Fall Out

Epilogue: Fall In

Disclaimer: I own nothing…

Author Notes: At first this story started out as something completely different and then my imagination decided to take some interesting twists and turns with it. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. And now on with the official ending.

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Slowly her eyes opened, it was difficult it felt like they had been glued shut, like she had forgotten to wash off her mascara again. The world greeted her in a dim blur and then slowly shapes, colors and a face began to come into focus, the face with closed eyes, sleeping, "Tony…" Her voice cracked just a little, her throat was dry, she needed a drink. Slowly she reached towards the cup of water but managed to knock it to the floor, a sound of frustration leaving her lips.

The sound of the plastic cup caused Tony to jump and wake startled from the sleep he had unwilling fell into, "Pepper are you… you're awake." Before he could stop himself his arms were around her, his lips on her cheek, his face buried into her hair and then she stiffened and he remembered, "Sorry… I…"

"It's okay. It doesn't hurt that bad." She managed a small smile, "My throat feels worse actually."

"Oh. Right. One second." He smiled and poured her another glass of ice water from the pitcher the nurse had left, "There you go."

She took a careful sip and sighed in relief as the cool water eased the scratchy burn in her throat as she swallowed, "Thank—" The look she was getting from him stopped her mid sentence, he looked like he was about to cry, he looked like he did the night she almost quit on him the first time, the night when she had found him trying to get out of the suit, "It's going to be okay Tony."

"No. It's not… it never will be." He sighed, running his hands through his hair quickly and frustrated, "I almost lost you. I let my guard down; I shouldn't have turned my back on that psycho." He stood from the chair, kicking it across the floor, " There was so much blood…" His voice cracked and he quickly turned his back to her, and took a deep breath to regain his composure, "He almost killed you." His tone went flat.

"But he didn't. I'll just have a scar in the middle of my shoulder. That's it." She stood slowly, yanking the wires from her body as she did so.

"But if he had… what would I do?" He allowed himself to turn now, to face her and frown, "Get back in that bed Miss Potts."

"No. Not until I make sure you're okay." Slowly, gingerly she wraps her arms around him, her right shoulder making the action difficult, but she manages and places her head against his chest, to the right of the reactor.

"I'll be fine. I always am." He tried to smile, to make his voice sound light and joking. He almost succeeded, instead he gave in and let his arms snake around her, careful of her injury, "You are right you know."

She blinked and slowly lifted her head, "About?"

"I never would be able to last a day without you." He kissed her slowly, tenderly as if she could break in his arms if he wasn't careful, "Now back to bed."

The kiss was great, what she needed, "Okay." She didn't put up much protest, her entire arm was starting to throb now, and lucky for her the nurses had noted the beeping of the machines she was no longer connected to and had barged in.

"Miss Potts, you're awake. But you need to get back into bed, really. You need your rest."

"I know. I think I also need some of your wonderful pain killers too. My entire arm is throbbing." Slowly with Tony's help, Pepper managed to get back into the hospital bed with some element of grace and dignity in the silly gown. She smiled sleepily as the drugs began to feed into her via the i.v. that had been reconnected. The last thing she saw before her eyes closed was Tony settling himself into the chair next to her, and began channel surfing. The last thing she felt was his hand warmly on hers.

Hours later she awoke slowly, this time she knew where she was, she didn't like it, but she knew it was where she needed to be. Soft, almost hushed voices from the hall alerted her that Tony was still there and currently speaking with the doctor, the words "she can go home in three days" made her smile. She never did like hospitals.

And then she noted her left hand felt a little heavier than usual. Blinking curiously, Pepper slowly lifted her left hand and stared at the delicate ring that graced her ring finger.

"It was my Mother's."

The voice startled her, even though she knew it well, she said nothing but continued to stare at it turning her hand slightly back and forth to admire it better and watch the dim lighting of the hospital room glint off the oddly modest diamond in the center.

"Apparently we Stark men have a thing for women with petite hands." Tony settled on the bed beside her and brushed a lock of copper from her face, "I don't want an answer now. For starters you're still hooked up with Demerol so I'm not sure I'd trust the answer either way. Just wear the ring and think about it." He kissed her, this time not a gently as before and then slowly pulled back almost wishing he could somehow go further the idea of one of the nurses walking in appealing to him, "Take your time."

Still she says nothing, she smiles and blushes slightly at the glint in his eyes; she knows it all too well now, "Anthony Stark." She says in a chiding manner.

He attempts to look innocent, "Yes Virginia Potts?" And he fails miserably with a smirk as he leans into kiss her again, this time his hand finding its way between her and the mattress, touching the bare skin of her back.

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Fin.