Whoo! I updated again! I'm not entiredly sure when the last time i updated this...but none the less, its here! And plus, it wasn't too long ago. :) Well, i have nothing else to say, right now...so with no further ado, ENJOY!

Wait no, i lied sorry...i forgot. Someone mentioned in a review that at the end i had tony speak, and (Actually two people did) i hadn't really planned on that...and i just noticed that today...so...yeah. Well, i tried to fix it up a bit in this chapter, you'll see what i mean. But THANKS for mentioning that! I would have totally spaced that!

Wait, I forgot the disclaimer...IMAA is not mine! _There short and simple...

Tony swallowed to sooth his sore throat. At least he spoke. Though he continued to keep his mouth shut. If Ghost wanted him to scream, to make some kind of noise to acknowledge that he was in pain, he wasn't going to give it to him. Unless, things were to start turning in that direction…then he might just have to give in at least a little… but for now, he seemed pretty safe from that happening.

If he strained hard enough, he could still hear Pepper screaming and demanding that she be let back in. If Ghost were to try anything funny on him, or her, Tony wouldn't know what to do exactly if Pepper saw. She already saw the result of what Ghost was doing, but not the…process.

So he sat there, still, inattentive, and silent. Even if he had spoken a little bit he still didn't like the feeling it gave him. It was odd and uncomfortable with the following sting. He thought maybe it was a motivation to speak, or maybe a reason to, or possible just him being protective. He would never let anything happen to his family if he had something to say or do about it. Which at the moment he didn't. He wasted every waking minute trying to call upon his armor, Rhodey's, or even Pepper's armor with extremis.

He sometimes felt a twinge or a slight shock to his head almost as if extremis was working again, but it would go away instantly. He still continued to try though. His family was on the other side of that door. He was still chained to the freezing floor, only allowed an old metal chair. Ghost had all the power here.

Tony eyed Ghost warily as he seemed to be cleaning something, or he might be sharpening it…either way, he didn't like the looks of it. The anticipation of whatever was about to happen, was slowly getting to his head. He wish Ghost was like normal kidnappers. Kidnap, call for ransom, get ransom, release victim. Not slowly torture the poor victim.

Then again, this wasn't no ordinary kidnapping. It was clearly thought out. And had different motives that wasn't money.

Ghost wondered off towards the fireplace and Tony pretty much tuned everything out from there on out. At least he was hoping he could tune out for a moment.

He thought of Pepper who seemed to have quieted down. He sure hoped she did it willingly. It would nearly kill the genius if he were to find out she was killed or hurt because she was worrying about him. If she was dead…no she wasn't. Ghost was after him, not her. Even so, Pepper could be used as leverage against himself if he wasn't to listen, which he still thought of doing. With some limits of course.

A searing hot pain under his foot brought him out of his thoughts. He cried out in surprise as he looked down. A white hot branding iron was pressed against his foot. He pulled his leg back but, apparently Ghost was already done. But that didn't stop him from getting his other foot. He bit his already abused tongue hard, but he still made a pained sound.

"At least I got some kind of response." Ghost said, pleasure in his tone.

He tossed the branding iron aside and laughed. Ghost looked down and observed something. Tony cautiously followed Ghost's gaze and frowned, unsure what he was seeing. Ghost was looking at his legs which were splayed out strait to avoid contact to the ground with the burns under his feet. Tony could have almost swore he could see Ghost smile behind his mask.

Tony closed his eyes, biting his tongue, preparing for whatever it was that Ghost thought up. Whatever it was, it couldn't be all too bad. He didn't appear to have any other weapon on him other than his custom gun, and well he didn't think ghost was done yet. The silence that is starting is beginning to unnerve Tony. Ghost has a plan, a plan that he must think will work against him.

He could still hear the raindrops, otherwise they started up again. He opened his eyes and looked out the window. It was dark out. He groaned. Yet another day was passing and he was still in this room. Though, he'd much rather it was himself instead with the others.

He closed his eyes again. This time, he bit his bottom lip. He was not going to be surprised like he was before. So he opened his eyes.

Just in time, too.

A nauseating cracking sound echoed through the room.

He couldn't help it. He screamed.

…

Pepper scolded herself profusely. In her head of course. When she did it aloud, the others would just try their best to convince her that it wasn't her fault when it was clearly her fault. The Maggia men even said it to her. Though, deep down she knew it was just them trying to pull emotions from her. She just still believed it was her fault anyways.

If they hadn't seen her escaping, if she had just stayed where she was, they wouldn't have been brought to Tony. Which don't be confused. She liked that she was able to see just how okay he was. Which he wasn't…she just didn't like that now Ghost had direct leverage against Tony, and no matter what she said during that fight, she didn't want to not see his death. As weird as that sounds, it would comfort her to know the full story, and not just by using inferences and police reports.

She stopped her screaming the instant a Maggia guy threatened to pull out his gun, when he had already half way pulled it out, so she sat down quietly. They were currently tied up like they were in the old warehouse, but to chairs as well.

They were allowed to whisper, but if they heard any planning on how to get escape, they'd be there to shut them up. Regardless of Ghost's rules. Which were to not kill them, unless necessary. Which planning an escape plan, would require a necessary killing.

"I want to go home." Pepper complained more to herself than to anyone else, but Rhodey who was just by her side, nudged her.

"Hey, everything's going to be alright." Rhodey said. He seemed to be fighting his own worriedness.

"Yeah, Tony's smart, and he strong, he can deal with it." Howard said, but it seemed cut short, but Pepper was sure it was because the ending was something like 'he can deal with it until we find a way to escape.'

