Here's a little story that Jimenush suggested ages ago. The idea belongs to her, I'm just trying to expand on it and do it some justice. Plus, if there is a particular direction that you would like this to go in, let me know and I'll see what I can do ;)

I hope you enjoy!

There were few things that Pepper liked as much as a cold shower after a long, tiring day. It always helped her think and clear her mind, and she looked forward to some quality time with Tony after the shower. He would always sit on the sofa downstairs, waiting for her with some delicious food, jazz music and his trademark grin, radiating love and affection. Even since Killian almost got her killed, Tony did his best to show his feelings towards her. He no longer ran off to the workshop, even when he woke up in the middle of the night having dreamt about her fall, covered in cold sweat and on the verge of another panic attack. Instead he never hesitated to seek out her comfort and support her in return, knowing that her experience with Extremis left an inerasable trace on her psyche.

This night was different however. The shower was as nice as always, but Pepper emerged from the bathroom to find Tony lying on the bed, clutching a phone in his hand and tapping at the arc reactor absent-mindedly. He remained oblivious as she laid down next to him on the bed, and he turned his head in acknowledgment only when she intertwined their fingers and stroked the arc herself. He tried to smile at her, but it came out more as a grimace and Pepper knew immediately that something unpleasant was up.

'What is it?' she dived straight into the question, knowing that asking if he was ok would be a waste of time.

'Just tired…' he murmured, still trying to keep up his poker face.

'Wow. I'm impressed, you're tired after a whole day of lingering around the house and doing nothing,' Pepper mocked, hoping to lighted up the atmosphere and get Tony to open up.

'I wasn't lingering. I was thinking,' he blurted out, seemingly offended. 'I'm sorry Peps,' he added after a moment of silence. In response she snuggled up to him and stroked his cheek gently, unable to bear how stressed he looked.

'Are you sure you don't want to tell me? It won't hurt, I promise.' That last remark actually managed to bring a smile to his face and suddenly Tony seemed as if he was a few years younger. 'Look, whatever it is, I won't bite. Unless Natashalie and you suddenly decided to…' Pepper didn't manage to finish the sentence as Tony was suddenly pinning her to the mattress and hungrily covering her mouth with his. She responded immediately, her hand travelling up his back to eventually play with the dark locks on the back of his neck. For a few seconds nothing mattered, aside from the warmth of their bodies pressed against each other and the feelings that were expressed without unnecessary words. Tony drew back, looking Pepper in the eyes, saying nothing but communicating all she needed to know.

'Oh God, I love you,' he finally said quietly, and brushed a lock of red hair from her smiling face. 'It's the arc reactor,' he added quickly, slurring the words together and hoping against hope that Pepper wouldn't be able to understand. The expression on her face changed immediately, and she pushed him off herself, straddling him on the bed, so that he wouldn't be able to get away without a proper explanation.

'What's wrong with the arc reactor? I think I am actually going to kill you if you're dying again,' Pepper evidently tried to appear cheerful, but the tears welling up in her eyes betrayed her. She started the sentence in her CEO voice, but the end was hardly audible and came out as a choked sob instead. Tony's heart was breaking. Not necessarily because the device in his chest was malfunctioning, but because he was the one causing Pepper pain yet again. He gently slid her off him, wrapping his arms around her and stroking her hair gently, as she rested her head in the nape of his neck and allowed the panic and grief to overtake her and carry her away.

'Hey, I'm fine. The arc reactor is fine, I'm not dying. Calm down, please.' As much as Pepper hated crying and appearing so weak in front of Tony, she couldn't help but love him even more for how caring and mature he was when he needed to be. He no longer behaved like a spoilt teenager, but like a proper adult who knows what it means to be in a relationship. 'Shhh, I'm sorry I scared you. It's okay.' He rocked back and forth holding Pepper close to him, hoping to give her the physical comfort she needed. It took her a long while to calm down. Whenever the tears stopped flowing, another memory would spring to mind. At first it was Afghanistan, then Vanko and the wormhole. By the time she thought back to the day that their Malibu home crumbled down into the ocean, with Tony potentially buried underneath it, hard sobs were shaking her petite form again. 'God, Pepper…I'm sorry. Listen to me, come here.'

Tony moved into a more comfortable position, sitting up against the headboard and allowing Pepper to lay down on his chest. Her fingers moved to the arc instinctively, seeking confirmation that the device was still where it should be, functioning as it should be.

'I was talking to this guy, Dr. Wu and…um, apparently this thing could come out, like…you know…I mean, if you wanted it to come out.' As always Tony had difficulty explaining things too Pepper without using an excess of specialist terms.

'What do you mean if I wanted it to?'

'I mean that I would no longer be your self-powering night light if you wanted me to get rid of the arc reactor,' he said flatly, trying to come across as funny, like he always did.

'But…why are you asking me Tony?' she sounded surprised to say the least. She had always wished for Tony to become 'the perfect boyfriend', who consults everything with her, doesn't hide in his workshop and doesn't build suits that try to kill her in her sleep. Now, when all this was finally happening, she couldn't help but be mortified because of how unfamiliar it seemed.

'Because the last time I ignored your opinion I nearly lost you. Plus, I really want to do good by you, and isn't this what loving boyfriends are supposed to do?' Pepper was no longer crying and all that was left to do know was bury her face in Tony's soaked shirt and think.

'You blew up all your suits.'

'Yes, I did,' Pepper felt Tony tense up. Whenever the suits were mentioned, he always became a bit uneasy and she kept questioning herself, whether she didn't push him too far.

'I don't want to push you into anything. This is not my decision to make. Besides…is it safe?'

'It should be, yes. This guy is an expert so he'll definitely know what he's doing,' Tony dropped his façade again and sounded deadly serious, almost heartbroken. 'And…I should probably go for it, if you'd rather have Tony than Iron Man.'

'Didn't you say that you were Iron Man? The suit and you are one, remember? If so, I am willing to accept the can as an addition to Tony' she caressed his cheek, covered in a rough layer of stubble. She admired Tony's courage and sacrifice, yes. But she would hate to see him plummet to the ground on the TV yet again or get a call from one of the Avengers, explaining to her why her boyfriend would not be coming home to have dinner. Never.

They remained silent for almost an hour, listening to the sounds of the ocean outside and enjoying the proximity they were allowed to share in the confines of their bedroom. Pepper thought that Tony fell asleep, fearing that he would wake up terribly stiff after spending the whole night in this position, but suddenly he gently lifted her off himself and lowered her back onto the silk covers.

'Where are you going?' she mumbled, fighting her urge to finally fall asleep and leave all the worries behind.

'I need to call our pilot. We're going to Beijing.'

First chapter done, just a little introduction to get the story going.

PLEASE REVIEW if you want to see more. Also if you have any suggestions, you are more than welcome to let me know or scold me for not writing it the way you wanted it ;)