"So agreed that is our plan?" Tony asked, "We stick to it?" He said glaring at Hawkeye,
"What? Why are you staring at me?"
"Does it annoy you?"
"Yes!"
"Then that's why." Tony smiled. Natasha playfully shoved Clint's shoulder, who mock punched hers. "So, doubling up? That work for everyone?"
"I call Hank!" Janet laughed grabbing him,
"Ok there's a pair." Tony laughed, "Clint, with Natasha please."
"With pleasure." Clint smiled.
"Storm you can go with..."
"Thor." Natasha quickly inserted, "You know, similar powers. Might be an advantage." She justified.
"Yeah, that makes sense." Tony nodded. Missing her sigh of relief, "That ok with you two?"
"Aye." Thor blushed,
"Sure." Storm blushed equally.
"Cap, you with T'challa."
"Stark, I hate working with people." T'challa complained,
"That's just to bad. We have a tactic, it sounds good. We stick to it, capche?" Tony glared.
"Got it." T'challa mumbled.
"I'll go with Rhodey." Tony said, after realising he was left out.
"I get to come? Thanks for gracing me with your acknowledgment." Rhodey laughed with a sarcastic bow. "Am I worthy?"
"Oh shut up." Tony replied as a few heroes snickered. "We have the upper hand, that is if VAIN hasn't came up with new members."

Justin stepped out of the machine. He felt his face, instead of hearing flesh on flesh, he heard the ching of metal. He looked at his hands, they looked like metal gloves he reached out and curled up his hand, in doing so he bent a plate of metal,
"That was titanium." Doom chuckled, "It seems that it worked. Come, I must train you. You want to be able to turn Iron man into a tin can don't you?" Justin smiled deviously,
"More than you know."
"A diamond plates gold titanium alloy exo-skeleton will be harder to crush than a flimsy sheet of metal."
"What do you suggest?"
"Like I said, my training. And how about a mask, hrm? Get yourself a new pretty face. How are you with guns?"
"Alright, better with knives." Suddenly Deadpool appeared beside Doom,
"OOOOOH! C'MON! Please please please please please let me train the kid! Just in knives, you can handle 'learning to be physco 101' PLEASSSSSSE!" He begged, Doom sighed, raising a hand to his forehead,
"Will you then shut up? Or leave me alone."
"I can't shut up, but yes I will leave you alone...for a day, no a week!" Doom sighed again,
"If you weren't such a brilliant, heartless mercenary..."
"Thanks."
"...I would have had you killed years ago."
"I'd like to see you try."
"Train him. I'll prepare my training grounds. Oh and Deadpool?"
"Yes my dear?"
"Come up with a name for him."
"Doomsday?"
"No."
"Deaddoom?"
"No."
"Doompool?"
"You're kidding me right?" Justin intersected,
"I'll work on it! Go, go blow something up calm yourself." Deadpool waved to Doom.

"Pepper, Pep stay down." Tony instructed, pinning Pepper to her bed.
"No, c'mon at least let me work the computers!"
"No, Pepper."
"Please Tony," Tony quickly closed his eyes,
"Don't do that face."
"What face?"
"You know perfectly well what face,"
"Let me go then."
"Pepper..."
"Tony..."
"You have to stay in bed, you should be in hospital not in a lab."
"Tony, you know how I feel about hospitals." She growled,
"The same way I do but if you just swallowed your pride and..."
"I hate hospitals, especially that one."
"Yeah well I hate lab beds. Makes me think of experiments." Tony sighed and looked Pepper in the eyes, "Please don't be difficult about this."
"When am I ever difficult?"
"You want a list?"
"Oh ha ha." Tony heard a beep coming from one of the machines and panicked.
"Pepper? Are you..."
"I'm fine." She laughed pushing his arms of hers, "It's only a reminder alarm."
"Pepper, You are staying right here until this is all over." Pepper was now angry,
"How long will that be? You can't lock me up every time some threat comes along. I am not going down this road again Tony."
"I'm not asking you to."
"YOU SHOULDN'T BE SO OVER PROTECTIVE!" Tony stood up,
"YEAH? WELL THE ONE TIME I WASN'T YOU NEARLY GOT KILLED!" Pepper slid of of her bed and stood to face Tony,
"HOW DO YOU THINK I FEEL EVERY TIME YOU PUT ON THAT ARMOUR?"
"THAT'S DIFFERENT!"
"HOW?"
"IT'S ME."
"OH AND YOUR INDESTRUCTIBLE?"
"MORE THAN YOU ARE!"
"NO, TONY YOU JUST HAVE A FANCY SUIT THAT CAN BREAK!"
"Not since the new upgrades, diamond,nothing can..."
"Normal guys don't put diamonds in suits Tony. Normal guys wear black prada suits not red metal ones."
"What guy do you know who does that?"
"You before the plane crash! Every magazine every teen show 'Tony Stark's new art opening' or 'Tony Stark buys friend Ferrari for 14th birthday' Tony Stark, Tony Stark, Throwing his money around because he can!"
"Is that how you thought of me?"
"It's how everyone did. Everyone thought you were some rich jerk who stepped on people to get what he wants."
"And now?"
"Now I think your some armoured vigilante with a death wish! What you do doesn't just affect you you know!"
"I know, but if I don't..."
"People die. I know, but what if..."
"What?"
"What if you wind up being the one who dies? What if you come up against something you can't fight back, you can't even scratch."
"Then I try to get the hell out of there. Pepper what is this about?"
"Just...some of the things I overheard, Super-solider serum may have been found by them." Tony's eyes widened,
"Why didn't you say before?"
"I only remembered earlier."
"Pepper, we'll all just train against Steve."
"You don't get it! I think Doom modified it, like mixed his powers with the serum. Tony I think he's trying do create some...some thing. He could capture the X-men, Hank or Janet, take Thor and even Cap. Try and manipulate their powers and abilities, use it in the serum. You'd be an obstacle, Tony and I don't want you fighting that."
"So thats whats wrong." Tony sighed pulling up a chair. "Pepper, I'm not going anywhere." Tony was interrupted by a flustered Janet comming in.
"Either of you know a Virgil Potts? She asked, their jaws dropped, "Guess so."

