Chapter 8: C

Whoa! What is this? What's going on? Is this seriously another chapter update? Is this really happening? Is PercyJacksonLover14 ACTUALLY ALIVE?

For all those questions… Yes I am back. I don't even know what got into me. I hadn't updated for MONTHS! And that is what I will be doing all today, updating and writing stories. I have neglected my fans and my duties as a writer…. I'm sorry for the wait!

Before we start this chapter, I have a few stuff to say. First, I'm a junior in high school and about to be a senior next year (I KNOW… SHOCKING). So my writing is slowly coming to an end… Ha-ha, no, I'm kidding, but my writing will start becoming limited. Updates will become slower and slower. But I will never stop writing… Ah… Writing, how I love thee.

Anyway… Let's do some shout outs!

Muah: Thank you! I'm glad you like it! Hopefully you can read this chapter!

Firework471: Thank you for reading! Aw yes! Everything is great! Thanks!

SilverPedals1402: Uh… Aren't I just the best? Hehe… Oh man I'm quite scared for my life. Uh here's the chapter! Dedicated for you? Will that work?

It'sAlwaysStark-Potts: Yes I know… The other Tony is quite crazy. But thank you! You're awesome!

: Ha-ha, well you will just have to wait and see now won't you? But thank you for reading and reviewing!

Meredith Parks: Uh… I understand that my stories are like this, but I really apologize for saying this… I think you over exaggerated? I thank you for reading and reviewing, but I never thought that it was that bad. Many people do like this story, so please don't hate on my story. Thanks.

Disclaimer: I don't anything but my story!

Just as the knife neared his back, Pepper screamed out, "OKAY! Stop! I'll come! I'll come with you!"

There was nothing but silence. Tony was on the floor, his eyes forward, and his face still. The doppelganger stood above him, the knife hovering just an inch above his back. His eyes were still trained on his twin on the floor, but his face was slowly breaking into an evil smirk. "What did you say?"

Pepper started to cry. She didn't think she could handle it anymore. This had to stop someway, somehow. If she went with this Tony, her boyfriend and probably the rest of New York would be safe. As the tears streamed down her face, and her nose began to get clogged, she nodded slowly. "You heard me."

The other Tony didn't move. "I want to hear you say it, Angel." He said with a small purr. Pepper looked down. She tried catching Tony's eyes to apologize and say that this was the only way, but he wasn't looking at her. It might've been her imagination, but she thought she saw a tear go down his cheek.

"I said, okay. I'll go with you." Pepper said through gritted teeth. Her heart pounded with severe anger and hate, to the point that she thought it may stop. The other Tony removed the knife and tucked it back in his back pocket. With one hand, he grabbed Tony's shirt and turned him around so that his back was touching the floor. With one swift movement, he put his foot on Tony's chest.

"You hear that Stark? She wants to come with me. She wants me. She needs me." The other Tony remarked with a laugh. He looked at Pepper and smiled. "All she needed was a little motivation."

Tony writhed under him, twisting and turning until he could get a little free. "She only said that to protect me! She doesn't want to go! She has no need to go! Her home is here! She LIVES HERE!"

The other Tony pushed down on his chest, making Tony squeal as his lungs got compressed. "Are you telling me I can't get my love? Are you saying that Pepper is only yours?" He began to chuckle. "Let me tell you something Stark. You either can get a girl or not. Either way, girls are meant to be used. If you can't protect her, she's mine."

Pepper looked up at him shocked. "You're sick. That isn't right! I'm Tony's girlfriend, and I always will be! You can't say that. I-" The other Tony grabbed her arm and stood her up.

With his face red with rage, the other Tony pulled out a remote from his front pocket. "I'm done talking. I'm done waiting for your acceptance. You are coming with me and that's final." And before Tony, or Pepper, could do anything, the other Tony pushed a button on the small remote.

The light started to grow and expand from the small device in the doppelganger's hand. It began to engulf the other Tony, and soon it began to form around Pepper. She threw out one of her free hands at Tony, desperately trying to reach towards him. Her wrist was disappearing inside the glowing dome, because the other Tony had taken a hold of her hand before she could get away.

Her arm was disappearing, being eaten up by the device. Pepper turned her head away from the light and caught Tony's eyes. Her face was streaked with tears and her eyes were wide in alarm and fear. She was going to lose her true love; she might never see him again. "TONY! TOONNNYYY!" And suddenly her head disappeared.

Tony sprang to his feet and jumped towards her outstretched palm. All that was left was her hand, still open and hoping to grab hold of his hand. As his hand grabbed hold of Pepper's hand, he realized he was too late. She was gone.

And the light vanished.

Tony landed with a heavy thud against the cold concrete floor. His eyes were closed, still blinded by the bright light in front of him. "Pepper?" He called out tentatively. "Pepper? Please say something." And suddenly Tony was crying.

He never felt so lost in his life. He never thought he would lose her. He never thought this would ever happen. "PEPPER!" He cried out. His heart ached as he thought of her shocked expression. She was gone.

Tony slammed his fists down on the concrete floor in rage. He should've acted faster. He should've jumped up immediately to grab her hand. He should've done something other than looking at her in complete disbelief.

RING! RING! RING!

Tony looked down at his pocket. A small white light glowed, indicating there was an incoming call. He sat up, wiping the tears from his face. Raising the phone to his ear he said, "Hello?"

