Sorry for neglecting this, school's a bitch. I love you all.

"I bumped into Jake earlier." Pepper announced out of nowhere.

Tony's head snapped up from the paper work in front of him. He was sitting at the kitchen island doing some work Pepper had bribed him into doing himself. She was on the sofa behind him doing something else. He wasn't sure as he was so engrossed in finishing the dull forms and getting back to his workshop. But at the mention of Pepper's ex, his attention was diverted.

He turned so he was sitting sideways on the stool and watching Pepper. "You bumped into him?"

She looked at him, "Yeah, at the mall. He's doing quite well for himself. Moving to New York soon to set up his practice, he said he just needed to find a place to live. Fancied a penthouse I think he used to say. Always knew he was a high-flyer."

"So you just bumped into good ol' Jake did you?"

Pepper shrugged. "Yes. Why?"

"Well I was just wondering, did you actually, physically bump into him? Like did you walk out of a shop and bang into him. Or was he walking past you and you personally stopped in your tracks to go see how he was doing and have a little catch up?" Tony said quite quickly.

Pepper gave Tony a confused look. "Does it really matter?"

"Yes." Tony answered without a beat.

"Well if you want the exact details I guess I did stop him to chat. But I can't see how that's an important fact." Pepper watched Tony intently.

Tony bowed his head and nodded a little. He let out a sigh and tried to calm himself down. Tony had only heard bad things about Jake and the one time he met him, Tony knew they were all true. Jake Henderson was bad news. Tony knew that the minute he heard he was going out with Pepper. Anyone that wasn't him that was going out with Pepper was an arse.

They went out for a year and a half. Pepper was blissfully happy for the entire time, except when Tony gave her grief. She was busy at the weekend, left work at five o'clock on the dot and would always be found talking to him on her lunch breaks. And Tony thought that was it for him. That there'd never be a Tony and Pepper. Stark was no more.

But out of nowhere Jake decided he didn't like Pepper anymore.

Pepper was heartbroken. Absolutely and completely broke. She couldn't function and had become bed-ridden. She thought this Jake bloke would never hurt her, and would always protect her. But lo and behold, when Pepper was at her lowest, who was there? Tony. The only guy who had never truly hurt her at his own fault. Slowly, but surely Pepper recovered from her break up. With the help of her loveable boss and things returned to normality.

Then six months later, Henderson turns back up again. What a wanker. Thinking he could just pop up in her life whenever he chose. And to add to it, he came looking for her at Tony's house. Pepper turned into a blubbering mess. She kept telling him to leave and he refused. Tony wanted to step in, but Pepper wouldn't let him. She wanted to deal with it on her own. Something about closure? But the second Tony saw Jake's hand gripping Pepper's wrist Tony couldn't just stand back. He smacked Henderson one, squarely in the face. And that was it.

Pepper tried to act pissed, but realistically she loved that Tony protected her.

"Why would you even give that guy a second glance? He's not worth the time of day. And from what I remember he's an absolute dick. He deserves to get the crap kicked out of him." Tony sounded assertive with his anger.

"Yeah and from what I remember you would have if I hadn't stopped you."

Tony ignored her comment. "It's just that you're innocent little 'I bumped into Jake earlier' comment wasn't innocent at all. You're trying to sugar coat it because you knew how much it'd piss me off. Especially when I found out that you stopped what you were doing just to go say hi to a guy that broke your heart and made you miserable for half a year. I thought you'd got passed all that."

"Course I have Tony. Why are you acting up like a jealous kid? You know that i'm well over him. I thought maybe the fact that we're together would stop you're suspicions, but clearly you can't trust me-"

Tony cut her off there. "Of course I trust you Pepper. I just can't see why you would want to waste your time with Jake Henderson?"

"You're being ridiculous." Pepper breathed out whilst pretending to look at the paper that was resting on her lap and across the coffee table. She twiddled her pen around in her fingers nervously and tried to resist the temptation to throw it at Tony's head.

"Ridiculous?" Tony asked.

"Yes ridiculous." She turned her attention back to him. "First of all, i'm with you. I love you. And just thought it would be nice to see how he's doing. Secondly he's moving to New York. They just found out that he's girlfriends pregnant for god's sake!"

"Find that out in your little chat did you?" Tony snipped.

Pepper laughed despite nothing about the situation being funny. "I know I love you, but you can be a real arsehole sometimes Tony." Pepper stood there and slammed the paper from her lap down. She strode across the room right past Tony making his head turn. She started gathering her things.

"I'm being an arsehole?" Tony sounded shocked.

Pepper's head snapped up. "Yes an absolute arsehole. How can you be so childish about nothing? So what I talked to Jake Henderson. It's not like I slept with the guy is it. We had a five minute chat maximum and we were both saying how happy we were. Separately. Definitely not involved in each other's lives. If I'd known you were going to get so stressed about it I wouldn't have told you. But there is no reason to go off on one when I openly tell you about something insignificant in my day."

