Without you (Tony Stark - Pepperony)

Chapter 2 - Nightmares

Suddenly Tony jolted back against his desk, his head spinning like mad and sweat developing across his forehead. "Oh man.. Those anxiety attacks are getting worse.." He panted breathlessly, trying to keep his footing as his clammy hands gripping the side of the worktop. He heard the all too familiar sound of a suit being put back into the storage containers with the others. What surprised Tony was that he couldn't recall exactly why he used it? What was the last mission?

Either I'm really out of my mind on a hangover,

Which is highly unlikely because I haven't even looked at a bottle let alone drank from one ever since Pepper moved in.

Or I'm actually finally losing it.

Which to be honest would not be the first time.

"Pep?" Tony muttered, managing to get up the stairs from his workshop to find his girlfriend in the living room. Standing up, with folded arms, glaring towards him.

Oh boy.

What am I supposed to have done now?

"Look whatever it is, in my defense Pep I don't remember, okay?" Tony raised his hands in surrender before placing a palm across his forehead. Why was it hurting so much? It's not as if he had any injuries to account for it.Then why did he feel so weak?

Of course Pepper didn't buy that as a geniune response and walked over to him, "You don't remember? I told you not to go in the first place!" The last thing Pepper needed was for her boyfriend to start acting weird like this. It wasn't funny at all and her expression expressed her lack of amusement.

"If this is how the rest of the afternoon is going to go like then I'll just be downstairs in the workshop," the somewhat ailing engineer muttered groggily, his head spun round violently causing him to limp when he walked back towards the stairs. He couldn't understand the meaning behind these strange symptoms, he was just fine in the morning!

I feel like I've been caught up head on in a car crash

Even his heart was doing palpatations.

But he had to admit it felt soothing having Pepper rub his back comfortingly as she hugged him and made him face her, something wasn't right with him and Pepper could tell straight away. "Tony..honey what are you not telling me?" the woman pleaded following him down the stairs, and noted the dark circles that were painted round his adorable brown puppy eyes. "What's wrong..?"

A sigh left Tony, he leant into Pepper's touch while she stroked his cheek lovingly. She always did know how to calm him down and get to him. The only one who ever saw how truly vulnerable he actually was behind the confidence he showed to the rest of the world. "How can you tell that there's something wrong?"

Okay that is a stupid question on my part.

"I thought you figured it out by now," Pepper smiled softly, pecking Tony's lips, "I know everything about you."

Instead of a worded reply, Tony issued a strained look complete with a forced smile. The kind only Pepper could pick up on. "I heard you last night. You cried out in your sleep, another bad dream?"

"Yeah, but the details are a bit vague," Tony shrugged, he was never one to talk about his feelings or his nightmares. That wasn't the kind of man Tony Stark was. But he was being bothered by so much recently.

"Talk to me baby.." Pepper whispered in his ear, shifting to hug her genius boyfriend from behind. Feeling him hold onto her arms securely, not wanting to let go at all.

"I'm supposed to be Iron Man, the worlds most famous superhero, unafraid of anything and ready to save the world at any time and at any cost," of course his textbook narcissism had to show to show at least once in the conversation. Something Pepper had not only expected but also had a knack at finding what Tony was trying to hide behind his egotistical mannerisms. "They always expect me to come and save the day but it all gets too much for me sometimes. What does that make me?"

"Normal," Pepper uttered softy with a small shrug, "..and human.."

"You're right, I'm no less mortal than anyone else. I'm even more so, I risk my life with every mission.." Tony knew how much Pepper worried about him whenever he took off in the suit. Normally he would be fine when he came back but recently however it was having a terrible mental strain on him. But he wouldn't quit, giving up being Iron Man was out of the question. "Honestly? There are about a hundred people who want to kill me.. Threat is imminent and I have to protect you.. The one thing I can't live without."

Pepper frowned slightly before turning Tony's chin so he was looking straight at her. Sympathy lit up her gaze as she wiped the tears that were threatening to fall further from his eyes. He was so much more than Iron Man to her. "Now I don't care about Iron Man because he can take care of himself, so he's not really my priority. He saves the world by working alone and he doesn't need anyone else.." Pepper mumbled against Tony's lips before kissing his forehead, stroking through Tony's hair the way he liked it. Tony held her close to him with his arms around her waist, pulling her with him he sat on the edge of one of his desks. Burying his face against Pepper's neck.

"Wait Pep.. but I am Iron Man.." Tony uttered, his voice muffled as he then slowly lifted his gaze to meet the blue eyes of the woman he loved. His own brown eyes were tired and held a sense of sadness in their beauty.

"But my TeddyBear on the other hand," Pepper continued, her arms embracing the man with the heart filled with anxiety and stroked the back of his head soothingly. "He's delicate and needs the tending loving care from someone he can trust completely. And I want him to know that I am not going anywhere but staying by his side through it all."

Tony didn't know what he did to deserve someone as good as Pepper. She was so incredibly perfect in his eyes and he was lucky to have ever met her. "I love you HoneyPott," he uttered with sincerity, hugging her tightly, kissing into her hair. Neither one wanting to break the hug.

"I love you too TeddyBear." Pepper whispered back as Tony felt the odd sensation of someone squeezing his hand.

((Author's note: Hey everyone. I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter.

I know it may seem a little confusing so far but what do you think is going on with Tony?

I'd love to know your thoughts

Let me know in the comments

thank you :) ))