We didn't dare to rest. We didn't even think about taking breaks for food, water, sleep, nothing. We had until tomorrow to get this suit done. Until those terrorists come back, expecting us to be finished with the Jericho missile. 

Tony was banging a hammer on some metal as he worked at the black smith station while I helped my father with getting the wires and mechanics ready for the arms. The two of us heard the sound of steaming water and then, 'CLANK'. 

We looked up to see that Tony had set down the faceplate of the suit, his mask if you will. 

"Whoa." I whispered.

Once that was completed, my father put together the pieces for the chest plate, setting it on a metal rack and pulling it up into the air while Tony wrapped some kind of white fabric around his fists. I watched as my father helped him get his jacket on, then pulled rubber gloves into his hands. 

"What are those for?" I asked them. 

"The flame throwers." Tony answered. "We can't have my hands burning off now can we?"

I shook my head at the American as my father continued to prep Tony, while I jogged over, lifting up with all my might and carrying the two legs of the suit to the station. Setting them down, I arranged them in the correct spots, just underneath the hovering chest plate. Once everything was in place, we assisted Tony Stark inside the suit. My father strapped up the chest while I worked on tightening the legs. 

"Okay, can you move?" Yinsen asked him. 

"Bashira step back for a moment?" Tony requested. I leaned back, allowing room for Tony to test out his legs and arms. He looked over at my father, nodding. "I'm good."

"Good, okay, run it by us again." said Yinsen. 

"41 steps straight a head. Then, 16 steps, that's from the door, fork right, 33 steps, turn right." Tony instructed. 

"You memorized all of that?" I asked him with surprise, finishing up with the legs. 

"I managed. Wasn't hard though. How the legs? Secure?" Tony asked, looking down at me. 

I grinned, knocking on the metal gently with my fingers. "All bolted and ready." 

As we were doing some final tweaking with the armour, the eye hole of the metal door swung open. "Yinsens! Stark!"

The guard continued to yell as Tony looked over at my father with worry. "Say something. Say something to him back." He spoke quietly. 

"He's speaking Hungarian!" Yinsen replied, raising his voice. "I don't--"

"Then speak Hungarian." said Tony. 

"I-- I know a few words." my father rambled, snapping his fingers as he tried to remember. 

"What do you know?" Tony asked with a hint of panic. 

"Please remember Papa." I pleaded gently.

The constant yelling and shouting of the guard was really starting to scare me as I moved away, hiding to the right of my father and stood beside the contraption. 

My father yelled back in Hungarian at the guards, repeating the same word over and over again. The guard yelled back, a bit more fierce this time. 

"Wait, what do we do if they come in?" I realized, looking over to them. 

"Those two won't get in." Tony replied with assurance. 

"How do you know that?" I asked him. 

Suddenly, there was a loud 'BOOM' as dust and debris flew everywhere, all over the room. Yinsen grabbed me, wrapping me into a hug as he shielded me from the falling debris of the explosion. When it was done, he released me and I quickly jumped over to the over side of the station to see the door completely blown off, bits and pieces of a explosive all over the floor. The two guards at the other side were blown away, their bodies on the ground.

"When did you guys install that?!" I yelped. 

"How'd it work?" Tony asked. 

"Oh my goodness." Yinsen spoke in awe as he glanced over at the carnage. "It worked alright."

"It's what I do." Tony commented, seeming proud of himself. "Initialize the power sequence."

Yinsen nodded as he waved me over, handing me the drill. "Bashira, finish this for me."

"Sure." I took the drill, making my way over to the armour and tightened some bolts as Yinsen walked over to the desk, typing away on his laptop. "Okay, tell me, tell me!"

"Function 11." Tony ordered. "Tell me when you see a progress bar."

"Yes, I see it, it's up." Yinsen replied. 

"That's good enough." Tony nodded, looking over at me. 

With a nod, I powered off the drill setting it aside as I glanced over at the computer screen. The progress bar was was up on the screen.

"Now press control I." Tony added. 

Yinsen followed his instructions, hitting the enter button as the progress bar began to fill up. Yinsen came back to the work station, finishing up with the straps as I jogged over to get the helmet. Once I picked it up in my hands, I heard voices off in the distance. I looked up at the tunnel to hear shouts and the faint tapping of footsteps.

"Papa..." I raised my voice nervously. 

"They're coming!" He cursed.

"Don't do anything pretty, just get it done." Tony commanded. 

