On The Run

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It was a hot, sticky day in July when Tony decided he'd finally had enough.

It had been weeks since Vision had left to go find Team Cap; Tony could only assume he'd found them and had decided not to come back. Honestly, he couldn't blame the guy; he'd be the first one to say he knew what it was like to be enticed by a woman. He just hoped things wouldn't turn out badly for him in the end; he knew firsthand just how much love could hurt-especially real love, not one night stands.

But maybe there was something he could do to change that.

Tony didn't consider himself a nervous person. Really, he was more the type to just charge into situations without thinking in the least about what he was going to do and how it might turn out for him-which was, he supposed, how he got himself into so much trouble in the first place. And yet, as he stood holding his cell phone in his hands with his right index finger hovering over the CALL button next to Pepper's name, he found himself hesitating-wondering if she even wanted to talk to him anymore. Wondering if they could repair things or if he was too late. It had never mattered to him what a woman thought of him before-for most of his life, he'd been able to be confident in his good looks and winning personality. But Pepper was different-she could see through all of his disguises and easily chip away at all the facades he used to make the world think he was better than he actually was. He couldn't fool her like he could fool everyone else-and the last thing he wanted was for her to know how scared he was of losing her for good.

Get ahold of yourself, Tony. He hated when his sentimental teenager self, the one he'd almost managed to crush out of his system but hadn't quite succeeded at yet, decided to make an appearance right when it was most inopportune. It really clashed with the whole playboy-don't-give-a-damn vibe he liked to project. He pressed the button before he could convince himself not to.

The phone rang once...twice...three times...and then he heard the telltale click on the other end of the line as somebody picked up.

"Tony," Pepper asked, probably wondering why he was calling her at 10:00 in the morning when they both should be at work. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes...no...I mean, do you have a minute? Maybe to get coffee or something? FRIDAY makes some mean Earl Grey."

She sighed in annoyance, that sigh he'd grown to know and love over the years, "Tony, I'm supposed to be running your company."

"Yeah, and it's my company. I can exempt you for a couple of hours and no one will dock your pay." He could sense that she was still hesitant so he added, "I know we're not technically...together anymore, but...I've missed you, Pep. And I could really use your company right about now."

He heard her check her calendar. "I think I can pencil you in. What time do you want me to come over?"

He was tempted to tell her to catch the first subway she could but quickly realized he hadn't changed out of his pajamas. "Can you be here in fifteen?"

"Okay. See you then." The phone clicked off. Her tone had been expressionless; he couldn't tell if she'd decided to come because she was happy about it or because she felt some kind of obligation to him because he was her boss.

He wished he could tell her that she didn't have any obligations to him; in fact, maybe he was the one who had obligations to her. After all, wasn't she the one who had contributed in no small part to making him not an asshole anymore? At least, not as big of an asshole? And hadn't she put up with more stupid ideas, more ridiculous projects, more panic attacks, more drunk nights, than anyone else he'd ever known? But he couldn't take his own advice; not when he worried it might cost him everything again. Then again, he supposed it really didn't matter. He'd lost nearly everyone already: Romanoff, Barton, Vision, Banner...Rogers.