PROLOGUE
Tony Stark couldn't move. Not one inch of his body, not even his lips or tongue to let the screams pounding the inside of his mind out. He was terrified. A feeling of iciness was creeping up his body and the room he was in was so bright it burned his eyes. His eyes fell shut and, and try as he may, he was unable to open them again. Something was running through his veins, a frozen drug paralyzing his body.
He tried to think back, trying to break through his ever-freezing mind, and caught a glimpse of a fire. A British voice penetrated his head:
Sir, if you do not leave now, you will die.
Jarvis. Who else was there... who wasn't there? There was one person he was forgetting, one very important person.
Red hair, blue eyes.
Pepper.
Had Pepper been there? Is she okay? Tony tried to use the warmth associated with her to thaw out his brain. Ice was threatening his vision and he tried to hold onto her face, tried to conjure up the last thing she said to him.
Are you sure you'll be okay, Tony?
I'll just be a couple of days.
You know, one of these days, I'd like you to meet my family.
Whatever, Tony. See you later.
The relief that washed over his body was momentarily stronger than his frozen body. She was okay. Pepper was okay.
But then the cold overtook him and in the complete whiteness that followed he
knew
no
more.