Last chapter people! I swear the more I proof read it the less I enjoy it. So please enjoy it for me! If you have, let me know!

Oh, and a big thanks to the Computer Tech guy who, after a fortnight of waiting for the part, was finally able to fix my broken 'p' key today. I could write 'Pepper' without wanting to hurt someone...

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When Tony didn't get up, Pepper began to get anxious. When he shut his eyes again, she called out for someone to get Rhodey and Happy. In truth, the reason Tony wasn't getting up and had shut his eyes was because he wanted to stick his head in the sand and hide his bruised ego. That and the fact that Pepper had knelt down next to him and started stroking his head. Her hand running through his hair sent shivers down his spine, especially when the claws ever so lightly scraped his scalp.

"Tony. Please Tony. Open your eyes."

He obliged and the look of concern and anguish on her face was overwhelming. He reached out his one free gloved hand and grabbed hers. He gave it a squeeze and saw her features immediately relax. She leant closer to check if his pupils were responding.

"Tony, can you say something?"

"Ahhhh..." He tried to lift his head but she stopped him.

"Don't move yet Tony. Just lay down for a minute." Her tone was firm yet caring. He let his eyes slip shut and focused on the waves of pleasure that spread throughout his body with each stroke of her hand.

Tony was fine, he knew he was. He'd have a bump on his head and would need a couple of pain killers, but that was all. Of course, he wasn't about to let Pepper know this titbit immediately. No, he wanted to milk this turn of events for all it was worth. She'd lost the upper hand; he was injured because of her. He needed a plan. Then it hit him. If he had just suffered a head trauma he couldn't be completely responsible for his actions. He could easily close the distance between them and kiss her. If it went badly he could blame the injury; if it went well though...

With his plan set, he let go of the parcel he still held in his other hand and brought it up. Up to the face he felt looming over his. His hand slipped around the neck and brought it quickly down. Lips crashed on lips. There were sharp intakes of breath through noses. The hand that had been in his tightened its grip and the one on his head grasped a fistful of hair.

Then a hand came firmly down on his chest, an another by the side of his head. The one on his chest gave and almighty shove and suddenly there was distance.

And the faint taste of beer.

And realisation.

"Tony!" Pepper gasped, horror and hilarity vying for pole position.

"What the...? You better not be too hurt, 'cos I'm going to kill you!" Rhodey exploded, spitting furiously and wiping his mouth.

Tony opened his eyes and saw the face of his best friend above him. Pepper had moved away to let him check Tony over. Tony knew he had about two seconds before he received another hit to the head, this time courtesy of Rhodey's fist.

"Watch out for banana puddles Grandma... This tutu will look good on the space cowboy... Tuberculosis..." Tony trailed off and shut his eyes, feigning passing out. He'd rambled the first lot of nonsense that came into his head in the vain hope that his actions would be attributed to his injury. It seemed to work. Before he knew it he'd been bundled into his car and was home.

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Slip. Slip. Slip.

Tony walked through the office door, absorbed in his book, and perched himself on the corner of her desk. Without taking his eyes off the page he toed the bottom drawer open, bent down and rummaged.

"Tony," Pepper sighed looking at his slippered feet and noting the grease marks on the shoes, "do you have any idea how expensive those were?"

"What? They're slippers. They're the perfect footwear for an invalid."

Pepper knew better than to argue with him when he was playing the injury card. She stopped what she was doing and watched: he'd pulled out her tattered copy of 'Pride and Prejudice' and was thumbing through the pages. His leather-bound volume was resting open on his leg. His greased stained leg.

"Tony! That's a first edition! Would you please show a little more respect." She grabbed the book and put it on the desk.

"You know why I don't like first editions Pep?"

"Please, enlighten me." She dead-panned, knowing if she showed any interest he wouldn't leave her alone for the rest of the day.

"They don't have any explanatory notes. Yours on the other hand, well, it's got ones in the back, and your words of wisdom scribbled in the margins. Are you sure you don't want to swap?"

"For the last time, no. Where are you up to?"

"Darcy's been acting like a pompous ass and has just made a hash of getting the girl."

She whisked her copy from his hands and expertly opened it to the exact place he'd been searching for, then handed it back.

"So... does he get her in the end?"

"If I told you that, you wouldn't bother finishing it. And you'd never learn a thing." Pepper grinned.

"What could a book like this possibly teach me? I am a genius after all."

"A genius and a pompous ass who sometimes makes a hash of things."

