Chapter 41: "She Was Already Perfect"
Tony's POV:
I entered hurriedly to where Jarvis had told me where Riley was kept. My heart was pounding uncontrollably. I hope she's okay. The room was a mess and items were scattered all over.
Where is Riley? I continued searching for her. I heard a groan. I immediately turned the direction from the sound. I found Riley lying down with heavy debris on top of her.
I felt my lips twitch into a smile, not because she was stuck but because I finally found her. I tried lifting up the debris to free her but other debris started to collapse on top of her.
"No! Stop! Put it down!" Said Riley.
I slowly and carefully put the debris back down. I crouched down and lifted my mask up.
"See what happens when you hang out with my ex girlfriends?" I asked jokingly, trying to ease the tension.
"You re such a jerk," she said weakly.
"Yep. We'll talk about it over dinner," I told her.
I reached out my hand and reached for her as she tries to reach for my hand as well.
"Come on, a little more, baby," I encouraged her.
Riley continued to try reaching for me but I can tell she is weak and was in pain. Our fingertips touched, barely.
Suddenly, I felt a powerful force hit my chest. I tumble back and fell on my back. Killian burst through the floor and smirked.
"Is this guy bothering you?" Killian asked Riley as he pointed at me.
"Killian, please don't hurt him," Riley begged.
I tried getting up but Killian crouched down on top of me.
"Don't get up," he told me.
He pressed a heated finger above my arc reactor.
"Oooh. Is it hot in there?" He asked.
I felt the heat go through my suit.
"Stuck? Feel a little stuck? Like a turtle cooking in his little turtle suit?" He asked enjoying my suffering.
I feel like I'm literally getting cooked inside this suit. I tried to look around and think of somehow get out of this situation.
"Tony," said Riley weakly as she reaches her arm for me.
I looked at her and see a tear drop down from her eyes.
"She's watching. I think you should close your eyes." Killian told me.
I ignored him and kept my eyes open.
"Close them," he demanded.
"Close your eyes you don't want to see this." Killian's eyes started to glow red again and he raised his arm ready to attack me.
As his arms sped towards me, a long knife from my arm sticked out causing it to chop a part of his arm off. Killian screamed in pain as he clutched on his now missing arm. Killian got up an started groaning in pain.
"Yeah, you'd take a minute," I said knowing his arm will regrow soon.
I see his chopped off hand go through the ground because of it's heat causing Riley to fall with it. My heart started racing as she's in an awkward position. One wrong move and she can fall 200 ft straight to the ground.
I got out of my suit quickly and got up on my feet. I need to save Riley. I started to run as fast as I could to where she is. I noticed an Extremis is trying to chase me down.
I jumped off the ledge of the platform that I was on and onto the next one over. Thankfully, one of my suits got rid of the Extremis that was trying to chase me down. I started running faster as I see Riley almost slipping out of her grip.
"Jarvis give me a suit, now!" I ordered desperately.
I see a suit opened up right in front of me. I jumped and I was halfway on the suit but an Extremis had hit it and destroyed it. I landed on the next platform. Fuck! So close!
"Aw, come on!" I exclaimed in frustration.
No One's POV:
Tony reached the end of the platform. Riley was dangling from the machine she was attached to earlier. It's currently the only thing that's keeping her from falling.
Tony stood on the edge of the rail and started to reach out for her. Riley wasn't scared of dying but she didn't want Tony to witness it.
Tony was desperate, he has to save Riley. She's the only girl who he truly loved all his life.
"I can't lose her," he keeps saying in his head over and over again.
It's like he was going insane. Tony's eyes started to tear up, he looked at Riley with a desperate pleading eyes.
"Honey, I can't reach any further, and you can't stay there, alright? You gotta let go."
Riley tried her best to reach for Tony but they're not even close to touching.
"You gotta let go! I'll catch you, I promise." Said Tony.
The debris that Riley was stuck in shook making her lose grip. Tony's hand missed her and failed to save her from her long fall. Riley screamed as she fell 200 ft to the ground straight to the fire.
