Iron Woman - (Fem Iron man X Pepper)

Chapter 60 - Safe

22 days we've been in space.

I've started to give up hope. I wouldn't see My Pepper again.

Nebula and I have gotten along fine, we've tried to make corrections to the ship and we've kept each other company. But it was over.

I felt weak...frail. I had lost weight due to the lack of food. I felt thin....emotionally and physically.

I slowly walk over to my busted helmet, dropping down and reaching to press a button inside.

"This thing on?" It scans me as I lean against the wall, taking deep breaths. "Hey, Miss Potts... Pep. If you find this recording, don't post it on social media. It's gonna be a real tear-jerker. I don't know if you're ever going to see these. I don't even know if you're... if you're still... Oh god, I hope so. Today is day 21, uh 22. You know, if it wasn't for the existential terror of staring into a void of space, I'd say I'm feeling better today. The infection's run its course, Thanks to the blue meanie back there. You'd love her. Very practical. Only a tiny bit sadistic. Some fuel cells were cracked during battle, but we figured out a way to reverse the ion charge to buy ourselves about 48 hours of time. But it's now dead in the water. We're 1000 light years from the nearest 7-11. Oxygen will run out tomorrow. And that'll be it. And Pep, I ... I know I said no more surprises, but I was really hoping to pull off one last one. But it looks like... well you know what it looks like. Don't feel bad about this. I mean, if you grovel for a couple of weeks, and then move on with enormous guilt. I should probably lie down. Please know that... when I drift off, I will dream about you. Because it's always you." I smile and turn the helmet off.

I could feel my eyes getting heavier as my head slumps down...slowly drifting off.

I didn't know how much time had past but I wake up sitting in one of the chairs...a bright light catches my attention. I cover my eyes as it gets brughter, sitting up and squinting as I see a woman.

Saved

I felt thankful.

I was happy to see the compound...Nebula helps me out as Steve runs up, he grabs me and hugs me, helping me walk. "Couldn't stop him." I mutter.

"Neither could I."

"I lost the kid." I stop and look up at him with tears in my eyes.

"Y/N, we lost."

I instantly think of Pepper, "Is, uh...?" I struggle to ask about her.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" She runs up and into my arms.

"It's okay." I softly cry into her hair, taking in her scent for the first time. I hold onto her tightly, never wanting to let go.

The next day I joined what's left of the team to talk about what happened. I was sitting in a tank top and shorts, a thin robewas around me loosely as I sat in a wheel chair with an IV bag above me...attached to my arm. "It's been 23 days since Thanos came to Earth." Rhodey starts.

"World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did... he did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent, of all living creatures." Nat nods.

"Where is he now? Where?" I frown.

"We don't know. He just opened a portal and walked through." Steve nods.

I look over to see Thor sitting in a different room alone, looking upset. "What's wrong with him?" I ask.

"Oh, he's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which of course he did, but you know there's a lot of that's going around, ain't there?"

I stare at the animal on the floor in shock. "Honestly, until this exact second, I literaly thought you were a Build-A-Bear." I point.

"Maybe I am."

"We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now. Deep Space scans, and satellites, and we got nothing. Y/N, you fought him." Steve nods.

I look up in shock, "Who told you that? I didn't fight him. No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the stone. That's what happened. There was no fight." I shake my head.

"Okay." Steve whispers.

"He's unbeatable." I nod.

"Did he give you any clues, any coordinates, anything?" Steve asks.

"Pfft! I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision. I didn't wanna believe it. Thought I was dreaming." I nod.

"Y/N, I'm gonna need you to focus." Steve interrupts me.

"And I needed you." I hiss. "As in past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late buddy. Sorry. You know what I need?" I stand pushing things over with a clatter. "I need a shower. And I believe I remember telling all youse-"

"Y/N! Y/N!" Rhodey rushes to me as I walk to Steve.

"Alive and otherwise what we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not- that's what we needed!" I raise my voice as I rip out my IV.

"Well, that didn't work out, did it?" Steve asks I face him.

"I said, 'we'd lose.' You said, 'We'll do that together too.' And guess what, Cap? We lost. And you weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, we're the Avengers. Not the Prevengers." I point.

"Okay." Rhodey nods.

"Right?" I ask.

"You made your point. Just sit down." Rhodey nods.

"Okay..." I whisper, slightly turning.

"Okay?" Rhodey asks.

"Nah, nah. Here's my point. You know what?" I turn to Steve.

"Y/N, you're sick." Rhodey says.

I point at Carol, "She's great, by the way."

"Sit down. Sit." Rhodey points.

"We need you. You're new blood. Bunch of tired old mules!" I walk right up to Steve, my voice lowers to a venomous whisper.
"I got nothing for you, Cap! I got no coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust. Liar." I hiss in his face. Steve stares at me, he looked affected by my words. I quickly rip off the Arc Reactor on my chest and shove it into Steve's hands. "Here, take this. You find him, and you put that on. You hide." I fall to my knees, Steve holds onto me.

"Y/N!" Steve yells.

I nod as everyone rushes to me, "I'm fine. I..." my eyes roll back as I fall onto my side.