Which she wish she could believe him, but truth be it, that she didn't. It was crazy cold in there and she was wearing a short sleeved shirt, though she would rather have that, than nothing at all. Which Tony had to deal with she was sure. He must be cold…

She shook her head to keep herself from thinking that way. Sure it was just cold, but it was so cold he couldn't talk. She noticed his fingers were pale white. She also noticed the redness that his wounds had taken upon to color.

"Howard?" She whispered just loud enough for him to hear, and just quiet enough for the Maggia men to barely hear.

"Yeah?" He responded in a whisper.

"Remember Tony's cuts?" She paused, but didn't wait for an answer. "Were they infected?"

She heard him sigh. "The beginning stages, yes."

"Will they kill him?" She questioned.

A long pause. "Hard to say if it would kill him, at lease instantly or not, but it would sure hurt…"

Pepper's heart hurt just to hear that along with the cuts and the cold, he was in more pain. He was in pain while the only pain they suffered was mental or hunger, which they were already handed banana's which she tried to deny them, but Rhodey convinced her that she needed it.

They sat in silence. At least until she heard a faint cry. Not like a sob, but more like a cry in shock. A short scream. She snapped her head in the direction of the door. She knew he was getting hurt some more. She knew it. She wanted to cover her ears. If that was just the beginning, she feared what he would sound like if it were to get worse. Which she hoped didn't happen, but she still didn't want to hear the pain he must be going through.

"Rhodey," even her whisper voice cracked. "I don't want him to get hurt."

Rhodey looked at her with concern. She hated sounding like such a child, but she was cold, worried, scared, and hungry. She wasn't going to hide it.

"Not anymore, not again." She whispered again, she blinked back tears. She was such a baby right now, she wanted to hide.

Rhodey wanted to lean over and give her a hug. He didn't want his friend to cry. Not only for her mental health, but for the guards that might not like a crying teenager. Instead he settled with a gently nudge with his elbow.

"Hey," He started his own voice sounding distressed. "It will be okay."

No it won't! She wanted to scream. Not when he's getting hurt like that!

"Pepper, please don't get worked up. Tony wouldn't like it, he's probably not doing what he's told because he's worried Ghost will hurt you, or us." Howard said.

She nodded. So you're going to use that card huh? "I know, it's just I can't help but-"

She was cut off by a terrible, horrifying sound. At least to her.

He screamed. He was screaming.

That did it. She started to sob quietly to her shoulder, trying to hide her face from the Maggia men. Ghost must have did something. Some painful. She's seen him get knocked off building, him being thrown into a building, him being shot at or blown up, and he never, never screamed like that.

It made her sick that Ghost thought he could get away with something like this. It made her even sicker when he walked out brushing his hands, apparently pleased with his work.

She glared at him. She would never get that scream out of her head. Not for a long while. She swallowed and blinked to try to not cry. They were dragged back in there to the warmth of the fireplace, the place she wanted Tony to be instead of where he was. Where he was, was in the same place was he was last time. Only he faced away from them.

She didn't see any blood, but she did see a branding iron nearby. She literally wanted to rip Ghost's head off. He hurt Tony. He hurt him beyond what any other villain has accomplished. (Well, maybe whiplash…)

Later, she saw him turn around, and he wasn't shivering like the last time. She tilted her head, but soon saw the portable heater next to him. At least he had that.

He was laying on his side, but a bit oddly. She narrowed her eyes and scanned for the evidence left behind that caused his screams. She saw his eyes were slightly opened, just partly, so he was awake, he seemed to be looking down at his feet. She followed his stare directly to his right leg. Not his right knee.

She gasped. "Tony."

Howard and Rhodey both looked over and soon found what she had saw. "Oh…"

Despite the long pants over his knee, she could see that something wasn't right. It was bent. It just looked…unnatural…and painful. Pepper swore she could feel it in her own knee as if she had loss her knee and felt the pain. No, he didn't lose his knee, but it was looked almost caved in, and bent a bit sideways…

She shuddered. That must be why he screamed. He hasn't ever broken a bone before that she knew of, yet she knew from research, that that kind of break, is just…unbearable one might say…

Tony noticed her staring and his smiled lightly, before wincing as he shifted to a more comfortable position with his right leg sitting forward so it was pointing at them. Almost, he wasn't the most flexible, and it would hurt more if he put it out to far.

"Hey Pep." He smiled again.

"Hey." She said. "You can talk."

"You've noticed." Tony said.

She couldn't help but laugh a little. "Yeah, must be cold…sorry."

"Don't be." He responded. "As long as all of you are safe."

She wanted to bring up that that was exactly what she didn't want him to do. It was exactly what he did with the last time they met ghost. But she didn't dare. She started to realize that he would die for his family's safety.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

His smiled faded for a minute. "Don't bring it up."

"Sorry…" She mumbled.

Tony smiled again, tiredly. "I'm going to pass out now, so…night."

Pepper blinked. She watched as he just closed his eyes and he seemed to be out like a rock. She sighed, and pretty much followed his lead. She was not looking forward to the next time they woke up…

...So, what it any good...? -_- I worry a lot about this chapter, especially since i wrote it all today/tonight... and i'm a bit distracted, but hopefully i was there completely while typing this! :)

Fun Fact: I am a crazy fan when it comes to anything PewDiePie related! Me and my best friend love watching his youtube videos! Their funny and scary! I love how he name inanimate objects - especially Stephano! :)

Other fun fact: I am a complete bookworm. in this entire month, i've read 55 hours. Starting Febuary 1st to Feb 20th.

Okay, well, Please review! I'd like to know if this chapter needs to be fixed up.