Chapter 3! Again, a chapter about Pepper and how she deals with Tony's absence. It's a little short once more, but I wanted to show her side of things in this. After all, we already know what happens to Tony, so there's no need to mention that.

Thanks to everyone who read the last chapters and left a review so far, it makes me happy to see that so many people are interested in this story!

The song to this chapter is 'Life Goes On' by Ed Sheeran.

I don't own the characters or places!

Pepper

Happy brought her home that day much earlier than she'd usually left. After Obadiah finished with his explanations about Tony's situation and what they'd do now, he'd excused both of them for the day. It was obvious that they couldn't continue working like this. Not with Tony's fate hanging over them like that. However, he also didn't want to make Tony's disappearance public. At least not until they had more information on the whole thing.

Pepper only remembered that Brian wanted to meet her at Stark Industries in the afternoon when she was already sitting at home on the couch, not sure what to do with herself. Tony Stark was held captive by terrorists in Afghanistan. She wondered what they were doing to him. How he was. Was he injured? In pain? Was there any chance Rhodey and his team could get him out of there without problems? Or would they indeed need to give them the money so they let him go? And why on earth would they do such a thing and capture Tony in the first place?! It seemed like all her thoughts were circling around that matter and it didn't leave her any peace of mind.

In the end, she couldn't stand it any longer. So she texted Brian, telling him that she wasn't feeling well and waited for him at home since she'd left work earlier. She couldn't write about any of this on the phone. Even if she wanted to, the words wouldn't come. She didn't know how to phrase what happened.

Brian arrived half an hour after she'd texted him. Pepper had heard his footsteps on the stairs even before he entered their flat, his fast step was unmistakable. He looked somewhat disheveled when he stormed into the room, his eyes scanning her in concern. "What's going on? Are you sick? Did something happen? You never leave work earlier!" In any other situation, Pepper would have found his worried rambling adorable, but not now. Instead, she only sighed and asked him to sit down for a moment.

Telling Brian about what happened to Tony was awful. Pepper struggled for words more than once, trying to recall everything that Obadiah had said about the situation. Her memories of the conversation were fogged, as if she hadn't really been there when it happened. The pain in her chest told a completely different story.

When she was finished with her tale, Brian wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He didn't like Tony very much, Pepper knew that, but during the story, even he'd started to look troubled. "Everything will be alright." He whispered while he stroked her back carefully. "They'll get him out of there, I'm sure of it."

"But what if they don't?" She asked quietly and when Brian didn't answer her question, she knew that everything would change then. Most probably, Obadiah would get the company, so she wouldn't lose her job. But next to that? She couldn't picture working for Stark Industries without the whirlwind that Tony was at work. He could be annoying as hell, but somehow, Pepper didn't mind that. She would never say it out loud, but she even enjoyed his company at times.

They decided not to go to dinner that evening, but to try out the restaurant another day. Instead, Brian cooked them Pepper's favourite meal and afterwards, they snuggled together on the couch to watch a movie. Nothing serious, just some romantic comedy she forgot about very soon. Pepper wasn't even sure if she could recall the plot. While watching, her thoughts always drifted back to Tony.

She could call Rhodey, ask how things were. Maybe they already knew something that could help them to locate Tony. But Obadiah was already in contact with him, so most probably, it would only distract her friend. He had more important things to do at the moment than to listen to Pepper's worries. Saving his best friend, for example.

So she tried to be patient and wait for Tony's return. That first night, she kept lying awake in bed, not able to get any sleep. Next to her, Brian was snoring quietly, one of his arms wrapped around her waist tightly, but it did nothing to reassure her. She couldn't forget the look on Tony's face the last time she'd seen him. That slight smile on his lips, amusement in his eyes. What did they talk about? Pepper was't so sure anymore. But it also didn't matter. Not if he'd never come back so they could have an argument about it at some point.

She'd been surprised that she couldn't cry. That she'd taken everything about Tony's disappearance with such calmness. It had scared herself! But there, in the middle of the night, the tears finally came. Pepper cried for the boss who wasn't there. For the friend who was in trouble. For the man who surely also was in pain. She felt like she'd lost something. Something she didn't even know that made her life much more exciting. Which made everything seem sharper, brighter, in some way. Something that made her feel more alive.

Next to her, Brian kept sleeping peacefully. And Pepper cried, trying not to make any sound that might wake her boyfriend.

The next morning, she got up as usual and went to work. Brian insisted that she should stay at home, but Pepper would have none of it. It was her job to be at SI, after all. No matter if Tony was there or not. Surely, there was enough to do. Especially if Obadiah decided to make Tony's disappearance public. It was only a matter of time until he had to do that. They couldn't keep it secret forever.

From that moment on, the days seemed to pass in a blur. Two days passed without any news from Tony. Then three. A week. After one and a half, she announced that she wouldn't accompany Brian to Seattle to his sister's birthday. He didn't understand why she wanted to stay in Los Angeles so badly. After all, they were just gone for one weekend and surely, his sister and all their friends could distract her. She'd been waiting for the trip for so long and had looked forward to it, so why not join him there? It had led to an argument and in the end, Brian announced that if she wouldn't go, he'd also stay at home and miss the birthday party. He couldn't let Pepper alone in such a troubling time, after all.

She wasn't sure if she should be glad about his company or if she should have insisted on him going anyway. By now, the fact that Tony Stark had been kidnapped was all over the news, so their friends and family already knew about Pepper's situation. No one had asked her about it yet (surely Brian's doing) and she wasn't too unhappy about it.

The only people she talked about it with were Happy and Obadiah. And Rhodey, who'd called her twice ever since Tony disappeared. Brian also asked lots of questions, but somehow, it didn't feel right to discuss everything with him. He didn't know Tony. He didn't even like him that much.

On his sister's birthday, Brian sat in front of his laptop. They'd decided that since he couldn't join them, they'd call him via Skype. It was a happy reunion with lots of laughter, but Pepper didn't stay with them for long. She only said hi and offered congratulations before escaping to the bedroom. It didn't feel right to laugh in such a situation, she thought. Not with Tony still missing.

The days seemed to get longer the more time passed. At work, there wasn't much to do anymore. Most of the time, Pepper sat in her office together with Happy and they tried to look busy, not sure what to do with themselves. Obadiah was very busy, but he never stayed with them for long. Running the company in Tony's name took all his time.

It was nearly three weeks after Tony's kidnapping when Pepper's phone rang one night. She'd stopped muting it, not wanting to miss any important news. When the familiar sound echoed through the bedroom, Pepper was wide awake in an instant. Next to her, Brian groaned unhappily, but she'd already reached for the phone.

"Pepper, we found him." Rhodey's voice announced without a greeting. "We've found him, he's alright and we'll bring him home."

This time, she cried out of happiness.