Hey, guys! I'm sorry I haven't been uploading anything for like a month, but I've been quite busy. Even so, I've managed to start this delicious piece of work that I am, for once, happy with. ;) It's the first Avenger's fanfic I've ever done, so be kind... Enjoy!

BP

Chapter 1: Where We First Met

Tony's first thought when he saw Pepper, and recognised her, in that wonderful blue low-backed dress was very simply, 'wow'. And then Agent Phil Coulson arrived with someone that blew his mind - he could only observe. Long black hair, down to her waist, a black dress that fitted very well, high heels that it made obvious that she under 5 ft 5", and a pretty face. Then he looked in her stormy blue eyes, and suddenly felt a protective instinct rise up in him that surprised him in it's ferocity. But he wasn't surprised in the why. Those eyes reminded him of the cave, how he must have looked like before Yinsen gave him a purpose, but in an advanced form, maybe if he'd been beaten and ripped apart emotionally many times during that time.

Her eyes, undoubtedly the most expressive part of her, relayed a different story to the rest of her body, in it's confident stance and cool superiority. Eyes that well masked everything in a veneer of boredom but, to the practised eye, told a very different story. She looked at everyone with indifference, except Agent Coulson. Agent Coulson was looked at with a strange mixture of hope, fear and understanding. There was a darkness in them that suggested that she knew far too much, had been through too much, and had suffered deeply for it. Agent Coulson ignored her presence like she was never there, though he looked at her with an unreadable expression for a moment, and she flinched - just enough for it to be noticeable to any who paid attention.

Then she finally looked at him in the eyes and he saw her expression change, just slightly, from bored indifference to interest. For a brief moment, he let the rage that had simmered under his skin from the moment he woke up in that cave, that violent, cornered-animal, instinctive rage, shine through his eyes. Her own widened and a smirk, darkly victorious, touched her lips, as she let out her own monster. He saw that it was stronger than his, taking up the entirety of her being when she dared to release it only a little, and he wondered how long she had been subject to whatever was happening - and it was obvious that it was an ongoing thing - and what would happen when she released it all. Would it destroy her as well as her enemies, or only her enemies?

Obviously, Agent Coulson had noticed the exchange between them, for as quickly as they had done it, a smirk was still on the mystery woman's lips and the monster was still visible for those that cared to look. And Agent Coulson had obviously cared to look. His eyes narrowed sharply as he looked at her and his right hand curled around her wrist gently. But Tony knew immediately that he was part of what was being done to this poor woman when she paled, her eyes went blank and the smirk vanished like it had never been there. His own monster growled under his skin, showing through his eyes for longer this time, and with more force. She noticed and swallowed with difficulty as something akin to hope flared in her eyes around the terror that had permeated them. She looked away with affected boredom. A silky smile appeared as she seemed to spot something, or someone. A impressive mask, even he wouldn't have been able to see through it if he hadn't seen her put it on. Her eyes were attentive and interested, none of the emptiness that was in them before.

"If you will excuse me, gentlemen," She purred lowly, practically radiating sex appeal and she lowered her lashes half-way. Agent Coulson looked at her in askance, and she smiled, ambiguity giving her leverage where she previously had none. He nodded his head, and she looked to Tony next. He put on his most gentle smile that looked somehow predatory and reached for her hand. She gave it and he held it to his lips in a light kiss.

"Leaving so soon, darling?" He asked teasingly. "I don't believe I know your name." She rose one eyebrow. Try harder. I'm not so easy, was what he got from that, so he did. "Might I have the pleasure of hearing it, so I may know what I may call you in my dreams?" She smiled a bit more genuinely and nodded her head graciously.

"You may." Her eyes glistened with light, and she was turned so Coulson couldn't see anything. "My name is Kagome." His eyebrows rose.

"No last name?" He asked, disappointed. She grinned secretively. Delight and power radiated from her eyes, something that she obviously didn't have enough of, despite that fact that he knew there was something… unearthly about her, about that light that shone in her eyes.

"I have no last name." Purple light shone for an instant in her eyes and he knew that he hadn't imagined it when she winked at him. "I am my own." The words had a strange authority and power and Tony found himself captivated by her. She saw his besotted expression that he knew he must be making, and softened. With not a look at Coulson, who now looked incredibly suspicious, she leaned forward, her monster in her eyes at it looked at him in approval. "We will meet again, worry not, Tony Stark." Then she winked and pulled her hand back, bowing slightly to both men, and glided gracefully away, making a beeline, he noticed, for Pepper.

His attention was grabbed by Agent Coulson calling his name. "Mr. Stark." He then carried on talking, but Tony had stopped listening. He was too busy watching as Kagome walked up to Pepper and, still radiating that sex appeal, asked her to dance. Pepper turned around as looked as if she was going to protest, but then she looked at who was asking, and did a double take. She seemed to be unaware that she'd accepted until she was dragged away from the people she was talking with and into the middle of the floor. She appeared flustered as Kagome curled her right arm around her waist, her grip firm but gentle, and the left hand held Pepper's right as she began to dance. Pepper automatically put her left hand on Kagome's right shoulder. They were silent for a moment, but then Kagome said something and Pepper smiled, embarrassed, as she responded. He vaguely heard Coulson mention a time and date as Pepper was lead away by Kagome to the stairs leading to the roof. He absentmindedly agreed and shook the Agent's hand, trying to ignore the slimy feeling he got when he suddenly remembered Kagome's face when the man hand curled the same hand around her wrist. He registered Coulson walking away and turned back to the bar, ordering three drinks that he planned to take to the roof.

While he was waiting, he saw the reporter he'd slept with and inwardly groaned. Great. He turned away, pretending he hadn't seen her, but she made right for him. She showed him the pictures and suddenly he forgot all about Kagome, and Pepper, and Coulson. All he could focus on was that someone inside his company had betrayed him. He inwardly cursed that he didn't pay enough attention to his shipments when he got back home. He had wondered how the Ten Rings had gotten hold of so many of his weapons. And the fact that they were taken yesterday… oh, the self-loathing.

He went and confronted Obie, hoping he would reassure him, tell him that he'd help Tony find whoever had betrayed him, but instead found out that it was Obie - no, Stane - that had betrayed him, even going to far as to file an injunction against him and then - and then proclaim that he was doing it for Tony's own good and protection.

Oh, how the monster roared in his head then, and he knew that the next time that he and Kagome met, there would be more to show her, just as she would have more to show him. But first…

Time to deal with first his weapons… and then Obidiah Stane.

Whew! That went okay. This is a multi-chapter piece of work, but I'm not sure how long it's going to be, for once, so you'll have to be patient. Also, Bow has been put on hold for I don't know how long, and Her Frightening Nature is also going on hold - probably for less time than Bow. The only for this is that all ideas for those stories have been shoved aside by a rather violent plot bunny that demanded this story be written... sorry. Let me know what you think of this story though and PM me if you have any questions! ;)

BP