Chapter One
Pepper Potts swung her leg around swiftly and placed a nice round house kick into the stomach of her opponent. Her opponent then went conveniently flying across the well padded mat and landed hardly onto the floor groaning and clutching his abdomen.
"Ok gentlemen…and lady, training is over for today. We're gonna kick those Cambridge guys' asses over the moon at the next tournament," announced the president of the martial arts club Dean Flannigan, which was met with an enormous amount of enthusiastic cheering from its members.
"Well aren't we enthusiastic? But remember I'm not gonna be able to make it as I have a speech to make for Science week," said Pepper in a neutral tone.
"Geez Patricia, relax a little. Too bad you can't make it; you make a great asset for the team," complimented Dean with a suggestive tone.
"Well yeah, I'm busy."
"C'mon Patricia," he whined, "You're so busy, stop being such a nerd with all those extra classes you take. Live a little. Hey what about this? I'll take you out on a dat-."
Pepper quickly cut in before he finished, "I told you Dean, I don't date, education first, love life later. That's my motto," she said with a slight smile and walked out of the gym with her sports bag on her shoulder.
"To bad buddy, that girl is unattainable and has been for the past three and a half years. Rejects every guy who asks her out," consoled one of the Dean's friends.
"Well at least I tried. I mean that figure of hers is killer."
"Mmmhhmm," agreed most of the team.
"Yep, all of the curves in the right place, cute freckles, nice smile, funny personality and exotic, long red hair. Are all girls from the States like that?" added another member.
"I donno, but I see what you've been doing during training."
"Well yeah but who hasn't?"
The others just nodded in agreement and continued packing the equipment.
Afterwards Pepper was in her advanced science tutorial half paying attention to what the lecturer was talking about and the other half reminiscing about all the previous guys who asked her out. This included Dean but not one particular person back in New York. She shook her head to remind herself that he had his own life and that her name is no longer Pepper Potts but Patricia Parks until the Mr. Fix fiasco has been dealt with. She looked up to analyse the image displayed on the screen. The picture depicted insect like robot and a diagram of a sphere, the new generation of nanotechnology. Around her were several other students. All geniuses in their own right and most of them unlike her seemed to be the kind that were born with the smarts and did not work their asses off since junior year to get into college. Well actually University as it is called in England.
It has been nearly four years since Pepper has thought of Oxford as a college, even her best friend and dorm buddy Jade thinks the British-ness has rubbed onto her and wearing off her American-ness. However, many people including her roommate didn't even know her real name; instead they knew her as Patricia Parks the high achieving exchange student from New York. Pepper finished her Bachelor of Commerce seven months ago and declined the offer to continue with her Honours, yet she received a high distinction for the Bachelor anyway. She was also an honorary member to the Linguist Club of Oxford in which she stumbled upon three and a half years ago while trying to find an empty room in the library, and now is relatively fluent in French, Italian and Japanese. The only female member in the local martial arts club in the University and finally is the one of the few students in the advanced classes for robotics majoring in nanotechnology.
Pepper would've stayed within her thoughts if it weren't for her professor waking her up with, "Miss Parks, I just asked you a question."
"Sorry Professor, could you please repeat the question again?" replied Pepper quickly.
"The question was Miss Parks, what could be a possible way for nano-particles to navigate their way to various body parts?"
"Ummm scientists could program the nano-particles to navigate their way around the body by detecting the heat produced from organs or hormones," she answered nervously.
"That is a good response Miss Parks but I rather you pay attention in class that have your head in the clouds," criticized the professor and a few of the class snickered. Pepper looked at her notes in embarrassment.
Few hours later Pepper made her way back to her 'dorm'. It wasn't exactly a dormitory but more like an apartment attached to a larger joint of the same design (six bedrooms, kitchen and other necessities). Pepper went up the stairs greeting other students who lived in similarly furbished apartments/dorms attached to the same building. When she reached the door and began fumbling for her keys the door was opened by her best friend Jade.
"Yo Patricia. Home on time for once," Jade managed to enunciate while brushing her teeth.
"Yeah, miracle ain't it?" She laughed and walked in, "So I guess you're brushing your teeth," Pepper quickly glanced at the clock on the wall, "at 6.30 at night…right?"
"Yeah lol." Jade went to put the toothbrush back into the bathroom.
"I cannot believe you just said. That is so lame. Can't people actually laugh out loud these days?"Pepper mockingly complained.
"There's a party at Darcy's in like in thirty minutes. You should come, the others already left," Jade pointed out to their abnormally neat apartment and the other empty bedrooms empty. "Yeah so, take a shower, put some party clothes on and we'll go. You need mingle; find yourself a boyfriend or something."
