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Pepper Potts excels at preparation. She was Tony Stark’s assistant for years. She had to be prepared for absolutely anything. Pepper anticipates surprises, expects Tony’s antics, and expects extreme levels of stress. And now, as CEO of Stark Industries, Pepper Potts has business preparation down to a T.Wedding preparation is not all that different.With Tony Stark as her fiancé, she is no stranger to extravagant parties. She knows how much alcohol to serve to keep everyone happy while also keeping the chances of a drunken speech slim. She knows which people must be seated at least five tables apart and which women should not be invited at all. She knows how soon invitations must be sent out and who will need a personal reminder one month prior.She also knows that she is madly in love with Tony Stark, but that might be beside the point.Because Pepper Potts excels at preparation, one month before the wedding, there is only one item left on her to-do list. (Well, her wedding to-do list, that is. She’s still the CEO of Stark Industries after all.)Pepper glances at the last item on her list, smiles contentedly, and folds it neatly on the original, well-worn creases. She slips the paper into her purse and adjusts the bag on her shoulder. A man raises his head at the jingle of the bell on the shop door.“You couldn’t wait,” Pepper glances down at her watch, “a minute and a half to start eating?”Tony looks up at her with a guilty grin. He swallows quickly, and stands up. Pepper rolls her eyes, and walks to meet him in the middle of the room.“In my defense,” Tony places his hand on the small of her back and guides her to her chair, “the white chocolate raspberry cake is absolutely delicious.”“Is it?” Pepper smirks and sits next to Tony. She opens her mouth to speak closes it without saying anything. She glances at her watch.“How on earth were you here on time?”“What do you mean?” Tony asks with an exaggerated gasp,“I know you would never insinuate that I am a late person.”“No, never,” Pepper uses her most serious tone.“Wedding planning is important to you. You’re important to me,” Tony lays his hand on her arm.“Cake is important to you,” Pepper stresses the first word. Tony was late for every one of his suit fittings (She was successful in convincing him to wear a tuxedo and now an Iron Man suit. She’s marrying Tony Stark, not Iron Man.), the meeting at the church, and will probably be late to the wedding ceremony itself.“Have you tried the German chocolate?”“No, I have not. You started without me!” she laughs.“Well, as you said,” Tony points to the doorway, “you were almost two minutes late.”“Well-“ Pepper’s response is cut off by a tiny, thin old woman bouncing out the kitchen door.“Here you are, Mr. Stark. I brought a wider selection for you: triple chocolate, strawberry shortcake, red velvet, and black forest gateau.” She points to each cake as she says its name. Looking up, she sees Pepper for the first time.“You must be the lovely Miss Potts!” the woman holds out her hand, “I’m Althea, but please don’t call me that.”“Lovely to meet you,” Pepper waits for a name to be supplied.“Al,” she says, and wipes her hands on her stained apron.“Al,” Pepper repeats.“I knew it was Al because I was here on time,” Tony leans over to Pepper. Pepper turns to glare at him.“Do you have a flavor in mind?” Al’s bounces on her tip toes to glance over the counter. The poor woman was not much taller than the counter, but she had much more energy than one would expect at her age.“They’re just all too good, Althie. You’re a genius in the kitchen,” Tony says around a bite of red velvet with cream cheese icing. Althea smiles.“You can’t go wrong with the classics. This vanilla sponge cake was first served at my own wedding, and I give it credit for my fifty-four years of success.”“Wow, fifty-four years! That’s very impressive,” Pepper says.“No strawberry shortcake,” Tony pushes away the only slice of cake that he hasn’t sampled in the ten minutes they have been in the cake shop, “Pepper here’s got an allergy.”To Pepper, that seemed even more impressive than fifty-four years of marriage. She reaches for his hand under the table. She laces her fingers with his and smiles at how perfectly they fit together.“Progress,” she whispers as she kisses him on the cheek.Pepper tries a bite the vanilla sponge cake. She savors the light, fluffy cake and the creamy, rich icing. She looks at Tony and they both nod.“I think you’re right. The vanilla sponge cake’s the one.” “Where could it be?” Pepper throws the contents of her makeup bag onto the counter.