A/N...So here we are, at the end of another story, it's been quite a ride for me, I must say.

A lot went on in the short part of the year thus far, I've lost a family member, friendships have broken up, people have moved on and on another note many positive things have happened too.

I've bought my first house, finished my first novel and started some new projects which I'll be sure to share with you, mostly Iron Man related, surprise surprise!

A lot has come about this year which has taught me a lot, it's forced me to stay strong, and push through when normally I think I would have given up and curled up into a ball to cry!

So I apologise for the delay with my publishing, and I sincerely thank you all who are still with me J

As some of you may know, an unfinished project lays gathering dust, "System Overload" the sequel to 'The Avenged" I've finally picked it up and am excited to share it with you.

And without further ado, here is the final chapter to 'One Last Rodeo'

Thank you all for the support and reviews! Much love J

The helicarrier landed and the paramedics on standby rushed to Tony's side, the lead paramedic jumped down to greet the three ground medics who were waiting, 'prep the theatre, we need to get him in now.'

The sound of the choppers blades was deafening, but the helicarrier crew and medics were more than used to it.

'What have we got?' One of the new medics who greeted them, yelled over the noise.

'Gunshot wound to the abdomen, it looks like it's missed all main arteries, but patient has been unconscious for more than seven minutes now, his breathing is laboured.' The female paramedic called as they rushed him through to the infirmary.

The three new paramedics took it from there and rushed him into the operating theatre.

The surgeon quickly gathered his team and waited for the medics to position Tony on the table, 'we need to operate now,' The surgeon announced as he read over the notes he was handed prior to Tony's arrival, 'the loss of blood is going to be problematic, at best.'

They got to work, every moment Tony was unconscious was another moment closer to a complicated recovery.

Twenty minutes into the surgery a nurse ran in with a phone, 'Dr, it's Agent Romanov, she says it's urgent and in relation to your patient.'

The surgeon looked at her impatiently and finally motioned over to her to press the phone to his ear.

'What is it Agent Romanov?' He spoke quickly, still working on stopping the bleeding from the gunshot wound.

A few moments later his eyes grew wide, he turned to the other doctors in the room, 'ok people, we have new orders from Dr Banner and Agent Romanov.' He motioned for the nurse to pull up the data on one of the screens in the theatre, 'show me.'

The team eagerly watched the instructions flash up on the screen, techniques they'd need to use in order to save Tony's life.

'Everyone understand?' He called out to the team; nods met his gaze, 'then let's get moving.'

Extra staff were brought on board to help with Bruce's request, machinery and monitoring equipment was hooked up to the already placed machines, the staff worked quickly and quietly ensuring everything was ready within minutes.

'This must be one of Stark's concoctions, this is completely nuts.' The surgeon announced to his baffled team who responded with equally bewildered looks.

Without hesitation he finalised the dosage as specified in Bruce's instructions and administered the finalised drug.

The monitoring equipment came to life and started recording the effects of the drug, the nurse switched the call to visual and allowed Bruce to look into the final stages of monitoring. He leaned forward, fingers nervously twisting a broken piece of metal he retrieved from the workshop.

The surgeon looked at Bruce, 'what now?'

Bruce shrugged nervously, 'now we wait.'

'This is somewhat your area of expertise is it not, Dr?' The surgeon asked looking at him intently.

Bruce nodded, 'it is, but I still need to make sure, this wasn't really formulated in ideal circumstances.' They certainly weren't ideal. Tony's life hung in the balance between this world and the next while Bruce had to rely on Tony's intricate mathematical calculations on a theoretical cure where he felt he was in way out of his depth, but time waited for no man, he knew he was the only one who could make this work, and Tony trusted him.

'We're all on standby, how long until you know?' The surgeon asked capturing Bruce's attention again.

Bruce looked down at his watch, 'the drug needs sufficient time to get into the blood stream, give it a few minutes.' He twisted the metal between his fingers, nerves verging on the border of insanity, the other guy tethering on the edge, busting to get out.