Tony helped Pepper out,
"I thought he left you here and went to Ireland." Tony said in disbelief.
"Yeah, yeah I was under the same impression." Once they stepped outsde the armoury Virgil pushed Tony away from Pepper. "Dad, what are you doing?"
"No if what's or maybes this time. You're coming with me. That's final." Her father growled,
"What? You can't do that." Janet snapped, Hank putting a hand on her shoulder,
"I'm her Father, I can."
"Dad, I'm fine here..."
"Really? Look at yourself! You look like someone beat you up in an alley." Pepper laughed and muttered,
"I wish."
"And you," Virgil said turning to Tony, "You were meant to look after her."
"I-I-I-I-I did." Tony stammered, Virgil spat at him,
"If that is your idea of looking after someone I feel sorry for your enemies." Tony looked away. He already felt he had let Pepper down. He didn't need someone else yelling it at him,
"Leave the kid alone." Tony looked up, surprised by who was defending him,
"Who the hell are you?"
"Hank Pym. I'm going to have to ask you to apologize."
"I'm doing to have to say no." Virgil mocked turning for his car. "Pepper get in." Pepper remained where she was standing. "Pepper."
"Dad. I am staying here." Virgil walked around the car and shoved Pepper in locking the doors,
"Leave her alone." Steve said, now annoyed he had pushed around his friend.
"Circus freaks." Virgil muttered and got in the car. Pepper banged against the windows and Tony pulled on the door handle. Virgil reversed quickly causing Tony to fall over. When he looked up the car was speeding away,
"Pepper." Tony had to get her back,
"Tony, you cannot out run a car." Clint sighed,
"I can try."

"Dad, Dad seriously, please let me go back!"
"We had a deal, you kept safe and out of trouble I kept his secret and let you stay that was the deal." Pepper looked away,
"Dad you can't just take me away."
"It's for your own good, You'll thank me in a few years Patrica."
"I doubt it." She heard a bang on the window. A rock? She turned he head to see Tony running behind the car she smiled.
"What the hell?" Virgil asked, checking his mirrors he growled, "Stark." He slammed the breaks,
"Dad, don't do anything stupid." Pepper warned as he got out of the car.
"Stark! What the hell are you doing!"
"I'm...sorry Mr Potts...But...but you can't take Pepper away." Tony panted, Virgil pulled out his gun,
"Stark, I liked you. I don't wanna shoot you so stop running and let her go."
"DAD! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Pepper yelled from the car. Tony then got a plan,
"Can I at least say goodbye?" Virgil thought about it and nodded. Gun in the back pocket, noted. He seemed to brush his hand on his top pocket often, knife, noted. Keys were...left leg forward, louder jingle than right, keys in left pocket, noted. Quickly Tony bent down to the window, and winked, Pepper looked confused but then Tony started his plan.