"I can't I have the science week to help organize, you go off and have fun at Darcy's" Pepper emphasized, "You know Jade, no offence I think Darcy swings towards the more packaged sex of human race, so you should give up."
"But you hardly ever go out. It's always thesis this, organize that. Hey Samantha is a med student and I'm majoring history and we like to have a bit of fun. You should too. And yeah I know Darcy's gay, but he's still fun to flirt with. C'mon Patty, you should come. It'll be fun."
"Hey it's Patricia not Patty that makes me sound old. Maybe next time but I got more important things to do."
"Whatever, your call. I'm gonna have some fun, see ya." Jade exited the apartment, leaving Pepper alone.
Pepper got changed into her pjays, got some food to eat from the fridge and settled herself in front of the TV with all her textbooks. Naturally being in front of the TV one does not manage to concentrate and gets distracted instead. Pepper ended up flipping through the channels in search of something to watch. Honestly Pepper felt like she was being an idiot and loner but truthfully she isn't really a party kind of girl, well at least not the ones they throw at Darcy's. However, there was a small part of brain that told her to go the party but it felt wrong to become to close with anyone if that person didn't even know her real name. It made her feel like a liar. Then another celebrity program began on the TV. Pepper recognized it as another show from the States. The hostess was another glitzy, dumb blonde called Elle Armadale.
"Hi I'm Elle Armadale and tonight Celebz has exclusive access to New York, A Wonderful City premier after party, studded by all of Hollywood's greatest stars."
Elle entered the building guarded by several security guards and began interviewing celebrities and such. Pepper was about to change the channel until Armadale began interviewing another person who was not an actor or singer or even an entertainer of any sort.
"Oh my god, it's Tony Stark, CEO of Stark International. Hi Tony what brings you to the party?" the hostess said with a suggestive tone and batting her eyelashes extra fast.
Tony Stark had finally reached his full height in the past 3 and a half years, he was now at least 6 feet tall, yet nonetheless his hair was spikier as ever and eyes just as mesmerizing. Furthermore Tony Stark looked more mature, his jaw more defined and underneath his white shirt was a subtle hint and well toned muscle. Tony chuckled at Elle, "It's good to be seen you know….and I guess you're Elle from MTV's Celebz right?"
"Sure is Mr. Stark," she replied, flirting with Tony in front of millions of viewers, "So what did you think of New York, A Wonderful City?"
"It was an excellent film; I really enjoyed it but sorry Elle I have to go I need to find Maria."
The hostess looked a bit put off but regained her posture quickly, "When you say Maria, do you mean Maria Stone, the supporting actress of the film and new budding starlet of Hollywood."
"Yeah Maria Stone Elle, she asked me to be her date for the after party."
"So does that mean that both of you are officially going out?" Elle asked curiously.
"No we are not, strictly friends at the moment. Oh I see her, gotta go. Bye Elle." Tony waved and smiled his famous crooked smile towards the camera.
Pepper abruptly turned off the TV and decided to go to bed. But it took a while for her to go to sleep as she had that small clip of Tony and Elle replaying in her head. She was glad yet a little sad that he had moved on and kept their promise in at least one aspect. However, she was angry that he hadn't attempted to contact her ever since. In the beginning Pepper sent an email at least once a week but the only time he replied was the time Pepper started university and that was about it. At least Rhodey emails once in a blue moon and often his mentioned a bit about Tony. Soon Pepper was sleeping peacefully.
On the other side of the world the CEO of Stark International who goes by the name Tony Stark was sitting rather comfortably in his Italian leather armchair behind his huge, mahogany desk. He was half paying attention to the girl on the side of the desk. The girl's name was Amelia Rug, she appeared more like a playboy bunny, which Tony Stark honestly didn't mind if it weren't for her stupidity and annoying behaviour.
Amelia was what one would call a buxom babe, she had pleasant, brown eyes, very fake dyed beach blonde hair and clothes so tight on her it left very little to the imagination.
"Why didn't you call me last night Tony," she whined in her nasally voice, an octave higher and she would have shattered a champagne glass. "I was so lonely last night."
Tony just looked at her calmly but in reality he was listening to music from his ear piece, the MicroMp3 version 3.5, he sighed, how many times had he heard this is the past few years, you a give a few trinkets and kisses to your PA and they think you are the love of their life.
"I was at a casual meeting with some of our prospective clients. Nothing formal, no business deals, just entertaining," he waffled on.
"But Tony, I thought you loved me," she continued to whine.
"Amelia, sorry to break it to you, but I do not love you, it was just some fun. So why don't you go to my favourite coffee vendor and get me the usual Amelia.
"But Toooonnny!"
