The ambulance ride was one of the worst experiences of my life. A battery had been jury-rigged to fit into Tony's chest, keeping the electromagnet live, but he still didn't move from his bed at all. I was riding back there with him, still in armor, and Pepper was next to me, one hand rubbing the back of my neck, since rubbing my shoulder was impossible in the armor plates. I only slipped on my helmet once during that whole ride.

"Andy...I'm sorry," Mina informed me after I'd given her my request. "He'll pull through; I know he will."

"Thanks," I mumbled weakly before I slid my helmet off again and worked off a gauntlet so I could grab at his armored hand. Getting him out of that was going to be a problem when we arrived at the hospital, but even with the minimal power of the battery, Jarvis could get into the suit and have the plates work on disengaging. I rubbed at Tony's knuckles a little, tears starting to sting my eyes again.

"Don't die, Tony," I pleaded softly, my voice nearly cracking because I desperately wanted him to wake up. "Please. You're..."

I slid to my knees, getting close enough that I could gently hug Tony, burying my cheek against his neck. My chest was heaving with sobs, and Pepper sunk down with me. God bless that woman. I barely managed to choke out, "You're my hero, Tony. Don't...don't die. You've saved me so much...you can't go until I pay you back..."

Thankfully, the hospital wasn't a far hop from wherever we'd been, so arriving was pretty soon after. Of course, there were reporters hanging around, but Pepper, amazing woman that she is, easily pushed them out of the way as the paramedics, with Tony, raced inside, and I followed armor and all. In the waiting room was Rhodes, and he was the one who took the time to grab me tight and let me cry into his shoulder, rubbing my back despite the armor plates. Once I'd had another sob-fest, he helped me get out of my armor and waited with me until the surgeon came out, giving me a nod as I got to my feet.

"He's bad, but he'll survive," he reported as I bounced to my feet, ready to interrogate him. "What's left of his sternum fractured, broken collarbone and ribs, and he needed a lot of stitches where the plates broke into his skin."

"Is he awake?" Pepper asked as she came in, eyes wide, ready to grab my other shoulder despite Rhodey's arms wrapped around me. I knew if it wasn't for him I'd have collapsed on the floor a long, long time ago. "Is he okay?"

"Miss Potts, no, he's not awake, but he'll survive," the doctor replied, explaining Tony's medical condition to her while I slipped into Tony's room and closing the door behind me. I found the nearest chair and dragged it over before barely managing to fall into it. Tony's face was pale, and drawn, as if he'd gotten sick and might either be about to recover or about to die. The cords attached to his chest led to a battery, and the beeping of the monitors warned me he was still alive, if only for now.

I swallowed and looked away, bowing my head before I rubbed hard at the back of my neck. He couldn't die. I didn't want him to die. You know the sort of ideal little kids have, about their parents, or elder siblings, where they can do no wrong, can't die, and have the sorts of magical powers that can keep you safe forever? I never lost that. Even today, I still firmly believe that my big brother, no matter how...insane, drunk, over-the-top he can be, no matter how much of a jerk...he just knew what he was doing was the right thing.

And with that was invincibility. We'd come so close to death just three months ago, and here he was at death's door again, and there was no way, not after everything we had gone through. I wouldn't let him die. Not when things were so much...better. This new thing was home, a brand-new home that could maybe replace those childhood years in Long Island. I wasn't going to lose it.

Pepper knocked on the door after awhile, and I reluctantly shuffled to answer. There stood pepper, holding a box that was slightly squished from the hold Dummy had likely had on it. I could hear my bike thrumming outside, and I managed a weak smile as I thanked Pepper and retreated inside. That box didn't stay intact for long; inside was a shiny new arc-reactor, based on some experimental designs I'd noticed floating around in the private database not so long ago. Very carefully, quickly, and quietly, I swapped out the battery plug and slotted in the new reactor. It gleamed brilliantly in the dark room, and I sighed, leaning back a little.

If only he would wake up. I could feel my own heart aching for the silent pain. I straightened again, grabbing his hand and squeezing tightly. Tears were stinging my eyes as I looked in that silent, solemn face. He wasn't supposed to look like that, a childish part of me mused. Tony was supposed to be smiling, laughing, eyes open and glittering with his own genius, face warm and ready for anything.

This wasn't Tony. He had to wake up...remember.

"Hey, Tony," I murmured, trying to keep by voice from cracking but still raw from everything I was trying to hold in. "I – I bet you remember, when...when Mom died, and...and I couldn't sleep? Never stopped crying?"

I had to force a laugh. Otherwise I'd break down and cry.

"Course you'd remember that...'cause you'd always come in, and...and hold me tight once you'd climbed into bed with me. You'd wrap me up tight...a-and tell me that it was all gonna be okay. You remember, right?"

My eyes were already flooded before I got up, and I made sure the blinds into the room were closed before I took Tony's shoulders. Slowly, gently, I yanked him to one side of his bed, exceptionally careful to keep the wires and electrodes on him as I turned him carefully onto his side. I scurried back around the bed, slipping against him to keep him from falling onto his face. Soon, I was coiled up next to him on the bed, manuevering his limp arms around my shoulders and clasping his hands tightly to my chest, right on top of my reactor.

