Finally done with exams! Yikes – I slept for about twelve hours total over the last three or four days but I'm done! And now with a full month off, I can continue writing! :) I know. I'm amazing. Lol , I just be joshin' you! :) I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 25

Rhodey had never seen him like this.

After Stane had died, SHIELD had gone through the tapes that were made when Tony had been in Afghanistan and in the process, Rhodey had seen them. And even though seeing his friend in such a situation was terrible enough, he couldn't help but notice how…composed Tony was. He was terrified and confused – you could see it in his eyes, but he maintained an outward demeanor of composure and self control, you'd think he'd already established a plan of escape in his mind right there on the spot. And when he had almost died of palladium poisoning, he'd lost hope and given up many times. But he was still Tony; he was still his friend and he could understand him.

This was different.

He had never seen his friend like this. There was this new wild-eyed look on his face – like he was lost, abandoned and thrown into a deserted island forced to fend for himself. Tony never lost his cool – he was always able to handle himself despite the situation but he was losing it, slowly unraveling. And even though most people wouldn't have guessed it, Rhodey, who had been his friend for years, could see it easily.

Police officers had flooded in and out of the house multiple times throughout the rest of the day and within hours, Tony had chosen to ignore them completely, deeming them incompetent. Instead, Tony had continued his own search with the help of JARVIS, tracking everything including her cell phone, license plate number and credit cards. The police had been forced to ignore him as well and focus on Pepper's family instead. And it wasn't long before Vanessa and Liz placed all their hopes on Tony – having more faith in him than even the police. And for them, Tony remained strong and certain that they'd find her.

Now at four in the morning, Tony couldn't sleep. It was impossible to sleep knowing that Pepper was missing, having no idea where she was. For the time being, there was nothing left for him to do except to wait, and doing just that was beginning to drive him insane.

Common sense told him that maybe once he was inside a bed, he'd manage to get some sleep. But the truth he was repressing was that not only was it impossible for him to sleep due to the stress, but that he didn't want to sleep. He didn't want to close his eyes.

His imagination had gone wild for the last few hours. What had that jackass done to her – he knew exactly who "that jackass" was. Who else could it be? But was she okay? Was he at least feeding her? Did he hurt her…?

He closed his eyes and dug his face into the pillow on the couch, trying to shut that last image out of his mind. He didn't know what he would do if she found her and she'd been hurt, hurt in ways he could never fix. What if…

No, he told himself as he shivered. No. She was going to be okay – she was going to be okay because he was going to find her.

Sir, there's an incoming call from a private number.

Tony opened his eyes and slowly reached the phone by the table beside him. Rhodey was asleep in one of the guest rooms and the last thing he wanted to do was wake him up.

"Yes?" Tony answered plainly, in a tone that was completely unlike him – monotonous and dead. He was incapable of feeling – of feeling anything except a pure and heart wrenching sorrow that threatened to devour his soul.

What he heard next was enough to drag him out of any catatonic trance he was in. A sharp bang that shut out the speaker for a split second, followed by high pitched muffling and grunting. The initial bang startled him and he immediately sat up, gripping the phone tightly as his brain processed what he had just heard.

That's what it was – a shot.

"So how are you doing, Anthony?"

Time froze and the only thing Tony could hear was the ringing noise in his ears. Not from the shot but from the frustration and anxiety within him threatening to break loose. He gripped the phone even tighter, his knuckles turning deathly pale. But even in the face of fear, anger managed to arise and he exhaled slowly through his nose, the frustration inhibiting even his own breathing.

Tony's response to Hammer's obnoxiously pleasant voice was simple, yet his tone reflected every emotion within him. "Where is she?" he seethed through his teeth and for the first time, he realized he was shaking. Literally shaking.

"Why is everyone being so rude, lately? All I said was-"

"Tony, I-!"

His heart stopped at the sound of her voice. But nothing else escaped her lips and all he heard afterwards was a muffled resistance and Pepper tried to say something under some sort of gag. The thought of her being tied or restricted fueled him with an insurmountable rage as well as fear. "Pepper? Pepper!" He yelled into the phone, as he rushed down to the shop, tripping over the coffee table which came crashing to the floor.

