The Secrets We Keep

As Pepper continued walking down the busy street in Manhattan, she looked around again. There were so many people in Midtown, she forgot how crazy it was around the Tower. She realized she must have looked strange, clutching a little boy and walking down a New York City street is not a common sight. Everyone with a kid in Manhattan had a stroller. She was glad that New Yorkers were always on the move and no one spared more than a glance.

She continued going forward, each step reminded her she was one step closer to May and one step further from Tony. She felt bad for Tony, or maybe she realized she felt bad for herself. But at the same time, she couldn’t dwell on her emotions. She might still long for him and she might still think about the way his eyes lit up when she walked into the room, and maybe she wasn’t upset by the fact she woke up next to Tony in the penthouse this morning, but this wasn’t about her anymore. This was about what’s best for Peter. And Peter was safer in Queens. He had a life there, with people like May who could be a good influence for him. He was safer when they were disconnected from Tony. If Nat hadn’t meddled and looked for her, Pepper and Peter would be fine. They did not need Tony and his overbearing protection.

After she rounded the corner, she looked around. Her eyes landed on a somewhat familiar face. It wasn’t one she was very familiar with, but she recognized the man in black nonetheless.

It was one of the men from her wedding. He was one of the men who came up to her and Tony at the wedding and congratulated her for joining ‘the famiglia’. And he was looking right at her.

She quickly glanced away and took a shaky breath. She couldn’t cry, not now. Then Tony would win. No, she had to be strong. She picked up her pace. She turned left, walked one block then right, then left again, hoping she would lose him so she could go to Queens and find May. But when she looked around again, he was still following her from a distance. This time, they made eye contact.

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

She was definitely being followed. She thought about how she could shake him. Maybe walk to Times Square and get lost in the crowds of people? Or maybe attempt to lose him at a busy subway station? She had to get away so that she could see May. But judging by his cold stare, he wasn’t going to let her slip away that easily.

Before she could make a decision, Peter cried out.

“Swing!!” Peter exclaimed, pointing to the playground. In her feeble attempt to lose the guy, she ended up at a park. He squirmed and leaned as far out as he could, trying to get his mom to drop him.

“Honey we have to keep going, this isn’t the park we are going to.” Pepper lied. Of course, it was a park, Peter wasn’t stupid, he’d take any park with a playground.

“Nooooo,” Peter started to cry loudly.

“Okay, okay, shhhhh, calm down,” Pepper begged as she bounced her little boy in her arms.

Shit.

So much for an easy escape.

Pepper quickly went through her options in her head. She could make a run for it. Maybe she could make it. But if she walked away from the park, she knew Peter would throw a massive tantrum. In public. With hundreds of random strangers watching. There was no way she could continue on her way to Queens, knowing how much more upset Peter would become. And a crying Peter would make it impossible to lose the man - the bodyguard or whoever was following her - she wasn’t really sure who he was. Tony would catch up eventually, and if he saw Pepper blatantly trying to escape, he would lose it.

Pepper shuttered at the thought.

The easier option would be to go to the park. Maybe after letting Peter play for a little bit they could slip away when the bodyguard wasn’t watching.

Pepper was still thinking over her options when Peter squirmed again.

“Hold still,” Pepper asked.

“Go go go! Play!” Peter begged.

Pepper sighed. Pepper looked back at the man following her, only to see a second man had joined him. Another familiar face from the wedding. Both were watching her carefully. They looked like they were both ready to sprint after her. Pepper sighed again and realized there was no escaping today.

She held back the tears. She knew she wouldn’t see May today. Her heart ached thinking about how May was all alone right now. May must have been scared and confused as to what happened to Ben. Did she wonder what happened to her and Peter too?

Next time, she promised herself.

She knew that Tony would be pissed anyway for her defiance, but she figured she could at least let Peter feel like a normal kid and let him play on the playground. She gently lowered him to the ground, and Peter took off for the slide. He crawled up the stairs excitedly and stood at the top of the slide.

“Mommy Ca’ch me!” Peter giggled, and tumbled down the slide. Pepper grabbed him as he slid to the bottom and whisked him up in the air. She spun him around, which earned her some giggles.

She brought him over to the empty swing set and put him in the baby swing. His legs dangled in the holes of the swing, and he excitedly kicked his legs.

Pepper forced out a smile, knowing the men were watching her every move.

“Swing!” Peter clapped as Pepper pushed him gently.

Peter continued to giggle and excitedly babble to himself. He loved the swing. The swinging motion, coupled with the wind in his hair and the rush of excitement as he swung around made him a happy boy.

