Chapter 7

Pepperony

Tony woke up the next day around 1pm, sleeping off his exhaustion from his latest mission. Pepper was gone from the bed, but he knew she wouldn't be at work since it was Sunday. He yawned tiredly and stretched, but something struck him and he let out a slight yelp at the pain that was overtaking him. He knew the injuries on his legs were bad, but the pain was overwhelming and he didn't expect the reaction he was having. As he lifted the sheets that were covering his legs, he saw that blood from his wound had made it's way through the bandages and onto the sheets themselves. He wondered how Pepper hadn't seen it, but the room was dark and she probably didn't want to wake him.

''Oh shit,'' he muttered to himself as he wrapped the sheet around his leg and hobbled to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. The gashes in his legs were worse than he had initially thought, they were swollen and looked like there were beginning to turn infected. He had cleaned the wounds as soon as he had arrived home, but something must have gotten inside while he was flying, that's all he could narrow it down to.

He spent almost half an hour in the bathroom redressing his wounds, cleaning them up and disposing of the sheets that were now ruined. His leg looked very swollen, so he ventured back into the bedroom in search of some pants to cover up. Unfortunately, Pepper walked into the room just as he did. The shades were open now, and he could tell by the terror in her expression that she saw the blood on the sheets.

''Oh my god!'' she looked back and forth between the bed and Tony. ''What happened!?''

Tony threw his hands up in defense. ''Calm down, it's just a little cut on my leg, no biggie.''

Pepper's eyes widened. ''No biggie? Tony there is blood everywhere, you can't tell me it's a 'little cut' on your leg.''

''Okay, it might not be exactly little, but it's fine, look.'' he held his leg out, showing the bandages covering his gash. ''It's all good.''

Pepper shook her head. ''Show me the cut.''

''I just bandaged it!''

''Show me the cut, Tony.''

Tony mumbled something under his breath as he went and took a seat on the side of the bed, carefully unraveling the bandage to reveal a nasty looking, swollen gash out of his leg. It was red all around it, but it was turning a deeper shade which made him think it was becoming infected, and that didn't slip by Pepper either.

''Oh my god! Tony, this is infected!'' she inspected the wound. ''Why didn't you tell me?''

Tony shrugged. ''I didn't think it was that bad.''

''Doesn't it hurt?'' she asked as she looked back up at him with worried eyes.

''I guess, but only if I walk on it.''

Pepper rolled her eyes. ''You have to go to the hospital.''

''What? No!'' he argued.

''Tony it looks infected. You need to get antibiotics or something otherwise it will get worse.'' she justified.

''I don't want to go to hospital.'' he pouted.

''No one does, but you have to get that seen to or you'll get really sick. We're going.'' she told him, wrapping the bandage back around the wound. ''Please.''

Tony shook his head, frustrated that he had to go to one of the many places he hated, but he knew he would get sick and things would get a lot worse if he didn't. ''Fine.'' he folded his arms like a child.

Pepper gave him a faint smile, pressing her lips to his for a moment. ''Thank you.''

''But if they wanna give me a shot, I won't agree to it.'' he stood up, searching for the pants he had initially walked out of the bathroom for.

Happy arrived about an hour after Pepper had discovered Tony's injury and had drove them to the hospital, taking the quickest route and making sure there were no sneaky reporters following them. That's all they needed, a photograph of them entering the hospital published all over the news. The rumors would be swirling. Tony pouted the whole way there like a child, not looking forward to facing doctors at all. Pepper tried to tell him that it would be okay and all he would get was some antibiotics to stop the infection, but it was too frustrating when he always had an argument to retaliate with.

After being taken to a room, Pepper sat on a seat next to the bed as Tony sat up on the edge, waiting for the on-duty doctor. Tony was once again tapping his foot on the ground, his good leg, and it was driving Pepper mad as it always did when he was nervous. He never had to admit to being a little nervous, he always tapped his feet and Pepper instantly knew.

''Mr. Stark, how can I help you?'' A male doctor walked in.

''Just want some antibiotics.'' Tony told him simply. ''I've got a cut on my leg.''

Pepper rolled her eyes at how vague he was being. ''It's very deep, and I think it's infected.'' she told the doctor.

