Chapter 1: Emma Lancer

A/N: I know what you're all thinking: why the heck am I writing another story when I have so many that aren't finished? And I have a very good reason for it: I just don't know. Ok, that probably wasn't a good answer, but it's all I can think at the moment. Since the Avengers is coming to DVD soon and that I'm a big Ironman fan, I decided to give a shot at writing an Ironman story. I don't know how it'll turn out, but that's what having such awesome reviewers such as yourself are for. I hope I keep Tony in character since he is kind of a Diva and that this story is to your liking.

This is an updated version because I didn't like how the first one turned out. Thanks for the help, Ren-Hatake! You rule!

I don't own Ironman, I just own my oc's.

Enjoy!

[XXX]

They say you can find love in the most unexpected places.

But just how unexpected can that place be?

Malibu: The greatest place in the U.S. With its beautiful beaches and pricy stores, it's the place everyone wants to go to. It's the place where dreams are made of.

Emma Lancer was a woman known for two jobs: Natural Klutz and Professional Photographer. How these two worked together was beyond anyone. Even Emma wondered that.

Emma liked to call herself a 'real photographer'. Unlike the paparazzi who acted like a bunch of Ninjas trying to get pictures of celebrities just to make a dime; she had a life and made a living off of it. Instead of wasting her time trying to dig up information on Kim Kardashian or Justin Bieber, she spent her time taking pictures of places and preserving moments in time on film so they would last forever.

She worked at a small photography agency where they specialized selling art pieces and making books on certain photos. She was known for her remarkable photos of famous locations as well as…the risks she takes to get them. It amazed everyone how she was still alive and didn't get arrested yet for her little stunts.

Yep; that was Emma Lancer.

Today was busy at the Le Shoot's. Everyone was trying to finish up their latest gallery book that showed pictures from around the world. They had pictures of everywhere from Asia to Europe. They had all the pictures that they needed but there was one slight problem. The person who asked for the book made a last minute request to add pictures of one of the new casinos in Las Vegas. This was low on the customer's part, but he was willing to pay for twice as much as he originally intended. So, being the professional photographers that they were, they needed to send someone to take these last minute photos.

And they knew just the person for the job.

[XXX]

Emma had what people called the average look where she didn't go overboard with the makeup and expensive clothing. She was fine wearing a pair of shorts along with an elbow length sweater. And of course she couldn't go anywhere without her signature black and white retro hat that covered her face so the paparazzi couldn't see her. She graduated from the art institute of Chicago with a major in photography and became a master of the camera. The phrase 'picture worth a thousand words' was the phrase she lived by each day. She wanted to capture each moment on film and preserve it in time, knowing she would never be gifted with the same chance twice.

Every moment in life counted to her and she was going to experience it as long as she was alive.

"Hey Emma!"

Emma looked up from her work to see her boss, Jeremy coming by her station.

Jeremy Reins was considered 'young' in the photography world, but he was a genius with the camera. He knew how to capture the moment with one single photo.

"What is it Jeremy?" Emma asked.

Everyone knew if Jeremy asked for something, it tended to be big.

Jeremy leaned against Emma's working table in a laid back manner. Oh yeah, he wanted something alright. He knew that Emma was the best when it came to scenery photos so it was a no brainer why he was bugging her. She was the perfect person to help him with his little problem.

"Here's the thing, do you remember that customer who wanted a book featuring iconic places?"

Emma nodded.

"Yeah, I just finished developing the pictures I took in Egypt" she said.

Jeremy made a face as he recalled that little trip that they took about three weeks ago. That was a trip that he wished that he could forget.

[XXX]

The great pyramids of Egypt were a sight to behold. It was hard to tell if they were magical or mystical. Emma thought they were both since it was amazing that mere humans were able to create such massive structures. It was rare to be able to see them so up close and she was lucky to even get the chance to.

She kept snapping pictures of anything she could set her eyes on. From the magnificent walls that were filled with hieroglyphics to the pyramids themselves, she captured it all.

They were given special access to one of the pyramids that were being excavated at the moment could take pictures that away from the dangerous areas.

Emma didn't understand the word dangerous and did something incredibly stupid. Kneeling on the support beams that they were walking on, she flipped herself over so she was hanging upside down like she would be on the monkey bars and took pictures of areas that were still being dug up.

Jeremy smiled as he looked up at the pyramid.

