Author's Note: This story's first chapter was originally written in Spanish as a thank-you gift for Jimenush, who taught me Spanish fanfiction terminology. What you see here is not a strict translation; it's essentially the same story, but I'm a much better writer in English. The Spanish version was betaed by Jimenush; MountainRose gave the English a once-over.

Rated for strong language (in later chapters) and violence. Also, I've tried to do my homework, but I am not a doctor.

I don't own these characters or the universe they live in—I'm just borrowing them for a while. I promise to return them in approximately the same condition I found them. No, really. The scars will fade.

I.

In. Out. In. Out. In—don't choke don't choke don't choke—out. Pain.

Oh, God. He can't breathe.

In. Out. In—this time he does choke, and agony crushes him down into red-gray darkness. His spine arches off the backplate with the force of it, helpless instinct curling him around the pain, and something moves deep in his side.

Everything stays pretty gray for a while.

"...ony? Oh my God, Tony!" A familiar voice struggles through the haze. Slender hand on his good shoulder. He pries his eyes open. Blur of red hair... blue cloth... Pepper. "Tony, can you hear me?"

He can't get enough air to answer. She must take his feeble groan as encouragement, though, because her hand squeezes his shoulder gently. The attempt at comfort only jars his broken collarbones, his bad shoulder—his chest—

He'll realize, much later, that the gasping scream he just heard was his own.

...in... out... out... in... out... i- in...

When he can open his eyes again, the red smudge is closer, Pepper's voice right in his ear. She's murmuring his name, pleading with him. "...ear me, Tony? Oh God, I'm so sorry, please—"

"Pep." The word is voiceless, barely more than a breath, and still it scrapes his throat raw. He tries to lift his good hand.

Huff of breath on his face. Pepper's head drops a few inches. "Oh, thank God," she gasps. Warm, trembling fingers wrap around his hand, comb gingerly through his hair. "We're going to get you out of here, okay? You're going to be fine."

Before he can answer, though, he's suddenly wrapped up in the scent of Pepper as she folds herself down over him, cradling his head in her hands. "Why did you do that, you idiot? You could've been killed!"

Speaking takes a Herculean effort, but it's worth it. "Better me than you," he rasps.

If that just makes her swear at him... well, that's worth it too.

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