"Yeah, now I get your attention," Hammer replied sarcastically, as if insulted.

"I swear to God Hammer," Tony threatened, his heart racing as he angrily stepped foot in the workshop. His voice shook and wavered angrily and his breath came in short bursts. "If swear to God, if you hurt her…"

"I don't mean to be a total douchebag when I say this but…" Hammer laughed once to himself. "Honestly, there isn't shit you can do to me right now."

"JARVIS trace," Tony spoke up as Hammer's voice was transferred to the workshop speaker's. He immediately, threw the phone he was holding towards the floor. Then to Hammer, he simply demanded, "Let her go."

"No," Hammer sang obnoxiously.

"I will kill you if you don't let her go!" Tony yelled, feeling his pulse pound in his ear. "This isn't a game-"

"Am I laughing?" Hammer suddenly yelled, almost as angrily as Tony. "Does it sound like I'm laughing?" And before Tony could even answer, he heard the unmistakable sound of a gunshot.

Tony's heart stopped.

"Pepper!"

Nothing, not a single sound from the other line and for a terrifying and heart wrenching moment, Tony thought that was it. He'd killed her – and that was the only reason Hammer had bothered calling; to kill her and force Tony to watch, or in this case, listen in.

"Pepper!" He screamed, on the verge of either passing out or crying. He wasn't sure. But he heard something shift on the other end and more muffled, and slightly annoyed, screams.

"Don't test me, Stark," Hammer warned him and Tony finally exhaled, his entire body still shaking from the initial shock. "I can get rid of her in the blink of an eye – don't test me."

"Where is she?" Tony yelled back, hardly comprehending the words coming out of Hammer's mouth.

Another shot, but this time Pepper heard the muffled scream and movement afterwards.

"Pepper!"

"Tony, it's—" Pepper. That was Pepper.

Another shot.

"—fine, it's okay, Tony-"

Another shot.

"Tony!"

Another muffled scream and Tony could hear her struggle before another shot rang.

"God damn it, Hammer, stop it! Let her go!" Tony yelled. God damn it, Tony thought to himself as grabbed a hand full of his hair and formed a fist. The anxiety was getting to him – he was losing it, physically and emotionally losing it and he wasn't sure how much more he could take before he broke down.

He couldn't break down, though. And he knew that – he couldn't afford to break down because he needed to be strong for her. She'd be fine – he'd make sure of that.

"What do you want?" Tony finally asked, as if in surrender and Hammer laughed again – and for the first time, his laugh sent shivers down Tony's spine.

"Cooperation, right? Trying to get in my head, see what I want? You want her back don't you?"

"Don't hurt her, please don't hurt her-"

"And that would be the begging, am I right?" Hammer taunted and Tony could hear the smile in his voice. "Tony Stark reduced to begging…God, I love this."

Address acquired, JARVIS interrupted.

"Assemble the suit," Tony instructed, then to Hammer, he cried, "What do you want?" Tony yelled, but this time there was no anger in his voice, no frustration, no resentment. A simple cry of desperation. Total vulnerability. "She did nothing to you, tell me where she is and let her go!"

"Tony, this one isn't about you," Hammer said simply and Tony cringed at the use of his shortened name. Not Anthony, not Stark – Tony. Hammer was controlling him. "She ruined my life, my career-"

"What do you want, the company? I don't need it you can take it back. I can pull some strings, get you out of prison-"

"Don't you get it? That means nothing anymore! You're too late, Anthony! No matter what you give me, the company will never be where it was, my name's already been ruined, there is nothing left for me!"'

That can't be it, there's got to be something. Something he wants…something I can make happen, Tony thought to himself, his mind rushing through possibilities faster than ever before. "No, that's not it-"

"Forget it, Anthony! I've already accepted it. So in this case, revenge really is the only answer."

"So do whatever you want to me," Tony begged. Not her, please not her. "Not her…let her go, please, leave her alone…"

"I can't do that, Tony," Hammer said, and Tony sensed an apologetic tone. A false apologetic tone but it was there nonetheless. And it frightened him.

"Hammer, don't-"

"Tony?"

Tony's words caught in the back of his throat at the sound of her voice.

"Pepper, it's going to be okay, alright? You're going to be fine, it's going to be fine-" He spoke quickly, trying to convince her as well as himself.

