Title: The Fight Out There
Author: S J Smith
Rating: K+
Summary: Pepper hates these battles.
Warnings: N/A
Disclaimer: Nope. Nada. Zilch. I don't own nothin', and I'm not making any money.

Pepper paces in the penthouse of Stark Tower, biting her cuticle in a way that would probably leave a wound behind. Totally wrecking the manicure she'd paid an extraordinary amount of money for, just a day ago.

Jarvis keeps up a running commentary, more or less, with what was going on out there, less than five miles north of where Pepper stalks the penthouse floors. She could go out on the balcony and look, but she'd be struck dumb by the sheer distance between where she is now, and where Tony – Iron Man – is fighting. The rest of the team are there, too – if she just glances that way, she can see the explosions and vapor trails. If she tilts her head up, she can watch whatever the reporters were able to film. She doesn't want to do either.

"Pepper. Pepper, honey!"

She jerks, like she's been caught on a hook, clutching her hands together. "Tony?" she asks the air.

"Pep, look, I might be a little late for dinner." Something whines, and Tony yelps, "Whoa! Little close there, where's my backup?"

"Tony, are you okay?"

"Just fine," but he sounds curt, and distracted, and Pepper won't be the reason something happens to him.

"I'm letting you go, Tony," she says, wondering why her fingers ache.

"Yeah, it's getting a little while – whoops. Pepper, I love you."

She smiles, and forces all the warmth she can into her voice. "Love you, too, Tony. I'll be waiting for you, with a kiss."

"Mm, and maybe just one of my shirts? That'd be hot – oops, gotta go!"

The connection broken, Pepper lets out a shaky sigh. Tony would be Tony, no matter what. But maybe she'd better get one of his shirts out, just in case. It'd probably keep her from wrecking her manicure any more. "Jarvis, give me fair warning when they come in, okay?"

"Of course, Miss Potts."

She'd better plan some sort of welcome home for Tony when he gets here.

~ end ~