Author's Note: Well, this is my first IMAA story. Have mercy of me. :D

CATCHER: Pepperony Angst. Set three years after the graduation of the Tommorow Academy. Tony Stark and Pepper Potts are handling their relationship between Iron Man, SHIELD and everything else perfectly or as perfect as they can be. What happens when a new girl arrives to Tony's life in his last year in the MIT? Would this girl be the cause of a separation? How will Pepper react? At the end . . . would their love conquer everything else?

*WARNING:Major Jealousy to come!* (cough How do you spell 'angst'? A-N...)

Story Rating: T (for swearing. Can you blame me?) Oh and there's angst. And jeaulosy. Romance. Hopefully drama, dunno...etc etc etc. You know the drill with these two!

Disclaimer: No Marvel Character Is Mine. I don't own anything other than my writing, giggles and cries.

Hope you enjoy!

LOVER DEAREST

Prologue:

Pepper Potts froze.

Did she heard right?

She didn't . . . How could she?

It felt like this imaginary cynical stranger had thrown a bucket of cold water over her. Just to mock her. To see her reaction. A wave of dread washed over her. Chilling her bones. Her chest began to heave. Her hazel eyes instantly stung. The cellphone on her hand did almost slip. It would've had if she hadn't been holding it for dear life.

"I—." The 20-year-old red-headed stammered. She sat down instantly on her bed, her quivering chin coming to rest in the space between her knees. Trying and failing to hold back the trembling fear to be shown on her voice. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. Could . . . could you repeat it again?" She requested slowly. Her voice was feeble. Too feeble for her like.

Tony Stark exhaled loudly on the other line. "We both know you did heard me, Pep." He said softly. Her insides twisted at the voice. That freaking voice that sounded apologetic, gentle and sweet even in these moments. The same voice that had lured her to fall for him. All those times she dreamt about how that voice will murmur soft words of fond to her ear. And those countless times it had done it. Every time they kissed it was there. The voice. Voice that had spoken to her doting promises in every single unimaginable way.

The same voice who uttered those words.

Words that fathomed anything - ANYTHING but regret.

How could she have been so blind? The bitter tears spilled from the corner of her eyes. Stupid, they meant.

"Pepper?" Tony called hesitantly after a long pause. Lapse in which only their breaths could be heard. Her shaky breaths accompanied his steady ones in a lonely song.

Pepper shook her head in denial. It was all a mistake. That must be. "I don't understand." She did. "It-it doesn't make sense!" She cried now, a frantic edge to her words. All the explanations in her head weren't enough. They were too short. They were too long. "Explain it to me." Her demand was wobbly.

Tony sighed. Pepper nibbled her bottom lip. Waiting for his blow.

"You know it. There's no need to explain." Tony replied back. "There's no need to—"

"I want you to say the words." Pepper whispered, closing her eyes as the fear settled on her. "Make them true. If you say them then they'll be real."

There was a pause. Even longer than the last.

"I love her." said finally Tony. "I have since a while now. You knew it."

She did.

A wild laugh bubbled on her chest. Pepper let it out. She knew it. She knew it. She KNEW it. And she was a fool to think it'll pass. Foolish, incompetent, stupid, her mind yelled. Could you blame her? Her mind – forget her mind, her heart! Her heart told her every single time she watched him steal a supposedly unnoticed glance. A late text message. Visiting the armory for technical view.

Her heart said it over and over again. It's nothing. It'll pass. Don't worry. He wouldn't do it. Not in a thousand years! It's just a fling. Nothing he won't forget.

She stood there waiting for him.

He never came back.

She shuddered at the sudden cold. A hand flew to her cheek. When did she began crying? That answer was unknown to her. How come she was cracking and she was letting it be? She, Pepper Potts: Hero name as Rescue and future S.H.I.E.L.D agent! Simply, because she no longer cared. In that instant, she didn't. Any training prepared her for this.

"Common Pep." Tony called her after her grim laughter ceased. Breaking the precarious silence. "You know why I'm doing this, right? Just let me help you . . . do you remember that promise I made way back to you. When we started dating. Almost after graduation. When we were together you always asked me - especially at the beginning of our relationship - to always be honest, wasn't that what you made me promise to you? I did, I did promise it. And I've always done ever since. I did when we were together. I won't stop now just because..."

