I was going to wait another day or so, but since you guys seemed so persistent that i updated...HERE it is! Pretty long chapter too! I hope you guys like the chapter, it definitely should be a bit different and I'm hoping it doesn't disappoint...

Warning: A swear word, maybe two... so language...thats all really.

Just as a little side note, Tony was 17 years old at the fire, so by now the three should be about 19 years. And Pepper new Tony a year prior to the fire. I'm not sure when it was exactly that Howard returned, but I'm pretty sure in the show, Tony was almost 18...so In this story, lets just say Rhodey and Pepper saved Howard. Just so we're clear... I confused myself...unless i already mentioned that...now i'm rambling...sorry...

Disclaimer: IMAA is not mine what so ever. NOPE. Not mine.

"PEPPER!"

Everything was red. Everything was hot. It hurt. It burned. Flames. Fire. It was everywhere.

"PEPPER!"

There it was again. His voice. She looked around for him. Only to come up empty handed. She could only see fire and smoke. She reached out, she didn't know why she did, no one was there who could save her.

A burning pain flared up on her outreached arm. She screamed as the fallen piece of wood continued to burn on her arm. Just like her leg. She screamed as she felt her skin burn.

"PEPPER!"

She winced as she tried to stop her screams. It was him.

"TONY!?"

There was no reply.

"Tony!" She called out once more.

She heard a scream from somewhere nearby.

"PEP-!"

She raised her head to look around, as if she would find the source of the voice. Tony. She had to find him. She couldn't lose him. Not again.

There was a smashing sound and she looked up hopeful that it was him. "Tony?" Her voice was hopeful, expectant. To her disappointment, it was not him.

"Pepper," The 'not Tony' teen said. "We need to get you out of here."

"H-Happy…" Pepper managed to say through the pain.

The bulky teen made his way to her and hardly registering the pain he must have received, lifted the burning wood off of her. Just as a pile of new burning wood came crashing down to cover his back. He cried out in pain that time.

"Happy!" She said.

"Pepper! Wake up!"

She gasped and shot up into a sitting position. "Tony!"

"No," Rhodey said. "It's me, Rhodey."

She frowned as she took in the situation. Mechanically, she shoved herself at him and began to sob heavily into his chest. "He's dead! He'd gone! Rhodey, Tony's dead! HE'S DEAD!"

She was sobbing too loudly to hear his comforting words. The pain in her chest just rose and rose and never stopped. Her heart was just ripped out, shredded, and then put back in. Someone took a hammer and broke her heart into pieces. Then laughed as she suffered. Laughed as she cried. Laughed as she desperately tried to fix and mend her broken heart.

He was gone.

He was dead.

She never felt so lonely in her life. So alone.

Her fingers ached from clenching Rhodey's shirt too hard. Her forehead was sweating heavily and she could feel the dampness the tears left behind. She could hardly notice the snot that must have been there too. Her hair was clumping up around her eyes, tickling her nose.

"He's dead!" She wailed, punching at his chest. "He died in that stupid fire. That goddam fire!"

"Pepper," Rhodey said. "Pepper, calm down."

"NO!" She shouted as she raised her arms to punch his chest again. But two hands gripped her hands. She didn't care who it was. "NO, He's dead! He's dead and there's nothing we can do about it!"

She fought against whoever it was that was holding her wrists. Rhodey was acting so calm. How could he!? His best friend is dead, how could he be so calm!? He's an idiot for being so calm! She hated that. "HE'S DEAD! HE'S DEAD! WHY ARE YOU SO CALM!? HUH? WHY!? HE'S DEAD! DEAD, DO YOU HEAR ME?

"Pepper, you need to calm down." A new voice said.

An arm was wrapped around her stomach and she was pulled away from Rhodey, against someone's chest. She turned around to hit whoever it was, but instead, she ended up bursting into more tears.

"He's dead…He's dead." She sobbed out, her voice rough and raspy. "He's dead and I LOVED HIM, I LOVED HIM…so much…"

Her voice trailed out as she continued to cry into whoever's chest it was that was now hugging her. Whoever it was, was now running his hands through her hair, rocking as he murmured comforting words into her ears.

It seemed so…fatherly.

"H-Howard…?" She whispered.

"I know. It hurts, but Pepper," He responded in a soft voice. "I'm sure he's alright. It was just a dream. Just a dream."

"A dream?" She asked, looking away. "Then why did it feel so real?"

"It was just a bad dream." Howard replied. "Just a bad dream. Just breathe. It's alright."

It took what seemed like hours to calm Pepper down. Rhodey and Howard finally convinced Pepper that it was just a dream and that there was still a chance. A chance that Tony was still alive. Not dead. Even though it took a while, she finally calmed down and believed them.

Apparently when she was still out, the two investigated the area they were in. The appeared to have 'teleported' to a 'yet to be named' place. They hadn't found any signs and the place wasn't familiar to any of them. They woke up just outside an old, rundown town. They didn't bother investigating any farther when Pepper was still asleep, so when they noticed her having a bad dream, they woke her up.

