Tony stares at the files Jarvis was showing him for another moment as his mind slowly starts to morph a plan "Ever been to Tennessee, Jarvis?"
"Creating a flight plan for Tennessee."
As Jarvis does that Tony moves to sit properly on the metal box before waving his arms causing all the holograms to disappear.
Sighing he turns to one of the other screens "What's that?" He asks spotting an image of a burning skull painted on the side of a building in LA.
"Not for you sir."
Tony groans in annoyance, Jarvis was still protecting Buffy's little research project, at the thought of his daughter Tony frowns Pepper should have been back with her already.
As if the red head could sense his thoughts his phone started ringing, chuckling he jumps down and grabs his phone "Just thinking about you."
"Tony..." Pepper says quickly, he could hear a car engine in the background "...I just got a call from Buffy picking her up now."
Tony's face falls at that, Pepper had left hours ago to pick Buffy up from the police station, they should have been back by now, why was she only going to get her now "Wait what? You were supposed to pick her up a hours ago." When Pepper doesn't say anything Tony feels his panic rising "Pepper? Pepper!"
Pepper sighs "Xander took her out of jail. I don't know why."
Tony's eyes glaze over, he really didn't like that Nick Fury eyepatch wearing wannabee "I'm gonna kill that Fury rip off dumbass friend of hers!"
Buffy waits on the corner of the street Pepper had told her to meet her at, as she waits she stares at the people walking by, pulling her hood further over her head to make sure no one recognised her Buffy leans against the wall of a nearby building and sighs. She was still shocked to her core over what had happened, it had been like watching Faith kill the DA's assistant in Sunnydale all over again, expect this time it was Xander that had killed someone.
Pure, kind, funnyman Xander had shot someone point blank in the head without a second thought, yes he had done it to save her, but a part of her wondered if he would have done it either way.
Running a shaky hand through her hair she pauses, her hands were trembling yet it was a sunny day.
It was all too much, too much death and pain, doing this everyday, every moment it was becoming too hard and she didn't know how much longer she could take it.
Buffy was stirred from her deep thoughts as she spots Pepper's car pulling up next to her.
Quickly the red head climbs out of the car and the moment she spots Buffy she steps forward and hugs her tightly "Buffy, are you okay?" She asks desperately, she had been so worried about her.
Buffy nods however as she does Pepper spots the blood on her skirt underneath her jumper, she frowns in worry, Buffy was trembling and it looked like she had been crying, there was brusing around her neck and she had a large cut right above her left eyebrow "Oh God." Pepper breaths before leading Buffy towards the car.
As Buffy climbs into the car she glances over at Pepper "Where's Dad?"
Pepper sighs before running a hand through her hair, damage control with the Starks was so exhausting "I sent him home, he was halfway in his suit to blow up the police station when I got home."
"Dammit, Dammit, Dammit!" Tony exclaims as he paces around his garage, he glances over at his suit for another moment before shaking his head, it was taking everything in him right now not to jump into his suit and fly around the city till he found his daughter.
First she was arrested then Xander takes her out of her jail cell, she had been missing for hours and he hadn't even known.
Groaning in frustration he sighs, this day had really not gone as planned, grabbing his phone he dials Pepper's number again only for it to go straight to voicemail.
Tossing the phone across the room he leans his head against the wall slamming it repeatedly against the concrete, his daughter had been out there in her condition all night again. Her condition was worsening and he could see it, everytime she looked at him he could see it and it killed him.
Suddenly one of the computer screens begins buzzing, Tony frowns and swings around only to frown as he spots an unfamiliar car pulling up into his driveway "Are we still at Ding-Dong? We are supposed to be on total security lockdown." He hisses as he slams his hands on the wall beside him before groaning, this was not the time for this, he was stressed enough as it was already "Come on." He exhales in frustration "My daughter just hit a man on live TV before getting arrested."
Tony's eyes widen as he spots the helocopters surrounding his home, sighing he moves towards the staircase, he really needed to get a better secutrity system.
"Sir, there is only so much I can do when your daughter attacks a man and threatens a terrorist. Social media is everywhere and when members of the press follows you home all the time, I cannot exactly stop them from learning the location your home."
Tony rolls his eyes at Jarvis's reasoning and continues upstairs, pressing on the keys of his remote control he calls the Mark 42 towards him. As it takes form around his body, pieces flying at him as he continues to make his way up the stairs, he pauses as he spots a brunette woman standing in his doorway.