"Dude! There was this huge energy spike right around where you were! Are you okay?" Rhodey asked in urgency.

Tony's body began to tremble. "Rhodey…" He said with a small sob. There was silence as Tony waited for Rhodey to respond.

"Hold on man, I'm on my way." Rhodey said before hanging up.

Tony watched blankly at his cell phone. He could only picture the hopeless face that Pepper gave him before disappearing. He could see the fear, and he also most definitely felt the fear. The fear of losing her was catching up to him, and now that she was gone, he just wanted to shrivel up and die.

From the outside Tony could hear the blast of jet boots. The last thing he needed was Rhodey to comment on his stupidity and the fact that Pepper would've been okay if he acted fast enough.

"Tony? Tony where are you?" Rhodey called. Tony lifted his head. His ears caught Rhodey's steps coming towards him. Suddenly the footsteps increased, and suddenly his friend was right beside him. "Tony, man, what's wrong? What happened? You were right near the energy spike. Was it your heart monitor?"

Tony suddenly began to shake; an uncomfortable sob started to wrack through his body. "I—I can't… Rhodey, she's—she's…" A tear trailed down his cheek.

Rhodey suddenly froze. "Where's Pepper? You were going after her. Where's the other you? Wait… don't tell me. Is she…? Is she…?" Rhodey's heart began to pound hard against his chest. The only fear was becoming a reality.

Tony looked up at Rhodey, his blue eyes glazed with tears. "SHE'S GONE! And I couldn't save her! I couldn't stop him!" Rhodey fell to the ground, shocked.

"No. She can't be. She—you said you had her! You said you found her!" Rhodey shouted. He never felt so much rage in his life. He didn't know who he had the rage towards. Was it Tony? Was it his doppelganger? He didn't know how to feel. Pepper was like his sister. He's done so much for her, and she always did something for him.

Tony looked at him in alarm. "I just thought I found her. Rhodey, even before I could get to her, the doppelganger got to me first. He attacked me and I blacked out! Next thing I knew I was with Pepper."

Rhodey frowned. Even though Tony could've done much more, he knew it wasn't Tony's fault. He couldn't blame his friend. After all, Tony has done so much to find Pepper; he probably didn't mean to act so late. "How was she?"

Tony turned away. "She wasn't so good. She was being held against her will. I—I don't know her actual condition, or how bad that Tony was treating her, but she did look devastated. I was so worried for her."

"Wait, what happened though?" Rhodey asked. He took Tony's shoulder, and gave it a light squeeze.

"She was given the option to go with the Tony or watch me die. I don't know what happened after that, but she said that she would go. And then that Tony pushed some button and then she was gone." Tony said. He really didn't need that flashback again.

Rhodey suddenly got an idea. "Wait, Tony! If you and the other Tony are the same couldn't you replicate a dimension device? That way you can go to that Tony's world and get Pepper back."

"You don't get it. That Tony is a little bit more violent than I am. And he's also a lot stronger too. The other Tony had something happened to him, so that made him a lot stronger and smarter than me." Tony replied. "But—technically the two of us are nearly the exact same. If he did something, that should also mean I have some idea how to do it too."

"But I'm guessing it isn't as easy as you think?" Rhodey asked skeptically. Tony nodded, slowly getting to his feet.

"It really isn't. There is a lot that could happen while I'm building the device. Pepper could get hurt, that Tony could switch reality, and he could even make something that can set time back." Tony said. "But wait, why wouldn't he build something that set time back? He would easily be able to get Pepper back."

Rhodey shrugged. "We'll it would change his reality. He will still be the violent and angry Tony that he is. And he'll have to deal with trying to save her again. His Pepper might get suspicious and it could backfire. Forget the past you know?"

Tony nodded. "I have to get back to the armory. You need to distract Roberta, and anyone else that has some connection to me. You'll have to do nighttime shifts and daytime too. You have to take my duties, Rhodey, because this project is going to be a lot more difficult than you think."

Rhodey said, "Sounds good. If you need any help, don't hesitate to ask me. I'm here for you Tony. Oh and on that note, I'm not mad at you. We'll get her back. We'll make it just the way it was again."

Tony gave a weak smile. "I hope so, Rhodey. I hope so."

Pepper gave a gasp. She snapped awake on a soft silk bed. She looked down and saw her hands free from the handcuffs and a fresh pair of clothes at the foot of the bed.

A soft knock echoed through her room and she saw the door, directly opposite of her, open. And in stepped Tony. "Good to see that you woke up, Angel." He said with a smile.

"Tony? Is—is that really you?" Pepper was hoping that all of what happened was just a bad dream. The bedroom seemed familiar and she was just hoping to be safe. "Where am I?"

Tony smiled, and Pepper gasped. That wasn't Tony. What happened wasn't a dream. This was happening, she really was gone. She was kidnapped, she was in another dimension. "You—you aren't Tony. You really did it didn't you?" She asked with a startled gasp.

"Welcome to Manhattan, Angel. My Manhattan." The doppelganger said with a sneer.

Well then… Isn't this great? A fabulously terrible cliffhanger and a mystery that may not be SOLVED! I hope that you guys love it! Thank you for all the fabulous reviews, and favorites and follows! Keep on reading and have a fabulous summer!
I hope to get some more stories up this week and maybe another one today!

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