Tony angrily walked down Highland Avenue towards the Somerville Public Library.

He had woken up to the sound of someone knocking loudly on his flat door and had opened it. Then he was besieged by the flash of cameras. His idyllic time, living as a simple student on spring break, was over.

Somehow the press had been informed that he was living in the city, incognito and they had his address as well. To add insult to injury, they also knew that he was working as a mechanic and had expressed this fact with lurid creativity.

The headlines screeched, "Stark heir forced out of home! Working as mechanic!" "Tony Stark millionaire no more!" "Stark turns mechanic to feed himself!" "Why did Howard Stark throw his only son out of home!"

His father was livid with rage and had blasted Tony for an hour on how embarrassing this was for him. It was even worse than the Las Vegas incident.

Tony was angry that his privacy, his peaceful existence and the job he loved, were all lost. After his father, Thaddeus had called him. He had seen the newspapers and on learning, that Tony was actually a millionaire's son, he had called him to fire him personally, irritated that he had been fooled.

He pulled his cap down low over his face, keeping an eye out for snoopy reporters and cameras. As he turned the corner and approached the library, he grimly went over the facts in his head.

It had to be Tiffany's mousy cousin! It just had to! Who else knew I was Tony Stark! I am going to give her a piece of my mind!

Tony entered the library quietly and walked into the main hall. He was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible because he didn't want anyone to recognize him.

He looked around, trying to find Virginia amongst the crowd of readers and tables. He walked down the hall, looking between the huge book shelves.

Then a flash of coppery red hair caught his eye and he moved between two shelves to approach the slim figure at the end of the narrow path.

Virginia was standing on a small foot ladder with wheels, a cart of books next to the ladder. She placed a book onto the shelf, then nimbly moved the ladder along the shelf, to place another book.

Tony stood right behind her and completely forgot that he was in a library. He said loudly, "You ratted me out, Potts!"

She jerked backwards with shock and teetered dangerously on the stool. He instinctively tried to brace her by placing his hands on the back of her legs and pushing her forward against the shelf.

For a moment, Tony was surprised by the feel of satiny smooth skin against his fingers, her calves bare because of her knee-length dress. He absently trailed his hand down the length of one curved calf and felt a tremor pass through her.

What lovely legs...

Then he was smacked hard on the head and yelled in pain, clutching his head.

Virginia descended the foot stool elegantly, holding a large book. Tony gingerly rubbed his forehead and glared at her.

"You hit me!"

"You deserved it for feeling me up, Stark!"

He clutched her by the shoulders and said tightly, "Stop saying my name!"

Virginia whispered equally tightly, "Let me go and don't raise your voice! This is a library!"

He hissed urgently, "We need to talk, Potts!"

"I do not have anything to say to you, Stark!"

She turned back to the cart and he stepped closer, trying to crowd her.

"Yes, we do! You sold me out to the Press! How could you?! I trusted you!"

Virginia turned, nearly brushing against him. She was so close, he could study the delicate lush curve of her pink lips, her pointed nose and the dark little freckles along them.

Peppered with freckles... I never thought I'd like freckles on a woman... but hers are so darn cute...

Then he took a deep breath because she looked straight at him. Tony looked into deep sapphire blue eyes, dark blue flecks in their endless depths, shining from the sunlight streaming into the library. The scent of lilies and vanilla filled his senses, making him feel light-headed as he drowned in the sea of her eyes.

Good lord... why am I feeling this way?

She placed one hand on his chest. He felt a tingle pass through him at the physical contact and their eyes met, hers wide, staring into his. Then Virginia moistened her lips with a slow flick of her tongue and Tony felt his blood pool in his stomach.

Hot damn! That little pink tongue... I wonder if it is as soft as it looks...

His sensual musing was interrupted by her hand pushing him away gently but firmly.

"Step back, Stark." Virginia whispered tensely, her eyes hardening. "There's no need to stand so close."

He raised his hands to indicate his acquiescence and she took a deep breath, the movement highlighting her slender form in her sky blue dress.

Tony pinched his nose hard, trying to regain his senses. Then he remembered why he had come to the library in the first place.

"Why did you rat me out, Potts, huh? Was it for money? How much did you get for selling my identity?" He whispered angrily.

Virginia narrowed her eyes in confusion. "I am afraid I do not understand what you are talking about, Mr. Stark."

"I asked you not to call me that! And how dare you act innocent! You told the press that Tony Stark is here in Somerville, working as a mechanic!"

She shook her head quickly. "No, I did not!"

"Oh yes, you did, Potts! It is all over the news! Here!" And he pulled out the newspaper from his bag and pushed it at her.

Virginia took it from him with trembling hands and opened it. Her eyes darted over the page of the sleazy article, detailing Tony's stay in Somerville and how he had to work as a mechanic because he got kicked out of MIT.

"You got kicked out of MIT?" She asked wide-eyed and he objected violently, "Of course not! But the press have twisted everything around! They knew I was working as a mechanic and use that to lie wildly! And this is not the only paper! There are hundreds of reporters roaming around this city, bugging me for details! They've been been hounding me since morning, when they pounded on my flat door!"

Virginia lowered the paper and looked at him with horror. "Stark, I wouldn't do such a thing! I really wouldn't! It has been four days since we met at the Steak house. If I had done this, your name would have been in the papers the next day! And I truly wouldn't rat you out! I understand your need for privacy and I could see that you loved your job!"

