I've decided I shouldn't leave this one hanging. Especially with how I left this one. One of my worst cliffhangers...I think. ^^"

Disclaimer: IMAA is NOT mine! Nor will it ever be!

They came upon a steel door. After minutes of searching, they finally found a door. They just about decided to turn around and look someplace else, but Rhodey noticed something in the wall. He could see the corner of a light colored metal beyond the wooden walls of the room, which were falling apart.

Tony helped him pull the wood away from the wall, and they came upon the steel wall. Which, lucky for them, was unlocked.

Tony didn't wait for Rhodey as he pushed on ahead of Rhodey, who rushed himself to keep up. He didn't like the idea of Tony running, saying blood was seeping through the bandages on his side. But the look of determination and panic kept him from stopping him. Whatever it was that Tony was worrying about, had to about Pepper.

They came upon a ladder that led deep underground. They went down it without a pause. Well, at least Tony did. Rhodey wasn't all for storming the place.

"Hey!" A man's voice shouted, "You can't be down here!"

The man sounded panicked, as if it was specifically Tony that couldn't be down there. Tony didn't care. Actually he shoved that man away when he stood in front of him.

There was plenty of other men, in lab coats and fancy suits. Most of them panicked about them being down there, but some of them remained calm as they tried to put a stop to Tony and Rhodey. Tony wasn't having any of that.

…

Howard kept a close eye on Sim. Who, at some point confessed to being the Simon they'd been originally looking for. The man actually seemed quite smug for someone who's been beaten. Which made Howard highly uncomfortable. It made him feel like he missed something. Something that was very important.

"Where's Pepper?" Howard demanded.

Sim or – Simon, smirked. "They won't find her."

"You don't know my son." Howard said, his tone low.

"And you don't know Tony."

Now that was just low. That was going too far. There was no way, Sim – Simon knew Tony more than he did. There was no way that Tony was going to let Pepper get hurt.

"Oh, did I strike a nerve?" Sim questioned with a smug smirk.

Howard didn't reply to that, instead he just glared. "Where's Pepper."

"They won't find her on time. They're going to be too late."

Howard stood up, and walked out of the room. He wasn't going to listen to that man. That man who though 'saving' Tony meant keeping his son away from him. If he really did save his son, then he would have returned him to his father as soon as he could.

He was disgusted just thinking about the man. It was bad enough that he had to be in the same room as the guy.

He spent his time wondering what they guy meant, though. Too late? Too late for what? Even Tony said that they might've been too late…were they really too late? Had something happened to Pepper? Was she hurt? Or worse…

He groaned. His head was really hurting. He was thinking way too hard about this…

…

The door opened with a burst. Tony and Rhodey piled into the small room. The room was white and full of experiment tools, and two scientists.

But that wasn't what they were looking at. Right in the center of the room, lay Pepper wearing nothing but a hospital gown. She was gazing at the ceiling as if nothing had happened. Her wrists and ankles, which were chained to the table she laid on, bled from all the struggling she must have done.

Rhodey glared angrily at the scientists. "What. Did. You. Do. To. Her?"

Tony was too frozen in his tracks to move, let alone speak. He was left staring in horror at the scene before him.

Pepper…

Two distant thuds, as two bodies hit the ground was heard. Snapping Tony from his trance. He stepped forward, his eyes not leaving from Pepper.

Rhodey beat him to her, and place a hand on her shoulder. "Pepper, we're here."

She jerked from his touch almost as if he'd hurt her. Rhodey pulled his hand away, confused. Then he quickly went to the chains. He had to get them off of her, then maybe she'd be more comfortable.

"Pepper, we're going to get you out of here." Rhodey assured her. "Talk to me, Pepper."

Rhodey tugged a bit on the chains causing Pepper to flail around. "Pepper, stop! I'm trying to help you!"

Tony stepped forward again, images flashing through his head as he did so. That…table…this…room. "S-stop!"

Rhodey looked up at Tony's sudden shout. "But Tony, she needs help."

Tony didn't reply, he only stepped close enough so that he could easily touch Pepper if he wanted to. But he didn't. He remained speechless as he stared into her unseeing eyes. He'd noticed the signs of where needles had been in Pepper's arms and legs.

"Pepper." He whispered.

Tony reached a hand out to softly touch her arm. She flinched away, but he didn't remove his hand. "You're going to have to trust me."

She actually turned her head towards him. She still pulled against his touch, but he didn't let go. More images flashed through his head as Pepper's eyes rolled in her head. Image after image, flash after flash, over and over and over again.

