(A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long to get out, I had trouble getting it the way I wanted. Hopefully everyone will agree it was worth the wait. Let me know what you think.)

Disclaimer: Nope not mine, I get nothing out of writing this but the joy of writing it and a few lovely reviews.

Twisted Metal

Chapter 2: Running Diagnostics

Pepper woke up to find Tony sleeping in a chair next to her with his head on the bed. She reached over a moved a few strands of hair from his face. Unfortunately for her he was a very light sleeper and stirred at her touch. She jerked her hand back suddenly blushing.

He looked at her with groggy eyes for a moment before they focused. "Pepper you're awake."

"Yea." She could read his face well enough to know something was wrong. "What's wrong, oh no did something happen to my dad? Is he ok?"

"No, I mean I don't know. He's probably fine but that's not the problem."

"Is the suit broken? Are super villains taking over the city?"

"No the suit and city are fine; everything's been pretty quiet actually."

"Is Rhodey hurt? Did he get hit by a bus?"

"Wait A bus? Why would you even think that?"

"Oh no, then it's you, your implant is going to go mega nuclear and take out the whole city isn't it?"

"No my implants fine, it's you."

"Me? Am I losing my voice?" She grabbed him by the shoulders and started shaking him violently. "Can you still hear me!"

Tony put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from shaking him to pieces. "Your voice is fine Pepper. You're, sick."

"I am? But I feel fine. Are you sure?"

"Yea I checked, but don't worry there's a cure."

"A cure, what exactly do I have?" She couldn't keep the fear from creeping into her voice.

"It's a genetic disorder; it runs in a few families. Normally it doesn't do much but when it does show up, it's bad."

"How bad, tony what's it going to do to me?"

"Nothing, I won't let it do anything to you. I promise." He unconsciously put his hand over hers.

"Ok, but if you didn't stop it what would it do?"

"It attacks the brain and nervous system, and ends in death."

"I'm going to die?"

"No! there's a cure in one of my dads old labs and I'm going to go get it, you'll be fine I promise."

Pepper looked down at the hand Tony wasn't holding, she just couldn't comprehend what he had said. Then she clinched her hand into a fist. "I'm coming with you."

"Wait you can't"

"Why? Would coming along make it any worse?"

"We'll no but."

"Then wouldn't it make more since for me to come along and be right there when you find the cure?"

"Listen Pepper, this isn't going to be some safe little walk down the street."

"So? Neither was dealing with Whiplash and Mr. Fix, besides I'm not going to let you go risk your life for me while I just sit around."

"You and Rhodey are impossible. But fine."

"Really? Wait why did you give in so easy?"

"Because you're right."

Pepper didn't believe that was the real reason but decided not to argue with him. She grabbed her phone and found a text from her father, quickly scrolling through it she found out her father was going to be home the next day.

Her dad coming back right then complicated things. If he found her missing he'd have the whole FBI out looking for them. She thought about it for a minute and came up with a plan. Going back into the main part of the lab she found Rhodey sitting at the communication station. He stopped what he was doing when he saw he. "Pepper, how are you feeling?"

"Fine, mind if I borrow the communications for a bit?"

"Sure." He handed her the head set. "Who are you calling?"

"Well my dads going to be coming back tomorrow but if I'm not there he'll freak out so I'm going to call him and pretend to be from the CIA and tell him we need to borrow his super spy daughter to help track down a totally evil guy."

Rhodey shook his head. "Pepper"

"What? You don't like it?"

"I never said that, I just don't think it'll work."

"What why?"

Tony walked up behind her and grabbed the headset. "You know it's not a bad idea."

"Ha see"

"Tony you aren't serious are you?"

"Sure why not? She does need a cover, but maybe something more believable." He sat down and brought up Mr. Potts phone number along with a voice alteration program.

There was a few moments silence before he answered. "Hello"

"Hello Mr. Potts, this is professor Morning from the Tomorrow Academy." Tony said, over the line though his voice sounded like that of an old school teacher.

There was a heavy sigh. "What did Pepper do this time?"

Pepper looked back and forth between Rhodey and Tony with her mouth open, "I, he, but"

Rhodey clamped his hand over her mouth "shh"

"Nothing Mr. Potts, actually we were hoping she would be able to help us. You see a member of our debate team will unfortunately not be able to accompany us. We want Pepper to come with us instead."

"Of course she can go if she wants to, but are you sure?"

"Oh yes, she has already out talked half the team. She just keeps going and going and going."

"She does, well if she want to she has my permission."

