Destiny Intervenes

The Woman On The Landing Pad

Tony's eyes opened slowly as he took in his surroundings, he had had a good night's sleep which was a rarity these days; waking up in cold sweat with visions of Pepper falling to her death into a flaming abyss was usually the norm for his night life recently. But Pepper was right beside him sleeping peacefully and for once not the first to wake up.

He had secured down time for both of them; almost a months worth, both of them were recovering from serious medical procedures and needed the rest. The stabilizing of the Extremis virus in his girlfriends blood hadn't taken that long, he had already been working on the formula before Killian decided to attempt to wreck his life.

Tony himself had just had surgery to remove the rest of the shrapnel attempting to pierce his heart, he still got a shock every time he was shirtless in front of a mirror and didn't have a blue nightlight shining in his eyes, instead there was just a thin four inch scar at the center of his chest were the arc reactor had plugged in, to be honest while the was still residual phantom pains from the surgery, he had never felt lighter.

Tony slowly and carefully extracted himself from Peppers clutching embrace and slid of his bed to pad out into the bathroom, after taking care of his body's needs he took a moment to examine his chest and to make sure once again that he was really fixed and that this wasn't just an extremely cruel dream.

Tony sighed as he thought about the decisions he had made, Peppers supposed death at the hands of Killian, his inability to save her and the piercing pain in his chest at the thought of going on without her made him make some seriously life changing decisions. His experience in Afghanistan at the hands of the Ten Rings had forced him to make his first one in which he had taken up arms against these terrorist organizations but facing the prospect of life without Pepper had him making another, he had blown up all of his suits as a present for her but hadn't let her into his revelation that he had had until later on at which point his Pepper had sat him down and talked him into reconsidering hanging up the gloves, both literally and figuratively. She had patiently explained to him that if this is what he really wanted to do that she would support him wholeheartedly but if he was doing this with a sense of guilt at her getting hurt and almost dying then she wasn't going to have it.

She told him about all the good he had done as Ironman, about all the good he could still do. The world still needs Ironman, she had said, and she knew that as long as it needed him, he would want to help.

Tony had then broke down and confessed to her that he was truly terrified that one day all of this, all of Tony Stark and Ironman would finally manage to drive her away, that he would lose her because he was trying to make the world better. And he told her there and then that he could not and refused to live without her light in his life.

She had then placed her hand on his cheek and promised solemnly that as long as he loved her, she would be right here for however long he wanted, she had known what she was getting into from the start and while throughout the years as his PA and girlfriend she had faced death, pain, anger, immerse sadness, and even hate towards those who harmed them, in all that time she had never once regretted letting him in. She loved him and would always do, so long as he would have her.

Then she had placed her hands in his and asked him to fix her.

Tony had immediately started work on stabilizing the Extremis and then ordered Jarvis to begin synthesis on his new suit, he was now starting from scratch and he was determined to leave the past where it belonged.

He had Pepper and she was going to be fine and he was never going to let her get hurt again.

'Sir, there is a woman outside the penthouse suite.'

JARVIS' voice was soft in the bathroom not wanting to wake the sleeping Ms Potts. Tony frowned, they were off work, who was bothering them now.

"Tell them to go away, J. We're on break." he turned to go back to Pepper but the AI spoke again.

'I'm sorry I was unclear sir, the woman is on the landing pad sir, and she is unconscious.'

Tony took that in for a moment and then sighed shaking his head, he knew it was too good to be true; a break from work? Time with Pepper unhindered by her meetings and trips to foreign countries? A quiet recuperation? There had to be a catch.

Tony walked slowly out of his bedroom. "JARVIS why is there a woman lying unconscious on my landing pad?" he asked conversationally as he looked out at said woman through the glass wall facing the roof.

He walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a gauntlet for his right hand, his suit wasn't completely rendered but some parts were ready and he wasn't stupid enough to run out unarmed to rescue a damsel in distress, no he had had too many experiences with vengeful women to not really trust them not to kill him if his back was turned.

'I'm afraid I do not have the answer to that question, sir.'

Tony rolled his eyes. "Great," the AI could really be unhelpful if he wanted to be.

"JARVIS, apprise Ms Potts of the situation and tell her to stand back until I give the all clear."

'Yes, sir.'

"And get the guest room ready," he added because despite his reservations he knew that this woman was not going to be a threat, his world didn't work that way.

Tony still walked cautiously up to the prone figure; she was wearing what looked to be a uniform of some sort, Khaki green fitted jacket and pencil skirt, a bit on the conservative side and when he turned her limp figure over to look at her face he saw an inner shirt and tie under her buttoned up jacket.

The lapels of her jacket were pinned with emblems bearing an insignia he faintly recognized and her shoulder length hair was surrounding her face in an elegant arrangement though some of it had pulled loose and become unkempt. But Tony ignored all of this because the moment he laid eyes on her face he instantly recognized her.

"Aunt Peg?" he gasped in wonder as he looked down at, much younger then he ever remembered her being, Peggy Carter.