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Snap Shot

"I feel the new quarterly report has some discrepan – "

The spacious office suddenly filled with the incessant buzzing of the intercom, interrupting Pepper Potts as she briefed her assistants. She could feel them watching her expectantly as the blaring sound continued over the silence. She knew who it was. There was only one person it could be.

With a short sigh, she finally looked up from her report and pressed the answer button on the intercom.

"You know you only have to press that thing once, right?"

"You were ignoring me." Tony Stark's deep voice answered.

"What do you want?" Pepper asked curtly under the gaze of her employees.

"You busy?"

"Yes."

"Too bad. Come upstairs, I want to show you something."

She tried to ignore the rolling of her assistant's eyes. "I think you misunderstand the meaning of the word 'busy'."

"It'll only take a minute Miss Potts." His teasing voice filled the room. "I promise. It's important."

Pepper let out a small, exasperated sigh as she stared at the intercom screen then disconnected. Looking back up to her employees she put on a small, polite smile.

"I'll be just a minute."

With a ding the elevator doors opened, revealing Tony's grandiose apartment, it's wide windows presenting a panoramic view of New York's glittering towers.

"Welcome Miss Potts." The soft English voice of Jarvis greeted as she stepped out of the elevator.

"Pepper!" Tony exclaimed before she could respond to the omnipresent butler. He stood behind the bar, a triumphant grin forming on his face.

"What do you want, Tony?" Pepper asked impatiently as she walked up to the counter.

"This is how she greets me after I return from a mission? Where are her tears? Where's my kiss?"

"You were doing consultant work for Shield." Pepper held back her smile.

"Yes, but for two days I was forced to stare at a grown man wearing an eye patch. You will not believe how many pirate jokes I had to suppress."

"Must have been hard."

"It was."

Pepper felt a warm smile tug at her lips as she looked in to his shining eyes. "It's good to have you back, Tony."

"It's good to be back." He replied softly.

She felt her heart start to pulse faster, something that has been happening recently whenever she was around Tony, and something she swore she would learn to control. Quickly she drew in a quick breath and tried to change the subject. "But I've got to get back to the meeting – what did you need to show me?"

Tony just grinned as he spread his hands out on the counter in a self-satisfied pose. "Can't you see it?"

Pepper raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "What?"

"Look."

"Tony," She sighed, "Unlike you I've got actual work…" Her voice dropped when she caught a glimpse of a small black picture frame on the counter behind him. "Is that…?"

"It's us!" Tony chirped in.

Pepper was still trying to compute the idea that he had framed a picture of anything besides vintage cards. "It's from…"

"Monaco. Remember?" He looked back from the photo to give a charming smile.

"Yes, when you almost got yourself killed."

"Ah, no, there was an angry Russian trying to kill me." His excuse was met with an unaffected stare. "But I think we're missing the point here," He quickly added as he walked around the bar to Pepper, "Which is that I have made this grand, romantic, passionate gesture – while you barely even give me a welcome home peck on the lips."

He moved in just inches from her face as she tried desperately to stifle her smile. He wasn't going to win this round so easily. "Is that a press photo?"

Tony's charm faltered for a second. "Possibly."

"Did you just get that off the internet?"

"I…" He stumbled with his words, trying desperately to read her face. "Well… Yes. But. It's not like the photo just fell in my hands. I had to actually go out and search for that picture. Then frame it. Then place it here in my loft. I mean that… that's dedication. That takes effort and planning. I mean honestly, I think I'm the only one doing the heavy lifting in this relationship."

"Really?" Pepper raised her eyebrow playfully.

"Yaha." Tony smirked. "But that's ok. I'm happy to do it." His gaze suddenly turned serious as he looked down into her eyes. "I'd be lost without you otherwise."

Pepper suddenly grabbed the front of his t-shirt and drew him into a heated kiss. He could feel his hands wind around her hips when she drew away from him slightly and looked up at his dark, needy eyes.

"Welcome home, Mr Stark."

N/B

Wow! Short like a breath mint! Or indeed…. A snap shot…. (snicker)

*Groan* Sorry, that was a horrible pun. To stop me from starting a list of even more lame word plays, please review! Or to just tell me what you think – review!

Cheerio!