"Thank you very much." Tony ended the call and turned to Rhodey and pepper. Only to find Rhodey physically holding an angry Pepper back.

"I just keep going, and going! And GOING! Huh!?"

"Whoa just calm down Pepper." He put his hands up defensively in front of himself.

"Oh I'll calm down, after I finish with you!"

She started to struggle hard and Rhodey had to lift her up. "Tony run!"

He did, jumping from the chair and running through the lab. A moment later Pepper wiggled free and shot off after him. Rhodey watched her chase after Tony and he couldn't help but think that she seemed just fine. He decided to let them have some time alone and went into the infirmary to check the computer.

Tony thought he had finally managed to out run Pepper, but when he looked over his shoulder he saw her flying at him.

"Eaaa!" she tackled Tony to the ground, they each rolled a few times before stopping. Both lay panting for a few minutes catching their breaths.

Finally tony sat up. "Geez you're fast."

"Thanks, guess running for my life from murderous mobsters paid off. Listen tony thanks for everything you've done for me." Pepper put her arms around Tony and hugged him.

He was surprised but then hugged her back for several moments before they pulled apart. Pepper had a deep blush but Tony was dense enough not to notice and didn't read more into it then just a normal friend hug. "Come on Rhodey will probably be wondering where we've gone."

He held out his hand and helped her up. Pepper walked slower than he did trying to get her blush under control and avoid any questions from Rhodey. As it turned out Tony started talking as soon as they meet Rhodey. "Ok we'll be leaving in three hours. Meet me at the Stark airstrip hanger 41. I have a few things to take care of before we leave."

As he started to walk away Rhodey grabbed his shoulder. "I'll come too."

"No that's ok."

"But."

Pepper cut him off though. "Come on Rhodey he doesn't need you watching him every minute."

Tony gave Pepper a thankful look before leaving the lab. When he was gone Rhodey gave Pepper a quizzical look. "You do realize he's probably planning to ditch us for our own protection don't you?"

"Yup."

"And you're just going to let him go risk his life while you sit here nice and safe?"

"Nope, I slipped one of his trackers onto him." She held up the portable tracker.

"When did you do that?"

"When I hugged him." She didn't realize what she had said until after it was out of her mouth, a curse of her talkative nature.

"When did you guys hug?"

"No more questions! Come on let's go!" she switched the tracker on and lead the way after Tony.

Tony has just left the lab when he remembered that he and Gene had made plans to research the Makluan rings that day. Better call and tell him I'll be busy.

He pulled out his cell and dialed Genes then waited for an answer. "Hello"

"Hey Gene, I know that we planned to do some research today but Peppers sick so I can't make it."

"Oh, I hope it's not serious."

"Actually it is, I'm heading out to one of my dads old labs to get the cure but it'll take a few days."

"I hope you find it then, give Potts my best."

"Ok, talk to you later."

Gene closed his phone. He had been speaking with his step father when Tony had called. Strangely enough he actually felt worried for the girl. Looking down into the ceil he was disturbed to see the older man had a smile on his face. "What are you so happy about?"

"Just enjoying watching you being made a fool. Do you think that girl just suddenly got sick? No, more likely he is going to retrieve the ring himself."

"You're wrong, we got the third ring together, why would he suddenly decide to go alone?"

"Because he suspects you, clearly you did something to raise their suspicions."

"Be quiet! I will not listen you rant on about such nonsense."

"Think whatever you like, but you could find out easily enough. Simple go with them, the girl is a friend it would be normal for you to show concern."

"Its frightens me that we had similar thoughts. I do plan to go with them but for my own reasons."

"Whatever you say oh great Mandrain."

Tony pulled a small pair of wire cutters from his pack and cut a space in the fence just large enough for him to sneak through. It had only been two hours since he left the lab and he was on a small secondary runway well away from hanger 41. He was confident that neither Rhodey nor Pepper had followed him.

He hurried towards a rundown building that was really a hidden hanger where one of the private Stark planes was kept. As he approached the building a side door opened and Whitney Stan walked out. "Alright Tony everything's set up just like you asked. Still don't plan to tell me what you're doing?"

"Sorry Whitney but I can't."

"Because you don't trust me?"

"What? No it could cause you a lot of trouble though if your dad finds out. And thank you."

She walked towards him until she was less than a foot away. "No thanks needed, just remember the deal."

"I will."

Whitney gave him a warm smile and walked back towards the main compound. Tony watched her go, then turned back to the building and found Rhodey and Pepper standing there with their arms crossed. "Gah, what are you two doing here?"

