AN: Firstly, I saw the Avengers again today. Just as good as the first time!

OK. I hope you're all ready for this. Lots of drama and juicy backstory ahead. All I can say is I'm glad you guys don't mind frequent updates. I remember some people get upset when I update too quickly. You guys make me smile, by the way. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

-O-O-O-

May 21st, 1995

Tony managed to throw on a t-shirt and shorts before going out to the kitchen the next morning. He usually slept in just his boxers, but with guests around he at least tried to be halfway decent. He scratched at his head and let out a long, loud yawn on his way to the kitchen.

Virginia was bent over the counter, eating a bowl of some disgusting-looking sludge. She wore an oversized UCLA t-shirt that came to mid-thigh and covered her sleep shorts. For a moment, he thought she wasn't wearing any bottoms, and his heart sank to his stomach.

"Morning," she chimed cheerily.

"Morning. What the hell are you eating?" He peered into her bowl before turning to make a pot of coffee.

"Its cereal."

"Doesn't look like any cereal I've ever seen. That just looks like vomit."

"Its hot cereal. Its got all kinds of grains in it. Wheat, rye, oats…"

He leaned against the counter and turned to face her. His nose wrinkled up at her description. "So why are you eating it, then?"

She gave him that look again. It almost reminded him of his mother, or his au pair when he was a kid. Her lips pursed, but almost smiled at the same time, and her eyes seemed to shine a darker blue than normal.

"I'm a vegetarian." She took another bite.

"Well that's unfortunate."

She laughed. "It's actually very healthy."

"I'll stick with the classics." He pulled a box of Lucky Charms out of the cabinet.

"Mmm. Very grown-up choice, I must say," she teased.

He poured himself a bowl. "Better looking than that stuff. But, I guess you are from California, so I can understand. They call it the Land of the Fruits and Nuts."

"Funny," she said, rinsing her bowl out in the sink. She grabbed a sponge to wash it out.

"No, no. I've got a maid that does that." He stopped her.

She dropped her utensils. "You haven't washed a dish in your life, have you?"

He shrugged and smirked behind a mouthful of cereal. "How long have you been up?" He glanced at the clock on the microwave. It was only 9:15.

"Since seven. I went for a run and got a shower."

"Nice. What do you play, by the way?"

"Volleyball, basketball, cross country. Oh, and tennis, but not on a team. Just for fun."

"Whoa. That's pretty intense."

She shrugged. "I like sports."

Peter exited the guest bedroom, squinting and ruffling his bright red hair. "Good morning," he grumbled.

"Morning, sleepy head. We've got coffee, and cereal." She was obviously taking no qualms about making herself at home, Tony thought. It was like she belonged here. But it didn't bother him. He kind of…liked it. She had a knack for taking over and managing things. She had a way of being in charge without being bossy.

"What's on the agenda today?" Peter asked, moving directly to the coffee pot.

"Well, Thomas invited us to his place later. For drinks and dinner. Just to hang out." She shrugged. "Could be fun."

Peter smirked behind his cup. "Mmm…Thomas, huh?" He wiggled his blonde, barely-there eyebrows.

She smacked his stomach. "Shut up." She failed to hide her blush.

Tony felt suddenly out of place. Like he was intruding on a private brother-sister moment. He turned, without another word, to go get dressed.

-O-O-O-

Since their stuff was already in Tony's apartment, he agreed to let them stay for the rest of the two weeks they would be in Massachusetts. He normally wouldn't have agreed to that. He would've tried to pawn them off on someone else. But they were both growing on him. He'd shown Peter his other two cars in the garage downstairs, and they'd actually gotten into a talk about weapons. Peter knew his stuff, and though Tony didn't mention it, he was sure he'd make a fine soldier.

Despite his protests, he was now seated in Thomas's penthouse in Boston, sipping a glass of Guinness. Virginia had insisted he come, and when she mentioned alcohol, he gave up the fight. Upbeat music thumped from an outdated, yet decent sound system. Several other people were milling around, and the place was filling up fast. Virginia and Thomas had disappeared onto the balcony, and Tony tried to keep his thoughts on his drink and not what might be happening outside.

The door opened, and a pack of girls entered, a few of which Dean knew and immediately flocked towards, welcoming them like this was his place.