"Go do your job Amelia," ordered Tony.
"I will," she paused, "only if you kiss me and say that you love me."
Now Tony was getting annoyed, he took another deep breath, "Amelia just leave and get me a coffee."
"No!"
"Aren't you supposed to be my P.A?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, not expecting such defiance and pressed a little button (well actually it was more like a sensor pad, who uses buttons these days, that was old technology in Tony Starks opinion) on the underside on the mahogany desk.
"Well yes, but I'm more right?"She replied rather demanding instead of asking.
"Well, not exactly," Tony replied cooly.
"WHAT?" she shrieked.
Tony cringed, how was it possible that women could scream at such a pitch and yet not shatter glass, then again his private windows were reinforced with synthesized carbon which was basically man made diamond, the hardest substance in the world. If only it were more flexible Tony would've incorporated into his Ironman suit. At least he had some scientists working on that. Anyway Tony receded out of his thoughts and back into the present.
"Well actually your no longer my P.A or anything else anymore Miss Rug."
"WHAT?" she shrieked even louder.
Tony stayed unfazed. Then the door of his office slid open and a big burly man with a black and white suit that was crisply cute strode in. He wore sunglasses which made his expression unreadable.
"Hogan, could you escort Miss Rug to her office to collect her things and then to the administration to sign her out and give her her final cheque. And lastly escort Miss Rug out of the building and pay the taxi to take Miss Rug wherever she wants."
"Sure Mr. Stark, Miss Rug this way please," Hogan showed Amelia the door.
"NOOO!" she shrieked, knowing that she just got fired.
Tony winced, still not believing that a person can possibly reach such high notes. He stared even harder at Happy Hogan, hoping that he would get the message. Hogan obviously got the message and with the quick nod of his head Hogan hooked his arm with one of Amelia's arms and forcefully yet gently escorted Tony's ex-P.A out of his office while she was flailing and screaming at the top of her lungs.
When she was out, the door slid closed and the Stark CEO finally let out a tired sigh and rubbed his temples thinking he had finally got some peace and quiet except after what felt like thirty seconds his office doors opened again without any notification and the person that strode in was his best friend Lieutenant James Rhodes a.k.a Rhodey.
Tony looked up at Rhodey dressed in his immaculate army suit, "Ohh it's you," he said bluntly. Tony Stretched out his legs and put his Armani tailored shoe covered feet on the mahogany desk, a die hard habit of his.
"Oh it's me?" Rhodey asked incredulously.
"Yes, Rhodey?"
"What the hell Tony? You fired another P.A again! That's the fourth one this year! Stop sleeping with your assistants!"
"I don't sleep with my assistants. I just have a professional, slightly closer than friendly relationship with them. And she was getting clingy and touchy?" he replied casually.
"Whatever. Who the hell is supposed to organise you MIT and Harvard Lecture, trip to Japan and consulting the troops in Iraq? Not to mention your guest appearance at Oxford University in England. "
"Well that's why I have you, right?" Tony said staring straight into Rhodey's deep,brown eyes with his bright, blue ones.
"Why can't Happy do it? He's your bodyguard, I guess he can also be your secretary and it'll be easier cause he knows about Ironman? I mean he's already worn the Ironman suit for you when you're busy and stuff, " suggested Rhodey.
Tony paused and though about it. Tony recruited Happy, an old friend from the Tomorrow Academy around two years ago after he sustained a wrestling or basketball injury resulting that he shouldn't play sport professionally. As a bodyguard Happy was pretty good with his job, not that he needed to do much, just look the part in which he does very well with those bulging muscles. Even though Happy could work the Ironman suit to an extent, Happy as a secretary probably wouldn't be the greatest idea in the world.
"I don't think that's a good idea Rhodes he's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed if you get my drift. And anyway who do you think gave you a boost into that position of yours Weapons and Technology Advisor."
It was Rhodey's time to sigh. Every time Tony fired his P.A Lt. James Rhodes had to step in.
"Fine," Rhodey surrendered, "just as long as you get another P.A in two months I'm not cutting out from my military duties for too long."
"Sure, sure," Tony answered nonchalantly, "Who do you think provides the bulk of technology the military uses anyways?"
"Whatever? Anywho," Rhodey took a slim touch pad device out of his inner pocket and typed in a couple of things. "You have a flight to catch at ten tomorrow morning for you speech in Oxford, get ready. By the way I worked my ass off to get this promotion."
Rhodey grudgingly walked out of the office while scaring a few of the workers away. But what was really on his mind now is how the infamous Tony Stark would react if he saw Pepper Potts again when he arrives at Oxford University in three days time.
Chappa twooo (: review!