AN: Hello dear readers! I'm back with another chapter! I'm sorry for the long wait. As usual, I hope you read and enjoy this, and then take the time to leave your thoughts, as that's the part I enjoy the most! ;)

A huge thank you to Moosey Mayhem, my fabulous beta-reader. She spent quite a bit of time with me on this chapter. I just couldn't post it until I was as satisfied as I could be, and she was very gracious about it - gracious enough to stay up long in the night with me just to lend her assistance.

Clearly, she is MOA - made of awesome. I dedicate this one to her. Luv you bb! :)

As usual, it's now reviews answering time, so if you reviewed the last chapter, read on to see what I have to say about your comments.

:READERS' CORNER:

Trinilynn - Thank you for being the first to comment! My plans for this fic are huge and I'm enjoying myself so much in writing it. But the best part is definitely hearing from the people who read it, to tell me what they have liked and perhaps not liked so much, or even if all they say is 'good job' and 'can't wait for next update, want more!'. I never get tired of saying it, you readers are a vital part of this. I read once that a writer with no readers is just a neurotic, lonely person talking to themselves. (Aaron Cronin). That is certainly true for me.

I don't plan on making Pepper a damsel in distress; she may have her weak moments and will be facing hard times, where she will need all her not inconsiderable strength and her sharp wits. She may be weak sometimes, but she is in no need of rescuing just because she's helpless. In fact, I can't wait for your responses when you see just how strong a person she is!

Pepper's head ... that is fascinating place to be in for me. I try to get her into character as much as I can. Or at least the way I see her, imagine her to be. She is a woman who has endless patience, and a plethora of resources to fall back on. She's strong and determined, and I think you will be surprised by what you'll see of her in the upcoming chapters. I am extremely touched that the way I wrote her devastation and all-consuming grief has moved you so! I wanted to hug her too. Better buckle in for a rough ride this week-end, cuz there's more of that coming. ;) Thank you for leaving a review, and I hope to hear from you again!

Gigi - Yay, I made you a lovely gift without even knowing it! I'm glad you appreciated it so much on a special day. :)

It was surprisingly easy to write as far as chapters go. Conversely, chapter eight was reaaaally difficult, so sorry for the long wait!

As for her reaction to when she discovers Tony is actually ... you know ... ) You'll have to wait and see!

And last but not least, Loki's feelings. Hmm. This is a very delicate matter, and essentially the heart of the story. Loki is in a very bad place right now. He has no idea just how bad this place is going to become yet, because while he has carefully laid out plans for Pepper, there are going to be things he did not account for, and will never see coming. But to answer your question, without making it obvious to the other readers who may not have caught on yet ... it's heading in that direction, yes. Whether that is a good thing for our lady hero or not, remains to be seen though. Thank you as always for reviewing, I always look forward to your latest comment. I hope you stick around! :)

Ursos - WOW. I am so honoured by the words you have said! Thank you so much! *hug*While some of the things you said may not be necessarily true -I'm a talented writer, oh wow thanks!- I'm honoured more than anything that you appreciate my writing style so much and are loving the plot thus far. So. Basically this next chapter is like, written for you. ;) Hope I delivered! Thanks for the review, please write to me again!

BelieverOFManyThings - Thanks for the review, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. Sorry for the long wait, but I have an issue with posting something if I am not satisfied with it up to a certain degree. Please write to me again! :)

LouBlue - Dear Lou. I am particularly honoured by your reviews. I am a big fan of your MagOc as you well know, so I can't tell you how much your love for this fic means to me. :)

I have a problem with waffling as well, I always try to keep it to a bare minimum in fear of becoming boring - and then, just like you, I'm racked by the doubt that maybe, just maybe, the readers aren't understanding the point I am trying to make, or the story is not as intriguing as I would like it to be.

I think the descriptive side to my writing is probably the best, one of my strengths if you will, and it makes me happy to know that you appreciate it so much - again, insecurity such and such! ;)

I hope the questions I have raised as you read the story are also being answered, and that you are one satisfied reader. I hope this chapter has as much emotion for you as you thought there was in the first two, even if the structure and goal of this chapter is slightly different than those.

