Chapter 3 - Rescue

Rescue…That was the nickname for her armor set and would eventually become her title. It fit Miss Pepper Potts to a T. She was at her core a rescuer. She rescued him so many times after he lost the kid, so many nights waking up screaming and crying, she was there among others. Through the good and the bad Pepper Rescue Potts was by his side. Tony would not have it any other way.

"Well, Pepper, it looks like you stuck with me a little while longer." With a smile and tears in her eyes, she hugged him and welcomed him back. In that small moment, Tony knew that everything would be okay. Sure, it would be hard work and some hard fights, but at the end of the day, it would all be okay as long as Rescue was by his side.

"It's good to have you back safe and sound Tony."

"Good to have you back sir." That was all Happy could muster right now without breaking his bodyguard code.

Once Tony was in the limo, he took a moment to breathe and centered his mind on the next steps of his plan. During the flight back from the Middle East, Tony planned out scenarios and the next steps in his brain.

"Well, Pep, call a press conference. I need to update the world on my daily life after all this time. So many weeks of me not being on the front page must have been so boring," Tony quipped at Pepper. "Happy, my good man. Can you hear me?"

"Yes Mr. Stark, what do you need?" Came Happy's response from the front.

"Well a shot of rum, but being back home I need a cheeseburger more than anything. So off to the nearest death joint if you wouldn't mind." Said Tony.

"Right away."

After taking care of that, Tony once again closed his eyes and went over the plan again. The press conference was where the first change would be, but he also needed to cover his ass and protect the company.

"Pepper, do you have a spare phone?" Tony asked.

Pepper nodded, while she typed away on her phone, probably making sure certain members of the press did not get in the conference. One above all did he love this lady. As Tony got the phone from Pepper he got to work, logging into a few accounts and then getting into a security verification account. He was able to then able to connect Jarvis to this phone. As Jarvis took over the phone and he typed in the verification and showed his face, he was in.

This was where the second chance was going to happen. He couldn't change Jarvis' main code yet, he needed to be at one of the terminals or do a longer log in. Neither was in his favor at the moment. So he settled for the next best thing he logged into several of his stock accounts and gave Jarvis his instructions. This time around, no one would screw him out of his own company. Especially not a bunch of old and greedy fools.

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Let it be known that eating gruel and just slop for the last few months made the cheeseburger taste like heaven, but it did not agree with his stomach. 'I should make that perfected extremis serum soon.' Tony mused to himself as he stepped into the press conference.

Navigating and controlling a room full of reporters was a skill that few ever mastered. One had to take in where the flashing cameras would be, where the video cameras would be, and most of all where to look when answering. Once all of that was taken in, you then had to know who you were working with. This is why when the Avengers did their very first press conference, everyone fumbled. Even Thor, who besides Tony was the most used to large crowds.

Reporters were merciless, and when in a press conference it was like a game of chess. So let the game begin.

The first thing Tony did was sit in front of the podium, playing the injured card and doing something Tony-like all-in-one swoop. Easy. Now it was time for the questions. For the most part, the questions and answers were the same, bearing a few where he answered differently. Once the whole cat and mouse dance was over it was time for the finale.

"A few of you have already asked, and I said I would answer before the end of this conference." Tony began. "The group of people who took me hostage somehow got their hand on Stark military-grade weapons. This is unacceptable." The reporters, feeling something big was being built up to, began to pay attention with extreme fervor.

"When my mother and father started this company it was a time of war, this company did what it had to, to ensure that our troops got back home safely. Seeing soldiers die because of Stark weapons is something that cannot happen in the future." As this was being said Obadiah Stane walked into the room.

"So, until this leak and the horrendous mistake have been solved, effected immediately all sales and production of Stark weapons are halted until further notice." With those words, all hell broke loose. Stane looked shocked, the reporters began to write and scream out questions, while Pepper's phone started to ring and buzz.

'All in all, not a bad day's work.' Tony thought to himself as he walked out of the room. Now it was time to deal with Stane.

