Iron Man

Friction

Part Four

A warm breeze tickled the tree branches of the large oak tree near the parking lot at Stark industries. Pepper and victor were sitting under the large oak tree enjoy lunch together. She told herself she would stop having lunch with him, but she kept doing it. Why, she kept asking herself as she sat and ate her Caesar salad. She swayed left and right as Victor sang. Her body seems to move on its own, as if her mind was holding it prisoner.

With Tony busy with avenger business and the project, maybe it wouldn't hurt to enjoy this. Yet doubt crept up on her, across her mind, for she knew Victor and this peace wouldn't last long. He told her he had changed, but she had a feeling he hadn't.

"Here," Victor said, handling her a bottle of water.

Taking it, Pepper opened the bottle. She noticed it had no brand name on it. She stopped at first, wanting to ask Victor what brand this water was. Yet Victor's eyes narrowed as he slowly pushed the bottle up to her lips. But before a single drop could touch her lips, a hand reached out and snatched the bottle away.

Pepper and Victor turned to see Tony and Happy standing there. Happy put the cap back on the water as Tony reached his hand out to Pepper. Pepper hesitated. She looked into Tony's eyes and reached out her hand, but as she moved toward him Victor pulled Pepper back, tightening his grip on her left hand as Tony took a hold of her right.

Looking between the two men, her past and present. Pepper had a choice to make, but who would she choose. With so much friction in the air between the three of them, it's only right for a fire to start. But can she smother it out or would the flames would engulf her? If only her mind could think straight with her mind spinning, all she could do was continue to look between the two men, wondering who she should choose.

"Let her go!" Tony yelled.

"Virginia doesn't want to go with you, right?" Victor asked, looking at Pepper.

Eyes were on Pepper, but her mind refused to listen to her. With her breathing ragged as sweat dripped down from her brow. So she ignored her mind and listen to heart. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she looked in Tony's direction. He was her future, her love and even though the time they spend together isn't long, it's the moments the share she loved the most.

Jerking away from Victor, Pepper looked back at him, trying to get her arm free. Her eyes widen for that when she saw it that sinister smile. She knew too well, along with those dark eyes that chilled her to the bone. Victor's possessive nature has finally come to the surface.

Pepper's mind pushed back to the shouting matches, smashing of glass, guitars and bottle and even fires. Victor hated not getting what he wanted and back then, all he wanted was her.

A moment she would never forget entered her mind. Pepper was running late for her accounting class. They were having a test today; she studies all night for it. Pepper had an argument with Victor an hour before. She didn't show up last night to help him write. She told him she has a test today, but he ignored her. So here she was, running to class with her books and bag in hand. As she turns the corner, Pepper's eyes widen as she dropped her bag and books on the ground. As a hand wrapped around her neck tightly, Victor slammed her up against the brick wall.

"Victor…. Please," Pepper pleaded, gasping for air.

"I won't let you go…. You 're my muse and no one else's," Victor hissed.

Blinking, Pepper's mind brought her hack to the present. Jerking her hand out of Victor's grip, Tony pulled her close as Victor rose to his feet, only for two guards to grab his arms.

"Take him away. I will deal with him later." Tony demanded.

Lifting Pepper into his arms, she and Tony locked eyes for a moment before Pepper laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Tony glanced over at Happy.

"Get a Doctor Lana. Tell her to meet me at home,"

"Understood," Happy said as he pulled out his phone.

Tony headed over to his car that had its tip down. Slipping Pepper into the passenger's seat and buckling her up. Tony hopped into the driver's seat and put the key in ignition. Looking over at Pepper, he gently reached to touch Pepper's cheek, which caused her to jerk.

"No… Tony…." Pepper mumbled

"Shh, rest. We can talk later,"

Turning the key, Tony pulled out of the parking lot and put his foot down on the gas, headed home. He wanted to get her as far away from Victor as possible.

Walking with the security guards on either side of him, Victor sighed as she stopped. Tiling his head to the left and right, he turned around to the guards.

"Keep moving," one of guards said.

"Sorry, but I am not going anywhere with you." Victor said.

One guard went to push him, but Victor caught his hand and twisted it and kicked the other guard in the stomach. He then headed butted the guard's arm as he twisted, who stumbled back and drop to his knees before being knocked out by a kick to the head. Turning to the other guard, Victor smiled as charged at him. Knocking him down to the ground, he unleashed multiple punches to his face until his fists were bloody.

With the guard unconscious, Victor rose to his feet, staring at his bruised and bloody knuckles with a smile still across his lips.

"Like in any story when the first plan doesn't work, always have a Plan B," Victor said, before licking his knuckles as he walks away.