Hey guys! Hopefully you liked Chapter 1, cause here comes Chapter 2! Anyway, huge thanks to JoyceFleur for the follow! Glad you like it! On another note, I hope you guys got the Sherlock thing. While I love RDJ and Jude Law's Sherlock movies, I love without a doubt Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock so much more. Sorry RDJ! Moving on. Here comes Chapter 2! Enjoy, and please, I welcome all reviews!

"Hey, there's a fire escape outside my window, and there is no one renting the apartment below us," I blurt out before I even realize that I'm helping this guy whom I just met go on the run with me.

"Why would we go to apartment below this one? Why not just go to the ground?" comes his reply, as the knocking continues, harder this time.

"Because A), the escape ends one floor from the ground and it's a hard fall, trust me, I've done it, and B), the lower three ladders are very rusted and I don't want to try my luck, again," I throw back at him. His face says what I know he won't say, that I'm right.

"Fine, proceed, quickly," he mutters.

"Damn straight," I hotly reply.

We then proceed to my bedroom and as he opens my window to leave, I begin to pack a bag. I throw some jeans, a few shirts, socks and other necessities, as well as my lock box from under my bed into an old backpack.

"What are you doing?!" Tony hisses at me. "We need to leave now!"

"Hey, genius! I know! But I'm not gonna go anywhere without some spare things! Now shut up and climb!" I spit back. I have a bad feeling that we aren't going to get along. We're too much alike. As I go to lock my bedroom door, to give us extra time, I hear the intruders break down my door. "I liked that door, assholes. It was solid oak…" I think to myself. "Hurry, they're in the house," I whisper to Tony as I'm crawling out the window behind him. I close the window best I could from the outside and make my way as quickly and quietly as I could down to Tony, who is trying to get the window open.

"Oh fuck this!" I say hotly. I brace myself and slam my elbow through the window. "Ouch, son of a bitch," I hiss as my elbow begins to bleed due to the small shard of glass in it. I quickly, but carefully pull it out of my arm. Tony rips the hem of my shirt and quickly tied it around my arm. "Hey, dammit, I liked this shirt!"

"Shut up and get in. I'll buy you a new one once our lives aren't in danger," Tony replies flippantly. As I climb through the window, I flip him the bird, which pisses me off because he does it right back.

"I hate self-centered, egotistical, assholes such as yourself," I tell Tony matter of factly as we run down the stairs and out of the building. As Tony leads us around the corner, towards a slick, blacked out Audi across the street, we hear a loud crash. We pause and look back and see my apartment on fire. I swallow back a sob as Tony turns me back towards the car and helps me in. He speeds away as I look over my shoulder, back at my life, burning away. I curled up in the seat and begin to quietly weep. My father, GONE, my home, GONE, my life as I knew it, GONE. And I'm now in a car driving somewhere unknown with a man I just met, after people tried to kill me. Eventually, I drift off, into a sorrowful slumber.

When I wake up, I'm in a large, comfy bed and for a moment, I think I'm in my bed at home, and Dad is going to slowly open the door, so he won't wake me, just so he can tickle me awake. As I lie in my bed, waiting, suddenly the events from yesterday come rushing to the forefront of my mind. I begin gasping for breath as the sobs take over. I don't hold anything back, I just let it out. I cry for a while, and as I slowly stop, a soft, careful knock comes from my door. A beautiful woman, with long, reddish, blonde hair peeks her head in when I don't answer.

"Hey, Alysha, right? I'm Pepper, Tony's girlfriend. Is it alright if I come in?" she asks with a soft, motherly voice. Because I don't trust my voice, I just nod my head a little. She comes in and sits on the edge of my bed and just slowly begins to rub my back. It feels comforting, and the longer she rubs, the more relaxed I become. After about 10 minutes of comfortable silence and back rubbing, I slowly turn over and sit up, facing her. "You doing better?" she asks quietly.

"Yeah, thanks," I mumble, a little shy in front of this powerful, confident woman, who is technically another one of my bosses. "Where am I?"

"You're in Stark Tower, in New York City. We gave you this apartment floor that was reserved for Bruce, err, your dad. You and Tony arrived about 5 hours ago, after a 3 hour drive. Since you were asleep, he carried you in here and let you sleep. He understands what you're going through, kind of. Something similar happened to him and his father when he was young. Not kidnapping, but Tony's dad went missing for a while. He asked me to bring you to our main floor, when you're ready. He's making dinner." After I glance at her skeptically, she chuckles under her breath. "Yeah, more like he ordered some Italian food from a restaurant from down the street and is keeping it warm in our pans," she smiles.

"Ok, I'll be right there. Do you mind if I take a quick shower?" I ask.

"Of course, dear. When you get in the elevator, chose the button labeled "Main" or ask JARVIS. All you need to do is say, 'Hey, JARVIS, take me to the main floor', or ask to be brought to us," Pepper explains. I only nod in response. "Ok, well, then I will see you in a few minutes."

As she gets up to leave, I quickly say, "Thank you for letting me stay here."

That puts a soft, caring smile on her face as she replies, "You're welcome, dear. What would you expect, us to kick you out, onto the streets, when we have plenty of empty apartments in the building? Don't be silly. Oh, and I will do my best to save some food for you if you wish to take a longer shower. Tony tends to get impatient when it comes to food."

I smile at her. "Thanks, Ms. Potts," I reply.

"Dearie, it's Pepper, or Pep. Ms. Potts is my CEO title. At home, I'm a regular girl."

"Living with and dating a self-proclaimed playboy who does everything in his power to get into trouble?" I ask jokingly.

Pepper just shakes her head and chuckles. "You know what, yeah. And people wonder why I get flustered at work." She smiles softly at me. "I think we will get along great."

"Yeah, I think so too, Pepper."

She smiles again and she says, "Get going, girly. By now, probably half of the food is gone."

I chuckle. "Ok, Pepper. Save me some linguine if you've got some."

"With pleasure, Alysha," she replied as she softly closed the door.

I smile to myself as I get ready to go to take a shower. "I wonder if that was what my mother was like. I sure hope so. I could see my father falling for a girl like that…"