The world went still but for the rushing in his ears for a moment, then police officers were moving in to take custody of the whip-wielder. Immediately he sought the car...

What was left of the car...

An ambulance slid to a stop at an odd angle,, lights flashing. Happy was being assisted out of the vehicle. But at the opening to the back seat, two medics just stood. Not helping, not doing anything... God. PEPPER.

Without thought he flew the few yards, setting down without care, the loud metallic 'clang' startling the medics. When they turned to look at him, he could see beyond them, Pepper was crumpled in the seat, hair escaped from her ponytail, hiding her features.

His heart seemed to stop. He could not catch his breath. He could not take the final step toward the shorn car. She was lying forward, her face down on her knees. No.

God no.

Pepper.

He yanked his gloves off. Pulled at the helmet which was dented and did not want to come off. The medics turned back to the car, and it was a moment before he heard them, another moment before their words could penetrate the wall of grief rising up before him.

"Please, Ma'am, let us check you."

Tony Stark's knees would have buckled if not for the metal and hydraulics surrounding them. Another step and he was to the jagged metal edges. The medics backed off.

"Pepper?" His voice was rough. Quiet.

"Go away." Small, pale hands covered her eyes. Her voice shook.

"Pepper? Are you hurt?"

Her shoulders impossibly hunched more. He could not stand it, he reached his hand to her shoulder. It was reassuringly warm beneath his palm, with a faint flinch, and a fine shudder running through her. "Pepper?" His voice was a whispered plea.

"Go away." She tried to shrug her shoulder out from beneath his hand. Gently he stayed with her, angling himself as much as metal suit and crushed metal car would allow.

"Pep, let me help you." His heart was still not beating properly. He could not seem to catch his breath properly. She might kill him before the palladium if he could not establish her safety and wellbeing NOW.

"I'm going to be sick." Her voice was tiny. Another shiver delicately shuddered through her.

"Come out of the car, Pepper." He tried to be both reassuring and commanding.

She did not reply. He turned to the medics, who shrugged helplessly, then backed off to stand by the stretcher where Happy sat, fussing at being fussed over.

With a frustrated groan, Tony backed out of the car and methodically began to strip off what was left of his suit. Everything hurt. But not as much as his heart hurt at the thoughts of Pepper being injured. Clear of the metal, he gingerly climbed into the seat.

She flinched again when he rested his hand on her back. "Go. Away." She ordered, miserably.

"Pepper..."

She was shivering in earnest now, and he gently rubbed his hand across her shoulders, trying to warm her. "Are you hurt?"

"I told you, I'm going to be sick." He motioned to one of the medics, pointing to the blanket on the end of the stretcher where Happy sat. It was brought over. Gently he draped it over her shoulders. Tenderly, he pushed the hair back off the side of her face so he could see her. She was deathly pale.

"Is he... ?" Her eyes were squinched closed.

"No." He softly massaged her neck, feeling the tendons like steel bands beneath his hand.

"Pep, can you sit up sweetie? We need to see if you're hurt."

"I'm OK. Just... car sick." A nervous chuckle, bordering on hysteria escaped as she slowly sat up. She finally opened her eyes and looked at the man sitting next to her; At the blood dripping down his bruised cheek, tears welled in her eyes. "You're the one hurt..." She reached up, but stopped just shy of touching him

"Don't cry, Pepper. You know I can't deal with it when you cry." Tony cupped her jaw with his hand, his thumb catching a tear "Don't cry for me, Pep. I'm OK. Are you hurt?." His tenderness was her undoing. Finally letting go of the iron tension keeping her together, she turned into him, clutched at his shirt, and leaned her forehead down against his shoulder.

He smelled of smoke and electrical fire, and sweat and fear, and Tony. She was embarrassed-mortified-at her reaction. But his hands came up to rub her shoulders and for the first time since she saw that insane man walk out onto the track, she believed he was safe.

Gradually the storm passed. Tony snugged the blanket up around her. "Think we can get out of this wreck now?" Sniffling, she nodded. He climbed out and turned to help her. Her knees buckled when she tried to stand. "Whoa... easy." He caught her, strong hands above her elbows, steadying her.

She blinked owlishly at the destruction and debris around them. Another shudder crawled up her spine to her scalp. So close... Startlingly she pulled away from Tony even as he clutched at her arms. But she bent at the waist while her stomach relieved itself of the contents of their earlier lunch.

To his credit, (and her astonishment,) Tony stood by her side, holding her arm, even as the medics moved in. She waved them away, refusing treatment. "I just want to go home."

Tony waved the medics away from himself too. When Pepper would have overridden him, he raised an eyebrow at her. Without words, he reminded her of her own choice. With an exasperated sigh, she collected Happy and the three headed with an officer for a cruiser to get them back to their hotel. If she sat too close to Tony in the back seat, he had the grace, for once, to not comment on it. Happy was quiet in the front seat, holding an ice pack to his forehead.

If Tony's hand on her lower back felt intimately possessive on the way up to their suite, she chose to ignore it. Well, not ignore, exactly. In point of fact, she enjoyed it. A little too much. She could not afford to let him into her heart. Not more than he already was. She had watched in mute horror after he kicked the car away as he fought for his life. She knew every time he left in the damn suit that he was at risk. She waited, paced, watched the clock tick until his return; patched up the cuts, iced the bruises he couldn't reach... But this brought it way, way too close to home. Her stomach churned again at the thought. As if sensing her discomfort, Tony gently rubbed his hand on her lower back.

Entering the suite, Pepper plopped down onto the opulent overstuffed couch in the main sitting room, letting her head drop back.

"I've got to clean up then go to the police station... " Tony was saying, already undressing and dropping items of clothing carelessly along the path to his rooms.

"OK." She answered, quietly. She would get up in a minute and clean up herself. But just for a little bit she would rest. But jetlag and adrenaline washout conspired to pull her inexorably down into the plush cushions...

When Tony came out his rooms, freshly showered, buttoning his shirt,, he saw Pepper had not moved from the couch. Her neck would hurt if he left her sleeping like that.

"Pepper?" He said quietly, trying not to startle her. No reaction. Usually she was the lightest of sleepers. When he had first come back from Afghanistan, he had wondered if she ever slept herself, since she always seemed to be there for him when the inevitable nightmares caught up with him. "Pep?"

He crouched next to the couch, experimentally reaching for a slender ankle. She didn't budge. He removed her shoe, marvelling at the height of the heels she managed to stay balanced on. When she still did not wake, he was a little more leisurely in removing her other shoe, allowing his hands to slide along her silky ankle, over the arch of her foot.

Feeling slightly guilty, certainly a foreign concept to Tony Stark, he gently lifted both her feet and swung her legs up onto the couch. Still, she slept, though her lashes fluttered slightly. But he spoke to her, soft, soothing nonsense words as he gently lowered her head and shoulders down to a comfortable position. She quieted, turning slightly on her side, raising a small fist to rest beneath her chin. He could not resist one final ministration, and he released her hair from what was left of her ponytail, savoring the silky strands as they sifted through his fingers.

Her cheeks were still pale, dark purple shadows looked almost like bruises under her eyes. Giving in to an urge he could not explain, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. He lingered for a moment, savoring the contact. He wondered if you missed people when you were dead. He brushed hair off her cheek, tucking it behind her ear.

He stood to leave, then stopped. Removing his suit jacket, he gently tucked it around Pepper's shoulders. He hated to leave her. But there was nothing else he could do.