AUHTOR'S NOTE: I'm sorry this took so long, guys! Work has been kicking my butt lately and I'm kind of having writer's block as well. I think I may have it all figured out, though. Anyway, please enjoy and have a great 4th of July to everyone!

Later that afternoon, she found him down in his lab, his arm engulfed in metal and wires. A DNA hologram was on display before him as he tinkered with the internal mechanism. For a moment it was as if he had never left, that nothing had changed and they were back in time.

"So, this is new suit." She said, sitting down beside him and he nodded. "It's more gold colored than the last one."

"It was harder to color this time." He replied, wiggling his fingers slightly. Looking around the room, she frowned.

"Where's the rest of it?" Not hearing a reply, she looked at him and could tell he was avoiding her eyes. "Tony? Where is the rest of the suit?" With a heavy sigh, he stood and took a step away. As his eyes glowed faintly, she jumped back and watched as the suit formed fully around him, seeming to come out of his pores like liquid metal. "What…how…?"

"I altered Extremis slightly. I stabilized it and…well, added a little of my own flair." He explained and she frowned.

"But, I thought you had destroyed everything regarding Extremis." She said and he nodded.

"I did, but Jarvis still had all of the research and I was able to synthesize it. Banner and I actually figured it out when we were trying to cure you, but at the time I had no intention of using it." He shrugged and retracted the suit. "I had to do something, Pepper, and since I don't have the arc reactor anymore, I had no other choice."

"No other choice? Tony, you could have come home." She said but he shook his head.

"That wasn't an option. We would have been attacked and I wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. But I can protect you, now. I just need to tweak a few things and we will be fine."

"Tony, there is still someone out there, attacking people and turning the world against you. We have to figure out how to clear your name. Who else knows about…this?" she asked, waving her hand over him.

"Just you…and Rhodey. He saw it last night and-"

"Last night?"

"Yeah. I dropped by his place." He said and she frowned.

"And you just showed him the suit?" she asked and he looked away, knowing she wasn't going to like the next part of his story.

"We, uh, may have been attacked…by Firepower." He muttered and Pepper shook her head in despair.

"Tony…Firepower knows you're in town and that you have a suit? Are you crazy?! You have to get out of here!"

"No. I told you, I'm not leaving again and I meant it" he said firmly and she began to pace.

"I understand that you don't want to go, and I promise this time I understand and won't hold it against you, but if he knows you're here he could come crashing in any second and you can't stop him." She argued and he felt anger surge within him.

"What do you want me to do, Pepper?! Everyone hates me right now! There is nowhere on this planet that I can hide!" he shouted and she stilled. "At least here, I can try…even if I would lose, at least it's something!" Taking a breath, he shook his head. "He's stronger and faster and better armed than I am, Pep. I don't know why he let me go last night, but he could have killed me easily. If he comes here now, I won't stand a chance; but while I'm fighting him, you'll be able to get away, and that is the only thing that matters now." Shaking her head, she walked over to him and lifted his face so he would look at her.

"There's just one mistake you're making, Tony." She said, a loving, sad smile on her face. "You're assuming that I would actually leave you to die."

"Don't say that. You have to keep yourself safe, Pepper. You and that little baby growing inside of you are the most important things in my life right now, and if something ever happened to you..." Taking her hands in his, he rested his forehead against hers, locking their eyes together. "Promise me, if he comes here, you'll leave, no matter what."

"Tony…"

"Promise me! Please!" he begged, hands gripping hers hard and desperate.

"Okay…I promise." She sighed and he breathed in relief. Tilting his head down, he claimed her lips softly and she couldn't help but melt into him.

"Everything is going to be okay, Pepper. I have a plan…"