Pepper pressed a hand to her mouth. Were. The words leaving echoes on her. Threatening to shatter even more her heart. Still, she nodded dumbly at his question. She remembered crystal clear how she demanded for his truth. She told him relationships were based on honesty not lies and secrets. They needed to tell each other everything in their minds. Their insecurities, questions, everything whereas how blatant it was.

"I promised my truth and that's what I'm giving to you now."

Pepper spluttered. "That's it." She threw aside her covers. Wanting – needing to move her muscles. To hit something for God's sake! "What? Do those come with a gift card? A small love letter?" She chuckled darkly. Her temper gaining over her. She knew perfectly well how childish and immature she was being. Yet she couldn't care less. "Oh wait! Why don't you ask your slut to kiss it bang-bang for me and send it! With all the things she has taken already it wouldn't be much of a sweat for her to do it! Let her smeared that stupid lipstick of hers!" She practically yelled. Her brain fogged of so much anger.

"Wait, wait," Tony recalled back. Was he about to defend her? "You don't get to speak about her like that! It's not like that! You can't be more wrong, Pepper. And I can believe you would restore to such low ways and accuse her of things she haven't even done!" HE DID! The bastard was defending her!

"Oh give me a break Tony!" She was shouting now. To hell her neighbors' complaints. "GROW UP! She doesn't even want—"

"You don't even know her like I do—!"

"Screwing and knowing are two different fucking words Tony Stark!"

He was stammering now. "We don't—"

"Of course you do!" Pepper inhaled sharply. The words stabbing her from the core. The tears were now freely streaming down her face. "Do you think I didn't know?" She asked in mock. "Seriously? That stupid you think I am!"

"Stop calling yourself names! You don't have an inch of—"

"Of what?" Pepper threw her arms up. "I don't have an inch of her dreamy hair? Or maybe of those fuck-me fake breast you drool about? What about her Vogue face! You want to know something?"

"Pepper- "

Pepper wiped her tears hastily. "No, I don't have them. I don't. Otherwise, my three-year boyfriend wouldn't be breaking over with me."

"Pepper." He sounded so sad, so in pain. She did almost stop.

Then again, he hadn't.

After a failed attempt at a small talk at three in the morning she'd cut him off and asked him straight off what he wanted. "It's over." He'd told her when she'd answered the call earlier. The words didn't make it out to her mind. She'd asked what did he meant and he had simply said. "Us. We. We are over. Our relationship. It's done."

"After everything." Pepper whispered, sniffling. "Is this how you want to finish it?"

"Pepper I—"

She hung up.

Without granting him the satisfaction. She hung up, feeling a pitiable sense of pride that she had done it – not granting him his last words.

Pepper miserably let herself slip down, her head falling on her pillow with an undetectable fall. Tears were pouring without control down her cheeks. "If you love me why are you leaving me?" She spoke out loud her thoughts. "Can't you see? Can't you see that I do love you?" Her yell was muffled.

Memories of him flooded back to her mind.

She was held captive.

He didn't even get correct the memory. HE was the one to promise her. She had never forced him into anything. Even now.

She had told him over and over again during the last hour if he was hurt in a way. He had shrugged her off, grinning and waving her with an unbelievable 'No at all.' Even do they both knew it'd been a 12-hour mission to God-knows-where Fury had sent him. She saw him walking strange.

Finally, her patience wore off. She walked up to him.

"Would you like me to lie to you?" Pepper countered back that evening. Her anger thick after she had practically tore his shirt off and saw for herself the bruises that littered his back. "What if I was sick and I didn't tell you? What if you found out until much later?" She flipped the shirt in his face for emphasis. "Would you like it?" Pepper snapped.

"Of course not!" Tony quickly answered. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Suddenly, his hand began to touch her frame in all places. "You're not sick, are you?" Vivid blue eyes eyed her up and down in concern.

"That's not the point!" Pepper batted his hands away angrily. "The point is," She exhaled, trying to lower her voice into a pleading, convincing one. "You can't continue to lie to me like this, Tony. We're on a relationship now. If you don't stop lying behind my back, trying to keep things from me—whereas for my freaking safety!—" interjected Pepper as she saw him opening his mouth. Quickly, he closed it at her burst.