"Tony, do you know what you've done?" Obadiah began, then backtracked when he realized that they were in public. "I'm glad that you're safe and sound." He finished as they went into a side room with no paparazzi.

"I'm well aware of what I've done," Tony said. "Saved the public face of the company. It's better to do this now, than later. It shows that we care. What would happen to the company if some newspaper or one of our competitors got ahead on information?"

Obadiah was slightly shocked by Tony's reasoning, as before Tony never really cared or thought about the public face of the company. All he ever cared about was parting and once in a while inventing a new weapon.

Something had changed with Tony and Obadiah was not sure what it was.

After another checkup at the Hospital with his own personal doctor he was given a clean bill of health, just a minor case of malnutrition, dehydration, and a sprained arm that was almost healed. Well, that was what the official report said.

The shards in his chest were a major concern, but the reactor was doing its job of keeping him alive, while slowly poising him. That would be fixed soon, considering he knew how to make a new element…Actually, he knew how to make a few new elements. That would be for another day. Right now Tony had to get things cleared up and make the element his father had created and then make a new armor.

As much as Tony wanted to make his nanite armor, that was too big of a jump, not to mention half or more than half of the technology needed to make that armor had not even been invented yet.

'Ugh, maybe I should just create them all or just buy the labs so those people can still get patents?' Tony mused to himself as he walked into his house.

"Welcome back sir, it is good to see you safe and sound." JARVIS greeted him.

"Jarvis my good man, it is good to be back. As much as I would like to sit and rest I do need to get started on saving my own life."

"As you say, sir, what do you require of me?"

"Order the following and then prepare yourself for a software update."

As Tony began listing the equipment he would need, Pepper walked into the house after him.

"Tony, do I need to order you dinner? Is there anything else you need from me?"

He really missed his wife.

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Making…sorry creating a new element in the scientific community is supposed to be a huge achievement, when it has been done in the past, the parties would last for days, sometimes even weeks. After all a normal man creating a new element is the achievement of their life's work.

For Tony Stark, this would just be another Tuesday.

Sometimes the world is really not fair.

After getting the equipment the next day, the perks of being rich. Tony got to work right away. Once you know what you are doing creating a new element from scratch is not that hard or that long. Including setup and synthesizing, the whole process took 36 hours. Once he had the new and upgraded reactor created, he had to once again ask Pepper for help with implanting the new setup.

He remembered the first time he had asked her to do this in his previous life, she was horrified. This time, it was different. He didn't know what changed with her, but there was no hesitation.

With a few robots and JARVIS instructing her, the new implementation took about an hour. For the final part, all she had to do was slot in the new upgraded reactor. During this part, he could not move due to the pain.

All he could do was look at her.

Her eyes.

Her hair.

Her face.

The way her brow furred together when she was concentrating.

The way she bit her lip.

She was his Rescue Angel in every way.

Once she slotted in the new reactor and he could move and breathe again, he gave into the impulse and pulled Pepper Potts into a kiss.

For Tony, this was letting her know how much he missed her, how sorry he was, how much he loved her, and even after kissing her a thousand times it still felt like he was kissing her for the first time. All in all, it was amazing.

For Pepper, this was expected and unexpected. For years she and Tony danced around each other. When she heard the news that he was missing and potentially dead, for the first time in her professional career she took a sick day and cried at home.

She had never realized how much he meant to her.

She had never realized how much she meant to him.

This kiss was letting Tony know that she missed him as well, that she was willing to give this a try, and that even though this was their first kiss, it felt kike they had kissed a thousand times before. It took her breath away.

One thing led to another and they ended up in Tony's bedroom.

Tony did want to stress test his heart and the new reactor but this was the more pleasurable way to do it.

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The next morning there was no awkward silence or weirdness. It just felt right.

After a brief discussion over breakfast about what they are, which ended with Tony saying:

"Pepper, I'm serious about this. This past month has made me change my outlook on life and how much you mean to me. I want to give us a try."

"Okay, Tony." Was the cheerful reply of a very happy Pepper Potts.

After Pepper left for the office to get things moving, Tony got to work.

It was time to upgrade JARVIS.

XXX

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