“Don’t worry, Pepper. We’ll find it,” Natasha scans the room.“But I am worried. I really have no idea where it could be,” Pepper says with a hint of desperation in her voice as she triple checks a drawer. Natasha nods.“Clint, we have a minor problem. Can you scan the foyer for a missing garter? It’s small, white, lacy,” she says into an earpiece and as seriously as if aliens were invading.“Thank you,” Pepper smoothes her dress and takes a deep breath. She scrutinizes her makeup in the full-length mirror and sighs. She shifts anxiously from foot to foot.“You’re going to break a heel,” Nat’s eyes dart to the bottom of Pepper’s long, white dress.“You’re right,” Pepper trades one nervous habit for another as she twirls a loose strand of hair and stands still. Natasha doesn’t say anything, but she plugs the curling iron back in.“Are you alright?” Natasha asks, “Clint will find the garter, or is something else bothering you?”“No, no. No! I just need to find the garter. I’ll look myself.” Pepper slightly lifts the long skirt of her dress and hurries out of the room.She follows the path from her dressing room to the foyer and the entrance of the church. Where else could she have dropped it? What will she do if she can’t find it? Could she make one out of something else? Should-Pepper’s thoughts are interrupted when she turns around and walks right into the one person that she does not want to see.“Tony!”“You look amazing,” Tony says in an awestruck whisper. He takes her hands from her hair and holds them in his.“You’re not supposed to be here,” Pepper tries to pull her hand away.“Where? At my own wedding?” Tony laughs.“No, you know what I mean! Here!” Pepper gestures to the foyer of the church, “With me! It’s bad luck to see me before the wedding!”“It’s never bad luck to see you.” Pepper stands still at his words. “Besides, we don’t need luck.”“But we’ve worked so hard, and I just wanted everything to be… perfect,” she shrugs at the last word.“And it is! Look at this place, Pep!” And she does. She looks at the flowers decorating the foyer and down at her dress and at the church full of family, friends, and superheroes.Then she looks at Tony.“You’re right,” she smiles, and she takes his hand again, “this is perfect.”“Nothing’s going to go wrong. I don’t care if ten thousand aliens attack this very church, I’m not leaving that altar,” Tony says. “Promise?” “That’s not the only promise I’m making today, wife,” Tony mouths the last word, and Pepper smiles.“Thank you,” Pepper squeezes his hand before letting go.“Let’s do this,” Tony walks backwards and holds his arms outstretched as he speaks.“I’ll see you soon,” Pepper smiles as she peeks her head out from behind her dressing room.“You look breathtaking!”And Pepper doesn’t care that Tony saw her. Who’s to say she can’t see her fiancé before their wedding? Who’s to tell Tony Stark anything?“Pepper,” Maria places a hand on her arm, “there you are.”“Clint couldn’t find the garter,” Natasha says apologetically.“It’s okay!” Pepper waves her hand in front of her face, “Everything’s perfect.”Maria and Natasha exchange looks. Before they can say anything, there attention turns to a woman in a gold dress identical to their own running through the door.“Penny!” Pepper exclaims happily.“You look so beautiful! I’m sorry that I’m late, but I was literally talking to Thor out there!” Pepper’s cousin gushes.“With those arms, I understand,” Maria nods.“Did I hear something about a garter?” Penny asks and blushes at Maria’s comment.“Did you find it?” Natasha asks.“I dyed it last night,” Penny says and rummages around in her purse, “Pepper said she didn’t have her ‘something blue.’”“Thank you,” Pepper says and takes the baby blue garter and hugs her cousin. She holds the garter carefully in her hands and smiles.“I’m sorry. Were you worried it was missing? I should have said something. I just wanted to surprise you,” Penny grips her purse nervously.“No, really, Pen, this was so sweet. I’m not worried about anything anymore. I don’t have to be,” Pepper places a hand on Penny’s shoulder to assure her.She has someone to take her worries and find a way to make them seem inconsequential.She has someone to take her worries and point her towards her successes.She has someone to make her laugh and smile and forget her worries were ever really there.She has someone, and she will not let anyone take him away. “Are you ready?” her dad holds out his arm.