Tony looked deep into Pepper's blue eyes as they separated and it felt like he was looking into a mirror. He saw the same grief, the same despair and the same fear that slowly devoured himself from within. There was no place for hope in their own little world. Maybe it was better that way, maybe he should spend his last days just like that. Along with Pepper somewhere on this island and wait until it was over. He didn't want to torture her, and it would probably have been better for her if he had flown to Japan alone and just hadn't been back. That definitely would have saved her a lot of pain.

Really Tony? Think about what it would've been like for her to sit at home and find out you're dead.

Get over yourself! She never would've been in danger. . .

Do you even love her?

Tony Stark has always loved only himself! All you wanted was not to be alone when you died.

You wanted to let her know how you felt before it was too late. You wanted her eyes to be the last thing you see, her tears on your cold face the last thing you feel.

You're a coward!

You love her. And you need her. Now more than ever. . .

"Tony. . . ? Tony," Pepper grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him gently until his glassy gaze finally became clear again and he blinked at her in horror. The whole world around him seemed blurry and the voices in his head wouldn't stop screaming. His head boomed and he squinted his eyes together, trying to get back to reality. Pepper became more and more restless and reached for his hands to calm him down, but he didn't react. Only when she knelt beside him on the sofa, pulled his head against her chest and wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could, Tony opened his eyes. He gasped and wrapped his arms around her in return.

"I love you, god Pepper. . . I love you so much. . . " he stuttered quietly. "I can't lose you. . . "

Pepper staggered her breath. His imminent death had never seemed so real to her as it was now and she didn't know what to say. Even less did she know what to do to support Tony. She had no idea how much time he had left and this fact only made things worse.

Weeks?

Months?

Or was it just hours before death would snatch him from her again?

Tony's breath slowly calmed down and he whispered:

"Pepper. . . I am so sorry I put you in danger. . . "

At the thought of the hours she had spent in the cave, Pepper shivered slightly, but she shook off the feeling. That wasn't important now.

"I need you," Tony whispered barely audibly.

Tears welled up in Peppers eyes as she pulled Tony even closer to her, stroking his hair with one hand and his back with the other. After a while, Tony sighed, and it was as if all the tension fell off him. The warmth of Pepper's body flooded him and banished the cold and fear - at least for the moment. Tony couldn't and wouldn't let her go, wanted more of it. More warmth, more love to maybe forget a little longer what the future would bring.

His hands slowly caressed her body, the naked skin under his fingers felt so warm and soft and strangely familiar. His fingertips left fiery traces on her shaking body and her hot, trembling breath was the only thing that broke the silence.

His lips on her skin lit a fire that seemed to spread from her stomach into her whole body to her fingertips and without regret, she devoted herself to the flames. Her thoughts fell victim to the blazing inferno and there was no tomorrow. No yesterday. Just here and now. . .

She felt him, so powerful, hot and alive. Nothing was left of the cold hands of death, only an insatiable lust, which finally discharged itself in all its power.

His breath was her breath.

His heartbeat her heartbeat.

His desire was her desire. . .

Tony didn't know how much time had passed. They lay on the couch for a felt eternity, Pepper half on top of him, her head on his shoulder and her hand on the ARC reactor. He felt her calm breath on his neck and sighed. Their legs were tangled and he had spread a blanket over her so she wouldn't freeze. Wherever his skin touched her it was comfortably warm. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. If he could have stopped time at that very moment, he would have. But as beautiful and pure this moment was, it seemed to run through his fingers like sand and as hard as he tried, he could not hold on to it.

"What's my point, Pep. . . ?" he whispered, more to himself than to Pepper, breaking the silence that had been between them for hours.

Pepper shrugged at this question and answered quietly:

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone speaks of the meaning of life. . . What's my task? Why was I here? Did I do my job. . . ?", he said, quietly, quickly and almost so absent that, after the words had left his mouth, he no longer knew what he had said. Tony was always afraid of being useless. When his father had been alive, he had tried everything to be worth something in his eyes and that was one of the reasons why he had taken over the company. But now? Would people remember him if he died? Sure, he had saved many people as Iron Man, but he had thrown much more into misfortune, be it with his weapons or his charm.

Pepper sat up and laid one hand on Tony's cheek. Her ocean blue eyes seemed even deeper than usual, but she looked frightened. How could he doubt himself? She knew what he had been through not only in Afghanistan but also in his childhood and not least in his development as Iron Man. Although his life's work seemed to have failed, Pepper was incredibly proud of how he had made his life better. And hers as well.

"Don't. . . say that," she stammered and leaned down to give him a gentle kiss on the lips. At the same moment, there was a sudden knock at the door and Pepper was startled. Carefully, Tony got up and signed her to be quiet, while he put on his jeans. Meanwhile, Pepper stared at the door and wrapped herself up in the thin blanket. There was another knock and now they could hear a voice outside saying something in Japanese.

Slowly Tony went to the door and opened it carefully.

Outside stood an older man, slightly smaller than Tony with black hair and a tall, slender figure. He wore a suit and looked at Tony confused for a moment before his face lit up and he asked:

"Tony? Tony Stark?"

Tony recoiled and had to stop himself from closing the door again. How did this man know his name? But he had no time at all to think or to ask, as the man began to speak again:

"Last time I saw you, you were four. I know. . . ", he stopped for a moment and his face darkened again. "knew your father. We used to work together a lot. "

As he spoke, Tony's face had become paler and paler and before he could answer, it became black in front of his eyes. The last thing he heard was a desperate cry from Pepper, which faded into the depths of his unconsciousness. Notwithstanding that she was merely wrapped in the thin blanket, Pepper hurried to him and threw herself on her knees beside his body. Without asking, the man grabbed Tony by one arm and nodded at Pepper calmly.

"Help me get him inside. . . "

Pepper did the same as the unknown and put Tony's other arm around her shoulder. Together they laid him down on the sofa and the man looked at Tony's breast with an anxious look. Pepper stood helplessly beside him and tried not to freak out. She was terrified and didn't know how long she would be able to get through all this. Tony looked terrible, his skin was pale, almost greenish and he had sweat beads on his forehead. The black lines on his chest stood out more than they had a few hours ago and his face looked like that of an old man. Pepper could only assume that the poisoning got worse in phases.

"Palladium. . . ", the man muttered to himself, abruptly ripping Pepper out of her mind. He turned to her and said in a calm but definite voice:

"Put some clothes on Miss. . . "

"Potts. " Pepper replied quietly and was shocked by her brittle voice.

"Miss Potts. I really need to talk to you. "