Authors Note; Hey! I'm back with a vengance and a new story! This sequel is the story of new parents Pepper and Tony as they bring up their children, Evelyn and Rowan, How will they cope in the world of parenting? Featuring finding out about their father's horrific time in Afganistan and why exactly he has an arc reactor to become the Iron Man the world knows and loves, growing up, young love and traumatic events. Hence the rating.

Relates heavily to the first story, but don't worry if you haven't read it, although it'll fill in some gaps you may find puzzling.

Super nervous about this, I hope your gonna like this story as I'm having fun wiriting it so far. I started as soon as I finished the last chapter of the first story. I'm currently writing the seventh chapter *gulps* I think I may need to go to a support group...?

Anyway, ignore my irrelevant waffling, my stomach will contnue to churn untill I revcieve some lovely follows ectt..

and please, please remember to REVIEW!

x

Sequel to Genius, Billionaire, Playboy & Philanthropist.

*Note; Evelyn has brown eyes- New change.*

Title; Friends, Revenge, Tears & Vulnerability.

Chapter 1 : Where's Daddy?

Pepper POV;

Oh Tony; where the hell are you?

Life is hard. Hard when you have to occupy one difficult two year old and a quizzing five year old when your husband is away on a mission tasked to him and the rest of the team by Director Fury ; saving the world as the famous Iron Man sometimes with or without The famous Avengers.

I always found it challenging looking after my two children when Tony was on a mission.

Time had passed from the whole ordeal of the two pregnancies I had experienced, Evelyn turned 5 last week and Rowan finally reached the terrible twos. Evelyn was a breeze, she always did what I asked of her without any protest.

Five years old for my little girl led to one hundred and one questions; about everything , anything to everyone. She was quite the little charmer who always knew how or when to gain the attention and make people laugh. Being the daughter of a genius, Evelyn showed evident signs of intelligence more frequently than ever.

Evelyn mainly sported her looks from her father; her dark brown hair, set in lengthy waves her hair touched the top of her shoulders, they oddly reminded me of the photo Tony possessed of his mother, Maria always a perfect model to her beautiful vintage waved locks.

She had Tony's beautiful, hypnotic deep chocolate brown eyes, she also shared his straight nose. From me, Evelyn took my high cheek bones and creamy skin.

Rowan on the other hand had a different personality to his big sister, my son was more quiet and reserved but he showed glimmers of early intelligence as well. Of course he spoke, very well in fact but he became more shy in front of people he didn't know very well. Although, he was only very chatty when he wanted to be mostly to Tony and I.

Rowan's hair was a mixture of mine and Tony's colouring resulting in it being a sandy brown, his eyes blue like mine, Tony's facial structure and lips but my nose.

"Mommy, when is daddy coming home?" Evelyn wondered in from her place in the living room playing with a load of toys she had gotten from her godparents and parents for her birthday.

"Um, honey I'm not sure. But he'll be back soon though, I promise." Bustling around the kitchen to prepare everyone's dinner. Evelyn followed me around wordlessly for a while, tugging on my work dress every now and then.

"Mommy. I want daddy."

It breaks my heart, every time. The times where she wants to see her father when he's on a mission - especially this four day one he was embarking on at the moment. Evelyn always missed him when he was away, the two of them both did, unfortunately there isn't anything I or Tony can do until he gets back.

I crouched down to her level seeing her watery eyes and pout. I drew her chin up with a finger.

"I know you do but listen; how about we ring daddy when it's time for bed? We'll ask daddy when he will be coming home and say goodnight." I wrapped my arms around her; supporting her on my hip as I stood back up.

"Yes, I hope he comes back soon." She said quietly lying her head on my shoulder.

"Me too."

"Right, eat up." I popped her down on one of the breakfast bars chairs next to Rowan who had been sitting there quietly all this time drawing, then set down their plates of food in front of them.

"Thank you, mommy." They both said. Rowan flashed a smile at me.

The rest of the evening was followed by more entertainment, answering questions and then ringing Tony for Evelyn when she was safely tucked up in bed, bouncing around waiting to hear that all too familiar 'hello' , I had Rowan waiting on my lap as well.

Unfortunately; Tony failed to pick up dampening everyone's mood even more. My worry increased sky high. So there was nothing left to do but attempt to get a decent nights sleep.

I predicted I wouldn't be able to, I wasn't wrong there. Tossing and turning until around two in the morning just drove me crazy, checking my phone every two seconds was mentally exhausting as it read 'no new missed calls'.

At half two the bedroom door opened letting in an unwelcome rectangle of yellow artificial light. I shot up. Hope rising only to fall again.

It wasn't Tony. Not that I was sure it would have been him; I normally hear the clunk of metal below me in the workshop.

Not Tony, not Rowan but it was Evelyn walking slowly towards the bed old fashioned styled golden haired teddy bear in hand Steve gave her for her third birthday.

