Air Conditioning

Author's Note: I in no claim to own any of the Iron Man Characters, sadly, Marvel does that. Please bear with me, this is more of a headcanon, but I'm turning it into a one-shot. Please comment and tell me what you think!

P.S.

THIS STORY CONTAINS IM3 SPOILERS. So. If you haven't seen it, you may not want to read this!

After the events involving Aldrich Killian and Extremis, Pepper refuses to allow her body to be warm for extended periods of time. Even being in the sun for twenty minutes makes her want to vomit. The only time she allows herself to be remotely warm is when she's wrapped firmly in Tony Stark's arms.

"Tony we have to get out of here. Or at least I do. I can't do this."

"You'll be fine Pep. You can't leave now, you know that. Remember what happened the last time I left in the middle of a press conference?"

"Tony I can't stay."

Chocolate brown turned to meet crystalline blue. Her already fair complexion had gone nearly completely white, making her already prominent freckles that spotted across her nose and cheeks even more visible. Terror filled her eyes. Her entire body was on fire, and several bead of sweat trickled from her forehead. "Tony. I need out of here." She thought she was going to be sick.

"Any other questions? None? Great. Have a nice day everyone!" Tony ushered her into the Tower as fast as he possibly could. Happy, who was back for his first day of duty since being in a coma, raised an eyebrow as his boss gripped the counter of the reception desk gasping. "Pepper?" When he didn't receive a response his eyes turned to Tony who shrugged and mouthed, 'No idea.'

After nearly twenty minutes, the two of them managed to get Pepper into her office after watching her drain about four bottles of water. As per her request, the air conditioning in the office had been turned on full blast, making Tony mutter something about being in the 'freaking Arctic." Pepper collapsed into the chair behind her desk, sighing heavily.

"Pepper?" Her hands left her face, and her eyes met the worried gazes of her boyfriend and head of security. Her two best friends. "I-I'll be fine. It was just like... it was so hot... my body was overheating... Being outside for so long. It's hot outside."

"Pep. It's only 75 degrees outside and the wind was blowing. And you were only outside for like twenty minutes..." She flinched when Tony's hand touched her arm. "Holy sh-.." He pulled his hand away. "The doctor said your body might get really hot sometimes..." Happy added. He remembered one of his doctors talking to a nurse when they though he wasn't listening. Pepper just nodded. She'd live with this. She'd bounce back. Just another day. She was alive. And that was enough.

"Pepper?"

"Just turn the air conditioning up."