Disclaimers: Iron Man and all related characters, properties and ideas are owned by Marvel. This story specifically has been inspired by the writing of Bill Mantlo, Kurt Busiek and Matt Fraction.

Author Notes: Kristine "Krissy" Longfellow is an established Iron Man character appearing in the late '70s in runs by Gerry Conway and Bill Mantlo. I think the reading of this story will probably be very different for people who are familiar with her (Tony's POV) and people who are not (Pepper's POV.) You can look her up if you want more info, but if you don't know much about her, it is my hope to make the "mystery" of her character part of the fun.

Spy vs. Spy
Chapter One

Bambi Arbogast's official job title was 'office manager,' a title she had held at Stark Industries and later Stark International for nigh on a decade. These days, she was far more than the person who stewarded the address book (all digital, anyway) or kept track of Mr. Stark's appointments. To the fledgling Stark Resilient, she was the primary investor, folding the million she'd earned after leaving her boss behind into his newest venture. She had faith in him, was loyal to him and even if she didn't fully believe that he was on the fast track to solving the word's energy crisis, well...Tony had always been good to her. She didn't always approve of what he was up to, of course, but a wayward child needs a stiff hand and love to get back on the right track.

Pepper liked Mrs. Arbogast quite a bit, though she had never spent that much time with the woman before. Historically, they functioned as more or less the same cog in the Stark machine, so only one was needed at any given time. Pepper's new role as the CEO and COO meant that she was not pulling the same duties for Tony as she used to, so he had telephoned Mrs. Arbogast to ask her to come back. Pepper wouldn't mind being a Mrs. Arbogast-type herself in a decade or two - sharp and intelligent, with a biting wit made more poignant with age. At this point in her life, Pepper had very little to fear from the business world. She was established, professional, possessed a good reputation and a better resume. But she hadn't reached the age of just not caring what other people thought anymore or freely speaking her mind regardless of who was in the room. In some respects, Pepper was still looked upon as a little girl in a man's club. Her new role made Pepper the dominant of the two, but she was sure that no disrespectful man would treat Bambi like a stupid child, and if he tried, the woman would not take it without comment as Pepper had.

The offices of Stark Resilient were completely unlike anything else that had borne the Stark name. Tony and Rhodey compared it more to Circuits Maximus, a company they had owned together for the blink of an eye, and could only talk about for half that time before one or both of them began to grow uncomfortable. The difference was in the formality, the weight. Stark Industries, International and Enterprises had possessed sprawling campuses and thousands of employees worldwide. The Stark name meant quality, it had meant the future was now. Today, the Stark name meant the disgraced former leader of a failed peace-keeping organization and one of the two major instigators of the largest superhero vs. superhero battle the planet had ever seen. It meant product launches that were verifiable tragedies and a handful of people who were not getting paid for their work because the company needed every cent it had just to get off the ground. It meant working everyday with saboteur and having no idea which of your compatriots was secretly plotting against you. In the old Circuits Maximus days, every employee had lived together in one transportable building and Tony used to rent his services out for scrap because they could not afford new materials. It was the only respect in which Stark Resilient was better off.. Their materials consisted mostly of melted down and recycled Iron Man armors, but the building at least had a strong foundation.

It could, however, use more security, Pepper reflected wryly one day when she returned to work after a quick lunch run. Security had always been Happy's job when it wasn't Iron Man's and that position had been left empty. Once upon a time, Mrs. Arbogast had been patiently explaining to a blonde woman in the foyer that Mr. Stark was in a meeting, but by now she was about a degree past patient and into irritable. Tony's "meeting," Pepper knew, was playing pool in the back with Wyche and Rhodey, but they were probably also talking about cars or things that blow up, so it did count, technically.

"Tell him that Kristine Longfellow is here to see him," the blonde woman was saying, "and let him decide if the meeting is more important."

Pepper stepped around her to place the to-go salad she had picked up for Bambi on her desk. As she did so, she surveyed the visitor. The woman seemed more than confidant that just her name alone would have Tony bursting through the doors. She had short blonde hair, too much make-up, especially around the eyes, and was dressed in a blouse and slacks. To Pepper's embarrassingly trained eye, Kristine Longfellow did not appear to be Tony's type at all. Pepper had long wished that this skill of hers would deteriorate with disuse, but unfortunately, assessing other women was like riding a bike. She never forgot how to zero in on the faults or the physical characteristics Tony would find unattractive, no matter how out of practice she became.

"Just call him," Pepper found herself saying with a sigh as she eyed the phone on Bambi's desk. It was a small thing, and it would get the woman out of their hair if she was someone Tony wouldn't want to see. Besides which, if she did have something genuinely important to say, Pepper certainly would not want to have missed that opportunity because Tony was goofing off with his friends. Not everyone possessed enough common sense to make an appointment. Either way, the sooner they indulged the woman, the sooner she would say her piece and leave.