I ran back to the table, setting the mask beside the laptop as I took at look at the progress bar. "It's halfway done."

"Make sure the check points are clear before you two follow me out, okay?" Tony reminded. 

"... We need more time." Yinsen spoke quietly. 

"What?" I gulped.

"Hey," Yinsen stood up, turning back around to face Tony. "I'm going to buy you some time." He then looked over at me, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. "Bashira, I love you with all of my heart. Stay here with Stark."

"Stick to the plan!" Tony yelped. 

"Papa..?" I questioned him as he moved away, bending down and picking up an AK-47 from the ground, taking from one of the fallen guards.

"Stick to the plan! Yinsen!" Tony yelled. 

"Papa!" I called him.

Yinsen fired a few bullets up at the ceiling before turning back to look at me. "Bashira, stay with Stark!" He ordered, just before taking off down the tunnel. 

"Papa wait!" I yelped with panic.

I was beginning to panic, my knees felt weak, my mind was racing. Everything was happening all at once. I felt like I was going to break down. 

"Bashira... Bashira, look at me!" Tony called.

I turned my head over to look at him, tears threatening to break lose from my eyes as they slowly turned red. 

"Bashira, you've done a great job helping me and your father out. But there's a few things I need you to do for me now, okay?" Tony spoke as calmly as he could, his eyes widening.

I slowly nodded, sniffling.

"Okay, okay, good. Get my helmet, and put it on me." He commanded. "Hurry!"

I regained my balance, running back over to the table as I grabbed the helmet and dragged a stool over. I stepped up on it and carefully place the metal mask over his head. 

There was a beeping noise coming from the laptop as I glanced over to see that the progress bar was fully charged. Once I saw it, the lights began flickering on and off as the arc reactor calibrated itself, getting used to the suit of armour as the room around me and Tony slowly began to shake.  

And then, blackness. 

The room went completely dark. The only light that remained was the brightness of the laptop screen and the light blue light shining from the arc reactor in Tony's chest. The sounds of metal clattering alerted me as I zipped my head around to see Tony moving along with the suit, ripping himself free of the work shop. 

"Bashira, where are you?" He spoke up. 

"I'm just in front of you." I alerted him, taking a step forward. 

"Okay, come here," he began, gently pulling me towards him and moving me to the side. "Whatever you do, stay behind me, okay?"

"MmmHmm." I nodded, whipping the tears out of my eyes. 

The sounds of men yelling could be heard as footsteps drew near. I peeked around the suit to see four men at the entrance of the cave. Three of them seemed afraid to go inside, seeing the sight of their fallen comrades. But the one in the middle pushed them forward, the two at the front moving in slowly. 

I held my breath as one of them drew near as I stepped back, hiding myself completely to stay out of sight. Then, when he was close enough, Tony sucker punched him right in the face, sending the man flying across the room. 

When his teammates saw this, they open fired, letting their guns blaze as bullets flied all around the room. With a yelp I ducked down behind Tony, placing my hands over my ears. When they stopped firing, the room was dark again. Tony saw his chance, making his way across the room to the entrance, smacking the next two into the wall. The last one remaining, open fired on him, his small bullets bouncing off of the armour as Tony stalked towards him. When he was close enough, Tony punched him hard in the face, knocking him down to the ground. 

I gasped in complete shock at the might of the suit. I ran forward, standing beside him as I looked at the carnage. "You did all of this?"

"Remember, stay behind me." He reminded. 

I perked my head up, shaking my hands. "Right, sorry!" I apologized, moving back behind him. 

He advanced forward, just as more guards arrived, open firing on the suit. He punched one troop into the wall, and then kicked another back. I flinched, hearing that one guys bones snapping from the impact as he collapsed to the ground. We continued forward, coming to a intersection. Tony stuck his arm out and some whack job ran his head right into it, knocking himself out. 

He made a left turn as a small group spotted him, making a break for it down the tunnel as Tony followed him. I stayed behind him, but kept a safe distance as well, occasionally poking my head to see where we were going. 

I wondered how my father was doing. We hadn't crossed paths with him again since he ran out of the cave. I was really starting to worry. I heard metal clanking as I poked out to see the guards shutting a metal door, but leaving one of their own outside with the two of us to fend for himself. 

The man banged his fist on the door, yelling and screaming to let him in with the others. But as Tony drew near, he turned around, his back pressed against the door as he screamed at the top of his lungs. 

