Hi everyone, here's the next chapter! I hope you like it, please let me know what you think! That would be amazing.

To be completely honest, I've been struggling with this story lately. I've got so many possibilities with the plot and I already know where I want to be going, but there's always one question on my mind. Is it interesting enough? In the first part, we had the threats on Pepper. Getting together and all that. In this one, a roller coaster of another sort. Dealing with being without each other, there will be jealousy of many sorts and some more. But is that enough? I already know that this story won't be as long as 'Only a Job', I think I'll try about 20 chapters in the end. It would be amazing to let me know your thoughts about this story so far, maybe it can help me to get my motivation for writing this back. Because I'm still determined to finish it!

This time, the song is not for the chapter but for how I felt while writing this. 'Every Breaking Wave' by U2.

I don't own the characters or places!

Tony

"I can't find anything!" I muttered angrily and leaned back on the couch. "Nothing! It's like all the servers were wiped clean!" I glared at the laptop in front of me and ran a hand through my hair.

"Or maybe there's simply nothing to find?" Someone else threw in and I turned around just to see Loki entering the room, his eyebrows raised.

"Impossible." I argued. "From what Pepper described and we've seen on the records, there has to be something! Sattler made everything far too easy, that wasn't like him at all."

"Maybe he just thought that there was no use in denying all those threats and attacks. After all, they caught him aiming a gun at Pepper. And he shot you, if you might have forgotten it." Loki said and sat down on the couch next to me. "You shouldn't worry so much, Tony. It's not good for you."

"Well, but someone has to look into those things." I complained.

"Fury's got his own people for that." He said slowly. "It's their job to keep an eye on everything. You should be focusing on other things instead."

"As if Fury's people would find anything on Sattler's servers..." I sighed and closed the laptop. "But fine, if you insist that it's not my job anymore..." Which it wasn't. After all, we weren't responsible for Pepper's security. She had others for that now.

"It isn't." Loki placed a hand on my shoulder. "I know that this is hard for you, but it's better this way." Suddenly, he pointed his finger at me warningly. "If you'll keep looking into this when you think we'll not notice it, you're wrong. We're having an eye on you, Tony." It was obvious how serious he was.

"You also want her to be safe." After all those months, I knew that the others also cared about Pepper's well-being.

"That's true." Loki nodded seriously. "But I trust Fury and his people. And besides, Clint is with them. You know how he is."

I nodded. Clint was one of the best people I'd ever met. It was unlikely that he would miss something when it came to Pepper's safety. Except when he'd be too busy with Phil. Or working at the hospital in Miami.

"I'm worrying too much, right?" I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply.

"Understandable." Loki said simply. "After everything you've been through."

"Those past months have been the best and worst of my life." I tried to let it sound lightly, but when I glanced at him and saw the look on his face, I knew that it didn't work. They were the best months because I'd met the love of my life. The worst because of all the threats on her and the death of my father, which made my past catch up with me after all those years.

"From now on, it will get better." Loki sounded reassuring.

"At the moment, it doesn't feel like that."

"You just discovered that your father showed some kind of regret in the end, which turned your whole world around after everything that happened all those years ago. Then you even decided to take his legacy, or at least change it so it's your own. Pepper had to talk to the man who wanted to end her life for months and who would have nearly succeeded, if not for your fast reflexes." Loki looked at me sternly. "Of course you're feeling overwhelmed now, Tony. But when has this ever stopped you?"

"Maybe I'm just tired after all this." I shrugged.

"Then get some sleep and after that, get on with everything you've planned. It's worth it." When I looked at him closely, I could see a hint of concern in his eyes. Most probably, because it rarely happened that I lost my faith.

With another sigh, I stood up. "Fine. It's late anyway and tomorrow, we've got another appointment with the press. I should go to bed."

"Don't forget that they will start renovating the house in Malibu tomorrow." Loki followed me when I walked to the kitchen. "It won't take too long until you can move in there."