He heard her exhale slowly, almost painfully as she tried to compose herself before speaking. Her breathing was shaky and unstable. "Tony…"

There was no fear in her voice – just acceptance. And that terrified him. "Pepper, it's-"

"Tony, I love you so much," she interrupted, and he could immediately tell that she was crying.

No…No, it couldn't end like this. It wouldn't. "Pepper, you'll be fine, you're going to be fine…"

"It's going to be alright, Tony, okay?" She told him as her voice shook. "You're going to be fine – promise me."

"Pepper, no, you're-"

"Don't…don't do anything crazy, don't do anything stupid, promise to be careful-"

"Pepper, don't say that-"

"Be careful, alright? It's going to be fine if you're careful-"

"You know," Hammer interrupted – but all Tony could really hear was her quiet crying in the background; almost silent. "I really hate to do this. She's a great person really."

"Hammer…Justin, please," Tony begged as he gripped the side of the table. His heart was about to explode in his chest as he shook uncontrollably, staring at a blank computer screen. There was no point in trying to don the suit now. JARVIS had coordinates that Hammer was at least half an hour away if he used the suit – Hammer had all the power now – and Hammer knew that. "Please, don't…"

"The famous Iron Man – Tony Stark," Hammer said, as if hosting an event. "Finally reduced to begging."

"Please, don't do this…I can give you anything you want, I can do anything you need me to do, please…"

"Shh, Tony…Tony, it's going to be okay. You're going to be okay," Pepper pleaded with him. "Please."

"It doesn't take much, does it?" Hammer prodded. "To push you over the edge? All I had to do was point a gun at your girlfriend and you willingly came tumbling down. And once she's gone, they'll be nothing left for you. I'll be the one to bring you down – just like she brought me down."

"Please don't hurt her-"

"Say goodbye, Tony-"

"God damn it, Hammer – let her go, for the love of God-!" He was screaming now, on his feet, still holding on to the table to steady himself.

"Tell her goodbye, Tony," Hammer prodded. "Tell her it's going to be alright-" Tony heard the gun cocked and he jumped as his breath escaped him in erratic bursts. "Tell her you love her, tell her she's going to be okay."

"Tony, listen to me-" Pepper said over him.

"Go on…tell her, Tony-"

"Tony, I love you. I love you so much…"

"No…Pepper, no, I won't let you go…" he begged, his voice shaking as the tears escaped the corners of his eyes relentlessly.

"You're everything to me-"

"Why won't you say goodbye, Tony?"

"Hammer, stop!"

"—I'm sorry for ever doubting, for all the times I never believed in you-" Her voice was shaking and laced with sorrow and as he heard her, Tony's entire body shook as he cried, knowing that he had lost. This was it, this was the only woman he had ever loved being ripped away from her in the worst way possible.

Not like this…please not like this.

"Pepper, don't say that-"

"Tony, I-"

"I love you so much..." he finally whispered, staring at the blank screen. He wanted to…no, he needed to see her face just one more time. But all he saw was a dark reflection of himself, his face tear stained and eyes bloodshot red. He couldn't say goodbye. He didn't know how.

Hammer wouldn't kill her.

Even in a hopeless moment like this, he tried to convince himself that she would be all right. Because the fact of the matter was, if she wasn't, he wouldn't know how he would survive. How he would see the next minute, the next hour…how he would make it through another twenty four hours knowing she was gone, killed, and that there had been nothing he could do about it.

"Hammer, please," he begged again, desperately. Please don't take her away from me. I can't do it, I don't know how. "What do you want, tell me what you want? The suits? Do you want the suits? Software…JARVIS can-"

"I'm sorry Tony," Hammer said simply. "There's nothing of yours that I want now. You're too late."

"I will give you anything-"

"Tony, please-" Pepper spoke up, hardly a whisper.

