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The moon gleamed brightly as I leaned against the balcony railing at a NYC penthouse in my silver, floor length gown with a glass of champagne in hand. Like a colony of ants surrounding a cookie, people gathered in the streets anticipating the new year. The party inside drained me for the past hour I was there. My husband, Richard, dragged me along since our boss, Norman Osborn, had thrown together this event. Both were discussing a new project involving spider DNA and radiation.
As I continued to look out at the late night sky, I felt someone's presence behind me. I turned around and couldn't believe my very eyes as I saw the one person I haven't seen in ten years: Anthony Edward Stark . He was dressed in a gray, fine tailored three-piece suit . Tony looked the same as I saw him years ago with the exception of a few gray hairs entertwined with his dark locks. His face bore a few wrinkles and slowly stood beside me to look up at the sky.
"It’s been long time Ms. Potts. A beautiful night isn’t", he said. At this moment I felt a sense of deja vu. It had been around ten years since that party, I danced in that blue dress unaware of the heartbreak that would follow.
"I haven’t seen you in quite a while,Tony. What brings you to this party”?
"I came to bother Osborn a bit since he thought he could 'borrow' research on the arc reactor. And you ?", Tony said annoyed.
"I came along with my husband, Richard. Believe me I would much rather be at home with my son".
"You have a kid?!", Tony gasped.
"Yeah his name is Peter and he is ten years old. Right now he is staying with my brother in law. He loves robots and wants to be a scientist one day".
" Well I would like to meet him sometime, Ms. Potts".
Once upon another time
Our story had only begun
You chose to turn the page
And I made choices too
"Pepper, I must say you still look lovely after all these years. I wish I had been smart back then to realize what I have missed", Tony remorsefully said looking down at my hand with my wedding ring.
"To be fair, I wasn't any better. I couldn't handle losing you when I saw you the last time we were yelling about you putting your life at risk ", I whispered, turning my face away from him.
Once upon that other time
We did what we thought must be done
And now we have no choice
We do what we must do
Ten years ago I had walked into Tony's lab to make sure he had gotten sleep after working on an A.I system that took him three months to develop when I had seen him on the floor unconscious. I quickly called for Dr. Cho to help, when I had seen something wrong with his arc reactor. I saw blood along the outer edges rusting the arc reactor then I wondered what was happening to him and if he was going to be okay. When I heard the doors to the lab open and saw a stretcher being pushed through, I was rushed out of my thoughts in order to face the present situation. Tony was loaded onto the stretcher and was rushed to the hospital wing of the then Stark Tower.
It felt like a whole millennium before I could see him after surgery, he sat upright in the cot as if he were waiting for me. I went toward him, bringing him in a gentle embrace to not disturb his stitches. Yet at that time I had been so worried I yelled at him for constantly keeping secrets and endangering his health. This triggered a full blown argument that ultimately ended our relationship that night, I felt as if I could no longer remain strong.
“YOU NEVER TELL ME THINGS TONY”.
“I HAD ENOUGH. I DON’T WANT TO COME HOME ONE DAY ONLY TO FIND OUT YOU’RE DEAD”.
”PEPPER, PLEASE COME BACK. I LOVE YOU”.
”So did I, Tony. Goodbye”.
We love, we live
We give what we can give
And take what little we deserve
After packing my stuff and leaving Stark Towers, I realized I had forgotten to tell Tony the good news I received earlier that day at the doctor's office. I was pregnant with our child but after our argument I felt it was too late to tell him and Tony never indicated that he wanted children in our previous conversations. While I was wandering around that night, I had met Richard who had just divorced his wife, Mary.
“Sorry I bumped into you”.
”Don’t worry about it, I was in a rush”.
”Before I go, can I at least get your name? I’m Richard”.
”Virginia . I hope I can see you again”.
The peace didn’t last for long. Our marriage was failing yet we didn’t have the energy to leave each other. So Richard and I lived two separate lives.
****
Once upon another time
I knew how our story would end
And maybe I was wrong
But now the moment's gone
There was a period of silence between us as we were both lost within our thoughts. Thinking back to the night that Pepper had left I had wondered what would have happened if I was more transparent with her and told her everything before. Would we still be together to this day? Would have had a child with her fiery red hair? But dreaming can’t change the past ten years.
“If we ever get married Tony, would you want children”?
”No. What if I become Howard? I would screw them up,I mean look at me I came out like shit”.
“Don’t say that you're a much better person than you were years ago. You will always be my hero, Tony.”
Were it still that other time
I'd make time itself somehow bend
But now I'm not that strong
And time keeps moving on
Over this past decade I came to a realization that maybe I didn't deserve her love and time. Yet I can't help wondering if she were still at my side. I would be able to find motivation to continue to live despite what I had gone through. I always wished that I were stronger to face my demons without being a burden to others. However, those thoughts subsided when I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder. I turned around to look at Pepper who was glowing in the moonlight in her silver gown.
****
We love, we live
We give what we can give
And take what little we deserve
The two former lovers stood with each other as midnight continued to approach. Both of them did not utter a word, as they were content with each other's company. They continued to look into each other's eyes as old feelings came to haunt them. What did I do to deserve you ? The gazes grew intense and the distance shrinked. Tormented by the love they still had for each other even after ten long years. Through unhappy marriages , new relationships, careers, and a child both felt more happiness on this night then they did these past years.
The New Year's Eve countdown had begun with ten seconds to midnight. Tony and Pepper had joined in while still on the balcony in the arms of each other.
"Ten."
"Nine."
"Eight".
"Seven".
"Six".
"Five."
"Four."
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
After all the guests shouted Happy New Years in the background, with no hesitation from each party, Tony and Pepper lips met in a savory kiss and hand caressed the outlines of their bodies. In that one moment, all feelings of doubt faded away. Fireworks sparkled as lips pulled apart. Before anyone could get more suspicious, Pepper had silently left to find Richard but not after sparing one loving glance toward Tony. After that Tony was left there stunned by what had just occurred.
"Maybe she still loves me," he thought to himself as he had left before Norman could spot him.