"It'll be okay, Tony," I cried softly, tears trickling down my face. I could feel him settling back next to me, and I swear I felt him nuzzling my cheek, ever so slightly, as his head settled about halfway on top of mine. "E – everything's going to be okay, Tony."

I stayed like for what felt like hours. I could hear Pepper and Rhodey talking outside, but I didn't listen closely. The only sound I could hear save my own breathing was the steady beep of the heart monitor, and I nearly fell asleep to that constant throb. I think I might've managed to doze for a bit before the monitor woke me up. Sigh. But I knew that I could let Tony die, and, even if he was, I wouldn't let him go without a fight.

I turned to kiss Tony's cheek a little, and maybe I was a little delirious, because I think I saw his eyes squint, just a little. Tony does that when he's about to wake up. Then again, I could've been wrong, so I just pulled his embrace closer in around me, a few more tears leaking out of my eyes and splashing onto his arms. But there was no mistaking the tiny huff of air that slipped out from his lips.

"...Andy...?"

My breath caught in my chest, and my heart almost literally jumped into my throat. He'd be okay. Tony was going to pull out of this, just like...always.

"I'm right here," I replied, reaching back to tousle his hair as I started crying all over again, all my worry washing away into sheer relief. I wanted to laugh, to cry out that my brother was going to live. I felt his smile as he weakly pecked my cheek, his own muscles tightening his grasp around me.

"Good. Don't go."

Even though he was probably asleep by the time I turned to glance at him, I grinned anyway. I kissed his hands and squeezed before I swore a new promise, to him and to myself.

"Never, Tony. I'll never, ever leave you, not even if you make me."

It was the best I could do as the beeping got stronger. I yanked that cord out of the wall, and sighed in relief as silence enveloped us, and I easily drifted off to sleep, wrapped in my big brother's arms. Of course, this scared the medical techs when they came in the next morning, but I was adamant and staying put, and a still-recovering Tony backed me up beautifully. So that was where I stayed, right close, as he was stitched up, mended, and made aware of the whole mess starting to crash in. Essentially, company in chaos, public in panic, and the press making up their own stories. Not to mention there were some lovely, lovely pictures of me and Tony in our suits, battling blurred images of Stane's armor.

The first headline we both saw, two days later and safely back home in Malibu, was sprawled across the LA Times: WHO ARE THE IRON TWINS? I couldn't help but laugh when I saw it, and I think Tony would've cracked up harder if he hadn't still been hopped up on whatever painkillers the hospital had put him on. That, or his ribcage was aching.

"Wish I could come up with some terribly great excuse to make them just...go away," he huffed as he tossed the paper aside, onto a stack with a bunch of others in the living room. While Tony was sprawled out on a sofa, hands behind his head and looking quite relaxed, I was seated across from him in a chair, straightening up my blouse and blazer. Oh, yes; I was going to walk into the Stark Industries pressroom and issue a statement – provided by Agent Coulson of the...Strategic Homeland something-something-or-other – so the press could shut up and let us move on with our lives.

The thing was, I didn't like the alibi I'd been provided on a small, neat stack of blue notecards. For Tony, he'd been having a party on his yacht in Avalon – and had testimonies from fifty guests – and for me, probably the worst alibi I had ever seen for a hacker: out on the town, cruising on my bike, and actually breaking the stupid speed limit. I'd supposedly spent a nice night in jail, only to be let off with a warning. No way were either of those going to hold under close scrutiny. I sighed and pocketed the cards.

"Don't worry about it," I insisted for maybe the twentieth time as I got up, brushing down the legs of my pantsuit. Yes, it was borrowed from Pepper, yes, I still owed her a skirt suit. "I told you, I lead the conference, spin the story, and done. Though I still don't get the whole bodyguard thing..."

"Don't ask me, I didn't write it," Tony huffed as he lowered his arms, starting to push himself upright. "Can't I get up now...?"

"No, you don't," Pepper scolded, coming up behind me so quickly and quietly I nearly jumped. I have no idea how she does it. She turned to me as she settled next to Tony, and I nearly quailed under her assured, confident gaze. "Andy, Happy's ready for you. All set?"

"Yep!" I replied as I made sure my notecards were tucked into the inside pocket of my jacket. "Y'know, I don't even think I'm my half of these Iron Twins! Otherwise, y'know, I'd have this boyfriend, who worried about me all the time, maybe already suffered one nervous breakdown over me, but he'd be pretty damn proud, y'think?"

"Just go already!" Pepper scolded me, and I shot out of there before I could interrupt anything. After all, Pepper liked her plans. I headed out and climbed into the Bentley Tony had reserved for these sorts of important functions, and, of course, Happy was right there in the driver's seat.

"Ready, Miss Stark?"

"Ready as I'm ever gonna be, Hogan," I replied as I slid on my shades. "Let's get rollin'."

I didn't have to tell him twice.