Book One - Part One: Dark Knight

Chapter Thirteen

Raza's men flee as a deluge of flame shoot from the tunnel. Then Tony emerges, the grey armor scarred and sizzling, Elena Insurgents keep firing, trying to draw him from the massive ammo dump under the camouflage. But Tony is relentless, keeps moving towards it. Tony turns his flame throwers on the crates. They begin to burn -- the STARK logos eaten by flames. And now a withering barrage of gunfire knocks Tony to his knees. The hose to his flame thrower is pierced, setting his arm on fire. Another bullet catches a seam and enters his shoulder. But Tony struggles back to his feet. The suit grinds. He pushes further into the maze, torching everything. More gunfire pings and ricochets off him, pieces of the grey armor begins to come loose. Now Tony opens a metal flap on his arm, flips a red switch. He turns to Elena behind him.

"Now, come on, come here!" she moves to him, he grabs her, lifting her up into his arms. As a whine builds to a roar. Tony tucks, angles forward around Elena, his heel-boosters glow white hot, kicking up desert plumes – and then he blasts off like a missile, rising hundreds of feet. One Insurgent watches dumbstruck, as the suit arcs across the sky towards a mountain pass. And then the first ammo dump ignites. Then another and another, fire roses joining in a hellish conflagration. And barely outpacing the fireball the grey armor shoots away from the fire, it clears the mountain ridge by inches, and then the boosters are suddenly spent. It plunges like a human cannonball.

...............

Tony thuds into the sand, pieces of the armor splitting away, Elena rolls across the sand and cries out in pain touching her side as she stops. Dazed, Tony struggles from the exo-skeleton. He staggers towards Elena falling to his knees at her side turning her onto her back, she cringes in agony.

"I've got you, sweetheart" he whispers helping her up to her feet, keeping his arm around her as he helps her walk into the dunes, away from the smoke and distant explosions.

.................

It's dark now and Tony is struggling to carry an unconscious Elena in his arms, he's pretty sure she is just unconscious, he hopes she's just unconscious. He stumbles through the sand, careful to keep a hold of her as he moves. His own exhaustion, his thirst, his agony proving too much. Tony falls to his knees curling over Elena with a groan of his own pain. Behind them a USAF Blackhawk suddenly rises over the lip of the dune. Tony looks up and over his should holding Elena closer to him. Moments later Rhodey, winded, appears over the dune. A grin forming as he recognises Tony. He hurries towards the pair.

"Saving your ass is getting to be a full time job" Rhodey comments reaching them, Tony manages to smile a little and then looks to Elena. Rhodey moves closer. "It's alright, I've got her, she's okay" Rhodey assures Tony as he pulls Elena from his arms, gently cradling her as Tony pushes himself to his feet. Rhodey checks Elena for a pulse and looks to Tony who's eyes plead with him. Rhodey nods and holds her closer.

................

Bruce wakes to his phone ringing on the bedside table, he lifts his arm from Pepper and turns to answer it. Pressing the device to his ear he listens before sitting up. He listens quietly, calmly before he responds.

"Thank you for informing me" he comments and then hangs up setting his phone aside, he turns back to Pepper and brushes her hair over her shoulder. "Pepper" he whispers waking her, she looks to him dazed slightly. "Hey, they found them" Pepper is more awake now. "They're coming home" he assures her, she smiles and lets out a relieved breath.

"Are you sure?" she asks him, he nods.

"Yeah, Rhodes just called" he assures her, Pepper touches her mouth as she smiles widely at him. "They're coming home" he repeats, relieved himself. His daughter is coming home. He touches Pepper's cheek curling his palm against her skin. "They're being taken to a military hospital in Germany" He tells her. "Then they'll be flown back to the states....."

"So a few days still?" Pepper asks quietly as he lays back down..

"At least we know where they are" he points out letting her curl into his side, her head on his chest. She hums a little, he strokes her hair and smiles. "They're coming home" he parrots again, she smiles and nods.

................

Bruce, Pepper, Dick and Barbara are stood together on the tarmac in front of two limos, the four of them are watching a huge C-17 land ahead of them. Bruce's hand engulfs Pepper's in comfort, she looks to him and smiles nodding slightly in thanks. Barbara leans against Dick who kisses her head pulling her closer to him. The rear ramp of the C-17 comes down. Light blinds Rhodey, Tony and Elena, who's in a wheelchair, an arm tight around herself. The three of them see the small entourage waiting for them. Tony touches Elena's shoulder and she looks up at him.

"Ready to return to your kingdom, Princess?" he asks her, she smirks a little and nods looking down at her lap. Tony wheels Elena down, leaning on the chair for his own support. As they reach the ramp's end Elena stops him.

"Help me out of this stupid thing..." Elena states as she struggles to her feet, faltering. Rhodey steadies her, she nods her thanks and then tries to walk forward, like Bambi at first, slow, unsteady, utterly painful, but she manages to get a steady gait going. Tony actually forgot how imposing Bruce Wayne is in the flesh, the man is huge, all broad and muscular. Tony and Rhodey are close behind Elena, just in case. "Daddy" Elena whispers softly, Bruce takes steps towards her. Elena limps her way to her father who tries to smile but it just looks painful, seeing her like this, in pain. He pulls her into a hug the second he can reach her, clutching his baby to him. She wraps her arms around his back clutching to his suit jacket. Bruce meets eyes with Rhodey's over her shoulder, and he nods to him.

"Thank you" Bruce tells him.

"Couldn't have done it without you or your funding, Sir" Rhodey counters. Pepper steps closer to Tony, a ghost of his former self, but she puts on a brave face. Tony manages a small smile.

"Your eyes are red. A few tears for your long-lost boss?" Tony teases.

"Tears of joy. I hate job hunting" Pepper counters. Elena pulls away from Bruce and Dick is instantly there pulling her into another embrace, he kisses her head and holds her close.

"I'm sorry" he tells her, voice breaking. "I'm so sorry" he buries his face in her hair.

"It's okay" she assures him. "It's not your fault" Elena glances to Tony who looks to her, he gives her a small smile and a wave, she waves back at him before Happy comes around, holds the limo door open for Tony and he is ushered towards it.

"Good to see you again, Sir" Happy comments.

"You do something new with your hair?" Tony asks.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Sir" Pepper looks to Bruce who nods and winks at her, she smiles and then turns to help Tony into the limo, Tony casts one last look at Elena as Dick finally pulls away and helps her to her own car. She glances back at Tony before she ducks into the car. Tony lets out a breath and turns forward. Elena touches the leather of her seat, she's even missed this. She sighs softly and looks up, her eyes widening.

"Robin!" she squeals a little as her enormous beast of a cat pounces onto her lap, Bruce smirks at her side.

"Didn't think I would bring him, huh?" he asks as she pulls the top half of her beloved cat closer to her chest. She looks to her father and smiles sadly before she starts to cry. "It's okay, princess" he offers. "You're home....and you're safe" he pulls her closer and kisses her head, pressing his nose to her hair to breath her in, finally back.