Summary: Pepper Potts and Natasha Romanoff spend the day together, eventually realizing that their differences make them closer than they thought possible.

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"- Cyndi Lauper

Pepper crosses her legs, one hand brushing the back of her head. She smiles at Natasha flipping through a book in disgust, "Seriously Pepper, how can you read this? It's all mushy...and emotional."

She snickers covering over her mouth. Natasha was never the feminine type, enjoying romantic novels the way Miss Potts did. It wasn't often the two girls were the only ones in the living room in the tower, but when it happened, Pepper liked to introduce little things to the only other female in the home, which was a nice change for Pepper, though Natasha didn't seem to care. In fact, she seemed to prefer male company, occasionally lingering in the lab with Bruce and Tony, or talking with Steve, or irritating Thor when she wasn't humiliating Clint Barton. Pepper just seemed to fall into last place in her world, except when she absolutely needed to talk or complain about Clint.

Pepper flicked her bright orange hair over her shoulder, "Hey, Natasha, I was just thinking since it's just the two of us, why don't we head over to the mall? We'll grab a bite to eat while we're out, have a nice day on the town. What do you think."

Natasha wrinkled her nose, still reading through the story. It wasn't the first time Pepper offered such an outing, and she knew it wouldn't be the last. It just sounded so stupid to her; Walk through the mall? There was no one to stab in the mall! But if she accepted this time, maybe she'd stop offering.

To Pepper's surprise, the assassin shrugs her shoulders, "I guess. Yeah sure."

She reaches over picking her small wallet off the floor, "Okay, cool. Come on let's go little lady."

Natasha rolled her eyes. -'Little lady' is she serious?-

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

First on Pepper's list; Forever 21. They always had the best bargains. After that? Maybe a quick walk through Macy's, JC Penny's, search through a few make up shops. She dragged that poor Russian spy through the entire front of the shops. Pepper slowed by the jewelry section, her eyes seemed to light up. Natasha laughed, "What's up Potts?"

She shook her head, "Nothing, I was just thinking. One day, when I get engaged, I want a silver studded ring. Probably something like that one. One day."

Miss Romanoff could've busted out laughing right then and there. She couldn't bite her tongue, "Engaged? Like married 'engaged'?"

She turned her head around, sensing a bit of sarcasm in her statement, "Yeah, why?"

Natasha shook her head 'no', remaining quiet. Pepper gave a half smirk as they continued walking, "Haven't you ever thought about what it's like to be married? Come on, you've thought about the dress you want for your wedding, right?"

Natasha repeated her action, shaking her head 'no'. Pepper licked her bottom lip in confusion, "Well, nevermind then."

The two girls headed down the main entrance, passing an enclosed cage with two small puppies inside playing and chasing their tales. Pepper gasped before running over to give them a pet. The Russian crossed her arms, laughing at her friend. Miss Potts glances over her shoulder, "Tell me you don't like dogs either..."

"Haha! Pepper in Russia we eat dogs."

Pepper felt a chill go up her spine. Not only was she the biggest party pooper on the face of the Earth, but she was also of a different nationality, to complicate things even little further.

She looked at the clock in the center of the wall up on a peek, "Well then Miss Russia, you hungry? There's a subway to the right."

"Subway? Why would we need a subway? Don't they have restaurants in here without us tramping through the city!"

Pepper smiled, "No silly, Subway is a restaurant. Follow me."

She could've sworn she heard Cyndi Lauper's 'Girl's Just Want to Have Fun' on the radio as she entered the fast-food place. She laughed thinking to herself, "Sure, if your not a red-headed spy dead set on killing people."

Pepper needed no time to glance at the menu before deciding what she wanted, " Can I get one 6 inch toasted sub, lettuce, tomatoes, chicken, mayo, olives, uh, oh and mushrooms on the side? And one Pepsi. Thanks."

Natasha gripped at her leggings, feeling out of place and totally confused. Pepper glanced at her then back at the lady behind the counter, "Make that 2 please."

Romanoff wasn't about to let Pepper pay for her meal, but the assistant of Tony Stark insisted that it was 'her treat.' Natasha felt slightly guilty about that. After all, as far as friendships went, it would seem that they weren't becoming any closer.

The two girls started t eat their meal in silence, before Natasha mumbled, "Thanks Pepper. I still feel bad."

She smiles, "Oh please! You should see the pay check Tony gives me. Don't worry about it."

Natasha brushes her forehead with the back of her hand. The meal was utterly disgusting, but she wasn't about to complain, she might hurt Pepper's feelings. After all, 'normal girls' might get sensitive, and Pepper seemed like a 'normal girl'.

There were a few things no one could hide from Pepper. Between reading all her physcology books, learning about different personalities, she knew Natasha was not happy. She holds her stare at her spy companion, "Are you, okay? You don't like it do you?"

Romanoff shakes her head, "No, it's fine. Why?"

"Your not eating it."

She felt bad, stuffing a bigger bite in her mouth. She talks, covering her full mouth with her hand, "No no it's great."

Pepper looks down, smiling to herself, -She's so weird.

Natasha sneaks a napkin past the table, spitting up her mouth full into it, all hidden from her friend's stare.