This wasn't the time; he needed to remain calm, to learn to control it. Tony taught him that. A tightness in his chest reminded him of the man he was trying to save, as a doctor he had taught himself to detach any feelings toward his patients, this was different, this patient was his friend. A man who trusted very few people, and when he did it was an honour to be that person. He blinked away the negative thoughts. This is going to work, it has to.

The surgeon nodded, his team looked on in anticipation, eyes glued to the machines monitoring his vitals, others keeping a close eye on Tony.

Bruce cleared his throat after a few moments of silence, 'everything looks good.'

The surgeon let out a welcomed sigh of relief, 'good, let's clean this up and get him to recovery.'

The nurses assisted in dressing the wound, and cleaning up the superficial injuries on the rest of his body, 'we're done.'

Tony was finally taken to a recovery room which he had seen the inside of, more than most of the other Agents on board put together.

Fury waited by the door and looked over at the hero who lay unconscious before him; a sad smile lined his face. He knew what Tony went through from the first moment he began monitoring him, the struggles he went through and the constant battle to better himself, his technology and the team, the "super-secret boy band" as he so eloquently put it. He laughed to himself before closing the door. He instantly found himself with the highest regard for Miss Potts and the constant worry she must go through on a daily basis.

He made sure Tony was comfortable before heading to meet Natasha and Pepper who had just landed on the deck.

Bruce pulled up a chair and slumped into it, 'they did it.'

Rhodey let out an exasperated laugh, 'he's ok?'

'He's ok.' Bruce smiled back.

Happy dropped into a chair beside him, 'this was not in the job description.'

Rhodey laughed and all three men exchanged relieved looks, words were not needed to express the relief and joy which filled them.

'You can go in and see him now, he's asleep but visitors will do him good.' An elderly nurse led Pepper through the dimly lit corridors, 'he's a fighter.' She smiled gently at Pepper and opened the door to his room.

Pepper stepped inside cautiously, 'I know.' She whispered softly.

'We've left the shades open on the window, I'm sure he'd appreciate seeing some day light when he comes to.' The nurse explained as she gave her one final smile and closed the door behind her.

Pepper sighed at the sleeping man before her, 'Tony, you did it.' She took his hand in hers as she seated herself beside him on the bed.

He tensed under her touch as a look of discomfort flashed across his features.

Darkness…pain….

There was nothing that could be done now. The decision was made, the plan was in motion. And so I stood in the darkness; watching, waiting…I probably wasn't going to walk away from this, but she was safe.

Someone calling…voices…I looked around; I couldn't make out where they were coming from.

A gentle breeze picked up from within the stillness, the cold was refreshing on my bare skin, seldom did I find myself without my armour, seldom did I find an excuse to be without, but today was an exception. I found no better way to face my enemy, than to face him on my terms. Who was my enemy? I, I couldn't remember, not really, everything seems to be messed up in my head, why, what happened to me…

Darkness closing in...

'I'm sorry, sir.' Jarvis offered.

A familiar voice, I smiled, 'nothing to be sorry about, I did this, I knew there were going to be consequences.'

'There should have been more time.' Jarvis said.

I nodded, 'yes, this is far too quick, but at least this way I get a say as to how and when I go out, right?'

'Tony, please come back.' A faint whisper echoed through the dark room, she clasped Tony's hand tighter in hers, 'I know you can hear me, I can see you fighting in there, come back, you can do it.' His eyes darted beneath his lids, Pepper swallowed the lump in her throat, she recognised the erratic actions from the many nightmares she witnessed him having.

Where was that voice coming from? I looked down at the city scape, tiny dots of light representing life, and plans and the future staring back at me. I knew what was coming, I was waiting for it, I knew I needed to finish this, there is no way I would let them, whoever they were, hurt her, or my friends, or the Avengers, no, I had to finish this now. I stepped forward, to the edge.

'Tony, whatever is happening in there, fight it.' Pepper whispered in his ear.

Pepper?

