Tony: As Long as I Can Reach That Spot

That night.

Tony returned home in low spirits and sank onto the large sofa, leaning back and staring up at the mansion's ceiling, a full two or three stories high.

What had happened that day had shaken him deeply.

It wasn't that he didn't understand Pepper Potts's feelings. He also knew she was looking out for his safety.

He had always indulged in booze, parties, and cover girls, deliberately avoiding his true feelings. But after Hermione bluntly called him out that day, he could no longer run from them.

Only now did Tony realize how much Pepper had quietly done for him behind the scenes. Yet he had failed to appreciate her, let her down, and even dragged her into danger when none of this should have been her problem.

I really am a hopeless bastard.

And Pepper was right to worry. He, too, had noticed the self-destructive urges deep inside him since the kidnapping.

But every time he remembered how Yinsen had looked as he lay dying to save him, or the people killed by his weapons, Tony's heart twisted in pain. He kept wanting to atone with his life. That was why he worked day and night developing his suit and wiped out terrorists without a moment's rest, utterly heedless of whether he lived or died, until the day he really did lose his life-as though only that could ease his guilt a little.

"I'll find a chance to give her a proper apology."

Having made up his mind, Tony stood and wiped a hand over his face.

But a second later, his eyes suddenly widened, and his body toppled stiffly to the floor.

A familiar face appeared before his eyes.

"Relax, Tony."

Obadiah put away the Sonic Stunner and said slowly, "This thing is pretty handy, isn't it? Too bad the authorities never approved it for mass production."

"When I first ordered them to kill you," he said casually, pulling an Extractor from his pocket, "I worried I was killing the goose that laid the golden eggs."

Tony stared at Obadiah in disbelief.

He had never imagined that the uncle he had always respected was the traitor inside Stark Industries-the person who truly wanted him dead!

Obadiah aimed the Extractor at the Arc Reactor in Tony's chest and pulled it out.

"But what I didn't expect was that your time wasn't up yet. You still had one last golden egg to lay for me."

Holding up the fist-sized Arc Reactor and gazing at its brilliant blue glow, Obadiah's eyes filled with fascination.

"If you'd behaved yourself after coming back this time, I wouldn't have wanted to move against you so soon. But you just couldn't stop causing trouble. You even sent someone-I don't know who-to sneak into my office and steal important files." Obadiah shook his head.

With the reactor removed, Tony shuddered, pain spreading across his face.

After receiving no response for a while, Obadiah suddenly slapped his forehead. Putting the reactor away, he said with a smile, "I forgot you can't talk anymore. But even if you don't say anything, I can guess who did it. Sending Pepper to find evidence of my private weapons sales wasn't a good decision... She's very good at her job. I'd intended to keep her around."

"After all, who else in the company would be willing to do this for you?"

At those words, Tony grew agitated, his veins bulging and his eyes brimming with endless regret.

Watching Tony cling to life, Obadiah shook his head, turned, and left.

More than ten minutes later, Tony finally regained the ability to move.

But after so long without the reactor's magnetic field, the tiny fragments of shrapnel in his chest were burrowing toward his heart in large numbers. He couldn't even stand. All he could do was crawl out inch by inch.

He knew that unless he installed another reactor, he would be dead once the shrapnel worked its way fully into his heart.

Fortunately, Obadiah hadn't realized that the crude reactor Tony had made in the cave was still in the storage room. It should just about do the job.

Remembering Hermione's words that afternoon and the disappointment in Pepper's eyes, Tony had never wanted so desperately to live.

Most importantly, Pepper was in danger. He had to save her!

After struggling into the storage room, Tony could see the reactor on the shelf. He reached out, desperately trying to grab it.

As long as I can reach that spot, as long as I can reach that spot...

But just then, his body finally reached its limit. All his strength seemed to drain away in an instant, leaving him flat on the floor. He could only stare at the reactor just out of reach and feel his life slipping away bit by bit.

Just as he was about to give in to despair, a voice suddenly sounded beside him.

"Hey, need a hand?"

Old Eight's late-night snack... Old Eight's late-night snack...

Seeing that Tony was about to kick the bucket, Hermione shook her head and drifted leisurely over to him on her Broomstick, saying with a chuckle:

"Hey, need a hand?"

That voice, which normally irritated him the moment he heard it and always made him want to trade barbs, sounded like heavenly music to Tony at that instant.

"Leviosa!"

With a flick of her Wand, the reactor floated up on its own, lined up with the large hole in Tony's chest, and slid inside.

The reactor lit up automatically. A moment later, Tony sat bolt upright, gulping down air.

Looks like he'd made it.

That was close... Tony silently thanked his lucky stars. With no time to offer a leisurely thank-you or ask why Hermione was there, he immediately said:

"Hermione, Obadiah is the one who wants me dead. He's found out, and Pepper's in danger. I need to put on my suit now. Please, go save her first!"

"I know I was wrong, but right now, you're the only one I can ask!"