Virginia Potts is called "Pepper" because of her freckles and red hair. She was working for Stark Industries and spotted an accounting error. She raced to let Tony Stark know. Having saved the company a large amount of money, Stark promoted her to be his personal assistant.
Pepper became infatuated with Stark, but things changed whenHappy Hogan was hired as Tony's new body guard. The bickering between Pepper and Happy begins almost immediately. Although they bicker, Hogan confesses an attraction to Pepper Potts, who rebuffs him saying she's saving herself to be the future Mrs. Tony Stark.