HIATUS

TONY'S POV

After the battle in New York, my ratings to the public could never be better. People know me more than they know their president. I guess that was understandable, I was part of the group of people who spearheaded the battle to save our planet. But instead of basking myself with the fame that it brings, I found myself spending most of my time in my workshop.

"Jarvis, make a note of the safety parameters", I said to my trusted AI.

"Of course, sir. After I'm done doing them, you can disregard them all together", Jarvis stated.

"You know me so well", I said as tinker with the blaster of my lastest suit. Listening to Jarvis makes you wonder when did he learn to have a sense of humor. I didn't mind it though, having someone to talk to who isn't boring is a blessing I wholehearted welcome.

After a while of staring and trying to see what was wrong with one of the blasters, I stood up and look at everything in the room. While the outside world was still incredibly tense about the invasion last year plus the added introduction of the Mandarin making himself known to the western world. My workspace was a place I could say that I am safe. Even if the outside world is a mess, at least I still have my lab. I know that something was wrong with me. After my meal with Rhodey, it became apparently clear that trying to save millions of people during the invasion in exchange for my life... had damaged my...mental health. Don't get me wrong, I would still do it again but I never thought of the lasting damage it would bring to me. Perhaps I thought that my armor would protect me from all harm...but just like every invention. There are always things you forget to consider.

I may be smarter than most of the people on the planet, yet I am still human. I am prone to mistake, just like my suits are prone to things that could not protect me.

"Sir, something happened... Happy is in the hospital. He is in the ICU", Jarvis said. This news broke me from my own train of thought.

A FEW MINUTES LATER:

I could see Happy in the hospital bed and I could feel the anger build up inside of me. To think that one of the people I care about could soon die is a thought I didn't like lingering in my mind. I became Iron Man to be able to save people, to prevent needless death and suffering. But the Mandarin had done something personal. So, now he is a dead man. Even if I had my own issues to deal with, no one will be safe if they harm someone dear to my heart.

I exited the hospital building and I issued a challenge to the man who hurt my friend. If you are a man, Mandarin, come knock at my door. I'll blow you up the moment I see any glimpse of your figure.

LATER:

Yet, here I am, in my own house being fired by multiple helicopters, struggling to not be hit by any missiles coming my way. It would be an extremely tragic death to a man who was so full of himself. To die because you gave your address to a terrorist. I could see it now, the news articles saying, 'TONY STARK, FROM A SMART MAN TO A STUPID MAN WITHIN SECONDS..... IS NOW DEAD'. Oh, what a cruel joke.

But even with death staring at me in the face, I won't let Pepper die. I removed the armor that I was wearing and controlled it to protect Pepper and not me. I look at Maya and thought that she had the worst of luck to visit me a few minutes before the Mandarin attacks.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

The house began to be destroyed and the foundation began to collapse. Pepper and I were both separated when the cement holding the floors began to crumble in our feet.

"Get her, I'm gonna find a way around", Tony said to Pepper as he pointed out Maya. Pepper who was still in a state of shock didn't fully understand what Tony was saying. But lucky for her, Tony was quick on his feet, and this time with greater volume in his voice, Tony shouted, "STOP STOPPING! AND GO!". This time Pepper was able to understand Tony and she tried to get Maya out of the house. She barely nearly didn't succeed due to the malfunction that Tony's suit was having. Makes you wonder why Tony chose to wear an Iron Man suit that was still a prototype.

The moment Pepper was out of the house, Jarvis was able to inform Tony that it was now okay to retrieved his suit. As missiles and cement were trying to kill him, the pieces of the Iron Man suit came flying towards him. In nearly an instant, the Iron Man took the stage.

Tony wanted to teach the terrorist a lesson but his latest suit was nothing more than a prototype. It was bound to have some performance issues, like for example, not being able to activate the weapon system of the suit, as well as the thrusters not being operational.

But despite this Tony was still able to destroy 2 out of 3 helicopters just by using his wit. But without the full capabilities of his suit, Tony was bound to be defeated, it was only a matter of time. As his house collapsed into the ocean and Tony dragged with it.

He tried to swim up to get some air but the armor was to heavy and some wires were already wrapping him down.

"Damn it", Tony said as he notices the ocean water already entering his suit. His body was already injured all over and add the fact that his suit was already malfunctioning, it would take a miracle to save him from his current predicament.

It was at this moment, a blue sphere appears right in front of Tony. For a second he was shocked but he soon remembered what it was. It was the same sphere that took Romanoff during the invasion of New York.

Tony's eyesight was already getting blurry when he saw a figure appear out of the sphere. The figure was swimming towards him and the moment the two of them made contact, Tony was surrounded by the same glow of the blue sphere.

"Sir, it--s--st----s---h-(static sounds), that was the last thing Tony heard. Somehow Jarvis had totally shut down, but Tony didn't realize it due to him losing consciousness.