I thought I would end this week's uploads with yesterday's chapter. But everyone seems to want our favorite couple reunited, so let me appease you nice readers and upload this chapter today.

Thank you for commenting and adding this story to your Favorites list.

But this is truly it for this week.

Tune in next week for the adventures of Iron Man and Pepper Potts in space!

"Pepper..."Tony whispered slowly. "Is it really you?"

He was feeling very dizzy, so he tentatively reached out to touch her reddish gold hair, shining beautifully in the darkness.

"Or are you, an alien apparition, courtesy of those damn bandage zombies?"

"Tony...", the voice was distinctly Pepper's, firm but loving with a hint of exasperation.

"If you are an apparition... or a robot, I must admit you are a damn good replica of the real Pepper Potts."

He patted its soft silky hair gently. "So red. How'd they make it feel so realistic?"

Then he cupped its cheek and said admiringly, "Soft and smooth... Even the freckles are in the right order. Scattered cutely over her nose. But yours are tad darker."

Then he lowered his gaze. "And impressively accurate figure dimensions as well."

"Mr. Stark." She said firmly, her lips quirking. "I'm here to get your bubble butt back to Earth. Kindly stop looking at my chest."

He looked into sky blue eyes that seemed to be looking into his soul. Eyes that he knew so well. Moist with unshed tears.

"What's this? Tears for your long lost fiance?" He whispered, the memory coming back to him.

"Tears of joy. I hate fiance-hunting." She ended with a quiver in her voice.

"Pep..." he said softly, his vision slightly blurry from holding back tears. "Pep, you came to save me... thank you... no one has..." his throat closed up and he coughed.

Pepper held him to her and he leaned on her leather covered shoulder, taking in her lovely smell of vanilla and lilies.

"Even in space, you smell like home...", he whispered. He kissed her lips gently and felt her shiver slightly. "And you taste like heaven." Peace filled his being, with the knowledge that she was alright and in front of him.

"And even in space, you are an incorrigible flirt, who won't keep his mouth shut." said Pepper, grinning against his lips. "Here, have some water."

She brought out a small bottle from her jacket and unscrewed the top. Pepper raised the bottle to his lips and he drank deeply because suddenly he was thirsty.

"Tony..." she said slowly, "I am going to get you out of here. And it's going to be okay."

He shook his head sorrowfully. "Nothing's ever going to be okay, Pepper. Ever again. It's all turned to dust."

She looked at him sadly. "I know, Tony, I am sorry. I went to Titan and saw what had happened." She patted his hair softly.

He stared at her, wide-eyed. "What! You were on Titan! Pepper! How... wait a minute..."

Tony raised himself slightly. "How on earth or rather space, did you get here?"

Pepper said firmly, "Tony, now is not the time to explain. We need to get out of here."

The entire building shook slightly and he looked around him.

"Now." she said firmly. Then Pepper tapped her helmet and spoke, "Martinex, I have Tony. I am coming out."

"Who is Martinex?" he asked quickly and a little suspiciously.

Pepper smiled slowly. "Just one member of the wonderful group of people who helped me."

He was still confused but Pepper rose and helped him stand. Tony tried standing on his own, trying not to show Pepper how weak he was.

He stood shakily and she let him go. Then he felt his stomach quiver with pain from his wound and Tony's knees buckled. He nearly collapsed but Pepper caught him just in time.

"Tony!" she exclaimed, "You are hurt! I'm sorry, why didn't I realize this?" He leaned against her softness, so grateful for her support.

"Hold on Tony. Come on, just this way." She supported him as she guided him towards the end of the room. He could now see it was a large window, with a giant crack on its surgace. There was a beige sealant of some sort, covering a large hole.

Then Pepper gasped and whispered, "Tony, what has happened to your arc? What is this?"

He caught her hand quickly before she could touch it. "Pepper, don't! It will shock you!"

"Tony, what is it?"

"It is some kind of electric brace. It keeps subduing the nanobytes... So I can't use my suit. We need to get it off."

"How?"

"It needs a key, I think, to unlock it... or giant crowbar to pry it off. I'm not sure how to remove it. It will take some tinkering."

"Wait, let me ask Martinex."

Tony clenched his teeth at Pepper's reliance on her new space friend but kept his mouth shut as she spoke into her head piece, "Martinex, I need you to come inside. Please."

She held him, saying softly, "It won't be long, Tony. Don't worry, we are going to go home."

He held on to her quietly, still shocked at how Pepper had come to save him and damn grateful that she had.

Then the sealant rippled and he tensed as a tall lean crystal-headed male moved through it and smiled at them.

