Okie dokie. This is the first chapter of a 2 chapter story I'm writing. This is my first Ironman/Marvel related story. It takes place about 10 years before the movies. Its probably AU because I'm not really sure how Tony was before he met Pepper. Its just a quick take on it I did. I hope you like it and I'll get a few reviews, because I have another, much longer story with Avengers that I'm going to post once I finish writing it with a friend.

Tony Stark didn't care about anything. Not anymore. He hasn't given a damn since the day he had gotten the phone call saying that his parents had died tragically in an airplane crash over the Pacific Ocean. He remembers that day to every little detail, to the time he had hung up the phone to taking a break drinking himself to oblivion at dawn the next day.

He remembers the words.

God, the words. Words, Tony found, was much more hurtful to him than actions. That was especially true as he toured his way through underground fighting after that phone call. Physical damage was easier to recover from, and covered the broken heart with a Band-Aid, as well, until it bled through as soon as skin no longer tingled.

"Tony, it's Obediah. It displeases me to finally get in touch with you only to bring bad news. It's your parents, my dear boy. Their plane malfunctioned, and I'm afraid your mother and father didn't make it."

Didn't make it.

He remembered the loneliness he always felt increase by 110%. A deep, suctioned black hole in his heart that seemed to suck up everything he loved, chewed it up nice and rotten, and spit it back out.

6 years. 6 years of working to the top, trying to fill that hole a bit by expanding his father's legacy through himself. Now he was there, doing as much as he could but not feeling it. So he drank, he rebelled, and he smiled and laughed as the cameras caught him in not his finest moments.

Because Tony Stark didn't care about anything.

Which, of course, led to a very displeased Obediah Stane hiring a "personal assistant." Tony knew from the start that this personal assistant would probably be trained to tolerate drunk assholes like him, probably try to knock some responsibility into his brain.

Tony was pissed by that. Pissed not because he thought he could handle himself, that he could control a company to its best interests, for he already knew he really wasn't fit for the job. Not when he had no ideas, no purpose, no "golden egg" to give the company to make them cheer and clap for Tony Stark, the new heir.

He was pissed that now he would have someone "looking" after him. Every night for the past two years, he took a custom made from his own design and put it to his chin in the darkness of his workshop. He'd close his eyes, unhook the safety, and put his finger on the trigger.

But never did press it, because he realized he had to finish one project. An engine or some sort.

It was now the eve before his personal assistant was due to his isolated house off the coast of Malibu. Obediah had promptly refused to give him any details of who he/she was, so that he couldn't use any information he would surely have researched to use against them.

That old man knew him well.

He went to his personal workshop in the basement and tinkered with what he hopes will be a robot to help him work someday. When he got bored with that, he pulled out a bottle of vodka that he stored in a cabinet and began drinking. He found it soothing as he drank and worked, never ceasing, losing track of the time.

Losing track of so much time, he realized that it was dawn. He blinked. He wasn't tired. He had a headache and his stomach churned from nausea . Deciding that since his new assistant would be here soon, he went upstairs and grabbed the folders that held the latest accounting status from a new investment in Beijing. He didn't know much about it, since he hadn't traveled with Obediah in a while.

"I thought flying had a peculiar effect on you, Tony. That's why you haven't been with me."

"Peculiar feeling". Yeah, he loved flying. He loved looking out over the world. The fact that his parents died in a plane crash didn't deter that, but Obediah had manipulated everyone into thinking so, probably to keep him out of trouble.

As he hummed and made the calculations to finalize the account report and send it to the company to have the profits invested, he heard the door ring.

This kind of "door bell" echoed throughout the whole house, and made it easier for Tony to hear it just about anywhere. He frowned a little. It was only 8 AM. Who could be at his house? His PA wouldn't be here until noon.

He pressed the button on the intercom. "Yes?"

"I'm Virginia Potts, and I-"

"If you're the press, I'd like you to walk away very quickly."

"No, sir, I'm Tony Stark's newly hired personal assistant. Are you Mr. Stark?"

Tony paused. A womam? Obediah must feel pretty confident about this chick for hiring her. "Come in."