"How lucky are we that we're able to get views like this, Emma?" he asked.

When he didn't get a response, he looked around for her, only to find her hanging upside down on a very flimsy support beam that could break at any second.

He quickly flipped out and ran over to her, praying that she didn't fall.

"Emma, what the hell are you doing?!" he cried.

Emma just continued taking pictures, not caring that the blood was rushing to her head.

"Just give me a sec, Jeremy. I have to take a picture of this one area that they're digging up right now"

"In one second you're going to fall to your death!" Jeremy cried.

He grabbed her by the legs and started hoisting her up. Emma squirmed when she was being lifted and tried to get away.

"Knock it off, Jeremy! I almost got this awesome picture!"

Her movements caused Jeremy to lose his grip on her legs and he had to grab the hem of her shorts to prevent her from completely falling.

Emma screamed and grabbed at her shorts (while still holding her camera) and shouted profanities at her boss.

"Let go of my pants you perv!" she screamed.

Jeremy just glared at her while he tried to pull her up properly.

"Which do you prefer more? Your dignity or your life?"

"I prefer getting those pictures!" Emma screamed.

Jeremy just swore under his breath and made sure that his college didn't die from her stupidity.

[XXX]

Yeah, that was a day that he wish didn't happen. Nothing worse than seeing up your friend's shorts and noticing what type of underwear she wore.

This upcoming change would be nice payback for what she put him through-even though the pictures turned out amazing.

"Well, we have a slight problem" he said.

"He just called and asked if we could add photos of that new casino that opened up in Vegas last week"

Emma looked at her boss like he was crazy.

"Is he insane?!" she asked.

"That book is due next week!"

Jeremy nodded, already knowing she would be acting like this.

"I know, I don't like it either. But he said he was willing to double the price he was going to give us" he said.

"You know how much I hate last minute changes, but as the saying goes: the customer is always right"

Emma fiddled with her digital camera, a habit she had whenever she was under pressure.

"And I take it you want me to take these pictures?" she questioned.

Jeremy gave her a weak smile.

"You're the best that we have when it comes to scenery photos" he said.

"And this is what you get for having me try to save you from killing yourself in Egypt"

Emma huffed and blew a strand of her curly blond hair out of her face.

"I still have to finish developing those pictures of Egypt and that'll take me two days" she pointed out.

Jeremy sighed. Emma was a professional at what she did, but she was downright stubborn. If she had a project that needed to be done, she would stick to it until the end and wouldn't be interrupted.

"I'll take care of it for you" he said.

"I normally don't do this, but since this is very last minute I'll let it slide. Besides, you're one of my close friends in this industry-even though you give me a headache, so the least I can do is help you out"

Emma raised an eyebrow. It was rare for Jeremy to take on someone else's work. Even if you were on fire or on the verge of dying, he would make you finish your work.

"You're really serious about me getting these photos, aren't you?" she asked.

Jeremy gave her a dull look.

"Desperately" he said.

Emma sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

"Fine, I'll do it" she said.

Jeremy smiled.

"I knew you would" he said cheerfully.

Emma gave him a serious look.

"But on two conditions" she said.

"Number one: I get to chew the customer's ass off for making me do something so last minute and entirely stupid"

Jeremy rolled his eyes.

"Of course"

"And number two: I get that brand new camera phone that Nokia just came out with. You know the one with 41 pixels"

Jeremy gave her a dull look.

"That's a pretty steep bargain" he said.

Emma wore a proud smirk.

"Consider it as payback for making me do this" she retorted.

Jeremy held the bridge of his nose.

"If you weren't one of my close friends, I'm sure you would have been fired by now" he said.

Emma just laughed.

"Then who would give you those wonderful pictures of Buckingham Palace that are nearly impossible to get?" she asked.

Jeremy laughed in return.

"You got me there" he said.

"Alright, I'll get your camera since you're doing this. I'm sure it'll go well with your collection"

Emma shrugged as she leaned back in her seat.

"What can I say? I can't say no to a good camera"

[XXX]

"I can't believe you have to go to Vegas because some idiot wanted last minute photos"

Emma rolled her eyes as she packed her bags while she listened to her roommate ramble.

"I know Rebecca, but Jeremy was desperate and couldn't find anyone else to do the job" she said.

