This is chapter 10! I thought of some ideas to put in to this and the next chapters, I did last night. I hope I remember them sense its morning now. Well I am sick, sorrta, so I decided to write this now. Better then never right? Anyways on with this chapter is starting with pepper already at the is Roberta.

Chapter 10

" Rhodey! You have to hurry, Tony passed out a couple minutes ago but he is like spazzing out. Hurry!" Pepper told Rhodey threw her bluetooth.

" You don't think I'm trying. I've just gotten to the armory. Howard has gotten a fever I think but he's finally gaining conciencness ( N/A I still don't know how to spell that word. Grr.. Would you review telling me how to. Thanks). We are on our way now. Tell Tony to hold a little longer." Rhodey said as he helped Howard up on his feet.

" Ugh! Where have they gotten off to? I must find the eighth ring, but without Howard or Tony I'm not that smart. I must find them." The Mandrian whispered to himself," Oh whats this? The ore to Tony's heart I presume. What shall I do with this?"

When Rhodey got tho the hospital, Howard was completely back on his feet. " We are here to see Tony Stark what is his room number, again?" Rhodey asked the nurse at the front desk, while Howard stood behind him looking around the hospital.

" Right over there." The nurse answered as she pointed to the sealed door.

" Thanks!" Howard said running into the room where Tony was to be.

" Thank you!" Rhodey replied nicely but with a worried expression. He felt like he had forgotten something.

" Ahhh! My Heart Hurts! Agh!" Tony shouted, clutching to his chest.

" Tony it'll be okay. What happen to him? How did he get a mechanical heart? Who?.." Howard asked looking around at everyone in the room, Tony, Pepper, Rhodey, Dr. Yinsen, and Roberta.

" Howard!" Roberta shouted unexpectedly.

" Mom, not now. We will catch you up later. All of you." Rhodey said looking around at the ones who were confused. Pepper kept on trying to calm Tony.

" Did you get the ore?" Dr. Yinsen asked holding out his hand to Rhodey expecting him to put the ore in his hand.

Rhodey patted his body for the ore thinking he put it in one of his pockets," Uh Oh! Its not in my pocket. I must have dropped it when I rescued Howard." Thats when Tony shriveled up in a ball. ( N/A not an actual ball but its like when you get cold, well you get what i sayin').

" He's freezing! Where is that ore, Rhodey?" Pepper shouted (but asked in the same way.). Pepper started to cry and ran out of the room.

Thats when The Mandrian flashed in," Looking for this?" He was holding the ore with the armors long finger nails.

" Gene please just give it to the doctor so Tony can live." Howard begged.

Tony looked up and saw a blurry figure but realized it was Gene," Please, Gene give it to the doctor. Please, once I am healed, I will give the eighth ring to you. Please!"

" You've had the eighth ring the whole time?" Mandrian asked.

" Yes..AHHH! Give the ore to… Ahh! Yinsen! " Tony grunted.

" Here. You look like the doctor. If he dies so do all of you. Understand?" The Mandrian commented.

" Everyone leave he must have immediate surgery." Dr. Yinsen said shoving everyone out into the hall.

" While Tony is in surgery would someone pleas catch me up on what I've missed.?." Howard asked," Like you could start on how my son has an extreme heart condition."

" Yeah. I know about that but could someone explain to me how Howard is still alive. How he's right here in front of us." Roberta blurted out," No offense. I'm glad here but how?"

" First where did Pepper run off to?" Rhodey asked looking around for the red-headed girl.

" Who is this 'Pepper'?" Howard asked.

" Its your son's girlfriend." Rhodey giggled out.

" Girlfriend? Wow, I'm proud of my son." Howard smiled," I just hope he gets to see me and his Pepper again."

" Anyways, have you seen where she ran off to?" Rhodey said with a worried expression.

" She's a big girl. James she can take care of herself." Roberta said.

" No, you don't know her like me and Tony. She gets so worried about Tony when he goes out to sav.. I mean goes to his lab to work on inventions. That she starts to cry. And I mean a lot. Exspeacialy when he gets hurt." Rhodey said.

" Try the roof." Roberta said pointing to the roof staircase.

" Okay. I'll be back in a few." Rhodey said leaving for the roof.

" Alright could you explain to me how my son ended up in the position he's in.?." Howard asked.

" I don't think I should be the one answering that for you. Tony should. But if he doesn't survive then I will tell you." Roberta said as she walked over to the bench to sit.

" Okay could you tell me whose running Stark International?" Howard questioned.

" I believe Hammer 's why Tony is so broke right now." Roberta said putting her head down on her hands.

Howard Stark was in complete shock from this answer that he was given," HAMMER!"

Roberta just widened her eyes," Yeah! How long were you away from 'News' I guess I should say it."

" Oh let's see umm… A year and a half." Howard shouted," I'm sorry I yelled at you. It wasn't your fault."

" What are you apologizing for?" Roberta asked.

" For a long time I've been apologizing anytime I yell at a women. Because I crossed the line with my wife. Thats why she left us." Howard said lowering a smile to a frown," Thats one reason why I am worried about Tony I am afraid he'll do the same to his girlfriend a uh Pepper."

Roberta put a faint smile on and said," Yeah he might but very unlikely. He has changed so much sense last year."

" Yeah I guess your right." Howard said," By the way can I borrow a 1.50. I'm gonna get something from the vending machine."

" Yeah I guess. Umm.. Here." Roberta said giving him the money from her purse.

While that was happening with Roberta and Howard, Rhodey was rushing up to see if Pepper was holding up." Pepper? How you hangin' in?" Rhodey asked Pepper as he watched her weep.

" Because you lost the ore. Tony is probably dead now and you don't even care." Pepper cried.

" What are you talkin' bout? Tony's in surgery- he's getting the ore put in his heart's arc reactor." Rhodey said.

" What how? H…How's that possible?I thought.." Pepper got lost in her sentence, gaining hope.

" He might live- Gene dropped off the ore from the Arctic circle." Rhodey was saying," Please Pepper come back down stairs with us I'll introduce you to his dad."

" Okay." Pepper replied, following Rhodey down stairs of the hospital.

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