' He sounds so broken.
''I'm very sorry sir, but Ms Potts overrode my code and made me promise. It is saved as classified information.''
He thinks that if he'd been here an hour earlier, he could have apologized, ad maybe it would have been okay. But he's wrong. Its too broken to be fixed just yet.
He lifts his head up with snarling determination.''Fine, cancel all flghts to the, uh, classified place.''
He technically didn't override her information. The information is still classified. But it doesn't matter, as he gets into the Audi and speeds towards LAX. She's not getting away that easy.
Pepper thinks that she's repeated her self five times now, maybe six. But the airport security won't let her through. Why? Because Mr. Stark has given the pilots a weeks off, and apparently Mr Starks authority trumps CEO Potts's authority. Just great. Love really is a losing battle. Because Pepper is a people pleaser, she angles her suitcase towards the exit, and tells the staff that she'll be back by the end of the week , when she sees it. Tony, with a panic stricken look on his face. He has the keys to the Audi, her Audi, held tightly in his palm. Wordlessly, she tries to roll past him with her suitcase, only passing him a small smile, a large part of her hoping he hasn't seen the note. But then there's no other reason he would be here.
He follows after her, trying to avoid her suitcase swerving on its wheels.
''Really?Really?'' He asks.
''It's not working Tony. We need a break.''She sighs, shoulders sagging.
''And you think the best way to go about this situation is to leave? You know I wouldn't even last a day.''
''I-''
''Nice try, Potts, but next time don't leave a sappy note and then expect me not to come after you.''
''What do you want from me? Impersonal is better.'' She argues, because it is.
''Not in this case.'' He shouts, running a hand through his tousled hair. His eyes are bracketed by lines of pain, both physical and emotional.
Pepper flinches, because she could argue that he's wrong, but he's right. This time atleast. This situation.
''Please, Tony, let me just…just leave.''
''No. No way in hell. I know all my …companionships have been shots in the dark, but this , this is – it actually means something to me.''
And it does. He may have been called many things, but a liar is not one of them.
They both stare at each other, eyes challenging in a visual duel.
I'm leaving.
No.
Yes.
No.
Its temporary.
No.
It's the best thing for us right now.
Ding. Potts for the win.
Pepper blinks, bringing them out of the trance. It was a given that she was going to win. After all, when can Tony ever put up points that make sense. The only way he could possibly convince her of anything would be the look. The look is something the don't discuss. A terribly dangerous weapon of his. Now would be simultaneously the worst and the best time to use it.
She makes a beeline for the car before he makes a beeline for her. Tony jumps ahead of her, trying to catch her eyes. She knows what he's trying to do. He tries very hard to make it look subtle, but he practices in front of the mirror everyday, and who does he think he's fooling with the bedroom door wide open?
Then it happens. He gazes through those unbelievably long dark eyelashes, with molten eyes. She finds herself, unfortunately being drawn to it.
She closes her eyes. ''No.'' She breathes.
''I'm going home. I'm going next week and I'll be back in a month or two. Dave from accounting can handle the desk work, and Jarvis can handle my emails. Will that be all?''
She says it briskly, forcing on an aura of calm. Tony can't argue with her on such a valid point.
''That will be all, Miss Potts.'' He says, and kisses her. It's a kiss that says everything he can't put into words.
''Don't go MIA on me.'' He says painfully. She nods between his palms and he lets go.
''You behave yourself.'' Pepper chides playfully.
He gives her that molten look again.
''I'll do anything for this Pepper.''
Promise drips from his words. She leans in and opens her mouth at his ear. ''Call yourself a cab Smarty Pants, because that's my car you've got there.'' She whispers.
He laughs.
She laughs.
She drives away.
He stares.
Maybe everything will be okay. He thinks. Then it starts to rain. Well of all the damn clichés in this world.