Yay! Two updates! ONE NIGHT~! :D You can't imagine how wonderful that makes me feel! Hopefully you guys are happy too! Though, I'm sorry it took SO long for this one! I did NOT mean for this one to go unattended to...:( But, alas, I have updated! :D

Disclaimer: IMAA is...yeah once a night is good enough for me. IT'S NOT MINE!

Thankfully, Pepper didn't seem as bad as she looked. They weren't entirely sure on what had happened to her, and why so was so out of it, but they had a pretty good idea. Tony hadn't woken to explain anything to them, so there wasn't much to go on. Howard made sure Tony was fully taken care of, before he even thought of doing anything else.

Rhodey on the other hand, made sure Pepper was alright and all that. Even though she was still a bit out of it, she still tried to make some kind of conversation, but she always seemed too tired to keep it going. So, things were a bit quiet for a while.

The servants started showing up a bit more often, offering help to the two who remained in good health. When they tried getting them to say what happened to Pepper, they just shook their heads solemnly and walked away.

Whether they were hiding that they knew something, or were just genuinely afraid of telling them, they might not ever know. Even if they just truly didn't know and just didn't want to admit that to them, it was still as frustrating as ever.

While Tony and Pepper rested, Rhodey and Howard tried to think of their next problem. How were they going to get back to…Well, their world? They wondered if it was even possible. They wondered if they had to do something specific. They questioned many things, and wondered many others.

It was about two days later, that Tony awoke. Pepper had been awake already, seeming a bit better and more normal. Though, she wouldn't answer any of their questions. They figured it was just the stage where she was too scared to share what happened. Which, they kind of wished that, that wasn't the situation. Had she been freely telling them what had happened, that would mean what had happened, wasn't as bad as everybody was making it out to be.

When Tony woke up, Howard was about to try to switch out Tony's bandages. Tony had turned to look at his dad with the still only one visible eye showing. Luckily or unluckily, it seemed that Tony had forgotten about what had happened previously.

It was a good thing, because he probably would have shot up, reopened his wound, and further damaged himself beyond what he should be able to handle. Though, that could just possibly mean that he would react even more so damaging than he would have, had he actually remembered right away.

Either way, it probably wasn't going to be a good thing.

"Tony," Howard whispered, in a soft tone.

Tony tilted his head slightly, as he closed his eye. He smiled lightly.

Howard took that as a welcoming to holding his son's hand, so he took his chance. He waited as he both felt and notice his son tense up, but seconds later, Tony was squeezing the hand back. Embracing the warmth Howard's hand gave off.

"How you feeling?" Was just about the first words that he could bring to come out of his mouth.

Tony's eye opened, smile fading. "Better."

Howard didn't question his son's response. "Good."

There was a pause, which was thankfully not very uncomfortable. It seemed they both welcomed the silence, without totally giving into it. It was peaceful.

"Pepper's doing alright." Howard said softly, as if not to break the silence too roughly.

Tony didn't answer. Instead, he averted his eye from his father's. Even though he looked tense, it looked like a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders. Howard was able to find himself with a weight lifted from his own shoulders. His son's relief was his relief.

Which made it all that much harder, just to bring up the question or questions that he had filling his mind. He knew Tony knew what was going one, and he knew Tony was able to retell it, but that didn't mean that he was ready to relive it.

"Can I see her?" Tony asked.

Howard wanted to say no, just because he didn't want to rush things. What if when Pepper was there, Tony worried too much and stressed himself too much? What if he reopened his wound and/or wounds? But how could he say no when the single electrifying blue eye, stared up at him. Stared up at him, with hope in his eye.

"Yeah," Howard sighed and stood up. "I'll go get her."

Tony smiled, a glint appearing in his eye. "Thanks, dad."

Howard smiled in response, giving his son a thumbs up as he walked out of the room.

Rhodey nodded along as Pepper spoke. She spoke on and on and on. It was a good thing, yes, but that didn't mean it didn't get boring after going through it for more than ten minutes. Which, was normal knowing Pepper. She could go on for hours on a normal day. Though, what wasn't normal was she kept repeating everything she said.

She'd say about three to four sentences, before she completely restarted and repeated those same sentences. Even though some of them were rephrased, it still bothered him a bit. It didn't only bother him, it also worried him.

He had a pretty strong idea of what had happened to her, or to be more specific, what was happening to her. It so far looked like it was something more psychological than physical. As far as they knew, the only damage done to the outside of her mind, was slight bruising on the tops of her arms as if she was held down by strong hands.

"I've been worried about Tony, has hasn't woken up yet. He hasn't really even moved. Tony's worrying me. What if he doesn't wake up? That worry's me." Pepper said, mainly to the table than to Rhodey himself.

"I know, Pepper." Rhodey replied, ignoring that technically, she just repeated herself three times. "I'm worried too."