"Can't sleep?" I asked her quietly observing her sleepy but sad expression coupled with messy bed hair. Evelyn shook her head sadly. Dragging the covers back Evelyn clambered up passing over Tony's side of the bed to cuddle herself closer to my exhausted frame. I loved the company and hugged her closer sending her soundly off to sleep within five minuets.

Finally at ten to three, a muffled clunk of metal sounded in the workshop. My heart leapt at the sound. Evelyn settled right back down into the pillows once I had retracted my self from her hold giving her hug to the teddy in her grasp.

I half ran down the stairs eager to catch a glimpse of Tony, glad to notice the suit was disappearing into the pedestal.

Tony shot me a tired smile and opened the workshop door to meet me at the base of the stairs.

"Hi." Was all Tony could get out before I latched my arms around him. Smelling him, feeling him so I could convince myself this was no dream.

"I'm glad you're home, I was getting worried." I said relieved, we kissed lazily as it was almost three in the morning. Tony tired from a very long mission and my long day at work followed by caring for two children all evening.

"It's good to be back; missed you, Pep."

"Are you injured?" I asked curiously not sensing any gasps or sharp intakes of breath during the time my hands ran up and down his sides.

"I got cleaned up at SHIELD's facility when Fury de-briefed us. Why are you up this late?" Tony mumbled into the space between my ear and curve of my neck, embracing me again. I hummed in happiness.

"Couldn't sleep. Did you get my missed call?"

"I had to attend the de-brief, so I unsuited. JARVIS notified me on it a few hours ago. Bed?"

"Yeah."

Tony and I tiredly dragged our feet upstairs. So tired I forgot the little person occupying our bed.

Tony let out a laugh through his nose.

"She missed you."

"I missed you all."

We decided Evelyn needed to sleep in her own bed (and for us to have some space in ours.) so Tony carried her back.

Tony carried Evelyn down the hall to her currently unoccupied room enjoying the feel of her weight baring in his arms after so many days of saving the world. I followed after carrying her teddy.

"But mommy I have to wait for daddy to get home." Evelyn protested still half asleep.

"It's okay, I'm home now. You can sleep, honey." Tony set her down in bed, Evelyn was already returned to her dream land before her head fully touched the pillow. Tony took a moment to draw the covers up and around her, taking the teddy from my outstretched hand, and tucked it into the empty cradle her hands made.

He kissed her forehead.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked Tony "I'm not injured" Stark when his sharp intake of breath and jolt away from me when I leaned my head on his shoulder, completely content all of three seconds ago sitting up in bed enjoying the feel of having Tony home. I tugged on his t-shirt trying to find the injury that caused obvious discomfort.

"Yeah, yeah-Ow! Pepper, I didn't think you would be up for it now?!"

"Let me see your shoulder." I ordered still tugging. A moment later, Tony shed his t-shirt with a sigh.

The white cushioned dressing under the sleeve soon became visible when Tony awkwardly peeled his t-shirt from his well chiselled body; yeah, I missed him a lot.

He slowly peeled the medical tape away revealing a large gash. I retained a gasp.

"You cleaned this yourself, didn't you?"

"Quickly."

I sighed rushing over to snatch the first aid kit in the en suites' cupboard. The gash wound around his upper arm starting at the tip of his shoulder plummeting down in a harsh diagonal line. It was obvious to tell Tony hastily cleaned himself up, the dried crimson blood decorated his flesh and the gash paraded in an angry red.

"How did you even do this?" I asked him over his hisses from the cotton wool dampened with anti bacterial dabbing ever so gently at his arm.

"A piece of metal in the suit became loose when I crashed, I'll fix it later... Thank you." He added when I finished and replaced the dressing with a bandage.

"It's what I'm here for." I replied running my hand down from his chest down to the waistband of his sweat pants.

"I love you." Tony turned my chin up for a kiss. It deepened quickly making us both a little short of breath in no time. Tony pulled me on top of him slowly reclining until his back hit the mattress completely. (I was thankful for the huge sized bed preventing us toppling over onto the floor.)

"I love you, too." I whispered breathlessly in-between his shower of kisses on my lips, jaw and neck.

The sensitive touch of his lips on mine surged a rush of adrenaline it pumped in my ears and made my hands tremble.

My hands rapidly explored his topless half, unthinkingly clenching down on his upper arms as his flustered breath and kisses made themselves noticeable on my neck- Tony cried out in pain making us both sit up at the same time.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" I felt guilty and muffled my apology with my hands piled over my mouth.

"I'm fine! Oh god-Ow! Pepper, I didn't know I had such an effect on you?"

"There's the ego!" I laughed patting his cheek.

My husband silenced me with a very welcome kiss against the sheets.

"You love my ego."

"That's obviously debatable."