Loki: for someone who knew Loki, and probably still does, about as much as you, what you think of the way I'm portraying him as a character is one of the most flattering things I have heard so far. I did quite a bit of research on Loki, but not the Comic Character, rather the way he was portrayed by Tom Hiddleston, who is an unbelievably tall mass of talent and passion. He has a love for Shakespeare that is charming and uncommon I think, so he used it to inspire himself in the way he played the conflicted Loki. Also, that sentence you liked so much, about there "being daggers in Loki's smile"? Lol, I cannot lay claim to that one I'm afraid, I'm not Shakespeare. Anyway, I found Tom's views and opinions and genius to be very inspiring; I may not be writing Loki as good as TomHiddleston!Loki is, but I try to make it as close a match as I can. Glad you love this complex character so much, because he really fascinates me as well! As for the Old Norse, I looked up some things, and it pleases me that you appreciated this authentic touch. I wasn't thrilled with the way Pepper and Loki's first meeting came out once I was done writing it, but what I was trying to achieve was the simplicity of a moment that happens quite by chance, or bad luck depending on your views, and then make it the first pivotal point of the story. There is also going to be more humanity in store for Loki ... I'm not sure he'll like me for it, though. LOL.

Please accept my apologies with regards to the atrocious way I spelled Sydney in chapter four. Like you said, my typing sometimes gets away from my brain -or is the other way around?- and I did not notice, otherwise I would have corrected it before posting! Thanks for pointing it out ;)

And you were completely right about the jealousy thing with Loki. Jealousy is pretty much a part of who he is. Loki doesn't just feel it, he has learnt to co-habitate with it all his life, and now he has pretty much integrated it into his personality. It's who he is. I'm not saying that he HAS to be jealous about something. The way I see it, jealousy for Loki is vital and pivotal, the force that drives him. AS Oliver Stone put it, the power of jealousy and envy to destroy must never be underestimated. I think this is very true of Loki. Whether all this jealousy, along with the conflicted feelings and the essentially flawed character he is will help to finally accept himself remains to be seen. Pepper will have an enormous hand in this. Hope this helped you have a better image of Loki (as in easier to understand, he is not easy to love!), or at least the way I see him.

You still interested? ;) Very much looking forward to hearing from you again.

Readers, write, write, write! I live for it! Sorry for going on and on and on about things other people said, but I think it's important to reply to them whenever I have the chance to do it. On to the chapter now! ;)

CHAPTER SUMMARY: In which we catch up with Tony, who is most definitely not dead, and what he's been up to. Is he finally on to the right track to find Pepper? And how heavy a toll is this situation taking on his emotions?

*Chapter Eight: Ignite*

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.

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I finally know just what it means

To let someone in

To see the side of me that no one does

Or ever will

So if you're ever lost and find yourself

All alone

Well, I'd search forever just to bring you home

Here and now

That's a vow

(I'd come for you - Nickelback

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KIDNAPPED DAY 1: TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

The clock in his office read eleven thirty-five. The last time he'd looked at it, it had read eleven thirty-two. He was going mad! He felt like his sanity was slipping through his fingers as time traipsed on and no word still came.

Where. Where could she be?

Tony's brain worked at speeds that were unimaginable to most people. Only a select few possessed mental abilities at a level on par with his. He never miscalculated.

But he had miscalculated. I shouldn't have let her go. I should have been here. I shouldn't have insisted she go on this trip without me.

Damn him. Damn him! He always had to have the last word. He always had to have his own way.

Tony's modus operandi was mostly to listen to a very small number of people's opinions – probably mock them, and then promptly embrace his own. And now look what happened because of his own damn stubbornness, his short-sightedness. The unthinkable. The unbearable. This was his worst nightmare come to life. He was terrified out of his wits for her.

