Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

Author: Thanks to those who read and especially to those who reviewed! One review struck me in particular. I realized I'd never tried my hand at writing Pepper, so thank you reviewer. I hope this satisfies you. Plus I really needed a break from the heavy stuff.

Pepper stood at the countertop leafing through a magazine half-heartedly as a mug of white tea steamed beside her. She waited.

Across the room Tony was on a conference call with Fury and several high-ranking US officials. She looked up and smiled amusedly as Tony caught her glance and rolled his eyes. It was rare for him to be so quiet, but he didn't want to prolong the call. She didn't know how much time they had before Steve, Bruce and Clint came back from their Shield debriefing.

"Ok, yep. Sounds good. I'll be there on Monday. Yep, with bells on."

He hung up the phone and tossed his earpiece on the nearest couch.

"Hungry?"

"Sure. I can make us some crepes."

"Miss Potts, that's practically un-American of you."

"Oui Monsieur."

"For shame." He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. She looked so free with her strawberry blonde hair unpinned and casually dressed in jean shorts and a camisole. He held her tightly for a moment taking in her lilac scent and feeling the realness of her body pressed against his.

Pepper waited for him to be ready to let go. Ever since the battle he'd held on a little bit longer than he had before. She didn't mind it. It wasn't weakness or desperation; it was just recognition of what he stood to lose. He placed a chaste kiss on her exposed, lightly freckled shoulder and stepped back.

He wove a hand into her loosely cured hair and looked her flush in the eyes. She did not balk, but smiled warmly and returned his gaze.

"Breakfast?" She suggested tentatively after a moment.

Tony turned and nodded scratching his head as he went to grab a pan and a mixing bowl. Pepper went to the refrigerator and pulled out the milk and eggs.

"You know I've been thinking."

"What's that?" Tony asked searching the cabinet for the flour.

She cracked an egg over the sink just as Tony placed a bowl beside her to deposit the yoke in. It tickled Pepper how harmoniously they worked in the kitchen, just like in life. He was always there to back her up and the same was true of her.

"I've been thinking about the plans for the tower you showed me earlier."

"You mean what we'll do with what is left of it?" Tony offered with a wink.

Pepper whisked the ingredients and pursed her lips. The floors at the bottom of the tower and the suites at the very apex had all suffered heavy damages. Luckily, Pepper had the foresight to suggest a floor for visiting dignitaries and potential, international, business partners to sojourn at in the center of the tower. That is where they'd all been staying while the rubble and shards of glass were being removed. The tower had been Pepper's baby, but she it took it destruction in stride.

She glanced at Tony spreading butter across the sizzling griddle. Considering what she could have lost she hardly cared what happened to the tower.

"Ok, what we'll do with what is left, but Tony I think it's missing something."

"That doesn't seem possible. I made the designs myself, but if anyone is going to prove me wrong, it'd be you."

She laughed and began pooling the batter across the griddled.

"Glad you can admit that to yourself. It looked to me that you didn't design a space for the others to live. I mean we have these rooms, but I'm talking about actual personalized living spaces. I was thinking that-"

"Whoa, hold on. What are you talking about?"

She stared at him. "The others: Bruce, Steve, Natasha, Clint, Thor. Well, Thor, when he isn't on his own home planet. Gosh, I can't believe how normal it feels to say that, like gods have always been around."

"What? Who said anything about them staying here permanently? Was it Bruce because we both know what trouble maker that guy can be?" Tony asked.

"Tony." Pepper sighed "This was meant to happen and you can't turn away from that."

Tony pulled a carton of orange juice from the refrigerator and popped off the cap. He took a swig.

"This could really use some vodka."

"I think we're out between Thor and Natasha." Pepper countered flipping the third crepe onto a waiting plate.

"Figures. We don't play we'll together, ya know? That was the assessment." Tony said as he removed two plates and utensils from the counter.

"But you fight well together." She quipped.

Tony rubbed his eyes. He knew she was right. He wasn't one for cosmic bullshit but he felt the same way: this was meant to happen.

"I already designed the floor for them. It's just below our penthouse. There'll be room for all of them. I don't even know why I did it. I thought…"

"Just in case." Pepper placed a crepe on his plate and took a napkin from the holder.

"Yeah, just in case." He nodded and looked out on city. After a few weeks it had ceased to smolder and the bright lights on Broadway were rekindled. These were good signs. People went to work, got coffee, and complained about the tax rate, these were all good signs. They were signs that life would be normal again soon for many people, but not for Tony Stark.