Pepper zoned out, trying to forget everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. But she was aware enough to know she was constantly being watched. The men from the wedding, her men in black, her bodyguards, or whoever Tony had to tail her, were ever-present in the park, their imposing figures caused an old lady to clutch her purse a little tighter as she passed. They never took their eyes off of her or Peter. They just stood there, occasionally talking into what appeared to be an earpiece. Luckily, Peter was oblivious to the men watching them as he continued to giggle in the swing.

“He’s a cutie,” A deep man’s voice commented, pulling Pepper out of her daydream. Pepper turned to see a tall man with slick blonde hair smiling at her as he leaned against the slide.

“Oh, thanks, which one’s yours?” Pepper asked, eyeing him up and down as he walked closer. Pepper figured most would find him attractive, but her gut told her something was a bit off with the guy.

“She’s around here somewhere. Always keeping me on my toes.” He said not taking his eyes off of Pepper.

Pepper didn’t say anything, just turned back to her son and pushed him in the swing. She hoped the guy would go away; Pepper felt creeped out by his leering presence.

“She’s my whole world.” The man continued.

Pepper glanced up at her bodyguards. They were watching, but Pepper noticed it looked like they were ready to pounce. Their mouths were moving, but Pepper couldn’t make out the words.

“I know what you mean,” Pepper mumbled, still watching the bodyguards.

“My name is Aldrich Killian,” He walked close to Pepper, much too close for comfort. He extended his arm out by basically shoving his hand as close to her as he could without touching her.

“Pepper,” Pepper had no choice but to meet his hand for a handshake. His hand was sticky and gross. She tried to pull back, but he didn’t let go. She pulled again, and he pulled her closer. She looked up at him, eyes wide and full of fear.

“Let me go,” She demanded.

“Do you have a last name, beautiful?”

Just then, a hand grabbed the back of Aldrich’s shirt and yanked him away from Pepper. Aldrich let go of Pepper and stumbled back. Tony stepped in between Pepper and Aldrich with his arms crossed and protective anger radiating out of his body.

“It’s Stark.” Tony’s icy voice was harsh. His words were full of venom. His eyes were filled with fury. Aldrich took a step back; the intimidation was working.

“Mr. – Mr. Stark,” Aldrich stammered out.

“Aldrich Killian.” Tony imposed. Aldrich flinched back.

“Sir I-”

“Last week you mugged a woman and hit her child across the face with a pistol. You claiming you have a child makes me sick to think about it.”

“Mr. Stark I-”

“I have no patience for you. But I’ll give you a ten-second lead. My friends over here,” Tony gestured to the two men who followed Pepper to the park, “want to have a nice conversation to remind you to keep your hands to yourself. They’ll make sure you’ll never be able to touch what’s mine. Lucky for you, this mistake will be your last.”

Aldrich’s eyes bugged out of his head and he stumbled back as the two men approached. He began to ran, and the two men followed him. As they passed Tony, Tony grabbed one of them by the arm.

“Start with the hands,” Tony whispered loud enough for Pepper to hear. The man nodded and sprinted ahead to catch Killian.

Pepper closed her eyes in fear. This was her worst nightmare come to life.

Tony turned to her, his eyes showed a mixture of possessiveness, concern, and fear. She met his gaze, and she knew.

Pepper knew she was totally screwed.

--

Tony always felt security, especially at the Tower, was necessary. He had men stationed all over the tower, inside and out. He made sure the guards had thorough training, especially when it came to protecting those closest to him. They all knew Pepper was the priority. Every guard knew that Tony would take a bullet for his wife, and all guards were instructed to save Pepper over Tony, no matter what. This meant all guards were to talk to him directly when it came to the safety of his wife. And now, his son.

When one of his guards called him to say he saw Pepper leave with Peter, he thought it was some kind of sick joke. But Friday confirmed it, saying Pepper convinced Friday that it was necessary for her to take Peter to the park. Tony almost lost it. He might be a genius, but Pepper was just as slick. If it wasn’t for the guard that had spotted her leaving and followed her, and the other guard who joined him, he would have actually exploded with rage. He sped over in his Audi to where the guards said she was, unwilling to wait for Happy or Rhodey or Nat. At least Pepper hadn’t been stupid enough to try and skip town. At least she went to the park, like she told Friday. But he had to wonder, why did she really go to the park? The guards seemed to think she was aware of their presence. It made him wonder why she had actually left.