Not again. No. Not right now. Not now. No. Not again…not –

"Tony." Rhodey's voice broke through his rapid breathing and troubled thoughts. "You okay?'

Tony blinked, realizing that he was shaking. He shook his head, completely clearing his mind of the images. The…memories. He couldn't have a panic attack. Not now.

He pointed at a switch on the wall nearby, "Sw-switch it…"

Rhodey looked over, and did as he was told. And the instant he did so, the chains around Pepper's wrists and ankles released. Tony pulled her off the table immediately.

"Pepper." He began. "Pepper, listen to me."

She twitched and moved in his hold as he kneeled down on the ground. Rhodey sat next to him, looking worriedly at Pepper.

"Pepper," Tony continued. "Pepper, look at me. Open your eyes Pepper. Can you do that?"

Tony shook her limp form, waiting for some kind of response. When more time passed and she wasn't responding, he was beginning to worry.

"Pepper!" He continued on, loudly this time. "I n-need you to do me a…f-favor alright?"

Rhodey could tell that Tony was breathing really hard and fast. His forehead was dripping sweat as he visibly forced himself to stay awake. He'd lost too much blood and Rhodey knew it. Tony was pushing himself too far.

"Tony, you're going to bleed out." Rhodey said.

Tony ignored him. "P-pepper, Pepper, listen t-to…me. You're going to have to…to wake up!" He smiled ever so weakly as she moved her head towards him, her eyelids twitching. "Th-that's it!"

Rhodey grabbed one of Pepper's hands, out of worry. She was scaring him, how she was acting. She was scaring him. Why was she like this? Why wouldn't she respond? Why did she flinch earlier?

"Tony, she'll be okay right?"

Again, Tony ignored him. "Pepper, you c-can open…y-your eyes now…"

Pepper groaned, finally blinking her closed eyes open. It was like a weight was lifted of their chest. She was awake!

She snapped to sit up, but winced and fell back into Tony's arms. She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

"Pepper, you're…okay now. You're s-safe now…Pepper." Tony said, pulling her into a hug, just as his own eyes closed.

…

Howard checked on the disgusting excuse for a man every once in a while. He felt it necessary to make sure the man hadn't escaped at all. Every time he did, the man had something new to say. He ignored the man of course, only worrying about his son's safety. The other two's as well, of course. But his son…was the one that was hurt…

He wished he had a clock nearby, but the nearest one broke in their fight, it stopped telling time long ago. At least the correct time. So he couldn't tell how long he'd been waiting for them to return. He was starting to wonder if he should go look for them.

It wasn't like Sim – Simon – was going to escape right?

He gave one more check on Simon before he decided to head out. He was pretty sure that they had left the mansion. So he had a good chance of finding them if he went outside. Maybe he could get one of the servants to watch over Simon for him….no. He couldn't do that. They seemed pretty hateful of the guy themselves. Especially after what they saw earlier that day.

He'd just have to trust that Simon was tied down well enough…

There was the distant sound of worried voices as soon as he stepped on the stairs. They got louder as soon as Howard decided to investigate what the noise was about. Before he even left the staircase, the commotion burst into the room. Not really burst, but they entered.

"Rhodey!" Howard gasped.

He didn't hesitate to rush to Rhodey's aid, who was carrying an unconscious Tony on his back, while trying to keep a staggering Pepper from tripped in front of him. A few familiar servants trailed worriedly behind them.

Being the father he was, he took Tony from Rhodey's back. "What happened!?"

Rhodey shook his head. "Not now."

Howard nodded, agreeing that it wasn't the time. Story time would have to wait until they had Tony and Pepper taken care of.

Okay, be honest. It wasn't bad right? :S At least it didn't leave with such a bad cliffhanger... ^^"

Fun Fact: I'm pretty sure I'm the only one in my family that likes Candy Corn...My lil bro almost cried when I got him to try a piece. Yeah, apparently it was that bad...

I'm currently (when I get the chance) working on either Deception or Snow Storms! AND I'm oh so discreetly working on one of my older stories! ;) Oh and a few others you might like! (TheElevator/BabyGenius...) No promises on when, but I DO plan on working on them!

REPLIES!

Guest: Sorry! This better? :) And Thanks! To both you guests!

PercyJacksonLover14: Actually, yeah. You were. ^^" And, DON'T FREAK OUT ON ME! NOT JUST YET! *Panics* You'll see! It'll get easier! Forgive me! Oh and THANK YOU for the Lovely review! :)

Firework471: I know me too! Maybe their first meeting wasn't the best, but who knows...maybe the next meeting will be better! *Eyes auther...O.O*

Okay, that's about it! :D Hugs and Love SilverPedals!