Tony stared at where Riley fell with a shocked and hurt expression. He felt his eyes tear up. He had failed her. He was the reason why Riley is gone.
He wanted to cry and yell but he couldn't. He felt numb, hurt, and shocked. He couldn't believe that she's gone. Tony backed away and he see Killian across from him.
"A shame, I would've caught her," said Killian.
Tony felt his blood boil. He began to run at Killian and Killian started to run at Tony. Killian jumped at Tony but Tony slid under right before he got hit.
Tony got in his Iron Man suit and was ready to fight Killian. All he could feel now is rage. Rage from the lost of the love of his life and rage from the asshole who caused all this, Killian. Killian would throw hits at Tony but Tony would block them.
They both went to punch but their fist collided to each other. Killian's arm snapped and the bone was sticking out while Tony just had his suit arm broke off. Killian shook off the pain and his arm quickly healed.
Killian charged at Tony and pushed him to another platform below them. Tony fell on his back, he groaned. Killian landed on top of him.
"Eject." Said Tony.
Tony was shot out of his suit right before Killian punched a whole through his suit. Another suit caught Tony and they continued fighting.
Unknown POV:
My door barged open. I clenched my fist as one of my soldier entered.
"What did I say about bothering me?" I growled as I got up from my seat and faced him.
Like a lot of my soldiers, he looked at me with fear.
"Sir, an Extremis reported that Killian lost the Element and the President was rescued by Colonel Rhodes." He reported to me.
"WHAT?!" I yelled.
I felt my blood boil. My plan is fucked. Killian fucked up.
"Tony Stark is fighting Killian at the moment sir. Should we help Killian?" He asked.
I clenched my jaws.
"Let the fucker die. If he doesn't die, I'll kill him myself," I told him.
"Tell your mens to not allow SHIELD to trace us. Cancel everything." I demanded.
"But sir, SHIELD pinpointed our location halfway through. Should we evacuate?" He asked.
"No, they haven't found us yet so there's no point. And I didn't teach you to be a coward. We'll fight if they come."
"Yes boss." He said.
He left. I yelled in frustration and punched a hole through my wall.
No One's POV:
Tony and Killian were still fighting. Killian flipped Tony causing Tony to land painfully on his back. Killian caught Tony's hand as he was about to blast Killian.
"Well here we are on the roof," said Killian.
Tony saw Killian getting ready to slice him in half. Tony ejected from his suit right before Killian sliced his suit in half. He fell on the platform below them.
"Mark 42 inbound," said Jarvis.
Tony and Killian looked and see one of Tony's suit flying near them.
"Well be damned," muttered Tony.
"The protocol son returns." Tony got up and waited for the suit to come to him.
The suit hit the platform and fell apart. Tony rolled his eyes.
"Whatever," he muttered.
"You really didn't deserver her, Tony," said Killian, looking down at him.
"It's a pity. I was so close to having her perfect." Killian jumped down on the platform Tony was on.
"Okay, okay, wait, wait. Slow down!" Tony exclaimed hurriedly as Killian started to approach him.
"You're right, I don't deserve her." Killian stopped and listened to what Tony was going to say.
"But here's where you're wrong. She was already perfect." Said Tony feeling his heart break into millions of pieces.
Killian started to run towards Tony again. But Tony gestured his suit towards Killian. The Mark 42 suit pieces built on Killian's body. He tried breaking free but he couldn't.
"Jarvis," said Tony as he tapped his ear piece.
"Do me a favour and blow Mark 42."
"NOO!!" Killian yelled but got cut off as the mask covered his face.
Tony jumped onto the platform below him and slid down, as the suit exploded. Tony jumped off the platform and a suit caught him, barely. He grabbed onto metal railing as he hang off the edge.
Tony let go and started using the repulsor from his boot to slow down his fall. But he still had a hard fall. Tony had a hard time sitting up because of his fall.