Her passionate denial had confused him now. Tony ruffled his hair in irritation. "Well! Who else could it be? You were the only one who knew!"

She said softly, "Tiffany and Aunt Lena didn't suspect you at all. They truly believed you were a mechanic. I wonder if they have seen this."

Tony looked away, swearing softly. "I didn't tell Tiffany anything. I just dropped her home that night. Nothing happened between us."

He was startled by a soft hand on his shoulder.

Virginia squeezed it gently, her eyes soft as she said, "I know and thank you by the way... for treating Tiffany right... she needed a gentleman and you were one that night. Thank you, Stark."

"Potts," Tony said gruffly, surprised by her gratitude, "hey, I know I am a dick but... I have some ethics and I wouldn't take advantage of an abused girl."

She smiled sweetly at him and oddly his heart began to beat a little faster at the way her lips curved and her eyes sparkled as they looked into his.

He cleared his throat and looked at his feet. "Well if it wasn't her and it wasn't you, who was it?"

Virginia looked at him quietly and said, "Have you considered Christine?"

"Christine? Nah... she wouldn't!"

"She is the only one who has your address." said Virginia simply. "And the press knew where you lived right?"

Tony widened his eyes as he considered her words. "That's true, she had my address. And it is one thing for the press, to find out what I was working as. It is another thing to find out where I am living."

Then he said softly, "Wait, how do you know that Christine has my address?"

Virginia bit her lip, a habit he had noticed, and looked away. "She told us yesterday, that she spent the night with you in a nice, uptown apartment. But she didn't mention the building or the street."

Tony dropped his jaw in shock. "I didn't think that she would ... tell you guys about our night together."

She replied matter-of-factly, "Girls talk too, you know. By the way, did you know Christine is the head reporter of our school's news team and is actively pursuing a career in media? She wants to become a news reporter. It would be easy enough for her to contact a few newspapers and let them know about you."

He shook his head, unwilling to believe it. "She wouldn't! She never said she knew who I was."

"She was suspicious of you, Stark. She knew you were someone famous but she just couldn't place you. Christine is smart, much smarter than Tiffany. She must have done some digging and found out who you really are."

He was going to say something when they were interrupted by a loud angry screech. They both turned and Tony nearly screamed in horror.

Standing there, arms folded across her massive chest, was the toad-like Head Librarian, her beady angry eyes shooting daggers at them. He was especially terrified of her from his time working in the library. Also, she had been the one who had kicked him out after she had caught him making out with the assistant.

Virginia said stammeringly, "Mrs. Jacob... I... I am sorry... we were being loud... I am sorry. We didn't-"

The toady woman raised a wobbly huge hand and said in her satanically deep voice, "You! You again! HERE! Why are you HERE?!"

She raised her other hand, a giant dusty tome in it and he knew she was going to throw it at him.

Tony didn't wait, he turned on his heels and bolted as the librarian unleashed another unearthly screech. He heard the book slam into the floor, just missing him but kept on running, jumping over a cart in the way and making his way to the exit. People stared at him fleeing but he didn't care, the sound of the woman still screeching loudly, ringing in his ears.

Tony reached the exit and ran from the library, crossing the road to enter the green park. He ran into the trees, desperate to hide and finally stopped by the pond, needed to catch his breath.

He bent over, panting with the exertion of his run and took deep breaths.

"Phew! That was a narrow escape! Oh my! That gorgon was something else!"

Then he remembered the girl and turned quickly. "Shit! Potts!"

Tony waited for five minutes and then jogged back to the beginning of the park and warily studied the library entrance. All seemed to be normal, people were entering and exiting as usual. He looked around, trying to find Virginia when he suddenly saw her walking down the street away from the library, head lowered.

He quickly ran to catch up with her and reached her, exclaiming, "Hey Potts! I hope you are alright! Man, that was something else!"

She didn't look at him, she just kept walking slowly, clutching her bag in her hand.

"Potts! Hold on, what happened?" Tony placed a hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off violently, turning to face him, blue eyes blazing.

"I lost my job, that's what!" Virginia said angrily as he backed away in alarm.

"Why?"

"Mrs Jacobs thought we were making out! Apparently, that's what you are famous for, making out with girls in public spots!" Virginia said tightly, her face red. "So she fired me! Thanks a lot, Stark!"

She swung her bag at him and he stepped backwards just in time.

"Hey now! Hold on, Potts! It isn't my fault, she thought that!"

"Really?! Really, Stark!? Is Mrs. Jacobs lying? Didn't you work at the library before and get fired for making out with her best assistant?" she said.

He shrugged, and then to Tony's horror, a tear rolled down her cheek.

Virginia swiped it away angrily and then another one fell and another. She childishly wiped them away with the back of her hand and whispered tearfully, "Please leave me alone! Please..."

"It is just a stupid summer job! Why are you so upset?" he said incredulously.

Virginia looked at him, eyes full of unshed tears, biting her bottom lip hard.

"I loved that job, Stark. I loved working in the library... surrounded by books, organizing them, getting to meet people who didn't make fun of me for being boring... I don't fit in with Tiffany and her friends... and I get that... but you wouldn't understand... why would you..."

Tony didn't know what to say.

I do understand what it is like... not to fit in... Shit... she's so sad!

He called out her name again but Virginia just lowered her head and turned, walking away sadly.