''I'll need to have a look at it before I prescribe anything.'' he told Tony, who groaned and then lifted his pant leg up to undress the wound.

It looked even worse than when Pepper first seen it. It was definitely purple around the outside now and it was a disgusting sight. She didn't know how he was putting up with the pain, it looked unbearable.

''That sure is a deep cut,'' the doctor examined. ''How did this happen?''

Pepper turned her head to Tony to listen to his explanation since she too didn't know how it happened. All she cared about when she found out was bringing him here to get help.

''A piece of metal.'' he shrugged. ''Got away from me, next thing I know I'm bleeding.''

''Hmm, it will need stitches.'' The doctor told him and Tony groaned in disapproval. ''And then I will prescribe some antibiotics to calm the infection and stop it from inflaming.''

''I'd rather take a shot, actually.'' Tony admitted.

The doctor chuckled lightly. ''I'm sorry Mr. Stark, you need stitches and a shot won't do that.''

''You sure?''

''Positive.'' The doctor stood up straight. ''I'll be back in a moment.''

They were silent until the doctor left the room, and then Tony started complaining about the fact he had to get stitches. He could be such a baby sometimes, even when it came to things like taking cough medicine.

''It's a few stitches and then that's it.'' Pepper told him, trying to ease his worries. ''It won't take long and then we can go home.''

Tony stared at the door. ''He's taking too long, let's get out of here.''

Pepper pushed her arm onto his chest, making him stay where he was. She too couldn't wait for the stitches to be done, not only would she have the assurance that he would be okay, but his whining would stop as well.

Almost an hour and ten stitches later, they finally arrived back at home. Neither of them wanted to see a hospital for a while now after sitting in that room with the smell of the sterile equipment that the doctor used, which made both of them want to heave especially when they watched the stitches being sewn. Tony went straight to the kitchen, yanking the fridge open in a desperate attempt to find some food to eat. He hadn't eaten all day and he felt he deserved a big meal after what he had endured.

''Ice-cream please,'' Pepper sat down at the kitchen bench, kicking her shoes off under the stool. ''And a spoon.''

Tony looked up at her in disbelief. ''I'm trying to recuperate here.'' he whined, but he still obliged and handed her what she asked for.

''Not my fault that I'm hungry.'' she shrugged, throwing the lid off of the ice cream container and digging her spoon in. Tony then joined her after not finding anything he wanted in the fridge, pulling out his own spoon and sharing the ice cream, careful not to get in her spoon's way. They sat there in silence for a while, the only noise the clinking of their spoons before Pepper finally spoke. ''Next time I want you to tell me when you're hurt.''

Tony looked down at the ice cream, nodding his head. ''I will.''

Pepper sighed. ''No you won't. You say you will, but you won't.''

''I don't want you worrying about me.'' he defended. ''You've got enough to deal with.''

''And you think you're not important enough for me to worry about?'' she spoke in a tone of shock. ''Would you want me to tell you if I was hurt?''

Tony looked up at her curiously. ''Are you?''

She groaned in frustration. ''No. I said if I was.''

''Yes I would.''

''Then do the same for me.'' she told him honestly. ''I don't like you getting hurt, but I especially don't like when you hide it from me.''

Tony sat his spoon down, running his hands through his hair. ''I'm just trying to take pressure off you.''

Pepper put her spoon down too, moving her hand across the bench to grab his. ''I know what you're doing and why you're doing it, but there's no need.'' she shook her head.

''Then agree to cut back your hours at work.'' he looked over to her.

Pepper seemed taken aback, frustrated that he was choosing now to negotiate this with her. ''We've talked about this Tony.''

''We agreed that your hours would change the further along you were.'' he pointed out fairly.

Pepper groaned and stood up. ''Why are we talking about this now?''

''Because you wanted to know why I didn't tell you, and it's because you've got too much to worry about, you don't need to worry about me.''

''Yes I do, you're my husband.'' she argued back. ''I'm perfectly capable working the hours I'm on now.''

Tony shook his head. ''No, you're not. I see you when you come home. You're exhausted and I know you have a hard time sleeping most nights. You're up at six every morning and you barely get any rest.''

''I can handle it.'' she spoke firmly. ''I don't lecture you about cutting back your hours being Iron Man.''

''I'm not the one who's carrying a baby here.''

