Battle Scars {An Iron Man FanFic}

Chapter 44: No Words

A/n: This is dedicated to  @xHomophobia_Is_Gayx! Thanks for all your comments and reads :) It means so much :D Hope you enjoy this chapter

This is it xx

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Chapter 44: No Words

Third Person

                Tony held his breath as Pepper paused the news report, struggling for a decision. She could ignore it all, imagine Andy in total peace, and go on through the summer believing she was having fun with her friends. Or she could push play, and see with her eyes what would end her world.

                With a long breath, she clutched at Tony's arm and pushed play. Instantly, a video feed came onto the screen as the large commercial plane erupted into flames. It was flying forward, unexpectedly highly curved, continuously climbing higher and higher. Suddenly, a flame from the back bloomed and quickly consumed the entire rear end of the plane. After a few seconds, the plane fell out of balance and towards the cold hard earth beneath it. The camera stayed focused on the plane, it must have been monitoring the winds for some other force and turned in wide shock to the falling plane.

                The camera zoomed in and flailing bodies surrounded the plane. With stunning pain, all viewers had a brief reminder of the horrific 9/11 terrorist attack. The oh so controversial question rang through their heads as all felt a twang of pain as the unidentifiable victims fell. Did they jump? Where they forced out? Did they choose their own way out of the world? Or did they let some universal force, whether God or not, take control of the situation?

                Tony edged his way towards the screen of the television, his fingers brushing against the plasma. His fingers touched a body, not particularly different from the others. But he had a feeling, or at least wanted so desperately to believe, that amongst all those who were to die, she would be in his vision. He would see her in her last moments, and in those critical seconds he realized that this was all he could be offered. One final look.

"It... it no, Tony, no" Pepper managed to say. Her face was pale, her eyes already spilling with tears. She shook her head, slowly and with the least amount of movement. Tony could only watch as the bodies continued to fall and the news anchor went on about this being a tragedy. It wasn't any different from any other engine failure, but because it was publicized, because the people saw the lives it had ended, it became a city wide pain.

                Suddenly, a voice came on, loud and calling for the footage to be shut off. There was a loud shuffle heard off screen and then the image was cut. The camera turned immediately to the anchors, pale and shocked, who tried to quickly claim their break before the line was forced out.

"No!" Tony exclaimed, his finger still on the now empty spot where he believed she last was. He crushed his hand into a fist and then turned, grabbing the phone to his ear once again.

"Fury, Fury!!" he exclaimed, but the Director had hung up long ago, believing they needed their space and time.

"I'm going. She's still out there, I need to save her" he said in a hurried voice as he started to climb down the stairs to the work shop. Pepper made no move to stop him. She collapsed to the floor, her knees buckled beneath her. As she sat, she tried to focus on her realities, to keep her mind sane. She held onto her arms, close to her body, and took in a few shattering breaths. Andy couldn't be dead, she couldn't be. Pepper loved her too much, she couldn't be gone; she was her baby. Although not by blood, Pepper had already accepted Andy as her own, and now she as gone.

                Her only child was gone.

                She suddenly let out a low cry that choked her and threatened to suffocate her. She curled her fingers to her chest, doubled over, and sobbed helplessly to herself. All the while, she could only reject of what she knew must be true. But still, Andy couldn't be dead, she just couldn't.

                As Tony made his way down to his workshop, he caught sight of Bey on the chair, sleeping soundly. Could she have known? Surely she would have. But this was not Al; she wasn't as sensitive to her presence as he was, as Tony now was. It was a strange thing, being able to sense when someone else was in trouble or distressed, and one that could only be developed through time.

"You said you'd be safe, you said you'd be safe" Tony muttered to himself, trying to keep his calm. He scurried around, unsure of what he was looking for. He kicked a chair to the side, letting out a distressed grunt. This couldn't be happening to him. After all they've been through, after all the time they spent together, and she was gone. Just like that, as if some force had simply come down and pinched the candle light that was her life, snuffing it out.

"God, why did I let you go?" he asked himself in a pained voice, forcing his hands tightly against his chest, crossed and underneath his arms. His vision was suddenly blurred but he didn't dare wipe them away, couldn't even think about it, his mind was too focused on the slowly condensing brick of ice near his heart.

"She can't, she can't" he mumbled as he sat on the floor and fought the sobs that racked his body. He failed her, he failed Ant, and he failed Pepper. He was supposed to be her protector, his best friend trusted him with her life, his legacy, her own great possibilities, but he let her go. And now she was lost.

                After long terrifying moments as Tony struggled with his tears and the overwhelming feeling of dread and desperation, he found a sudden break in his own clouded breaths. Pepper called out his name, loud and urgent. His mind instantly thought of the worst and he raced up the steps, scrambling like a madman towards her, the only thing in his life worth living for.

"Pepper!" he called out warningly, making it to the top of the stairs. He saw her on the floor, broken and paralyzed. He ran towards her and then slid to her level, trying to look her in the eye.

"Baby, baby what is it?" he asked urgently, panicked. He couldn't, he couldn't bear to have her shredded away from him either. But her eyes weren't looking at him, only the television screen across from her. The news station had gone through numerous commercials, so now the hour had changed by nearly two and half the crew was replaced.

"The deaths are still being confirmed, but a list of all passengers is available. Those in red are the dead victims." One of the women said as a list of people appeared in the screen. The two of them quickly skimmed the short list of red deaths in a panic.

"Adoptive daughter of Tony Stark, owner and wearer of the Iron Man armor, Andrea Valdez, has now been confirmed to be in flight moments after the attack. She and fifteen others have appeared at the San Jo-" the woman continued but Tony and Pepper were no longer paying attention. Overhead, through the intercom, a cracked voice called to them.

"Pepper, Tony?" she asked in a frail voice.

"Oh my god!" Pepper cried out, tears spilling faster now as she looked up at the ceiling, smiling broadly; expecting, wishing, dreaming, that Andy had been there above them.

"What? You thought you could get rid of me that easily? Told you I'd be safe" she said weakly and Tony could just hear her smile. He let out a heavy sigh of relief just as Pepper leaned against his chest, tears still pouring. But they were no longer of fraught helplessness, rather of increasing relief. She was safe, she was alive and breathing. She was a hero, a soon to be legend, not only for her previous feat, but for all the accomplishments she would fulfill.

Tony held onto Pepper tightly, wanting Andy to continue talking. But no words continued, and he was, for the time being, okay with that. Because now she was safe and sound. Now they knew that their daughter was not lost.

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Editted November 6, 2013. Remember to vote and comment! Let me know what you think! :D

(( I can't, I just... Thank you guys so much! This book wouldn't have gotten as far as it did with all of your amazing comments and votes. Don't worry, this is not the end of Andy's adventures! Further information will be provided in the next chapter! :D  ))

-Ela