Title: Light Within

Author: Shannon – shannyfish

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the "Iron Man" movies, any other Marvel movie, or its characters; Marvel and other people do. This is merely for entertainment purposes only.

Rating: PG-13

Summary: An unknown foe has managed to grab Tony Stark's attention, enough so that he calls on the Avengers for help. With the one person that he loves most in the world in jeopardy, Tony must surrender himself…and in turn be rescued himself. Tony Stark/Pepper Potts

Warning: The POV will shift. Spoilers for all Marvel movies up to and including "The Avengers". Also, using creative license with a character from the Iron Man comics and Armored Adventures Cartoon.

Author's Note: Constructive criticism is appreciated!

. . .

"I'm fine," Pepper told the medic for about the twentieth time.

A familiar female voice barked orders in French. Pepper tried to place them as she tried to shoo the medic away from her. She'd already managed to get a call into SHIELD to let them know what was going on, they'd assured her that they had people already on finding Tony. So, when the familiar face of Agent Natasha Romanoff, who was who she realized had been just ordering people around. And suddenly she banished the medic.

"Thank you," Pepper said, truly grateful. She noticed that Natasha wasn't alone, Clint was nearby. They were both dressed rather nicely and seemed to be on the job. "I thought you were looking for Tony?" she asked, panic setting into her voice.

Had they found him?

"We were in the neighborhood," Natasha told her. She reached out and took a moment to examine Pepper herself.

"I really am fine," Pepper told her.

"I've read about the device that was used to you," she told her. "When it's used more than once…there can be complications."

"It was only used the one time."

"The hotel manager is getting us the footage," Clint announced.

Natasha looked directly at Pepper. "We're going to find him…alive. I promise you that," she said. "They want him for a reason. They aren't going to kill him."

"One of them was a woman…she looked familiar, but I still haven't been able to place her," Pepper admitted. "The whole time I was there on the floor…I tried to think… For all I know, it could have been one of Tony's one night stands from years ago…"

"Like I said, we'll fine him."

Pepper just nodded.

"We need to get you to the airport," Clint spoke up.

"What do you mean?" Pepper asked. She hadn't thought about leaving. What if Tony was nearby? What if he escaped and came back looking for her?

Natasha spoke in French for a moment and directed two nearby hotel employees to pick up the luggage that had been discarded. "We're going to put you back on a plane. All the luggage is going." She stopped and looked at Pepper. "You're sure they took the Iron Man Armor case?"

Pepper nodded. "I watched them unlatch it from his arm and take it with them. The woman took it."

"I've already made calls. Happy is going to be waiting at the airport for you. Rhodey will be at the house in Malibu and will ensure that there's enough security. Director Fury said that you mentioned that the woman said that whoever wanted Tony taken should have taken you," Natasha said.

"I don't know how I could have been helpful," Pepper said.

Clint frowned. "It wasn't something you would have known. It would have been in order to better control Stark."

Pepper frowned deeply. "Are you sure I can't come with you? Maybe I could be of some kind of help?"

"Not this time," Natasha said. "But I promise that I'll keep you updated when I can."

"Come on," Clint said as he ensured they had everything. He picked up Pepper's coat and helped her into it. The three of them left the hotel and Pepper had to remind herself that these people…she knew them…they knew Tony…they would bring him home to her.

. . .

The plane ride from Geneva back to Malibu was long and awfully lonely. She had to ride the Stark jet all by herself. It just wasn't the same. She kept wishing that they'd call. Pepper wanted an update so bad that she'd cried on the plane. Her brain was rushing through so many 'what if' scenarios. When the plane finally landed, she didn't want to get off. Happy was waiting, she knew, but that meant facing that she'd come home without Tony.

She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there. She didn't know how long he'd been sitting there. At some point, Happy had come onto the plane and just sat down across from her. He'd just sat down and hadn't pushed her to get off the plane or to talk. They'd just shared in the silence.

"I think I'm ready," Pepper finally told him. She got to her feet and he got to his. She looked around for the bags and was immediately confused.

