Three Cheers for the Great Outdoors, Part Six
(In case you missed it: Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four // Part Five)
VI
Pepper thought she’d timed her visit perfectly.
While sharing a quiet dinner with Tony the evening before, she’d
heard the on-duty nurse rattle off the upcoming therapy schedule for Tony’s
benefit. Respiratory, of course, was still coming in every four hours to help
Tony bring up the fluid that lingered in his scarred and battered lungs.
Physical therapy was taking him for a walk shortly after lunch. And
Occupational, interestingly enough, had decided to take advantage of Tony’s
convalescence to address the long-standing nerve pain in his left arm and hand.
It was a pretty full plate; nonetheless, Pepper assumed she could stop by
during a free period in the late afternoon to spend some time with her
recovering husband — and do what she could to alleviate his ennui.
Thus, when she walked into Tony’s room at the appointed hour and
found it empty, she immediately dropped her umbrella and her bags and headed
straight for the nurses’ station.
“According to this,” said the RN manning the counter, gesturing to
the bank of screens beside him, “Mr. Stark is right where he should be.”
“No, he isn’t,” Pepper repeated, doing her best to remain
composed. “I was just in there.”
Don’t panic, she thought as the
young man scrambled for the phone, his eyes wide.
In addition to throwing a stack of non-disclosure agreements on
the hospital administrator’s desk to keep any excessively curious reporters at
bay, Pepper had also ordered Happy to post one of his Stark details at the
hospital for Tony’s protection. Years of experience - and several kidnappings -
had taught her, after all, not to leave Tony exposed when he was
at his weakest, for it was at those times that his numerous enemies preferred
to strike.
No: with Hap’s well-trained men in place, it was unlikely that
Tony was off the hospital premises. But the question remained: where did
he go? And how had he managed to outsmart his monitor? As Pepper watched local
and Stark security assemble in the hallway outside Tony’s room, she privately
resolved to read Tony the riot act once she'd tracked him down.
--*--
“Tony, what are you doing here?”
It hadn’t been long before Pepper found her wayward partner in an
infrequently-trafficked rear stairwell. Tony was huddled on the landing between
the second and third floor, his back pressed against the wall, his forehead on
his knees. On hearing Pepper’s voice, he lifted his bloodshot eyes — and
immediately grimaced, chagrined. “Sorry.”
Beside Pepper, Dan toggled his radio on and broadcasted the all’s
well. “Michaels here. We’ve got him. Call off the dogs.”
Nodding her thanks at Happy’s third, Pepper crouched down beside
Tony with a slightly exasperated sigh. “You know, you almost gave the charge
nurse a coronary. And honestly, I’m not even going to ask you what you did to
your holter — or how. What were you thinking?”
“Sorry,” Tony muttered again. “Just wanted to practice the stairs
on my own.” Then he glared, suddenly furious. No, Pepper’s inner voice
amended. Self-conscious. “Contrary to popular belief, I know
how to find my way back. Third floor. Four doorways from the stairway. Then a
turn. Then six more doorways. I’m not a complete
dumbass.”
“Okay,” Pepper replied, placating. She pressed the back of her
hand against Tony’s dirty and sweat-smeared cheek. “So why aren’t
you back in your room?”
“I —” Tony swallowed thickly and looked away. “I slipped. There
was a puddle, and I didn’t —” He stiffened, turtling his shoulders. “I fucked
up my wrist and my knee, and now I can’t —”
“And you didn’t yell for help?”
“I was thinking about it,” Tony gritted, his expression flinty,
his anger and embarrassment at a barely controlled simmer.
“But you didn’t want anyone to know about your little act of
sabotage.” Tony’s tight-lipped refusal to respond was all the confirmation
Pepper needed. “Tony.”
“I know.”
Pepper reached for the hand Tony was protectively cradling against
his chest and gingerly pushed back his sleeve. His left wrist was swollen and
purpling — and obviously tender if Tony’s whispered imprecations were anything
to go by. They’ll probably have to take him down for an x-ray.
“Son of a bitch.”
“I’m sorry, Tony. I won’t touch it anymore. But can I look at your
knee?”
Tony gnawed hard on his lower lip, but he didn’t resist as Pepper
rolled up his pant leg to take note of the equally spectacular abrasions that
decorated his right knee. “Okay,” she said once she’d finished her once-over,
her tone brisk and business-like. “Do you think you can make it to the third floor
if Dan and I support your weight?”
Tony hesitated briefly — then nodded.
--*--
One trip to radiology, a couple of Ace bandages, and a few stern
lectures later, Pepper helped Tony clean up and change into a fresh set of
PJ’s, smiling warmly as she smoothed out the wrinkles. “I’ve never seen this
particular t-shirt before.”
“Which one is it?”
“It says, ‘I’m a dad and an engineer. Nothing scares me.’”
“Oh. Rhodey gave that to me as a joke last month.”
“Well, I think it’s perfect,” Pepper concluded, punctuating her
judgment by kissing the top of Tony's head, then busying herself with arranging his
pillows so he could keep his bruised knee elevated. “Unless Rhodey can find a
shirt that says, ‘I’m my wife’s favorite idiot.’ In that case, I think I’d have
to crown a new winner.”
“Would you like an ‘I’m with stupid’ shirt in your size?” Tony
asked ruefully. “FRIDAY can have it shipped by tomorrow.”
Chuckling, Pepper squeezed herself next to Tony and rested her
hand on his stomach. “No. But I would like to know why you took
such a risk today.”
“I didn’t think it was a risk. I’d already done it
six other times.”
“So you’ve been sneaking out since —”
“Wednesday. The last time Rhodey was here.”
“Hmm. But I’m guessing the idea was all yours.”
“You know me so well.” Tony wrapped his arm around Pepper’s
shoulder, nuzzled his face in her hair, and fell silent.
Pepper started tracing comforting swirls on Tony’s chest. “We’re
still just fine, you know. Your daughter and I. You don’t have to push yourself
so hard.”
When Tony tensed beneath her touch, Pepper knew she had hit her
target.
“The past few months —” she continued. “You’ve been such a hero
with Morgan. And I mean that. You’ve been so involved. So affectionate. We’ve
been lucky to have you. And if you have to dial back on some of
your daddy duties for a while because of this - because you need time to get
better - it’s okay. I don’t think Morgan will adore you any less. And I know I
won’t.”
Pepper felt a slight tremor skitter through Tony’s muscles.
Disentangling herself from her husband’s embrace, she sat up and bracketed his
face with her two palms. “You heard me, right? We will always
love you. Whatever it is you think you need to prove — you’ve already proven it
a million times over.”
“Yeah,” Tony said, blinking rapidly, his words strangled by
emotion. “I heard you.”
“Good.” Pepper rubbed his chest again and settled back down by his side.
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