Holding out his arm he stops her from moving any more "Hold it right there." He tells her before lowering his mask, as he gets a proper look at her face he frowns, he had honestly been expecting either the press or the Mandarin rather than a cute girl.
"You're not the Mandarin. Are you?"
The brunette smiles before shaking her head in amusement "You don't remember. Why am I not surprised?"
"What the hell were you thinking?!" Pepper yells as she drives the car through the streets of Malibu "You could have been killed! You shouldn't have left jail." Pepper pauses "Do not go back to jail however, the press will have a field day."
Buffy winces slightly, she had only just finished telling Pepper what had happened and the red head had exploded, honestly Pepper was scarier than Glory most of the time.
Sighing the blonde leans her head against the Italian leather car seat before glancing out of the window, so much had happened over the past 72 hours, from meeting Johnny, and finding out that an organisation called Centipede was using Alien tech and testing vampires, to Happy ending up in the hospital, as well as herself ending up in jail before Xander killing Amy, it was all just so much.
So much information and thoughts were running through her head, all trying to consume her.
"Buffy?" Pepper tries as she spots the blonde staring out of the window, an empty look in her eyes.
When she doesn't respond Pepper sighs before focusing on the road in front of her, she hadn't meant to explode at her, but she had been so worried and Buffy's lack of worry for her own safety upset her.
Sighing she doesn't say anything else she merely leans one of her hands over and squeezes Buffy's hand.
Buffy takes a deep breath and clutches onto Pepper's hand as she clenches her eyes shut refusing to let her emotions overflow her.
Slowly she turns to the red head who had become like a mother to her and smiles gratefully, Pepper was one of the few people in this world that she trusted implicitly and she couldn't have been more grateful for her in this moment. She wasn't pushing her, she was merely letting her know that she wasn't going to leave.
Pepper smiles at the young girl however just as the beach house comes into view a large black truck speeds towards Buffy's side of the car, going through the red light.
"Pepper watch out!"
Buffy screams as the truck connects with the side of the car causing it to spin wildly before flipping over sending her to darkness.
Pepper groans in agony as the car finally skids across the road before finally pausing near the top of the cliff. She gasps as she feels blood dripping down her face and her legs, looking up she lets out a horrified gasp as she spots the blood on her leg however quickly she realises that he wasn't actually her blood.
Looking over she spots Buffy who had gotten the largest force of the hit, she gasps again as her eyes fill with water, Buffy's arm was pointing out in an awkward position, it was clearly broken. The cut that had been above her eyebrow had been cut deeper and blood was now covering majority of her face, her hair was dosed in so much blood that it was hard to tell where it was all coming from.
"Buffy?" Pepper calls as she attempts to reach for the blonde girl, when she doesn't stir Pepper panics "Buffy! No...sweetie come on Buffy! Wake up!"
Pepper cries slightly but takes a relieved breath as she spots Buffy's chest rising and falling, she was breathing, for now at least.
Groaning again Pepper reaches for her seat belt but finds herself unable to unlock it, it was too tight and one of her arms was burning with pain, it was possible fractured and was making it impossible for her to reach the release.
She glances around the car, it being more difficult due to the car being upside down on the road, as she does she spots Buffy's knife just below her seat. Sighing in relief that it was in reach she attempts to get it only for suddenly the sound of ripping metal to draw her attention.
Turning her head back to the 23-year-old girl Pepper's eyes widen as suddenly the car door on Buffy's side goes flying, and now standing there were three men in black masks and black jackets with a familiar mark on it. The Mark of the Mandarin.
"No!" Pepper yells as she spots the men ripping Buffy from her chair, Pepper struggles desperately as she tries to get to the girl "No! Buffy! Buffy! No—No—No!"
Pepper pulls at her seat belt trying to get away from her seat but she was forced to watch helplessly as Buffy was dragged across the floor towards the black van.
Pepper slams her body against the chair, trying to escape, as she does she spots the knife again, reaching for it she brings it up and tries as fast as she can to cut through the seat belt.
Glancing over at the van she panics as she spots the men through Buffy in the van "No." She breaths before speeding up the slicing, ignoring the burning sensation in her hand she finally cuts through the seat belt and immediately her body crashes down to the hood of the car.
Crying out in agony she quickly focuses as she hears the engine of the van starting, dragging her body towards the new hole in the car with her good arm she attempts to get to Buffy, but as she finally gets out of the car and rolls onto the concrete ground below the van with Buffy speeds away "Noooo!"