Happy just gave her a small smile. "They're already in the car," he explained. He held out his arm for her and Pepper accepted. Slowly, he guided her to the stairs and downward. He was careful to hold her in a way that if she tripped or fell, he'd be able to catch her. He opened the door for her when they came to the car and closed it once she was inside.

Pepper just sat back and allowed her head to fall back and her eyes to close. Now she had to face an empty house. She didn't want to be alone. Natasha had told her that Rhodey would be there to ensure that she was safe. Pepper didn't care. She just wanted Tony home safe and sound.

"Will you stay with me?" Pepper asked. She saw him look in the rear view mirror back at her.

"Rhodey's going to be there," Happy told her.

It wasn't the same. She and Happy had worked for Tony for so long. It just wasn't the same. "Please…"

"If that's what you want," he said. "I don't have anything else planned."

"Thank you," Pepper told him. She just wanted someone familiar to be there with her. She wanted the house to feel a little fuller. Pepper was already dreading the empty mansion. She was actually thinking that maybe she shouldn't stay there because it might make everything feel so much worse. So much lonelier. So much more unbearable.

It didn't matter, though. They arrived at Tony Stark's mansion in Malibu and Happy opened her door and went to retrieving luggage like it was a normal thing. None of this felt normal to her. Pepper kept flashing back to Geneva and the incident in the hotel room…and the woman's familiar face and her words stuck with her…

"Pepper."

She blinked and then looked over to find that Rhodey was standing there outside of the car. His hand was extended to her and she found herself taking it. She blinked and the feeling of wetness rolled down her cheek. It was in that moment that she realized that she was crying. Pepper hadn't realized it before. She got to her feet and told herself that she couldn't act like this. She pulled in a deep breath and allowed Rhodey to guide her into the house as she tried to mentally kick herself into pulling herself together.

"They promised that they'd call with an update when they could," Pepper told them as calmly as she could. She moved away from Rhodey and sat down on the couch. Both Rhodey and Happy were both staring at her with worry and concern filling their eyes. She didn't want them to worry about them; she wasn't the one to be worried about.

"When they have information, they'll call," Happy tried to assure.

"Meanwhile, I've called in security for the house," Rhodey said. "And I've also put out feelers for anyone that may have information on Tony's whereabouts… I figured it wouldn't hurt."

"Thank you," she said quietly. "Both of you."

"He's coming home," Happy told her.

"I know," Pepper whispered. She just hoped that he would be alive and that it would be soon.

. . .

Weeks had passed. SHIELD had checked in with her only a couple of times in that time span. Over three months had passed since the events in Geneva. Three months without Tony. It made it all the harder to be in the mansion, just her…and Happy…and JARVIS. It wasn't the same without Tony. She'd started to hide down in Tony's workshop, his garage, and she'd curl up in one of his cars with a pillow and a blanket clad in flannel shorts and an Iron Man t-shirt she'd found in one of Tony's drawers. She'd have JARVIS play movies…or sometimes she'd just watch Tony's recordings. They weren't anything special, they were recordings he'd done while constructing and testing the Iron Man Armor or other projects.

It was just the comfort she was looking for. Nothing more.

"Your movie has concluded, Ms. Potts," JARVIS announced.

She hadn't even realized. She couldn't even remember what she'd asked him to play. Pepper pulled the blanket around her tighter and closed her eyes. She slouched down so that she could lie along the back seat. "Dim lights," she whispered and JARVIS complied.

"Incoming call from SHIELD," JARVIS announced.

Pepper had purposely ensured that JARVIS would announce all calls from SHIELD. Everything else could go to voicemail. The world had noticed that Tony Stark had fallen off the map; paparazzi were always the first to notice. She'd been able to handle things, coping with not knowing and running Stark in Tony's absence. When she said that Tony was in seclusion, then people believed her. People stopped believing her. Too much time had passed and so she'd gone into seclusion from the public.

"Answer, JARVIS."

"Ms. Potts, this is Maria Hill with SHIELD. Director Fury asked me to call you and relay some information."

