Avengers Stories //Oneshots//

Unexpected Guest

A month after the Avengers formed, Director Fury decided they needed to stay together. They couldn't have the Avengers spread out across the globe if the world needed them and they needed to learn how to work together. They may have worked seamlessly last time, at least during battle, but would that happen again without proper team bonding?

So, in all his wisdom, Fury decided they needed a mandatory meeting each week. Natasha and Clint lived on the helicarrier, and he offered for Thor, Banner, and Rogers to do the same.

That was when Tony stepped in and offered his place for all the Avengers, stating that the SHIELD rooms were too small and some Agents were wary of the Avengers. (He only told Nick the second part in private. Both saw the looks thrown Clint and Bruce's way.)

A week after Tony's offer, they were all moved into his tower. The helicarrier came by once a week to hold a meeting for the six along with Director Fury and sometimes Maria Hill.

Fury and four of the Avengers (Thor was in Asgard) were currently waiting on Tony Stark to appear. They'd been doing the meetings for three weeks and it was doubtful he'd forgotten - Fury had called him this morning about it because he was supposed to bring blueprints for a new helicarrier.

The door finally opened and all looked toward it expectantly, Steve and Fury both ready to give him a lecture on being late. It was not Tony Stark who stepped through the door.

Instead, a strawberry blonde known as Pepper Potts walked in. She carried two binders in her arms and wore a black business suit. Her heels clicked against the tile ominously as she walked over to the table and took Tony's seat.

All the Avengers knew her name and status as CEO of Stark Industries. She was known widely across the globe as one of the most powerful of all buisness people. She was a force to be reckoned with and no one dared to challenge her.

"Hello," she started before anyone could say a word. "My name is Pepper Potts and I am here to fill in for Tony while he tends to some urgent business. Continue as you would, he will be here in a few minutes." Pepper opened the binders and pulled out a pen that had been hiding behind her ear.

She tapped it against the table while they stared at her.

Fury cleared his throat. "Ms. Potts, this is a private meeting of Avengers, that of which you are not."

"I am well aware of my status, Director Fury, but I know just as much as Tony knows." She narrowed her eyes in a way that made board members back off. Fury may not have been one, but Pepper rivaled the glare of a trained spy.

After a moment, he sighed. "Alright. You may sit in."

That was very much of a shock to most Avengers in the room. The Director never backed down from anyone. Ever.

"I didn't ask," she said with a small, devious smile. Natasha gave a very faint nod of approval from across the table.

"Ms. Potts," the red head greeted, putting away her dagger. She had been filing her nails with it, which still put Steve on edge even after seeing her do it so many times since they lived together.

"Natasha," Pepper nodded in her direction, a genuine smile on her face. "It's nice to see you. I would have popped in to see you sooner if I hadn't been at so many conferences these past few weeks. Please, call me Pepper."

"Alright, Pepper." Natasha gave a tentative smile.

Steve cleared his throat quietly. "Perhaps we should start the meeting now?" He got nods of agreement all around, though not without a grumble or two from Clint about having better things to do, like test the new explosive arrows Tony built.

True to what Pepper said, Tony walked into the room a few minutes later without so much as a knock, a few blueprints rolled up under his arm and a smirk on his face. He pulled up a chair and flopped down in the one chair left that Thor usually used, placing the hellicarrier plans on the table. "Sorry I'm late." He gave them all a grin before turning to Pepper. "What'd I miss?"

Pepper, who had given him a disapproving look at how he treated the chair, shook her head fondly. She slid one of the binders over to him while the other was now closed in her lap. She pointed out the things she'd scribbled down while everyone watched in silence for the moment Tony lost interest. Steve, for his part, was mildly interested since Tony had actually asked her what happened. Usually he was trying to derail the conversation unless the topic was really important.

To his surprise, he stayed quiet and attentive while she talked, nodding along. He didn't try to change the topic or crack a joke. If he remembered correctly, she had been working with him for around thirteen years. The captain recalled from earlier how Fury had backed down from Pepper Potts. She was obviously a force to be reckoned with if she could deal with Tony for so long and make The Spy back off.

When Ms. Potts was done explaining, she gathered up what was hers and did something that surprised Steve. She gave Tony a quick kiss that he returned. With a bye to them all, Pepper let herself out.

Tony turned to them, tilted his head at their open mouthed expressions. Everyone but Fury and Natasha were agape, the former stoic as always as he grabbed Tony's plans to look them over and the latter smirking.

"What?" He asked.

Clint shook his head and finally said. "She is a force to be reconned with."

"Obviously," Tony said. "She can put up with me as her boss for over a decade, most of those years being my bad ones." He shuddered.

Bruce just smiled, hands folded on the table. He had watched the proceedings with amusement, laughing silently in his head when the Director himself backed down to Pepper Potts. "She is very nice. How long have you two been together?"

"Just over two years." The elder genius responded, a slightly dreamy look to his eyes.

"She must have nerves of steel."

"You got that right," Fury grunted, making everyone laugh a little.

...

I was very unsure about posting this, but I decided to go ahead. I'm not really proud of this one. I feel like I kept jumping POVs and I could have made that ending better. What do you people think?