"You only say that because you can't wait to get me out of this flat." I joked, feeling some of the tension leave me. At the moment, Loki, Steve, Rhodey, Bucky and I shared a big flat in LA close to Stark Industries. Obadiah had organised it for us, but we all knew that we wouldn't stay there forever. Most probably, one of the others would keep the apartment while the others searched something for themselves. I wasn't sure who'd get the flat in the end, at the moment there was a battle going on between the others. I just watched it in amusement, glad that I didn't have to compete against them.

"Of course I can't wait." Loki replied with a grin. "I've already got a brilliant plan to get this place all to myself!"

"Why would you even need such a big flat?" Rhodey, who'd already been sitting in the kitchen when we entered, asked with raised eyebrows. "You'll be in New York half the time anyway!"

"Only one week per month." Loki corrected him without hesitation. He wanted to focus on Stark Industries more than all his illusions. However, he also wasn't ready to give them up completely yet.

"Doesn't matter. It would be empty in that time." Rhodey shrugged. "I think I'd be a much better owner."

"Because you could set up two media rooms then?" I threw in and quirked an eyebrow. "You don't even have that much stuff yet."

"But I could get it and that's what counts." Rhodey emphasized with a grin. "You don't have to understand that, Tony."

"I think he understands it pretty well, considering that his house even has its own laboratory." Loki interrupted him. "And a big garage with many cars."

"No need to drag me into all this!" I held up my hands in a defensive gesture. "I'll stay out of this competition. You have to decide who'll keep the flat."

"Which will be obviously me." Rhodey said loudly.

"No way." Suddenly, Bucky was standing in the doorway with crossed arms. There was a serious look on his face. His eyes, however, were shining with mischief. "I'm pretty sure that Steve and I will keep this flat."

"You plan on living together?" Both Rhodey and Loki asked at the same time.

"There's enough space for five. So why not live here with two people?" Steve appeared behind Bucky and together, they entered the kitchen. I began to busy myself with searching for something to eat, not wanting to get into all this.

"I don't think that I could stand living with the two of you forever." Rhodey muttered and soon, they were all lost deep in conversation about the previous year and how being together so much wasn't that bad, after all. Of course Rhodey argued that he'd prefer his own place, but I knew that most of it was just for show. He'd surely stay with the others at least a little longer.

When it became obvious that their conversation wouldn't end any time soon, I grabbed the sandwiches I'd made in the meantime and excused myself. Once the door of my room was closed behind me, I considered calling Pepper once more. However, a glance at the clock told me that it was nearly midnight in Washington, so I let go of that idea quickly. She needed sleep, after all Pepper was already working far too much. Something that also worried me.

For a few moments, I considered grabbing my laptop and doing some more research on everything Sattler said to Pepper. But then I remembered my conversation with Loki and the promise I'd made. So instead of taking the laptop, I turned on the TV. There was a movie about a secret service in London, whose members pretended to be tailors as an official cover. I liked it.

When the movie was over after about two hours, I realized that I'd really needed to get my thoughts away from the mess which was my life at the moment.

"Alright, so we've categorised all the supplies for the reactor now. We have the room where I'll build it. A connection with the power supply system of LA can also be made any time, once we've proven that the technology works – which it will, by the way. There's nothing stopping me from starting to work, right?" I looked around in the small conference room at Stark Industries.

Obadiah shook his head. "Everything should be settled. However, you can't start to work once we're finished here. There's still -"

"The interview with one of LA's most famous talk shows." I interrupted him with a nod. "Didn't forget that."

"They'll ask more than just about your new job." Obadiah said warningly.

"Yeah, I know. You didn't mention that about ten times before." I muttered and rolled my eyes. "It will be fine."

"He also talked to Pepper's team about it." Steve threw in. "To decide how much he can give away."

I nodded gratefully. "See, Obi, nothing can go wrong. Stop worrying." I smiled at him widely and slowly, he relaxed. Even if I knew that he was still concerned about everything.

