Tony merely shot her a sarcastic look and returned his eyes to his watch. He crouched down beside her and took her wrist for her pulse. She made it to the floor and leaned back against the desk, feeling like all her muscles were made of jelly. She eventually decided sitting on the floor would be better than falling on the floor, and tried to get herself down with as much grace as was possible for a person wearing a pencil skirt. She tried to will herself to her chair, but she was afraid to move her legs, in case they collapsed beneath her. “You don't need to-” Pepper started, but Tony was already gone from the camera view. “I believe you should sit down immediately.” “Miss Potts, your heart rate indicates a vasalvagal attack,” J.A.R.V.I.S' voice said. There was a rhythm to the way they communicated, and when one didn't play, it ruined the harmony. She closed her eyes for a moment, leaning against the desk.įor once, Tony stopped talking, maybe thrown off by the fact that Pepper had suddenly fallen silent. There was sweat pouring down her face and her stomach was really, really hurting now. Pepper was fighting off a wave of dizziness and held up a hand to get him to stop talking for a moment. “Don't drag J.A.R.V.I.S into this, you know he hates it when Mommy and Daddy fight. “No, I told you yesterday, twice, and the day before that,” Pepper argued. “I do not remember any notice,” Tony said. “And I have given you plenty of notice for this, so I don't see why-” Normally it was rude to interrupt someone when they were speaking, but with Tony, it was a necessity.

“No, you're playing with your toys,” Pepper said, speaking over him. “I have very important work that I'm trying- “ “No, I'm just saying, I'm not going,” he said, sticking his face up to the video com so that it distorted into fisheye. He rarely noticed what was directly in front of him with neon flashing lights, let alone what his personal assistant was very adept at hiding. And even when this went on for two days, she stayed at work. And even when she started to vomit and J.A.R.V.I.S worriedly informed her that her body temperature indicated she was febrile, she remained at work. So, when she woke up with a dull pain in her stomach, she swallowed some Pepto Bismal and went to work.Īnd even when the pain got worse, she kept on working. The world could simply not afford for Pepper Potts to be ill. Every sniffle and cough was millions of dollars lost, because Tony didn't show up to this meeting or that interview. When Pepper was sick, Tony Stark's world fell apart, and when that happened, people bled money. There was nothing Pepper hated more than being sick. This is set before the first Iron Man movie, probably by about six months to a year. It's long, but I've cut at least 1000 words out of the original draft, so it could be longer.

I've completed it now, adding in some of the character beats we've learned in the past 7 years. Summary: When Pepper falls ill, she winds up with a visit to the ER, some time off work, and is treated to the unique brand of Stark care-giving.Īuthor's notes: I literally started the story 7 years ago, didn't get very far into it at the time, found it a little while back in an old folder, and I somehow remembered the plot I intended for it. Spoilers: None (set Pre-First Iron Man Movie) Warnings/Triggers: illness, surgery, some swearing, innuendo, Tony Stark being Tony Stark Characters: Pepper Potts, Tony Stark, J.A.R.V.I.S, Happy Hogan

Jarvis i need to sleep now iron man