"Yes, go ahead," Pepper said as she sat up in the car. She hoped that it was good news. She hoped that this Maria Hill would be telling her when to expect Tony back home. Hopefully she'd have enough time to bring the house back to order. She'd left things out of place…and of course she'd need to pick up her camping in the garage.

"Agents Romanoff and Barton have gone missing," Hill informed her over the phone. "They're not the first… Steve Rodgers is also missing. They were all going after leads in search of Mr. Stark. I'm afraid with no other leads and the great amount of time that has passed, SHIELD will no longer be actively looking for Mr. Stark."

"Wha—" Pepper breathed. It felt like someone had kicked her in the chest. Her eyes filled with tears as she allowed herself to fall back on her pillow. This was not the news she'd expected to hear.

"If leads come up, then we'll pursue them, of course," Hill reported. "Director Fury said to pass along that if there's an update, we'll let you know."

"Are they still assumed alive?" Pepper finally got out.

"We have to assume that until bodies are found, Ma'am."

"Then how can you just give up on them? That's almost the entire Avenger team!" Pepper snapped. Anger and upset was rising in her. How could they just give up? "They're your people!"

"I know that, Ma'am," Hill said. "And knowing them, they haven't given up yet…and they're working on a way to get out. We haven't given up on them…we just don't have any leads at this point."

Pepper pulled in breath and told herself to calm down. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean—"

"It's fine, Ma'am."

"Thank…thank you for the update, Agent Hill," Pepper said, trying to regain some composure.

"I wish the news were better. We'll keep in touch."

And then the line was dead. Pepper told herself that she needed to remain calm. She couldn't break down. Not at that second. "JARVIS," Pepper said out loud and then took a second to try to keep herself calm.

"Yes, Ms. Potts?"

"Tony Stark may be dead," she announced, her words breaking at the end. JARVIS had been programmed to hide things by Tony. She didn't know if there were protocols for something like this that Tony himself had programmed. After all, they couldn't just wait seven years for him to be declared dead. His company needed to go on and it needed to be in the right hands. His estate needed to be taken care of, his secrets and the Iron Man Armor sets needed to be kept safe.

"There is a video on file for you in the event that Mr. Stark is indeed dead. Would you like to play this video?" JARVIS asked.

A file? A video file? "When was it recorded?" She wondered what version of Tony she'd be seeing. She'd worked for him for so many years and seen so many different sides of him. She sort of wanted to know who to be prepared to see. Was it going to be a drunk Tony or the Tony that she remembered last?

"Exactly six months ago."

"Play the video, JARVIS," she said as she sat straight up. But instead of a screen appearing, a hologram of Tony appeared. She clutched the blanket and could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Hopefully this thing is recording properly," the hologram said. "I know things have been different. I know that. I know that I haven't been easy to be with; well…you know what I mean. I know you know what I mean, Pepper. You always have." The hologram version of Tony frowned. "If this is playing, it means that I'm gone. I hope I went down in some blaze of glory…" He was quiet for a moment. "I hope that I kept you safe because above everything else in this world, that is the most important thing." Tony walked towards her and Pepper found herself leaning forward. "I know we haven't talked about this…at least not when I'm making this…but I've already made sure that you're taken care of. All that I have…all of Stark that I own…it goes to you, Pepper. After all, you deserve it. You've run it and me…for that matter for so long…"

Pepper couldn't hold back the sobs and covered her face. It wasn't that he was giving her Stark and everything that he owned, but how content he seemed. She hadn't seen that until they were in Geneva. Maybe he'd had a moment down here in his garage when she'd allowed him his solitude. She had known he needed space…and she was glad that he seemed to have found some peace.

"I'm sure that's a lot…to really take in," Tony said. "Like when I made you CEO… Hopefully Happy or Rhodey or someone is with you in case this is too much…" The hologram started to pace. "That isn't all though." The hologram wandered towards where Tony kept the Iron Man Armor on display, all of his versions were displayed in proper order. "I wasn't just down here perfecting my armor… New York gave me a lot to think about. I worried about keeping you safe…" Tony's hologram turned to her and Pepper could see the pain in his eyes. "I've been so torn about these nightmares… Do I worry about them? Do I push them to the back of my mind? All I know is that I can't bear the thought of losing you. So…I made you something," he told her. "JARVIS! The Mark 1616," he called out.

