And here we are! Your reviews for the last chapter were so good, haha, dead person twitch! I wouldn't do that to you! lol, glad it was received as well as it was :)

'Just one more day Tony and I would stay in bed all morning with you when you asked me to, I would drive with the roof down, I would fly to Italy with you and have dinner and swim in the sea.'

'Just one more day.'

Pepper? What is that? I tried to open my eyes, I couldn't see through the dark, I felt warmth spread through my body, then the fire, the flames, no, Pepper, where am I? I squeezed my hand, what is that, someone's holding my hand? Beeping? Where am I?' I squeezed back, it felt right, it felt like home.

'Tony?'

Pepper? Where are you? It's too dark in here, I can't see anything.

'Oh my god, Tony.'

A breath on my neck, I tried to turn my head toward it, I couldn't.

'Follow my voice.'

The dark is so overpowering, I can't see, I can't move, where are you?

'Come on Tony, follow my voice.'

Where are you? I'm trying…

'I know the dark is holding you back, but you have to fight through it, you can do it.'

I, I can't fight through it, the pull is too strong, help me.

'Tony, focus on my voice, fight through it, come on, please.'

I'm trying Pep, I'm trying so hard, I can't break through, I can hear you, I can feel you, but I can't push through it.

'Fight Tony, fight!'

Don't cry Pep, don't cry for me, I'm trying.

'Please Tony, fight for me.'

There's a light, wait, I'm coming Pep, I'm going toward the light, your voice is clearer there, hold on.

'Tony, I love you.'

I love you too Pepper, so so much, I'm coming to you.

'Please don't give up, not now,' I felt her hand on my face, I felt my own tears breaking through.

Don't cry Pepper, the light is nearer now, I'm coming, I can feel you, I can feel your hand I can feel the heat, the light, where are we?

'Come on Tony, you're nearly here, come on, fight harder, fight!'

The dark is suffocating me, it's trying to pull me back, the darkness is pulling me back, No! I won't let it, Pepper it's trying to pull me back, No! Pepper, I won't let it keep me, it's so cold here, hold my hand, don't let me go, you're the only one who can guide me out of this darkness.

'Focus on my voice Tony, come on, I'm guiding you, follow my voice.'

There, there you are, I'm coming, stay there, keep talking.

'Come on, fight for me.'

The blinding light was nearing; I was nearly there, a few more steps, a few more agonising steps, so close, so close Pepper.

'Tony!'

My eyes shot open, my chest felt like it was on fire, my bones ached, and my head was splitting. The light was so blinding, I threw my hands over my face.

'Tony, oh my god.'

I looked up through the light, Pepper, beautiful Pepper.

'Pep.' I managed.

She wrapped her arms around me and I cupped her cheek.

I felt her body shake against me.

'Pepper.' I breathed, it hurt to speak, my throat felt constricted. I swallowed hard; my head was splitting from the pain.

'Don't try to speak, it's ok.' She whispered against my ear, she ran her fingers through my hair, 'it's ok.'

I felt myself nod.

'Your mind has been through a lot; you said you might find it difficult when you woke up.' She explained.

The Extremis, the reversal, everything came flooding back to me.

'Do you want to try and sit up?' She asked quietly.

'Yes.' I croaked.

She linked her arm under my elbow, she eased me up, the world was spinning around me, everything was a blur, colors and shadows and the lights all blended into one.

I covered my eyes with my arm, 'too bright.' I whispered. The lights dimmed before me.

'You've still got Extremis?' She asked.

I nodded, 'temporary shutdown.' I muttered.

'Ok, that's good, you're back, and that's all that matters.' She sat down beside me.

I leaned into her and wrapped one arm over her shoulder to steady myself; she took my other hand in hers.

'Italy…next week?' I whispered.

She looked at me; her blue eyes warmed my heart, everything seemed so normal again.

'You heard me?' she asked with a smile.

I nodded, 'I followed your voice.'

She pulled me into an embrace, I wrapped my arms around her, I was still getting myself back, but holding her was so natural, I knotted my fingers through her hair. Her perfume was intoxicating, feeling her breath on me, the darkness was slowly leaving me, I was slowly finding my way back.

'Pepper what's going on?' the doors to the workshop opened, 'we saw the lights in the house go out…' the voice stopped midway. 'Tony?'

I looked over, Rhodey, Happy and Bruce.

