AUTHORS NOTE: Okay, this was supposed to be a one shot, but since I had such great reviews, and if I didn't thank you personally, THANK YOU, I decided to add a bit more. If you want more, then I will do my best. SPOILERS WITHIN FOR IM3! R&R please! Thank you guys!

He jerked awake as gravity tipped his head from its position on his hand. He hated hospitals, especially when someone he cared about was in one. They had tried to admit him but he had refused treatment, ignoring Pepper's protests that he needed to be at least seen. If they admitted him, he would be placed in a separate room, away from her, unable to watch her…unable to protect her. And that was not going to happen. Ever. Looking over at her, he watched her chest rise and fall gently. They had sedated her to keep her calm, nervous about her "affliction: and its consequences if she became agitated. He knew better, tough. Pepper Potts was the most level-headed, controlled person he had ever known. God knew, he had tested that unwavering patience enough over the years to be completely sure of it.

"She's going to be fine, you know." A voice said nearby and he looked up, unsurprised to see the Colonel.

"I know. I'll have a cure for her in no time." He replied, his eyes following Rhodey as he sat down in the other chair, wincing.

"Man, these chairs sure don't help a sore body." He complained and Tony grinned briefly.

"Nope. Maybe that can be Stark Industries' next endeavor. Comfortable chair/bed things for hospitals. We'd make another fortune." Tony said and Rhodey chuckled quietly.

"You'd get no complaint from me." He said and leaned back. The two battle-weary friends sat in silence for a while, the only noise being the soft beeping of the heart monitor attached to Pepper. Rhodey watched as Tony's eyes slowly closed, only to fly open a few minutes later with a start. "Why don't you go somewhere and lay down for a while? I'll stay here with her." He said and the genius/ billionaire/ former playboy/ philanthropist quirked and eyebrow at him. "Well, it was worth a shot. You want some coffee?"

"Yeah. Black." Tony nodded and Rhodey patted his shoulder as he passed. Alone again, Tony leaned forward, scrubbing his face tiredly. Reaching out, he touched Pepper's hand, feeling the warmth of her skin against his own clammy palm. Her fingers automatically twitched around his, reacting to the contact even in her drug-induced sleep, and it brought a smile to his face. He had lied earlier that night. She hadn't burned him, but her skin did have an unnatural heat to it. Occasionally, he saw a tinge of a red glow come from her face.

"Tony…" she breathed and he moved closer, worried she was having a nightmare. He certainly wouldn't blame her after the night they had had.

"It's okay, honey. I'm right here." He murmured, stroking a thumb over her red-streaked cheek. She calmed immediately, settling back into a deep, relaxed slumber again. He continued the motion for a while, only sitting back in his chair when Rhodey returned.

"She okay?" he asked and Tony nodded, accepting the coffee.

" ."

"Look, I just got a call. They're going to arrest the Vice President and they want me there."

"Go. It's cool." Tony replied but Rhodey was hesitant.

"Are you sure? I can-"

"Yeah, we'll be fine. Give me a shout later."

"I will. Call if anything changes." The Colonel said and reluctantly left. Tony sighed and sipped the awful, staled coffee. It had already been a long night. Now, he just needed to get through the day…and the next night…and the day after that…Looking at the woman asleep in the bed, he knew that this night could have turned out much different. She would give him the strength to survive and he would give her the cure to save her from the virus plaguing her body. Looking down at his chest, he wondered if he might be able to give her more…