"So," Tony said, and, at the tone of his voice; a sort of mischievous questioning tone, Pepper looked up, stealing herself for the outrageous demand.

"So?"

"So, you. Me. Babies? What d'you think?"

"Mr Stark?" She wasn't really sure what he was asking. He wanted her to get him babies? Jelly babies?

"I need an heir."

"You need a lobotomy."

"Maybe, but I also need an heir."

"This isn't the 18th century Tony, and you are not a monarch."

"No, but I am a billionaire, with a massive multi-national corporation and no heir," he said, shifting his chair closer to her, frowning when she moved it a little back. "And while you do currently inherit everything, you're only a few years younger than me and just as childless."

"I'm going to ignore the insult," she said, "wait, I inherit everything?" He grinned, and moved closer again, looking gleeful when she didn't move away this time, and stayed at her position at her desk.

"Pretty much."

"Since when?"

"About three years ago."

She thought about that for a moment, he'd only been Iron Man for six months, only been this reformed character for six months. Except, maybe he wasn't all that different after all.

"Why me?" she asked. She had to ask. One thing Tony Stark had always appreciated about her, was the fact that she pushed him, 'harangued' him, when she needed to.

"Can't think of anyone else I'd want my company in the hands of," he said, "can't think of anyone else I care about that much."

"Oh."

His feelings always left her feeling a little out-field, and she looked at him, realised out close he was, and moved her chair a few inches back again.

"Don't get excited, Happy gets the cars."

She laughed at that, then went back to file on her desk that they had been discussing, forgetting for the moment the subject that had gotten them to this point.

"So, you gonna have my baby?" he said.

"What?"

It felt like a slap in the face every time he said, but she didn't know why.

"You, me, babies?" he said.

"You want me to have your baby?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Have you completely cracked?" she asked. "Is this the sign of your mental instability setting in?"

"Oh please," he said, leaning back in his chair at the side of her desk, "I know you've never considered me to be mentally stable."

She tried to hide her grin but failed when she saw Tony's raised eyebrow.

"True," she muttered quietly. "I still think you're cracked."

"Is that really something you should say to your boss?"

"Do you really think asking your PA to have your baby is appropriate?"

"I'm not asking you as my PA. I'm not asking you as a woman," he said. "A really hot, smart woman."

He finished the sentence with a look over her body and she blushed, then sighed, scowling at him.

"Cracked," she muttered, standing up to walk away. Tony reached out quickly and grabbed her wrist.

"Wait," he said. She looked at him, and let him pull her back to the chair, not letting go of her until she was sat down, moving his own chair even closer.

"Is that all you want from me?" she asked. "A baby?" He didn't reply and shew continued. "Because I might be willing to donate some eggs to the cause."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh," she said, nodding.

"Oh."

He was stunned into silence, and little did that to him. In fact, Pepper knew she was only the one who could do that and it was a rare thing. She decided to take advantage of it before he composed himself.

"You weren't serious were you?" she asked, grinning.

"Deadly. I didn't think you'd actually agree, or compromise."

"I'm serious," she said.

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Then why not have my baby the natural way."

"Because that would involve having sex with you Mr. Stark."

The 'Mr. Stark' made him laugh.

"You don't want to have sex with me?" he asked, smiling when she hesitated, then blushed brighter. "You do want to have sex with me."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

"Tony."

"Pepper."

He stared her down and she sighed.

"I wouldn't mind having sex with you."

You wouldn't mind? Jeez Pepper, could you be any less enthusiastic."

She bit her lip, holding back another laugh and looked back down at the paperwork. That was safe, Tony Stark was not. Not anymore, not since Iron Man. He was staring at her, and she was very aware of that and she didn't know what to say to him, how to shut down the conversation. This was way beyond harmless flirting.

Maybe, there was no such thing as harmless, after all.

"So," he said, and she kept her head down, "you, me, babies?"

She chuckled.

"You'd make a great mom. I'd be a great dad, naturally," he said, trying to make eye contact, "but you'd be something else."

She looked up at him finally.

"That really indicates more than me donating some eggs Tony."

"I don't want you to donate some fucking eggs. I want you to have my baby."

"Artificial insemination?"

She was teasing, mostly, pushing him again, and she wasn't sure if he knew it. She wasn't sure what he really wanted. A baby yes, though his reasoning was flawed.

Her words had left him looking a little green.

"Okay, that's just, no. No."

She tried not to laugh.

"Are you sure this isn't just another ploy to get me into bed?"

"Since when have I ever tried to get you into bed?"

"I can think of a few times. None recently," she said. "The first two years of my employment was you trying to get me into bed. You're lucky I didn't sue."

"Yeah, lucky," he huffed. "I'm not just trying to get you into bed Pepper."

"But you are trying to get me into bed?" she said.

"Yes. And have my baby."

"Right," she said, raising an eyebrow. She knew Tony Stark very well, she was chipping away at him, getting close to what he really, really wanted. "And?"

"And, you know." He gestured between the two of them.

"I really don't Tony."

"Well, if we had a baby, we could, have a thing."

She was fighting the giggles again.

"A thing?"

"A relationship."

He'd been so casual six months ago, trying to find out if she wanted to be his girlfriend, and this was completely different, his tone, his attitude, his body language. There was nothing casual about it, and a baby would tie them together, regardless of Iron Man, regardless of his billions, his business. The idea of a child terrified him but she had figured out what he really wanted. Her, basically, and this was just another way to get what he wanted.

A crappy reason to have a baby, but very Tony Stark all the same.

She smiled at him, then leaned across and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll think about it," she said, before getting up and leaving her office.