"Yeah..we need to talk Tony.."
"Mhm.." Tony was a little nervous, he took a few more steps back, and quickly made his way into the kitchen.. he needed a drink.. another drink.. she watched as he walked away, she placed her bag down, and took her jacket off, placing it down on top of her bag before following him into the kitchen.
She stood in the doorway, watching as he poured himself a drink, and downed it in one.. she knew something was on his mind.. she was a little scared to find out what. Had she pushed him too far? Had she pushed him away for good?
"So..what do you want to talk about?" He asked, giving her the chance to make this easier for him.
"Tony.." she whispered, making him turn to face her.. he looked scared, nervous.. so she took a step towards him, reaching her hand out to him.. "Firstly.. I'm sorry.. for everything.."
"What? What have you got to be sorry about?"
"Everything.. these last few days.. weeks even, I know I've been distant, I couldn't help it.. it was all getting too much for me and I know I didn't tell you.. but I got another message.. that day at the press conference..it was getting to me.. a little too much if I'm honest.."
"Another message? Why didn't you tell me?!" Tony was confused.. he wasn't sure what to expect from this talk.. but he was certain he didn't expect this..
"Yeah.."
"I swear.. I'll kill her myself.." his breathing became heavier, as he thought about all the hate she had received, and that it wasn't stopping.
"No.. just.. wait a second.." she took his hand, giving it a little squeeze.. "I didn't tell you about that last message because I wanted it all to go away.. but I didn't know how much it would hurt me.. or.. how much it would distance us.. I never wanted that to happen at all.."
"You didn't?"
"No.. not at all..I love you Tony.. I really do.." Tony couldn't help but smile, he needed to hear that.
"And I love you.." he glanced between her eyes and her lips, desperately needing to taste her again, it had been too long for his liking.. but he waited.. not wanting to rush her.. or ruin the moment..
"I don't really know where to start.." she sighed, looking away for a moment.. she really needed to tell him the truth..which only made Tony start panicking.. he wasn't ready to break up with her, he didn't want to end it.
"Don't.." he whispered.. "Don't tell me that you want to end.."
"It wasn't Pepper's assistant who sent the messages.." she cut him off before he could finish what he was saying.
"What?"
"That's where I was earlier, I met up with her in the park.."
"Wait.. just hold on a second.. you did what?!" Tony let go of her, and moved away in shock.. "Are you serious?"
"Look.. I know it's bad, trust me, I had doubts myself, but she wanted to explain, and I felt I was owed an explanation!"
"She's a bloody nutcase! Why would you put yourself in harm way like that?!"
"Because.. Tony I needed to know the truth.. I needed an explanation as to why she hated me so much.. she was driving me insane, I'm sorry, but I really needed to know.." she said with tears filling her eyes, Tony didn't miss it, he could see how much she was still so effected by it..
"Hey.. it's ok.." he took her in his arms again, and held her close.. "You've been going through it all on your own again haven't you?.." he said and she nodded in agreement.. "What happened? You can tell me.."
"It wasn't her.." she whispered, as she closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest..
"What do you mean it wasn't her? I don't understand?" Tony asked, not sure what she meant by it.
"She didn't know anything about the messages, she told me.. she thought you had fired her because of the kiss, not because of what was sent to me..she had no idea.."
"And you believe that?"
"I.. I think so.. she seemed sure enough.."
"But it doesn't make any sense? If it wasn't her.. then.. who.. and who posted the video?"
"I don't know, and now I really have no idea who it could be.. but they're still out there.. and I'm afraid they're waiting for us to make a big step.. so they can jump straight on it.."
"You sure it wasn't her?"
"No.. I'm not sure about anything anymore.. I just wish it would all go away.."
"Oh baby.. I know it's hard, but it will be ok.."
"I wish I could believe it.. but.. someone out there really hates us, me.. whatever.. and they really don't want us to be together.."
"Fuck 'em.. we don't need to be accepted by anyone.. except each other.."
"I know that.. but at what price Tony? My mental health?"
"You just gotta learn to ignore it.. so what if there are people out there who can't accept us.."
"But that's just it Tony, it's not just people.. it's someone in particular.. that can't accept it, and they hate me so much, they're prepared to send me hate, threatening me.. messing with my mind.."
"It's all about that video isn't it? If it gets posted?"
"Of course.. it's a sex video.. I can't have that all over the internet.. my family could see it.. I would be tormented by it every single day.."
"What happened to.. you not caring what they think? Wanting to show the world that we are together no matter what?"
"I know.. and I want to be that person but.."
"We'll get through it.. I promise.." Tony softly stroked her back.. he wasn't sure if he even believed his own promise.
"I'm so sorry Tony for everything.."
"Hey.. come on.. stop that.." he lifted her head so he could look into those eyes again.. before he leaned in to give a simple kiss on her lips.. that kiss he longed for, that familiar feeling came back to the both of them. It's exactly what they both needed. That closeness, that connection.. it's exactly what they both wanted..
"It's never going to be ok is it?" She whispered through her tearful voice..
"It will be.. I'm going to find out who it is, and we'll sort this out..I promise.."
"You deserve to be happy.." she softly runs a hand across his chest.. "With someone else.."