Pepper looked at him pointedly. There was silence. It wasn't awkward, more a pause for contemplation. It was interrupted by Jarvis.

"Miss Potts. Colonel Rhodes is on the phone for you. Would you care to take the call?"

"Yes she would, and pipe it in over the speakers please Jarvis." Tony responded, ignoring any reply Pepper may have made.

"Pepper?"

"Platypus!"

"Pepper, could you please remind Tony that I'm not talking to him until he apologises properly!"

"C'mon Rhodey, don't bring Pep into our tiff. I take it you didn't like my apology today?"

Pepper got up and went to the filing cabinet to busy herself and avoid looking at Tony's face, and the wicked smirk plastered on it. She didn't want to add to Rhodey's anger by laughing.

"You are perverse! I swear that if you weren't as rich as you are, you'd've been locked up in a secure mental ward by now! Pepper..."

"Sir," Jarvis cut in, "there is a delivery waiting for you at the gate."

"What is it?"

"It seems to be the charred stems of a dozen roses and an empty heart-shaped box of chocolates, containing a small incendiary device."

"Empty you say. Send it to the workshop. So," Tony turned his attention back to Rhodey, "you did like the chocolates!"

"Not. Talking. To. YOU! Pepper?"

"Yes, James?"

"Can you get your whip out and put him back in his place?" Pepper snorted. "Anyway, Pepper, just wanted to let you know the meeting on Friday needs to be rescheduled."

"Not a problem. I'll call you later to discuss times." She hoped the slight strain in the pitch of her voice didn't betray her amusement.

"Talk soon."

"Bye bye Buttercup!" Tony chimed before there was an annoyed grunt and a click.

Pepper was standing over an open drawer, her shoulders shuddering under the weight of her repressed laughter. Tony took a moment to watch her. He didn't often get a chance to see Pepper truly amused; irritated, exasperated and exhausted, yes, amused, no. He noticed how her whole body seemed to delight in the event, from the slight shake of her knees to her swinging ponytail. Then he saw something he didn't like, not one bit. A sprinkling of red bumps behind her ears.

"Pepper! What are they?" He asked coming up behind her in two short strides and pushing loose strands of hair aside to have a closer look.

"What? Oh my ears?" She turned around to look at him, her mirth still evident. "It's nothing really. Sensitive skin. Just a reaction to wearing that mask."

"So when you said if I was a good boy you'd let me scratch you behind the ears..."

"I really meant it."

Pepper's smile was all the encouragement he needed. Tony raised a hand and lightly rubbed behind her ear. The roughness of his calloused fingers provided instant relief and Pepper leaned ever so slightly into his palm, turning his action into something akin to a caress. The look of pure pleasure on Pepper's face was tempting him closer.

"I still maintain that dressing as Catwoman was cheating." Tony goaded, edging towards her.

"Comics and graphic novels are a perfectly legitimate, and increasingly popular form of literature, sir. I'm sorry you didn't like my choice of costumes. I guess I'll just have to rethink going to the next one."

"Next one? What next one?" Tony was suddenly distracted. Pepper was volunteering to go to another event with him, another event where she might... and he might...

"The Historic Film Preservation and Conservation Fund is having a ball next month. You received the invitation today. It's on my desk."

Tony was at her desk like a shot. The card was on the keyboard of her laptop with instructions to 'dress as your favourite film character'. Tony's eyes were drawn away from the card to the window open on the screen. He sat down to get a better look. It was a website for film based fantasy costumes. The costume on display was Princess Leia's metal slave bikini. His jaw dropped and his breathing slowed as he envisioned Pepper in it. There was nothing Tony wouldn't do to ensure she was hanging off his arm wearing it.

"Pepper, your choice of costumes was perfect. In fact, I'd love for you to choose both our costumes again for the next one, if you promise to come." There was a level of expectancy in his voice that Pepper didn't often hear.

"If that's the case Mr Stark, I'd be happy to accept the invitation to accompany you. Do you like it?" She said in a conspiratorial whisper, having come up right behind him.

"It's... um... yeah. You're going to turn heads!" He was grinning like mad, and as excited as a puppy.

Pepper ran her fingers through his hair and over his scalp, checking his bump. It had all but gone and Tony let out a little moan of appreciation at her actions. She continued for a while longer, leaning down to his ear. Her breath on his skin mixed with the other sensation put Tony in a slight trance. He was enjoying it so much that it wasn't until she'd stopped and left the room that he registered her departing words.

"Who said I would be the one turning heads Tony?"

-Fin-

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