Hey guys! I'm sorry it's been a while since I posted a chapter and I actually have an excuse. Finals are just around the corner for me at school and because of a few snow days, my teachers are giving a shit ton of work to do before finals and I have been nothing but stressed. Anyway, I know this isn't much of a chapter, but I tried, so cut me some slack. Enjoy!

Normal POV

Harley ran into the shed and over to Tony.

"Mr. Stark, something just came in the mail for you..." Harley seemed confused.

Harley handed Tony the package as he finished hooking up the armor for it to charge.

"A package? For me?"

Tony pointed to himself, unsure if he heard the kid correctly. Tony carefully placed the package onto a table nearby and made Harley step back as he inspected the box.

"Good news is that it isn't a bomb of any kind." Tony sighed in relief.

After unwrapping the package and opening the box, he saw a note along with a small flash drive that resembled an Iron Man hand. Tony recognized the handwriting on the note immediately.

It's from Tyra...

"How did she- -"

"Who's it from?" Harley peeked over Tony's shoulder.

Tony jumped in surprise and glared at Riley.

"Don't do that!" He snapped.

Harley flinched at Tony's tone.

"Sorry kid...it's uh...from my daughter, Tyra. You know Iron Woman right?"

"I love Iron Woman! She's like super fast on her feet and reminds me of an assassin creed character when she fights!" Harley grew excited. "But how does she know that you're here?"

"Guess I'll find out." Tony mumbled and picked up the note.

Dad, I was able to track down that call you made from Tennessee, I guess due to your research before the mansion was blown to smithereens, it's where the best lead is on the Mandarin right now. Anyway, I hacked into AIM's database and downloaded all their top secret files. Before you get confused, I just want to clear the air and let you know that AIM has a huge connection with the Mandarin as well as Aldrich Killian and your old sweetheart Maya Hanson, so don't trust those two whatever you do. I didn't have a chance to look at the files because of some certain circumstances, but here you go. Hopefully you'll be able to make more use of this than me. I know you told us to stay safe, but I just want you to know that the same rule applies to you. Be careful for me alright?

-Tyra

Ohhhh...that figures...she was able to track him down through that phone call...plus the armor has a tracker...

Tony held up the flash drive glancing at it one more time before slipping it into his pocket. He'd have to look at the flash drive later.

"Hey kid..." Tony glanced back at Harley. "Where's my sandwich?"

I groaned as I began opening my eyes.

God damn it's bright...

I glanced over to see a familiar figure standing before me. As my vision began to focus, I tugged at my arms, noticing that I couldn't move them, for I was strapped down to a gurney of sorts. I saw a faint glow of red and my eyes widened as I remembered about Killian and Maya. Soon enough, I remembered what had just occurred, and snapped my head up before glaring at the many figures in front of me, trying to figure out who they were.

No sign of Pepper, I'm so glad I sent her away while I had the chance.

"Awake so soon, darling?"

Killian.

"Where the hell am I?" I groaned.

"Safe with me of course." Killian winked at me.

I glared at Killian and resisted the urge to spit in his face.

"No shit Sherlock. What state am I in, huh? Or country?"

"You're at a impounded oil drilling platform, but let's not get into too many details. Can't be spoiling all the fun already." Killian smiled.

I felt cold air hit my stomach and also noticed that I only had my pants and bra on. No shirt, just a sports bra.

"You dick! Why did you take my shirt?!" I blushed.

Okay so I'm strapped down on a table basically, I see doctors and scientists around me...

My eyes widened in sudden realization.

This asshole is going to use Extremis on me.

"You wouldn't." I looked straight at Killian. "I'm not some fucking guinea pig to experiment on!"

"I can make you perfect like me, both you and Ms. Potts. Then you'll be able to join me, and together we'll rule over everything."

OH NO!

"You have Pepper?! Let her go you bastard! This is between you and me! She's not apart of this!" I screamed.

"She's in the room next to you actually. What? Did you think I'd let her get away and miss out on all the fun?"

Killian had that shit eating grin on his face that I wanted to desperately smack the shit out of.

I thought sending Pepper away would keep her safe! How did they know where to find her?!