“Absolutely,” she smiles.The music starts, and everyone stands. Steve taps Thor on the shoulder and nods at him to stand. Thor looks around in confusion at the Midgardian custom. No one stood when the others entered.Pepper’s father kisses her on the cheek, and Tony takes his place at her arm. They lock eyes and smile before she turns away to hand her bouquet of red roses to Natasha. She smirks at the red roses contrasting with Natasha’s gold dress to remind her of Tony’s Iron Man suit. The color combination was only semi-intentional.Pepper turns back to Tony. His mouth opens, and his eyes widen. He stares at Pepper as he pretends to gasp for breath. After a moment, he stops and smiles.“Told you that you were breathtaking,” Tony smirks.“Seriously? At the altar?” Pepper shakes her head, but she isn’t really mad.“Today, we gather to witness the marriage of Anthony Stark and Virginia Potts,” the preacher motions that everyone may sit. Thor glances at the guests and at Tony and Pepper to make sure he is at the right wedding. Steve leans over to Thor, happy to be the person doing the explaining for once.“The couple has chosen to write their own vows. Anthony,” the preacher nods to him, and Tony takes Pepper’s hands in his own.“I vow to protect the one thing I can’t live without. That’s you. And I promise to always come home to you, because, Pepper, you are my home, and because you make me want to live another day. You make me want to live everyday, and you inspire me to be the best version of myself. When I’m in a tough spot, I want you to be the one to get me through it. When I’m happy, I want to be with you. I want to see your smile. I want your life to be my life, always. I vow to be your husband.”“Virginia,” the preacher nods for Pepper to begin.“Tony, I vow to be understanding. I vow to be patient. I will try to understand your recklessness and will love you even when I don’t understand. I promise to walk, or, if we’re being realistic, dangerously fly,” Pepper pauses as Tony and the guests chuckle, “beside you for the rest of my life. Tony,” she grips his hands tighter, “we’ve fought out battles. Let’s enjoy a life of happiness together. But whatever does inevitably come our way, I promise to stand by you. I will be your sounding board, your voice of reason, your partner. I vow to be your wife.”“I love you,” Tony mouths.“I love you,” Pepper mouths, and her eyes water.“Thank you both,” the preacher says, “The love between these two is obvious. I pray that their love be eternal. The couple will exchange rings as a symbol of their love and eternal bond. The rings?”Dum-E whirs and extends towards Tony. Holding a small bag, it rams into a vase of red roses. The vase falls to the ground with a clatter that echoes through the church.“Are you trying to get sent to community college?” Tony asks as he picks up the pieces of the vase and the roses and sets them behind Dum-E.“I’m so sorry, honey. I should have-“ Tony is interrupted by Pepper’s laughter.“It’s alright,” she smiles, “It’s alright.”“Shall I continue?” the preacher asks hesitantly.“Yes,” they answer in unison.“Anthony Edward Stark, do you take Virginia Potts to be your lawfully wedded wife?”“I do,” Tony beams and slides a glittering diamond ring onto Pepper’s finger.“Virginia Potts, do you take Anthony Edward Stark to be your lawfully wedded husband?”“I do,” Pepper slides a silver band onto Tony’s finger.“By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”Tony puts one hand on Pepper’s waist and one behind her head as he dips her dramatically. She gasps, and a laugh is muffled by his lips on her. She smiles against his lips, and he stand her up straight again. Pepper leans forward to kiss him one more time.The organ begins again, and Natasha hands Pepper her bouquet. Tony takes her hand, and they walk down the aisle followed by Natasha and Bruce, Maria and Rhodey, and finally Penny and Peter.“This was beautiful. Feel free to take twelve percent of the credit,” Pepper whispers close to his ear.Tony laughs. It’s a genuine laugh because he is genuinely happy. And he looks at her and smiles and squeezes her hand.“How about we do this fifty -fifty?”Pepper pretends to think as they walk down the aisle.“How about sixty-forty?”“Alright,” Tony pretends to ponder, “alright, I guess I could take sixty percent. After all, I do all the heavy lifting.”They’ve reached the end of the aisle, and Tony picks Pepper up, and she gasps. She laughs as he spins her. For the third time, Pepper kisses her husband. And then the party starts. The champagne is readily available, and waiters circle the floor with hor d’oeuvres. Happy watches the door, and the press is not allowed inside. The room is lavishly decorated, but the most eye-catching thing is the happiness radiating off the newlyweds as they dance.