Now, the three walked on the sidewalk of the town. It looked country, or western, but still had a bit of a modern touch to it. Like real doors, not the swing open ones, payphones, paved roads, yet some were still dirt roads, and slightly well made cars. Though, the cars didn't really vary in types, and they saw the occasional horse carriage.

"What are we, in the past?" Rhodey asked as they passed a woman in a corset.

"That could be possible," Howard started. "Saying we are dealing with Simon, he did work with time travel machines…"

"Psssst!"

The three turned to where a woman stood, leaning out her doorway. The instant she knew she had their attention, the woman ushered them inside her store.

She led them to sit in some chairs while she locked her door and closed some curtains. Then she pulled up a chair of her own and sat across from them. She stared for a moment, before she sighed.

"You guys are from…that place aren't you?" She asked.

"…That place?" Pepper asked, more unintentionally then on purpose.

"The place Sir Sim Stanley comes from, of course. The place with all the…future stuff."

"Sir Sim Stanley?" Rhodey asked.

"Don't laugh, he hates his name, they say his father named him Sim because his wife wouldn't let him name their son, Sin instead. So he chose the closest thing to it. Sim." The woman said.

The woman stood up and dusted off her dress. She wore a red and white corset dress. It had a black ribbon tied around the collar and had black buttons. It ruffled out and had light pick ribbons around her waist. She had a matching hat as well. Her hair was blond and her eyes, blue.

"I'm Madam Ruby." The woman said smiling. "Owner of this fine clothing store."

Madam Ruby stuck her tongue out to the side and seemed to be biting down on it in thought as she looked at them. Her eyes fanned over Howard and Rhodey as she waved one of her half crossed arms in a curious like gesture. She mumbled something to herself and looked over at some shelves in the corner. Then her eyes settled on Pepper. Madam Ruby's hand went to her chin and stroked it with eyes narrowed in thought.

"You like pink, do you not?" She suddenly asked, her head tilted to the side.

"Um…yeah…" Pepper responded.

Madam Ruby's face broke into a smile. "Good, I have lots of pink."

"What exactly are you talking about?" Pepper asked.

"A dress, you'll never get anywhere dressed like that. Especially since you have to go see Sir Sim Stanley." Madam Ruby said. "Anyone who comes from…wherever it is you come from…has to go see him."

"Is this a…traditional thing?" Rhodey asked.

"Not necessarily, but he's a great help, plus he's the only one that knows how to sent you home." Madam Ruby said. "Anyways, you guys need new cloths. I'll get you set up in the right kind of cloths."

A few hours later

Pepper felt ridiculous. Sure the dress was pretty, but it couldn't be any less comfortable. She could hardly breathe in it. It was suffocating. 'Adorable' as Madam Ruby would put it. It was deadly, not adorable.

Pepper was fitted in a pink and black corset dress. There was some white fitted in the front and black lacing. A rather large set of roses or some kind of pretty flower, were set on the chest area. They were just itchy in Pepper's opinion, as pretty as the flowers were. Despite Madam Ruby's instance that she wear a choker or necklace, Pepper said no. Though Pepper couldn't deny the long gloves because Madam Ruby insisted that it was necessary since Pepper denied the necklace. Pepper reluctantly allowed the gloves. She was also given a hat, but Pepper just carried it around.

Rhodey and Howard were fitted in something a little less fancy, but nonetheless still fancy. Rhodey wore a lightly shaded plaid vest around a white long-sleeved dress shirt. Accompanied with brown pants. Howard was pretty similar except with darker colors…and a top hat and an over coat…and a staff. He tried telling Madam Ruby that the staff was a bit much, but she said he fitted the staff very well. Then she demanded that he stopped being picky.

"You guys are seriously in need of manners." Madam Ruby said. "Sadly, I'm not the one to go to for that. But hopefully you will run into her and Sir Sim Stanley's mansion."

"Mansion?" Rhodey and Pepper asked.

"Where would expect the mayor to live?" Madam Ruby questioned, a hand at her chest. "Certainly not a simple house, I hope."

"No, they're just not used to that type of living." Howard quickly said, hoping the woman wouldn't get angry.

The woman sighed. "I expected that to be so, but…alas, you guys will never survive alone out here. At least Sir Sim Stanley can help you."

Madam Ruby sighed as she walked over to Pepper, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor. She shook her head in disappointment. "No no no, you don't do that. Here, let me show you."

Pepper stopped adjusting the corset and looked up at the blue eyed woman. Madam Ruby was rubbing her hands together as she approached Pepper. "Turn around young lady."

The tone in her voice was strict, making Pepper do so without question. Madam Ruby reached her arms around Pepper and slipped her fingers under the top of Pepper's corset and pulled up roughly. Pepper squawked in protest. Then Madam Ruby untied the knot that held the corset together, then slipped her shoes off.

"What are you doing?" Pepper asked afraid to look behind her.

"One moment." Madam Ruby replied.

Before Pepper could respond, Madam Ruby had a foot on Pepper's lower back and kicked forward as she pulled the strings tighter. Pepper yelped as the already suffocating tightness got tighter.

