Sorry it took so long for this one – been sick as a dog and twice as tired. I hope the wait was worth it! Please enjoy…

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JUST A JOB: Transformation

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It was dark in tunnels that led away from the cavern.

Dark, hot, and crowded with the noise of gunshots and voices yelling in a strange tongue. Inside the heaviness of the armor he had created, Anthony Stark felt sweat pouring down his back as his stomach churned.

In some ways, for the first run of an experimental unit, it was almost too easy. The analytical inventor in his head was pleased at how the hydraulics were working, even as they allowed him to punch a man so hard he flew twenty feet. He was impressed at how the hammered casings of missiles he had designed were indeed able to take pinpoint high-pressure impacts, even as he was sprayed with bullets. He felt the gearing could use a little work, and indeed, some part of his brain was already redesigning the suit to include a cooling system… but for a Mach I model… It was going to work. His kidnappers didn't stand a chance against him, protected as he was. They were going to do it, they were going to escape, and then - he turned a corner.

His only friend of the last three months lay on the floor, his slender body broken and splashed with blood. Tony pushed back the faceplate of his rough-hewn armor and tried incredibly hard not to see what was clearly happening before his eyes. "Come on, you're gonna go see your family. Get up."

The man didn't move. "My family is dead. I'm going to see them now, Stark." Yinsen drew in a shaky breath and nearly smiled, trying even as life was slipping away to reassure the man. "It's okay," he whispered. "I want this. I want this."

Tony Stark stared at the man who had saved him. The man who had changed his life beyond anything he could imagine. He wanted to tell him, somehow, how much had changed because of this, how different he was now, what a difference the man's almost fatherly care and guidance had made, how much it all meant to him… but there's no time. The man in the iron suit swallowed hard, struggling to keep his voice steady as he said goodbye in the only way that mattered. "Thank you for saving me."

Yinsen nodded, understanding far more than the younger man could express. Knowing that he meant more than saving his body. "Don't waste it. Don't waste your life."

And then, with an inaudible sigh, he was gone.

Anthony Stark's eyes began to water. Yinsen… The mysterious man who in such a short amount of time had given him his life back, given him a goal, believed in him, helped him find a way out… was dead. The surge of grief was beyond anything he had ever felt, far beyond even the sadness he experienced when his parents died – but I was different then.

In that moment he realized just how much he had changed. How much more he felt, how much more things could hurt now. It was as if his heart had been torn open literally as well as figuratively, able now to feel both the pain and the gratitude. Perhaps, able for the first time, to love unconditionally. For a split second, he wanted to just fall to the cave floor, to crumple into himself and give up – but only for that split second.

A voice, somehow stronger now, echoed in his head. Don't waste it.

And in an instant, sadness, grief, loss and love – spun together and concentrated into blinding fury. His jaw tightened as he stood, slapping the faceplate down, truly now a man of iron.

My turn.

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On the other side of the planet it was morning. Virginia Potts stood for a moment outside Stark Industries, looking up at the building with a strange combination of fondness and trepidation. Eventually she took a deep breath, nodded to herself, and walked up the broad stairs.

This is the day, she thought sadly. This has got to be it.

She was surprised when security didn't stop her as she signed in; somewhat amazed when her code still got her up to the executive suite. In fact, she was already sitting behind her boss's desk when the first indication appeared - not with a bang but with a quiet knock on her door - in the person of one of the top lawyers for the company.

"Ginny? Do you have a minute?"

She looked up at him with a smile, almost relieved that he was the one coming to tell her. "Sure, Ken. Come on in."

It had been two weeks since Colonel James Rhodes weaseled his way into a 'covert mission', publicly given the initiative to do reconnaissance in Afghanistan, privately following more distinct orders to find and rescue one Anthony Stark.

In the two weeks since he left, Pepper found herself being pushed aside more and more by the board. While she still legally held Tony's vote in those meetings, it was only for breaking ties – and as there continued to be no word on his whereabouts or even survival, the board was growing resigned to the idea of Obadiah taking the reins once more.

She felt in her heart that her dismissal was inevitable and actually found herself breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that the end was finally here. There was no way Obadiah Stane would keep her on. "So. How soon do they want me out?"

"Ginny…" The tall lawyer sighed, giving her a resigned smile. "You know I'm not with them on this."

"I know." Pepper walked out from behind Tony's desk and leaned against the front of it.

"But they do have legal rights. You still have the proxy vote – but… I'm thinking there won't be a tie this time." He stepped closer and pushed her hair back gently, letting his hand linger on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Gin. After this week, Stane says you're either out or back in the secretarial pool."

