"Hello?"

"Is this forehead of security?" Tony called Happy upon on his tablet and was currently looking at his receding hairline instead of his face. The billionaire could only shake his head before letting his head fall into his hands. Happy would never learn.

"What? You know, look, I've got a real job now! What do you want? I'm working, got something going on here..."

"What? Harassing a terrorist?"

"Let me tell you something. When I tell people that I was Iron Man's bodyguard, they laugh in my face! I had to leave while I still had a shred of dignity! Now I got a real job! I'm watching Pepper!"

"Yeah, tell me what's going on? Fill me in..." Tony walked down the stairs to his large whine cellar, Mark 42 slowly sinking down into the vault as he went. Glancing down inside, he took account of all the other suits and nodded as he confirmed that they were in place.

"For real?"

"Yeah."

"Alright, so she's meeting up with this scientist, rich guy. Handsome. I couldn't make his face at first, right, you know I'm good with faces-"

"Oh, yeah. You're the best."

"Anyway, so I run his credentials. Aldrich Killian. We actually met the guy back in... Where were we in 1999? The Science conference?"

"Oh, yeah!" Tony turned the small screen towards him as he sat down in an old armchair. "Switzerland!"

"Right! Exactly!"

"Killian? No, I don't remember that guy..." Stark wrinkled his nose up slightly at the memory. It wasn't one of his most pleasant experiences. But, wait. Had he heard Happy right? Handsome? If anything this Aldrich Killian was not a handsome man at all.

"Course you don't, he's not a blonde with a big rack. First, he was fine. They were talking business but now it's getting weird. He's showing her his big brain..."

"HIS WHAT?"

"Big. Brain. And she likes it. Here, let me show ya..." Tony could tell that Happy simply lifted the tablet up, the camera still facing the same way. Tony rubbed a hand over his face before sighing. "Look... See?"

"Look at what? You watching them? Flip the screen and then we can get started..." He motioned to flip the screen around but Happy was getting frustrated. He hated technology just about as much as Tony hated being responsible.

"I'm not a technology genius like you! Just trust me, get down here!"

"Flip the screen! Then I can see what they're doing..."

"I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FLIP THE SCREEN! Don't talk to me like that anymore, you're not my boss, alright? I don't work for you..." Tony opened up a new screen just upon where Happy's face was. Examining the man named Kilian, he frowned. This guys just felt... bad. Bad aura. Bad eyes. Bad everything. "I don't trust this guy. He's got another guy with him, he's shifty..."

"Relax..."

"Seriously?"

"I'm just asking you to secure the perimeter, tell him to go out for a drink or something..."

"You know what? You should take more interest in what's going on here! This woman is the best thing that's ever happened to you and now you're just ignoring her!" Tony sat back for a moment, actually considering Happy's words. Maybe he wasn't paying enough attention to Pepper lately. He had been busy with... other things.

"A giant brain?" Stark asked, thinking back on his old bodyguard's words.

"A giant brain! There's a shifty character! I'm going to follow this guy! I'm going to run his plates and if it gets rough so be it!" Tony was too preoccupied choosing a whine bottle from one of the refrigerated units in the cellar to care.

"I miss you, Happy..."

"Yeah, I miss you too! But the way it used to be! Now you're off with the super friends and I don't know what's going on with you anymore, alright? The world's getting weird..."

"I hate to cut you off... Do you have your taser on you? I think there's a gal in HR trying to steal some printer ink. You should probably go over there and... zap her."

"Nice." Tony put the communication device into the empty whine rack before shutting the door, leaving it in the refrigeration unit.

Running about the house, Tony had to prepare for Pepper's arrival home. However, it turned out he had other plans in mind and instead put out her early Christmas present.

When Pepper did arrive home, she gazed up in shock at the large rabbit that towered over her and her car. Sighing and leaning heavily on the vehicle, she shook her head in frustration. Tony had been getting weird lately.

"I'm sorry I'm late I was-What the? What is that?" She came walking in the door and seeing Tony in his suit, sitting seductively on the couch, his fingers drumming on the back rest. "You're wearing this in the house now? What is that like Mark 15?"

The suit looked down at the print on the back of his bicep. Yeah, it was far from 15. Stark had passed 15 a long time ago. "Uh, yeah. Something like that. You know everybody needs a hobby!"