Short-sighted. Tony mentally snorted, burning with self-loathing and bitterness. He hadn't just been short-sighted, he'd been all of practically blind! When taking on the task of Iron Man, he had always envisioned putting himself in harm's way, that the people he wanted to protect would never actually be anywhere near danger because of it. He'd known that there were mad men who would love nothing more than to come after him. The consequence of this was that he'd had to sit down and figure out ways, multiple ways, of protecting the things he cared about.

She was at the top of that fucking list, the thing he loved most.

And he'd been blind to the possibility that someone would find a way to get to him by making her take the hit.

*Putting out your fires and taking the heat for it!*

A choked sob escaped him and he slumped onto his desk clutching his head, finding it hard to breathe.

He'd been so blind. How could he have been so fucking blind?!

He kept seeing her in his mind's eye, or everywhere he turned, her smooth long hair and her arresting blue eyes – most of all, the light in them when she was looking at him …His pain was visceral, like his innards were twisting around each other as they churned in desperation and fear.

The door opened softly and he raised his head to look at the intruder. It was Loretta, carrying what was undoubtedly one of the tea blends she made herself, hoping it would help to settle his shot nerves. She looked at him – and whatever was in his face must have been so raw that it tugged at her warm, caring heart. She closed the door and came to stand next to him. The tea was pushed closer to his head and he could feel its pungent aroma. Then he felt the soft touch of her hand on his shoulder. She was trying to comfort him.

He felt deep shame at being seen like this, a mess of a man crazed by desperation, face blotchy and bearing the evident signs of his crying. He kept his face buried in his hands, unable to look at her.

She seemed to understand though, because she did not speak. Loretta was a very grounded, wise woman, a realist. She probably knew that telling him things would turn out just fine was useless, because it wasn't true and it most certainly would not comfort him.

Her voice was low and her tone would have been soothing in any other circumstance but this one where Pepper's life—

Tony choked on his sobs again.

"Mason has alerted the police, sir, they're on their way. He also informed me that the man you were waiting to talk to, the sailing instructor, is approaching the premises and will be in to see you in fifteen minutes."

Tony needed strength. He had to search within himself and find the strength to carry on, for her sake. She needed him. His situation had not been so dire since his own kidnapping in Afghanistan, since the birth of IronMan. He'd had guidance then. Tony would never forget Yinsen, his pure motives, his mind, his heroism and sacrifice.

He knew what this felt like. It felt like he was back in that cave. It felt like his life was no longer his own and insanity threatened at the door, the only door that was an escape.

He straightened in his chair and looked at the tea next to his elbow. He wasn't hungry. He sure as hell didn't feel like drinking tea and having cakes like everything was hunky-dory, but if it helped him regain focus …

He drank it in a few large gulps, not tasting the body of it in his mouth.

He got up and resumed his pacing and his thinking – if racing thoughts and scenarios two hundred miles a minute could be called thinking. There were so many things … What had happened? Where was she? Was she all right? Who had taken her? What were their intentions towards her? Was he about to receive a request of ransom for her life?

A knock sounded at the door. Tony halted abruptly and stood stiffly, body rigid and fraught with the tension he could not escape. "Come in."

Mason entered and announced the sailing instructor from OysterSun. He let the man inside the office and closed the door.

Tony looked at him with eyes hard as boulders, unrelenting and raw. They were unsettling.

"Make yourself comfortable."

The other man did as he was told and sat down on a chair in front of the desk, right in front of Tony, who was stood on the other side of it.

The man cleared his throat. "I work for OysterSun Sailing, Mr. Stark. I took Ms. Potts out on a catamaran today. We – that is, my crew and I- took her sailing for a couple of hours in the morning."

Tony's face was forbidding and shadowed. The other man felt twitchy and nervous, like he was being interrogated and any wrong answer might set off an explosive that would blow up in his face. "I want specific times. When did she leave? Where was the last place you saw her?"

"Well … I'm not sure when we parted ways, exactly. I mean, it must have been around lunch-time."