“I think it is almost time for the toasts. I’ll go get us some champagne,” Tony twirls Pepper as the song ends.“Come back this time,” Pepper says remembering their first dance.“Always,” Tony smiles, “You’re stuck with me now.”“Good.”“Congratulations, dear,” Althea appears behind Pepper.“Oh, Al! I’m so glad you could make it!” Pepper bends down and squeezes her hand in welcome.“Of course, dear,” Althea places her hand on the shoulder of the white-haired man beside her, “this is Stan.”“I’ve heard good things, Stan! I hope my marriage has the longevity of yours,” Pepper says, not doubting that it will.“Yes, I’m lucky this woman’s put up with me so long. What’s it been now?” Stan squints at his wife, “Eighty years?”“Fifty-four, and you know it, Stan. For goodness sakes,” Althea answers as they walk away. She turns back to wave at Pepper.Tony returns to Pepper’s side just in time. Rhodey stands up on the stage and lightly taps a fork against his champagne fluke.Rhodey tells an embarrassing story about a Tony Stark before he truly knew Pepper Potts. He questioned Pepper’s sanity, but decided that if she’s a little insane, then that’s okay. If he’s rubbing off on her, then maybe she’s rubbing off on him.“Thanks, Rhodey,” Tony calls out, “really, thanks. Super appropriate story.”Rhodey just laughs.“You’re up, kid,” Rhodey passes the microphone to a very nervous Peter Parker.“Hi, um, I’m Sp- Peter. Peter Parker. I was, uh, Mr. Stark’s intern,” and Peter stumbles through a short speech thanking Tony for all he’s done for him and wishing him happiness. He doesn’t use the word “son,” but every time he says “intern” or “mentor,” Tony hears “son” and “father.”Pepper hears it, too.“Here you go, Miss Potts, ma’am,” Peter hands the microphone to Penny as he practically jumps down the stairs and rejoins his seat next to MJ.“Wow, this is quite the guest list. I apologize in advance, but I guess I’m still a little in shock. I realize why you’ve always been such a workaholic,” Penny says, and Pepper laughs because she doesn’t know the half of it.“I wish you both a lifetime of happiness. Everyone deserves a love like yours,” Pepper sees her cousin locking eyes with Thor, “Cheers.”Pepper and Tony stand up to walk around and talk to the guests, but their attention once again goes to the stage.“There’s someone else here who’d like to give a speech,” Natasha announces. Her smile looks more genuine than anyone has seen in a long time. She gestures to a dark corner where a figure stands. Tony wonders how he could have forgotten something as simple as checking the light bulbs.Phillip J. Coulson walks out of the shadows.“I’m sorry. That corner was really dark, and I couldn’t resist. I think there’s a bulb out.” Tony gapes, and turns to Pepper.“Did- did you know about this?” Tony points at Coulson.“No, I’d say Phil can have one-hundred percent of the credit for this surprise,” Pepper says in shock. The guests murmur in confusion or shock.“Tony,” Coulson says and nods towards him, “Pepper, what a mess you’ve gotten yourself into.” He clears his throat. “I know it’s been a few years. I, uh, I went to Tahiti. It sucked, but it turns out it’s actually a magical place.”A few feet away, Melinda May smirks.“I’m so glad that these two found each other. These speeches really aren’t my thing, but I’ve got a habit of dramatic entrances. Let’s raise a glass to the happy couple.”Dumbfounded, Tony and Pepper raise a glass and take a sip of champagne. Tony’s still gaping when Coulson reaches his table.“I hope you don’t mind me crashing.”“Phil?” Tony asks.“I’ve got some cards, actually, if you wouldn’t mind signing them. They’re mint condition. There’s a lot of them circulating, so they’re not worth a lot, but, trust me, one day they will be.”“Phil,” he repeats.“It’s a heck of a story. I’ll debrief you later, but tonight’s your night. I just wanted to be here to wish you well,” Coulson says and lays his Iron Man cards on the table.Tony laughs.“Bring out some more champagne! We’ve got a lot to celebrate!” Tony calls out.“Is this the cellist?” Pepper asks and gestures May. May smiles slightly.“No, but I told you it was a long story. Don’t worry. I’ve got time to tell it.”And Dum-E might spill the champagne, but no one really cares. Tony and Pepper dance, and so do Coulson and May (in flats, of course). And Coulson takes a seat after a dance and catches his breath. May sits beside him with a hand resting on his arm. Coulson watches Tony smiling and laughing, and he was quiet.His news can wait until tomorrow. Coulson never planned to ruin his day. He just has a few more goodbyes to say.