"No.. don't say that.."
"Is it not true though? We've grew so far apart in these last few weeks because of all of this, and well.. I know deep down you're not happy.."
Tony looks a little deflated, and he can't deny it because it is the truth.. he knows they've grown apart, but that doesn't mean he loves her any less.. it just took him a while to realise.
"Babe.." Tony closes his eyes for a moment.. before holding her in his arms again.. "I love you so much.. you know that right?"
"I do.. but love sometimes isn't always enough.."
"Yeah it is.. if you go.. without it long enough
.you realise it's everything.."
"Tony.." she whispers softly, meeting his eyes, those pretty brown eyes that can get anything he wants with one look..
"I know it's going to be tough to get through, but I'm not giving up..we've been here before.. a rough patch and we've gotten through it.. right.."
"I guess.."
"I want you.. and only you.." his hands taking her and squeezing tightly.. "I swear.."
"And I want you, but want to be happy with you.. how can we be when this person is set out to get us?"
"Trust me, they won't be for long.. I know they work at Stark.. so I'll find them.."
"Good luck with that.. they seem to have gone into hiding.."
"Yeah..but I'll find them.."
Tony made it his mission, he would stop at nothing to find them. He looked at everything at Stark Industries, sitting through hours and hours of security tapes to try and find the culprit.. but nothing.. they seemed to have their tracks covered.. Tony sat for hours that night, in his workshop going through the footage, but something didn't add up.. the security footage in the hallway of Stark Industries, from the day they had sex in Pepper's office.. wasn't to be found.. so someone whoever it is removed it from the Stark security files..it didn't take long for Tony to work it out.. when he put it together in his head, it was all beginning to make sense.
The flirting, the texts, suddenly spending time with him on a night after hours, the drinking together, it could only mean one thing.. it was his own glamorous assistant. Tony could feel his heart sinking as he pieced it all together.
Why would Pepper do it? He knew she had feelings but.. not to do something like this.. surely he means more to her than that? He sat for a while trying to figure out why.. Pepper, could be so cruel, he wasn't mad, and he couldn't understand why.. he wanted to be furious, he wanted to scream, but sadness was overpowering it.
When she woke up during the night, she turned over to search for Tony.. but Tony wasn't in bed, so she quickly got up, put one of his shirts on and made her way downstairs, when she found him, he was still sat in his work shop.. with security footage still playing in front of him.
"Tony? Are you ok? What's wrong?" She asks making her way over to him.
"I think I know who sent the messages.." he sighs, running a hand across his forehead and back through his hair.. "I just don't want to believe it.."
"Why? Who is it?
"I think it's Pepper.." Tony sighed as he said her name..
"What makes you think that?"
"It's got to be her.. see this footage?" He asks, pointing to the screen in front of him.. "There's only three people that have access to these files.. guess who one of them are.."
"Pepper.."
"Mhm.. that day we fucked in her office.. the hallway footage outside of her room has been removed.."
"So.."
"So.. it wasn't me, I can take a guess it wasn't Happy so that only leaves.. her.."
"Wow.. I never thought.."
"Yeah.. I don't know how I didn't realise it earlier.. but.. this hurts.."
"What are you going to do?"
"I have no idea.. we've been a team since.. God.. years.. and now.."
"I know.." she stood resting against Tony's desk as he looked up to her with sadness in his eyes again, she placed her hand down on his shoulder.
"I don't know what to do..my own assistant doing all of this because.. of a little jealousy.. it's insane.."
"I think it was more than just a little.."
"I just don't get it..I know she had feelings for me.. but fuck.. this is too far.."
"We both knew she had feelings for you.. even I didn't think she was capable of this.. I mean.. throwing her own assistant under the bus? That's awful.."
"Yeah.. and she's gonna pay.. but I want her to confess it to me first.. I want her to tell the truth.. no more lies.. no more hate.. I need her to tell me what she's been doing.."
"Please be careful.." she leans down to place a kiss to his cheek.. "Now come back to bed.."
"Yeah.. I will.." Tony stood up, a little taken back at her appearance like it was the first time he truly noticed.. she looked hot in his shirt.. and his own scheming mind had a thought..
"Come here.." He wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her up onto his desk.. spreading her legs a little so he could rest between them.. "Have I ever told you my shirt looks good on you?"
"Mmm.. nope.. don't think you have.." she smirks as his hands run up and down her thighs, moving slightly higher each time he does it..
"Well.. I think Pepper should see exactly what she's missing.. don't you?" He suggests.. and she doesn't really know what he means until he takes out his phone.. and takes a step back to take a photo of her..
"Tony!" She gives him a playful glare.. "Please don't.."
"Don't worry.. you can't see anything except these amazing long legs.. and how ridiculously gorgeous you look sitting there.. in my shirt.."
"What are you going to.." she watched as he quickly turned the phone so she could see the picture, she couldn't deny it, she looked hot.. and it would only make Pepper even more jealous..
Tony began typing a message, with attaching the photo and sent it over to his assistant. If she wanted to play a game, Tony was more than happy to join in..his own way.
T.S - yeah we're not so good at the talking.. but we've made up.. if you know what I mean.. ;-)