And when he was a block away, the guards called to say Aldrich Killian was at the park talking to his wife. Tony gripped the wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. Aldrich Killian played dirty, Tony was well aware of his record. There was no way in hell he didn’t want his guards to kill that man. Even if Killian had just looked at his wife, he would have ordered the hit. But Killian threatened his wife, making Killian's impending torture even more justifiable. And if his men weren’t there to spot Killian, Pepper and Peter could be dead.

God, his heart couldn’t take this stress.

Now, he was staring at a shaking Pepper, who looked like a deer in headlights. She looked at him, her eyes filled with fear.

“Let’s go,” Tony stated and pulled Peter out of the swing.

“I’nman!” Peter giggled and wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. Peter was oblivious, as always, to what was going on.

“Tony – ” Pepper was cut off.

“We will talk back home,” Tony said coldly and walked away with Peter.

Pepper chased after him.

“What is wrong with you?! You can’t – ”

“We. Will. Talk. At. Home!” Tony gritted out, pausing between each word.

Tony swung open the back door of the Audi to reveal a car seat. Since when did Tony have time to pick up a car seat? Pepper figured Happy must have gotten it and installed it while Tony was meeting with Fury and she was escaping.

Despite his anger, Tony gently lowered their son into the car seat. Pepper watched as Tony made their boy giggle by making swooshing noises as he buckled the seat. Pepper saw Tony smile and lean over to plant a kiss on Peter’s head. Tony closed the door and smiled at Peter again through the window.

When he turned, the smile was gone. Instead, he scowled, and the fear and concern were back in his eyes. He sniffed and took a step closer to Pepper.

“We are going home, and we are going to talk about this,” Tony explained.

“You can’t just do whatever you want and expect us to be happy.” Pepper exploded. She was so angry at him for everything. From his lies all those years ago, to ripping them away from Queens, to suggesting methods to torture Killian in front of their son.

“Get in the car,” Tony said, his tone suggesting he was about to blow any second.

--

The car ride was silent. Peter was mesmerized by the world passing him by. He stared out the window, his big brown eyes looked up at all the buildings they passed.

In Tony’s attempt to remain calm, Tony kept his eyes on the road. His eyes occasionally glanced in the rearview mirror. To check the traffic, but mainly to check on his son.

Pepper watched Tony for a while. She tried to read him, but his oddly calm expression scared her. She couldn’t look at him anymore, so she stared out the window and waited for her impending doom. Her knee bounced nervously. Luckily, Tony didn’t comment.

As they pulled into the garage, she was surprised to see Happy there waiting for them. As Tony and Pepper got out of the car, Happy opened the backseat.

“Happy what are you doing?” Pepper asked nervously.

“Happy is taking Peter to show him all the new toys Daddy got him.”

“Toys?” Peter asked, his eyes gleaming at the possibilities of new toys. Happy pulled Peter out of the car seat and onto his hip.

“Common kid, let’s go open all of your new toys,” Happy bounced Peter, who giggled and clapped excitedly.

Pepper took a step forward to follow Happy and Peter, but Tony grabbed her hand. She shot him a daring glance, but he stared back just as harshly.

“I’m following my son,” Pepper announced.

“He’s safe with Happy. And we need to talk.”

“You know spoiling him with toys isn’t what he needs.”

“He deserves everything and anything,” Tony stated matter of fact. Tony paused.

“Besides, you can’t just change the topic. We have to talk.” Tony complained.

“So are you going to hurt me like you did Killian?” Pepper blurted out, the fear making her voice tremble.

Tony’s jaw dropped.

“You think I would hurt you? Pep are you serious?” Tony softly asked. He took her shaky hand in his and gave her hand a squeeze. He pulled on her hand lightly and guided her to the elevator.

“Today was really scary for me. And you’re mad which is making me more scared. And you kill people for a living.” Pepper whispered as the elevator doors closed and began going up.

“You’re right. I am mad. Furious that Killian thought he could touch you. And I’m mad you put yourself in danger. But I don’t want to scare you, so I’m trying to calm down. But do you know how scary today was for me when I found out you had left? So forgive me if I’m having trouble calming down!”

“Tony you scare me,” Pepper admitted. Tony’s eyes widened, and Pepper could see the pain in his eyes so clearly.

“You know I would never hurt you. Or Pete. It’s just- why did you leave?”

“I wanted to take Peter to the park, he was throwing a tantrum. He needed to go outside.” Pepper lied.

“Is that really why you left?” Tony asked insecurely.