Tony smacked him aside against the wall. But the man was slowly started to stir, and fear that he may try so spring up on him, I acted on instinct, punching him hard in the face. I just have punched him harder than I thought I did, because it knocked him out. 

"Nice punch kid." Tony complimented as he began banging his fist on the metal door. 

I nodded in reply as I took a step back behind him, watching as he pounded on the door before the metal frames flew off, one of them even landing on top of one of the retreating soldiers. 

The two of us continued to press on as we made it to another intersection. One guard charge forward at us as Tony swung his arm, knocking him right in the head. But at the same time, after the blow was hit, his arm got stuck in the rocky underground wall. 

"I got it!" I moved from behind him, grabbing his hand as I pulled and pulled on it, trying to get it out of the wall. 

I heard a click noise as I spun my head around, seeing a gun pointed at my head. As I did so, I ducked just at the nick of time. The man open fired, only for his bullet to bounce off of Tony's helmet and right into his head. 

"Dang..." I muttered. 

With one final, hard pull, and with Tony's help, we managed to set his arm free from the wall. As Tony continued his march, I stepped back behind him following his every step. We continued walking until we reached the final intersection, where the exit out into the outside was located. 

"--Yinsen!" Tony yelled. 

I gasped as I stepped out for a split second and froze. My father was laying on a pile of sacks, bleeding. 

"Watch out!" He yelled with a strain. 

I looked over to see the Captain of The Ten Rings, standing in the way of the exit. He raised his weapon in the air, firing a miniature rocket launcher. It just missed Tony, landing a shot on the wall as the explosion set of a portion of debris as I yelled, slipping and falling to the ground. 

I breathed heavily in and out frantically as I poked my head up to see Tony open a panel on his arm and flicking a switch. He fired his own rocket, striking the ceiling above the captain as the rocks tumbled down on the man. 

I breathed a sigh of relief before hearing a heart wrenching cough. I gasped as I focused back on the source of the voice. Springing up to my feet, I sprinted to the sack pile, looking at the crippled image of my father Yinsen.   

"Papa...?" I asked, my voice slowly breaking.

"Bashira... Stark..." he spoke.

"Come on, we got to go. Move for me, we got a plan." said Tony. "We got to stick to it."

"This was always the plan Stark." Yinsen replied.

"Come on, you and Bashira are going to see your family. Get up." Tony reminded, raising his mask up to reveal his face. 

"Please papa! For mom, Ali, and Caleb!" I pleaded. 

"... My family is dead." Yinsen spoke quietly. "... I'm going to see them now."

"Huh... wha--?" My eyes widened even more as tears raced down my cheeks. 

"Bashira... I didn't want to frighten you. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. We will watch over you from above. I'm so proud of you. Remember that my love." Yinsen spoke softly. "It's okay... I want this... I want to know that you'll make it out of here safely."

He turned his head to look up at Tony. "Can you... l-look after my d-daughter?"

Tony sighed with dispear, yet the a small, tiny smile crept up on his face. "Thank you for saving me... for saving us."

"Don't waste it... don't waste your life..." said Yinsen. 

And with one final breathe, his eyes closed shut and his chest stopped moving. 

"He's... gone." I whispered, whipping the tears off with the sleeve of my jacket.

Tony took one final long look at my father before slipping his mask back on his face. "Come on, we're getting out of here."

He made his way over to the exit as I took one more glance at my father as well, squeezing his hand tightly. Satisfied, I let go and ran forward towards Tony. Once he was outside, the remaining men in the terrorist group open fired on him. I yelped, ducking my head and hiding behind the suit to protect myself from the bullets. 

When the bullets seized, the me stood their in complete utter shock and fear. "My turn." Tony spoke up. Suddenly it became very warm, warmer than usual. I turned around and watched with amazement as Tony activate his flame throwers. He set the men in a blaze, also aiming the flames at their supplies and weapons being kept in their tents. 

"Bashira, now's your chance!" Tony yelled at me. 

"What?!" I spoke up, raising my voice. 

"Go around and get out! I'll meet you outside!" Tony ordered. 

"But I can't just leave you--"

"Go! I'll catch up to you!" He yelled. 

I was reluctant at first, exchanging glances between him and the clear pathway. I watched as he burned up his own weapons. Weapons that he created to aid his own country, but now he had discovered that his own weapons were being stolen and used for evil purposes. 

I clutched my hand into a fist, hissing under my breath as I made a break for it down the clear path. The sounds of machine guns caught my ear off in the distance as I ran up and climbed one of the hills, I looked back to see Tony being fired upon, the flames growing bigger and bigger. 