She glances at her watch, "Hey, you wanna go rent a movie from the library?"

Natasha tilts her head, "Okay..Why?"

"Why not? Steve is out with that girl from the Army, Tony and Bruce are busy destroying the lab, Thor's away in New Mexico, Oh. Where's Barton?"

She shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know."

Pepper thinks for a moment, "Didn't he go with Steve?"

She continues to shrug her shoulders.

"Yes, I think he went with Steve. Rogers wanted someone else in the mix, he didn't want to go on his date just the two of them. I don't know. He's unique like that."

Pepper uncrossed her legs looking at her phone, "So, Natasha, we'll head to library?"

Her friend hesitantly nods, wrapping up her garbage.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Pepper's eyes head straight for the Romantic section. Natasha rolls her eyes picking up 'Indiana Jones' from the shelf. She reads the back, eyes widening; 'Nazis, battles, PG-13 for violence.' It sounded good.

Pepper comes walking behind her, "Okay, I picked out two, "Dirty Dancing" and the "Titanic."

Natasha lifts her eyebrows as if to say, your kidding right?-

Miss Potts ignores her quirky maneuver, "Listen to this, 'Dirty Dancing' is about a teenage girl learns about love, adult responsibility, it's a romantic drama set in the 1960's, and the 'Titanic' is about two star-crossed lovers set on the doom cruise to Alaska."

Natasha's eyes widen, "Wait a minute, doom cruise?"

"Well yeah, the ship sinks in the end. But it's really mushy"

"Forget it. Anything else over there Pepper?"

She takes another look, "We have 'The Notebook', about two young lovers, but it's like a typical Romeo and Juliet story. I love it, but you might get bored. 'Country Strong?'..Oh, okay I've got. I know what we're going to rent." Her hand hovers over a title Natasha finds utterly disgusting. She lifts an eyebrow, "The Princess Bride?"

Pepper nods, "Yep. We're renting this and 'The Rocketeer.' It's got a little action."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Natasha curls up on the coach, pulling in her knees. Pepper throws a blanket over herself raising the volume slightly;

'Nothing gave Buttercup more pleasure then ordering Westley around; 'Farm Boy! Polish my horse's saddle!'...'As you wish'.'

Natasha let out a chuckle. Assuring Pepper that she was paying a little attention to the story;

'Is this a kissing book?...Well, when does it get good?'

Natasha grumbled holding her head, "My sentiments exactly."

Pepper laughed, holding her own head. She heard Tony open the elevator door walking in on their little 'Lady's Night'.

Stark glanced at the Television. He imitates in a raspy voice, "Hello, My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

She laughs, "Come on Tony, you're in the way. Go downstairs and play in your lab. Haven't you finished your little creation yet?"

He laughs, imitating their movie as he heads to the elevator, "You rush miracle man, you get rotten miracles. Inconceivable!"

Natasha smiles; -If Stark likes the movie, maybe it's not so bad after all.-

About two hours later, Pepper ejected their little disk passing her fresh bowl of popcorn, "What they don't have popcorn in Russia?"

Natasha laughs taking the bowl, "No! I like popcorn. Thanks Pep."

Pepper picks up her dvd case, "Wasn't so bad was it?"

The Russian shakes her head munching on her snack holding another cornel close to her mouth, "No. I mean, there was a bit too much kissing and all, but it wasn't bad."

"Good. I'll put on the Rocketeer."

"What's this one about?"

She plops back down on the coach, pulling her blanket back up to her chin as the opening credits roll, "A pilot who get's involved with a rocket pack that the Nazi's are using to try and take over the world. If you excuse the cheesy effects, its not that bad."

Natasha's eyes widen. -Now this, should be good!- She waited in anticipation after the first few scenes, asking an occasional question. Her excited focus seemed to disappear once the lead female got involved, going on their first date. Her body leaned back into the coach, waiting for the next battle.

Pepper threw her head back seeing the elevator open again. She smiled realizing it was Bruce and not Tony. He took a quick glance at the screen before heading into the kitchen. Pepper snickers, "What's up Bruce?"

"Nothing. What are you watching?"

"The Rocketeer. Ever seen it?"

He shakes his head, 'no', not expressing any real interest. Before gathering his material and returning to the elevator.

More time passes, leaving Natasha enthralled with the final battle, watching a lame imitation of an explosions. Pepper laughed, "Liked that one better did we?"

She lifts her shoulders, "Eh."

Her friend switches on her iPod, holding a deck of cards with her free hand. "Ever play Rummy?"

Natasha nods her head smiling. Finally! Something she knows! No ones ever really paid this much attention to her, at least not another female. She really never had one true friend, and Pepper was really trying to get to know her better. She felt bad that she hadn't been very polite all day.

Pepper hands her the iPod, "Here, you wanna pick a song?"

Natasha leaps at the opportunity, scrolling through the list while they listened to Pepper's choice; 'Jessie's Girl' by Rick Springfield, "Pepper, thanks for today."

She smiles shuffling her cards, "No problem. I had fun. Did you?"

She nods still smiling, "I did...And I picked song."

Miss Potts smiles, feeling accomplished. Maybe they were getting a little closer...but that song; "Walk This Way" by Aerosmith, wasn't exactly what she had in mind.