"Don't worry, you'll be with her soon enough. I'll be putting you through Extremis first, then make you watch as she suffers if you live long enough. Who knows...maybe you'll both be lucky and accept Extremis."

That dick!

I chuckled dryly and Killian seemed confused for once.

"When I get out of this, I'm killing you. Screw jail, I want to kill you myself and make you suffer. You come after my family and you're going to end up dead." I growled.

"Threats? Really?" He raised an eyebrow. "I thought we were past that."

"Sweetheart, that ain't no threat, it's a fucking promise." I assured him.

Killian glanced at a scientist in the room and nodded at him as some kind of signal. The man held a needle and started making his way over to me.

"NO!" I hollered at him.

"The more you struggle, the more it's gonna hurt, sweetheart. Maybe you'll think twice with your mouth after this. I hope you make it through the process."

Killian kissed my cheek and finally left the room. As the man in the lab coat came closer to me, I began panicking, thrashing around against the thing I was strapped down to.

If my body didn't accept Extremis, I was as good as dead. I'd be a ticking time bomb. Literally! And the ticking time bomb thing is now reminding me of Bruce...I miss that guy...

"Shove that needle into my arm and I'll make sure you regret it!" I screamed.

The one thing I hated as much as hospitals were the fucking needles, it was a phobia of mine I could admit.

Shit...just...go to your happy place.

The needle now hovered right over my arm and I started hyperventilating as the sharp tip was only an inch above my skin.

"If you calm down, you might live through this." The man spoke up.

"I hate needles. It's a phobia of mine..." I admitted. "So sor-ry if I'm not exactly calm right now."

The man actually looked guilty, almost like he felt bad for me.

"Just close your eyes alright? I'll make it quick." He assured me.

I guess I'm not getting out of this am I?

"Why can't you just walk out of here and say you injected me?" I whined.

"Because he'll know I'm lying. I'm sorry Miss Stark, I'll try to make it as painless as possible." He replied.

"Why do you work for Killian, huh? You don't seem the type..."

The man didn't answer and held up the needle as a warning for what was coming. I clenched my eyes tightly and turned my head away as he injected me with Extremis. Tears filled my eyes as I felt like my entire body was on fire.

It burns...everything burns.

Normal POV

"The sandwich was fair, the spring was a little rusty, the rest of the materials...I'll make do. And when you said your sister had a watch, I was expecting something a little more adult."

Tony followed Harley after showing him the Dora the Explorer watch.

"She's only six!" He laughed. "Anyway, it's a limited edition. When are we gonna talk about New York?" He changed the subject.

"Maybe never. Relax about it." Tony rolled his eyes.

"What about the Avengers?" Harley looked up at Tony with excitement.

"Later. Give me some space, kid." Tony gently pushed Harley away.

Tyra was never this bad...then again she never really talked...had to have someone teach her sign language right? I wish Tyra could shrink back into a girl again...then I wouldn't have to worry about Star-Spangled Banner putting the moves on her...she can be tiny and mine forever...

Tony refocused and found himself looking at a memorial of some kind. It was obvious that people died here, and now he needed to know the story behind this tragedy.

"What's the official story here? What happened?" Tony observed the scene.

"I guess this guy named Chad Davis used to live roundabouts. He won a bunch of medals in the army. And one day, folks said he went crazy and made, you know, a bomb. Then he blew himself up, right here." Harley explained.

Tony noticed that the area looked similar to the Chinese Theatre where Happy was hurt.

There were shadows burnt into the walls...

"Six people died right?" Tony clarified.

"Yeah." Harley nodded.

"Including Chad Davis?" Tony added.

Harley nodded a second time.

"Yeah, that doesn't make sense." Tony took a seat beside Harley.

Harley seemed confused.

"Think about it. Six dead and only five shadows." Tony pointed out.

"Yeah, people said they're like the mark of souls going into heaven. Except for the bomb guy. He went to hell, on the account of he didn't get a shadow. That's why there's only five." Harley said.

"You believe that?" Tony asked.

"It's what everyone else says..." Harley mumbled.

