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The Killer

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Pepper was truly impatient. How can you live in a place full of secrets and restricted zones? How can any normal person live with superheroes? Well, normal wasn't a word applied to the CEO of Stark Industries after fifteen years living around Tony Stark – being Iron Man for the last five. Still, sometimes it sucked.

"JARVIS…?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Potts. The Romanogers floor is still closed for visit."

She couldn't help but laugh, "Do they know you call their place that?"

"I don't think so, ma'am. This was Master's most recent update, when he used the media nicknames as inspiration to rename a few places on the Tower, including yours as…"

"Pepperony, I know. Tony is impossible, isn't he? I still can't change it?"

"Unfortunately no override is possible when he uses his master code."

At her office, the blonde tried to concentrate on business without much success.

The last days have been beyond chaotic. One day they were announcing their engagement, and the next the Avengers were leaving for an emergency mission. The one good thing was that Natasha asked Pepper to take care of Sneg and they kept each other company. But after a few days, the team arrived with terrible news – Steve and Natasha were injured on a mission, and Tony asked her to hire Betty Ross as a consultant at Stark Industries. That was the only thing that the civilian population of the Tower were allowed to know since everything was top secret. Except that, under a lot of stress, Bruce revealed that Natasha was in a coma, and Tony said that Steve was freaking out not getting any sleep – neither of the geniuses were truly built for the secrecy of a spy's life. Always a quick thinker under pressure, Pepper recommended them to use the dog to help Steve rest.

Finally, visibly more relaxed, Tony brought Sneg back, announcing that the couple was okay, before collapsing exhausted into their bed.

All that was yesterday, and Pepper couldn't wait anymore when JARVIS finally announced, "Agent Romanoff is calling."

The blonde was already on the elevator with Sneg by her side, "Tell her I'm on my way."

Natasha was waiting on her floor, with no sign of injury – the CEO was beyond relieved, "How can you come out of a coma looking like that?" The two women hugged and Pepper continued, "I was so scared, Nat. Tony wouldn't let me see you."

"I know, Pep. I'm sorry we got you worried." With 105 lbs, the six-month-old giant puppy was too heavy to be picked up, so the spy knelt down hugging him while he licked her face happily. "Hi, baby, I missed you so much." The redhead looked grateful, "Thanks for taking care of them," pointing her head to the bedroom where Steve was resting. "Bruce said that they were lost without you."

"I thought that Steve wouldn't be comfortable being vulnerable in front of his team, but he would trust Sneg to watch over you." The blonde smiled coyly, "Men are all the same, aren't they?" They laughed and the CEO continued, "How are you two, really?"

"I'm okay. He will be too, in a couple of days." They walked towards the living room, sitting on the large couch – Sneg quickly jumped onto the spy's lap, who held him close, "It's so good to be home."

There was uneasiness in Natasha that hadn't gone unnoticed by Pepper. "But?"

"But…" Pausing for what seemed an eternity, the redhead sighed, "Steve… he is…", before continuing, looking truly embarrassed, "How can I say it…? Too loving?"

The blonde smiles tenderly empathizing completely. She knew how stressed her always private friend must have been to confess something so personal. "Ah, I know how this is. Tony was like this after the Mandarin incident. Couldn't stay away from me for a second. It was suffocating."

"Exactly." The spy sounded completely discouraged, "How long you think it will last?"

"Well… months?" The CEO couldn't help but smile, "I'm joking. Steve isn't messed up like Tony, I hope." She spoke softly, "After all, I'm gonna need my maid-of-honor."

At that moment, she saw Natasha shrinking down, hugging Sneg close, "Pep… I don't know if this is a good idea."

"What? What are you talking about?" Pepper tried to understand the source of conflict. "Don't worry, I selected the wedding coordinator already…"

But the spy sounded very serious, "I'm not the right person for this…"

"Don't be silly. You're my best friend."

Looking completely shocked with that statement, the redhead asked immediately, "Why me?"

A sudden understanding came to the blonde, "You're exactly like Tony, aren't you? So smart about everything but yourself."

It took Natasha a few seconds to react, "I'm nothing like Tony!"

"Of course you are. Except for the ego part, I give you that. Otherwise, you are both annoyingly smart, always thinking a thousand steps ahead, but hiding behind your masks when it comes to anything personal."

The spy never looked so young, "I don't… have a mask."

Pepper wasn't talking about the Black Widow. "A physical one? You don't need it. You have the best one, my dear. It took me a while to understand it." The older woman smiled kindly, "You blind everybody with this pretty face of yours, keeping them oblivious to what was inside, don't you?"

"I'm a spy. We use whatever keeps us ahead of the opposition." The redhead's voice came out sadly somber, "I'm not a good person."

"That's what's bothering you, right? Okay. Let me tell why I think you are." The CEO started, "You first got my attention because you didn't sleep with Tony. I'm serious."

Natasha narrowed her eyes, "I was working."