"Oh and you have to wear your hobby in the living room?"

"Just breaking it in. You know it's always a little pinchy in the gooey bag at first so..." Pepper laughed at his antics as she took a seat in one of the soft chairs. "Well, hey! Did you see your Christmas present?"

"Yes I did. I-I don't know how I could have missed that Christmas present... Is it going to fit through the door?"

"Well, actually, that is a good question. I've got a team of guys coming tomorrow to blow out that wall... So, uh, tense? Good day, huh?" Tony stepped forward and began to massage his girlfriend's shoulders. "Oh, shoulders! A little naughty. Naughty girl! I don't wanna harp on this but did you like the custom rabbit?"

"Did I like it?" Pepper hesitated for a moment, letting the question sit. How was she going to answer?

"Nailed it right?"

"Wow. I appreciate the thought very much..." She stood up from her chair and came up to Tony, her hands sliding up the suit. "So why don't you lift up that face mask and give me a kiss?"

"Bop. Beep. Beep. Bop!" Tony tapped his fist on the helmet, signaling that it was stuck. "Yep, damn it! No can do! You wanna just... kiss it on the facial slit?"

"Well, why don't I run down to the garage and see if I can't find a crowbar to jimmy that thing open?" She began to walk towards the stairs. Tony began to panic. Things weren't going as he thought they would.

"Crowbar, yeah... Oh! Except there's been a-a radiation leak!"

"I'll take my chances."

"That's risky! Let me at least get you like a haz-mask suit, Geiger counter, something like that..." Pepper came down the steps to find Tony doing pull ups while watching the news. "Busted."

"This is a new level of lame!" Pepper pushed away a machine that was offering her a tray of fresh fruit.

"Sorry."

"You ate without me? Already, on date night?" Pepper couldn't believe that Tony had eaten without her and instead only stared at him incredulously.

"He was just-" Tony pointed at the empty suit.

"You mean you?"

"Well, yeah. We were just... just hosting you while I finished up a little work. And yes I had a quick bite! I didn't know if you were coming home or going out for drinks with Aldrich Killian..." The suit turned to look at her accusingly.

"What?" She snapped at the suit who shook it's head before walking away.

"What?" Tony asked, completely unsure about what he did wrong. He was just keeping track of Pepper. He wasn't going to lose her again after he had only gotten her back.

"Aldrich Killian? What?! Are you checking up on me?"

"Happy was concerned. I wasn't-"

"I'm going to bed..." She began to walk back up the stairs, leaving Tony alone. He began to panic again. Things had been getting difficult between the two of them lately. He had been... focused a lot lately.

"Come on, Pep! Hey, I admit it! My fault! Sorry. I'm a pipping hot mess. It's been going on for awhile. I haven't said anything. Nothing's been the same since New York... And since Sam left..."

"Oh, Tony... Don't bring her into this and don't think I didn't notice... at all."

"You experience things, then they're over and you still can't explain them? Gods, aliens, other dimensions? I-I'm just a man in a can. Sam understood that. The only reason I haven't cracked up is probably because you moved in which is great." He let out a quiet huff before running a hand over his face. "I love you. I'm lucky! But, honey. I can't sleep! You go to bed, I come down here. I do what I know! I tinker. Threat is imminent and I have to protect that one thing that I can't live without... That's you. My suit's they're, uh-"

"Machines."

"They're a part of me-"

"A distraction." The words stung when Pepper said them, almost like she had been a distraction when it came to spending time with Sam.

"Maybe." The woman came walking over to the distressed Stark. He looked up at her before sighing and dropping his head to her chest. Her hands carefully rubbed his neck and ran through his hair, offering him some form of comfort. Pulling the new suit tech from his face, she smiled down at him.

"I'm going to take a shower..." Pepper released him and he nodded, a bit disappointed that the snuggling was done. It was always nice for him to have human contact when he worked with machines all day. She began to walk away before she called back to him. "And you're going to join me!" Tony nearly fell off the small cart he was seated on before nodding his head.

"Better."

"Sir?" His AI called out to him.

"Yes, J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

"I believe that the paint job for Mark 0 is done, sir." Thinking back to the suit, he nodded his head after recognition had passed over him though it didn't take long.