It wasn't just The Tony Stark anymore, it was The Team. How could that be? When did that happen without his notice? They'd always fight together, but who said anything about living together permanently? He had invited Bruce to stay, hell he'd invited them all, but he figured the others would slip off the first chance they felt it wouldn't be an insult to his hospitality. Tony would understand, afterall you can play sleepover forever.

They didn't leave, instead slowly they formed routines. In the mornings Steve, Natasha and Thor trained together. Tony passed by the gym one morning and found an incredibly unlikely sparring bout between Thor and Natasha. His size and her speed made them nearly equally matched. He stood watching them fight for thirty minutes before Steve realized it would never end and dinged the closing bell to signify the match's end. Clint sometimes took part in the trainings, but often could be found in the lab with Bruce. He didn't have the capacity for science that Bruce and Tony possessed, but he was curious and very quick. Plus, unlike Bruce he did have an aptitude for weaponry and was constantly looking to improve his artillery. With Tony's help he eventually perfected a blunt arrow with the ability to send a shock and stun the target, effectively immobilizing them without killing them. Tony himself was impressed with it, though it was a bit too covert for his tastes. When Clint tired of tinkering he'd head to the sparring room or the Shield HQ.

One night Natasha didn't come back. Then it was two nights. Tony began to wonder if she'd opened the door to leave for the others. If it was going to be anyone then it'd be her. She always did as she chose. Tony wondered if the word 'sorry' had an equivalent in her native tongue; by her actions he couldn't be sure. Then on the fourth night she sauntered through the elevator doors sporting spike heels and a blackened eye. She swatted away Steve's offer to take her to medical.

Thor and Bruce exchanged concerned glances as Pepper filled a rag with ice. Clint watched from the arm of a sofa. He nodded to her and she returned the gesture.

"Mission." She explained in her characteristically brief way.

They set up shop in the remains of tower and even when they left for days they always came back. It was the base. It was home forever.

Pepper's fingers touched Tony's hand lightly, bringing him back to the present.

"I think this is good. I think it's the right thing."

"What about us?"

He countered taking her hand.

"What about us?" She shot back as she ran a smooth leg against his jeans beneath the table.

"You're not worried what having all these people in the tower will do to our sex life?" He quirked an eyebrow deviously.

Pepper's eyes crinkled at the side as she grinned.

"Mr. Stark, I never worry about our sex life." Pepper said as she cleared their plates and made a show of languidly stalking off to the kitchen. Tony watched the sway of her backside appreciatively then rose to follow her. He stood behind her while she ran the sink. He swept stray locks of hair from her shoulder and a hand grazed the swell of her breast. A soft gasp escaped her rose colored lips.

"Prove it." He whispered into her ear and pressed his growing hardness against her curves. She spun and brushed her sudsy fingers over his scalp. Their lips met in a crushing kiss that ended in laughter. Tony had never been happier to be alive. He hoisted her over his shoulder and Pepper squeaked loudly as he slapped her butt, just before letting out another burst of laughter.

"To the bedchamber. Ho!" Tony proclaimed in his best Thor imitation. Pepper giggled breathlessly as Tony walked determinedly to his bedroom.

For a man with so much wealth, it made him smile that that was the moment he held to when he wanted comfort. It had seemed as if everything had aligned. He was on the right course and for once in his life things were meant to be. Tony shut his eyes. If Pepper were here that's what she would tell him.

This is not the end. You have a purpose. Keep going.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of splashing. Steve's head broke the water first and Natasha followed suit shortly thereafter. She coughed and tossed a red shock of hair out of her face. Tony breathed relief.

He unconsciously ran over Clint's bruised face which rested in his lap. Clint mumbled against his gag. Tony looked down at his teammate. His jaw was slack against the gag just trying to breath and his eyes seemed to stare far beyond Tony's face. Tony removed both their gags not caring what the specters did.

"We're going to have to go." Tony said softly. "I won't leave you here, but I don't think we'll have a choice."

"I know, Stark. It's time." Tony stood and shouldered Clint up. The archer looked across the water at Natasha's flame colored hair bobbing in the center of the pool. His vision filled with stars and she disappeared into whiteness. He blinked and could see again. Everything was pain, but he wanted to go on. He wanted to be on the other side with his team, despite everything that had happened. Loki turned to them and cast his staff. Their chains rattled on the marble. He stepped to the side and gestured to the water.

Tony didn't like it. He didn't like walking into the gas chamber willingly, but he knew there was only one thing to do.

Time to bite the bullet.

Author: So this chapter was a bit odd for me tone-wise and I'm not sure if it really works, but I just thought I'd mix it up a bit. I hope you liked it. Please review and let me know. Thanks for reading!