A/N: Another fic requested by Ls11, inspired by a picture I drew. It's still not quite done but I wanted to post the story, so please forgive the fact that the picture is unfinished, if you decide to check it out. link:/: terez 89 . deviantart art / After-Surgery-375957591

15 hours 39 minutes and 52 seconds Later

Standing in the doorway Pepper can hardly bring herself to enter the room, he's never seemed more venerable to her. An oxygen mask is strapped to his face, wires draped around him and layers of bandages wrapped his chest, this hardly seems like the man that stumbles in at 3 am, bleeding and banged up, sporting a mild concussion, refusing proper medical help insisting he only wants his bots or her to stitch him up and kiss it better.

Stepping into the room the knot in her stomach only intensifies as her eyes settle on the gauze wrapped around his torso and the lack of the blue glow from the arc reactor. She tells herself it isn't needed anymore that his heart is strong and stable- the heart monitor confirms this- though the psychological fear is still present; for years the lack of the glow meant he was inches from death.

Stepping though the room she places the duffel bag full of clothes in the corner and a toy rabbit on a nearby table, hesitating for a moment by the bed, desperate to do something and at the same time feeling helpless.

"Oh, Tony," Pepper sighs racking her hand delicately though his hair, the tension visibly leaving her body with a small smile. Leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead she knows that she's not leaving the room until he's awake and that the chair sitting across the room is too far from the bed.

Settling in right against the bed she finds his hand within the sheets weaving her fingers with his. It's been a long 15 hours 39 minutes and 52 seconds, and now sitting in the darkened room beside him, she feels her body can finally rest. Her eyes begin to droop not long after, comforted by the ever present beep on the heart monitor, as sleep over comes her.

A/N: This originally continued on to Tony waking up and them talking, but I wasn't sure anyone would care to read all that, so I cut it off here. I hope you all enjoyed!