Hey guys! Thanks for all the support! Hope this chapter isn't too bad...I'll post Chap 10 up here in a few minutes since it's all written :D

Tony instantly gunned for his girlfriend, nearly crushing the man that held her to death.

"Pepper," He said, retracting the face plate from where it had slid down just moments before, "Pepper, are you alright?"

"I'm okay," Pepper sounded shaky, but stood strong, "Just…"

Tony hated seeing Pepper scared. She didn't show it to anyone but him, but he saw all the signs. The pale face, the lack of a smile or wit, the tense pose.

"Pepper, I love you," Tony said, wanting so bad to fly her far, far away but knowing he had a duty to his team.

"I love you too. Now go, Anthony Stark. The world needs you." She kissed him lightly.

"Stay with Darcy and Jane. In the restaurant. Please, please, be safe, Pep. Please. For me."

"I will be," She promised, "Go. SHIELD needs you."

Tony nodded, face plate sliding into place. He took off without another word, knowing that it would be painful to leave her no matter what.

"Stark! Get your team out of here!" Ink Smear commanded, "My team has this."

"Got it, Smudge, do what you gotta do." Tony said, spiraling towards the van that held Clint and Natasha and landing on the roof.

He blasted a hole in the cab, surprising the drivers. "I'll give you five seconds," Tony said.

They shared a panicked look and shot towards the door, but were burned to a crisp before they even got them open.

"Whoops," Tony said, "I guess my timer is malfunctioning from all the bullets you guys shot at me. My bad." He then fired at the guys surrounding the van until he felt he could safely get to the back of it.

"Clint? Natasha?" He ripped the doors of their hinges, mostly blocking the gunfire from entering the back of the van. His suit couldn't take much more of this.

"Tony." Natasha said as she supported a pale Clint. Actually, they were both unusually pale, but with Natasha's normally fair complexion, it wasn't as obvious.

Then Tony smelled the gas that had been pumping into the airtight back, and gagged. Usually the suit had a filter, but it had broken long ago under the gunfire.

"Carbon monoxide?" Tony choked out, "And you guys are still standing?"

"Barely," Clint croaked out, "But we had to stay awake to chew out your ass, Stark."

"Get in line," Stark joked, "You're after Nick Fury, but before Pepper."

"I'll make a note," Natasha said shortly, "Are there medics?"

Clint complained almost instantly, "I don't need medics!"

"Clint…" Natasha said in a dangerous tone of voice, "You do what I say, and I say you need medical attention."

"No can do, Itsy-Bitsy Spider," Tony said, "No medics. I'm going to go get the Star Spangled Boy Scout and Point Break, and then we're getting the hell outta here, got it?"

"We're leaving?" Clint asked blankly at the same time Natasha exclaimed, "They need us here, injured or not, Stark!"

Tony cut them off, "Orders from above. Take it up with your boss if you want, but I wouldn't advise it."

Natasha and Clint shared a look, before starting towards the nearest SHIELD vehicle. With Clint's limp and the injuries both had, it was slow. But they knew how to take care of themselves. Tony had other people to worry about.

First, Captain America. Tony hovered in the air, but was reminded that he had to keep moving when a bullet landed on the same spot that three others had, this time actually piercing his skin.

Tony sucked in a sharp breathe, but ignored it after that. There. Cap was completely unconscious, or at least doing a good impression of it, and being ignored except for three guards.

Tony dropped down heavily next to one, knocking him out with one solid punch. Another butted the inventor in the head with his gun, but Tony spun and broke several of the man's ribs, before slamming him to the ground.

The third had time to prepare, however, and fired several rounds of electromagnetic energy pulses at Tony. The suit's shield was quickly thrown up, but it only lasted around three rounds.

The last three rounds knocked Tony backwards, spinning him head over heels before his body smacked the ground. He gasped, feeling like he couldn't breathe.

When he was finally able to stand, Ink Smear had taken out the guy for him.

"You okay, Stark?" Both men were panting heavily, bloodied and tired.

"Peachy. You?"

"Just fine."

"Good to hear." Tony looked around, "Cap?"

"Already cleared."

"Banner?"

"Also cleared."

"Thor?"

"Not clear." Ink Smear shifted uncomfortably, "Listen, Tony, I know you aren't going to like this, but these men are practically invincible, and I've already lost a lot of men. Fury refuses to send more, for reasons I'm not allowed to say, so I'm going to have to ask you to stick around. Neither Agents Barton nor Romanoff are fit, nor is Banner or Rogers. I doubt Thor is either."

"No problem, Smudge," Tony said, interrupting him, "Just make sure you get Ms. Potts out of here, along with Happy, Jane and Darcy."

"I will do that, Stark. And…thank you." Ink Smear actually sounded sincere for once, and Tony laughed, "Save that for later, when I single handedly save all your asses."

Ink Smear muttered something, but Stark was already high above the crowd, searching for the best spot. It was unibeam time. Tony wanted to go home ASAP, and what better way than kill off fifty men at once?

Any other way,A voice suspiciously like Pepper's said in his mind, since this is a surefire way to get yourself killed.

Tony shrugged internally. He was sore, and tired, and overall in a pretty Hulk-like mood.

"Hey Inky, do me a favor." Tony said, "Call of your agents, or they'll be nothing more than charred bananas."

"Stark, what are you doing?"

"Charred bananas, Smudge. Two seconds."

Ink Smear hardly hesitated, and Tony saw a bit of the spirit that made Phil Coulson so good at his job, "Team Delta Phi, retreat. Teams Alpha through Gamma, retreat. I repeat, all teams retreat. Clear out now, men!" He shouted, moving to clear men himself. Tony watched as Ink Smear tackled a baddie just to save of the SHIELD agents, and felt respect for the first time.

"Kay, Tony, let's do this." Tony said to himself.

"Sir, may I remind you…"

"Not now, Jarvis."

"But sir, I must insist…"

"Jarvis." Tony said, "I must insist that you don't waste your breathe. Or technically, nothing, since you don't breath. Remind me to think of a good substitute for that."

"As you wish, sir." Jarvis sounded resigned, and he fell silent.

Tony almost smiled; if it weren't for the situation, he would have. Then, once he was sure that Ink Smear had gotten everyone clear, Tony fired off the unibeam.

So have I mentioned how awesome you guys are? Really? Cuz you are. :)

Please check out my poll! I'm giving you guys two more days before I close it! And if you don't know who the Black Panther is, just shoot me a PM. I promise I don't bite!

But I might bore you to death with my geek-talk. Really, I just can't get enough of Marvel and The Avengers. If I ever find love, it'll be in a comic store probably.

*Sigh*

But hey! I know most authors ask for reviews, but this time imma change it up! I'm asking for FAVORITES this time! Just so you guys don't go *ugh, I have to type another review? I'm so sick of these things!* Now you just have to click your mouse twice, and you'll be on your merry way!

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