Pepper looked down, but had to laugh. "Amazing. Over ten years of being a personal assistant to the most powerful man in the company…" her head lifted again as she looked at him. "Obadiah knows I won't go back in the pool. This is his way of telling me to go."

Ken dropped his hand and stared at her. "You could fight it, Ginny – I'm sure there are plenty of other ranking execs who would love to have you…"

"And cross the new president?" A genuine smile lit her face. "I don't blame you, Ken." She looked up into intensely blue eyes, and for a moment, tried to remember why she had broken it off with him. "I appreciate how supportive you've been through all this." Indeed, he had stopped by often to check up on her, taken her out for food when she forgot to eat… and made it clear he still had feelings for her. Maybe it was time…

He pulled her into a hug, and she didn't resist. As he held her, he spoke softly. "Ginny – I know how much he meant to you… but eventually, you're going to have to move on. For your own sake."

She felt herself rebel somewhat against his use of the past tense, and responded in a bare whisper. "But not yet. Just…" She pulled back slightly, looked up into his eyes. "Not yet." It startled her a little to realize how true what she was saying was. "I can't even think about that… yet."

"Well." The lawyer gave her a sad little smile, and leaned in to kiss her gently. "I'll wait as long as I can."

Pepper stayed leaning against the desk for a few minutes after he walked out. Wednesday, she thought. Three days to clean out my things… Walking around to sit once more, she hit her intercom. "Allie? I'm going to need some help in here. And some boxes. Oh, and get a call in to Elise in HR. He can get rid of me, but there's no way I'm letting him fire you, too."

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On the other side of the planet, a military base was buzzing with purposeful, controlled activity. From a quieter corner, among a bank of computers, came a voice. "Major, I think you should take a look at this."

Colonel James Rhodes walked over to the computer specialist, joining the major in charge of the team. "What's up, Hodges?"

"This happened about ten minutes ago. The system registered it as a minor quake, but standing protocol is to double check the satellite imaging if that's the case… and we saw this."

The major nodded. "Play it."

They watched the satellite video of a mountainous, desert area suddenly blossom into flame with red orange fury.

The major frowned. "Explosion?"

"Big one, sir. Really big. Like a munitions dump went up. And this section of the video, from a few minutes before –" He punched a few buttons. "Had to look closer for this one. Probably what started it all." Zooming in on the image, they could see what looked like flamethrowers playing across the desert floor. Abruptly the entire screen flamed red, and the technician had to zoom out again. "Nothing of ours in that area, but if you look at the chemical signature…" he pointed to some data on the screen.

Rhodey and the major leaned in to look, before exchanging a rapid glance. The major spoke quietly. "What're you thinking?"

"Only one person I know who can cause that kind of ruckus, major."

"Right. Scramble the team."

Rhodes was still staring at the computer monitor as the explosion reached its peak. "Hey – what was that?"

"What?"

"Play that back, airman." The computer specialist hurried to comply. "There, that." He pointed to a streak sailing far beyond the site of the explosion.

"Hodges, get a wider view." The major grunted to Rhodes as they watched some large chunks of metal appear to land some half-mile away. "What do you think that was?"

"I don't know, sir. But if it was a munitions dump that went up, it's possible that the explosion threw some debris… it's a chance that there's some live ammo out there…"

"Right. Have the team swing past those coordinates on their way to checking the event site."

Colonel Rhodes came to attention and saluted crisply. "On our way, sir."

oOo

Elise Truman shook her head. "Honestly, Pepper, I don't believe any of this."

Pepper gave her a grim smile. "Elise, I can't thank you enough for your support through all this – right from the beginning." She gave the older woman a hug, and they stood there for a few moments in the office of the president of Stark Industries. "I wish…"

Elise put a hand on the younger woman's shoulder. "Listen. You don't really think he's… gone. Do you?"

"Honestly, Elise? I just don't know anymore. But I can't fight the company… I've done everything I could."

"True. You've been quite the trouper through all this." A smile crept across her face. "But I've got to say, for the record – I don't think it's done. I'm telling you, there would be something… some way we would know."

For a long moment Pepper looked into the older woman's eyes, wishing with every fiber of her being that she could feel as sure. Still, when her eyes dropped, her head shook sadly. "I don't know. I really don't. But I can't…"

Elise hugged her again. "Fine. Let's pack up your things."

"What about his things?"

The older woman sighed. "I suppose we can pack those up too, and get them to the house… but even the house…" With a determined breath, she blinked, suddenly the consummate professional. "Let's just get your things together first. And – do you have any suggestions for where I should put Allie?"

"I want to make sure she has a good position…" Pepper frowned thoughtfully, and Elise snapped her fingers.

