p class="MsoNormal"She wasn't sure how long she had been trapped here. Being under the fluorescent lights 24/7 didn't help and the fact that she only saw out a window when she was allowed to use the bathroom meant that the days and nights were all mixed around. She tried to ignore that and instead put all her focus into the miniaturized arc reactor that she had theorized a while back./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe was grateful that the doctor she had commissioned to help her was on her side. She was just sad that he was in the same position as she. He had told her his story of coming to America illegally thanks to the men of this organization and instead of letting him go they kept him as their own./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I did countless surgeries in my days in my home country, but here it's just patching bullet holes with second hand equipment that probably hasn't been sterilized in ages but what do they care. As long as I fix them that's all they care about." He shrugged as he held the shell of the arc reactor steady for Toni./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I promise you Yinsen that I'm going to get both of us out of here." She said in a low voice as she welded a few wires together./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You know you're known as the killer in my country but now I realized it's men like these that are the true killers." Yinsen said softly and Toni paused her work and let out a sad sigh./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I know. Believe me I had no idea, but my company will never make weapons like those again." She whispered and Yinsen reached out to give her shoulder a squeeze./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I know."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAnd so the two of them worked in sync to complete the arc reactor but also to begin the shell of the metal suit that she planned on using to break out of this horrible place. She had used the defunct weapons she was provided to create the shell with Yinsen's help./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I think we're still in California." She said one night over their meal of beans and bread, something she vowed never to eat again once she was released./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What makes you think that?" Yinsen asked as he took a bite./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Their accents are close to Los Angeles accents and their slang that they've been using is similar to gang members in the California areas. Besides I've heard them call the highways The 10. Only Californians call highways with 'the' in front of it." She said matter of factly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Seems reasonable. I met these people in Los Angeles but I was transferred to some place outside of the city." Yinsen nodded and Toni's brow furrowed. If they were out in the Mojave desert which seems likely due to the fact that it would be the best place to hide someone, she would have to gather supplies other than weapons./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHer days were spent working with Yinsen on the shell, creating weapons, and attempting not to go insane. She was grateful for Yinsen who told the best stories and she felt comfortable with him. She told him about her crazy lifestyle that looking at it now seemed pointless. Sure she had enough money for many lifetimes and she knew hundreds of people but who could she count on? She could count on one hand the people that she truly knew and trusted./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe didn't want to admit that when she was staring at the ceiling on her shitty cot that she was thinking about Pepper. He knew everything about her and she knew just a bit about him yet she could count on him for everything./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe missed his calming presence and his attitude he could have when she was being a little too extra./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe missed his laugh and smile and his genuineness./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe missed those freckles that got him his namesake that bled into the rest of his life./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe first thing she would do when she got out would find Pepper and give him the biggest hug./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBut first she had to get out./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was the day. She could hardly force down her breakfast (toast with nothing on it). She looked over on Yinsen who seemed just as nervous as she did. She knew it had to be today. The leader was getting anxious to have his weapons./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Are you ready for this?" Yinsen asked softly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Are you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm behind you always."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Good. I'm going to need you." Toni whispered./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey decided on dinner time. The men by then would be tired and ready to get off their shift and have their guards down. It would be the perfect time to strike and if they were in fact in the desert, it would be easy to blend into the darkness and it would much cooler than in the heat of the day./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey pretended to work on something with welding sparks going up on the cameras so it looked like they were doing something more than just welding to pieces of metal together as the time ticked down. As it got closer, Toni got in the camera's blind spot as Yinsen helped her into the suit./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanLike clockwork the guards came in with food but instead of greeting them sitting innocently at the table they got a flamethrower in their face. With screams, the two went down and in the smoke Toni stood with a giant metal shell around her, the arc reactor glowing an unnatural blue in her chest./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Stay behind me Yinsen." She said, her voice muffled. Yinsen nodded with a cock of the gun that the guard had left behind./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey smashed through the door and found the hallway empty but not for long. Soon other men came out of the rooms looking either confused or angry depending on if they came from the camera room./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Evening