Rhodey raised an eyebrow. "So what was that about?"

"I had to ask Whitney for some help to get the plane, but seriously what are you guys doing here?"

"We're coming with you, or did you forget?"

"I mean how did you find me?"

"You know Stark you really aren't that hard to find." They turned to see Gene leaning against the building.

"Gene? What are you doing here?"

"You said Potts was sick and you guys were going to get the cure, it's only natural that I was concerned and decided to come along isn't it?"

"I guess so."

"Good then let's get going, I take it were taking a plane?"

"Stop!" Tony looked all of them in the eye for a moment. "This is going to be dangerous. The lab I'm going to was closed down but the security systems are still active, it's in a remote mountain range, and I have no idea what could be waiting there for me."

"Which is why we're all going too." The three of them had moved into a group and were standing between Tony and the building.

He looked around and finally gave in. They were wasting time and it was clear he wasn't going to be able to sneak away like he'd planned. "Fine, let's go."

The outside of the building looked neglected but like Tonys lab it was very advanced inside. When Pepper saw the private jet she ran towards it. "Oh please tell me we get to ride in it?"

"Yea we do."

Gene looked over it with a critical eye. "Impressive Stark, can you fly it?"

"Yes, but we'll be using an auto pilot me and my father made a few years ago."

The inside of the plane was pretty standard though surprisingly comfortable. Tony had already arranged it so that they took off during a short pause in the air traffic and slipped by without being noticed by most of the people working at the airstrip. "Well you guys might as well relax the flight will be about nine hours."

Several hours later and the plane was flying over a large ocean, the quarter moon the only light outside. Gene and Rhodey were both asleep. Tony had on a pair of goggles and was using a small cool tip welder to put a finishing touch on the secondary suit. When he was finished he put the glove and goggles back into his pack.

He clicked off his overhead light intending to grab a few hours sleep. But as he closed his eyes he became aware of a quick series of taps. He looked around; there were only two sources of light in the plane. From the moon light coming through the windows and from Peppers phone as she texted, which was the source of the tapping.

At first he tried to ignore it but several minutes later when there hadn't even been a pause he decided to go check on her. Tony went and sat in the seat next to her. "Hey what are you texting?"

"Oh nothing." She quickly slipped her phone into her pocket.

"You've spent well over ten minutes working on it, that's got to be a record even for you."

"Its, my will."

Tonys smile faded. "I already told you Pepper, I won't let anything happen to you."

"But what if something happens, like the cure isn't there?"

"Even if the cure isn't there their research is and I'll be able to make the cure for you."

"But what if you can't? Or what if Rhodey or Gene or you gets hurt?"

Tony put his arm around her shoulders in what he hopped was a reassuring way. "You'll be fine and so will we. We've fought advanced space armor and things I don't even know what to call, this'll be easy."

Pepper was quiet, first looking down then out the window. After awhile Tony felt her head on his shoulder and saw she had fallen asleep. He watched her for awhile, he remembered some line from when they had had to perform for drama about moonlight and beauty. It seemed to fit her at that moment.

He suddenly wished the trip was longer just so he could stay there with her, just like this, for a few more minutes. His face reddened when he realized what he'd been thinking, glad that no one else was awake to see them like that.

Eventually though he relucantly got up and went back to his own seat. The secondary system he had brought worked just like the armor but only the gloves and boots were built and the boots didn't even work yet. He was determined though to have them working by the time the plane landed. He hadn't been able to save either of his parents but he wouldn't let it be the same with his friends.

The landing strip came into view of the plane just as the sun was rising. The strip was a long lane of shockcreat set in a small valley between several high peaks. Heavily wooded forests covered everything besides the small clearing where the strip was.

Everyone stepped off of the plane to chilly morning air. Gene looked around getting his bearings, set off to one side of the strip were a set of buildings. "Well Stark this doesn't seem so dangerous, I don't even see a fence."

"That's because those aren't the lab, they're support buildings. The lab is up there." He pointed up towards the highest peak. Its top obscured by low gathering clouds. Pepper suppressed a shiver wishing she'd worn something warmer.

Rhodey gave a low whistle. "And how are we supposed to get up there? Walk?"

"Hopefully not, there should be a lift car just beyond those buildings."

As they headed towards the cluster of buildings Rhodey glanced back at the plane. "Should we just leave it out here?"

Tony looked back over shoulder. "Sure why not? There's no one here to steal it."