"She's interested in law, you know. That was her major before we took her on as an intern." The older woman grinned. "Anyone here who might be good for her, keep her on the straight and narrow?"

"And out of Stane's reach?" Pepper smiled. "I know exactly who she should be working with.

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It was a blur. A blinding, flaming blur. For a few seconds, as he dropped to one knee, he thought the armor had failed entirely, the shots from behind compromising too much of the thrown-together gearing. But then, it almost seemed as if the armor was drawing strength of character from the man who wore it, and not just energy from the device that was keeping his heart intact. With reckless abandon he sprayed the flamethrowers over the weapons his company had created, almost forgetting the danger of proximity until the explosions began. A faint voice seemed to be calling him, reminding him to stick to the plan.

Blinking the sweat from his eyes, Tony breathed a silent prayer as he flipped the switch that would turn him into a manned missile.

There was something exhilarating about riding the catastrophe wave of the explosions below. Something amazing about realizing he was flying, airborne, free.

Something petrifying in realizing, as he reached the apex of his flight, that he was about to crash into the desert.

The ground approached at a terrifying speed as he screamed - until he hit, and all that remained was darkness and silence.

He didn't actually remember blacking out, but remembered coming around with his shoulder screaming just a bit louder than the rest of his body. As he shifted in the sand, looking around at the debris and pulling off what remained of what he would always think of as the 'first' version of his armor, he smiled to himself. "Not bad."

The inventor in his mind quickly took a back seat to the escaping man – one who had just blown up most of his captors stash. He struggled to his feet, tried to take a bearing on where he had come from, and headed in the opposite direction.

The sun beat down on him, and he knew he wouldn't make it far. Would a little miracle be too much to ask right now? He wished for the sound of helicopters so hard that he actually heard them. Exactly, that's what I need -

As he reached the crest of the next dune, he saw them. He waved, fell to his knees, and fought the sobs that threatened. He would have beat them, too, if Rhodey hadn't been the first one to reach him.

"How was the fun-vee?" Colonel Rhodes stared at his friend, and felt the first tremblings of shock begin to shake the once unflappable Tony Stark. He wrapped his arms around him and held him tightly. "Next time you ride with me."

oOo

Pepper Potts was sitting at her desk, staring at the monitor. Come on, Potts. Get started, get done, get out of here… Stalling, she clicked on her music program, switched to her musicals playlist. A selection from Les Mis started, and she nearly turned it off – but stopped, letting it play on.

And now I'm all alone again nowhere to turn, no one to go to
without a home without a friend without a face to say hello to
And now the night is near
Now I can make believe he's here

She blinked a few times, opened a drawer, and began to pull out her personal files. Mumbling to herself, she threw things into the box with a bit more force than was absolutely necessary. "You will not cry, Potts. You will not…"

On my own
Pretending he's beside me
All alone
I walk with him till morning
Without him
I feel his arms around me
And when I lose my way I close my eyes
And he has found me

Angrily, she slammed the drawer and shut off the music. Somehow, she still heard it… and then realized it was a different melody, from her personal cell phone. Swallowing hard, she picked it up and saw a text had come. A text from James Rhodes.

Found him.

She read it again, stared, stood up from her desk. Looking around, she picked up her phone again and read it again. A second message arrived.

Alive. More soon. JR

She sat down again, hard. Too many emotions were spinning through her to make any sense of – so she found herself reverting to the personal assistant, even if the person she was assisting was herself. The house. I've got to get to the house, make sure there's food, those protein shakes he likes, make sure the workshop is cleaned up, change the bedding… She dropped what she was doing and flew out of the office, through the halls and outside, pausing only long enough to call for Happy and the housekeeping crew.

At the mansion, she walked in to a bustle of activity. Surfaces were sparkling by the time she had gone through the workshop, made sure Jarvis had his updates in order, that there was gas in the cars and wood in the fireplace. A third text arrived.

We'll be in tomorrow by noon. He says he needs you and the car. Surprise surprise.

Pepper couldn't help but laugh. Not even home yet, and he's issuing orders. As the crew finished sprucing up and airing out the house, they headed out, leaving her alone. Walking into the living room, she spoke softly. "Jarvis? Can I have something mindless on the big screen, please?" A video of a popular sitcom came on, and she grinned. "That's perfect."

With nothing left to do but wait, she wandered to the kitchen, made herself a cup of tea. Then she came back to the living room and sat on the floor by the coffee table, leaning back against the couch. She looked around, took a deep breath, and began to sob uncontrollably for the first time in months.

He's coming home.

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…please feed the author…