Pepper wanted more from me; she wanted me to be the man I knew I couldn't be. So here I was; standing at the precipice of the hardest decision I've ever been faced with. But she was safe, she left, she did the right thing, sweet Pepper, her smile, her eyes…

'Please, Tony, please come back for me, we're safe now.'

I looked around trying to locate the origin of the voice, it was merely an echo, I tried to find her, the wind was gone and the air was still, the day was merely an eerie afterthought, why was she here? No, no she's meant to be safe, to be far away from here, from me, she left…

Pepper squeezed his hand tighter in hers, 'come on.' She whispered.

What is that? I shook my head, I couldn't stop now, I knew it needed to be done, to keep her safe; I stepped closer to the edge…

'Please… Tony, we're safe now, you can come home,' a faint, desperate whisper in his ear.

Pepper's panicked voice rang through my ears, I looked around, the darkness began dissipating, slowly trickling away, I couldn't work out where the sound was coming from, the voice, her voice.

'Tony please, please come home, don't do this.'

I looked around, desperate for any sign, anything to guide me to the right path. Before me the light broke through the clouds, breaking away the darkness once and for all, I smiled at the comfort which came through.

I realised then, I need to go back, back to her.

I found myself looking over the edge; I was no longer met with a dark city scape dotted with lights in the distance, instead I saw a familiar vision, a comforting blanket of stars and dark skies. I took a leap of faith, I jumped, I felt the air around me, still, quiet…

The weightlessness beneath me was an unforgettable feeling of falling, stars surrounding me, the last thing I saw before I fell through the dark portal in the sky, a familiar reminder of the changed man which I have become. But this time I knew I was coming home. I finally closed my eyes.

'Come on Tony, just a little farther.' Pepper encouraged.

Slowly from the dark he emerged, his eyes flickered open, and glanced around the room, his eyes finally meeting with the beautiful blue orbs which he adored so much.

'Hey,' he finally breathed, 'you're here.' He whispered with a weak smile.

Pepper smiled back at him, the last time they saw each other she had walked away, she had told him she didn't want to be with him anymore and she broke off their engagement. His eyes responded with the same sadness which haunted her then.

He gently pulled himself up, aware of the throbbing pain in his side; his nurse would have his neck for pulling the stitches. He found he didn't really care. He pushed the pain aside and sat silently looking at Pepper; reading her, trying to work out what this was and what they were.

His gaze bore into her, looking so deeply into her mind she felt her breath hitch. Despite what people thought about him, he was the most perceptive person she had ever known. The silence was deafening and she finally made a move and wrapped her arms around him and lay her head against his shoulder, 'Tony, I'm so, so sorry, you know I didn't mean any of it.' She whispered against his neck, breathing in every scent of him, remembering every moment she thought they'd never have again.

He finally smiled and returned her embrace, 'I know Pep, its ok.' He stroked her hair, 'we're ok.'

He let out the breath he was holding. He remembered vaguely Rhodey telling him that she didn't mean it, that it was forced on her by Dragon, everything came flooding back, but hearing it from her made him believe it.

She smiled weakly and nodded, 'promise?'

Tony nodded and kissed the top of her head, 'yes.'

He took hold of her hands, enjoying simply being able to hold her in his arms, to feel her and breathe her in, knowing she was here, that she was his.

She smiled through her tears and gently squeezed his hand, 'You did it.'

He pulled back with feigned hurt, 'don't I always?'

She playfully punched him in the shoulder, 'don't ever do that to me again, seriously.'

Tony smiled and nodded, 'agreed.' He took hold of her hand he pulled out the ring from his pocket and slid it back on her finger, 'I don't accept.' He smiled.

Pepper pulled herself closer to him, his arms holding her safely against his body, together they sat in the bed, Pepper's hand on Tony's, her beautiful ring glistening in the morning sun as they looked out over the ocean and the world before them, a reminder that everything was going to be ok, and they were here but above everything else, they were together and there was a future.

The End…

Hope that wasn't too confusing! Looking forward to hearing your feedback :)

Take Care and see you soon!