Chapter 1

"The Query"

Pepper Potts was on the phone when Tony Stark strode into her office and plopped himself down on the couch. She was too involved in her conversation to pay him very much attention. Tony didn't mind. He knew she had a job to do, so he busied himself until she was done. He began looking through the items on the coffee table. One thing in particular caught his eye.

"Why, Virginia Potts," he said as soon as she hung up her phone, "I had no idea you read stuff like this."

"Like what?" Pepper replied, scribbling a note on the paper in front of her without looking up.

"This," he repeated.

"What is this?"

"This magazine."

"What magazine?"

"This magazine."

Pepper looked up and saw Tony holding aloft an issue of some serial, his finger stuck inside holding his place. "Oh," was all she said before turning her attention to her computer monitor.

"I never figured you for a Cosmo girl."

"I'm not."

"You must be."

She quit typing. "Tony, what are you talking about?"

"This copy of Cosmopolitan: 'the women's magazine for fashion, sex advice, dating tips, and celebrity news'."

"Where did that come from?"

"I found it on the table over there under some other stuff," Tony explained. He got up off the couch and walked to Pepper's desk, straddling the chair across from her. "You know, Pep, you've always had good fashion sense. I never knew celebrity gossip was your thing and maybe you needed dating tips before a few months ago, but, sex advice? I'm offended that you would consult some smutty girl's magazine instead of coming directly to me, your own boyfriend. I do consider myself somewhat of an expert in that area, you know. Although, if this where you learned that thing we did last week..."

"That's not my magazine."

"You don't have to hide your dirty literature from me."

"I'm not hiding anything."

"Then why was it stuck underneath that other stuff?"

"I don't know."

"Where did it come from?"

"Someone must have left it here. Maybe it was that new intern I interviewed."

"If it's the one I'm thinking of, she could use all the fashion tips she could get."

"I don't see what the big deal is," Pepper said in an annoyed tone. "It's not like it's porn or anything."

Tony turned the magazine sideways. "I don't know. This article here on 'How To Burn Up Your Bedroom' comes pretty close. It has illustrations." Pepper took the magazine from him and laid it on the desk. He rested his chin on the back of the chair and stared at the cover. "She looks familiar. Do I know her?"

Pepper glanced at the photo. "Squint your eyes like you're drunk and imagine her passed out naked on a craps table. It will come to you."

"Oh yeah. I remember her. In my defense, I didn't sleep with her." He looked again at the cover. "She was too drunk and wouldn't have enjoyed it anyway." Pepper rolled her eyes. "C'mon, don't be mad."

"Who's mad?"

"You, but don't be."

"I'm not mad."

"Are you mad because of what I said about your magazine?"

"I told you. It's not my magazine."

"Is it her?" he asked, pointing to the woman in the photo. "Because she means nothing."

"I know."

"It was a long time ago."

"I know exactly when it was. I reminded you, remember?"

"It's not like you didn't date anyone before we got together," Tony said with a smirk.

"Yes...I did." Pepper tapped the papers in her hand against the desktop to straighten them. "As a matter of fact, he still works here." When she looked at her boyfriend, Tony's smirk had disappeared.

Author's note: Take one trip to a convenience store for chewing gum, add seeing an issue of Cosmo at the check-out, toss in a horde of texts to my BFF, and just about that many PMs to nancyozz and you get this story. As it stands, it's probably going to be about 3-5 chapters, maybe more. With all of the negativity pervading the Internet lately, I thought we needed something light and some Pepperony fluff. I hope you like it. I promise, it will all make sense in the end. Reviews are greatly appreciated, especially if you're interested in reading more. I'm humbled and honored that anyone would read anything I write, so your feedback means so much. Thanks again to nancyozz. PEPPERONY FOREVER!