Tony saw his Iron Man mask in flames. The mask cracked open and revealed nothing. Tony sighed. He knew Killian is still alive. He suddenly heard a noise.
He look ahead of him and see Killian emerging from the fire. Killian's body was pretty much burnt and cracks were seen. Killian started limping towards Tony, Tony started to back crawl away from him.
"No more false faces," said Killian.
"You said you wanted the Mandarin. You're looking right at him. It was always me, Tony. Right from the start. I am the Mandarin!" Killian claimed.
Suddenly a metal pole had hit Killian away from Tony.
Tony looked and see Riley holding the pole. Her body and eyes were glowing red and she looks angrier than ever. Tony couldn't believe what he was seeing but was glad that what he is seeing is real.
Riley is alive. Riley dropped the pole. Tony stared at her still shocked and Riley looked at him.
"I got nothing," said Tony completely in daze.
Tony's suit suddenly started to come after Riley.
"Jarvis, subject at my 12 o'clock is not a target, disengage." Tony demanded hurriedly but then he realized he didn't have his earpiece on.
The suit shot at Riley but she easily dodged it. Riley growled at Tony.
"What?" Asked Tony looking slightly afraid.
Riley started running at Tony.
"Oh, what, you're mad at me?" Asked Tony.
Riley jumped up and hopped off Tony's knee, she punched through the suit and smashed it down on the ground with her fist. She grabbed the suit's arm glove.
Riley punched Killian with the glove making Killian fly back. She kicked a small missile tank and fired at it with the repulsor making it exploded along with Killian.
Riley's eyes began to turn back to it's original green colour.
"Honey." Said Tony.
Riley immediately turned around to look at Tony.
"Oh my god," was all Riley could say.
"You just scared the devil out of me. I thought you were-" Riley had cut him off.
"I was dead? Why? Because I fell 200 ft?" Said Riley stating the obvious.
Tony shrugged and gave her the look that says "pretty much".
"Who's the hot mess now?" Asked Riley smirking.
"Still debatable." Chuckled Tony.
"Probably tipping your way a little bit. Why don't you dress like this at home, huh?" Asked Tony referring to Riley's outfit which was just a sports bra and a yoga pants.
"You know, I think I understand why you don't want to give up the suit." Said Riley taking off the arm suit from her arm.
"What am I gonna complain about now?" Tony got up on his feet and walked up to her.
"Well it's me. You'll think of something." He said smiling.
Riley didn't smile back.
"Am I gonna be okay?" She asked him seriously.
"No, you're in a relationship with me. Nothing will never be ok." Tony admitted.
Riley nodded in agreement.
"But I think I can figure this out. I almost had this 13 years ago when I was drunk. I can get you back to normal." Said Tony.
"And what about the distractions?" Riley asked.
"Uh, I'm gonna shave them down a little bit."
"Jarvis, hey," Said Tony tapping his earpiece.
"All wrapped up here, sir. Will there be anything else?" Asked Jarvis.
"You know what to do," Tony told Jarvis.
"The 'clean state' protocol, sir?" Clarified Jarvis.
"Screw it, it's Christmas, yes." Said Tony.
He pulled Riley into a tight hug and Riley hugged back. All the suits above them were blowned up.
"Okay, so far? You like it?" Tony asked Riley.
Riley nodded. Tony kissed Riley on her forehead and cheek. Tony pulled away from their long embrace. He reached in his pocket and pulled out Riley's necklace. Riley pretty much jumped up in joy.
"How did you-" Tony cut off Riley.
"I grabbed it from him when we were fighting. I don't even think the asshole noticed it." Explained Tony.
Riley smiled. It was the only thing she remembers her mother from. Tony put on the necklace on Riley's neck. He kissed her forehead and pulled her back in his arms.
"I love you so much, Riley," Tony mumbled.
"I love you more, Tony," Riley responded back.
*OMG I JUST SAW THE CIVIL WAR TRAILER AND I LITERALLY CANNOT WAIT UNTIL MAY. Comment down what you guys think and comment down whether or not I should include a Civil War story plot*