But Tony recognized one girl all too well. Victoria. Her long brown hair was curled and primped to perfection, and she wore a skin tight black skirt, and a blouse that left little to the imagination. Not that he needed to imagine. He'd seen her naked multiple times. He glared daggers into Dean's back. He could murder him for inviting her.

She stayed close to her girl friends for a good ten minutes, before sauntering over to him. She brushed a hand down his arm. "Hey Tony," she said, peeking from under false eyelashes.

"Hi."

"Nice seeing you here."

He sipped his beer and nodded. "Yep."

She leaned in close to his ear and crooned softly, "I'm thirsty. Mix me a drink?"

He balanced his beer on his knee, and finally turned to look at her, making eye contact. He gave her smile. "Sure, baby."

When he stood, her hand slipped into his and he didn't attempt to let go. In the kitchen, she stuck tight to him as he mixed her martini.

"How've you been?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Fine. How were your finals?" He'd stick to rudimentary conversation. No harm in that.

She smirked again, and her eyes rolled. "Baby, I didn't come here to talk about school." She stood on tiptoes to reach his ear again. "I didn't come here to talk at all."

He relaxed, leaning his shoulder against the pantry door. His hand wound around her hip and he pulled her closer.

-O-O-O-

Virginia held a glass of rum and coke in her bands as she leaned over the balcony, looking over the Boston skyline. She rarely drank, but contrary to what Tony thought, she could cut loose once in a while. She normally drank at parties, when she went to them. But tonight she was Peter's ride home, and this would be her only drink.

"This is a cool place," she said to Thomas, who was leaned next to her, facing the French doors that led inside.

"Thanks." He turned to look at her. Her pale skin glowed in the moon light. Her hair was pinned up neatly and she wore a flowy sundress that left her arms bare. He traced the skin of her forearm, grinning to see her freckles had multiplied from their time spent in the sun the other day.

"I missed you," he said, his hand falling back to his side.

She let out a tiny laugh, and hung her head. "Thomas."

"What? You can't just expect me to forget about what happened during spring break."

"Yeah. Well I wish I could forget." She swept a piece of loose hair behind her ear and looked back at the skyline.

"So you think it was a mistake?"

She looked at him. "We were young, Thomas."

"The same age as we are now."

"You know what I mean." She stared into the ice of her drink. "And we were drunk."

He groaned and his hands came to hair. "You're so frustrating."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Dammit, Ginny!" He lifted his weight from the balcony railing and turned to face her. The lights from the buildings below glinted in his eyes. "You expect me to just act like it never happened? What, you can't own up to it? You ashamed or something?"

"That's not…"

He cut her off. "You're so damned uptight sometimes. Why is it so hard for you to have fun?"

"That isn't fun."

"Well, it should be, right? I thought that's why people enjoyed it so much. Or am I wrong?" He threw his hands up.

"It isn't fun when you're drunk and wake up realizing you just gave your virginity to someone, when all your life you'd been planning to wait for marriage. It's a little earth-shattering, don't you think, Thomas?" she answered, getting a little ticked.

"Bitch…" He turned away from her, his hands on his hips.

"Excuse me?" She'd gone from ticked to fuming in five seconds. She took a step toward him, but he was still as stone. "Nothing," he answered in a whisper.

"Oh." She moved to stand in front of him. "Now who's not owning up to their mistakes?"

He made a grab for her arm, but she was too quick and tossed what remained of her drink into his face. She swung open the door, to the surprise of several girls inside who jumped out of the way, wide eyed. "Sorry. Excuse me," she snapped, shoving past them.

She didn't realize she'd started crying until she was downstairs hailing a cab to head home.

A few feet away, there was a loud giggle and someone squealed, "Stop!"

She instinctively turned toward the noise, barely making out Tony's silhouette, and some brunette he had pinned against the side of his Corvette, his hand at the nape of her neck. His deep chuckle was muffled by a passing car, and he rumbled something in the girl's ear before diving back into nibbling at her neck. The girl noticed Virginia staring. Their eyes locked for several seconds. The honk of a car horn broke the connection, and Virginia climbed into the cab waiting for her on the curb. Tony was none the wiser, lost in the tender skin of Victoria's neck.