Second Chances

S E V E N

I hear the front door shut as steps move closer to the stair lab.

"You know that was fucking stupid, you didn't only put yourself in danger."

The steps quickly stop as I stand up and look at him. He seems shocked and confused as to why I would be here.

"You put our friends in danger, Happy almost died today."

"Are you blaming that on me."

"No but they're connected, the mandarin is connected to the explosions."

"He needs to know that someone isn't scared to fight him."

"And that someone is you."

"Maybe."

"Stark, this isn't a smart move. You and Pepper need to leave, it's to dangerous now."

"We're fine, I won't let anything happen to her."

"Someday you might now have control over it."

I go to walk up the stairs but he stops me.

"What are you even doing here, you left remember."

"Don't go there, you know why I'm here."

"Do I, it seems you only want to start more trouble."

I turn to face him and hit his chest, I point my finger in his face.

"You don't know a damn thing about me. Pepper and Happy have became my friends and they're your family. I'm trying to protect them because you keep putting them in danger."

"He needs to be stopped."

"But not by you, you have people you love you. You're only putting yourself in more harm, you're hurting them without realizing it."

"Oh yea, you have people who love you too."

"Yes but theirs a difference, my people know that I will do anything to stop it. Even if it means dying to save New York."

I walk past him and go to open the door when it locks. I look at him and growl, he seems to have calmed down.

"Stay for tonight, watch over Pepper."

He doesn't say anything else, he walks down to the lab as I get upstairs. I walk towards her room and frown as I see she's packing. I want her out of danger but I didn't expect her to be this quick with it.

"Pepper, do you need any help."

"I'm almost finished, ill need help with Tony's bags though."

"You know he won't leave."

"We'll make him, it's just as dangerous for him as it is for me."

"I know that but he thinks he's some powerful force."

She looks at me for a moment, I can feel her eyes on me.

"What"

"Nothing, I just don't see why you two don't get together."

"I don't want to see him get hurt. He was kidnapped and tortured, and then New York."

"We'll be alright, now let's go get his bags packed."

We both lightly smile as I follow her into the room. The familiarity and comfort seeping through me. I smile as she watches me, I sit down on the edge of the bed.
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I help her grab the bags and throw them downstairs, I hear people yelling. Mostly Stark and Pepper going back and forth, I frown as we walk downstairs. I see a woman standing beside him, I glance at all of them. Pepper seems to be just as confused and angry as I am.

"it's Maya Hansen."

She smiles and I choose to ignore her.

"Old botanist pal that I used to know, barely."

"I need your help."

"What...what for? Why now?"

"Because I read the papers, and, frankly, I don't think you'll last the week."

"I'll be fine."

"I'm sorry. With Happy in the hospital, I didn't know we were expecting guests."

"We weren't."

"No, I..."

"And old girlfriends!"

I look between them as they try to figure out what to say.

"She's not really."

"No, not really. It...it was just one night."

"Yep."

"That's how you did it, isn't it? Yep."

"It was a great night."

"Well, you know..."

I look at the woman and smile, I move closer to Pepper and Stark.

"You have saved yourself a world of pain."

"I'm sure."

"What?"

I look at Pepper and Stark, she knows this is the right thing.

"We're going out of town."

"Okay, we've been through this. Nope."

"Yep!

"The man says no."

"Immediately and indefinitely!"

"Alicia.."

"Great idea. Let's go."

"I'm sorry. That's a terrible idea. Please don't touch her bags."

I can tell he's starting to get angry, he needs to understand I want to protect them.

"Tony, this is how normal people behave."

"I can't protect you out there. I challenged.."

I move closer to him and grab his arm, I pull him closer.

"Please, if not for yourself then do this for me."

"No"

We start bickering and I frown, Pepper and Maya suddenly speak up.

"Guys, can we um..."

"What?"

she points to the bomb heading straight for the house.

"Do we need to worry about that?"

The house is suddenly hit, as everything explodes around us, Stark manages to get his Iron Man suit onto Pepper to protect her from the fall, I'm thrown back next to him. I see the girl is unconscious. I look up to see the ceiling is about to fall on him. I quickly get on top of him and create one of my force fields around us.

"I got you."

He smiles at me and I watch his chest heaving up and down.

"Like I said, we can't stay here."

The helicopters starts shooting at the house.

"Move! I'm right behind!"

As we're running to get out, the floor between us and the girls collapses.

"Get her, we'll gonna find a way around."

I can see she's hesitant.

"Get her, get outside! Go! I'll make sure we're fine."

She manages to grab Maya and uses the Iron Man suit to get them safely out of the house, but the house gets further destroyed as the helicopters continue to fire on it. I grab his hand as we move farther from the bullets and ricochets.

"Go"

He looks at me and holds up his hands. As the suit attaches to him, the house comes down. I feel the cold water surrounding me and then everything is dark.