I'm Iron Man, And I'm Agent Coulson

Chapter 57 She's Awake

Four Weeks Later

"We're here to address the nation. We know for much of the American public, there's some questions, some distrust, but we're here to let the world know that as long as there's a need for the Avengers, we'll be there, and have been working with authorities in order to make sure this doesn't happen again," Steve stated, staring into the large crowd of reporters and political leaders, "we're no longer going to be..."

Tony sighed while Steve droned on and on. He was exhausted, irritable from all the excitement, and drudgery of getting the team situated. They had security hearings, new political discord, since Tasha released a long list of thousands, thousands of people from all walks of life belonging to Hydra. Some were stationed in world governments, police, FBI, and raised a rippling alarm over nations, and tons of other things hitting them, but through all that, he would rather be sitting next to (y/n) in her hospital room than here.
It had been four weeks, and while she was healing rather quickly from her wounds, and multiple surgeries, she still hadn't opened her eyes, but he was there for every surgery, every change, easily taking the role of her caretaker, which made him feel better about the whole situation.

Then about two weeks ago, Pepper decided to start moving out, little by little, taking all her things with her. They hadn't really spoken since he flew out of his tower, and left her standing there in his lab with Bruce.
Of course, after a little time had passed he began to wonder just what in the hell he was doing?
Maybe Rhodes was right, and he was just scared of losing someone important.
He had a life at home with Pepper, a damned good one. She almost died because of who he was, but just as soon as those thoughts bounced around his mind, making him question his motives, he always came up with the same answers.
Pep wasn't (y/n), and Pep would never really understand who he was. Oh, she knew him, but in a way much more differently than (y/n).
He honestly had no idea what he could say to Pepper, or how to explain this to her. So he kept himself busy between hospital visits and the workload of carrying the Avengers.
Yet, when he finally did see Pep, he couldn't come up with any words to alleviate her sadness. She'd given him years, but he couldn't deny the schism which continued to rip them apart.
He was Iron Man, he'd always have that as his mantra, and Pep knew that just as he did, he couldn't give it up. He also couldn't lie to her about what he felt for (y/n), not anymore..

There was no anger from her, just defeat, when he finally did speak to her a few days after the last of her boxes were taken out of the tower.

A Week Ago

"Pep, what're you doing?" Tony uttered, while she approached the elevator, with a suitcase, and usual white business suit.
She sighed, and dropped her bag on the marble floor, "I'm heading to my new apartment, then back to LA, I think you and I need some time apart to figure things out," she started, and put her hand up when he tried to speak, "you don't have to explain anything, I know how much she means to you, you said it in your lab a month ago, and she's still important to me too," Pep continued, and gave him a sad smile, "when I found out about you two, I should of stepped away a long time ago, because I think I've always known how she's felt about you, and how you feel about her. I used to get so jealous of your relationship with her, how close you two were, you laughed more too," she chuckled sadly, "god, you should of seen her when you were kidnapped, and how happy she was when you finally came home, but I fell in love with you too," she paused and brushed some hair out her face, "you left me here, even though I asked you not to go, which makes me feel awful, because you saved her, but I think it's clear to both of us what we need to do now."