Tony hesitated, his voice catching. "Pepper-"

"Tony, talk to me…please, just-"

She was scared – now he heard the fear and it only tore his heart into smaller pieces; being forced to hear that fear and sorrow in her voice. "Pepper, it's okay, I'm right here…I'm right here…"

Pepper exhaled slowly, shakily, as if trying to calm herself. "Okay…"

"Pepper…" He felt her name on his tongue, tasted it just by saying it. "I love you, Pepper-"

"Tony-"

"Virginia," he finally said. "Virginia…" And again he broke down, holding his head in his hands as his body shook. "Hammer, please…"

"Shh…Tony, Tony, it's going to be okay…it's okay…I love you…"

"I love you too, Pepper…please, don't-"

"Tony, I-"

The gunshot this time was infinitely times more deafening than the other gunshots he had heard combined. It shook his entire body and he felt the vibrations reverberate down his spine. He remained completely motionless for a millisecond, unable to comprehend and understand, incapable of assimilation of what he had just heard.

"Pepper!" he yelled, but there was nothing this time. She was silent and he heard Hammer throw the gun somewhere – maybe onto a table or the floor, but it didn't matter. Because she wasn't there.

"Pepper?" he yelled again, unwilling to accept. "PEPPER!" He screamed even louder, so loud that his own voice echoed in the workshop, bouncing back. Silence – nothing save for his own screams and sorrow. "PEPPER! No, please…Pepper! PEPPER!"

He didn't know what he was begging for anymore; a miracle perhaps, or maybe a reason to continue living. And as he screamed and mourned, his grief fueled a power he had not known he possessed – furniture was toppled, papers flew around the room and his computers came tumbling down the floor in loud crashes. They meant nothing to him anymore. It was all meaningless, because none of them had helped him when he had needed them most. He had failed her, because of these. His inventions, his genius mind, all of it had contributed to her end.

He hated himself.

He wasn't sure when Rhodey appeared behind him, but suddenly, someone was pulling him back, holding his arms and trying to pull him down towards the floor. And in Tony's sorrow induced haze, he didn't understand why – and he resisted, trying to break free, trying to escape to….escape to what, exactly? What was left for him?

"Tony!" Rhodey repeated his name multiple, trying in vain to get his attention, just to calm him down even if it was only for a few minutes. "Tony…Tony, stop…Tony…"

And just like that, Tony lost his willpower. His resistance ceased and he went limp, allowing his knees to buckle as he approached the cold floor. Rhodey held on to him, following him down to ground level.

"She's gone," Tony whimpered, crying like a child. "She's gone and I did nothing…he killed her and it's my fault…God!"

"Tony, just…it's…I'm…" but what could he say? What was left for him to say?

Tony buried his face into his friends shoulder and cried, wanting to die. He couldn't remember a time he had ever wanted something so badly. Why was death, something that had searched for him multiple times in the past, now evading him when he needed it most? "She's gone," he blubbered helplessly. "He killed her and she's gone…"

"I'm sorry, Tony…"

"It hurts…" he cried, as his body shook against his friend. His shoulders jumped up and down, trying to keep up with him. "She's gone and it hurts…"

When Hammer had explained his plan, she had refused. She couldn't do it, it was physically impossible for her to do this. She couldn't hurt him, not like this.

"You'd better kill me, Hammer," she had told him. "You'd better kill me now because there's no way on Earth I'm going to help you with this. I'll die first."

"I can just as easily have him killed right before his time. This way, at least he'll live."

"You won't be able to get your hands on him," she had replied cockily. She knew JARVIS – nothing could pass him. Systems and programs had tried but all in vain. JARVIS was an insurmountable fortress and Hammer wasn't the kind to break a barrier so many before him had failed to conquer. He lacked the imagination. "You won't be able to get past the programs."

"That may be true," Hammer said, nodding to himself. "But there's one thing I know for certain. And that's that he'll be willing to kill himself in exchange for your life. Now can you deny that?"

She hesitated. "What do you want, Hammer? The suits?"

"Forget the suits, all I want is his pride. Or to yank that from him. And how better to do that than to yank what's most important to him?"

"He'll kill you."

"No, he won't. Listen, Princess, you don't have much of a choice but to play along. If you're alive, I can control him. I can make him give me thirty suits or do a quick tap dance, whatever I want. He will be mine until I let you go. And by controlling him, I can just as easily kill him. But…if you're out of the equation entirely and forever, then I've lost all leverage. So the truth is, in sacrificing yourself, you'll be saving him."

"But you want to let me live – why not kill me and accomplish your goal?"