He smartly saluted Tony, his crystal head shining in the dim light. "First Officer Martinex of the Osgard Ravagers, at your service!"

"At ease, soldier." murmured Tony.

The first office moved towards him. "Pepper, allow me to help." Tony realized what he was offering to do.

Uh nooo, Crystal Head, I am not leaning on you!

He tightened his grip on Pepper and stood up straight. "I am fine, thank you."

Then Tony stepped away from her but possessively took her hand.

Pepper quirked her eyebrow at him but then Martinex asked, "What is the problem, Pepper?"

Why is he calling her by my nickname!

Pepper explained and Martinex silently looked at the brace, daring to extend a finger towards it.

Come on Rock Head, I dare you to touch it!

But he didn't, much to Tony's disappointment and said softly, "It seems to be an electromagnetic brace. Tailored to his nanobytes energy signal. We cannot pry it off without hurting Mr Stark."

Tony said irritably, "So I guess we need to find the head bandage being, who put this on me in the first place. Unless it was cloaky bastard over here. " He pointed backwards at the High Inquisitor's body.

"Let's take a look." suggested Pepper.

They examined the smoldering body but it had nothing on it, that seemed like a key.

Pepper sighed and said, "We should go down to the jail cells. There should be a head guard or jailer who knows what to do."

Martinex nodded and said eagerly, "Mr Stark, you can stay in the space cleaning unit while we go downstairs. You will be safe inside it and you won't get hurt. We will find the key and come back to you, never fear."

Tony stared in disbelief at the crystal headed officer, smiling beatifically at him. He looked at Pepper, who was biting her lip, her eyes filled with mirth.

"Sonny, I am not afraid of getting hurt! I am perfectly capable of fighting along with you! And this thing is attached to me, so I think I should come along as I am most interested in getting it off!"

To add to his disbelief, the space officer just looked at Pepper questioningly and asked, "What do you think, Pepper?"

Tony opened his mouth to argue some more but Pepper squeezed his fingers gently. He looked into her gentle blue eyes and felt a calmness wash over him.

She said with a soft smile, "I do not want to leave Tony alone. I will take care of him, Martinex."

He wanted to stress that he could take care of himself but then she continued, "After all, I have been doing such a good job for so long." And Tony smiled back, knowing he had no argument against that.

Pepper watched Martinex inch ahead cautiously, looking around a corner.

She whispered into her ear piece. "This is Team Clean. Come in Team Avengers."

Behind her, she heard Tony exclaim, "Team Clean!?"

Martinex shushed him and he grumbled under his breath.

Pepper smirked but continued, "Team Avengers, come in... this is Pepper and Martinex... we have found Tony. I repeat... we have found Tony. Looking to rendezvous... come in Avengers."

"Avengers? Are Bruce and Steve here?" She heard Tony ask quickly.

Pepper turned around to look at him. His look of excitement made her heart sink. "No, Tony, I'm afraid not. These are just the teams that the Ravagers have split up into, for this mission."

He nodded quietly and went back to examining the spare laser pistol, that Martinex had given him.

Pepper looked around the corner. All was quiet and still. In the distance, she could hear shouts and gun fire.

"Charlie? Mainframe? Anyone?"

Martinex said softly, "They are not receiving the call. We need to move ahead."

They were out of the tower and in the prison block, where the ordinary prisoners were kept. From the number of space rat bodies around them, there had clearly been a huge fight. The fight was still taking place in the distance and they were moving towards the sound, to find Team Avengers and then find some sort of jailer, to get rid of Tony's electromagnetic brace.

They moved forward, down a long corridor. Pepper looked back at Tony. He was still too pale for her liking and she knew he was in pain.

But the stubborn man just won't listen and stay in one place! He does not want to let me out of his sight and I ... I don't want him out of my sight either.

He grinned at her and then raked his gaze down her body. Pepper rolled her eyes at him.

Then Martinex held up his hand and she froze in place. Of course, Tony conveniently bumped right into her.

He whispered against her ear. "You look damn sexy, Pep, I really like this whole lady-Boba Fett look you have going on. Very kinky, leather, big laser gun and black helmet. Can you bring this outfit back to Earth with you?"

His beard tickled her ear and Pepper suppressed the urge to tremble. Instead she whispered back, "Tony, you have got to focus. We are on a mission."

Suddenly footsteps echoed behind them and they all turned quickly. Two large space rats entered the corridor, guns raised.

Before Pepper or Martinex could react, Tony calmly lifted his gun and fired two clean shots. Both dealers fell where they stood.

Martinex openly gaped at him in awe. Tony smugly said, "Focus... who needs to when you have reflexes like mine..."