"One moment, please," Mrs. Arbogast said, casting Pepper a put-upon look. The red head remained impassive. The only good way to get rid of women that she had found was to tell them that Tony had gone out of town and they didn't know when he would be back, but it was already too late for that trick. Bambi rang his cell, which Tony answered quickly, and said, "Mr. Stark, a Ms. Longfellow is here to see you-"

Before Bambi had even finished the sentence, Iron Man burst through the main doors behind her desk into the foyer, half-armored up. Pepper and Bambi stared at him, slack-jawed, but Ms. Longfellow merely opened her palms and remarked calmly, "Everything is still in one piece."

Immediately, the armor receded into his body, replaced by a t-shirt and jeans combo that was not as solid as it looked. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

"I've been saying that for years. Doesn't answer my question."

"I came to talk. We've had a misunderstanding that I would like to clear up."

Tony looked between Pepper and Bambi for a moment, as if to assess that they were indeed, in one piece, and then back to Kristine. "I haven't seen you in years...Krissy." He said the name like it was a question. "I don't know what misunderstanding you think we've had."

Her brow furrowed slightly and her frown was just as understated. "I guess...I should have known," she said and pursed her lips. "But that doesn't explain why you burst in here expecting a fight."

Tony pinched the bridge of his nose, head slightly hung. "Yeah...I don't know why I did that, either. Sorry. It's been a rough couple of weeks." After a moment to compose himself, he dropped his hand and straightened. "How've you been?"

She shrugged. "Not as well as I thought."

"These things are an uphill climb. You'll make it."

Sounding confused, Krissy said, "Thank you, I think."

Tony exhaled hard, halfway to a laugh. "I mean that. You look good."

Her frown deepened and her eyes narrowed. "You look ridiculous."

"Ouch," he said good naturedly. "I've had a rough couple of weeks."

"You look like you're trying too hard," Krissy amended. Though Pepper had followed very little of this conversation, she could see that. The perfectly slicked hair and the perfectly trim goatee combined with the bags under Tony's eyes and the sunkenness of his cheeks betrayed a man who was trying to show the world that he was still on the top, yet falling short of convincing anyone. The casual clothes didn't help. He was usually immaculately dressed, but the clothes that he formed from liquid look threadbare. Pepper realized suddenly that she was not entirely sure how much control Tony had over his liquid constructs. The armor was the armor, of course, but he either could not or chose not to make the tuxedo that he wore to the Stark Resilient gala in Seattle. Most of what he created for himself looked sloppy and cheap. Perhaps he was choosing to make clothes that reflect his current monetary state. Or maybe he could not control what he made and it somehow reflected his emotional state.

But Tony just shook his head. "If you want to talk looks, I'm not the one who's trying too hard." Pepper could see that, too. Too much make-up, expressions too controlled, short blonde hair too perfect. Tony said she looked good, but the fact was, Ms. Longfellow looked fake.

"I should have known this was a mistake. I don't what I was thinking, coming here. I'll be on my way." She nodded to Pepper and Mrs. Arbogast. "Perhaps I should have just accepted no as an answer."

"Hey, no," Tony said, grabbing her arm as she turned away. "I didn't mean it like that. Come on." He smiled. "This is progress. This is a huge amount of progress. I'm very happy with this. I'm very proud of you."

"I do not need your condescension, Stark."

"I'm not being-!" He grimaced and amended himself. "I mean, I condescend to everyone. And you're right, you don't need that. But I mean it. The last time I saw you, you never would have come to me like this and you know it. This is huge. Let me be proud of you."

"Let go," she replied slowly, in a measured tone. Tony hesitated, but complied.

"Let's talk. About whatever it is you came here to talk about. Okay?" His body language and tone combined gave the effect that he was trying to calm down a wounded animal on the verge of attack.

Krissy hesitated, looked between Tony, Pepper and Bambi. She nodded, "Not here."

"Done," Tony said immediately, attaching his hand to the small of her back and already guiding her out the door. Over his shoulder, he called back, "Tell the guys I went out. Don't know when I'll be back."

After the doors close behind the pair, Pepper remarked to Mrs. Arbogast, "She's got dirt on him."

"The way he behaves," the older woman wryly replied, "they usually do."

They walked down the streets of Broxton in silence to a small restaurant that Tony had never been to before, but came recommended by Don Blake. They were led to a booth. Tony waited until Krissy selected a side and then slid in beside her, effectively trapping her between himself and the window. He ordered two coffees from the waitress, a woman will little patience or humor for a middle-aged man sitting in the same side of the booth as his date like a teenager.

"So."

"Move."

"Talk."

"Sit on the other side."

He grinned. "But I'm so comfy here. Plus," here, he dropped his voice to barely more than a whisper, "I know you holster your gun on your right side. I sit on your left and I'm armored up before you can aim. Got the window right there for an easy exit, no one gets hurt. That's one way of looking at it. Here's the other: you don't like being around people or open spaces. Special one day offer: Tony stands between you and the rest of the world. I won't let anyone you don't want get near you."

"And supposing I don't want you near me?"

"Hey. You came to me."

"Yes, because I wanted to clear my name. But as far as you know, my name is clear, which I must admit I don't understand."

"I can promise you the problem is on my end," Tony groused. "What does your name need to be cleared of? Enlighten me."

"Can you access the prisoner manifest of the Raft?"

"Not officially..."

Understanding the unspoken affirmative, she said, "Hack in."

