Chapter 4: IWUL

YES! I AM BACK! This is one of those stories I thought I should update quickly before I forget what had happened! So… as y'all know… school is the hugest problem for my lateness! So blame school… NOT ME!

And well my friend and I had debated how we wanted to maim Gene. We know how much we hated Gene, so I am prepared to make her happy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my story!

"QUEEN? You're joking!" Pepper screamed up at Gene. Kissing her was another story, but being a queen was definitely out of the ballpark!

"I am not joking, Pepper. I fell in love with you at Tomorrow Academy. And then that Stark got a hold of you… Pepper, do you think he treats you right? Do you think he even loves you?" Gene asked softly. His tone still had the sternness in it, but he showed some kind of affection.

Pepper felt overwhelmed. Gene loved her? Well she always knew that, especially when he tried to take her out one time. But her anger increased when Gene spoke about Tony. "No… Tony loves me. He LOVES me. You're just jealous that Tony got me rather than you! I never even liked you! Tony will save me… You can never win… You will never have me as your queen."

Pepper frowned and slid to the ground. Leaning her back against the wall, Pepper sighed wistfully and closed her eyes. Her spirit started dwindling, if Tony didn't come any time soon, she would become Mrs. Khan! She shuddered with the thought…

Gene, who was definitely fuming with anger, activated his rings and came in front of Pepper. He reached down and grabbed a fistful of Pepper's hair. Yanking her up to her feet, he pushed her against the wall. "You… ARE… MINE!" Gene yelled. He slammed her against the wall again. "Stark will never have you… I will never let you go!"

Pepper only scowled, frowning until she thought her face would permanently become angry. She stared him right in the face and said, "No."

…

The flight to the Khan Shop was quick. Tony blasted his way inside the shop, not bothering to ring the doorbell. "GENE!" He shouted openly. The antique shop was surprisingly pleasant for a dirty family name. The beautiful artifacts lined each shelf, creating an almost inhumane pleasant feeling around the shop.

Tony went to the cashier counter and rang the silver bell. The bell rang across the shop, echoing to each corner. "GENE!" Tony shouted out again.

Then the door opened from the back. Before anyone could see him in his armor, Tony stripped out the armor and let it retract into his backpack He balled up his fist, prepared the rat out Gene, and even give a punch here and there.

Gene walked out, his hands behind his back. "Tony! It's so good to see you! Hey, about that project I couldn't come over for-" Gene had to step back quickly, before Tony could grab onto his collar. But Tony did anyway.

Pulling Gene up to his face, Tony shook him a couple of times. "PROJECT? A STUPID PROJECT? WHERE IS PEPPER? WHERE IS MY GIRLFRIEND?" Tony pushed Gene up against the wall. He balled up his fist. Before he could aim a well-placed punch in the nose, Gene grabbed his fist and pushed back. Tony grabbed onto his shoulder, but kept his frown.

"Ah… Pepper Potts. The girl we are both after…" Gene said softly. Tony gasped in surprise.

"What are you talking about? A girl we are both after? Don't be stupid… Gene you know she and I are together! How could you even think about keeping her?" But instead of responding, Gene got behind Tony, morphed into the Mandarin, and forcefully pushed Tony towards the back of the shop.

"Well then Stark, I might as well show you what I have in the back of my shop. And let me say this… you make a single move… I will kill you."

…

Pepper heard Tony before Gene even left. She could hear the blast of the repulsor, and the retraction of the armor. Of course, Gene didn't know about it, but when you hang out with Team Iron Man, you learn to understand every detail.

"Tony…" Pepper wanted to scream his name out, to get his attention. But Pepper was weak; it had been days since she had any food or water. Gene treated her well, but it didn't mean she accepted the affection. If Gene wanted her to be his queen, she would rather die than be with him. Someone that sinister would never be her husband.

"Where's Pepper?" It was definitely Tony. Pepper stood, looking up into the only opening.

"TONY!" She screamed, using every amount of strength she had to shout her lover's name. "TONY DOWN HERE!" She heard a grunt. And then a scream.

"WHERE IS SHE? That was her! That was HER!" Tony must've been getting on with Gene, because she could hear the gruff metallic voice of the Mandarin coming in contact with Tony.

"I told you Stark… I'll show you…" It was Gene. Suddenly, there was a shadow on the floor of Pepper's cell. She looked down, and then up, noticing the Mandarin and then Tony.

The Mandarin had a strong grip on Tony's neck, and pushed his face down to look into the cell. At first, Tony had only a look of surprise when he noticed Pepper. But the surprise quickly turned into a blood-boiling rage. "YOU… YOU… AGH!" Tony tried whirling around, but Gene held him down.

"Take a good look Stark. The girl down there, is mine… and mine only… You understand that? Do you?" Gene pushed Tony's face against the metal bars.

"Pepper? Are you okay?" Tony asked softly. Pepper smiled, a tear a trickling down her cheek.

"I'm fine Tony. Be careful… And Tony?" Pepper sighed. She had to time it perfectly.

"What is it Pepper?"

"I—I love you. I love you Tony." She said. She blew him a kiss, gave him a smile, and slid down the wall. But her eyes never left his blue ones.

Tony was awestruck. This was what Pepper wanted to say to him. He knew it. "I love you too Pepper."

Tony gagged. Gene tightened his grip on Tony's neck and pulled him back. Gene turned Tony around and pushed his back against the bars. Tony tried prying Gene's fingers off but in vain.

"I LOVE her, Stark. Only me! And now you will pay." Gene started tightening his grip, squeezing the air out of Tony. Tony moaned, gagging and screaming. In a last desperate effort, he slipped his backpack off his shoulders and let it drop to the floor. Pepper shrieked in alarm.

"Pep…"He said. Pepper understood instantly. She stood, slipping the backpack onto her shoulders. She pushed the center button and waited as the suit engulfed her.

"GENE!" She shouted in Iron Man's voice. "You're going down."

Who doesn't love cliffhangers? I LOVE THEM! So yeah… Okay then… REVIEW!