Pepper closed her eyes to concentrate. Begging for the words to pass through that thick skull of his. "This won't work. I'm sure as hell it won't, Tony. It doesn't matter if you like me or not." She rubbed her temples, her shoulders sagging forward. The fight draining her off. "We won't last. It won't work. Not. One. bit. Believe me," Pepper smiled sadly through closed eyelids. "I know about failing relationships."

With her eyes still closed she felt her head connect with something warm. The strong scent that filled her nostrils soothed her immediately. Her temper going off faster than the armor in Mark II. Forgetting her doubts, her arms encircled his waist. His own arms enfolding her in a silent apologize.

In there—in each other's arm—they felt trapped in their own little safe kingdom. A kingdom where knights in shining armors where able to save their ladyloves from every single drop of hate in the world. And where ladyloves were able to soothe the nightmares from their lovers' mind.

"I'm sorry." Tony said. His mouth dangerously close to her ear. His warm breath made her skin flush. "I didn't mean for that to happen. I'm a compete idiot. I'm sorry. I don't like it when we fight. I'm sorry." His tone sounded as drained as hers. She didn't even mind that he was hugging her with his shirt off. Somehow there wasn't any lust or want in her—the only aspect on her mind was how she wanted to have him close. Away from the dangerous outsider world that seemed to need him more and more with each passing day.

"Me either." She mumbled, snuggling on his chest. "Maybe, I fret you too much. I should be apologizing too, I guess. Nobody wants a girlfriend mingling over them like some stalker 24/7." She confessed. She waited for his answer.

"I do like your attention. Feels nice to be cared of actually." Tony confessed quietly in their embrace. "And you don't bother me, not in any way, believe me." He shook his head. Hugging her closer to prove his point. "You worry for my safety, that's all. In exchange I worry for yours like a madman."

Pepper grinned against his skin. "I always thought you were more like a mad scientist."

She sensed the smile in his voice as he stood straighter. "Forgiven?" He asked once he was facing her. His smile was breathtaking in every possible way. In a daze she nodded and smiled back at him. Seeing as the action lightened up his face like a Christmas tree.

His lips crashed with hers. Pepper shrieked in surprise at the action. Meanwhile, he merely laughed against her lips. Grinning mischievously as she giggled. Tony stepped back for an inch, their lips hovering close not daring to separate just yet. His breath tickled her skin. In that second, Tony choose to smile that charming smile of his. To her. The one that made her heart flutter inside her chest.

"I agree with everything you said – except one thing." Tony raised his index finger. A grin playing on his lips. Those electric blue eyes shining.

Pepper placed a hand on her hip. Cocking an eyebrow she smiled and asked. "What would that be?"

Tony pulled her back to his chest. "I don't like you Pepper Potts." He said. Eyes admiring her. "I love you." He declared.

Pepper's hitched breath stopped as their lips connected once again.

"I promise not to lie to you." Tony said amid his pecking to her lips. "Anything. I'll tell you. Promise."

She trusted him with it.

That day she discovered something.

Her smile told it.

The delight in her heart confirm it.

She was happy. They were happy together. That wouldn't change for nothing.

What happened to those times?

That night she cried and cried. Her only solace – a white, unmistakably soft, old pillow. A gift of the man who had broken her heart a week before their three-year anniversary. As hard as she tried her heart kept hurling back to the facts of reality.

Every time she looked around her apartment she remembered his name, his smile, his hair, his desire, his sighs of delight, his laughs, his playful smirks, the arrogant smile, the happy grin…

His love.

Could she ever return to be his dearest?

She laughed - the action, she knew, would lack from now on the humor and spark in it. "I guess that bitch will have it all. Just as she wanted it. Won't she?" She mused sarcastically. Her eyes redder per second. At last, in the silence, she broke.

Her sobs resounding in her empty room.

She cried herself to sleep that dreadful night cursing two names as equal.

Tony Fucking Stark.

Sunset fucking Bain.

It all started that day. She should have acted faster, quicker, and smarter!

Maybe, she'd have him now in her embrace instead of her arms wrapped around him.

The thought made her blood boil. Shame coming to her as she realize she was thinking of him. She tossed the idea aside as new ones came.

The bitch! Just let her start with that cursed date. The day where ALL of this started. The patient zero of everything. It was simple yet so, so, so unreal! She came from nowhere!

That day began...

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

Author's Note: So, how was it? Good? Bad? So terrible you cried? Review your opinions! Don't leave me hanging!