"Let's face it, Ms. Potts," Hammer said, as unwrapped a lollipop. "I'm a lot of things – but the one thing that's managed to make it off my list is murder. I for one, would like to keep it like that for as long as possible."

There was something he wasn't telling her – something important and vital. But before she even had the chance to question him properly, he was already dialing the number and the voice of the genius she had fallen in love with, came through the speakers of the phone.

"Yes?" he answered. He hadn't been sleeping – the groggy tone that was usually there was absent.

Pepper's heart immediately melted but she forced her mind to work. So what was her plan of action? She didn't know Hammer's motive and she hadn't even agreed to aid Hammer in his plan, and yet, Hammer had dialed the number. And immediately she understood why.

He knew what she was going to choose. She loved him too much. And even though she didn't know what Hammer's ulterior motive was, she knew there was only one real option if she wanted to save him.

Then the first gunshot.

He fired at one of the walls in the back, far away from Pepper but by now, she was used to that. Hammer was absolutely correct when he said he wasn't a murderer, so he used another weapon to his advantage, a more powerful weapon – fear.

"So how are you doing, Anthony?" Hammer had taunted.

Keep quiet. If I'm quiet then he'll be fine.

"Where is she?"

It was Tony – the first time she had heard his voice in hours and she was fueled with new drive. She wouldn't keep quiet – she would fight. Hammer started saying something else but Pepper swiftly cut in.

He needs to know I'm safe, that I'm all right. "Tony, I-" she started. But just as quickly as the words escaped her lips, Hammer made his way towards the back of her chair and covered her mouth and nose, with one hand.

Not again, Pepper thought to herself as she tried to break free.

"I swear to God, Hammer…if you hurt her…I will kill you…if you don't let her go…"

Tony, don't do anything stupid. Please, don't do anything stupid. She silently begged and suddenly, Hammer's hand left her face. But before she could say anything, he stuffed an old bandana into her mouth and she immediately gagged – she could taste the dust.

"Am I laughing?" Hammer suddenly yelled and without hesitation, he fired at the wall again and Pepper jumped, trying to push the bandana out of her mouth with her tongue.

More gunshots. "Pepper!" Tony yelled after her painfully.

"Tony!" she yelled back over the gunshots. They were coming in a never ending stream now, but always shot at the opposite wall – never directed at her. Hammer was just trying to get to Tony; this was his way of making him suffer.

"Tony, I'm fine, it's okay, Tony. I'm fine-" she tried to explain, but she knew her words were being cut off each time the gun went off. She could only hope that her voice was enough to give him the hope he needed, even if it was going to be dragged from underneath him in just moments.

"What do you want, Hammer?" Tony finally asked when the gunshots had subsided, and Pepper sighed sadly, sensing the change in his tone. And Hammer sensed it as well.

"Cooperation, right?" he teased. "You want her back, don't you?"

"Don't hurt her, please…"

"And that would be the begging? Tony Stark reduced to begging…"

She wanted to say something, anything, but her words had been stolen from her the moment Tony had fallen. He just wanted her; that was it. And hearing that brutal honesty, knowing that he was willing to give himself and all that he was for her…maybe she should have been happy to know just how much he loved her, or touched. But instead it saddened her, because she knew that the moment he tried cooperation with Hammer, Tony had lost. And now Hammer would do everything in his power to win and in the process, drive Tony insane.

Tony don't do this – not for him, and not for me.

"What do you want?" Tony yelled again and Pepper closed her eyes, feeling the tingling sensation that always came before the tears. It hurt to hear him like this and the pain dug deep within her. This was something she had never seen, this new vulnerability and fear; and it pained her to witness it now.

"So do whatever you want to me…not her…let her go, please…"

She couldn't do this anymore, she couldn't just sit back and listen to…

Her thoughts stopped as she slowly opened her eyes, the final motive of Justin Hammer finally illuminated in her mind. This was the plan. To drive them both past the brink of sanity. To force them to listen in on each other's anguish and know that there was nothing they could do about it. His plan was to unravel them both, watch them descend into that terrifying state of despair. And his plan was working.

"Tony?" she whispered. She needed to talk to him, just talk to him. And as soon as she said those words, Hammer pointed the gun at her.