Tony's jaw hardened. "Lunch-time, nah uh-uh, I need you to be more precise. Come on! What time was it?"

"I—I'm not sure … I mean it was after twelve, but it might have been half past or, even quarter to one." The other man shrugged helplessly.

Tony's eyes narrowed and his expression was a grimace of fury, his body language aggressive. He fought to remain calm. "So which is it? After twelve, as in twelve o'clock … or, or what one pm? Come on, dammit!"

"Mr. Stark I am trying –"

"Stop trying to give me the information I want, and actually give it to me! Straight up, tell me what you know, what you remember about the last time you saw Ms. Potts! It was less than ten hours ago, how can you not remember something like that!"

"Sir, I understand you're upset-"

Tony raised his voice. "Don't! Don't give me that crap, that's not what I want from you! From the top."

"Okay. Okay, Ms. Potts came in this morning for her booked bay-sailing. I'm one of the instructors who works at the local recreational sailing agency, I'm the one who took her out."

"Keep going."

"Well, it was me with my three guys, the crew. We sailed for a couple of hours tops, mostly going around the bay and keeping close to the coast. Then Ms. Potts left, probably at some point before one this afternoon. That's all I know. I did not see her again."

"Did anything unusual happen in the time that you took her out in the boat, that you came back – even as she was leaving? Did you see her with someone, a tourist maybe?"

The man shook his head.

"Shevaughn, I need you to think carefully and tell me the truth."

The other man screwed up his face in slight confusion. "My name isn't Shevaughn, it's Sheron, Mr. Stark."

Tony tapped his feet impatiently on the floor and slashed the air with his hands. "Yeah yeah yeah, what else can you tell me?"

"Sir, that's all I know. Nothing unusual happened this morning. Not before Ms. Potts' arrival at the agency, not during our boat outing, nor when she left. Everything was as it should be, nothing out of the ordinary."

"What about log reports in your agency? Is there actual proof that what you've just told me is true?"

Sheron's eyes widened. "I swear, I've only told you the truth and what I remember!"

Tony looked at him silently, his gaze like thunder, gauging the sincerity of the man. He decided that he was being honest with him at least, as far as what he remembered went.

"All right you can go. Thank you for your help. Don't go far, though, I may need to speak with you again at some point. If you disappear, don't think I'm not coming after you. Are we clear?"

The man nodded and then left.

Tony logged onto his personal computer (the one with the untraceable IP and the StarkNet planetary internet connection.) He hacked into OysterSun Sailing's records, and scrolled for Pepper's outing appointment. He brought up the details of the file, and saw that it all checked out with that whats-his-face's version of events. So far, it looked like he was telling the truth. And for now Tony had to consider them to be people who could not know anything about her disappearance. Roughly ten down, potentially hundreds more to go.

He hacked into the resort's security feeds, and this had been a piece of cake. Anyone could have done it, and they could have seen that Pepper was due for an appointment with their spa that night, so if they were planning to strike, they wouldn't have had to work hard to plan their move.

Bile burned in his gut and his vision leaked red. It had all been so easy, so easy to get to her!

Whoever had done it, they'd known at the very least where she was going, because they'd timed it perfectly to make their move exactly in that small window of time where she would be out in the open and alone, defenceless.

JARVIS spoke to him via his phone. "Sir, I have been looking over security videos from the resort within the time-frame where Ms. Potts should have been within their premises, and I think you need to look at this."

"Bring it up on the screen."

Tony leaned in closer to the computer, where a window had just popped open of a video feed from security cameras of the hotel. He blinked, eyes bright and wholly focused on what was in front of him. "What am I looking at, JARVIS? How is this person relevant to Pepper's disappearance?"

"That sir, I believe, is a very important question."

End of chapter eight. What did you think? I know it was short, but chapter nine is coming before the week-end's out, I promise! Hope it was worth the wait, and your time. And if it was, let me know; if only to be featured in the READERS' CORNER, lol!

Much love,

Vespe