There was some mixed ideas in my mind as to how this chapter should go, I know there are a few things which need to be adressed in realtion to Chapter One, and some small details along the way. Rest assured they will be adressed.

I don't like lose ends, that's how things just fall apart! So we will have a good few chapters ahead of us to resolve these little things, hope you're still enjoying!

I woke up some hours later, the room was still dark, I couldn't make out whether it was morning yet. Everything was a complete blend of time and events which I couldn't work out.

Pepper was still asleep; I got out of the bed as quietly as I could.

'Jarvis, what time is it?' My connection to Jarvis was better than before. I barely had to think the thought before the answer came to me.

'Eight fifteen in the morning sir.'

I made my way to the bathroom, a shower was much needed, there was still blood and ash mixed in through my hair, I shook my head at my own reflection, 'you look like death.' I muttered to myself.

'Sir, Colonel Rhodes, Dr Banner and Mr Hogan are still here, they've been here all night.' Jarvis announced as I dressed.

I nodded, 'good, I'm heading down now, can we get a status check on my vitals?'

'The arc reactor is running at one hundred per cent, the Extremis is running in tandem with your own brain waves and your heart rate is one twenty over eighty.'

'Thank you Jarvis don't wake Pepper ok.' I made my way downstairs.

'Very well sir.'

I took the stairs two at a time; they sat in the workshop talking amongst themselves, as soon as I walked in they stopped and looked up at me.

Bruce walked over to me, he handed me a syringe filled with blue liquid, 'the final dosage to control the Extremis.'

I took it from him, 'thank you, so you stayed here all night?' I injected myself, the same burning sensation as the first injection spread through my body. I let the syringe drop to the ground.

'Tony, you ok?' Rhodey rushed over to me.

'Yeah, I'm fine; remind me to make something less invasive next time.' I said through gritted teeth. I rubbed the injection site, 'really brutal.' I muttered.

'How are you feeling?' Happy asked motioning to the sofa.

We all sat down, 'better,' I pinched the bridge of my nose, 'killer headache, but everything is as it should be.'

'This was really impressive, completely crazy, but impressive.' Bruce nodded to the folders with my reversal notes in it.

'Had to be done, I couldn't risk anyone getting a hold of the Extremis.' I explained.

'I Know, it was terrifying Tony, seeing you like that in the fire.' Rhodey cleared his throat, 'I thought you died, and then they told me that your body was alive but you were brain dead, that was even worse.'

I looked down at my hands, I nodded, 'I know, and I'm sorry.'

Happy squeezed my shoulder, 'we're just glad you're back, boss.'

I looked to Rhodey, he smiled weakly, 'just don't leave us like that again.' He said quietly.

'I'm doing my best.' I nodded, 'is Pepper going to be ok?' I looked to Happy.

'Her doctor said she'll be fine, just a few bruises and lacerations, she was lucky, you got to her in time.'

I shook my head; I dropped my gaze to the ground below me, 'lucky.' I muttered, 'she was taken because of me.'

'Maybe Tony, but if it were anyone else, she would be in the morgue, she's alive because of you.' Rhodey explained.

I knew that what he was saying was true; I just couldn't come to accept it.

'He's right.'

I looked up, Pepper came through the doors, 'if I was relying on anyone else it could have been so much worse, you need to stop blaming yourself.'

She walked over to me, my breath caught in my chest, she was more and more beautiful as the days went on.

'See, listen to what the woman says.' Happy said with a smile.

I held my hand out, I took Pepper's hand in mine, 'you're amazing.' I said with a smile.

'So are you.' She smiled, she sat in my lap, 'so Mr Stark, what are you planning on doing about this?' She turned on the TV on one of the screens before us.

Reports confirm that the warehouse which was engulfed by flames two nights ago belonged to the three men responsible for a foiled terrorist attack on the United States of America.

It is confirmed that Tony Stark's CEO and PA Miss Virginia Potts was held for ransom. During the rescue operation Stark was critically injured. He is currently being held in a private hospital in an induced coma, it is reported that he may be permanently incapacitated.

Friends of the billionaire have asked for privacy during this emotional time.

I looked around at Bruce, Rhodey, Happy and back at Pepper.

'Well, at least we can always rely on the press.' I said with a grin.

'That's exactly what we needed.' Rhodey said.

I nodded, 'as long as I'm out of the picture, you're all safe.'

'We need to find the last guy, he'll be looking for you, he'll still want to try to extract anything he can.' Bruce said quietly.

'I'm counting on it, bait.' I explained.

Pepper shook her head, 'no, Tony, not a chance, you're not going to openly put yourself out there as bait.'

'I have to Pep, I need to finish this.' I looked at her face; I could see the worry in her eyes.

'Why do you have to Tony?' She asked quietly.

'Because this is what I have to do, I took the Extremis, not anyone else.' I tried to justify myself.

She shook her head, 'no Tony, I can't, I can't sit idly by and watch you do this, you're going to die, and I'm never going to get you back.'

'Hey, hey, hey, I'm not going to die, Pep, it's ok.' I tried to calm her.

She stood up and out of my grasp, she ran her hands through her hair, 'I can't lose you Tony.'

I walked over to her and pulled her into me, 'you're not, I won't leave you.'

She tried to push me away.

'Stop Pep.' I tried calm her.

She pushed against my chest.

I caught her hands, 'stop, Pepper please, I need you to believe in me, I can't do this if you're not behind me.'

'No, I can't.' She pulled her hands out of mine, 'I'll be upstairs.'

I saw her eyes begin to water, she briskly turned away from me, she walked through the doors without saying another word.

I stood where she left me, I looked to Bruce and Rhodey.

