Battle Scars {An Iron Man FanFic}

Chapter 42: Leaving?

A/n: This is dedicated to @casburger! I am definitely entering in Wattys, thanks for all your votes and comments :D :D

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Chapter 42: Leaving?

Third POV

"Be safe Andy" Pepper said, voice thick with worry, the day after the 'being held hostage' ordeal. The girl in question turned around, brown hair brushing the back of her shoulders and blue eyes staring at me with a guarded expression. She gave a small smile and a nod before heading down the stairs with Shane at her side, arm thrown cautiously over her shoulder. The two walked down the stairs and towards the beach, then soon out of sight as they met their friends at the water further down.

"She's lucky to have Shane" Pepper said after a moment, closing the door in front of her. She turned around and was immediately wrapped up in Tony's arms. He only shrugged and then stared at her lovingly. She smiled and then brought her hand up to his face. The two kissed slowly for a while, just taking each other's presence in.  They'd been forced apart yet again by Tony's commitment to the world. Even though he had gone on his own accord, Pepper couldn't stand another sleepless night wondering if she was going to see him the next morning.

"I love you" she murmured to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him close.

"I love you" he said, placing his head into the crook of her neck and closing his eyes softly. Pepper wanted to keep this moment forever, just freeze it into place.

"You're right" Tony said aloud, and she childishly wondered if he could read minds.

"About? I'm usually right Tony" she added jokingly.

"Shane, throughout everything he's been there for her. Wouldn't be surprised if he had more than friendly feelings towards her" he grinned and pulled apart from her. They walked to the couch and turned on the news, although neither one was watching it.

"Well I know she doesn't. Even if she did, she wouldn't act upon it." Pepper noted with a depressed tone. Tony simply nodded her head in agreement, holding Pepper's hand in his and bringing it up to his lips softly.

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                Andy walked silently with her friends as they babbled about precarious summer plans and the imminent need for jobs. Shane walked besides her, hand still on her shoulder, and Desiree walked along her other side. They had all decided to hang out by the pools, near Regina's Taco Parlor. The long expanse of land was dotted with small Jacuzzi shaped pools everywhere, with two larger pools at the furthest ends. They had avoided those however and travelled calmly in between the half full pool park.

                Everyone wore bathing suits, the girls with thin but large shirts over their bikinis and most of the guys were just with bare chest. Andy had refused to bring any sort of swimwear, going with the alibi that he didn't know how to swim. Now not only did she fear her pacemaker to fail, but of showing that painfully annoying brand near her hip. She wore a long sleeve shirt, her body overheating, but she couldn't stand the stares that she knew were to come once they saw her arms. They would mirror Tony and Pepper's, but it would only serve as a harder blow. She felt disconnected from everyone, moving at a slower pace and trying to keep up with the conversation around her. But random flashes of her horrifying night passed through her eyes kept her from feeling safe, her eyes occasionally glazed as panic set in.

                She couldn't understand why she couldn't shake this feeling off. She had done it for so many before. Luke's words flooded into her mind and she couldn't help but admit the vulnerability the truth had forced upon her, "With each piece of news comes some sort of reaction, and after that recovery. So maybe, you're still recovering from the first things and your mind can't move on until the first is done with." Her mind reveled in the sheer brilliance if his statement before she felt another pang in her heart, wondering what could have became of him.