I meant to post this on New Year's Day but I never had the chance so… HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!! :)

This is also the sequel to 'Busy Day At The Office Christmas Special' and I'm going to put it as a chapter on there as well.

Enjoy and then review!

:)

Tony Stark had ignored the New Year for the 8 years that Pepper Potts had worked with him.

Or rather, he found it an excuse to get drunk and get laid, in that order.

Pepper stepped into Tony's bedroom at 9 o'clock am on New Year's Eve; she had the rather unpleasant job of waking him up since JARVIS had failed.

The room was light; JARVIS had raised the blinds, proving that he had at least tried. Pepper observed the sleeping form of Tony tangled up in his sheets.

She'd long since learned that simply calling his name and shaking him never worked, he'd only bury under the duvet. No, for Pepper; she found that the best way to wake him up was to be kind, yet forceful.

But more forceful.

Pepper took the bottom end of the duvet and yanked it off him, pleased (and slightly relieved) to find that he had at least put pyjama bottoms on.

'Good morning, Tony,' she sang brightly.

Tony's reply was an incoherent muffle into his pillow.

'I know,' Pepper replied, stepping over to his bed and wafting a cup of coffee under his nose.

Tony blinked and sat up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes and the caffeine part of his mind informed him that there was a sexy red-head in heels with coffee in his room.

Tony observed Pepper, she looked happier than usual.

'You enjoy this, don't you?' he said, annoyed.

'Enjoy what, Mr Stark?' Pepper replied pleasantly.

'Waking me up.'

Pepper rolled her eyes, 'It's my favourite part of this job.'

Tony grinned and sipped his coffee. 'Thought so.'

Pepper took a deep breath, Tony noticed.

'What…?'

'What are your plans for this evening?'

Tony grinned, 'are you asking me on a date, Miss Potts?'

'If I have to.'

Tony was puzzled. 'I don't follow…'

'Well, put it this way and please pardon my poor phrasing… are you planning on getting rat-arsed this evening?'

'Why would I?'

'It's New Year's Eve.'

'Oh, already?'

'Yeah, it's the same time as last year…'

'Ha ha, and in answer to your question- no, I have a better idea.'

'Which is?'

'Come round at 11.30 and I'll show you.'

Pepper sighed and stood up. 'Tony…'

'I'm not being crude, Pepper. But I've just thought of something that I haven't done for ages and I'd like you to be a part of it. Unless you have plans, of course.'

'Well, I don't, so okay…'

Tony grinned and jumped up, handing his now empty coffee mug back to Pepper and swinging into the shower.

'Wear something sexy!' he yelled.

Pepper stepped into the house at half 11 that evening, she wasn't sure what to expect so she was surprised to see the large banner reading 'Happy New Year' above the door, she was even more surprised to find that the house was filled with red and gold balloons and there was jazz music playing softly in the background.

And there was a strange smell in the air… it was familiar but she couldn't place it…

'Good evening, Miss Potts,' JARVIS announced from above. 'If you are looking for Mr Stark then he is on the balcony with Colonel Rhodes, and may I also add- you look lovely.'

'Thank you, JARVIS,' Pepper said smiling. She was wearing a short black dress with matching heels and her long red hair was loose around her shoulders.

Stepping onto the balcony, she could hear Tony and Rhodey laughing.

'Hey, Pepper!' Tony said, turning round and grinning. He looked as handsome as ever in his tux, and Pepper was surprised to see that Rhodey was wearing one as well, then she realised that both men were staring at her.

'Wow,' Tony said. 'You look stunning.'

'Thank you, Tony,' Pepper said, smiling sweetly. 'And you also look very smart, which is a change. What's that smell?'

Tony smiled and handed her a glass of champagne. 'You'll find out shortly.'

Pepper sighed and turned to face Rhodey. 'Do you know what that smell is?'

Rhodey grinned. 'I do, which means that I also know what he's been up too.'

'Now now Rhodey, don't ruin the surprise,' Tony said. He held a hand out to Pepper. 'Come here, Peps, you have to see this.'

Pepper took his arm and peered over the balcony at the shining lights of Malibu below.

'Wow,' she said. 'That's something.'

'The city that never sleeps,' Rhodey said. 'Although if they've gotten wind of what Tony was up too today I don't blame them.'

Tony nudged Rhodey with his elbow. 'Rhodey, stop dropping hints.'

Pepper was surprised. 'I didn't realise that was a hint.'

'Good!'

Pepper looked at Tony oddly and he blinked innocently at her. Then she realised she was still holding onto his arm.

'Anyway…' she said, stepping back and letting go of his arm.

Sensing the tension between the two, Rhodey decided to intervene.

'I spy with my little eye… something beginning with "s"'.

'Star?' Tony said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Rhodey grinned and Pepper found herself gazing up at the stars above them, twinkling in the distance.

'That one looks like your Crackberry,' Tony said, motioning up at a particular cluster.

Pepper followed where he was looking at the rectangular shaped patch of stars.

'Oh yeah,' Rhodey said pointing. 'See? That bit is the screen.'