gentlemen." She said grimly and began shooting and running the flamethrower. Men went down with either a scream or an expanse of silence. Yinsen shot over her shoulder or under her arm as they progressed down the hall. Men were falling back or fighting with fury in their eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey do say you never know how you're going to react to something unless you're in the thick of it. Toni never saw herself killing someone in direct combat. She left that to the soldiers who made the choice to fight. She always figured she would be too squeamish to take a life or perhaps too empathetic. Instead she found herself being complacent and filled with regretful determination. Her life over theirs. That's how it had to be./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSoon they made it out of the deadly hallway and she wasn't about to look back. With a fierce kick, she made her way out of the building to find more men. With more bullets flying, she took off at a run though with the amount of metal that was surrounding her body, it was more of a jog./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You doing okay back there Yinsen?" She yelled./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Doing just fine!" He yelled back as he took down another man./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We're going to run into the desert and hope for the best."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Desert is all around us, that's the only way to go." Yinsen said with a wry look./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIn the middle of a firefight and he was still cracking jokes. She took out more men that she could count. There were too many of them. She had to get them out of here./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Yinsen hold onto me!" She yelled and without a doubt he launched himself onto her back and with gritted teeth she started the reserve flame throwers and they were lifted off the ground with a jolt. She had little control but enough flame that it started a fire. It helped that she managed to light the gas canisters that were laying around. The idiots deserved what came next as Toni and Yinsen made it away from the giant explosion and into the heart of the desert./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWhen the flames began to die out which ended up being only a few minutes later, they were far enough away to see the giant wall of flames that they had left behind./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was not a graceful landing and instead more of a tumble that left Toni breathless as the metal did nothing to soften the blow. After several painful rolls she finally came to a stop with the metal shell a mangled mess around her. She laid there for a second before letting out a rather hysterical laugh./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We're alive." She breathed and sat up, taking off the metal helmet and looked for Yinsen who was laughing as well. "Was that not awesome or what?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Truly spectacular." Yinsen grinned happily and sat up./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Let's get out of here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey got up and Yinsen looked up at the stars and directed them towards the way they should walk to get back to civilization./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"My father taught me how to read the stars. I grew up in a desert similar to this. I remember going out at night and staring up at the stars. My father said he had gotten lost several times and used the stars to find his way back." Yinsen explained as they started their trek./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"All my father taught me was how not to show love to a child and that money is more important than family." Toni said rather bitterly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm sure that's not true." Yinsen comforted./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Tell that to all the unattended awards ceremonies and disappointed looks. He wanted a boy and instead got me. Even me getting into the MIT at 15 meant nothing to him it seemed." She sighed in annoyance. "He's been gone years and he can still haunt me even when I created a metal machine that got the two of us out of prison basically and I know all he would say would be 'should have done it sooner'." She laughed and shook her head. "You probably don't want to hear this."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm sure my daughter feels the same way." Yinsen said after a while. "I left her and her mother behind in order to send money back to them and bring them over but instead they haven't heard from me in two years."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"But you will. I will make sure you see your wife and daughter as soon as we get back." Toni said and reached out to take his hand and give it a squeeze./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I appreciate that Toni." Yinsen said with warmth in his eyes. "And you father did love you. Why else would he push you so hard and still let you choose your own path?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanToni was silent at that. Her father would always be a sore subject. He would always be this all-powerful figure that would hover over her life both past and present. She knew she would never be free of his presence, especially since she would never get a proper goodbye. She would only have their last fight to remember and replay in her head./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEven in the desert he would be right beside her./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey continued to walk in silence, passing the water bottle that Yinsen was able to procure before they broke out. As dawn broke, their eyes winced against the light./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Is that what I think it is?" Yinsen asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It is." Toni said breathlessly and their pace picked up as they saw a group of buildings up ahead that turned into houses./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey made it to the first one and they knocked on the door. A man answered, half dressed and bleary eyed./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Hello sir, I'm To—" She started when the man's eyes widened./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Holy shit you're Toni Stark!