Pepper just shook her head and sighed. But she was glad he had recovered enough to be his normal cocky self.

Tony gestured ahead. "First Officer, you check out the front and I will keep an eye on our behind."

"Roger that, Mr. Stark." said Martinex obediently and moved ahead.

Tony grinned at Pepper and offered her his hand. "Shall we continue, Miss Potts?"

"Yes, Mr. Stark." But she didn't take his hand, just to bug him.

They walked ahead, Tony behind her, Pepper keeping an eye out for any more attackers, gun raised. Martinex rounded a corner and exclaimed loudly, raising his hands high.

Pepper crept behind him, hoping to surprise the enemy, gun aimed forward. Her heart was racing as she heard the enemy say in a cold, metallic yet slightly feminine voice, "Drop the gun, stone head."

"Pep... Pepper, wait!" Tony hissed at her but she ignored him and stepped out from behind Martinex, aiming her gun at the attacker.

She said politely, "Drop your weapon please."

She was facing down, what seemed like a robotic humanoid woman, beautifully colored in shades of lavender and light purple, with a slender build and a bald bluish-purple head. It was her cold black pupil-less eyes, shimmering with a deep-set rage, that chilled Pepper to the bone.

But she stood her ground, determined to be brave. The woman was holding a baton in each hand, the weapons crackling with electric energy. She menacingly twirled the batons and then joined them to form one large electric staff, surging with blue ribbons of electricity.

She angled the staff at Pepper and said, "And who the fuck are you supposed to be?"

Then she shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Step out of the way, tell your friend to drop his gun and I won't hurt you... much."

Pepper tightened her grip on her gun, her sight dead set on the woman's chest. "We do not want to fight you. We just want to find a jailer."

The woman smirked at her coldly and raised her staff and Pepper moved her finger on the trigger. Just then Tony came running in, from the other end of the corridor, at the humanoid's side, gun aimed at her, shouting, "Drop it, drop it or I fire!"

Both women turned, Pepper surprised how he ended up there, when he was supposed to be behind her.

He ran in front of Pepper and then he and the woman exclaimed at the same time.

"Stark!"

"Nebula!"

Tony raised his arms to his side, shielding Pepper. "Nebula, we don't want to fight. Please don't hurt Pepper, calm down. Put the weapon down."

She lowered her weapon slightly and then jerked her head in Pepper's and Martinex direction. "Tell your space friends to lower theirs."

Tony turned to them. "She's on our side, lower your guns. Please. I know her."

Martinex listened to Tony but Pepper didn't, still suspicious of the purple humanoid. Tony placed his hand on her hand and gently urged her, "Pepper, sweetheart... please..."

She did so with a nod and took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.

He asked Nebula, "Have you seen ... what was their name, Pep, your friends team name?"

"Team Avengers."

Nebula snorted. "I do not know that name but there are two Ravagers, far behind me. I am clearing the area of space rats and they are freeing prisoners from their cells. What are you nimrods and stonehead searching for?"

Pepper tensed, aware she was baiting them but Tony said evenly, "I want to get this off." He pointed at his electromagnetic brace.

The humanoid said with mirth, "I get you, Stark. I had to take off my electro-cuffs as well. All you need is a space rat dressed in bright blue with a little cap. Those are the head jailers. They have dozens of keys on them. You can find one if you take this left turn and go downward."

He nodded. "Where are you going, Nebula?"

She replied rudely, "What's it to you, tin man?"

Pepper bristled and was going to take a step forward but Tony caught her hand in his and squeezed it. He said calmly, "I am just asking. Do you need any help or-"

She didn't let him finish. "I do not need any help. I am going to get off this rock and find my father, slit his throat and watch him slowly bleed out."

Pepper widened her eyes at Nebula's vehemence but Tony calmly said, "Alone? You want to take him on alone?"

Nebula sneered, narrowing her beady black eyes, "Do I have a choice? I saw you and your team of pansies fail miserably at trying to stop him."

Pepper made a low growl in her throat and Tony said evenly, "You are right. We failed, he won. Fine. Good luck to you, Nebula. Fly safe."

She snorted again and pushed past him, brushing against Pepper as she left. "Good luck to you too, tin man."

Pepper glared at her departing back and then felt Tony's hand gently pulling her along.

"Come on, Pep." he said sadly. "Leave her be. She's lost a lot too. And she is right."

She was saddened by his bleak tone and the haunted look in his eyes. "Tony," Pepper whispered softly, cupping his cheek, "Tony, we will fix this... somehow."

He just smiled sadly at her and said, "Let's go find a head jailer and get off this damn rock. Come on."

Together they walked down the left narrow corridor in the direction Nebula had pointed at.