A/N Immense thanks to Finny-Kun Goddess(Thanks!), SilverPedals1402 (Thanks a ton! I really wanted to show the differences with him gone, and I'm glad I got that across. :) ), PercyJacksonLover14 (I know, I always got mad when I'd see something about the mutant hatred. And thanks!), imaAvenger (Thank you! I'm really glad you're enjoying so far! ;) ), UltraRed55 (There's actually a reason for that, but it comes later and is kinda subtle... Thanks!), Norrieo (Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying so far, and thanks for the compliment! :D ), Carpetbakr (No, you mustn't lose your mind! Who will update Hunted Hero? XD ), Alice. Dreamer 15 (Thanks, and I'm glad you like it! :D )

School has consumed most of my time as of late. And since I have extra homework from my honors classes, I don't have time to write till almost ten at night. While my best ideas come at night, I'm so bushed that I usually end up falling asleep at the computer and waking up with the keyboard keys imprinted on my face. XD So that means I'll have to write extra fast on the weekends to try to have a few chapters already done that I just have to upload. I am so, so sorry for the long wait, and it shouldn't continue to take that long. Just the beginning of school is really...overwhelming.

Immense apologies for the wait! There's a bunch of updates I need to read...

I hope everyone's lives are well. :)

I don't much like this chapter. I'm practicing at writing emotions, which is what I'm not so good at. So...

I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY!

IMAA doesn't belong to me.

Chapter Three

Rhodey hurried down the street, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets and his head bowed against the biting wind that pierced his jacket like daggers. It was already an hour and a half later than he had said he would be home, and he didn't want to waste any more time before he could see his father again. It felt like forever since he'd left for the military, and barely legible letters and hurried calls he and his mom received from the man didn't make him miss his father any less.

He had just darted into the street, sidestepping a pedestrian with her baby girl snuggled warmly in her arms, when someone on the opposite sidewalk caught his eyes. He was wearing a red t-shirt and had a black book bag slung over his shoulders, his back to the teenager and a cap nestled snugly on top of his head.

Rhodey's heart plummeted, almond brown eyes widening in near recognition, until he caught sight of scraggly blond hair sticking out crazily underneath the man's navy blue cap and the feeling vanished, replaced with bitter disappointment. He felt as though a part of his heart had just been ripped from his chest, but before he could sort out why exactly, a car horn honked, snapping him out of his reverie. His eyes focused on a stout man slumped behind the wheel of a navy blue convertible in the same lane as he was, the adult slamming his fist on the steering wheel's center and honking irritably again for the teen to get out of his way, since Rhodey had halted in the middle of the road.

Muttering his apologies profusely, Rhodey strode across the street and onto the dismal sidewalk, glancing once more at the retreating figure of the man in the crimson shirt. He was surprised at the pang of loneliness that resonated deep within his chest, his slender fingers tracing up the side of his face until he felt the corners of his eyes, bewildered to find they were damp. What was wrong with him? It was like his body was reacting to some sort of pain he couldn't seem to place, as if his head and heart were at war with one another.

I just miss Dad, Rhodey assured himself. That's all. Nothing to get worked up over.

Even as he told himself that, he knew it wasn't true.

IMAAIMAAIMAA

Pepper collapsed onto her bed, groaning loudly and squeezing her eyes tightly shut as her legs lazily sprawled off of the mattress. School had been particularly grueling that day, the students of the Academy laden with assignment after assignment, none of the teachers lenient with the difficulty and length of the essays and worksheets. She just wanted to lay there forever, blissfully alienated from the rest of the bustling city, but after a few minutes became bored. She pushed herself to a sitting position, glancing at her book bag, flung carelessly beside her light pink and purple desk, full of homework assignments that needed to be completed.

Nope. She wasn't that bored.

Hopping to her feet, she aimlessly strode into the hall, peeking from room to room on the corridor, seeking amusement of some fashion. Peering into her father's office, she smirked mischievously seeing the vacant grey laptop, entering the room and plopping down in the dark brown swivel chair, spinning herself around with the toes of her converse for a moment before her attention was captured by the computer. She flipped up the laptop's screen, the bright FBI home screen illuminating the shadows on her face. She tried to click on the search bar but a password prompt popped up. Frowning, the redhead typed in various words and phrases until she finally figured out the pass code on the eighth try. Her deft fingers expertly flew over the keyboard until she was staring at the search screen of the FBI database.

She leaned back in the chair, entwining her fingers in her lap as she stared intently at the screen. What should she look up? She had exhausted all of her previous curiosities with numerous searches on topics such as villains and SHIELD. Perhaps the boy she had been dreaming about? Maybe he was a real person she had seen once and her memories had prompted dreams about him. After a moment she leaned forward and typed the name 'Tony.'

95,398 results found for: Tony

Pepper frowned, her brow creasing. Of course she would need to be more specific, but what did she even know about her dream boy? For all she knew, he was a nobody that wouldn't show up on the FBI's database. She thought about the suit in her dream, the designs almost impossibly technologically advanced. She typed the word 'genius' beside the name, narrowing the search down to a few thousand, and, attempting to narrow it down further, she typed 'teenage technological genius' beside 'Tony.'

0 results found for: Tony teenage technological genius

Exhaling between her clenched teeth in exasperation, she stared vacantly at the screen. Maybe 'Tony' was a nickname of some sort. After typing 'Antonio' and 'Anthony' with no results, she growled in irritation, slamming the laptop close and ceasing her futile search. Maybe the teenager didn't exist at all and was just all a hoax of her overactive imagination.

It doesn't matter, Pepper told herself firmly, forcing herself out of the chair and exiting the room. I've wasted enough time thinking about someone I don't even know exists.

No matter how many times she repeated this in her head, her heart refused to believe it.