The door locks whirred and clicked, and then finally opened. Tony's eyebrow raised considerably. She was…beautiful. Not in that plastic way, either. She was all natural. Ginger hair, green eyes, even some freckles on her cheeks. She was skinny and tall, but her face was set into a perfect authority base.

"Well, if they'd told me you were this pretty, I'd have taken some effort to clean up."

"If they'd told me you were this charming, I'd have taken less time to get ready." She smiled thinly. Untrusting. Calculated.

He cleared his throat. "Well, we might as well start over with our introduction. Tony Stark," he greeted, holding out his hand.

She took the hand and shook it. "Virginia Potts."

"Virginia?" Tony speculated. "You don't look like a Virginia to me."

"Is that so? What do I look like then?"

"Pepper."

"Oh, haven't heard that one before."

"Sarcastic, are we?"

"And you aren't?"

"I think we're going to get along."

"You'd like to think so."

"I take that back, then. I know so."

She didn't react. Tony was impressed. Many women end up throwing themselves at him for two only reasons only: looks and money.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Lots of things."

"I'm sure. Anything business related?"

"Uh…" Tony pretended to think about it. "No."

"So, how about those accounting files?" her eyes scanned the folders laying on the clear glass coffee table.

"Oh, right. I finished those, but knock yourself out in seeing what you can do. I need to send them in."

"You have a board meeting this afternoon at 3. You can then."

"I'm not going," Tony said coldly, narrowing his eyes at her, daring her to demand him.

Still, no reaction. The same professional look. "Should I go in your place, Mr. Stark? I'll give you the run down later."

Tony blinked at her in surprise. "Um….yes. Thank you, Ms. Potts."

She took out what Tony guessed to be her planner book and wrote something down. "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?"

"Yes, Ms. Potts."

With the board meeting out of the way, Tony set to work once again on his robot. So far, his design was set like it was an extra pair of hands if he needed it to put something in its place. The design was done, he just needed to adjust the circuits and wires and then work on his programming. The programming was probably the hardest part, since he needed the robot respond to voice.

Ms. Potts was at the meeting for him. She seemed okay. She wasn't trying to push him, to scold him. She was doing her job, and that was all. Tony admired that.

He decided that he'd call her Pepper, too, because Virginia just didn't appeal to him. If she asked about it, he'd just say she was spicy.

Okay, so his humor wasn't the most intellectual jokes.

"Mr. Stark?" Pepper.

"Down in the workshop. It's unlocked."

He didn't look up from his planning sheet as she came down the stairs and opened the door. "Mr. Stark, I need to speak with you for a moment, please."

"How about later?"

"How about now?"

"I'm working."

"I'm aware of that, Mr. Stark, but-"

"Fine," Tony snapped. "What?"

Pepper's eyes grew dark, and her mouth set into a thin line. "There was a problem with your accounting work."

"What? Of course not. My math is never wrong." he immediately lost interest. It wasn't his problem.

"This time it was. The amount score was off, and the investor will have much more money given to him by Stark Industries than they should."

Tony glared at her, but tore the papers from her hand and scanned them. Shit, Tony swore, she's right. He looked back to her and saw that she was now patiently waiting for his response. "I made a mistake."

"It's understood, Mr. Stark."

"I'd appreciate it if you could fix it for me, Pepper." Tony emphasized the nickname, wanting to see how she'll react.

"Would you like me to double check all reports for you in the future, Tony?" Pepper asked.

"So we're officially past the formal addressing?" Tony asked and then added, "Yes, that would be good."

"Well, there's no one here to impress, is there?"

Tony smiled at her earnestly. "You mean, other than me?"

"Tony," she began, "since I'm your personal assistant-"

"I like where this is going,"

"I hope you understand that I'm willing to be your friend, and nothing more. You got that?"

"And I hope you understand that it will take all of my willpower to keep it to friendship?"

"I'm sure you'll manage," Pepper told him, "Will that be all, Mr. Stark?"

"Yes, Ms. Potts."

I know, I'm not the best writer out there. But I tried and I'll try again with the next chapter, which should likely be posted soon because I'm almost finished. Thanks for reading!