I don't own any of the Marvel characters in this story and I hope that you all will enjoy it. I have explained it in the next chapter as to what I wanted to say.

Chapter Seventeen: Escaping before the clock strikes 12

Still at the Ball/Leaving the castle

Pepper ran through the castle trying to get outside to get into the carriage before it hits 12:00. As she finally got up to the final steps as then she ran into King Howard as she said "Oh I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there. . . . . . . Oh and by the way you highness" Howard looked at the mysterious lady as Pepper said "Your son is so sweet and kind you should be proud of him." Howard looked at Pepper shocked at what she just said as she ran past him. As then coming up the stairs was Tony running up to find Pepper as Howard looked at his own son as he said "Tony do you know who that beautiful young lady was" Tony turned to his father while he continued to running away from him as he yelled out "Not now dad, I'll tell you when I come back!" Tony ran through the halls of the palace trying to get to Pepper but sadly she was too fast for him to get to her for the clock was ticking away. Tony watched as Pepper went through the next corridor only to disappear from it; as he continue to run James appeared as he said "What's going on" Tony continued running while yelling out "Pepper is running away, and I need to catch her help me!"

James sighed as he stopped Tony from running anymore as he said "Tony just let me go after her, you stay here and tell your parents the night that you just had with 'Cinderella' okay!" Tony sighed as he nodded in agreement and then watched James run after Pepper. Tony headed back to where is father was at as Howard was standing there waiting for his son to tell him what was going on. Howard looked at Tony as he said "So what just happened and who was that beautiful princess that ran past me?" Tony put his hand on his father's shoulder as he said "Okay come on I need to talk to you and mom about the woman that I'm in love with" then both him and his father headed back to where his mother was waiting for them.

James finally got around to the corridor as he noticed that Pepper was finally getting to the outside of the palace and almost disappearing from the sight. James ran to the steps only to see Pepper flying down the stairs as he noticed that she was about to get to the second landing where she lost her shoe; as she turned around to see if she could get it James ran down the stairs while saying "Wait Pepper come back, Tony really wants you to stay" but then Pepper turned back and continue to go down the stairs. James finally go to the shoe that she left as Obadiah came down the steps just as fast as James did and picked up the shoe that was left. Obadiah looked at James as he yelled out "Who the hell was that woman that ran out of the palace like that! Why would she leave a shoe behind?" James looked back at Obadiah as he said "Look I'll go after her just stay here and watch over the king and the royal family" but Obadiah gave off an angry vibe as he said "No I will take care of the woman, you stay here for all we know is that woman could have been a spy for a someone. Go tend to Prince Tony and the king and queen as well we must make sure that this doesn't happen again!" James watched as Obadiah ran down the steps as well and went on the steps when James picked the glass shoe thinking 'Well this really is Cinderella.' Then James sadly did what Obadiah said and went back into the palace to tend to the royal family.

Pepper got into the carriage and started to leave the palace where the ball was being held. Pepper looked out from the carriage window to see that the clock and the bell that was attached to the clock tower ringing away. Pepper hoped that nothing would happen to the carriage as they were racing against the clock, but then Pepper heard one of the guards with Obadiah yelling out "Get her, get her! Don't let that bitch leave, stop her, stop her" as then Pepper looked out of the window to see them coming and then looked away from the scene. As then she noticed that one of the footmen was not back into a lizard, but then the carriage finally got through the gate that was connected to the path to the castle as the gate closed behind them leaving the guards stuck there. Pepper sighed for relief as they rode off into the distance but it was short lived as Pepper noticed that the carriage started to turn back into a pumpkin from the inside making the walls orange and the pumpkin seeds had appeared Pepper held onto the lizard that was the footmen. As then she saw the goose fly away, then the pumpkin was getting smaller and smaller making Pepper smashed up against the door. The pumpkin was about to keep rolling until it hit a twig; which hit the dirt then smashed in a million piece which made Pepper come out of the pumpkin unharmed. Pepper stepped out like she was coming out of nothing as she looked at herself as she noticed that she was now wearing the rags that she was in earlier and noticed that she had only one glass slipper on. As she took off the glass slipper and held it in her hand she looked at the mice as she said "Here come on in it is very comfortable." Then both she and the animals walked all the way back to the cottage before her evil step mother and sisters would come back from the ball.

At the castle

King Howard looked at his son Tony and his wife Maria as the king said "Okay now son tell me about that beautiful woman that just ran past me. I have never seen someone so kind and in my life expect for your mother." Maria smiled at her husband and to her son as she said "That is the woman that stole our son's heart. Oh we have to find her, did she leave anything for us to find her" as if on cue James showed up with a glass slipper in one hand and walking with Obadiah on his left. Tony looked at Rhodes as he said "James did you stop her" James shook his head 'no' as Obadiah said "The lady has disappear from us. Whoever it was will not harm this kingdom ever again!" Tony got angry as he was about to go up to Obadiah as King Howard stopped him as he said "Tony don't" Tony looked at his father in shock as Howard continued "Tony we will talk later, your mother and I need to have a word with Obadiah" all Tony could do was nod at both his father and mother as James took Tony back to the other guests leaving Howard and Maria alone with Obadiah.