I felt myself smile.

'Crazy son of a bitch.' Happy said with a grin.

'Thank you.' I nodded to Bruce.

He nodded back.

Rhodey came toward me; he pulled me into a hug, 'don't ever do that again.' He breathed.

'I'll try not to.' I said back.

'How are you feeling?' Happy asked quietly.

'Tired, really really tired.' I muttered.

'That's perfect, because both of you need to get some rest, now.' Rhodey instructed, 'come on.'

Happy threw my arm over his shoulder, 'come on boss, I'll help you.' He said quietly.

I nodded, when my feet hit the ground, I barely had enough strength to hold myself up, Happy took the majority of my weight, Pepper, Rhodey and Bruce walked behind us.

'I thought we lost you.' Happy said solemnly.

'You did.' I said through the pain. Everything was difficult.

'Don't do that again.' He said firmly.

'I'll try.' I managed

'Seriously.' He reiterated.

'Got it.' I nodded.

'Pepper was a wreck, I've never seen her like that.' He explained, 'we all were.'

'I'm sorry.' I said sincerely.

'Don't be sorry, just make sure you don't die again, ok?' he said with a bit of a smile.

'I'll try my best, Hap.'

We walked to my bedroom, bed, sweet bed. I couldn't remember the last time I slept, whenever I did I was plagued by nightmares, or Extremis and the last night I tried to sleep I nearly lost Pepper.

Happy eased me onto the bed, 'get some rest, you deserve it, both of you.' He nodded to Pepper.

'I'll make sure he sleeps.' She whispered before closing the door.

I lay down, Pepper climbed under the covers beside me.

I found what strength I had to turn my head to face her, she lay her hand on my chest. I lay my hand on top of hers.

'I couldn't imagine that I would never be able to do this.' She whispered.

I squeezed her hand, 'I know.'

'I love you so much Tony.' She snuggled up closer to me. Her face was inches from mine.

'I love you.' I whispered back.

She closed her eyes, the bruise on her face broke my heart, I ran my fingers across it as gently as I could.

I kissed her cheek, 'was I too late?'

She didn't open her eyes, 'no.' she said quietly.

'But you would tell me?' I felt my heart constrict, I lied to protect her numerous times, 'I only hoped she wasn't lying now.

She opened her eyes, 'you're the only one I would tell.'

'I'm so sorry.' I pulled her closer to me.

'You don't have anything to be sorry for.' She said quietly.

'I do, he could have,' I couldn't bring myself to say it aloud, the thought alone boiled my blood, 'he could have hurt you and I wasn't there.'

'You were there, and you saved me.' She pulled back and looked at me.

'I could have been too late.' I held her closer to me. 'He could have taken you from me.'

'Even if that did happen, just being with you would make it go away.' She ran her hands over my arms.

'Don't say that, I can't even think straight knowing that he touched you, it makes me sick.' I wrapped my arms around her, having her in my arms made me feel better, but the anger at myself for letting her get hurt in the first place was still there.

'Tony, don't do this to yourself, please, I'm ok as long as you're with me.' She pulled back and looked me in the eyes.

I ran my fingers over her bruise again; she took my hand in hers.

'I'm fine.' She smiled.

I kissed her fingers, 'if anything happened to you I don't know what I'd do.'

She laughed quietly, 'now you know how I feel every time you put the suit on.'

I looked at her, I was such an idiot, I did this to her every day, and now the Extremis, I put her through hell every day.

She cupped my cheek in her hand, 'I know how important the work you do is, I know how much it means to you, and I'm so proud of you.' She smiled.

As horrible as the darkness within me was, her smile always melted it away.

'Really?' I asked with a grin.

'Really Mr Stark.' She smiled.

I pulled her closer to me again, 'god I've missed you.' I closed my eyes and breathed her in.

She ran her fingers across my back, 'get some sleep; I think we both need it.'

I nodded against her, I leaned my chin on the top of her head. Sleep was something which evaded me, tonight I would let myself go, I would let sleep take me, Pepper's slow breathing beside me was comforting. I smiled to myself. Peaceful sleep finally came.

So here you go my lovelies, hope you enjoyed this :)

I'm on to the next one already! Now we can get back to some smartarse Tony and some well deserved happiness and Pepperony!

As for one reviewer, in relation to what's happening in the first chapter, well it is all coming in good time :)