Hello all, for my previous readers this is the story that follows its' prequel An Alternative To Strawberries. I would highly recommend reading it as i will be using scenes in this story that have happened in my previous story. So i'm still with power for now. Yeah! for now anyways. This story will be like nothing you have read from me before, well it will be in the sense of awesomeness and Pepperonyness but creatively, all coming from my brain. not a script. So please read on, review, and most importantly enjoy reading this.

P.S. this story is originally gotten from the Song, Fear by Pauley Perrette and for my avid NCIS watchers, yes she does indeed play Abby Sciuto and yes the song was in an NCIS episode. which one i'll let you figure it out. but the specific line that i got the inspiration for this story is, "Are you afraid to sleep."

Fear

"PEPPER!" Tony screamed and jerked up gasping for breath. He was sweating furiously and panting. He looked around the room he was in continuing to point as his heart was beating uncontrollably. He threw the covers off and grabbed for the glass of an unfinished scotch beside his bed. He swallowed a large gulp and tried to erase the same nightmare he'd been having for days from his memory. "JARVIS, what's the time?"

"One twenty three sir, you've been asleep for approximately forty-two minutes."

Tony pinched the bridge of his nose and swallowed another gulp of the scotch, finishing it off. Tony set the glass back down and got up out of bed before removing his sweat drenched shirt. The shirt landed haphazardly by his dresser knocking over a picture frame. Tony ignored it and walked down to his workshop knowing he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep, and that he feared sleep. As Tony entered into the workshop his music began playing and it immediately helped take off some of the edge. He sat down at his desk and instead of his cars being his screen saver; it was various picture of Pepper and some of the both of them. Seeing Pepper was enough to ease his mind and Tony breathed out a sigh of relief. He mindlessly reached out and stroked the pixilated version of Pepper's face with the back of his forefinger. As Tony closed his eyes a brief flash of his nightmare came back to bite him and he snapped his eyes open just as quick as he'd closed them eager to escape.

"You lose.

"Tony we have to get out of here all these drones are rigged to blow."

"Pepper?"

A shaky breath escaped his lips. "JARVIS call Pepper."

"Calling Ms. Potts."

The phone rung once, twice, three times. On the fifth ring Pepper answered and Tony could tell by her groggy tone she had been sound asleep and he felt a pang of sadness but ignored it as he knew he had to hear her voice to make it through the fifth consecutive sleepless night. "Tony why are you calling me? It's nearly one thirty!"

"Is it that late? I was just calling to ask you where you put my uh my thing for the thing im working on but I just found it. Sorry I woke you Pep, see you tomorrow."

"Are you okay? Why are you still up?"

"I'm fine." He replied taking in another shaky breath.

"You don't sound fine. Tony what aren't you telling me?"

"Really I'm fine." He said trying once again to reassure both himself and Pepper.

"Tony if we want this thing between us to work you can't keep leaving me out of the loop. This can't be another Palladium incident."

"Really Pep, I'm fine. I'll see you later. Get some sleep. I'm sorry I woke you."

"Tony Stark doesn't apologize and not at least without stumbling through it." Tony was silent unable to offer up an explanation and was suddenly thrown back into his nightmare.

He was flying faster than he ever had before; dodging buildings left and right with only one thought on his mind. He could see Pepper now and his heart was pounding through his ears.

"Sir you're not going to make it."

"Shut up JARVIS. Increase the thrusters, put maximum energy into them."

"Sir-"

"Do it!" Tony screamed unable to bear the thought of losing Pepper. Then it seemed as though when he was a hundred yards away he stopped and started travelling in slow motion.

Pepper turned to look at him and met his gaze for a second, conveying just how scared she was but Tony saw another emotion, one he had never verbally expressed to Pepper, affection, love. He could see that she loved him and a second later her body was enveloped in a burst of flames consuming every part of her.

"NO! PEPPER!" He screamed out feeling half of his soul die inside. Tony looked away and tears began to stream relentlessly down his face as his suit too, began to shut down much like his heart and mind.

Tony was thrown to the floor and began convulsing before his body finally stilled around him, his senses were only aware of the hell hole his mind and body were stuck in

"Tony?! Tony?! JARVIS, what's going on?" Pepper asked frantically.

"It seems as though Mr. Stark has fainted due to the high intensity of being submerged back into is subconscious.

"Call 9-1-1 JARVIS, I'm on my way."

"Right away Ms. Potts."

Pepper hung up the phone and quickly swung out of bed not caring about changing out of her Psych pajama bottoms and black AC/DC shirt she had stolen from Tony. Pepper grabbed her keys and threw on a pair of flip flops grabbing a hoodie on her way out of the door. "Please be okay Tony." She whispered worried for his health.

Ok so thanks for reading, i apologize for it being short but this was supposed to be an attention grabber chapter, an introduction of what is to come. Please feel free to review and leave any thoughts, do not shelter them.

For one of my guest readers thank you for all your reviews on my stories and thank you for the belated birthday wishes. Love all your comments and i so wish i could respond.

Okay so thanks guys see you next time when i'm available.