Tony woke up and sat up immediatly, his back arching like hell. A man was sitting in front of his bed and the chair where Pepper had been sitting the night before was empty.

"Where is she?"

"Oh... Stark. Don't worry, she's in good hands..." the man laughed.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?"

"You're Tony Stark, what do you think do i want? You have 3 days... you know where you'll find me..." He stood up and left the room.

"HEY", Tony yelled, ignoring the pain in his chest. "PROVE THAT SHE'S ALIVE!"

But the man didn't answer and Tony called for a nurse.

"Mr. Stark... What happened?"

"I have to go... Now!"

"Mr. Stark I'm sorry. I can't do this... You need to rest..."

"I NEED TO GO, HE HAS MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"Mr. Stark..."

"NO!"

Tony stood up and left the room ignoring the pain in his back and the yelling of the nurse.

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Everything was black and her whole body hurt when she opened her eyes. It was cold and her hands where tied up behind her back. She tried to remember what happened while she leaned against the hard wall. The last thing she could remember was that she had been in the hospital with Tony... She didn't know how long she sat there and she also didn't know when she had start crying. She thought about Tony, if he would come to rescue her, if he was even alive...

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"Jarvis get the suit ready... NOW!", Tony yelled at his AI while he ran down in the workshop, trying to get his shirt above his head.

"Sir, your vital..."

"DON'T TALK JARVIS... JUST DO IT!"

"Sir it's no good for your health when you don't listen to me."

Another voice broke Jarvis' "Tony? Listen come on. If you try to safe her now you will kill you both! Get ready, let me help and we get a plan! I know you wan't to rescue her, but you shouldn't risk that much."

"I NEED TO GET HER OUT OF THIS, RHODEY!"

"I know, Tony... I know!"

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- 2 days later -

Tony and Rhodey were flying to the militairy base Tony had been before.

"You really think the gas will stop these... things?", Rhodey asked.

"I hope so...", Tony's voice was trembling. "It's her only chance..."

They were nearly a hundred meters away from the base when the sky darkened.

"GAS! NOW!"

Tony closed his eyes and hoped so badly it would work... The sound of falling metall made his heart jump in his chest and they flew the rest to the base.

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It was still so dark and cold, her mouth dry and her body aching. Pepper lost the hope to come out of this alive and wanted nothing more than the walls to collapse on her to let this end... She thought this wish came true when somethink chrashed through the wall to her left.

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Tony saw Pepper curled up in the little room and relief flooded him; she was alive.

"Pepper...", his voice was just a whisper he couldn't get out more than that. She seemed she didn't really recognize him, she just gazed at the floor. Tony's heart break, it was all his fault... He slowly walked torwards her and picked her up, she was starled and lashed around.

"NO! LET ME GO, DON'T TOUCH ME YOU DAMN BASTARD!"

"Pep, It's me, It's Tony!" She didn't realize it was him. He held her close and carried her outside when he heard Rhodey yelling: "TONY! GET OUT OF HERE, HE HAS A BOMB!"

He was in the air when the base exploded, Rhodey right behind him.