A Stark Predicament

Chapter 89 Pepper Visits Erebor

Pepper stared at Tony, her mouth slowly falling open, her eyes widening. Tony's brow furrowed and he gave her a strange look.

"Are you okay there, Honey?"

"You just asked me to cross into another dimension to go with you, your sister, Thorin, Dwalin, and Logan to the Shire to visit Bilbo Baggins, THE Bilbo Baggins and you want to know if I'm okay?"

Tony shakes his head, "Uh huh."

Pepper places a hand to her forehead, "I have to sit down."

"Why, it's not that big of a deal." Tony tells her.

"For you and the other Avengers that go every other weekend to Middle Earth, but for me, this is a huge deal." Pepper explains.

"So… you don't want to go?"

"I didn't say that, I just have to think."

"Oh come on, Pepper, it'll be fun. Besides you're always saying we need to get away for a while." Tony whines.

"I meant to the Malibu house not to a different world!" Pepper exclaims.

"What's the big deal, we're going to go for the holidays anyway, once the mountain is settled, this is just a little side trip."

"Will it be safe in the Shire?" Pepper asks."

"Of course it will, nothing ever happens in the Shire." Tony assures her.

"What about the Black Riders?" Pepper nearly whispers.

"Pep, that's not for another 60 years, so do worry about it."

Pepper thinks about it for a little while. She had been curious about Middle Earth since this whole thing started more than a year ago and she always wanted to go, but she either didn't have the time or it wasn't safe. Now things were different and she would be going well guarded and the Shire was safe so…

"Alright, Tony, let's go to the Shire. When do we leave?" Pepper asks.

"I told Thorin we'll meet them in three days time, that should give us plenty of time to arrange for you to get two weeks off just to be on the safe side."

"What should I pack?" Pepper asks.

"Pack some sweaters and jeans, some thermals and hiking boots for the mountain. Pack Autumn weather clothes for the Shire, Thorin said it isn't as cold there yet, they may still be harvesting for winter. If it gets too cold I'll come back and get you a warmer jacket."

"Alright, then, let me make all the arrangements at work." Pepper says as she gets up from the sofa and heads to the office.

Three days later, Pepper and Tony were packed and were in his lab ready to turn on the teleporter. Pepper is all fidgety due to her nervousness, Tony looks at her out of the corner of his eye and smirks.

"Will you relax, we're just going to the Lonely Mountain and then to the Shire. It's no big deal."

"Says the man who practically lives there." Pepper says as she rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get going, Thorin and Alina are expecting us in the Royal Wings."

Pepper gulps and takes Tony's hand, "Okay, I'm ready."

With that said, Tony opens the portal. There is a big bright light that blinds Pepper for a moment, but Tony gently leads her through the light. When the light recedes, she blinks and finds herself staring into the grandeur that is Erebor. She looks around, her mouth falls open at the sight of all the grand tapestries and the enormous stone carvings of who she could only imagine was Thror.