Harley and Tony stared at the crater in silence for several seconds until Harley spoke up again.

"You know what this crater reminds me of?"

"No idea. I'm not...I don't care." Tony rolled his eyes.

"That giant wormhole, you know, um, in New York." Harley grinned excitedly.

Tony's chest felt like it was tightening. That horrible feeling washed over him, and as he stared into the crater, he was brought back to the moment where his daughter almost died.

FLASH!

"I can close it! Can anybody hear me?! I can shut the portal down!" Natasha spoke up.

"DO IT!" Steve ordered.

"No, wait!" Tyra cut him off.

"Stark, these things are still coming!" Cap yelled.

"Well Fury said there's a nuke coming in less than a minute!" Tyra informed him. "And I know just where to put it..." She then added.

"Tyra! Don't do what I think you're about to do!" I yelled furiously. "Just wait for me! I'll do it!" I began flying in her direction at full speed.

"Tyra...you know that's a one-way trip..." Steve mumbled.

"I know it is..." She sighed.

I witnessed as Tyra located the missile and using all of the arc reactors energy inside the armor, she used all her power to help carry the missile into the portal.

"Dad...I love you..." Tyra spoke up.

"TYRA! NO!" I cried.

Tyra barely missed the roof of Stark Towers and finally got inside the portal. My heart nearly skipped a beat at the sight. She was gone.

FLASH!

"She's not breathing!" Thor yelled worriedly.

"Tyra..."

I fell to my knees and pulled Tyra into my arms as I clenched my eyes shut. Hulk looked absolutely enraged that the youngest Avenger was dead and roared very loudly.

This time, she wasn't waking up...

FLASH!

"That's manipulative and I don't want to talk about it." I breathed out.

"Are the aliens ever coming back?" Harley kept going.

"Maybe. Can you stop?!" Tony snapped. "Remember I told you that I have that anxiety issue?"

Harley seemed guilty and gave Tony a look of concern.

"Does this subject make you edgy?"

"A little bit. Can I just catch my breath for a second?" Tony breathed in deeply.

"Are the bad guys in Rose Hill? Do you need a plastic bag to breathe into? A- -are you going completely mental?" Harley asked a million questions a minute.

Finally Tony had enough and felt himself panicking. He wanted to find Tyra and hold her in his arms again. She was the one thing besides Pepper that he could never live without.

"Tyra!" Tony began hyperventilating. "Now you did it!" Tony glared at Harley.

Tony did the only thing he could to get away, just take a little jog. If anything, that crater now bugged the hell out of him because of the mention of New York.

"Hey! Wait up!" Harley followed him. "What did I say?!"

"Don't do that again." Tony threw a snowball at Harley.

He'd let it go for now.

"Now where's Mrs. Davis?"

"She's where she always is." Harley replied.

"Which would be at?" Tony prompted.

"Oh right! She's at this pub down there." Harley pointed in the direction.

"Thanks kid. I'll be back soon."

With that Tony managed to recompose himself and walk over to the pub. He needed answers.

Starting with Mrs. Davis.

Sure enough, I was now relocated into a different room with Pepper, both of us were strapped down to these machines, with no chance of breaking out anytime soon. I was mostly scared, not only because I made it through Extremis and was now some kind of mutant, but because they were about to do the same procedure on Pepper and were going to make me watch.

It was Killian's way of giving me the middle finger for back talking him or some bullshit like that.

"Oh god...what're we gonna do?"

Pepper kept looking around frantically, scared out of her mind. I was heartbroken seeing Pepper in such a depressed state.

I had to do something.

"Pepper..."

"What about Tony?" She whimpered.

"Pepper." I spoke more firmly.

"Extremis is going to kill me."

More tears streamed down her face.

I can't stand to see her like this.

"PEPPER!" I finally yelled.

Pepper froze and looked at me worriedly.

"You're...you're going to be fine. You just need to keep positive." I lowered my voice.

"What about you? How are you feeling? I'm sorry this is happening to you..." Pepper apologized.

