Theme 34: Death
Title: He’s Not Coming Home Anymore
Author: TheGrrlGeek
Theme: 34: Death
Rating: PG-13 / T
Length: 644 Words
Summary: Dusk had always been her favorite time of day, the passing of day into night.
It had been dusk. That much she could remember. She had been standing at the window in her office, enjoying those few minutes of twilight. As it was, this had always been her favorite time of the day. The sinking sun over the horizon, the multitude of colors; not only in the sky but throughout the waves as well; covering all available surfaces. Many of nights, she had paused in her work to watch the last remaining minutes of the day fade away.
That day had been no different. Well, it had, but until that moment, she’d thought nothing of it. Tony had been on a mission for the past three days and Jarvis had been un-normally quite but then, with Tony gone, there was not much going on. But it was Friday and for once, nothing pressing was on the agenda. Infact, she had already shut down her notebook and was just enjoying the view along with the quiet before leaving for the night.
“Pepper.”
With a start, she turned from the window and faced the voice. Standing in the door was Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes.
“James” she said, a slight smile crossing her face. “Tony isn’t here.”
He took a step into the room. “I know.”
“Oh. I was just about to leave but if you want to wait, I’m sure he’ll be home sometime tonight.”
He was across the room and standing in front of her before he continuing. “Pepper, that’s why I’m here.”
At the seriousness in his voice, her smile slid away. Meeting his eyes, she, she started shaking her head.
“No, don’t you dare say it.”
“I’m so sorry Pepper. I…I came as soon as we were sure.”
“You’re wrong, he’s not dead.” Wrapping her arms around her body, she took a step back. “Jarvis, please give me a location on Mr. Stark.”
The voice that answered was somber, even for the AI. “I’m sorry Ms. Pott’s but I have been unable to locate him.”
The breath caught in her throat as tears welled in her eyes. She knew in the back of her mind that this was always a possibility but he’d been so careful since the incident at Stark Industries. Choking back a sob, she felt her knees give out and would have fallen to the floor had the Colonel not caught her.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest as she cried. It tore him up to not only lose a close friend but to see another close friend go through this kind of misery. The only thing he could do at the moment was to hold her, to try and offer some kind of support.
“He’s…he’s not coming home anymore, is he?”
“No, he’s not.”
She closed her eyes as more tears fell from her eyes.
“Pepper.”
What was she going to do without him. They were all the other had.
“Come on Pepper, wake up. You’re scaring me.”
Oh God, she was going crazy. She could hear his voice, would swear that he was in the room with her.
“Pepper, open your damn eyes.”
Slowly she opened her eyes.
And found herself meeting concerned brown ones.
“Tony” she managed before she launched herself upward, throwing her arms around his neck.
His arms came around her automatically, holding her close as she buried her face into his shoulder and cried. Slowly, he lowered his head against hers, holding her until her tears had slowed and her breathing returned to normal.
“God Tony, you were dead.”
Pressing his lips to her hair, he closed his eyes for a moment and just held her.
“It was a dream Pepper, only a dream.”
Author: TheGrrlGeek
Theme: 34: Death
Rating: PG-13 / T
Length: 644 Words
Summary: Dusk had always been her favorite time of day, the passing of day into night.
It had been dusk. That much she could remember. She had been standing at the window in her office, enjoying those few minutes of twilight. As it was, this had always been her favorite time of the day. The sinking sun over the horizon, the multitude of colors; not only in the sky but throughout the waves as well; covering all available surfaces. Many of nights, she had paused in her work to watch the last remaining minutes of the day fade away.
That day had been no different. Well, it had, but until that moment, she’d thought nothing of it. Tony had been on a mission for the past three days and Jarvis had been un-normally quite but then, with Tony gone, there was not much going on. But it was Friday and for once, nothing pressing was on the agenda. Infact, she had already shut down her notebook and was just enjoying the view along with the quiet before leaving for the night.
“Pepper.”
With a start, she turned from the window and faced the voice. Standing in the door was Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes.
“James” she said, a slight smile crossing her face. “Tony isn’t here.”
He took a step into the room. “I know.”
“Oh. I was just about to leave but if you want to wait, I’m sure he’ll be home sometime tonight.”
He was across the room and standing in front of her before he continuing. “Pepper, that’s why I’m here.”
At the seriousness in his voice, her smile slid away. Meeting his eyes, she, she started shaking her head.
“No, don’t you dare say it.”
“I’m so sorry Pepper. I…I came as soon as we were sure.”
“You’re wrong, he’s not dead.” Wrapping her arms around her body, she took a step back. “Jarvis, please give me a location on Mr. Stark.”
The voice that answered was somber, even for the AI. “I’m sorry Ms. Pott’s but I have been unable to locate him.”
The breath caught in her throat as tears welled in her eyes. She knew in the back of her mind that this was always a possibility but he’d been so careful since the incident at Stark Industries. Choking back a sob, she felt her knees give out and would have fallen to the floor had the Colonel not caught her.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest as she cried. It tore him up to not only lose a close friend but to see another close friend go through this kind of misery. The only thing he could do at the moment was to hold her, to try and offer some kind of support.
“He’s…he’s not coming home anymore, is he?”
“No, he’s not.”
She closed her eyes as more tears fell from her eyes.
“Pepper.”
What was she going to do without him. They were all the other had.
“Come on Pepper, wake up. You’re scaring me.”
Oh God, she was going crazy. She could hear his voice, would swear that he was in the room with her.
“Pepper, open your damn eyes.”
Slowly she opened her eyes.
And found herself meeting concerned brown ones.
“Tony” she managed before she launched herself upward, throwing her arms around his neck.
His arms came around her automatically, holding her close as she buried her face into his shoulder and cried. Slowly, he lowered his head against hers, holding her until her tears had slowed and her breathing returned to normal.
“God Tony, you were dead.”
Pressing his lips to her hair, he closed his eyes for a moment and just held her.
“It was a dream Pepper, only a dream.”