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Er yes. Do you have a phone I could use?" She asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Of course of course, come in." He ushered the two of them inside and Toni thanked him graciously before calling the number she knew by heart./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Hello?" The man's voice answered in slight annoyance./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Pepper." She breathed in relief./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Toni?! What? How? Where are you?" Pepper's voice became a mixture of elatedness and concern./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Um I'm not sure. I just got to this man's house." She looked to the man who quickly gave her his address. She relayed it to Pepper./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Don't you dare move Toni I'll be there as soon as possible." Pepper ordered fiercely./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm not going anywhere." She said softly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe man's wife had woken up in this time and made both her and Yinsen breakfast. The couple was incredibly accommodating though a little overenthusiastic. Toni answered a few questions but really was so exhausted she almost fell as sleep at the breakfast table./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was the sound of helicopter blades that woke her up and without even turning to Yinsen or the couple, she was out the door. Pepper, Rhodey and Happy were exiting the helicopter and she took a running start at the group./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe practically launched herself into Pepper's arms who instantly wrapped his arms around her tightly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Peps." She said into his chest that smelled like him despite the fact she was sure this was the closest they had ever been since their meeting./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I was so worried." Pepper said into her ear as the helicopter's blades slowed./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I want to go home." She said as tears sprung to her eyes. She was not a crier but being surrounded by people she loved after being isolated from humanity besides Yinsen had her feeling incredibly vulnerable./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We will I promise." He squeezed her tightly again before releasing her and checking her for signs of injuries. She was sure she was bleeding and bruised in multiple places but she didn't feel it. She looked over to Rhodey and Happy who looked at her in relief. She reached out for them as well and gave them each hugs before hearing a little cough behind her./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Oh, right. Guys this is Yinsen and I wouldn't be alive today without him. He's coming with us." She said and gestured to the man behind her./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Of course." Pepper nodded and with a quick thank you to the couple who owned the house, they all got on the helicopter back to Los Angeles./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanToni refused to let go of Pepper the entire ride./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"_/p
p class="MsoNormal"A/N: Doesn't it just make you want to squeeze some thing soft really hard? Ugh love that fluff! Also of course I wasn't going to kill of Yinsen because screw Iron Man 1 for doing that. Let me know what you think!/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe was grateful that the doctor she had commissioned to help her was on her side. She was just sad that he was in the same position as she. He had told her his story of coming to America illegally thanks to the men of this organization and instead of letting him go they kept him as their own./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I did countless surgeries in my days in my home country, but here it's just patching bullet holes with second hand equipment that probably hasn't been sterilized in ages but what do they care. As long as I fix them that's all they care about." He shrugged as he held the shell of the arc reactor steady for Toni./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I promise you Yinsen that I'm going to get both of us out of here." She said in a low voice as she welded a few wires together./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You know you're known as the killer in my country but now I realized it's men like these that are the true killers." Yinsen said softly and Toni paused her work and let out a sad sigh./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I know. Believe me I had no idea, but my company will never make weapons like those again." She whispered and Yinsen reached out to give her shoulder a squeeze./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I know."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanAnd so the two of them worked in sync to complete the arc reactor but also to begin the shell of the metal suit that she planned on using to break out of this horrible place. She had used the defunct weapons she was provided to create the shell with Yinsen's help./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I think we're still in California." She said one night over their meal of beans and bread, something she vowed never to eat again once she was released./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"What makes you think that?" Yinsen asked as he took a bite./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Their accents are close to Los Angeles accents and their slang that they've been using is similar to gang members in the California areas. Besides I've heard them call the highways The 10. Only Californians call highways with 'the' in front of it." She said matter of factly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Seems reasonable. I met these people in Los Angeles but I was transferred to some place outside of the city." Yinsen nodded and Toni's brow furrowed. If they were out in the Mojave desert which seems likely due to the fact that it would be the best place to hide someone, she would have to gather supplies other than weapons./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanHer days were spent working with Yinsen on the shell, creating weapons, and attempting not to go insane. She was grateful for Yinsen who told the best stories and she felt comfortable with him. She told him about her crazy lifestyle that looking at it now seemed pointless. Sure she had enough money for many lifetimes and she knew hundreds of people but who could she count