Mark 0 was an entirely different breed of Iron suit compared to the others. It was extremely special and it was built specially for the person it was intended for.

Though at this news, Stark was relieved. He had been working on it for months now and it was finally finished.

"Alright, put it in the vault with the others but have it on standby." He commanded his AI before picking up a rag and wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Yes, sir."

"Tony?" Pepper called from upstairs.

"Yeah, babe?" He called back as he used the same rag he used on his face to wipe the grease off his hands.

"Shower, now."

"Yes, babe."

That night, Tony and Pepper were lying in their shared bed. For the first few hour or so of their slumber, it had been perfectly fine. Calm and peaceful.

Until the nightmares started up, just as they had every night before that. Flashbacks from New York began to pour into the billionaire's head, causing him to spasm and jerk in his sleep.

The wormhole. The aliens. The missile. Not reaching Pepper on the phone. Falling. Then more falling towards the ground. Then darkness.

However, that wasn't the only thing haunting his dreams.

"Goodbye, Stark." Her hazel eyes were locked on the ground, not even giving him a second glance. She couldn't even look at him anymore which made his heart ache. Tony felt himself falling apart inside at the tone of her voice.

She was done carrying. She was done with everything. She was done with him.

"Sammy, please!" She didn't even have time to listen to his reasoning.

Instead, her feet lifted from the ground and he watched as she flew out of the garage through the underground tunnel that would eventually lead to the outdoors.

Papers flew into the air before fluttering back to the ground around the dazed Stark. What had he just done?

Hearing a sudden scream, Tony's eyes bolted open, leaving his nightmares locked away in his mind for the moment.

When he awoke, he saw Mark 42 all in one piece with its hand clamped around Pepper's arm as if it were protecting him from her.

Kicking the covers off, Stark stood and held his hands out. "Power down!" He commanded it before bringing his hands together and karate chopping it. The suit fell to into a hundred pieces on the floor before the two of them.

Both Pepper and Tony were a bit shaken and were breathing heavily.

"I-I must have called him in my sleep... That-That's not supposed to happen. I calibrated the sensors. Can we just-Let me just catch my breath! Don't go, alright? Pepper..." He watched as the red head climbed from their bed, her eyes wide and full of both disbelief and fear.

"I'm going to sleep downstairs!" She breathed before rushing from the room. "Tinker with that!" She disappeared, leaving Tony alone in his room to deal with his own problems. He let his head fall down into his hands, feeling completely defeated.

Everything was falling apart around him and there was nothing he could do to stop it or so it seemed.

Upon hearing the Mandarin's report on the explosion at the Chinese Theater, Tony had been sitting up in his bed, still shaken from the event with Pepper the night before.

His black iPhone also rang and he picked it up. Feeling his heart stop beating he, quickly told the dispatch that he would be right there before he quickly got dressed before climbing in his Audi and rushing to the hospital.

Happy was a mess when Stark walked in. He was hooked up to all types of machines and monitors. However, the nurses said that he would be fine once he recovered.

Sitting with him for a few hours, Tony was watching TV when the nurse walked in and was about to turn it off.

"Hi." He said quietly, startling the nurse.

"Oh!"

"Mind leaving that on?" Stark asked her quietly, a small smile upon his face.

"S-Sure..."

"Sunday night's PBS, Downton 's his show. He thinks it's... elegant." He glanced over at his friend, feeling anger and remorse wash over him. If it weren't for the heart rate monitor quietly beeping off to the side of the room, he would have thought Happy was dead which only caused more pain to stir in his chest. "One more thing. Make sure everyone wears their badges. He's a stickler for that sort of thing plus my guys won't let anyone in." Stark assured the slightly startled woman who simply nodded before he got up and turned to leave.

Exiting out of the hospital, he was bombarded by a pack of cameras and reporters. Of course, being Tony Stark, he ignored them.

"Hey, Mr. Stark? When is somebody gonna kill this guy?" That one certain question stopped him from climbing into his Audi. Turning and looking directly at the man who asked the question, he felt his blood boil. "Just saying...?"

"Is that what you want?" Stark snapped at them, his brown eyes displaying all his emotions. "Here's a little holiday greeting I've been wanting to send to the Mandarin. I just didn't know how to phrase it until now." He took a deep breath as he prepared himself.