The armor display started to move. Pepper got to her feet and moved out of the vehicle. She moved towards the armor display in awe as the original models moved upward, another row appeared, and then she saw it. The original model and first versions were now up against the ceiling. In the middle of the row at floor level was a set of armor, but it was different than the other Iron Man armor. It had different dimensions, it was female.

"I made it for you… Don't ask me why the number is so high… It was late…and I had to call it something…" Tony told her. "I made it for you, though. I'm sure you're confused…and you're wondering why I made it for you. You've never once shown an interest in going out with Rhodey or me…or the Avengers…but this isn't about weapons or blowing things up. This is about keeping you safe. And maybe you'll never use it, but it'll be here…if you need it. You tell JARVIS and it's yours…and he's already loaded on there too… Plug and play version," he told her with a smile.

She didn't know what to think. Pepper was floored and she didn't know how she was still standing. It was all so much to take in. She wished that Tony was there right then to show it to her himself. It just wasn't the same. Pepper wasn't sure if or why she'd really need the use of a suit, but she knew that it was Tony's way of being sweet and thoughtful…and because of that, she absolutely loved it.

"I know this doesn't make anything easier," Tony said. "But I'm here…if you need to replay things… I thought about making a model where you could talk to me…input my personality into a hologram…though I don't know if that project is quite done yet." Tony paused for a moment. "Is it, JARVIS?"

"No, Sir," JARVIS responded.

"Sorry, Pep," Tony told her. "Just know…I love you. I may not have shown it in the last few months…but I love you. You made me so much better, Pepper. I don't know if you realize how much who I am…is because of you." His hand went to his heart. "You made me so much better… You made me the man that my parents wanted me to be… You kept not only me safe, but Stark Industries…" He walked towards her. "And I will always be with you. Never doubt that."

And then he was gone.

Pepper let out a breath and looked around. She had expected for him to pop up somewhere. He wasn't anywhere to be seen. She sucked in breath and tried to process everything. "You can't be gone, Tony," Pepper whispered. "Not yet… Not now…"

She refused to believe it.

"JARVIS, can you bring up everything you have that SHIELD has sent us?"

The room came alive with screens. Pepper was now determined to somehow find Tony and send help. Now it wasn't just Tony that seemed to required help… She wasn't a hero, not like any of them, but she still knew how to pull strings and make things happen.

. . .

Two weeks later…

"Miss Potts, you have several calls from Colonel Rhodes and Mr. Hogan. They are all marked urgent," JARVIS announced.

Pepper had been shutting out the world, much like Tony had done in the past. Only difference was that she'd set it so that no one was allowed down in Tony's workshop. She had a plan, though maybe it wasn't as thought out as she would have liked, but it was something. If Rhodey or Happy knew about it, she knew that they'd try to keep her from following through with it. They both cared about her and Tony, but right now…she didn't want their concern or their pity. She just wanted Tony.

After all, she knew exactly what Tony would do if their roles were reversed. He wouldn't have wasted this much time, that was for sure. Tony would have located her and saved her long ago. Pepper wasn't all action, though, she'd always been more of the behind the scenes or deskwork type of person. She had no idea how Tony had become so accustom to being Iron Man; he'd saved people…and the world… He had changed so much since she'd first become his assistant and she wasn't going to lose him now.

The Mark 1616 didn't have weapons, unlike all of the Iron Man models and the War Machine model. She had worked on learning how to use the suits and figuring out what worked as far as the suit went. It certainly did more than just fly. There were some functions that could be used to protect her, but it certainly wasn't the same as the repulsers on the Iron Man and War Machine models. She'd make it work, though.

She had to.

"JARVIS, run diagnostics and ensure that the Mark 1616 is ready for the mission," Pepper ordered.

Mission.