on? She could count on one hand the people that she truly knew and trusted./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe didn't want to admit that when she was staring at the ceiling on her shitty cot that she was thinking about Pepper. He knew everything about her and she knew just a bit about him yet she could count on him for everything./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe missed his calming presence and his attitude he could have when she was being a little too extra./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe missed his laugh and smile and his genuineness./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe missed those freckles that got him his namesake that bled into the rest of his life./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe first thing she would do when she got out would find Pepper and give him the biggest hug./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanBut first she had to get out./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was the day. She could hardly force down her breakfast (toast with nothing on it). She looked over on Yinsen who seemed just as nervous as she did. She knew it had to be today. The leader was getting anxious to have his weapons./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Are you ready for this?" Yinsen asked softly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Are you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm behind you always."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Good. I'm going to need you." Toni whispered./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey decided on dinner time. The men by then would be tired and ready to get off their shift and have their guards down. It would be the perfect time to strike and if they were in fact in the desert, it would be easy to blend into the darkness and it would much cooler than in the heat of the day./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey pretended to work on something with welding sparks going up on the cameras so it looked like they were doing something more than just welding to pieces of metal together as the time ticked down. As it got closer, Toni got in the camera's blind spot as Yinsen helped her into the suit./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanLike clockwork the guards came in with food but instead of greeting them sitting innocently at the table they got a flamethrower in their face. With screams, the two went down and in the smoke Toni stood with a giant metal shell around her, the arc reactor glowing an unnatural blue in her chest./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Stay behind me Yinsen." She said, her voice muffled. Yinsen nodded with a cock of the gun that the guard had left behind./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey smashed through the door and found the hallway empty but not for long. Soon other men came out of the rooms looking either confused or angry depending on if they came from the camera room./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Evening gentlemen." She said grimly and began shooting and running the flamethrower. Men went down with either a scream or an expanse of silence. Yinsen shot over her shoulder or under her arm as they progressed down the hall. Men were falling back or fighting with fury in their eyes./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey do say you never know how you're going to react to something unless you're in the thick of it. Toni never saw herself killing someone in direct combat. She left that to the soldiers who made the choice to fight. She always figured she would be too squeamish to take a life or perhaps too empathetic. Instead she found herself being complacent and filled with regretful determination. Her life over theirs. That's how it had to be./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanSoon they made it out of the deadly hallway and she wasn't about to look back. With a fierce kick, she made her way out of the building to find more men. With more bullets flying, she took off at a run though with the amount of metal that was surrounding her body, it was more of a jog./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"You doing okay back there Yinsen?" She yelled./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Doing just fine!" He yelled back as he took down another man./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We're going to run into the desert and hope for the best."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Desert is all around us, that's the only way to go." Yinsen said with a wry look./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIn the middle of a firefight and he was still cracking jokes. She took out more men that she could count. There were too many of them. She had to get them out of here./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Yinsen hold onto me!" She yelled and without a doubt he launched himself onto her back and with gritted teeth she started the reserve flame throwers and they were lifted off the ground with a jolt. She had little control but enough flame that it started a fire. It helped that she managed to light the gas canisters that were laying around. The idiots deserved what came next as Toni and Yinsen made it away from the giant explosion and into the heart of the desert./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanWhen the flames began to die out which ended up being only a few minutes later, they were far enough away to see the giant wall of flames that they had left behind./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was not a graceful landing and instead more of a tumble that left Toni breathless as the metal did nothing to soften the blow. After several painful rolls she finally came to a stop with the metal shell a mangled mess around her. She laid there for a second before letting out a rather hysterical laugh./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We're alive." She breathed and sat up, taking off the metal helmet and looked for Yinsen who was laughing as well. "Was that not awesome or what?