“What do you want me to say? I told Friday where I was going. And where did you find us? Oh yea, at the park, like I said!”

“Tell me the truth,” Tony whispered. Pepper looked him dead in the eye.

“If I was on the run, why would I stop at the park? Do you know what I want to know? How can you justify what you do? Your world includes killing people. That’s not the world I live in, or want to raise my son in.”

Tony listened, but he didn’t believe her. He was in the business of lying, and besides, he could read his wife like an open book. She was lying. She was diverting the subject as best as she could. This was a problem for Tony. But Tony liked challenges, and he especially loved tinkering with and solving complex problems.

Pepper had to learn to never lie to Tony. Tony knew it was critical for their family’s safety. And dammit, he was going to give her that lesson.

“Pep I know you’re scared and I’m sorry. Let me protect you, and you won’t be scared again.”

“Sorry doesn’t fix it! Sorry doesn’t fix that you’re still in the mob!”

“Please understand,” Tony begged as the elevator doors opened. He took her hand and led her out of the elevator. “I just want to keep you safe. It’s my job to protect you, don’t you see that? I want to make this work. Us.”

“How can we? When I can’t live with what you do,” Pepper admitted, a tear rolling down her cheek. Tony noticed and pulled her closer so they were face to face.

“I promise to leave work at the door. I won’t talk about the mob, or bring any mob business to our floor.”

“I’d rather you quit.”

“You know I can’t do that, but this is a compromise. Compromising is a thing we need to do, right? Please just give me, us, a shot.”

“And what about Peter?” Pepper asked.

“What about him?” Tony asked, guiding them both to their bedroom.

“Promise me you won’t make him do what you do. Ever.” Pepper looked him dead in the eye.

Tony paused only for a moment, the words carefully crafting in his head.

“He will never have to do the things I do now.”

Because Ironman and the Avengers will clear the way for Peter. Tony will take over the world, and Peter will inherit the world. No one will ever challenge the Starks. Peter won’t have to lift a finger to rule over the Stark Empire or the world.

“Really?” Pepper asked her voice quiet but full of hope.

“Really,” Tony smiled and rubbed her arm reassuringly.

“You know, sometimes I still think about what you did to those men I saw in the conference room on the 38th floor.”

“Don’t think about that,” Tony begged as he sat down on the bed.

“How can’t I? Do you know how scary it was to see that?”

“You know what’s scarier?” Tony diverted, trying to avoid discussing that day, “In the span of 24 hours, two different people tried to hurt the one thing I need to protect the most. That’s my family. You and Peter.”

“Tony, what do you want me to say? That I wasn’t scared? Because I was terrified! Knowing Peter almost got killed, then that man not letting go of my hand. I’m scared of this world you operate in, really really scared!”

“Let me protect you from everything. I can keep you safe.”

“Can you? I feel like we are just going in circles. You’re telling me you want to keep me ‘safe’ but I just want to give Peter a normal life, not in the mob!”

‘But once I teach you the lesson you need to learn, there won’t be any more fights,’ Tony thought but did not dare to say. He had to be strategic. He knew the lesson would have to be a surprise.

“Everything I do protects you and Peter. Every territory I gain is another step closer to being safer than before.” Tony said as he sat down on the bed and took both of Pepper’s hands in his, pulling her closer so that she was standing over him.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t ever talk about business,” Pepper said. “That you would quit.”

“You’re right I said I wouldn’t talk business, but I didn’t say I would quit. Gosh Mrs. Stark, are you trying to put words in my mouth?” Tony asked, a smile formed as his hands caressed her hips.

“Maybe,” Pepper admitted. “I was kinda hoping it would work.”

“Speaking of work,” Tony pivoted the subject, “your boss at whatever hellhole in Queens you were slumming… I mean working at, called like 10 times.”

Tony took his hands off of Pepper’s hips and rummaged through the nightstand. He pulled the phone out of the drawer and unlocked the phone. Pepper reached out for it, but Tony turned out of the way to dodge her.

“Common this isn’t even a Stark Phone, Pep! And your password is Peter’s birthday, that’s not secure.”

“Give it back Tony,” Pepper warned, reaching out for it again as he continued to hold it just out of reach.

“I can call your boss, demand a raise for you. But that’d be kinda pointless. I’m promoting you anyway.”

“What? Don’t call my boss! Promoting me? What are you talking about?” Pepper was starting to get frustrated.

“Effective immediately, I am making you sole CEO. None of this co-CEOing with me anymore. I want you to run the company.”