"So what's the plan for the company then?" Hope van Dyne threw in. "You said you wanted to search positions for your friends."

"My team." I corrected her and she nodded politely. When I saw curious glances from Obadiah and Brian Wilbur, I leaned back in my chair with a grin. "We've been thinking about that in the previous days and we've come to a solution which should work for the first months. Rhodey will help me build the reactor, lots of things will have to be moved, the reactor chamber needs to have a special form, all that stuff."

"I will only do the hard and dirty work, no programming or anything else!" Rhodey threw in quickly when the others looked at him curiously. "I don't understand much about that technology and I doubt that it will ever change."

"Steve will also help us from time to time when it's necessary. However, his main job will be creating new structures in the company. He'll always have an open ear for all the employees. Bucky will deal with the security systems of Stark Industries, considering that we'll also need that. Our technology is brand new and unique, I'm sure there are people interested in stealing it. And Loki will be our... representative, as you could call it. On public occasions which Obadiah and I can't attend."

"I can be very charming if I want to." Loki said with a wink at Hope, who looked quite sceptical.

"He's also very good at selling things to people. Even things they don't need at all." I grinned, remembering a job a few years ago. "It will be easy for him to convince people that our new way of producing clean energy is better than everything else."

"Sounds like a plan." Obadiah said after looking at us thoughtfully for a few moments. "I think that could work."

"It will." I replied simply. After glancing on my clock, I stood up. "I think it's time for me to leave. Otherwise, I'll be late to the interview." After exchanging a few more words with Obadiah, I left the conference room, followed by Loki and Bucky. They'd accompany me to the interview. The others would stay at the company and get used to their new jobs. Or, in Rhodey's case, he would continue planning how to get the flat for himself.

"The next guest who'll join us has been all over the news in the past year. He literally appeared out of nowhere at the side of Ms. Virginia Potts, who's been running for President back then. For a long time, we knew him as Mr. Robert Smith, a politician from LA. However, as you surely all know, that was just a disguise to keep Ms. Potts safe. Please welcome Mr. Tony Stark!"

The crowd cheered when I entered the studio and I walked in with a wide smile on my lips. I even waved at the people in the studio once, making it seem as if they got even louder at my attention. When I sat down next to Alexandra 'Alex' Rose, the host of this show, it slowly turned quiet again.

"It's such a pleasure to have you here, Mr. Stark." She began the conversation.

"Thanks for having me." I replied with a slight smile. "I've been a fan of your show for a long time."

She laughed at this. "Now you're just trying to charm me." Alex shook her head. "But thanks for the compliment. So how does it feel, being back in LA after everything that happened? It must be strange to leave Ms. Potts' side after so long."

"It is." I nodded. "All those changes have come quite unexpectedly."

"Unexpected, but not unwelcome, I suppose?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Let me set one thing straight, Ms. Rose." I looked around seriously. "Never in my life did I plan to take over what was previously known as Crafting Enterprises. I was content where I was when I met Ms. Potts last year." A small smile appeared on my lips when I said her name. "When my father died and I got to know that the company was mine, my surprise was endless."

"But you decided to take over Crafting Enterprises anyway." Alex noted.

"I decided to change everything about that company." I corrected her firmly. "Which is also why it's called Stark Industries now. In fact, Ms. Potts helped me make that decision to take over the company and make my dream come true. Our president is a very smart woman."

"She definitely is." Alex nodded with a smile. "So producing clean energy with this new technology you're inventing is your dream?"

I nodded. "No politics, I'm sorry about that." There were indeed a few disappointed noises in the studio. "Though people say that I would make quite a good politician." At this, I winked at the crowd.

Alex laughed. "You do. But you let it sound like this is over once and for all."

"My strength lies elsewhere." I said simply.

"That shouldn't surprise us, considering that you studied at MIT."

I laughed. "You've done your research quite well."

She shrugged. "It was surprisingly difficult to find out much about you, Mr. Stark."

"I value my privacy." My reply was immediate.

