Chapter 20
When Pepper woke up she felt safe next to Tony. She was so relaxed and relieved since finally getting the sexual release needed after months of frustration building up. She pulled herself up to face him and gasped. He was ghostly white and there was a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead when the air conditioner was blasting at a cool 60 degrees. She put a hand to his forehead and he was burning up.
Don’t do this to me now Tony. Not now that you’re finally mine, she thought. .
“Tony wake up. You have a fever. We need to get you to the hospital” Pepper said frantically trying to wake him.
“Huh” he said his eyes fluttering open.
“You’re pale white and burning up. We need to get you to the hospital” she said.
She realized they were both naked and she dressed herself quickly. And started getting clothes for him.
“No hospitals. Just have Jarvis scan me” he said.
“Anthony Edward Stark you are going to the hospital” she yelled.
She started with his boxer briefs first and then a t-shirt.
“Yes ma’am” he said trying to sit up but he was in intense pain.
“Tiffany” Pepper called from the bedroom.
Tiffany came barreling in and she was immediately concerned.
“What is it?” She asked as she watched her father struggle to get his pants on.
“I need to get your Dad to the hospital. He’s burning up real bad. Help me lift him” Pepper said.
Tony winced in pain when they got him up. The three of them struggled down the stairs and after some maneuvering they got him into the car.
“You’re free honey. He’s dead” Tony rambled to Tiffany.
Tony’s eyes were going in and out. Pepper drove furiously to the hospital while Tony drifted in and out of consciousness from the pain. Tiffany squeezed his hand.
“Just hang on Dad. Please hang on. I don’t want to lose another parent. You’re all I have left” she said.
I love you Tiff was all he was able to manage.
Pepper finally arrived to the hospital and they put Tony on a bed immediately while Pepper signed him in and gave all the necessary information. Pepper couldn’t stop herself from shaking because she was so worried. Normally Tony would ease her worry but this time he couldn’t because this time it was about him. She sent a text to Rhodes because she thought he might want to stop by. She went over to Tony who was lying on a bed and he was shivering. Tiffany was squeezing his hand.
“Is it wrong that I’m picturing you in a sexy nurses costume right now?” he joked to Pepper.
“That’s not what you should be focused on right now but if you focus on getting better and you pull through then maybe I’ll buy one of those costumes” she said desperately trying to get him to take this seriously.
“It’s a good thing you let me make love to you last night because I feel like I’m dying” Tony said.
“So I take it you liked the outfit I helped Pepper pick out?” Tiffany asked trying to lighten the mood.
“Please don’t ruin it for me. You’re my daughter and I feel like I can’t get hot for Pepper knowing you picked that out. Somehow it seems wrong”
“Tony you should have gone to the hospital last night. If I knew how much pain you were in I would never have agreed to-
“You know I have ways of getting what I want. Nothing was going to stop me from being with you last night” he said.
And just then they had a room ready and the Doctor would be seeing him. Pepper and Tiffany sat next to the bed while the Doctor did a full analysis.
“He has a wound where necropsy has set in and we need to get him into surgery immediately. We need to remove that rotten tissue and patch the skin up or he will die. I’m going to do blood work as well to make sure there are no other infections” the Doctor said.
Tiffany began to cry. Tony squeezed her hand.
“Just watch some tv. I’ll be back before you know it” he said.
“Tony if you ever do something like this to me ever again I will kill you myself. Now go get better”
She watched as the Doctors wheeled him away and she was furious with him. They have officially been boyfriend and girlfriend for less than twenty four hours and he had gone and done this.
“Tiffany a skin graph is a fairly simple surgery. He will be fine. Let’s go out in the waiting area” she said.
Tiffany followed her and they sat down.
“I’m glad he liked the outfit” Tiffany said with a smile.
“He loved it. I was a wreck though. I felt so uncomfortable” she said.
“You shouldn’t. You’re extremely hot” Tiffany said.
Pepper blushed.
“I’m glad you guys finally came to your senses. I’ve never seen two people so drawn to each other like magnets”
“It hasn’t always been this way. I mean we’ve always had the silly flirtation but real feelings didn’t start for me until he came back from captivity. He came back a changed man” Pepper said.
Pepper sat there and actually felt like crying. She was so relieved to have the burden of being in love with Tony off her shoulders. She let a few silent tears fall from her eyes. They were tears of pure joy. She had her face in her hands when Rhodey got there.
“Pepper are you ok? Is Tony ok?” he asked.
“Tony is in surgery. His wound had necropsy and they had to take him in for surgery immediately. I’m sure he will pull through fine” she said calmly looking up at him.
“Then why are you crying? Is everything ok?” he asked with eyes wide with concern.
“Because for the first time in months I’m happy and relaxed and relieved” she said as she slumped down into her chair.
“How about you? How are you holding up?” he asked Tiffany
.
“I’m ok. I just want to know the surgery is over” Tiffany said.
“Your Dad is a tough bastard he’ll be fine” Rhodey reassured her.
He sat down in a seat next to Pepper and they sat there for a long while in silence when Pepper saw the doctor approaching. She stood up anxiously.
“Surgery went fine. He’s in recovery. We also found a staph infection so he will need to go home with some antibiotics. I’m going to keep him overnight and as long as all goes well he can go home tomorrow” the doctor explained.
“When can we see him?” Pepper asked.
“Not for another forty-five minutes” the doctor said firmly.
Pepper just sighed and put her face in her hands.
“Thank you Doctor” she said.
“How was your date last night? With Dean is it?” Rhodey asked her.
“Tony didn’t tell you?”she asked.
“Tell me what?” rhodey asked.
“My dad drove to his house and knocked on the door and told Pepper he loved her and they finally banged last night” Tiffany said.
Pepper was blushing so bad that her cheeks actually felt warm to the touch. She looked like a tomato left out in the sun too long.
“It’s about time. I’ve been telling him for weeks that he needed to man up and make a move” Rhodey said.
“You know Tony always does things in the most backwards way” she said.
He nodded and laughed. They sat in silence again until they finally let them go see Tony.
It was a short walk to his room and he was actually awake. Tiffany went to him immediately and hugged him gently.
“Now how come you finally get the girl of your dreams and you don’t think to even text your boy” Rhodey said as he shook Tony’s hand.
“Because I still think it’s a dream. There is no way in any lifetime that I will ever deserve Pepper” he said quietly.
“You got that right”
Pepper squeezed his hand and smiled at him. She almost started to cry again but she didn’t.
“Have you given any thought to the nurses costume?”
Pepper hit him very gently and playfully.
“I want to go home” he whined.
“Tomorrow”Pepper said.
Tony made a face but he didn’t argue. He was lucky to be alive and lucky to have Pepper. But most importantly he kept his promise to Rachel and he kept Tiffany safe.