Self-Doubt

Zane quietly watched Tony's departing figure, with no intention of stopping him. Both of them were smart enough to know that from the moment Tony gave that answer, they were no longer friends.

As for the information about the cosmos that Nick Fury wanted, Tony, now in turmoil, had no mind to care about it. Besides, in what capacity could he even ask Zane now? As a friend? Or a stranger?

On his way back, Tony couldn't help but reflect on his experiences as a superhero over the years. First, there were the times Pepper had been endangered because of him. Then, he had nearly died from palladium poisoning.

Later, he suffered from anxiety, resulting in sleepless nights and pushing his nerves to the brink of collapse. And now, he had lost a friend who once helped him revive his beloved.

'Isn't the price a bit too high?' Tony found himself questioning his decisions.

With these thoughts in mind, Tony returned to Stark Tower and unlocked the suit that had confined Pepper. As she cried and pounded on him, he pulled her into his arms and let out a deep, weary sigh.

Seeing Tony return safely, Pepper, who had gradually calmed down, fell silent after hearing Tony's sigh. She didn't know what had happened between Tony and Zane, but she knew she was the only one who could comfort him now.

After holding each other for a long time, Pepper softly asked, "What happened?"

"Nothing, just that Zane and I are no longer friends," Tony replied, utterly exhausted. In a daze, Pepper noticed that Tony seemed to have more gray hair.

"Pepper, do you think I made a mistake?" Tony continued. "If I hadn't become Iron Man, you wouldn't have been put in danger because of me. If I hadn't become Iron Man, maybe there wouldn't be so many super villains."

"Data shows that since I admitted I was Iron Man, superhuman crime has increased by 500%! If I hadn't become Iron Man, maybe the world would be better off. Maybe we would live more easily. If..."

Tony fell deeply into self-doubt, even questioning the principles he had always adhered to. He began to pour out his deepest fears and worries to Pepper.

Since becoming Iron Man, Tony had accumulated a heavy burden of concerns, doubts, and worries, almost suffocating him. His falling out with Zane was just the final straw that broke the camel's back.

Seeing Tony in this state, Pepper felt a flash of panic in her eyes and then slapped him hard. "Wake up, Tony!"

Tony snapped out of his endless spiral of self-doubt, but the fire of conviction that had always burned in his eyes had now extinguished, leaving him looking utterly defeated.

"Pepper, do you think I was wrong from the start?" He now seemed like a lost child, his eyes filled with a heartbreaking confusion.

Tony wasn't like Spider-Man; they operated on different levels. Compared to Peter, who could settle for being a friendly neighborhood hero, Tony, standing higher and seeing more, had far too much to consider.

The threat from the alien force Asgard in the S.H.I.E.L.D. archives, the impending Dark Phoenix at the mutant school, the missing Hulk, and the super villains that appeared from time to time...

The more he knew, the more tightly wound Tony's nerves became. And now, the string in his mind had finally snapped under the strain.

Seeing Tony in such a dejected state, Pepper's eyes were filled with deep sorrow. Although she had always opposed Tony being a superhero, it wasn't because she feared being dragged into danger by him. Pepper simply didn't want to see Tony constantly exhausted.

Every time she saw Tony fly out in his suit, Pepper would, like Lorna in the past, be consumed by deep worry. When Tony returned, his suit riddled with bullet holes and scorch marks, Pepper's resentment towards his superhero duties grew even stronger.

She was just an ordinary woman with no grand ambitions, wanting a stable life like any other. She never aspired for Tony to become a world-famous hero; she just wanted her beloved to be safe.

However, seeing Tony so broken now, Pepper knew she had to fulfill her responsibility as a partner. She lifted Tony's face to make him look at her.

"Tony, Tony, look at me, look at me!" Pepper urged.

Tony, bewildered, looked at Pepper.

"Tony, you haven't done anything wrong. Helping people is not wrong!" Pepper said, looking straight into his eyes. Then, she fumbled to pull his phone out of his pocket. She unlocked it skillfully, opened the photo album, and held it up for Tony to see.

"Tony, look, you've saved so many people. Look at their faces. These people are alive because of you!" Pepper said with a tearful voice. "Look, Tony!"

Tony looked at the photos, recognizing the faces of those he had saved. They were men and women, young and old, of different races, but they all shared the same genuine smiles and grateful looks.

Gradually, a spark returned to Tony's eyes. Unconsciously, he took the phone from Pepper and started going through the photos, one by one. The belief shattered by pressure was being rebuilt bit by bit.

These photos, taken by JARVIS at Pepper's suggestion, were intended for them to reminisce in their old age. Unexpectedly, this act became the key to Tony's rebirth at this moment.

As time passed, a warm smile began to spread across Tony's face. Seeing the people who were alive because of him reignited his belief.

"I wasn't wrong!"

With his belief rekindled, Tony suddenly realized something surprising. "Pepper, how did you know my lock screen password?" Tony asked, puzzled.

Pepper: "..."

Indeed, men can be so clueless!

Meanwhile, after Tony's despondent departure, Lorna noticed that Zane's mood was off. Concerned, she walked over and held his hand.

"I'm fine," Zane said, turning to her with a smile. 

But there's a universal truth: when someone says they're fine, they often aren't. Knowing this, Lorna said nothing, merely resting her head on Zane's shoulder, showing him she was there for him.

Zane's feelings were complicated. He wasn't heartbroken, nor would his belief crumble like Tony's. If he had to describe it, he felt... disappointed.

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