"What? Why are you apologizing? I should be the one apologizing. I wasn't even able to save you. I thought if I sent you away from that motel, you would be at a safe distance. I knew something was going down because of the way Maya was acting. It was all a trap. She had to know Killian was going to show up..."

"Wait...you knew? You knew about Maya yet you didn't say anything?!" Pepper looked at me in disbelief.

"Pepper, I didn't know everything. I wanted to get the answers out of her and I did get some answers. I sent you away to try and keep you safe. I'm sorry that backfired...I didn't know Killian would pull something like this." I mumbled.

"I wasn't expecting this...any of this." Pepper sighed.

"Yeah, well you can blame dad."

Pepper glared at me.

"What? You think I'm just being mean? Without realizing it, in 1999, dad created demons and made Killian become who he is today. Killian is behind the Mandarin attacks...he...he's been using Extremis on people and if Extremis rejects the subject, they blow up. That's why there haven't been traces of shrapnel or bomb parts at any of the Mandarin attacks." I explained.

Pepper's eyes widened.

"He's the one that...?" Pepper breathed out.

I nodded in reply. After several seconds of silence I spoke up again.

I might as well tell her everything...in case she...

"The Mandarin's a phony too..." I added.

Pepper glanced at me in surprise, not expecting to hear this.

"How do you know this?" She spoke quietly.

"I picked up on signals and honestly...I know the real Mandarin. I did research on the terrorist group that kidnapped my dad after he came back home, everything led back to the Ten Rings. Up until an hour ago, I thought Killian was working for the Mandarin, but that's actually not the case at all."

I paused and clenched my eyes tightly from pain.

Extremis is such a bitch...

"Aldrich thought he could get away with it. He's managed to convince America that these attacks are all the Mandarin. They're only stealing his name, Pepper. It's not actually the Mandarin." I informed her. "This guy has to be an actor or something. Killian is behind everything..."

"How did you manage to figure all of this out?" Pepper looked at me in disbelief.

"I don't know...when I was unconscious...when I was dreaming...all the pieces suddenly clicked together. I managed to see the big picture. Killian funded Extremis for Maya and he's been playing her like a sucker from the beginning. She believes that by kidnapping us, that dad will help fix Extremis, so they can get this shit on the market. That bitch is completely blind...she doesn't want to believe what Killian is doing...as for the Mandarin issue...I'm not entirely sure the reason behind that yet...I just feel like Killian is drunk with power. All he wants...is power."

My arms felt like they were burning and Pepper gasped at the sight of my skin.

"Tyra! Stay awake okay?" She cried.

"Pepper...you're the strongest woman I know...you'll pull through okay? I know you will." I spoke weakly. "Don't let him get under your skin."

"TYRA! Don't close your eyes! Don't you dare!"

Pepper struggled against her restraints, but to no avail. I knew this was my chance to get out of this, but I had to play it smart.

"I can't stay awake, Pepsi...I feel really tired right now..." I mumbled softly.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" Pepper screamed.

Scientists and doctors all rushed into the room and came right to me.

"Shit...her heart's slowing down." One doctor seemed worried.

"You think this is an effect from Extremis?" A scientist asked.

"It might be a possibility...we've gotta get her out of here."

Maya Hanson came into the room and looked at me worriedly.

"What's going on with her?" She questioned.

"Her heart is slowing down, we're going to have to move her. These restraints aren't making this any easier, constricting her chest like that. How the hell do you unlock this thing?!" The doctor yelled.

Maya ran over to a control panel and pulled one of the levers. My restraints came off instantly. My skin began glowing again and I held in my breath as doctor's came to my aid. Despite the pain I felt, I knew this was my only chance to get Pepper and I out of here. If I didn't take this chance, they were going to put Pepper through Extremis, through this hell and make me watch.

Play dead, and then attack. Let them lower their guard.

