Chapter one: Pain
Pain wasn't a new concept to Tony; she has a freakishly high tolerance for it and a strange ability to attract it. She'd been living with it since she was five years old, the sharp sting of her father's hand, the dull throbbing of newly formed bruises, even the jagged edges of the unyielding furniture left their mark on her. But this pain was something completely different, the mixture of the sheer amount of it plus the rapid burning of the nerves in her chest it was mind numbing. Though she always counted her high threshold for pain as a blessing after the late night parties or lab accidents, right now the simple fact that she couldn't let the pain force her body into unconsciousness made her hate her bodies tolerance. She started to let her mind wander trying to find something to focus on, formulas, calculations, and new schematics flew thru her mind at a million miles per hour. Pepper always hated how Tony would just space out of a conversation and suddenly start rambling on about new calculations, or different chemical formulas she could use to make a bigger boom. The image of her lovingly stubborn, irrational protective and amusingly fiery PA stood out in her mind. Her ginger hair was pulled back in a low pony tail, she had on that light blue suit Tony had bought her when she started working for me when she mentioned she liked the color, it did bring out her silvery blue eyes, a slight smile on her normally stern lips. Tony could see that same expression on her face when she opens the charm bracelet I had bought for her birthday months ago she should have gotten it a few hours ago.
After three years "living" with Howard, she learned having an open heart was a flaw. It wasn't until her loyal and patient butler Jarvis died three months before his eightieth birthday that she began to truly build indestructible walls of sarcasm, arrogance and narcissistic mannerisms around her heart. No one could break them, after all she was a Stark and what Stark's build never break. Though two cracks formed over time, they ran deeper then she was willing to admit. One belonged to the mothering and perfect big sister figure named Virginia 'Pepper' Potts. The other was the best friend Tony had ever had the twenty eight year old Lieutenant Colonel James 'Rhodey' Rhodes. She could see him rolling those dark eyes trying to keep his face in that military straight expression, the hint of the dazzling smile she knew he had peeking through the mask. These two stubborn idiots were willing to love her, all the breaks, the walls, and the mistakes that formed the seventeen year old genius and CEO. They were the only things that were keeping her sane in the crazy spiral of her life. And it that moment the two things keeping the pain away long enough for her to slowly pass out from blood loss, a good bye frozen on her full rosy lips.
There were faces flying in and out of focus around her, they all seemed so harsh so uncaring. All but one, one seemed to be genuinely concerned though it was hard to make out the exact features of this face. Suddenly a scream broke through her lips; it was filled with the sound of pain. Harsh voices spoke and soon a cloth with the smell of chloroform over took her senses and she fell back into unconsciousness.
Two days earlier…
Aria 'Tony" Stark was one of the smartest, most successful, and sexiest women on the face of the planet. Her hair fell down her shoulders to rest in-between her shoulder blades in gentle chocolate brown curls, loosely framing her elegant features. Her high cheekbones, sharp jaw line, perfectly full dusky pink lips and her flawless ivory skin made her stand out. Personally she loved her golden brown almond shaped eyes, thick black eyelashes, and the sprinkle of freckles running along the bridge of her nose and cheeks. One look at her and you could see the fact that she was a Stark staring right back at you. She had without a doubt a killer body with the perfect athletic curves, toned muscles, and decent amount of cleavage. Tony knew she was beautiful, she knew people's eyes were drawn to her the second she walked into the room and she worked hard to turn that to her advantage. Tonight was no different, the tight strapless black dress she wore enhanced the curve of her hips and its plunging neckline brought attention to her cleavage as well as the gentle slope of her neck. The four inch red stilettos she wore drew your eyes down to her toned ivory legs. Her hair fell down her back in its natural loose curls framing the slight amount of makeup she had on, showing her beauty was one hundred percent natural. With that dazzling smile she knew light up a room and the sultry laugh which drew people from all corners of the room towards her. She caught your attention and then had you focused on her and only her, she could play this entire room and let you know she could.
"Ok give me a seven," she tossed the dice on the crabs table and felt the smile widen when she got exactly the number she wanted. The whole table let out a cheer and she joined in letting her laugh grow slightly louder as well as the handsome young man standing next to her to wrap his arm around her hip. Suddenly the warm and well calloused hand Tony knew better than anyone else touched her shoulder and pulled her slightly away from the table. Tony's golden brown eyes meet the deep chocolate brown ones of her best friend Lt. Col James Rhodes, the slight smile on his face was completely fake and I knew I messed up somehow.
"A complete honor to present that award, would have been nice if you were there to accept it," his words were almost yelled over the commotion going on around us. She looked at Rhodey and gave him a dazzling grin before answering.
"Did Obi at least give a good speech? Let me guess he said I was working didn't he." Rhodey rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh before looking back at her. He could never stay mad at her, it seemed like no one really could if they actually knew her beyond the masquerade she threw up. His eyes quickly looked over her and she knew he could see the slight flush which came from alcohol though I hadn't drunk enough to glaze over my eyes and I knew that.
"Yeah he did, and I'm sure Tony Stark is. Though Susan Wilson, Amanda Green, or whoever you are tonight isn't and needs to get home now." She was about to open her mouth and quickly refuse but he beat her to it. "Tony you have a presentation tomorrow, get your ass home or I will have Happy drag it there understand." Tony gave him her sweetest smile and simply nodded before she turned to Happy, her loyal and well happy driver/bodyguard. He walked up to stand next to her and they made their way through the casino, Tony's smile never faltering. As they approached the car Tony's mind fell back to the problem's they were having with the propulsion on the new Solo missile system, but a deep voice pulled her attention back from her thoughts and into the present.
"Miss Stark," She turned around to see a rather handsome blonde man being held back by the hotel security. His dark green eyes were looking at her like she was some promotion for him, REPORTER screamed in her mind.
"My names Adam Lexon, I work with vogue magazine and I was wondering if I could do a spread on you?' one of her sculpted eyebrows rose and she noticed the blush which over took his cheeks.
"I'm sure you would, Adam." Tony gave him a small smile and turned back around, flashing a hint of her breasts causing him to blush harder.
"How do you feel about being called the DaVinci of your time,"
" UM, no I'm not a philosopher."
"How about the Merchant of Death?!" Her footsteps froze on there way towards the car and she turned back around. He'd caught her attention something most reporters couldn't do.
"Now that I like, got a good ring to it…"
"How does that one on one sound then?" I looked at him and couldn't help but give him my more seductive smile before answering him.
"Right now, Perfect." She drew out the last word with a sultry click at the end. He really was cute when he blushed.
A few hours later Tony found herself staring at the dark ceiling in the master bedroom slowly catching her breath again while the afterglow beginning to wane away. She turned her head to the right and found Adam's eyes were closed and his breaths deep and even. His hair was mused and the thin red scratch marks running down his back and the hicky at the base of his neck were clearly visible. Her eyes flew back towards the ceiling and she quietly let out a sigh and got up. With an almost clumsy type of elegance only Tony seemed to possess she threw on on a new pair of lacy underwear and matching bra, a baggy t shirt which hung off my shoulder, and a pair of light skinny jeans before making her way down to the lab. The second the doors opened and the smell of oil, steel, and raw electrical currents filled her senses all the tension left her muscles. This was where she belonged; she was closer to the machines she built then the shallow people milling around her life. She found her mind easily falling away from the tedious world of human interactions, the fake smile and sultry laugh, that bad girl reputation she had built to keep everyone distance none of it matter when she was in her lab.