"Ow!"

"Oh suck it up." Madam Ruby said. "You're a woman aren't you?"

"Ow, yeah, but-Ow-I'm not used to this!" Pepper replied as Madam Ruby put her foot down and retied the laces.

Madam Ruby sighed. "Well, if you end up having to stay the night somewhere, tomorrow you're going to have to come back for a clean dress. Which reminds me, you have money right?"

Pepper stared. This was going to be expensive.

"Considering I gave you my nicest apparel, fit for royalty, which in fact, that dress was Lady Lucille's dress. Sir Sim Stanley's daughter." Madam Ruby said with a smile. "Sold it to me not too long ago. I usually don't by, I'm a tailor, but it was so nicely made! Well, what can you pay?"

Howard dealt with the payment of the clothes, and Pepper was relieved that Howard had taken a fair amount of cash along with him, saying not all hotels accepted credit cards. It would not be fun, not fitting in. Even though it would be more comfortable.

Madam Ruby gave them the directions to Sir Sim Stanley's mansion and wished them well travels. Pepper was not looking forward to the rest of their 'visit' at where ever this place was. As long as she was in that stupid corset…

At the mansion door

Rhodey and Pepper stood back behind Howard as he was about to 'knock'.

"I feel ridiculous." Rhodey said, tugging at his collar.

Pepper shot him a look, which closely resembled a glare. "Imagine how I feel."

He stopped talking.

Howard shushed them as he pulled what must have been the doorbell. They waited a few moments before they heard some shouting, then some footsteps. Pepper scratched, as best she could, at her waist.

The door opened to show a sullen faced girl. She had silver hair, dark brown, almost black eyes. She wore a long, corset-like maids dress. She held in her hands; a pan. So she must be the chef. She raised an eyebrow. "You must be looking for master."

She welcomed them in and led them to what must have been the sitting room. "I'll let Master know you're here." She looked over her shoulder and shouted. "Hey! Annie, come make sure out guests are happy!"

Another girl rushed in the room and didn't even look anywhere else, but at the girl who led them in. She nodded, her black hair bobbing. She walked – more like stumbled – to stand in front of the three who were seated on a velvet couch. She smiled, her cheeks red. She bowed slightly to them, almost as if she was apologizing.

She had black hair that was in long pig-tails. She had the brightest blue eyes. She was pretty tall, and she kept rubbing at some bandages that were wrapped around her neck and shoulder, which were exposed due to the dress she was wearing. It was fancier than the first girls dress, but not as fancy as Pepper's. It was blue and was definitely a type of corset. It wasn't quite as fluffed out as the one Pepper wore, but it definitely didn't look like it was supposed to be worn by a maid.

"Who are you?" Pepper asked, not really meaning to.

Rhodey elbowed her.

"I'm Annie, Master's personal assistant…" Annie said startled from the attention. Her voice soft, almost a whisper. "Do you need anything?"

"So, you're like a butler?" Pepper asked, again receiving a jab in the side.

Annie bit her lip. "I guess, but I don't like being called that."

"Sorry."

"Annie!" A voice snapped. "Are you making the guests uncomfortable?"

"Uh-um…no sir." Annie said bowing her head towards the doorway, where a man stood.

"Good, now go set the table."

Annie frowned, but nodded her head. She left the room through a second door without another word. Pepper turned her attention to the man standing at the doorway.

He wore a tuxedo that sort of resembled a pirate's tuxedo. That was best way Pepper could explain the outfit he wore. It was red and long, and had a white under dress shirt. And black pants. He had a staff of his own that had a emerald and gold designed orb on top.

Though, Pepper thought he looked surprisingly like the picture she saw of Simon Greyson.

"Welcome," The Simon look-a-like said with a smile. "To my esteemed mansion. It is kept and clean by only the best of maids and servants found."

A row of about 5 people dressed up in maid like outfits. One of them being the cook.

"My name," The lookalike said. "Is Sir Sim Stanley."

So...uh what do you think? Still any good? I hope it didn't just get horrible...some stories can get like that. Interesting the first chapter, then the second...not so much...And yes i worry about that being this story...So thoughts?

So, This really has nothing to do with the story, but my mom won tickets to a Lumineer's concert and it's going to be my FIRST concert! I'm super excited, but when i told my friends they literally just smiled at me and gave me a thumbs up... -.- Saying: "Cool." And i'm just super excited so i had to say something. ;)

Fun Fact: I'm pretty sure my friends say i walk like a duck sometimes... Okay that wasn't the fun fact, but serisously they do...

The real Fun Fact: I can relate to a lot of people when i say, when i get absorbed in something, i lose track of time... CoughfanficionCough...CoughwritingCough...

Next chapter might not be out for a few days, for multiple reasons. One, so i don't catch up with my head start, and as many of you know, i'm still recovering from a horrible flu, and now i believe I've got some other cold...And on Friday I have the concert so...yeah. And school projects...

Well, REVIEW and tell me what you think! Please? Thanks!