Chapter 13

"I don't quite understand this..." Pepper said, puzzled by Tony's strange request. If she didn't care for Tony, she might have thought he was being perverted.

"Let me see," Tony said, recalling the confident tone of a CEO he had practiced the night before. With his deep, magnetic voice, Pepper shyly placed her palm in Tony's outstretched hand.

"Delicate, small," Tony said solemnly, sounding almost cheeky. "I need your help."

Then, Tony's actions became more bizarre. He removed his T-shirt, revealing the Arc Reactor on his chest.

"OMG, is this your life-sustaining thing?" Pepper asked incredulously.

"It used to be, but now it's an antique," Tony replied, taking out a brand new Arc Reactor from his workbench. This one was visibly superior in material and craftsmanship. "This will sustain my life for some time. I want to replace it, but I've encountered some obstacles."

"Obstacle? What do you mean?" Pepper realized she needed to understand the issue more clearly.

"It's not a big deal, just a small problem." Tony tapped the reactor on his chest. "An exposed wire under this device touched the wall of the tank, causing a short circuit."

Pepper looked at Tony in surprise. He waved his hand and said, "It's okay."

"Then how do you need me to help you?"

Knowing Pepper was willing to help, Tony lay down on a chair, connected a few electrodes to his chest, and, under Pepper's panicked gaze, pulled out the Arc Reactor. "Don't worry. Help me put this on the table over there. It's useless."

"Oh my God!" Pepper cautiously took the replaced reactor and set it on the side table.

"Now I need you to reach in and gently pull the wires out."

"Is this safe?" Pepper asked, worried.

"It should be. It's like a surgery game. Just don't let the wires touch the wall of the slot, or it will make a [BEEP] sound."

"What a surgical game," Pepper muttered nervously.

"Well, don't worry about the game. Just carefully pull out the wire. Are you ready?"

"OK!" Pepper slowly reached into the slot but quickly pulled back, startled. "I think I can't handle this. Maybe you should ask someone else."

Tony looked into her eyes seriously, "You can do this. You are the most qualified and trustworthy person I know. Is my request too much? Because I really need your help."

Tony's blend of affection and vulnerability won Pepper over. "Okay, I'll help you," she said, gathering her courage.

"Oh, there's pus in it!" Pepper grimaced in disgust. "I now know why you didn't ask Mark. He'd refuse."

"No, it's not pus. It's the inorganic protoplasm released by the device, not my body," Tony explained stiffly. "And Mark was up late last night. He can't handle such delicate work."

Mark, eavesdropping outside, muttered, "Men's lies. No, Tony's lies!"

"It smells!" Pepper complained about the unpleasant odor.

"Yeah, it's kind of..." Tony responded awkwardly. "Did you find the cut copper wire?"

"Yes, I touched it."

"Carefully pull it out without touching the wall." Tony winced as a short circuit caused him pain. "I told you about this."

"Sorry." Pepper, now pale, continued the task with her eyes closed.

"It's okay. Be careful not to pull out the electromagnetic coil at the end..." Tony trailed off, seeing the coil already shaking. "Well, you've pulled it out."

"Oh my God, I didn't expect..." Pepper panicked and tried to put it back.

"Don't put it back!" Tony stopped her quickly.

"What should I do now? What's wrong with you?" Pepper was near tears.

"It's okay. My heart is going to stop because you pulled it out."

"What!? Didn't you say it's safe?"

"Don't worry. Take this and change it quickly." Tony handed her the new reactor.

"Okay. Tony, it will be fine, right?"

"Nothing will happen. I can handle it."

"I hope so."

Pepper was nervous, and despite Tony's poor acting, she couldn't tell. "Daddy's trick is so good; it makes Sister Pepper feel guilty. She'll find a way to compensate him. Looks like I'm going to call her stepmother," Mark thought, observing from outside and then quietly leaving.

"Connect the connector to the chassis," Tony reminded her.

Pepper heard a [click], indicating the wiring was complete. "Is this all right?" she asked, relieved.

"It's done. Well done, Pepper! Are you okay?"

"Definitely. I feel great, but you will never, ever ask me to do such a thing again."

"I have no one but you. Mark wouldn't help me."

"Sure enough, I knew it was pus," Pepper said, shaking the liquid off her hands.

"Okay, don't worry about that."

"Then how do we deal with this?" Pepper asked, picking up the old reactor.

"Destroy it, burn it."

"Don't you want to keep it as a memento?"

"People label me many things, but not [nostalgic]."

"Well, nothing else, Mr. Stark."

"It's okay, Miss Pepper."

Pepper left the garage with the old reactor, her head bowed thoughtfully, already considering what to do with it.