Right now, it was kill or be killed, and I refused to die without getting Pepper out of her safely first. Finally, I decided to get the ball rolling as my eyes flew open and I punch the two doctors in their faces with both of my fists and effectively stunned them. That's when I move, running at the other two scientists remaining in the room and used a move that Natasha had taught me when I was undergoing SHIELD training. It was hard, but I managed to wrap my legs around one of the guy's necks while maneuvering my body so that I could strangle the other guy with nothing but my arms. We all fall to the floor together, and I strangle them with my legs and arms until they stop moving. I get up quickly to see Mara, and noticed her crawling for the floor as she desperately reached for a red button underneath a desk nearby. No doubt, trying to call for help and backup. I think quickly and grab an empty needle off a tray nearby before throwing it like a dagger and embedded it into Maya's hand before she can touch the button. She lets out a pained scream as she glanced at me with fearful eyes.

"I wouldn't touch that button if I were you. You and I still have some unfinished business, you bitch. I recall you hit me with a lamp right?"

I started making my way over toward her. Maya backed herself up against the wall. Her hands were raised in surrender as she shook.

"Please don't do this! I was just doing what Killian wanted!" She pleaded with me.

I raised my arm and backhanded her hard, making her fall to the ground as she fell unconscious. I quickly went over to Pepper and noticed my skin glowing a bright ruby red. I hesitantly put my hand over the metal restraints on the weird machine Pepper was strapped down to. Surely enough, the metal was melting away. After getting Pepper free, I quickly moved away from her as she came towards me.

"Don't touch me okay? I might burn you or something." I warned her.

Pepper seemed hurt by this, but nodded in understanding. When the door opens, people come rushing in, clearly outnumbering us as they pin Pepper and I down to the floor like we're low-class criminal scum. I struggle with all of my might until they inject me with something, then, I find my strength fading away. My vision blurs as I see them walk over to Pepper with a needle in hand, and I realize what they're about to do.

"Don't...DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!" I shouted.

They ignore me as they drag my slumped body and re-attach me to the slab I was on earlier.

"STOP IT!" I cried.

I struggle against my restraints, my breathing picking up as I glance at Pepper. Pepper gave me a look of sadness and something else...acceptance. I knew that look too, she was accepting the fact that she might die from Extremis.

No...she can't give up...

"YOU BASTARD! GET AWAY FROM HER!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

I felt something wet on my face and realized that I was crying as well. I felt my breath hitch when the doctor finally, and reluctantly, injected Pepper with Extremis. Seconds was all it took before Pepper was screaming in agony, the same reaction I nearly had from all of the pain and the burning sensation coursing throughout my body. The fact that I was powerless and couldn't do a damn thing to help Pepper was nearly destroying me.

Killian knew that this would happen if I witnessed something like this. He wanted me to watch her suffer.

"Pepper!" My eyes widened when her screaming became louder.

Her skin began glowing red and I was thinking the worst as people quickly exited the room and locked the door behind them.

"PEPPER!" I called out to her again.

Pepper cracked one eye open and managed to glance at me from the floor.

"You have to remain calm! Just focus on me!"

Pepper cried out in pain and clenched her teeth tightly together trying to refrain from screaming again.

"You're doing great! Just remain calm! T- -try not to focus on the pain okay?! I'm right here for you!" I assured her.

Pepper jolted and let another scream escape from her lips.

"I love you so much Pepper! You mean the world to me and my father! I know you can pull through this! You're the strongest woman I know!" I confessed.

Pepper's eyes shot open and she started thrashing around as her skin emitted a bright red. There was that look again, the look of acceptance...

She was giving up wasn't she?

The thought made more tears stream down my face because I could never live without Pepper in my life.

I wasn't ready to let her go yet. She was my- -

"MOM!" I sobbed.

In the matter of seconds Pepper stopped moving, her head drooped down, and her skin turned back to her normal color. My heart thumped loudly in my chest.

Was she...dead?

"Oh god..." I barely whispered. "Don't do this to me...don't leave..."

I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood, failing to keep it together.

"Pepper...no."

My entire body shook as sobs took over me. A doctor came back into the room and tried checking for a pulse on Pepper. I then grew angry and glared at the doctor.

I wanted to kill this man...I wanted him dead.

I hope you guys liked the chapter! It's okay if you didn't. I was feeling meh about this chapter. I know meh isn't really a word...anyway, let me know what you think about the chapter and please be nice. Thanks for reading. I'll try to update as soon as I can.