I wanted to go back for him. I really did. I didn't want to lose someone else that I cared about. But Tony's pleads rang in my head, telling me to keep going.

With a sigh, I continued my way up the hill, reaching the top. I pulled myself over the edge, carefully sliding down the hill as the sounds of the fight decreased. Once I reached the bottom, I sprinted forward, taking a glance back as I pushed my long black hair out of the way. 

And then, there was a loud 'BOOM' followed by a large explosion. I saw the smoke flew up into the sky, just poking out over the peeks of the mountains. 

That's when I saw him. 

Something flew out of the smoke, soaring through the sky. It looked metal.

"Tony!" A smiled with glee, watching him as I kept on running. 

But then I saw the engines of his rocket boots flickering on and off and then, he began free falling, heading for the desert!

"TONY!" I screamed. 

As I increased my speed, I heard a loud 'THUD' in the distance. No doubt it was his crash landing. I just hoped that he was alright and not hurt. 

To me it seemed like hours, but I finally crossed over into the desert and made my way up the sand hill, finding Tony inside his suit, the bottom half of it buried in the sand as its and pieces of it were scattered all around him.

I raced over to him as he sighed, ripping the helmet off of his face and tossing it aside. 

"Are you okay?! You flew out of there like a firework!" I exclaimed. "You did it!"

"Not bad...Just... help me out of here." He coughed. "We have to keep... moving."

"R-right! I'll dig you out!" I nodded.

It took me a while, but I managed to free Tony from the suit, and dug him out of the sand, pulling him out. He wrapped his jacket around his head, using it as a hat and to help stop the bleeding spots on his face. 

The heat wasn't exactly helping us in our situation as we trekked across the sand in the scorching heat. With no idea exactly where we were, it was impossible to tell if there was a village or base near by. 

I took off my coat, wrapping it around my waist as I stayed by Tony Stark's side. I glanced up at him, dirt, sand, and blood stains covered his shoulders and along his arms as his coat blocked part of his face. 

The minutes seemed to feel like hours for us, and we were really hoping for something to drink right about now.

But as we came over another hill, a sound caught my attention. They sounded like... propellers! We looked up to see two U.S. Military Helicopters fly over us. 

"Hey!" Tony shouted, waving over at them. 

"We're down here!" I yelled, waving my arms in the air. 

Tony exclaimed, cheering his head off as the two of us jogged down the hill as the helicopters prepared for a landing at the bottom of the hill. Once we made it to the end, Tony and I collapsed to our knees, Tony raising a peace sign with his fingers as I slammed my head against his shoulder to rest, breathing in and out deeply. 

"Friends of yours?" I teased.

"Oh yeah." he breathed with a smile.

Five army personal jumped out of the two helicopters, running towards us. The one up front leading them wore a high rank uniform, had dark skin with black hair. Once he was near us, he slowed his pace, halting in front of Tony. 

"How was the fun-vee?" he asked him. 

Totally confused by that, I raised a brow. It was probably some kind of inside joke between the two of them.

Tony chuckled as the soldier kneeled down, placing a hand on his friends shoulder. "Next time, you ride with me, okay?" He told him, pulling him into a hug. 

Tony smiled at the man, nodding. 

"Who is this?" The man asked him, looking over at me.

"She's with me. She's friendly." Tony answered.

The man nodded, helping the two of us to our feet as he and the others brought us over to the closest helicopter, strapping us in our seats. 

"What's your name?" The dark man asked me as the helicopter began to take off. 

"B-Bashira. Bashira Yinsen." I answered.

"Bashira, do you have any family we could relocate you to?" He asked me. 

I sat there quietly, lowering my head with a sniffle. The man's expression fell. He seemed to know my answer. I then felt an arm wrap itself around me, pulling me into a slight embrace. 

"She does now."

I looked up to see Tony looking down on me. 

"What?"

"Your dad asked me to take care of you, and that's what I'm going to do." Tony replied. 

"R-r-really? You're serious?!" I asked him. 

He nodded, smiling at me. "How would you feel about coming with me to America."

Tears formed in my eyes. Pure tears of joy as I smiled, hugging the man for dear life, thanking him over and over again. 

Tony and the rest of the soldiers looked on with smiles as the Helicopters flew in the air. 

It may not be how I wanted my dream to come true, but it did. 

I was moving to the United States of America.