“What?”

“I, Tony Stark, am making you, Mrs. Virginia Stark, the CEO of SI. You start now. I have about a thousand and one things for you to do.”

“Tony you can’t be serious.” Pepper stopped reaching for her phone.

“I am serious. I want you to run the company. I need you back. Obviously, the legal parts of SI. I’ll be busy with the Avengers.”

“The Avengers?”

“Oh, you haven’t heard of us?” Tony joked. “We are earth’s mightiest heroes. Ironman and whoever else Fury picks up will be the world's newest and greatest crime fighters.”

“What?” Pepper asked, her face scrunched up in confusion.

“Pep, I’m becoming a hero. Save the day all that jazz. Besides you’re getting me off-topic. Your phone,” Tony jingled the phone in his hand as if to taunt Pepper.

Pepper was having none of it though. She stood over Tony as he sat on the bed, and reached out for the phone. When he held it behind his back, she leaned down over him and reach out behind him. He flopped onto his back, tucking the phone under his back. He looked up and smiled cutely at her.

“You drive me insane,” Pepper rolled her eyes. She was still standing over him so she reached her hands under his back to try to grab his phone. Tony grinned at her.

“You look so beautiful, even when I get you all flustered,” Tony flirted.

“Tony,” Pepper scolded, and continued her search under his body. Tony reached up to her with a soft smile on his face. He wrapped his hands around her back and pulled her flush against his body.

And she could feel every inch of him below her.

If Pepper was being honest with herself, she had been terrified earlier today when Killian grabbed her hand. When Tony stepped in between, she was flooded with a sense of relief. She had felt safe. She was grateful that nothing bad happened but disappointed she didn’t escape. At least Tony didn’t seem to see through her plot to escape. After all, Friday told Tony she was heading to the park, which is exactly where he found her. Maybe Tony would trust her more.

She thought that maybe, if she could gain a little more trust, she could make a run for it and actually escape.

He thought that maybe, she was already starting to fall back in love with him. All she needed was a gentle push, a lesson that would remind her how much she loved him, and wouldn’t want to run.

Pepper broke the eye contact to look at the phone. It was no longer hidden under Tony; it had been pushed off to the side. When she looked back at Tony, she saw the longing in Tony’s eyes. It woke up something deep inside her, something she had been trying to suppress as much as possible.

She pictured her fantasy so easily.

She would slip her hands under his shirt and feel his sculpted muscles.

He would pull her in for a kiss. His hands would dip into her pants and he would squeeze her ass, grinding her body against his.

She would take off his clothes slowly, starting with the shirt and working her way down to his pants, kissing him all the way down. She’d tease him by stopping at the tip, feeling how hard he already was.

He would return the favor by stripping her quickly and flipping them over. Once on top, he would start with her breast, caressing every inch with his tongue. He would mark her whole body with his mouth.

She would moan and beg Tony to get inside her. To stop teasing her by hovering his tip just outside of her clit and just enter her already. To go deeper inside of her.

She shook her fantasy out of her mind violently. With all her might, she pushed back the longing and tried not to think about all the things she wanted to do to him.

Pepper maintained eye contact as she lifted her body up and crawled up to Tony’s face so that their noses were touching. He grinned up at her, his hands lightly gliding down her back, beckoning for her to lie back down on top of him. She maintained eye contact and kept him distracted while she reached to the side, feeling around for her phone. She smiled and quickly grabbed it.

As fast as she could, she hoisted herself up off of Tony. Her sudden movements startled him. She looked back down at him, and she could see how flustered he was. He definitely wasn’t expecting the turn in events, and clearly, he was bummed. But in Pepper’s mind, she wouldn’t reward him for bad behavior.

“I’m going to go check on Peter, he’s probably hungry,” She admitted as she fixed her hair and clothing.

“You’re such a tease,” Tony complained.

He was horny as hell now, and all he could think about was pulling his wife back into bed with him. He wanted her so badly. He wanted to wrap his arms around her naked body, to feel every inch of her, to feel himself inside of her. His dick throbbed at the idea.

“But I’ll wait until you’re ready,” Tony admitted. He couldn’t force himself onto his traumatized wife. He needed to know that her heart wanted her as much as he did. That he still captured her heart the same way she owned his.

To Tony, this morning had proven that they could not go on fighting like this. That he had to do something. Playing the nice, understanding, forgiving husband wasn’t working for Tony. He had her back physically, but her heart wasn’t fully there.

He was going to fix that.