"It makes you think, doesn't it? What if he bleeds out? What if he already bled out? It makes me think,"

Pepper was interrupted when her name was called. She looked over to a blond haired servant who was waving her over. She looked to Rhodey who nodded, allowing Pepper to join the blond.

"What you need?" Pepper asked. "Do you need something?"

"Mr. Stark is looking for you."

"Tony?" Pepper asked hopeful.

The servant, the woman, looked down. "Uh…no. His father…"

Pepper pouted. "Oh."

The servant woman led her to where the Stark's were residing in the mansion. The same room she woke up in everyday because she refused to wake up anywhere else.

They walked into the room, where Howard was looking down at his son, his eyes very somber, but had a glint of hope in them. This was not like the other times he wanted to see her.

"He woke." He spoke.

Woke. Past tense. That didn't seem so hopeful.

"He's awake," he corrected himself. "That's what I meant."

Awake. No longer past tense. Now it was a whole lot more hopeful, a whole lot more different than the last time. He was awake.

"Tony?"

"Hey, Pep." His voice was hoarse, probably because he hasn't spoken in a while.

She couldn't see his face very well, but she could see that he was no longer asleep. Just by looked at the way the covers moved as he breathed in more quicker since he was awake, and the way his head was facing straight forward instead of to the side, she could tell that he was no longer asleep.

"Tony?"

"C'mere."

She stepped forward a bit hesitantly, feeling suddenly very tired. Very tired and very confused. For a moment she forgot where she was, and who she was talking to, but soon enough she remembered and smiled.

"How are you?" She questioned. "How are you feeling? You okay?"

Tony's face went from smiling weakly, to looking faintly confused. "I'm fine."

"That's good. I'm glad." She smiled.

"Me too." He still looked confused.

"Do you remember what happened?" She asked, then continued when he shook his head. "You saved me, from…something and you must have passed out. I think I did to, and Rhodey brought us here, your dad caught and tied up Simon. You remember? You saved me, I can't remember what from, but I think you passed out, and I walked while Rhodey carried you, somebody caught Simon…"

"Pepper."

"Yeah?"

She could see his face, it was no longer confused, but it was starting to morph into worried, or maybe even scared. She couldn't tell. It was difficult to tell because moments later he looked more horrified than scared, but then only seconds later, he looked like he was in pain.

"Tony?"

"Son?"

Oh yeah, Howard was there. He hadn't gone anywhere, so he was still in the room. Pepper wondered if he didn't trust them alone. She wondered who he didn't trust more.

She worried even more so when the boy clutched at is chest and not the wound that was wrapped up. Then he started coughing and she remembered some girl doing something familiar. Except when she coughed, she coughed up blood and then passed out.

"Tony!" Now Rhodey was in here.

She snapped out of her thoughts, and flashes, to find Tony passed out on the bed, blood smeared on his palm and chin.

"Tony?"

She didn't know what else to say or do, but she knew she was worried, and that she wanted to go to him; try a wake him up. Try to help him, but she didn't know what to do. If she didn't know what to say, then how was she supposed to know what to do?

"Pepper?"

"Are you okay?"

She blinked, her eyes getting droopy. Black spots coated her vision and an angry pulse in her head ached. She felt a sudden overwhelming nausea as the ground below her veered to the side. Her world spun before she felt arms wrap around her, catching her before she hit the ground.

"…happening? Is…alright?"

That was the last she heard before he consciousness slipped under as well.

Okay, all of you, how was it? Did you like it? Hopefully it wasn't too confusing! I promise, things will clear up! I promise! Like I said before, I know exactly where this story is going, and I know what's going on! So I'm hpoing I wont leave questions unanswered by the end of this story!

On that matter, I know some of you really want me to finish this story already, and thanks for asking politely, but I'm going at my own pace, and yes this is nearing it's end. Maybe not as close as you'd wish, saying I want to do this without leaving too many questions. So, just know, I'm trying! :) I'm working on it!

Fun Fact: Music is my life, and without it, I don't think I could write so much. It keeps me going.

I'm thinking next I'll update something else, or start doing some of those ideas from my Idea list story that are oneshots. :) Who knows, maybe I'll get a few done tonight! :D

REPLIES!

Guest(8/30/13): Thanks! And sorry if my story is dragging on a bit, I'm trying! And don't worry, you weren't be harsh!

PercyJacksonLover14: Ah, I'm trying! I'm trying! :D ...Though about the forgiveness...hopefully you haven't taken it back due to this chapter! I probably just dropped a whole lot more stress on you haven't I...? hehe, Sorry! :D Thanks again for the lovely review!

Firework471: Thanks so much! And hopefully you've found words by now! Also, I sure hope you haven't died! There's still more to read and to find out! ;D

MissPotts27: I'm really glad and happy that you enjoyed it! And I'm hoping you still like it! :D Thanks for reading it!

Guest(10/31/13): Thanks! I'm happy that you loved it! :P

Well, that's about it, my lovely readers!

Hugs and Love, SilverPedals!