It was so weird. She remembered when Tony had first used that word and how worried and confused she'd been at that time. Now, she understood. He'd wanted to right wrongs by taking Stark weapons out of the hands of terrorists and insurgents that were killing innocents and working against the US military that he supplied. He'd defeated Obadiah Stane's Iron Monger and then Ivan Vanko's Whiplash. On top of that all, Tony had worked with the Avengers and had saved the whole world from Loki and an alien invasion. Pepper wasn't doing something so noble. Actually, her mission was quite selfish for the reason she was doing it. She just wanted Tony back. In hopefully saving Tony, she'd be able to free the other Avengers held captive…which in turn would help keep the world safe. But really, it was all for a selfish intent.

"The Mark 1616 will be ready to depart in approximately four hours," JARVIS announced.

For some reason, Pepper had expected it to not take so long. After all, she'd really not done much with it and had thought that Tony would have run all of the tests on it before. Though, maybe he really hadn't thought it through before… She knew how he was with upgrades, maybe he just hadn't gotten to the second and third…and…so on phases. She doubted that he thought the day for her to discover or be given the armor would come so soon…

"I'll be resting until then, please alert me when everything is complete."

"Understood."

Sighing, Pepper was currently dreading making her way out of the workshop. If it was just sleep, then she'd nap in one of the cars like she'd done before…but she really wanted to take a shower first. She was afraid that Happy and Rhodey were waiting for her. How could she face them and lie to them? She didn't think that she was very good at lying, at least not to people that close to her.

"JARVIS, is anyone else in the house?" she asked aloud.

"You are the only one in the house."

Pepper allowed a small smile. It calmed her nerves and made things a little easier. She decided to gather up things from Tony's workshop. She didn't want him to return and for things to be in places they were not supposed to be. Pepper gathered the blanket and pillow that she'd brought down and placed in Tony's car and headed upstairs.

Placing the blanket and pillow on the bed, Pepper just stared at the empty bed. How she missed him. It was just his presence. It wasn't even his embraces and kisses, but really the everyday things. She missed him working in the workshop, even if he didn't talk to her. She missed seeing him asleep in the bed. It was really the simple things that made her feel so alone. For so long in her life, Tony Stark had been a constant.

"Time for the shower," Pepper muttered to herself.

The windows were all darkened in that area of the house for privacy, so Pepper wasn't shy about stripping at the bedside. She pushed her discarded clothes towards the wall. She made her way to the bathroom and turn the shower on, allowed it time as she removed the elastic from her hair, and then stepped in. Pepper went about shampooing and conditioning her hair, washing her face, washing her body, and then finally she just stood there. She turned up the heat and stood there as if she could absorb the heat. It didn't make her feel any better.

It was as if the whole world suddenly came crashing down on her. The reality of everything and what she planned on doing…it scared her. The reality of what could be out there…terrified her. The sobs racked her body and the tears flowed freely. She dropped down to the tiled bottom of the shower. Pepper's shoulder was pressed against the tile, her knees pulled towards her chest, and her head down on her knees as she sobbed. Worry passed through her as she took in the worst-case scenarios. Pepper looked up towards the ceiling and silently prayed that she was overreacting. She prayed for Tony to be kept safe and for her to be able to be successful in his rescue.

She sat like that until the water felt as if it was losing its heat. Pepper really didn't think that was possible with how the house was set up, but she honestly didn't know how much time had passed. She took a little bit longer to calm herself before finally reaching up and turning off the water. Forcing herself to her feet, she took a moment to towel dry her hair before wrapping the towel around her body, and then headed to the bedroom. She didn't care how her hair looked when she got them up. Pepper just wanted to be clean and figured that maybe it would help her nap.

Pulling back the covers, Pepper dropped the towel, and then climbed into bed. She moved to the middle of the bed and pulled the pillows around her in order to have something to be able to hold onto. They were there for pure comfort. Pepper pulled in a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let it out slowly. Sleep, she told herself. You just need to sleep. It didn't take long for her to drift off to sleep.

. . .

JARVIS announcing that the Mark 1616 was ready for the mission seemed like it had been days ago. That hadn't been so, though. It had been not very long ago. The Mark 1616 flew through the air, faster than she had first felt was safe, but JARVIS had insisted that it was all perfectly safe and that he'd inform her if there was any danger. He'd actually encouraged her to increase her speed. And so she had once she'd gotten comfortable going at the previous speed. After all, the faster she flew…the sooner she'd be with Tony.