"My name is Tony Stark and I'm not afraid of you. I know you're a coward! So, I've decided..." He pulled his sunglasses from his face. "That you just died, pal. I'm going to come and get the body. There's no politics here just good old fashioned revenge. No Pentagon. It's just you and me." He threatened, feeling his rage overpower him. "On the off chance you're a man, here's my home address: 10880 Malibu Point 90265. I'll leave the door unlocked..." The billionaire turned and looked at the young reporter who had asked. "That's what you wanted right?" Tony took the cellphone held in his face before turning and hurling it at the brick pillar behind a few reporters.

"Bill me." He told the man before sliding into his car and speeding off, his emotions still getting the best of him.

Upon arriving home, Stark went to work right away.

"I've compiled a Mandarin database for you, sir. Drawn from S.H.I.E.L.D., FBI, and CIA intercepts. Initiating virtual crime scene reconstruction." J.A.R.V.I.S. told his creator.

Tony grasped the virtual cube with both hands before turning in his chair and watching as the holographic computer went to work, a virtual version of the Chinese Theater appearing before him.

"Okay. What do we got here? Names. An ancient Chinese war mantel. Adviser to the King. South American resurgencey tactics. Talks like a baptist preacher. Lot's of pageantry going on here. Lot's of Theater... Close!" The information was stowed away once again, Stark still a bit puzzled about what was going on.

"The heat from the blast was in excess of 3,000 degrees Celsius. Any subjects within 12.5 yards were vaporized instantly."

"No bomb parts found in a three mile radius of the Chinese Theater...?" Tony asked.

"No, sir."

"Talk to me, Happy..." A virtual man began to form at Stark's feet in the same position they found Happy. Observing that his eyes and hand were pointing towards one direct object, Tony quickly walked over to his seat and sat down, rifling through the items found. "When is a bomb not a bomb?" He mumbled to himself before stopping upon finding a pair of dog tags that were in the rubble. Something clicked in his mind and he threw the hologram out into the open air. "Any military victims?"

"Not according to public records, sir."

"Bring up the thermogenic signatures again factoring 3,000 degrees." He climbed upon his large tool box, a map of the United States appearing below him.

"The article cloud has completed analysis. Accessing satellites, plotting the last 12 months of thermogenic occurrences now." Different levels of temperatures began to pop up all across the map.

"Take away everywhere that there's been a Mandarin attack..." Many of the sights disappeared, leaving only a handful. There was one in California, one in Missouri, and one in Tennessee. That final heat level read 3,000 degrees unlike the other two which were nowhere near the same temperature.

"That..." Tony pointed at the Tennessee. "You're sure that's not one of his?"

"It predates any known Mandarin attack. The instance was the use of a bomb to assist a suicide." Tony sat atop the tool box, wondering if the attack on the ski resort was a Mandarin attack as. The explosions were set on the mountain and it was by pure luck Sam had found them.

The two had speculated it for a long time but could never really draw a final conclusion and instead pushed it to the back of their todo list.

"Bring her around!"

"The heat signature is remarkably similar. 3,000 degrees Celsius."

"That's two military guys... Ever been to Tennessee, J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

"Creating a flight plan for Tennessee." His AI said before he crossed his arms, signaling that their work was done for the day. Just when Tony was about to relax, a dreaded noise rang through his home.

Ding dong.

"Are we still at ding dong? We're supposed to be on total security lock down! Come on! I threatened a terrorist! Who is that?" A screen appeared just to the side of him and he observed someone pulling into his driveway in an SUV.

"There is only so much I can do sir when you give the world press your home address." The AI replied back in almost a sarcastic tone. Tony sat back for a moment. J.A.R.V.I.S. was getting sassy lately. Very sassy.

Stark wasn't completely sure if he enjoyed the sass or not.

Chapter 3!

Alright, thanks to all who favorited and followed this story! I know that there are only three chapters so far but stick with me! I promise that Sam will get here soon, probably the next chapter in fact!

However, I might be lying to you. I'm not sure yet. I depends how long I want the chapter to be.

Anyway, review and tell me what you guys think! I need feedback and words or reassurance to get through this story.

Thank you all and review!

Love,

Blue