Interlude

Author's Note: I suppose you're all wondering what Rhodey and Happy have been up to all this time. You haven't? Well. I'm going to tell you anyway.

"A psychopath...a psychopath. He says he loves me..." Lisa Germano "A Psychopath..."

Rhodey slept uneasily on the Murphy bed in Happy's private room. The pillow he was laying on was thin but warm. His stomach gurgled with hunger and he decided it was time to get up and go see what the hospital cafeteria had for breakfast.

"Dude. You're...the luckiest guy...alive...right now."

The voice was low and labored; rusty with disuse and weak, but amused.

"Happy?" Rhodey wiped his eyes. "Man, it's good to hear your voice again. "How are you...?" He broke off when he saw his thin warm pillow was in fact Whitney's stomach. Behind him he heard someone sigh and he turned to see Rona Irwin cuddled against his back. He'd forgotten the girls were even there. He must have slept between them all night. That was embarrassing.

Slowly and carefully he disentangled himself from his sleeping companions and sat up, carefully scooting his body off the end of the bed. Whispering he asked Happy, "How do you feel?"

The big guy looked smaller and pale compared to his usual. Tubes and monitors still surrounded him but his eyes were clear and lucid and he seemed his cheerful self.

"Like the team bus landed on me." The athlete managed a thumbs-up. "Looks like you got your own fan club, Rhodey."

"No way, man. I couldn't date two girls at once. That's disrespectful. Besides, they wouldn't go for that."

"Don't be so sure." Rona was awake and winked at Rhodey, shocking him. Her tone was decidedly flirtatious and the tall slim boy wondered if he'd been transported to Bizarro World last night.

"I'd have to agree." Whitney laughed at the shocked look on his face. "Tony's been kinda distant lately. He hasn't really been here for me or Happy. It's been all about finding Pepper. I don't blame him, but it's been pretty lonely. You on the other hand have been holding us all together. I never noticed what a sweet, reliable guy you are, Rhodey."

Rhodey laughed nervously. "Uh, you ladies are just kidding. Right?"

"Maybe," the girls answered together and laughed. They were definitely messing with him. Or, making fun of him. Thankfully Happy saved Rhodey from further embarrassment.

"Rona! Long time no see! What's up, Whitney?"

"Hi, Happy."

"Welcome back, Harold, um, Happy." The pale girl was a bit teary-eyed but pleased to see her childhood friend recovering.

Okay, this was weird. "But...Tony's been working with SHIELD to look for Pepper. That's pretty time consuming." Rhodey felt compelled to defend his best friend along with Tony 2.0. The android spent most of its time defending the city, freeing up Rhodey to help at the hospital twice a week. It was also easier to get along with than the real Tony, or was at least less stubborn.

He did miss Tony. The young genius hadn't kept in touch like he promised. Rhodey was going to kick his ass.

"Can't Pepper's father do that?" Rona asked. "He works for the FBI after all." The goth genius immediately assumed all government agencies were automatically corrupt. But she had the good manners not to say so out loud.

Rhodey shook his head. "He's busy coordinating a manhunt but since it's his daughter, they won't let him get too involved. Besides, SHIELD is mostly independent and doesn't work with other departments."

"Pepper?" This got Happy's attention and he looked worried. He tried to sit up. "What happened to Pepper?"

Rhodey winced, cursing himself for bringing it up just as Happy was coming out of a coma. The two girls looked at anything but the boy on the bed, uncomfortable.

Maybe Pepper would never be found. Maybe she was dead. Maybe she was so impressed Tony had rescued her the two eloped and were now in the Bahamas. Rhodey would kill them both for worrying everyone so much.

"Pepper...Pepper's been kidnapped." Rhodey's tone was kind and gentle but the student athlete still looked devastated. That was understandable. "We think it was by the same person who attacked you, some overpowered super villain." He didn't want to discuss Gene's betrayal around Happy or Whitney. The blonde didn't remember the Asian teen and the basketball player still thought of the young Khan as a friend. It was not up to him to destroy Happy's illusions.

Happy sniffled and his friends assumed he might be crying. "Pepper...Pepper was the first girl who liked me, you know? More than a friend like. She was cool, even with nerd friends like you and Stark. She didn't treat me like a big dumb jock but like a person. A guy she wanted to be with. A girl with class. She could be with anyone. But she chose me. Now she...I may never see her again. Ever." Happy looked down at his hands. "I couldn't protect her. I tried, but I wasn't strong enough. This stinks."

The girls grieved with Happy but Rhodey seemed surprised. "You remember what happened that night? You saw who did this?"

The athlete shook his head negatively. "Weird. It was only last night."

"Happy," Rona told him gently, her kind tone surprising Rhodey, "that was over a month ago now."

"A month?" Happy was incredulous and struggled to stand. Rhodey did his best to hold the bigger boy down but his sudden exertion wore Happy out on its own. He fell back against his pillow, exhausted. "That means Pepper...she...she's..." Happy's voice faded out.

Dark and solemn, Rona took his huge hand in her smaller, pale one. "Don't think like that, Harold. You have to hope. It's all we have right now."

Rhodey decided not to say anything else until the doctors had a chance to look at Happy. Rhodey's parents taught him not to hate but he couldn't help but want to dangle Gene by the leg from ten thousand feet.

There was a knock on the door and a very attractive auburn-haired teenager sauntered in pushing a book cart. She was tall, curvy, and smiled at the two young men while ignoring the young women. Rona hissed.

"Hi, I'm Sunset Bain, a candystriper here at the hospital. Would you like a magazine or something to nibble on? Lunch is in an hour."

"Um, Maxim. And some milk. And nachos. And birthday cake." Happy told her, making a feeble attempt at a joke. He kept eying her tighter than necessary uniform. Whitney's lips tightened with disapproval but she didn't say anything. Rona did, however.

"So, what made you decide to volunteer?" she asked the new girl skeptically.

Sunset shrugged, displaying a bit of cleavage that Rhodey ignored and Happy noticed. The girl had the best name a hippie or porn star could ask for. "It was this or juvie." Her smile at the boys was sultry. "I...was somewhere I shouldn't have been. Lucky for me the judge decided to be lenient." She giggled and did a little flounce. Not even Happy had to ask why the judge went easy on her.

No one asked her to elaborate and Whitney and Rona grabbed Rhodey's arms and gently propelled him towards the door. "We're going to get something to eat, Happy." Whitney told him. "When we come back we can talk all about what happened to your girlfriend, Pepper." The last few words were accompanied by a meaningful glare at Sunset Bain.

Rhodey felt an obligation to the boy on the bed. "We want to consult with the doctors about your prognosis too. We're coming right back, don't worry. We'll talk later. Promise." The tall boy did not feel right discussing Pepper with a stranger in the room. Sunset would probably wander off to the next patient in a few minutes and they would be free to answer Happy's questions in greater detail. Plus if the candystriper didn't stop flashing her cleavage, he would have to keep Whitney and Rona from beating the other girl to a pulp.

"Bye," Happy answered forlornly and slumped, lost in memories of Pepper.

Unfortunately Sunset was the type who enjoyed a challenge. Taking someone away from his girlfriend was her favorite. She sat on the edge of the bed and gave Happy a friendly smile.

"Glad to see you're awake, even though you're cute when you're sleeping. So I hear you're a basketball player."

To Be Concluded