Rebecca Davidson was Emma's lifelong friend and roommate. Emma liked to call her a '50's wife' where she was very old fashioned and didn't care for all the techno gadgets that that everyone used. She was very plain and simple unlike Emma who was wild and reckless. They balanced each other out and made life easier for the other.

She made a living by being an art teacher at one of the local high schools around Malibu. Her second job was to act like a mother hen when it came to Emma.

If nagging were an Olympic event, she would get the gold medal. Emma couldn't go out anywhere without Rebecca constantly reminding her to be careful and to stay out of trouble. It annoyed Emma to no end, but she valued her consideration. Rebecca was the only family she had that she could rely on.

"I just find it crazy that you have to head out to Vegas when you just came back from Egypt three weeks ago" she said.

Emma flopped on her bed knowing she wasn't going to get away from her best friend's nagging.

"Well, I am a photographer. That's pretty much what my job entitles, even if it means dealing with dumbass customers" she pointed out.

"Plus Jeremy promised a new camera if I do this"

Rebecca placed her hands on her hips as she gave her a dull look.

"Of course you'll do anything for a new camera. I swear, sometimes you act like a kid at times" she said.

Emma shot up from her bed to give her a glare.

"Hey! I won't do anything for a new camera" she retorted.

"I have my dignity to uphold here. Besides, it's not like I'm that desperate for a new camera, I just wanted to give Jeremy a hard time for pushing this on me"

Rebecca sighed as she shook her head.

"Well, at least you were able to get payback for this…even though I find it pointless" she said.

"You damn right I did" Emma smiled.

She got off her bed and started packing her cameras for her trip. A good photographer always brought more than one camera.

"Just make sure you pack an extra sweater or two. You know how cold it gets at night" Rebecca said.

Emma made a face when she realized Rebecca was going into her mother hen mode.

"Yes mother" she said.

"And make sure your phone is charged up in case you have an emergency and have to call me to get you. Oh and don't forget your first aid kit. I don't want to see you coming home with cuts and scrapes that weren't treated properly. And don't get arrested for doing something stupid. I don't want to bail you out of jail again. And don't forget-"

"Becky, relax" Emma said.

"I've done this a thousand times. If worse comes to worse, the only problems I'll have are not getting those pictures. I'll be fine"

Rebecca sighed as she crossed her arms.

"I know, but I just worry about you" she said.

"You tend to be a magnet when it comes to accidents after all"

"And that makes you the best friend that I've ever had" Emma said.

"I'll be fine. You'll see"

She continued putting her stuff away and double checked to see if she forgot anything.

She really wasn't looking forward to Vegas. She hated large crowds and the shady people that lived there. It was just one big disgusting mess in her opinion. It didn't matter that there thousands of bright, vibrant buildings that illuminated the night, it was still a horrid place.

Nothing good ever came from Vegas.

"If I catch something from that place I'm gonna wring Jeremy's neck" she said.

Rebecca snorted.

"Relax, you know how the saying goes: what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas…although there are a few things that don't stay in Vegas, like money, pride, and certain diseases"

"Thanks for cheering me up with that one, Becky" Emma said. "I'm just going to love this trip"

"Well at least try to have some fun while you're there" Rebecca reasoned.

"When's the last time you've ever had fun?"

"I have fun all the time" Emma retorted.

"As long as I'm able to take pictures, that's all the fun that I need. Who needs a vacation when I'm having one each day? I get to travel all over the world and get paid for it. That's my vacation right there"

Rebecca sighed knowing she wasn't going to win this argument.

Emma was one of those people who would rather be married to her work than have a good time. It was great that she had a job that she really loved, but she needed to take a break from it so she could have real fun.

And perhaps even have a boyfriend for once. She couldn't count the number of boyfriends that Emma dumped simply because they didn't share the same hobby as her or thought photography was stupid. She was very picky when it came to her men. Something that Rebecca had little hope of her friend finding the right one.

"I know you hate this just as much as I do, but please try to have fun" she said.

"And most importantly, please be safe"

Emma packed up her bags and smiled at her friend.

"Oh please. What could possibly go wrong?"

Oh a lot of things could and she would find out soon enough.

[XXX]

A/N: I know this wasn't much and that Tony wasn't in this chapter, but I wanted to introduce the main character of this story. Emma really is something isn't she? I just feel bad about how her trip to Vega will be like. She's going to hate Vegas more than she already does.

Tony will be in the next chapter for sure, so keep an eye out.

Please review and tell me what you think!

Ja ne!