So he was going to kill her after all. He had just wanted to make sure she played the part. Well, she had participated just as he had wanted, and now she was going to have her say – just to him. Just to Tony.

"Pepper, it's going to be okay…you're going to be fine…"

"Tony…" she repeated his name, knowing it would be her last time to do so. She had lost that fear in her voice because she had finally accepted her fate. And all she wanted now was Tony's promise that he would make it through all of this. That he would move on.

"Tony, I love you so much…" she whispered. "You're going to be alright if you're careful…you're going to be fine – promise me…"

She could hear him crying, hear the shaking in his voice and she immediately felt broken. "Pepper don't say that, please…"

"Be careful, alright? It's going to be fine…"

"I really hate to do this," Hammer interrupted cockily. "She's a great person, really."

"Hammer, please…" Tony begged. And the tears poured down Pepper's face in even greater pools.

"Shh, Tony…" Ignore him, don't listen to him. I'm right here. "Tony, it's going to be okay. You're going to be okay," she pleaded with him.

"Say goodbye, Tony…"

"God damn it, Hammer!" Tony screamed suddenly, crying and Pepper jumped, shaking as she listened to him quickly unravel, losing his own mind and sanity.

"Tell her goodbye, Tony…tell her it's going to be alright…"

"Tony, listen to me..." Pepper said, trying to get his attention. She needed him to just accept. "I love you so much."

"No…Pepper, no, I won't let you go…"

"You're everything to me…I'm sorry…" And just like that the apologies came pouring out of her. But she refused to apologize for not telling him the truth earlier – the truth about her pregnancy test. She couldn't do that to him, not now. It was likely that he'd never find out too, and for that she was grateful. She didn't want to leave him with that knowledge.

He had gone back to begging Hammer, offering everything and anything he could think off, but Hammer wasn't taking any of it."

"Tony, talk to me…please, just…" Pepper tried to get through to him, the fear finally taking hold of her. She didn't want to die alone – she needed to hear him.

"Pepper, it's okay…" he said quietly and Pepper nodded slightly, actually believing him. "I'm right here…I'm right here…Pepper…I love you, Pepper."

She whimpered not ready to leave; not ready to leave him.

"Tony-"

"Virginia," he finally said and immediately she lost it, crumpling in her seat.

"Tony, I love you-"

"I love you too, Pepper…please, don't-"

"Tony, I-"

The shot had gone off and she was silenced, waiting for darkness, warmth, cold, whatever it was that was supposed to envelop a person in their final moments. But nothing came. She turned to Hammer, eyes wide and finally understood the truth.

Hammer hadn't lied. He wasn't a murderer. And the shot had gone off for the millionth time – at the far end wall.

But Hammer was looking at her wide eyed, a finger on his lips. He then moved his hand to his neck and made a swiping motion and Pepper understood the movement perfectly. Talk, and I'll kill you and him for real.

But Tony didn't know that – Tony, back at home was sure she was gone. But instead, of simply hanging up, Hammer left the line running.

"Pepper! PEPPER! God, no, no, no…PEPPER!"

Hammer was going to make her listen. She stared at him, silently begging him to cut the line but he wasn't even looking at her. He was looking at the phone, smirking triumphantly at the chaos and sorrow he had caused. And Pepper was sure she couldn't handle it. No…she knew she couldn't handle it.

The crashes came shortly afterwards and it took everything in her power not to cry audibly, to not ease his mind and tell him that she was here, alive and well. Her muscles clenched and she tried to remain still, crying as she heard him tumble into a dark abyss of grief.

Tony! Tony!

"Hey, hey…Tony, stop…"

Rhodey, it was Rhodey and Pepper could tell he was trying to hold him, trying to bring him back into the real world. And shortly afterwards, the crashes ceased though his cries, shrieks and whimpers persisted, becoming only thing she could hear.

"She's gone!" Tony cried. "She's gone…he killed her and it's my fault…God, it hurts…she's gone…"

And his cries continued; Hammer forcing her to say nothing until he finally decided they had both been tortured enough. He then hung up, leaving the torn couple to flounder in their respective misery and despair.

So they're both alive – but one of them is PISSED! Read and review please!

xoxo writingmonkey10