They found the lift cars easily enough. There were several of them waiting in line to be used. All hung on a series of thick wires that were strung up the mountain by a line of pylons. They held the cars above the tree line and insured a speedy trip. That is if everything was working.

A few experimental button pushes on the control console told them it wasn't working. While Tony climbed under it to try and find the problem Pepper leaned over towards Rhodey. "Want to go check out those buildings?"

"No, we should stay together."

"But"

"No buts."

She folded her arms and leaned back against the wall. Then as soon as she was sure that gene and Rhodey weren't watching her she ducked out the door and walked to the buildings. "Yes, super spy Pepper does it again."

A few minutes later the lights flickered on in the control booth for the lift cars. Tony slide out from under the controls. "Yes I am a genius."

"Ok genius." Gene said in a sarcastic tone. "Perhaps you can explain where Potts has gone?"

They all looked around and Rhodey sighed. "She must have gone to look at those buildings. I hope she didn't get lost."

"I didn't" Pepper poked her head back through the door. "And check out what I found!"

She walked in wearing an oversized green army jacket and holding a large backpack. Gene raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that technically stealing?"

"No, its borrowing. Besides everything here belongs to Stark International and since that's Tonys company it's his stuff. So it's just like I'm wearing Tonys clothes. I mean not that I would wear your clothes Tony because well I'm a girl and you're not but you probably already figured that out not that your clothes aren't nice and everything and they'd be better than going naked, not that there'd be any reason I'd be naked and needed to borrow your clothes it's just." In a rare moment of her life pepper decided it would be best to just shut up.

Gene rolled his eyes, Rhodey looked embarrassed for her and Tony just had that clueless smile of his. "Relax Pepper you can have the jacket. Now let's get going."

They all climbed into the lift car, it was the size of a small bus with seats lined up against the wall and wraparound windows. Rhodey looked up towards the mountain top where the cable line disappeared into the clouds. "How long will this ride take?"

"About twenty minutes so sit back and enjoy."

"Oh look at that!" Pepper said pointing down towards a deep fissure that crossed near the foot of the mountain. As they passed directly over it they could see that while it wasn't very wide it was almost a hundred feet deep.

They were all enjoying the ride when the car gave a violent shudder and stopped throwing all of them to the ground, Pepper laying across Tonys lap. She hurriedly got up ears burning with embarrassment. The car was now rocking slowly from side to side.

Tony opened one of the windows and leaned out; when he came back in he was holding a thick piece of vine. "The cables covered in this stuff, it's clogged up everything but I don't recognize the type."

Pepper leaned closer to the piece Tony held then jumped back. "Oh maybe it's some kind of space vine! And it's come to take over the world. What if it tries to eat us when were sleeping?"

Gene plucked one of the vines leafs. "Relax I know this vine. It's called Jukin, very evasive and strong, also incredible slow growing. For it to get this thick would have taken a decade, and I can't even imagine how long that would have taken."

He gestured out the window towards the forest. The others looked but couldn't see anything besides the forest, until they realized it wasn't the forest they were looking at but a thick layer of Jukin that had covered all the trees. There was a huge scare on the mountain where the vine had simply taken over everything.

After they had realized what they were seeing they could pick out the difference in color between the trees and the vines. It was Rhodey who broke the silence they had fallen into. "It's like the vines are using the bones of the forest to spread."

Pepper shot him a look, "Couldn't you have put that some other way?"

"Sorry I." He was interrupted by the sound of a whip crack. Tony spun towards the noise expecting to find Whiplash, instead he saw one of the cables that had been holding the car fall past the window.

Gene watched the cable fall towards the ground. "Our weight along with the vines must be too much, the cables are snapping."

Rhodey forced the door open; the nearest pylon was only teen feet away and covered in vines. "We'll have to jump for it."

He grabbed the pack pepper had found and jumped catching the vines as he fell. Gene Pepper and Tony followed all falling several feet before the managed to grasp onto the pylon. Tony watched the car sag another two feet. "Climb around to the other side!"

A moment later the last cable holding the car snapped and the car fell slamming into the pylon. The impact was enough to jar them, Peppers hand slipped from the vines and she started to fall. Tonys hand managed to shot out in time to grab her wrist. "Man Pepper you're heavy."

He swung her back so she could get another hold on the pylon, just as her hand found a new vine and grabbed it the one Tony had broken away and he tumbled backwards, past Pepper, towards the ground over two hundred feet below.

(A/N: There you go, hope you enjoyed, now feed me reviews. -evil laugh-)