"ETA. Ten minutes," JARVIS announced.

Pepper was sure that those ten minutes would probably feel like days. And they did. She hovered above the facility that JARVIS had given the highest probability of Tony and the others being held in. She just hoped that she was high enough and small enough that she hadn't been picked up by anyone of any importance's radar.

"We are in position," JARVIS told her.

She wondered if he sensed her hesitation. Pepper drew in a breath and held it for a moment. All she could think of was Tony…Tony like she'd seen on the video that she'd found on the computer at Stark Industries. The one where they wanted more money to kill Tony from Obadiah. She was no hero. Pepper was good at things, but combat wasn't one…not unless it was a combat in words.

JARVIS displayed the layout of the facility below and highlighted the likely locations of where they'd hold prisoners. Pepper mentally reminded herself of all of the perks of the suit. It was for protection above all else, and that's what she was going to need. She was going to need the protection.

"JARVIS, be scanning for the arc reactor and the armor case," Pepper commanded. The arc reactor would emit a specific signal and though JARVIS had already told her that he couldn't read anything from this level, it didn't mean that when they got closer that something wouldn't ping. As for the armor, with all of the electronics that were wrapped inside of it, something would alert JARVIS…after all, JARVIS had been loaded into the Iron Man HUD as well.

"Understood," JARVIS responded.

Slowly and still hesitant, Pepper lowered herself down. So far, so good. It was once that she felt comfortable as she lowered that she was fired upon. Pepper panicked and started to spin herself around looking for who was firing at her and ended up losing her concentration. She didn't know which way was up or down, left or right, back or front… She lost it and started to fall. JARVIS' promptings got her back under control, but by then she was considerably closer to the ground. She was able to land and hide near the facility.

There was no way that the facility didn't know that there was something going on. For all she knew, they could have been the ones to fire upon her. Pepper tried to remind herself to breathe as she stayed still. She was terrified and found herself unconsciously paralyzed.

"JARVIS?" she asked.

"There is an entrance near you," JARVIS announced and lit up where the door was on the map.

At least JARVIS was familiar. She needed him in this chaos. Pepper looked around before slowly moving towards where the door was supposed to be. Finally she found the door and reached for the handle. It was a metal door and Pepper was trying to keep calm and focus on her mission. Her senses were heightened, but it was her sense of hearing that seemed most heightened in the suit. She heard a high-pitched sound before the 'boom' and the feeling that she'd been kicked hard.

Pepper flew backwards and smashed against something equally as hard. She crumpled to the ground and struggled to pull breath. The suit was supposed to protect her, but Pepper knew that it had limits. Being hit by what she could only guess was a bomb and then being smashed against something hard wasn't an easy thing to recover from. She pushed herself up and looked around to see she was now surrounded by armed men and there was the sound of motors… She didn't know if that meant trucks or tanks…or something else. Fear flooded her system and she wasn't sure what to do.

How did Tony do this?

Tony was never a solider. He'd only fought in the ring against Happy. That was it. It had never been so serious. Pepper knew now that there was a reason for Tony's nightmares and unease after New York.

Maybe it really was better to live in your own little world.

Pepper didn't feel like she really needed the world to be this big and this open to her. She held up her hands and just prayed that they wouldn't do anything. At least then she could still see Tony. They opened fire on her though and she started to panic. She tried to fly, but she was hit hard and against whatever was behind her. Pepper lay on the ground and didn't move. The HUD started to blur and she could swear it looked cracked. She stared at the thing that she'd been shoved against. It looked like an overturned tank.

She blinked, trying to stay conscious. She tried to move, but she was sore and then…she wasn't. "JARVIS…"

"Deploying pain killers," JARVIS announced. "Lay still, Miss Potts."

"Don't have much of a choice," she muttered. It was enough to overwhelm her though. Blackness overtook her and Pepper just had to hope she'd wake up later.

. . .

TBC…