Avengers
Better to Know, than Assume
McRaider
Summary: It wasn't until I was standing there watching him fly through the portal that I realized just how wrong I'd been about Tony Stark.
Author's Notes: There's a lot of fanfiction for such a great movie. And there have been a lot of apology stories thus far when Steve apologizes, and they are all beautiful. So I decided to join in. Hopefully I didn't make this too out of character for Tony, I only get his voice right when I'm really trying not to think about it. I love Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man, but I felt like at times, the Captain came off a little rude, so I wanted to highlight that as well. Usually, I'm all about Slash as well, but the feeling just didn't take me in this one.

A/: First off, thank you again to all the wonderful reviews! I loved writing this story and while I'm sad to see it end, i'm glad that I've succeeded in writing an Avengers story that is liked, because now I can post my next story!

Chapter One: Peppering with Love

I sat in the plan staring at the TV in horror, "Rhodey," I whispered quietly, "Turn this plane around, I want to go home." I tried to keep my voice from shaking, my whole body from shaking. I saw him fall, drop to the ground he looked dead. The TV didn't show anything else. This was worse than Afghanistan, with that I could at least have hope.

I felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest. I grabbed my phone, deciding maybe, just maybe if he was alive, I could call him and I felt my stomach hit my throat at the sight of his smiling face on my phone. He'd called me. He must have called me on his way up, I was his last call. "Tony," I whimpered. I gasped when it began to vibrate in my hand, his face appearing again. "Tony?" I felt a little bit of hope.

"Hi beautiful," the voice sounded tired and pain filled, but it still was a sight better than alive.

"You're alive," I couldn't help cry this time as my hands shook.

I could practically hear his smile, "I tried to call and at least tell you I was going to die."

I bit my lip, wiping my hand across my face in effort to rid it of the tears that had begun to appear there. "I'm coming home."

"Good, good."

"I'll…I'll talk to you later," I murmured.

"Yes you will," he said with an assurance I didn't feel. It was nearly forty-five minutes later when Rhodey and I surveyed the damage of our building and stepped out into the streets of New York to see all the chaos that had occurred. And walking down the street in all that chaos were five men and a woman who couldn't look like less of an unlikely team if they'd tried. Leading the pack was tony, my beautiful Tony.

He made his way to me, I could tell just by the way he walked he was tender around his ribs and his knee was giving him trouble. "Pepper," he said cordially, as he tried to surpress his grin.

"Mr. Stark," it was our normal greeting, but I didn't want normal, I wanted to feel his strong arms hold me, I wanted to know he was pouring all his passion into m e at that moment. A second later he swept me up in his arms and held me tight, pressing a light kiss to my chin and cheeks. "I'm here Pep," he murmured in my ear.

"I know, I just can't stop hugging you."

He chuckled, "Plenty of that for later," he pulled away and thanked Rhodey before we all went inside. I watched him go inside, followed by the rest of the team, only Natasha stopped, giving my arm a gentle squeeze.

"Is he okay?" I asked her seriously.

Natasha sighed, "I don't know. I can tell you that some things were said to him that might be bothering him. Just…be yourself, he cares for you I can see it."

I smiled and nodded, "I'm aware, thank you Tasha."

I found Tony lying on the bed fifteen minutes later, his eyes were closed, but I could tell from his breathing he wasn't asleep. He'd stripped down to his boxers, showing a an array of bumps and bruises, a smattering of scrapes and a few old scars I was all too familiar with.

I moved over to him, making sure the door was closed and locked. Moving over to him, I tripped down to my bra and panties before I climbed on the bed beside him and watched him just lie there. I ran my hands over his body, starting at his legs, tracing some of the bruises and the scars, a handful he'd gotten just by tinkering in his lab. I skipped past his lower waist and moved up to his six pack, thirty-eight and he still had a well defined and toned back, with just a little bit of extra padding, I liked it. I traces my hands over his broken and wrapped ribs, over his arms and up to his neck and face, that handsome face.

"I love you," he murmured, clearly relaxed. I felt him stiffen at the realization of what he'd just said, he glanced at me, as if waiting for me to hate him for it.

"I love you too, Tony," I pressed a kiss to his lips.

"There's beautiful woman in my bed."

I grinned, "Yes there is, what are you going to do about it?"

"If I didn't have two broken ribs, I'd show her how much I love her, but would she settle for a nice nap."

I settled against him, resting my head on his shoulder and curling my body as tight against his as I could. Despite what others thought, Tony enjoyed being coddled and cuddled as much as anyone. At times, normally when we were alone, it was as if he'd been deprived of it all his life and was only now getting the chance to truly appreciate hugs and kisses. I never understood how someone could go without being loved, but I'd give him whatever he needed to be happy. After a few moments of silence I looked at him, "Are you all right?"

"Physically?"

"Mentally and emotionally?"

"No." His answer was surprisingly truthful, which was unlike him, but then he'd learned not to lie to me. "What am I without my suit?"

I propped my head up on my hand and studied him, "Your Tony Stark, the smartest man, but don't tell him that, I've ever met. You have a heart of gold."

"Actually it's made of a new element," he grinned jokingly.

I laughed, "You know what I mean."

"Seriously, though Pep. I mean really, they are skilled marksmen, crazy green giants, Gods, and Captain America."

"Tony, who cares about that, you're all human, well except Thor. But you're all men and women, made from the same thing, so some are stronger than others. It doesn't mean any one of you is worth more or less than any other."

"I should've died half a dozen times, Pep, at least, but I keep living. People die around me, and I just keep on living."

I pressed a kiss to his forehead, "And I'm thankful for that. Tony, I know you struggle with this because you rarely hear it. And I know you're so used to people telling you that you aren't worth a hole in the head. But you are, I'm so proud of you, and the man you've become, I'm proud of how much you've grown just in a few years. And that man I fell in love with, twelve years ago, I love him even more now. I love you, Tony. So don't you ever let anyone tell you that you aren't good enough, because it's not true."

"Thank you."

I nodded, kissing his lips one last time as we laid back down, arms wrapped around one another and closed our eyes, soaking in the feeling of being close. "Marry me," he whispered.

"What?"

He looked at me and smiled, "Not right now, but one day, Pepper Potts, become my wife."

I smiled, "I'd be honored."

He nodded and we closed our eyes again, our breathing slowed as we fell into a semi fitful sleep.