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Truly spectacular." Yinsen grinned happily and sat up./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Let's get out of here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey got up and Yinsen looked up at the stars and directed them towards the way they should walk to get back to civilization./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"My father taught me how to read the stars. I grew up in a desert similar to this. I remember going out at night and staring up at the stars. My father said he had gotten lost several times and used the stars to find his way back." Yinsen explained as they started their trek./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"All my father taught me was how not to show love to a child and that money is more important than family." Toni said rather bitterly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm sure that's not true." Yinsen comforted./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Tell that to all the unattended awards ceremonies and disappointed looks. He wanted a boy and instead got me. Even me getting into the MIT at 15 meant nothing to him it seemed." She sighed in annoyance. "He's been gone years and he can still haunt me even when I created a metal machine that got the two of us out of prison basically and I know all he would say would be 'should have done it sooner'." She laughed and shook her head. "You probably don't want to hear this."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm sure my daughter feels the same way." Yinsen said after a while. "I left her and her mother behind in order to send money back to them and bring them over but instead they haven't heard from me in two years."/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"But you will. I will make sure you see your wife and daughter as soon as we get back." Toni said and reached out to take his hand and give it a squeeze./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I appreciate that Toni." Yinsen said with warmth in his eyes. "And you father did love you. Why else would he push you so hard and still let you choose your own path?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanToni was silent at that. Her father would always be a sore subject. He would always be this all-powerful figure that would hover over her life both past and present. She knew she would never be free of his presence, especially since she would never get a proper goodbye. She would only have their last fight to remember and replay in her head./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanEven in the desert he would be right beside her./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey continued to walk in silence, passing the water bottle that Yinsen was able to procure before they broke out. As dawn broke, their eyes winced against the light./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Is that what I think it is?" Yinsen asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"It is." Toni said breathlessly and their pace picked up as they saw a group of buildings up ahead that turned into houses./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThey made it to the first one and they knocked on the door. A man answered, half dressed and bleary eyed./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Hello sir, I'm To—" She started when the man's eyes widened./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Holy shit you're Toni Stark!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Er yes. Do you have a phone I could use?" She asked./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Of course of course, come in." He ushered the two of them inside and Toni thanked him graciously before calling the number she knew by heart./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Hello?" The man's voice answered in slight annoyance./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Pepper." She breathed in relief./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Toni?! What? How? Where are you?" Pepper's voice became a mixture of elatedness and concern./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Um I'm not sure. I just got to this man's house." She looked to the man who quickly gave her his address. She relayed it to Pepper./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Don't you dare move Toni I'll be there as soon as possible." Pepper ordered fiercely./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I'm not going anywhere." She said softly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanThe man's wife had woken up in this time and made both her and Yinsen breakfast. The couple was incredibly accommodating though a little overenthusiastic. Toni answered a few questions but really was so exhausted she almost fell as sleep at the breakfast table./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanIt was the sound of helicopter blades that woke her up and without even turning to Yinsen or the couple, she was out the door. Pepper, Rhodey and Happy were exiting the helicopter and she took a running start at the group./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanShe practically launched herself into Pepper's arms who instantly wrapped his arms around her tightly./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Peps." She said into his chest that smelled like him despite the fact she was sure this was the closest they had ever been since their meeting./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I was so worried." Pepper said into her ear as the helicopter's blades slowed./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"I want to go home." She said as tears sprung to her eyes. She was not a crier but being surrounded by people she loved after being isolated from humanity besides Yinsen had her feeling incredibly vulnerable./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"We will I promise." He squeezed her tightly again before releasing her and checking her for signs of injuries. She was sure she was bleeding and bruised in multiple places but she didn't feel it. She looked over to Rhodey and Happy who looked at her in relief. She reached out for them as well and gave them each hugs before hearing a little cough behind her./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Oh, right. Guys this is Yinsen and I wouldn't be alive today without him. He's coming with us." She said and gestured to the man behind her./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /span"Of course." Pepper nodded and with a quick thank you to the couple who owned the house, they all got on the helicopter back to Los Angeles./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-tab-count: 1;" /spanToni refused to let go of Pepper the entire ride./p
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal"_/p
p class="MsoNormal"A/N: Doesn't it just make you want to squeeze some thing soft really hard? Ugh love that fluff! Also of course I wasn't going to kill of Yinsen because screw Iron Man 1 for doing that. Let me know what you think!/p