I turned to Happy, 'don't let her go anywhere, Hap.' I went after Pepper.

'Pepper?' I yelled as I ran through the house, 'please, I need you with me on this.'

'Go away Tony.' She yelled from the bedroom.

I stood in the doorway, I watched her pack her things, I watched the woman I love doing everything she could to run away from me.

'Pepper.' I said quietly.

'Don't bother, I'm not staying, do what you need to do.' She yelled through tears.

'I'm asking you to stay.' I said quietly.

'You're asking me to watch you kill yourself.' She stopped packing and turned to me. She cried openly.

I didn't make a move, I stood by the door and let her cry it out. I knew she needed it, I knew how long she held it together. Every year by my side was a chore, every time I put on the armour was agony, every time I left a mess for her to clean up was torture.

'I know how hard loving me is, I know it's hard Pepper, but I'm asking you to stay.'

She looked at me; she wrapped her arms around herself.

'I need you.' I said quietly.

She looked down at her feet, 'I'm sorry.' She cried.

I knew it, I expected it, maybe not now, not yet, but I knew in time she would leave, it wasn't fair of me to expect her to stay; I put her life in danger every day just by being me.

I nodded, I tucked one hand into my pocket, 'you do deserve better, you always have.' I ran y hand through my hair, I offered a weak smile. I turned away from her; I couldn't let her see me fall apart. I couldn't watch her change her mind because she felt guilty. I walked away.

'Tony.' She called after me.

I didn't turn back, I didn't slow down.

'Tony I'm so sorry.' She called after me.

I'm sorry too. I heard he coming after me, I walked faster and faster. There's nothing I wanted more than to let her run into my arms, to hold her and kiss her. Instead I walked away from her, away from her voice and the only thing in this world which made my life worth living.

I rushed into the workshop; I made my way to the Audi.

'What's going on, Tony, wait.' Rhodey asked firmly.

I rushed past him, I slid into the driver's seat, I turned the car on and slammed my foot on the accelerator.

My mind ran a million miles an hour, all I could see was Pepper's face, her tears, the sadness in her eyes. I weaved through the traffic, my own eyes watered, I blinked through it. I drove faster and faster. 'Jarvis, send emails out to the press, I'm holding a conference, now.'

'Is that such a good idea sir?' Jarvis challenged.

'I'm out of good ideas Jarvis, that was Pepper's forte.' I retorted.

'Sir, incoming call from Miss Potts.' Jarvis announced.

'Reject.' I muttered as I pulled into the driveway of Stark International.

I glanced down at my watch, more than an hour had passed since I heard Pepper give up of everything I had relied on her for. I couldn't believe how quickly everything had escalated and how quickly I had lost everything. Now there was nothing left to do, but to finish what I had started. I took the Extremis, I put myself and everyone else around me at risk. This was all on me, this was my fight. I didn't blame Pepper, I couldn't blame her, I couldn't be angry because I knew that eventually I would push her away, and as miserable I would be, I was happy that at least she would be safe.

I stepped outside as one of my bodyguards opened the door, he nodded toward the other bodyguard by the walkway, the media was quick on the response to the email, something I could always rely on.

'Sir!'

'Sir!'

'Mr Stark!'

Dozens of reporters stood by the entrance to the building.

I gathered myself, 'It's good to be back.' I held my hands out and grinned at the reporters. The sunglasses I donned covered the fact that I was completely falling apart.

I made my way to the stage escorted by my bodyguards.

The chatter quietened down as soon as I folded my hands across the podium, 'as you can see ladies and gentlemen, I am alive and well, and better than ever.' I put forward as much eccentric billionaire as I could. Enough to keep them off my back and keep them satisfied.

'I would also like to say that Miss Potts is still recovering from the incident and I would appreciate it if you would allow her some time to recover in peace.' I took my sunglasses off, 'and this is a private message to those men who attempted to destroy my world, you haven't succeeded, you never will, and if you try, the full force of the law will be against you, as well as Iron Man.' I smirked.

Chatter erupted from the reporters before me, one woman stood out from the rest, Christine Everhart.

'Mr Stark, who are these people who threatened you?' She said with that same calculating grin which she bore the last time I saw her.

'They worked for Futurepharm and were developers of the Extremis virus.' I explained with an amused smirk.

'And why do these people want you?' she feigned ignorance.

'Ms Everhart, I believe these questions were already addressed in earlier interviews with my staff, but for the sake of argument, they believe I have the ability to reproduce this serum, which I do not.' I lied.

'And Miss Potts was taken because?' She cocked her head and smirked at me.

'Because she is the closest individual to me, she would have access to everything I have access to, it makes sense.' I treaded carefully; there couldn't be any further ties to me.

'And that is the only reason she was targeted?'

I looked at her with an annoyed smile, 'yes, she is my personal assistant, thank you everyone, please forward any further questions you may have to Miss Potts' inbox, we will attend to them when she feels well enough to do so.'

I nodded to the reporters; Christine's smug look was wiped off her face.

Whatever went on in my life, whatever was going on behind the scenes, I was first and foremost Tony Stark, I lived for the media, I lived in the public eye. There wasn't a single person who could shake that foundation, I was born to play the press and I did it better than anyone, especially now when it mattered most. I planted the seed; whoever was looking for me now, had me.

Christine Everhart is my favourite little reporter lady! I think she's got such sass, so I had to write her in, even if it was a few lines hehe, hope this wasn't too sad for anyone, I just think it was more realistic to have something like this, I mean if we're going by the movies, how many times has Pepper tried to quit!?

So annoying, I know, but I thouht this would tie in well and make it more true to the characters!

Looking forward to hearing your reviews :D