Crumbling {𝟞} | Marvel √

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Rhodey was on the bridge when he came across where the President was closest. "Mr. President!" Rhodey exclaimed and President Ellis looked up at him. "Just hold on, all right? I'm coming."

But then an Extremis was heading his way and fast. "Just hold on. Hold on," Rhodey assured before he jumped up onto the bridge's edge, then grabbed hold on a zipline. He slid down and landed on a crate, but right when he did, so did two Extremis. Rhodey quickly got his gun out and started to shoot at the two, but instead of falling down, or dying, the two just regenerated from their new biogenetics.

"Oh, kay," Rhodey muttered, and when the two Extremis ran towards him, he just kept shooting them. One of them threw a punch, leaning Rhodey back, over the edge. He tripped over but he grabbed the edge at the last second, while the two Extremis hovered over him.

"Buy-bye," Rhodey said before he shot the ropes tying up the crate. The crate went upside down as the Extremis fell down, but Rhodey kept his grip on the crates. He zipped over to The President in the Iron Patriot, and jumped, grabbing hold of him. Rhodey looked down to see that the crate fell to the ground, exploding, he then looked at one of the ropes holding up President Ellis.

"Brace yourself," Rhodey warned before he pressed a button on the arm of the Iron Patriot, activating the thruster, which cut the rope. They swung over to the other side, and when Rhodey let go landing, he quickly shot the other rope, pulling President Ellis to the ground, right on a crate above Rhodey.

"You look damn good, Mr. President," Rhodey said and President Ellis smiled. "But I'm gonna need that suit back."

———

Meanwhile, Tony was continuing to run across the bridge, keeping his eyes on Pepper, as she kept rolling closer and closer to a drop. He jumped onto the bridge's edge and jumped off, landing on a crane, getting closer to Pepper, but not enough.

"The President is secure, Tony. I'm clearing the area."

"Nice work," Tony said before he got up and ran over to Pepper, who was rolling over to him now.

"Ready, sir?"

"What do you mean 'ready'?"

Suddenly, Tony heard President Ellis yelling, which he assumed that Rhodey had taken off in the Iron Patriot with President Ellis.

Getting to Pepper, Tony jumped onto the edge, as half her body was practically almost off the machine she was on. "Pep, I got you," Tony said but Pepper still looked scared. "Relax, I got you."

Tony reached his hand out as Pepper did the same, but she kept looking back at the machine. "Just look at me!" Tony exclaimed and Pepper looked back at him, reaching for him again, but he was just a little too far for them to touch hands. "Honey, I can't reach any further and you can't stay there. All right? You've got to let go."

But Pepper stared at him even more scared than before. "You've got to let go! I'll catch you, I promise," Tony assured but suddenly the machine abruptly stopped, causing Pepper to yank over. Tony tried to catch her hand but he missed.

"NO!" He screamed as he watched Pepper fall to her death, into the flames below, screaming, reaching out for Tony. Tony looked down, as tears stung his dark eyes, watching as his entire world, his half just perished right in front of him. What was he gonna do now? How could he- How could- How was he able to tell a little girl her mother was gone and wasn't coming back? How could he help her grieve when he was just as much grieving? How could he survive this without Pepper? He couldn't. He needed Pepper, but she was gone now. Just like his parents.