"Dangerous thing to say, considering that you're in a relationship with Ms. Virginia Potts, President of the United States." Luckily, she changed the subject after that. "Tell us more about your new technology for Stark Industries. Until now, you've been very secretive about it."

"Which will stay this way for now." I explained. "We will inform the public about it once it's finished and working."

The disappointment on Alex' face seemed to be real. "Then let's hope that this happens soon."

"Everything's set up and I can start to work as soon as we finish talking."

"Is this an attempt to end this interview, Mr. Stark?" She smiled widely.

I leaned back in my seat and smiled back at her. "Of course not. We could sit here and talk for hours. I bet it would be a lovely conversation."

"I think not everyone would see it like that." Alex said with a laugh. I knew what she meant immediately. That Pepper surely wouldn't be happy about me talking to another woman for such a long time. "Let me ask you another question, Mr. Stark. You already mentioned that everything that happened was a surprise to you. Do you regret leaving Ms. Potts' side? I'm sure you could have stayed in Washington to deal with her security as President."

I thought about it for a few moments. "To be honest, I'd always be by her side. That's where I belong."

"And yet you are here in LA."

"Sometimes, you have to choose between two things. What my heart wants is something different than what's the best thing to do at the moment. Stark Industries needs me. I can't just let down everyone who works there. I'm responsible for them." As always, the truth hit me hard. I tried not to let it show.

"Honest words." Alex muttered. "Your employees are lucky to have a boss like you."

I chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood again. "You say that now. Ask them again in a few months. I'm sure they'll think differently about me then." It worked, now everyone in the studio was laughing.

After that, she only asked me a few more questions about why I'd decided to stop producing weapons and how many changes we were making in the company. Both questions were easy to answer and I felt relieved when the interview was finally over.

"I've seen the interview on TV." Pepper said over the phone. "It was very good."

"Very good as if in 'you handled it well' or 'you made a complete idiot out of yourself'?" I asked, still not sure what to make of this roller coaster of an interview. We'd switched topics so fast, it was still difficult for me to think about everything that's been said. Normally, something like that would have never bothered me. Maybe I'd spent too much time with Pepper's team. For them, everything had to be in perfect order. Even the topics in an interview.

"Good as in you handled it perfectly well." Pepper explained. "You didn't have to praise me so much, though."

"I only said the truth." I replied simply. In my mind, I could imagine how she was blushing now.

"It was about you, Tony. Not me."

"Everything which is about me is also about you." I threw in. "We're a team, after all."

"Did you mean it? When you said that you belong to my side." Her voice was quiet now, sounding insecure.

"With all my heart." I promised. "I love you, Pepper."

"I love you too, Tony."

"Now tell me about your day." I demanded. "How are things going in Washington?"

"Everything's fine. My new assistant will start next week and honestly, we all can't wait for that. There's far too much to do. It's incredible that we still find time to eat and sleep. The request list for me is so long, it will take weeks to deal with everything. You can't imagine what the people want, sometimes it seems to me as if I'm just there to end arguments that have been going on forever."

"You should always focus on the important things." I tried to help her. "Not everything has to be done by you. You have your team for that."

"Everything's important." She argued. "I can't just let Phil or the others deal with everything. That's not how it works."

"But you also can't burn yourself out for work." I couldn't stop myself from sounding worried. "You also have to take time for yourself, Pepper."

"You don't have to worry about me, Tony." She threw in, of course she'd heard how I was feeling. "I'll be fine."

"I miss you." The words were out before I could stop them.

"I miss you too. But we'll see each other again once the reactor is built, remember?"

"Then I'll just have to be quick."

"Take your time." Suddenly, I heard a noise in the background and realised that someone was talking to her. "I've got to leave. I'm sorry, Tony."

"It's fine. I love you, Pep."

"Love you too." She muttered before she ended the call.

I stared at the dark screen of my phone for a few moments, wondering why the feeling to jump on the next plane to Washington was stronger than ever.