The Unknown Variable

I'll tell Penny to fry all of you if I see a single lawyer anywhere near my house. For I own nothing.

"Well?" I asked, after a moment of silence. Mortem was rubbing the back of his neck and looked really nervous. "Care to explain where've you been for the past…I don't know…nineteen hours?"

I just stood there, with my arms crossed over my burning chest, giving him my most level glare. I was in serious pain, tired, annoyed with life, and Mortem was just not helping!

I'm not allowed to talk about it Mortem signed hesitantly, knowing that I was mad.

"Arg! You aren't allowed to tell me anything! You disappear at random hours and can never talk about it. You always seam annoyed at someone…I just can't do this! Dad's got about two weeks to live…I've got like a week! I'm not going to be able to do ANYTHING I want to do…I won't be able to grow up, have kids, blow the world away with the information that I'm TONY STARK'S DAUGHTER, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING! I've been fighting my whole life to stay alive. Every stinking moment was a fight, and finally, FINALLY! After everything, after being stuck in a room for YEARS, after Mom dying, after being a captive, after being TORTURED, after finally finding a family with Tony and you…THIS JUST ISN'T FUCKING FAIR!"

I wasn't sure when I started sobbing again, or when Mortem picked me up. During the middle of my rant I starting hitting Mortem's chest in frustration and by the end, I was collapsed on top of him in silent, exhausted tears.

"…it's just not fair…what did I ever do to deserve all this?" I whispered into Mortem's shirt, my eyes stung and my throat was now raw. My chest was still burning; it felt like fire was burning through my veins.

Mortem lifted my chin up so my watery blue eyes met his and he signed, You didn't do anything understand me? Never think that, my dear, never ever thing you did anything to deserve this.

I my eyebrows furrowed at the pure fire that was in his eyes and I whispered softly, "You know something…about why…all this keeps happening."

His eyes flickered and hardened, but he promised, I'll always be here to help you. Never doubt that.

I sighed softly before starting to cough again. With a flick of his wrist another blue fizzy drink appeared in his hand, he passed it to me and I took it gratefully.

I can't tell you where I was today…Mortem signed and I looked at him curiously, But I can tell you where I was last night.

My eyes widened and I leaned back against my pillows as Mortem started his story.

Night before, Mortem's POV

I was seething, not only was Fati and all of her stupid 'rules' infuriating me, but some idiot moral teenagers had thrown Aequi…Penny into a horrible flashback that Fati stopped me from preventing.

Now, usually, I wasn't allowed to interfere in the mortal realms outside of my domain, but because this could be considered 'protecting' my bonded, I could get away with it. You gotta love loop holes.

I traced the aura's that had terrified Penny to a small house in the middle of the town that Penny had set up her fake residence in. All four of the brothers were in, and all of them were going to regret ever touching my girl.

My eyes narrowed as I appeared in front of their front door and an evil smirk promising revenge appeared on my lips as I flung my arm out. My shadowed powered jumped forward, strengthened by my emotions, and the door exploded inward with a shower of splinters.

I heard one of the boys yell at another to check out what happened. My smirk widened, and my fun began.

Dark grey mist crawled across the floor as I stepped through the mortal home. Frost clouded the widows and glass around me, and the tempeture dropped to freezing levels. Some people might think that Death would strike with fire, because of the 'fiery pits of hell' but actually, I preferred ice to flames.

All four boys, and two of the boy's young possible mates…girlfriends…I believe the human word is, were all fighting over who should check out what was going on. The young females were near hysteria, and the four males were busier fighting one another to notice my presence when I entered the room.

The human's breathe escaped as think clouds as everyone froze in shock. While none of them could see me, as only someone close to Death, blessed by Death, or Immortal had that power, they could feel my power in the air.

One girl, who was the youngest person in the room, fainted into the arms of the other female. With a wave of my hand, they were on the pavement outside. They had done nothing wrong, I had no dispute with them.

"W…what's going on!" one of the mortals said, grabbing a baseball bat off of the couch.

I sighed, a mortal weapon, and such a pathetic one of that, would have no effect on me.

"You have hurt my mate, and I have come for retribution." I spoke, though the words went unheard by the mortals, though my voice caused the wind to howl and the room to shake.

The boys cowered behind one another, looking around wildly trying to understand what was going on. They feared for their very lives, rightly so, in my presence.

I could not collect their souls, for it was not their time and they still had much to learn. However, that didn't mean that I could not play on their fears so they would wish I could collect their souls.

After all, fear is such a mortal part of Death.

Back to the present and Penny's POV

I narrowed my eyes as Mortem left out just how he got retribution for those idiotic meat heads.

"What did you do?" I asked warningly, I was touched that he had gone after the teenage idiots, and just because he couldn't kill them, didn't mean he could hurt them pretty badly.

Nothing of importance Mortem replied swiftly, and I glared at him.

"What did you do to them, Mortem!?" I hissed coldly. I saw Mortem roll his eyes fondly and replied,

I just used their fears to create extreme nightmares that will haunt them untill I have felt that they have learned their lesson.

I raised my eyebrow at that, "You can do that?"

Indeed, He replied with a nod and a light smirk.

I had to admit, that was pretty cool… "What do these nightmares involve?"

I had to ask, there was a chance that Mortem was using these nightmares to drive them to insanity.

Nothing too bad…just thinks similar to what you had to go through in Afghanistan.

I looked at him in surprise, "That is actually pretty well balanced and fair…"

Mortem smirked and replied, I've had lots of practice with morals…and mortals.

I looked at him in question, but he just smiled and kissed me. I rolled my eyes; that was all I was getting from him in that matter.

I silently got out of bed, Mortem had left again while I was sleeping and my nightmares were back…really badly.

My chest throbbed painfully, but I tried to ignore it as I slipped out of my room. It was around two in the morning, and I was slightly surprised that Tony wasn't in the lab.

With a deep breath I moved up both flights of stairs. I tried to push the horrifying memories out of my mind, but tears still stung in my eyes despite my efforts to banish them.

My legs were sore and my feet red as I made my way into Tony's room. Mortem was gone, and I knew that by myself the horrors would return.

"Daddy?" I whispered, surprised to see Tony sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes tiredly. Apparently he hadn't been able to sleep ether.

"Pen? What's wrong?" Dad's voice was soft but horse as he looked up in surprise.

"I don't want to be alone." I whispered as more tears threatened to fall. My arms tightened around myself as a frown appeared on my father's face.

"Come here, it's okay…" Tony tried to reassure me as I threw myself into his arms, silent tears streaming down my face.

No matter how much I pretended during the daylight hours, no matter how much I ran from my memories, everything always just came rushing back as soon as I tried to sleep.

Dad laid me down on the pillow next to him, and wrapped me in a hug before tucking me in.

"It's alright Pen…" Tony whispered and I felt him lie down next to me.

As I slowly drifted to sleep, his arm wrapped around my waist protectively and I swear that I heard him whisper,

"I don't want to be alone ether."

Okay, yes this was short…but I didn't really want to add something from Iron Man II that could make this chapter humongous again….but I didn't want to cut ether scene. Anyway, we see more of Mortem's protective side, and both Starks are trying to deal with the whole dying thing.

Okay, the reason why I try to keep these chapters reasonable length, is because on my last story(which I am stuck on) I did really long chapters, and the updates were every few months at least...yeah. I am determined not to do that to Penny, and that is why my chapters remain reasonable length. faster writing, faster updates, and...yeah more chapters.

Thanks to everyone, and Expecto Prongs.

Cp