A/N – Wow I can't believe I'm on chapter 10 already. This story is going to get a lot darker, more of an emotional and angst ridden storyline before it gets better. I won't say much more, its better if you read. Reviews fuel me! I love reading them. Just no flames please.

As usual, I don't own Iron Man, Marvel or Stan Lee. Anything you recognise is Marvel. Marina Lawrence is my OOC.

I hope you enjoy this instalment. Themes of rape, sex and bad language ahead. If you are sensitive to ant of these, please don't read.

See you in Chapter 11 x

This one is for Mrs Missy

Song – Life is a lemon and I want my money back, MeatLoaf

My little Pepper Pot

Chapter 10

Pepper was still holding onto Tony while he was still inside. His erection was subsiding now so he pulled out gently and rolled off to be beside her. She brought a hand up to her face closing her eyes. Trying to hold back the stinging blinding emotional cloud hanging over her right now was just too much to bear. Suddenly, without warning she just cried. Tony was completely taken aback by this. He didn't expect her to start crying. His first thought was, had he done something wrong, something to upset her but it dawned on him...why. It was so fucking obvious, why had he not seen it before. Tony sat up and lifted Pepper up against his chest, gently rocking her back and forth. She was breathing raggedly through her sobs onto his skin, mixing with the drenching scent of sex and sweat. Tony wrapped both arms around her, shielding his woman from the world and he softly rubbed up and down her tensed back. He brought his head to her ear and said carefully, "What's wrong Pep honey?"

She was still crying but it was beginning to falter gradually, she looked over his shoulder still holding on tight, "...flashbacks...my attack...," she said, eyes stinging, "when you pinned me down...oh god Tony...it just brought back.."

Tony was silent. He did not say a word, he just held her.

Thinking carefully, "I'm so sorry Pep. I really am. Total ass hole for what I did..." his voice trailing off but anger brewing in his mind. He was going to get this Marshal and show him what pain was. He had never been so angry after sex but he wasn't blinded by the rage, just seething and wanting to do something about it. He drew his face away from Pep and looked into her wet eyes, "I'm going to find this guy," Tony said with uttermost conviction, "and show him what Tony Stark can do."

Wiping the tears away from her eyes off her cheek he knew he would never do that to Pepper ever again. Tony was kicking himself. Why in fucks name did he have to pin her down, he was struggling to hold back tears of self-inflicted anger thinking of this. He held Pepper steady, his hands on her shoulders. Firm but gentle enough to stop her body from shaking with wild emotions. He studied her face briefly before softly kissing her lips. Pepper smiled a little, blinked and looked at her man, " love you Tony. Just be cautious before doing anything crazy okay..." she said, tears tainting her breath and sense of smell. Tony nodded briefly and wrapped his arms around her again, using all his strength to stop her breaking down.

Pepper, wrapped her naked self around Tony clinging onto his chest and pressing her arms into his toned back. Her right hand slipped down over the contour of the muscle just beneath his shoulder blade as her head fell into the dip of his neck, she spoke a near whisper into his ear, "I love you so much Tony" and a few tears escaped her eyes again. Tony, on hearing this drew her closer. Holding and loving her, lost in the moment but on the other side, he was planning his next move. This was one game of chess Marshal was not going to win. Tony was going to defend his Queen to the very end. It wasn't long before Tony could sense Pepper's impending tiredness, she had a long day emotionally and physically. The poor woman was senselessly exhausted. Tony himself was not feeling much more awake than she was. Soon after, they settled down in the dark after Jarvis had dimmed the lights. Together they fell asleep, holding onto each other under the cream silk sheets.

That night Pepper had a dreamless sleep until she felt a cold bitter breeze wash over her skin, making her turn away from Tony's arms that were around her lower back. Now facing into the breeze, she shivered momentarily until the darkness rolled in. It hit her bad, sweat dripping off her back and disturbed images of Marshal merged with Tony infiltrating her mind. She was re-living the attack all over again. Crying out, terrified and afraid for her life as it repeated in slow motion. Pepper screamed, disturbing the normally undisturbed Tony Stark and he woke up fast. Once again Tony did the only thing he knew that was right. He soothed her, rubbed her back and held her close telling her only gentle sweet words. Tony hated seeing her like this, emotionally raw and hurting even during her sleep. It hurt him, knowing there was little he could do for Pepper. He could protect her every other way except during her sleep and nightmare fuelled dreams. Tears escaped him but he dragged them away with the back of his hand.

Stark get a grip on yourself, be strong for Pepper. She needs you... And he repeated this thought over and over until it sunk in. His next move was going to be the end of his Pepper's dark nightmares. Those were his last thoughts before Pepper and Tony dozed off together, wrapped up in the moment.

"Tony...," she moaned, "Tony..." Pepper called again. She reached out in the dark to where she remembered him being last, and feeling an empty space her eyes flew open. It was still a little grey and overcast outside. How long had Tony been gone she wondered.