Obadiah looked at the king and queen as he said "Is there a problem your majesty" Howard looked at Obadiah sternly as he said "The queen and I have been talking to the King of Winterstar and do you know what he told me!" Obadiah looked at him quiz led as he said "About what your majesty" then Maria spoke in a sternly way "He told us that we agreed to an arranged marriage with his daughter Princess Ann!" Obadiah looked at them shocked as he said "That is an unbelievable why would he say something like that" Howard looked at him angered as he said "You tell us! You told him that his daughter would marry our son when we told you that he will be picking his own wife! What is the meaning of this" Obadiah sighed as he said "I simply was looking after the kingdom of our fair country, and looking after you as well as your family your majesties. My intentions were never malevolent it was only for the good of the kingdom. If I have offended you then I am truly sorry" Obadiah got down on one knee and bowed. Howard sighed as did Maria as she stood beside him while the king said "Very well then Obadiah please stand, I suppose it was for the best of the kingdom. But I will say this if it happens again I will make it personally that you are sent to the next ship to the Americas do I make myself clear!" Obadiah nodded as he stood up and walked away from the king and queen. Howard turned to his wife as he said "What are we going to do? We can't ask the King of Winterstar to leave our kingdom now it would look like we're starting a war with him." Maria kissed her husband as she said "One step at a time, right now we need to see our son and help him find this mysterious princess. I think we could use that glass slipper to help us find her" Howard smiled as he said "You're so smart I would have never thought of that" Maria smiled as she said "Well I'm not just a pretty face" both laughed as they walked in the direction of where Tony and James went.

Back at the cottage

Pepper was now wearing her servant cloths that she had always wore before as then she heard the horses galloping to the cottage. She walked up in the main floor as she heard her evil step mother and step sisters coming up to the door. When she opened it Lady Tremaine pushed Pepper to the side as Drisella and Anastasia came into the house to go to their rooms to get ready for bed. Lady Tremaine looked down from the steps where Pepper was at the bottom of it as she said "Where were you just now!" Pepper looked up at her as she said "I was in the kitchen cleaning madam, but now I am done is there anything else you wish me to do." Lady Tremaine only gave a wicked smile as Drisella said "I heard that the prince was dancing with a beautiful mysterious lady tonight" then the evil step-mother said "There is no need to worry about that you see I heard from the Duke and the King of Winterstar that Prince Tony is supposed to marry Princess Ann. That mysterious lady will not be seeing Prince Tony ever again!" Lady Tremaine and Drisella both headed to their rooms leaving Anastasia and Pepper alone.

Pepper looked away as she could feel the tears coming down as Anastasia put her hand on her shoulder as both of them waited for the step mother and sister closed the door to talk. Anastasia walked Pepper to the kitchen as she sat Pepper down she went to make some tea for them to drink as she put the kettle of water on the fire and then went to sit next to Pepper. Pepper looked at Anastasia as she started to cry out "Tell me it isn't true, tell me that Tony isn't going to marry the Princess of Winterstar" then Pepper put her head down as she cried into her arms muffling the nose that was coming from her. Anastasia put her hand on Pepper's back as she soothed out "Shh Pepper it is okay I don't really believe that Tony would marry the princess of Winterstar. Besides he loves you, he told me himself before you got to the ball." Pepper looked up from her arms and at her nice step-sister as she said "You knew it was me the whole time?" Anastasia smiled at her as she said "Of course I did, I knew it was you the minute you came into the ball with way you look it was almost magical. The way that you two danced it was like it was meant to be" Pepper smiled as she wiped her face with her arm as she said "Thank you Anastasia I don't know what I would do without you. Now tell me of your time at the ball" Anastasia blushed as she said "Well I saw the baker again at the ball" Pepper smiled kindly as she said "You did, what else happened to you and this so called baker."

Anastasia smiled back as she said "Well we talked for a while and then the minute you ran out of the ball mother and sister came running to me then took me away from Thomas the baker." Pepper put her hand on Anastasia's hand as she said "I am so sorry that happened to you, but at least you two talked for a while. Maybe it might lead into something" Anastasia smiled at her step sister as she said "Yeah you're right, I would like for it to lead into something. But you and Tony Stark that has to lead into something" Pepper sighed as she replied back with "Yeah, and the way we danced" both Anastasia giggle along with Pepper as both of them continued to talk about the night of the ball.