Elbow to the face, distraction. Kick in the lower chest, knocks out wind. Slide underneath him, grab gun. Hit over head with gun. Hands at head, grab the knife, smash window partically with knife, smart girlfriend can figuire it out. Trickshot behind the knees, falls forward. Raise knee whilst falling, head into knee,short term unconsciousness. Grab keys, let out girlfriend, grab gun and run like hell before he wakes up.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Pepper laughed,
"I've known Rhodey for thirteen years."
"Understood." He grabbed her wrist and they ran into the forest. Running, running, running until Tony stopped and looked around uneasily, "Tony?" Pepper asked, "Baby, what's wrong?"
"Someone has been following us." They heard a shuffle in a tree. Pepper grabbed on to Tony's arm,
"How long have you know?"
"About a mile back. I thought it was an animal,but no, too many human errors." A branches snapped in front of them, Pepper squealed, "Shhhh, don't let him know you're scared."
"Tony, you don't have your backpack, you have a gun." Pepper whispered into his ear nervously,
"I've sounded the emergency Avenger alarm, Hulk and Rick will get it too but Hulk smashed his, shouldn't be a problem. You have that knife right?" He whispered back,
"Yeah."
"That will buy us sometime. C'mon we should move." They heard a loud thump behind them,
"Oh leaving so soon?" A voice growled, Pepper hung on closer and tighter to Tony.
"Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?" Tony mocked, "Little Red is at Granny's if your looking." He felt claws around his neck,
"Haven't you heard the new story? Its now the Little boy in the red shirt." The voice laughed throwing Tony against a tree. Pepper screamed,
"Sabertooth." She started to back away,
"Looks like his sidekick, Little Red-head came alone too. Miss me?"
"No, not really."
"That is a shame. We sure have missed you."
"Stay away from her." Tony snarled getting up. Sabertooth laughed,
"You think you can fight me without that fancy armour?"
"It wouldn't be fair...on you."
"You can take down a cop, fair enough. But I'm a mutant, I'd like to see you try." Pepper had snuck up behind in and shoved her knife into his back, while he was distracted Tony pulled out the gun, shot to head, heart, lungs and knee-caps. Tony and Pepper just watched as he healed and pulled out the knife, breaking it in two,
"Uh...Tony. That was...that was a titanium plated knife." Pepper stuttered moving closer to him,
"Yeah, backup would be good right about know. You know what else would be good?" Tony asked grabbing her wrist,
"What?"
"Running!" He turned dragging Pepper with him and bolted as fast as he could away. Sabertooth followed quickly,
"Your making this fun!" He laughed, running on all fours behind them. Pepper stumbled a few times but tried to keep up with Tony.
"Where are we even running?" She asked,
"To the city, more police, more escape routes." Tony panted. They almost made it to a clearing when Sabertooth jumped out in front of them.
"Oh crap." Tony muttered.
"I wonder." Sabertooth pondered aloud, "Who will take over your Avengers, when your gone? Got a second in command?"
"Captain America."
"Oh, fun, but easy to take out. I heard the hulk left you for a better offer. You gained the weather girl, nice trade!" Sabertooth laughed, "At least the Hulk stood a chance."
"Tony?" Pepper asked,
"Yes, Pepper?" Tony sighed,
"You might want to look away."
"What?" Pepper launched at Sabertooth. Surprise blow to the jaw, boot up the face, fist in both eyes. He goes to hit where you are, hits himself up the face. Double kick to the lungs and a strong kick where it hurts. Half of a broken titanium knife sliced over neck. Short term death for a healing mutant.
"C'mon, lets move." Pepper smiled,
"Wow." Was all Tony could say,
"He pissed me off. You put on a scared act when your in captivity, they never suspect a thing." She laughed, running with Tony again.
"Hrm, good to know not to get you in a bad mood." He winked.

Sabertooth got up and howled in pain,
"Pathetic little runt!" He bellowed, chasing after the teens as fast as he could,
"Uhh, I think he's angry," Pepper yelled spotting him, they ran faster and faster. Sabertooth jumped and landed on Tony. He whacked Pepper, sending her hurtling into a tree, Tony struggled to get up but was pinned down,
"Your girl has moves, I'll give her that." He laughed, Pulling out his claws, He ran them along Tony's throat leaving a small scratch, "I hope you realise, this doesn't end here. Your going to be my little message to the heroes. VAIN, isn't that what you named us? Cute. Doom did promise Hammer he could kill you but, I'm already here."
"Hammer?" Tony asked, "What has Justin Hammer got to do with this?"
"He's our newest recruit. I bet if I brought him your little heart device to study, we might make up." He laughed, digging his claws into Tony's chest. He writhed on the ground in pain as his ark reactor was yanked out of his body. "Slow killer, is it?" Sabetooth smiled, "Don't worry, I want a bit of colour." He raised his clawed hand, "Say Hi to your Mom. Oh and apologize for me, I never meant anyones car to get hit with that tree."
"W-w-what?"
"You Mom 'drove into a tree.' Truth is I was fighting my brother, saw a car coming wanted to prove a point, a threw the tree at the car. She dies nearly instantly. With a little aid for yours truly."
"What? You...you killed her. You killed her and you think it's a joke?"
"No, no. Wolverine had to be taught a lesson. That I can destroy more lives than his." Tony was so confused, the truth about his mothers death, Pepper passed out with a spilt skull, his heart failing slowing and painfully and now the claws piercing into his neck. "Bye kid." Sabertooth laughed, about to sink his claws in a few more inches...


Cliffhanger!
Look, I'm sorry I haven't update tons this weekend. We got tooooooooooooooooons of snow, i mean tons considering I live near the sea so raely get any. I built Iron Snowman And Snow Machine ;)

Anyways, I hope this chapter made up for my lack of updates,
PLEASE HAVE A LOOK AT MY NEW IM:AA CHRISTMAS STORY,
"A very Marvel Christmas."

Read and review xxxx[Merry Christmas!]xxxx