Iron Man

Friction

Part Six

With a full moon glisten in the night sky, a smile spread across Victor Peterson's face. Pushing the gas petal down to the floor the moment Tony Stark's mansion came into view, he laughed as he crashed through the front room window.

"Ah, nothing like making an entrance," Victor mused. Followed with a chuckle.

Up in the bedroom, Tony felt the house move, and he knew Pepper must have felt it too. Or maybe not, for she was still asleep.

Rosing to his feet, Tony bent over and kissing Pepper on the forehead before heading over to the bedroom door. Looking back at pepper a sigh escaped his lips. He knew who entered down stairs and with Happy still on his way, he would have to do his best to keep his guest company.

Closing the door behind him, Tony headed towards the stairs to greet his unwanted guest.

Downstairs in the car, half in the living room and half outside. Victor smirked. Opening the car door, he grab his duffle bag and dropped it on the hood of his car before letting his eyes scan over the room. From a large couch set, TV that almost covered a huge chuck on the wall to various statutes and trophies on display. His eyes narrowed the moment he laid eyes on a picture of Tony and pepper on the way, smiling on a beach.

"Muse my muse, where is thee?" Victor said aloud as he snatched the frame picture off the wall and slammed it on the ground.

"Sorry, but you not setting a hand on her again," Tony replied, walking down the stairs.

Victor scoffed as Tony reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh my, here comes the knight in shining armor to protect his beloved princess… oh wait, I don't see you armor." Victor said, laughing. "For without it you don't stand a chance."

Balling up his fists, Tony bit his lip as he charged at Victor with a smile still on his face. He simply stepped to the side and put his leg out, causing Tony to stumble, hitting his head on the hood of the car. Victor grabs him by the neck on shirt, his smile morphed into a smirk.

"This is the last act of the story Tony, and this time the villain wins." Victor said, before pushing Tony away.

Yet Tony refused to give up balling up his fists once more. Victor did the same as the two circled around each other. Tony punched at Victor, who blocked and laid a few blows. But Tony broke through, landing two punches that caused Victor to stumble backwards with a swift kick. Victor fell to the floor.

Standing up and dusting himself off, Victor smiled, licking the blood off his lips.

"Looks like this knight still has some fight left in him."

"I'm just getting started,"

From tossing statues, plaques, pictures to pieces of glass. The living room slowly turned into a battleground where neither side wanted to stop. Breathing hard, Victor pushed Tony back and ran to the hood of his car. Pulling out a steel bat from his duffle bag, he ran up to Tony and smacked him in the stomach, then in the face, knocking him to the floor.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Tony screamed with each hit Victor delivered.

"You fought well, but you have lost valiant knight for I, the author and Villain, shall end this story."

Heading back to the hood of the car, Victor pulled out a large bundle of rope from his bag and moved toward the stairs.

Squirming on the floor, Tony spotted one of his gloves on a stand encased in glass. Crawling over, the grab the display and slammed it on the floor. Slipping on the glove, it lit up in moments.

"Hey Victor!" Tony yelled.

Turning to Tony, Victor's eyes widen as the blast from Tony's glove sends him flying toward the wall by the stairs. Sliding down on the ground, Victor closed his eyes. Tony was about to move until Victor's eyes shot open as he rose to his feet. Tony couldn't believe it. As his glove was busy recharging, Victor smiled.

"The villain is always immortal! Victor shouted.

Just as he was about to charge at Tony, he stood there for a moment and dropped to the floor. Looking up, Tony smiled. For standing above Victor was Pepper with the steel battle in her hands.

"No one is immortal, not even you." Pepper said, dropping the bat.

Looking at Tony, she made her way over to his side, helping him on to the couch. Laying his head on her shoulder, she tried to wrap her hand around him, only for Tony to hiss and wince.

"Sorry," Pepper said.

"Its alright, thanks for the help," Tony said before wincing again.

"Don't mention it. I woke up to a bunch of noise and before I knew it, I was down the stairs, hitting him on the back of the head."

"Reflexes huh, I must be rubbing off on you," Tony joked.

Pepper laughed Tony did too, only to wince right after.

Minutes later, sirens interrupted their moment as Happy and Rodey ran in with police and EMTs. Within seconds, Victor was up on a gurney, as was Tony. To be honest, both of them were surprised he even had a pulse.

Outside, the EMTs rolled Tony into the back of the ambulance. Pepper hopped on the back motion for Happy to join them, but he shook his head.

"You two go on. I'll take care of things here." Happy replied.

"Okay, I am heading with Mr. Peterson. If he survivors, I will make sure he doesn't see daylight again," Rodey said, hopping into the other ambulance.

"Thank you both," Pepper replied.

Happy smiled and nodded as she closed the back of the ambulance van.

Inside the ambulance, Pepper sat by Tony with her hand in his. Tony squeezed it gently as an enormous sigh escaped left her lips. Tony smiled.

"I guess we are both glad this is over,"

"Yes... but I can't shake the feeling that it isn't." Pepper said.

"Tony squeezed Peppers gently and sighed. "Either way, let's relish in our victory today. Oh, and the next time any old boyfriends or even friends come by…"

"You'll be the first to know."

Tony smiled as Pepper laid a kiss on his forehead as he closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

Two years later, in a maximum-security prison, Victor Peterson sat in his cell enjoying a plate of burn toast and stale coffee. Moments later, a guard approached his cell, sliding a newspaper under the bars, hitting Victor's feet. Looking up at the guard, he gave him a light nod, who returned it before walking away.

Picking it up, he gave the paper a good shake before looking at the major headline on the front page. It read: "Spiderman New York's Crime Fighter Friend or Foe?"

Setting down the newspaper, a smile spread across Victor's face as a chuckle escaped his lips. Sipping from his cup, he sat back in his chair, staring at the paper on his desk.

Swinging around in his chair, he could not contain his laugher. Picking up the paper once more, he stared at the picture of Spiderman gently caressing it. Another guard came by, smacking the bars.

"Shut up! What are you so happy abut any ways?" The guard asked.

"Because I have the perfect idea for a story and it will be a doozy."

End?