Armor began to flow out of him, just enough to do the job. As Krissy waited, the waitress returned. Living in a town populated by Norse gods and recently under siege by a corrupt government, there were many things that the residents of Broxton recently had cause to get used to. A man sitting listlessly in a cafe booth, partially surrounded by a mechanized robotic suit was not one of them. Her hands shook as she set the mugs off coffee before the pair. Krissy waved her off before the waitress could inquire about further orders and set to work on doctoring her coffee.

"Well," Tony declared, his brain retreating from cyberspace and returning to the hard reality before him, "that's interesting. Bioduplicate?"

"Of course. I thought they were all dead, but apparently, I missed at least one."

"I thought the bioduplicates were good," Tony said, adding sugar packets to his own mug.

"They are unique," Krissy corrected. "Better than me, usually, but not good. Merely different shades of who I could be."

"This one rotting in a cell in the Raft is a pretty dark shade, I'd say. And I'm assuming she attacked me pretty recently," Tony theorized as he stirred half-and-half into his coffee. "You wanted me to know that it wasn't really you."

Krissy nodded. "When I saw myself on the news, captured by those renegade Avengers, I thought it was something like that. I remotely downloaded the bioduplicates memories and there it was, plain as day. It wasn't me, Tony. I left that part of my life behind. I'm not going back."

"I believe you," he said, steady, unflinching. "The fact that you are in two places at once is a pretty strong argument for your side of the story. You don't have to convince me anymore."

"Thank you." She took a long sip of coffee. "What I still don't understand is why you don't seem to know about her."

He tapped his temple. "I've got some memory issues of my own. Whatever meeting I had with this duplicate was erased."

Krissy set her mug down. "According to the memories I downloaded, you were doing something to your brain. She thought you were doomed."

"She wasn't that far off the mark," Tony conceded. "It was a close one."

"Judging from the looks of you, things haven't gotten much better."

"You'd be surprised," Tony told her. "Sure, I've had a few set backs, but there have been great strides forward, too."

"Why do I get the feeling you're talking about me?" she asked, one corner of her mouth quirked.

"Because you see right through me, always have, and I am," he answered. "When was the last time we had a drink like this?"

"Like this? Never."

"Exactly." Tony sipped and made a face. "This stuff is terrible."

"There's a reason we never had coffee in the middle of no where before," Krissy said. "And it looks like we should have kept it that way."

"When did you stop wanting to try new things?"

"When I realized that straying away from what was familiar was the cause of all of my problems."

"I'm going to let that slide, but only because I don't want to mark this momentous occasion with an argument in public."

"Oh? Do you have a better way to mark the occasion?"

"I might," Tony said. "Because I think I have a job for you."

"You owe Jim an apology," Pepper remarked later that day, when Tony returned to the office.

"He still here?"

"No, he left. Who was that woman?"

"An ex. Did you tell Rhodey who I left with?"

Pepper shrugged. "No, Mrs. Arbogast told him you went out and didn't know when you would be back, like you said. You dated that woman? Really? She doesn't seem like your type."

"Not my type?" Tony sputtered. "Of course she's my type. She's got a great body and likes me almost half the time." He cocked his head. "Am I detecting a whiff of jealousy?"

He was, Pepper reflected ruefully. It was a knee-jerk reaction, she knew. As of late, Tony had been feeling a little bit too much like her territory and while she was absolutely decided upon a course of non-romantic entanglement with the man, she hadn't quite gotten around to telling him that yet. Her head and her common sense told her not to fight for him and for the most part, her heart agreed. If Hill or Longfellow or any other women came down the pike wanting him, Pepper knew it was in her best interest to bite her lip and let them sort it out. There had been a few too many deathbed revelations for her taste all ready. If she didn't intend to back it up, there was no sense in staking a claim, even if she couldn't help the annoyance that bubbled when he wandered off with fake-looking strumpets.

More than wanting to avoid being hurt by him, Pepper didn't like herself when she was mooning over Tony. He made her catty.

"You'd have better luck with relationships if you had higher standards," she advised. "Maybe you should look for a woman who likes you three-fifths of the time."

"A full three-quarters is out of the question, huh?" He laughed, but said rather seriously, "Look, let's keep this on the down low for now, okay? Rhodey doesn't like her and him pissed off is about the last thing in the world I need right now."

"Respecting your best friend's feelings is out of the question already? That has to be some kind of record, even for you."

"Rhodey's a great guy. He's a great friend, really loyal. But he's the kind of loyal that's ready to villainize any woman who sinks her teeth into me, no matter how unjustified. I don't want to fight about it with him again."

In Pepper's experience, Rhodey was one of the more level headed men to make Tony's acquaintance. She couldn't see him jumping to paint some poor woman evil. She did, however, have to concede that her only frame of reference for James Rhodes was as Tony Stark's friend. Comparatively speaking, most men came off level headed next to Tony. And Tony did know him significantly better and significantly longer than she had. However, if Rhodey thought a woman a villain, she probably had done something to warrant it. Tony wishing to avoid the subject with Rhodey raised red flags as well. Tony only avoided things when he was aware he was the guilty party.