"Yeah, everybody else was working too, Nat." Pepper voice turned melancholic, "But every single person who approached me during the past years, was only interested in him. He slept with all the women around, well, the hot ones, obviously." Pausing, she smiled sincerely, "Except from you. You two flirted, yes, but you kept him at a distance – you weren't available." Thinking about it, the blonde realized it was good to share all of this with her friend, "He respected you too, do you know that?"

Visibly embarrassed, Natasha smirked, "He hated me."

"He feared you because you outsmarted him, when you hacked the system to free Rhodey's armor before JARVIS. Tony values intelligence above all, but, for me, the important was that you saved his life."

Four years ago, the Black Widow was the one who crushed Justin Hammer's guards and hacked Ivan Vanko's system in time to reboot War Machine's armor, "You got your best friend back". Together, Tony and Rhodey defeated Whiplash.

"I heard you talking to him. You act tough, but deep inside you care, and that's when I started to realize how similar you two are." Pepper explained for the redhead disbelief, "Don't you see? That's why you are always bickering at each other."

Natasha rolled her eyes, "Tony's the genius, no doubt. But he doesn't have all the answers."

"Exactly. It's funny because, in different occasions, you and Steve ended up beating JARVIS. And for Tony that was unthinkable!" The CEO winked, "You know how he is with his machines."

"JARVIS is not a machine."

"See? Tony says exactly the same thing!"

Laughing, they both got to relax for a while, but then the spy replied looking uncomfortable, "I'm sorry I'm your only option."

The blonde sighed, feeling sorry for the redhead's heavy burden – like Tony, Natasha kept everyone at distance, acting as if she didn't deserve to be loved, probably the result of having been raised without a family. "You got it wrong, Nat. The third and most important reason? You treated me as an equal – you never judged me or underestimated me because I'm not a superhero like you all."

"I'm not a hero, much less super."

"Of course you are. Not having their powers make you twice as brave. That's the point. You're fearless, you don't need anyone. But you counted me as an ally in this crazy testosterone filled environment we live in. You trusted me."

Smiling shyly, Natasha tried, "I've always admired how you deal with this madness that is Tony's life. I couldn't do it. To keep Tony in line is an achievement itself."

Pepper laughed pleased, "Believe me, I know it."

"You never feared me. You trusted me first." The spy paused, as if looking for the right things to say until a shadow fell over her, "I don't have friends for a reason, Pep. I'm a killer."

Pepper's pulse rocketed, her hands trembled and tears fell from her face, "I… I killed… Aldrich Killian." Natasha touched her arm tentatively, and the CEO continued between tears, "I could never say it… out loud. My therapist will be proud." The dog started to whine uncomfortable and she hugged him, relishing in his comforting presence, "I'm fine, Sneg. Is he adorable or what?" The two friends exchange half smiles and the blonde spoke in a calmer mood, "I've never talked about this. It's been a year."

"I'm here whenever you need me."

"I know. But the truth is that I've been thinking about you, since the beginning, and you helped me, without even knowing."

"Because of my job?"

"No, Nat. Because of how you deal with it. Despite all the bad things in your life – and I know I can't even imagine half of it – you are here, doing good, saving lives. Living, loving, being loved. You are the example I'm following, and I have even more respect for you now. I couldn't ask for a better friend." Natasha seemed perplex, and Pepper hugged her close, saying, "Do you understand it now?"

The redhead's voice was a murmur, "I don't know what to say."

"I know you're not used to friends. I mean normal ones, so Clint doesn't count." Both laughed and the blonde said tenderly, "That's what makes you special to me. You are my first option, Nat, and I was really scared of losing you."

With tears in her own eyes Pepper saw a single teardrop roll down Natasha's face, imagining how hard all these emotions must be for the spy. Absolutely distressed, Sneg started to lick her face, and the two friends let the laughter fade away the tears.

At that moment Steve appeared at the bedroom door wearing a black robe, pale sick looking. "Hi, Pepper."

The blonde had never seen him looking anything less than perfect, "Oh my God, Steve. What they did to you?" She hurried to hug him.

He smiled shyly, "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"You guys wanna have lunch with us? Can you call Tony?" Natasha invited.

"Thanks, but I need to check on him. He has been hibernating since yesterday. We'll take a rain check as soon as you get better, right, Captain?" Pepper kissed his cheek.

"Yes, ma'am."

The two women hugged each other.

"It's a date, Pep. Thanks again, for everything."

The dog came wagging his tail, asking for attention and Pepper knelt down, "Bye, Sneg. Thanks for taking care of aunt Pep."

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(Next: Chris Crush, Chapter 18 The Iceman – To be posted soon)

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Ref: Movies: Iron Man 2 & 3

Ref: Comics: Black Widow (2004) #2 "Right to a Life (Part 2)" – [Natasha] I'm a spy. (…) You use whatever keeps you ahead of the opposition.

Author's note: Many thanks to my dearest friend unique applepie!