Pepper nodded, 'yeah, I see.'

'JARVIS, what's the time?' Tony asked.

'It is 11:46pm sir, shall I ready the bots?'

Tony considered this, 'well… I guess it will take them at least 10 minutes to get ready, so yeah.'

'What are you planning?' Pepper said, exasperated.

Tony laughed, 'you sounded just like my mom then, Pepper. She used to ask my father exactly the same question at this time every year.'

Pepper sighed, 'I feel like I'm missing something big.'

'You are!' both men said simultaneously.

Pepper pouted at them and Rhodey laughed.

'So,' Tony said, clapping his hands together. 'Since we have 14 minutes to spare till midnight, what do you want to do?'

'Beat you at basketball.'

Tony chuckled. 'Not gonna happen Rhodes.'

'I've been practising.'

Tony looked over at Pepper, a smile forming on his face.

'Uh-oh,' Pepper said, unconsciously taking a step back. 'I know that look, whatever it is that you're going to say next, I'm not going to like it.'

Tony grinned and then looked over at Rhodey. 'Okay, Rhodes, I except your challenge, and whoever wins gets to kiss Pepper at midnight.'

'What?' Pepper said, staring at the two of them. 'Don't I get a say in this?'

'Yes,' Tony said, leaning back against the balcony rail and folding his arms.

Pepper wasn't sure what to say so she opted to opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

'Thought so!' Tony said, taking her hand and pulling her through the house towards the basketball court to the rear of the house, Rhodey chuckling behind them.

Tony grabbed a ball from the ball box and threw it at Rhodey, pulling off his jacket and tie and rolling up his sleeves.

Rhodey grinned and looked over at Pepper. 'You okay to score, Pepper?'

Pepper sighed and swirled her champagne around in its glass. 'I probably won't do very well but I'll try.'

Tony grinned and the game began.

Pepper lost track of who was winning rather quickly. Rhodey was just that bit taller than Tony but Tony was fast and calculating, and Pepper was fairly certain that since the two men wouldn't be keeping track of who was scoring she could say whatever she wanted and they'd believe her.

'Sir, it is one minute to midnight,' JARVIS announced from the outside speakers.

Tony skidded to a halt and looked over at Pepper, with the look of one who knows who won. 'Well?' he asked.

Pepper smirked, 'you'll find out at midnight won't you?'

Tony pulled a face and threw the ball at Rhodey, taking Pepper's hand and leading her back through the house towards the balcony.

'Everything in place JARVIS?' Tony asked the ceiling once Rhodey had joined them.

'Yes, sir, 15 seconds till midnight.'

Pepper was giddy with anticipation, and took hold of the balcony rail, putting down her champagne as she peered up expectantly into the sky.

Tony noticed and laughed. 'Excited, Pepper?' he asked innocently. 'You don't even know what I'm up too.'

Pepper smiled, 'I've recognised that smell,' she said, smiling sweetly.

'And…?' Tony prompted, inclining his head slightly.

'Gunpowder.'

'5, 4, 3, 2, 1, happy new year,' JARVIS informed them, as the night sky exploded into colour, fireworks skidding out from the basement of the house and spiralling into the night sky before exploding brilliantly in a cacophony of bangs and whizzes.

Rhodey laughed and applauded Tony, who bowed. 'Wow,' said Pepper, watching as a car shaped firework flew past her nose and exploded, orange, red and silver light coming off of it.

'Wait for it…' Tony said… eyeing the sky.

A pepper firework flew through the sky and exploded with an almighty bang, more colourful than all the rest.

Pepper laughed, she felt like she was 7 again and watching the fireworks from her bedroom window.

A spiralling Catherine Wheel flew past the window and exploded, turning into…

'Iron Man,' Pepper breathed while Rhodey collapsed laughing. 'You made and Iron Man firework? Geez Tony!'

Tony smiled at Pepper. 'Well?' he asked.

Pepper gave him a beautiful smile, 'It's amazing, Tony.'

Tony moved closer, 'do I get to know who won the basketball now?' he asked quietly, leaning down.

'Rhodey,' Pepper whispered, moving her head up.

Tony took her face in his hands. 'I don't believe that for a minute,' he said, leaning down further.

'Neither do I,' Pepper replied, capturing his lips in hers and winding her fingers into his hair as she felt his hands move down from her face to her waist to press her body into his and hold her tightly while behind them the sky exploded in colour.

'Hot damn,' Rhodey said, observing the pair before turning his attention back to the fireworks, which still showed no sign of slowing.

Another firework shot into the sky, huge bright and silver and Tony broke the kiss in order to grin at Pepper. 'You'll like this,' he said.

Pepper watched the firework as it shot higher and higher into the sky and when it did explode silver tendrils shot out, latching onto one another to form letters in the sky.

No, not letters, a logo.

'Stark Industries.'

'No way!' Pepper said, staring.

Rhodey laughed again. 'Well, that's one way to advertise!'

Did you like it? Let me know!!! I'll go back to doing Instant Messaging for the duration of 'Busy Day At The Office,' but this one was kind of hard to do like that :)