Bless The Broken Road

Peggy's Fall in 2005

"You look good Tony," a blonde whispered into the billionaire's ear as she passed, her hands lingering on his arms for too long and her smile showing all her white teeth. Tony almost didn't hear her sultry voice over the sound of the music blaring around the party. People screamed and laughed, the bass drowning it out with the DJ's tunes.

"So do you," he smiled back at her, enjoying the way she leaned in closer. The blonde was wearing a mini skirt and a crop top, her lip gloss shining as she moved in closer to his personal space.

"You like this," she licked her lips as her eyes stayed glued to Tony's. "You should see what i'm wearing underneath."

And he did. God, he did want to see what was underneath. A smile still on his lips, Tony turned to where Pepper was purposely adverting her eyes and coughed so she would bring her attention back to him. "Uh, Potts, make sure everything with the party stays okay— i'm going to be occupied . . . for a while."

The blonde smiled even more, her arm linking into Tony's as they walked away from the outdoor party and into the lively house. People were walking on the furniture and spilling drinks all over Tony's floor but he barely paid any attention to it as he led the blonde up the stairs.

"You want to see my personal room?" He appreciated not needing to shout now that they were away from the party scene.

"Oh please," the woman huffed, her eyes eating Tony's in a hungry passion. Now they were away from the crazy lights of the party, Tony could see that the woman currently laying on his bed was actually rather pretty. He just smirked as he undid the tie from around his neck, watching as the woman beckoned him closer.

Before he could even step forward to the bed, there was a loud pounding on his door. "Mr Stark? Tony!" Pepper's voice yelled out and the man groaned. The woman on his bed rolled her eyes, waiting for him to dismiss his PA.

"What?" Tony hissed as he cracked the door open a fraction. Pepper's red hair was the only thing he could see through the small crack. "I'm kinda busy here."

"You have a call," Pepper spoke back with equal anger. "It's your Aunt Peggy."

The mention of Aunt Peggy makes Tony freeze. He cracks open the door a little more to see Pepper's expression; her features are deadly serious and Tony gulps away his anxiety, sliding through the door's gap so he could face his assistant properly.

"What did she say?" Tony demands, staring at the phone in Pepper's hand.

"She's in the hospital," Pepper has the decency to look upset. "I think she fell."

"And she phoned me because?" Despite how much he loved his Aunt Peggy, it was no secret that they'd become more distant throughout the years. Peggy's friendship with Howard, despite the old man's asshole tendencies, had been the backbone to Peggy and Tony's relation. Once Howard had died, Peggy had stuck around for a while but she'd left when Tony's alcoholism had peaked. She'd said something about Tony's bad habits breaking her heart and being unable to watch as he followed in his father's footsteps.

They still spoke occasionally but Tony couldn't help but be shocked that Peggy sought him out when she was in hospital.

"She wants to see you."

"See me?" Tony scoffed, trying to push away the emotion that arose at the one person (apart from Jarvis) who he actually had happy memories with from his childhood. He missed his Aunt Peggy crazy amounts but he would never admit it. At least, not to anyone but her. "What for?"

"Tony," Pepper gives him her infamous no bullshit stare. "Don't do this. Go see her."

He didn't even think twice before he arranged for the company jet to fly him out to England. Tony left Pepper in charge of shutting down the party and Obie's complaints as he boarded his private jet less than two hours after he'd received the news.