Tony was dumbstruck by Pepper's outburst.

"When you decide to grow up i'll be at my apartment." She turned to walk out. "Actually, i'll call you when i've calmed down and think I can handle seeing your face again."

The door slammed after her.

Of course, Tony ignored Pepper's request. He left it about an hour or so until he had calmed down. He then waited another hour for her to calm down some more. He tried to ring, but unsurprisingly she ignored all his calls. Even the ones from Jarvis.

After two agonizing hours. Tony took a deep breath and knocked on Pepper's front door.

Pepper opened the door with a sigh to a puppy eyed Tony Stark. He looked sheepish with his hands buried into his pockets. He was biting his lower lip and his feet were fidgeting. Pepper sniffed and brushed off the falling tear whilst flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"What do you want?" She crossed her arms in defence.

He swayed from side to side. "To say sorry."

"That all?"

"No. And to beg for your forgiveness." When Pepper didn't say anything, Tony took is as indication to continue. He stepped up so he was taller than Pepper again. "Look I don't know what happened with me back there. But at the thought of him, I don't know, it just hurt. He was the love of your life and he broke your heart. He hurt you so much and I was the one there for you."

Tony stood closer to her again, inches from each other. Tony's hands still dug in his pockets. Pepper's own still stood strong as a barrier between the two of them. "I've never felt so insecure. About anything, especially a girl. But to think that you actually wanted to talk him, it scared me. I didn't feel safe anymore."

Pepper's barrier was starting to disintegrate. The sincerity and vulnerability of Tony made her want to just crumble and hug him there and then.

"I was stupid and acted like a kid. I know I should have just talked to you and told you how uneasy it made me feel. But Pepper you know better than anyone that i'm protective. And that this is my first proper relationship. I know i'm pathetic, but could you see it in your heart to forgive me? Because two hours without you and I was already getting withdrawal symptoms, I don't think I can go on any longer."

That made Pepper smile, reluctantly her mouth grew and she laughed lightly to herself. She dropped her arms to her sides and let them hang. His eyes searched her for any sign of how she was feeling or what was running through her head. He didn't have time to even begin to see through her as her small hands resting on his biceps distracted him.

"Tony he's not the love of my life." Pepper said with a hint of amusement. She ran her hands up and down his arms as if to comfort him. "And yes you did act like a brat. And got angry completely unnecessarily. But you have to understand that I haven't got an ounce of feelings towards that man anymore."

Tony took in a breath of relief. He closed his eyes momentarily and when he reopened them, Pepper began to talk again. "If i'm honest, I wanted him to be having a really crappy time. Unfortunately he isn't, but it's the thought that counts."

Tony laughed, Pepper joined in.

"So, we're okay now?"

Pepper nodded, "We're more than okay."

Tony felt his heart jump. He wanted to dance in a mini-celebration, but decided he didn't want to ruin the sentimental moment. His hands rose to rest on her ribs before circling her back and pulling her body towards to press against his.

"Phew," Tony rested his forehead against Pepper's and studied her features. He could tell by her expression that she was content. Happy to be in his arms again. He hoped anyway. "Thought I'd really mucked it up for a minute there. Thank god i've got such a cool, fun, loving, gorgeous girlfriend to tell me when to stop right?"

"Right."

They both smiled before leaning in to press their lips together. Pepper's hands slid up to curl around his neck whilst Tony's slipped down to fiddle with the hem of her tank top and then slide back up across her bare skin. They slowed the kiss down to enjoy the feeling of just being happy with each other again. Two hours really had seemed like a lifetime after Pepper practically living at Tony's for the past few months.

That gave him an idea.

"Move in with me?" Tony asked. He leant in to kiss her again before she could even register his question.

She gently shoved him back a fraction so she could talk. "Move in with you?" Tony nodded. "Do you not think we're moving a bit fast? You've got no need to feel insecure anymore-"

"I don't feel insecure anymore. I trust you." Tony cut her off. "I don't think we're moving fast, I think this is the next logical step. And anyway, didn't you say you loved me about five million times today?"

"Yeah I did." Pepper confirmed, and then a thought popped into her head. She pulled back even further, but Tony's hands kept her close to him. Her hands rested on his chest. "And I don't remember hearing it back once?"

Tony rolled his eyes and leant in to kiss her again. Pepper put a finger on his lips and raised her eyebrows.

"Alright, I love you. More than anything." Pepper's face broke into a huge grin. Tony's soon followed. He nodded as if make sure she knew he really did love her. "Now will you move in with me?"

"Can I call you roomie?"

He kissed her again.

3:10 a.m. sorry for mistakes. Review please (: AnnaTW