More Time - COMPLETED

Part 3

"Katie, I told you already..." she muttered under her breath and I'm suddenly more interested.

"You mean..." her cousin starts, wide eyed, and Pepper's then nodding.

"What?" I finally ask, looking between the two.

Someone fucking tell me!

"I told you she doesn't believe we're dating," Pepper finally admits, and all I can do it laugh a high pitched mockery; yup, probably not the best, but whatever.

"Well, congratulations, Katie, and thank you for the invitation, and the...well, I feel like a prince, to be completely honest," I grin. "But if I may so politely excuse us, I think I'd like to catch a dance with my girlfriend now."

Then, I lead her away and walk her to the dance floor. Pepper's shooting a look over her shoulder, and I hope it's a good one, because then we're sharing a slow dance in front of the rest of the guests with a few other couples on the floor; the American aspect of this wedding, I guess.

"So, we're dating again, huh?" I ask with a mischievous grin as I hold her body against mine.

"Not now, Tony," she answers politely, reminding me a lot of the tone she used nine years ago when we first danced at the Fireman's benefit.

My smirk fades and I look at how awkward we must look; my horribly bright white get up and her red dress and natching red hair... She looks beautiful, as always, but me? I'm a wreck. Suddenly dying is the last thing on my mind. Maybe it's the wedding, I'm not sure, but for whatever weird reason, I'm hoping this won't be the last time we dance. I want many, many more dances in the future. God, what the hell is happening to me?

Before I know it, I'm blurting out something far worse than the dating comment.

"You ever think about having a family, Pep?"

What the fuck? Tony Stark with...mini Starks? A wife? I mean, we were engaged for a little while, but I never really thought beyond that, so where the hell was this coming from?! A very weird inquiry, yes. ...But maybe that's what I'm missing. Someone to care for. Someone to care back. Further than just the usual friends who don't require my attention that often.

I finally notice that she's staring at me like I have two heads. Oops.

"With you?" she finally asks.

But she isn't holding the tone I thought she would. Instead she's calm and it looks like she's teasing the idea in her brain. Wait, does Pepper...does she actually want...?

"Just in general, I guess," I lie.

I totally meant with me.

"Well," she begins, leaning in to rest her chin on my shoulder.

This is new. Yet familiar. This is good.

"It's something that's been on my mind, yes."

I inhale sharply, my body tenses, and she notices. Shit. So does she...have someone else? No. She can't. Or does she mean me? Fuck. Panic. Panic again.

"Tony?" She asks as if she knows.

"Huh?" I answer absentmindedly.

"What's wrong?"

"Just thinking."

"You shouldn't do that," she tells me.

That frustrates me, but I try to keep my cool. "You know, I did what you asked. I took the last few days to think. And to look at my life. And to spend time with you, Pep. And I know what happened, but believe it or not, I think I'll be okay."