''You're right, you're not. So stop telling me what I need and respect that I can make my own decisions.'' With that said, Pepper walked away from the kitchen and headed toward the stairs.

''What are you doing?''

''I don't want to argue right now.'' she called back.

She was tired, but she wasn't going to show that to him when he was using it against her. She knew he was only worrying and trying to take care of her, but all her life she had been able to handle anything, she was a grown woman. Sure, she was pregnant, but a lot of pregnant woman work just as hard as she does whether it be in an office or not. She just wished he would understand that she felt fine, she didn't need to slow anything down yet.

With the house now in silence, Tony could hear the shower running upstairs where Pepper had retreated to their bedroom. He didn't mean to start an argument but this was something that had been on his mind for a while and he needed to tell her. He knew that he himself was always stubborn, but so was Pepper and she just wouldn't listen to what he had to say. He didn't follow upstairs, instead he sat back down at the kitchen bench and noticed a small list over by the pile of books. He reached his hand over and grabbed it, reading through the little list that he could see was in Pepper's handwriting.

Abigail

Ella

Hayley

Isabella

Olivia

It was a list of baby names that Pepper had picked out. Tony looked through the book, seeing if he could add any to it, but there was one name which he favored after finding it's meaning and definition. He closed to book, agreeing on all of the names that Pepper had narrowed it down to. He hadn't even thought of names yet. He was always saying how they should read baby name books and pick one, but they never did and now he began to think even more about it.

About an hour later, Tony walked back up from his workshop and headed toward the bedroom in hopes that Pepper had calmed down after their little disagreement. She was sitting up in bed, reading through her pregnancy book at the stage she was up to. She looked up at him as she entered with a neutral expression on her face, but neither of them said anything until Tony climbed onto the bed and looked on to what she was reading.

''Should anything weird be happening?'' he asked, resting his head near her shoulder.

''Nothing that hasn't already.'' she told him, looking over. ''Listen, give me some time to think about this work situation and I promise we'll work something out.''

Tony nodded. ''I just want you to be okay, that's all.''

''I know that,'' she leaned down to kiss him softly. ''Thank you.''

Tony smiled and rested his head against her arm as she continued reading, and then he remembered the baby names.

''Hey, I was looking at that list you wrote, the names.''

Pepper stopped reading. ''Oh, I was just thinking...nothing's set yet. I wouldn't decide that without you.''

''No, I like them all.'' he nodded. ''Even looked up their meanings and definitions.''

''Really? What are they?''

Tony sat up, remembering what they were. ''Well, Olivia means peace, and it comes from the olive tree. Isabella is a God-like name, Hayley means a clear meadow, Ella is a form of Elfin which is a fairy maiden and Abigail, this one's my favorite, means 'father's joy'.'' he explained. ''I like that one.''

Pepper considered them all, but felt herself inclined toward the same name as Tony. ''I like Abigail, we could call her Abby.''

''I thought 'father's joy' was fitting since, after all, I'm her favorite person ever.'' he grinned.

''Hmm, I guess you're right about that.'' Pepper laughed, placing his hand on her belly where their daughter was kicking. It was true, every time she heard Tony's voice she just went wild. ''I guess you win.''

Tony looked up in excitement. ''Really?''

Pepper smiled. ''Yeah. It was the first name I picked out and I really liked it.''

''What about a middle name? Is she going to have one?'' he asked, intrigued by the whole 'naming' process.

''I was thinking...Maria.'' Pepper told him, hoping he would like that as well.

Tony looked up at Pepper with adoration. ''My mother's name.'' he smiled.

''Yeah, I really like it. And I know you don't like to talk about your parents too much, but this baby's going to have one grandmother, and the other she's never going to be able to meet, so I just wanted your mother to be a part of her life in some way.'' she told him honestly.

Tony never knew Pepper felt that way about the fact their daughter was only going to have one grandparent. He had also never been as grateful that this woman was his wife and carrying his child. No one had ever cared so much about him to do something like this, and she never let him forget about his parents and their importance even if they weren't here anymore. Pepper's dad died when she was about twenty, and she understood what it was like to lose someone, especially two.

''We don't have to...I mean if you don't want to.''

Tony shook his head. ''No, I love it.'' he reached his hand up to pull her lips onto his. ''I love you.''

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