"Jarvis...where is Mr Stark?" she asked

"He is not in the mansion ma'am," the AI replied curtly

Pepper frowned, shook her head a little, "where is he then?" she said demandingly

"Miss Potts, I cannot tell you. Direct order from Mr Stark" came the reply.

"And the suit?"

"Yes Ma'am. He wore the suit" Jarvis responded

Pepper put her hands to her face. It was not what she wanted to hear. She got out of bed, reached for her Blackberry and quickly cancelled all the Stark Industries meetings for that day. Fine, Tony was going to disappear well so was she. Disappearing to find him. A nagging thought kept at her. Did this have something to do with her attack? And what Tony had said last night...she only hoped he would not go doing something they would both later come to regret.

Pepper dressed quickly in black capri pants a white vest and hurried down to the workshop. Tony's computer was her first port of call. She punched in her number into the touch pad and let herself in. It was unlike Tony to leave it out of lock-down mode when he left it unattended. That was the first strange thing. Pepper wandered over to the computer and sat herself down. The multiple screen set up Tony had going on were still flickering over with images of cars. The usual. Nothing out of place here. She was already privileged to know passwords for every inch of the system except the deeply encrypted information on Tony's private server. Pepper tapped a few things into the log-on screen. Her eyes scanning for traces, anything, a snippet, a glance was all she was looking for. She hated prying like this but Tony was hiding something, it left her angry. And Pepper Potts is not one to resort to anger so quickly like that. The last time Tony had kept a secret from her was when he was dying of Palladium poisoning. Her jaw tensed, remembering vividly the moment when she found out and almost quit her job. Her eyes were back on the screen. On the hunt once again.

Tony Stark was not where he needed to be. The Iron Man was sat on a rooftop in New York, helmet removed and his head in his hands. Tony just cried. He had not been this bad since he was maybe 5 years old, it hurt, it wrecked his usually cocky demeanour. A man who on most days strutted about because he actually did own the place was reduced to a mess on a rooftop he didn't even own. Tony ran a gloved hand through his hair which had now spiked itself up a little due to the nervous sweat that he developed, he struggled to find his breath on the biting wind this high up. He didn't know whether this was the right thing to do but on the other side, he had justice to serve which was long over due. Tony put both hands to his face again, pushing them upwards across his brow... a minute later the red and gold bullet was gone.

Back at the Stark Mansion in Malibu, Pepper was still staring at the screen. Screw the computer, next thing she knew her hands were reaching for her Blackberry and she pressed the speed-dial code for Tony. It was ringing, a little longer than usual...then the line went dead. Pepper sat back into the chair deeply, "Shit..." she whispered to herself. The line never went dead while he was in the suit. Pepper was worried now, stressed and struggling to think straight. Shaking herself out of her worried slump in the chair, she asked Jarvis, "Call Tony for me again will you?"

"Of course Miss Potts," came the reply. Four more times Jarvis attempted to connect the call and four times it went dead. Pepper ran a sweating palm through the ends of her ponytail, "Can you get a trace on the suit Jarvis? His last know location. Anything.." she said frustrated

"The last know location is New York City. 2 miles south of Stark Towers. After that he appears to have switched off the geo-location" came the reply. Pepper's face dropped to her hands, she cried a little. Not the relentless sobbing when he was in Afghanistan...just sadness. She wanted so badly to know where he was right now it hurt. The last thing she wanted was for him to do something stupid and end up in a mess. Not this time. Her heart and mind was determined to find Stark, talk some sense into him and bring him home.

What had she just convinced herself to do. Pepper headed over to the Audi, it being the easiest car she found to drive and started it up. Her instinct told her exactly where to go. If Pepper was right, Tony would be heading for North Carolina, to the small town she grew up in. Wake Forest to be exact. She put her foot down, heading north. Pepper had never driven so damn fast in her life...the Audi was quick swift and unrelenting in its pace beneath her foot on the gas pedal. Her eyes darted, avoiding the slow monotonous traffic trailing through the small towns on her way north.

Reaching a quieter stretch of road, she asked the in car-phone to call up Tony again. It was ringing. He picked up, "Hey Pepper" he answered brightly

"Hey yourself," she responded flatly, "where are you?" while avoiding an Amish man driving a carriage along the road. She swerved narrowly missing the horses legs.

Tony paused. Pepper became impatient rather quickly. She snapped at him, "Where are you Tony?" her voice stinging his ears through the audio interface in the suit. Tony didn't really know what he was supposed to say. He racked his brain, struggling and arguing with himself for the right thing, "North Carolina..." he said trailing off as he landed with a thud on a high school football field.

"Tony...what are you doing...please...tell me..." Pepper said almost begging down the crackling line, a tear dripping down her cheek

"Something that is long overdue Pep," Tony responded bluntly, "you know why."