Author's Note: I have changed the summary to reflect what this has really turned out to be. Yes, I had originally intended to write a story with some semblance of a plot. And I think we can all agree that you have to squint pretty hard to see anything resembling a plot. So let's call a spade a spade, and I'll just admit this is really just a bunch of one-shots that go in sequential order. :) No shame in the truth!

Also, we are nearing the end of the song! So, um, hopefully this doesn't crumble in my hands before then. :) again

Chapter 8: Out in the moonlight, don't you feel no shame

Tony Stark watched the two women walk out, his eyes unconsciously watching the swish of each of their hips, impressed. Next to him, Happy cleared his throat, "Yeah, she had, uh-"

"Save it. You got beat up by a girl. It's okay," he shrugged, "It happens."

"I was distracted."

"Yeah, see, you should have gone with that the first time," Tony added, turning, "You know what? I think I'm done training for now."

"But-"

"I'll see you later. I'll drive myself."

"Well, you have to drive yourself now because I work for Stark Industries, and-"

"I still pay you. Still my name on the company-"

"But I work for Pepper now, and-"

"And I'm driving myself anyway, so what's the problem?" he lifted his hands, questioning, "What's the problem?"

And with that, Tony turned and walked back to the showers, dismissing anything else Happy might have added. He made quick work of showering and dressing into more work-appropriate clothing before making his way downstairs and into his workshop. Without a company to run, no one could yell at him for spending so much time here anymore.

"Jarvis," he called.

"Sir."

"I need you to find out some information for me. I need to know more about this Natalie Rushman from legal."

"Sir, Ms. Potts has already scheduled meetings with-"

"Not you, too. Find out about her. What's the big deal? I'm just curious; I'm a curious guy, you know, I'm a scientist, so just..." he trailed off, as he began to work again. Jarvis did as he was told, and Tony listened intently to the information that he found.

...*...*...*...

"I told you the pictures were good."

"Actually, I believe you never answered that question, and-" Natasha stopped short, peering out the window, she spotted something unexpected and unusual.

"Ah. Clint. I will have to call you back."

She pressed the off button and tossed the phone onto the bed, thinking quickly. She moved into her closet, reemerging in a two-piece swimsuit. She checked the security measures she had in place, then slipped out of the apartment.

She was on her way down the back hallway, about to exit, when she heard his voice behind her.

"Natalie," Tony called from the front of the building, "Natalie Rushman, right?"

Natasha put on a confused look and turned to him, "Yes? Oh! Yes, Mr. Stark," she smiled with recognition.

"Huh, well, this is certainly unexpected. Were you...on your way somewhere? Dressed like that?"

She motioned vaguely to the door behind her, "The pool."

"Oh! I didn't realize you have a pool here. That's nice. I must be paying you well."

Natasha just gave him a kind of awkward smile in response and shrugged, "Yes, I guess so. Well..." she trailed off, her hand on the bar of the door.

They stood there somewhat awkwardly for a moment, so she opened the door and stepped through, holding it open slightly as a silent invitation for him to join her, should he choose. She was not surprised when, with a little surprised lift of his shoulders, Tony strode forward, catching the door in his hand and stepping through. He scanned the pool, "This is nice."

She simply nodded, while she found a towel and draped it over a chair. Then, ignoring him, she dove lithely into the deep end. She came up and pushed the wet tendrils out of her face while treading water and giving him a questioning look, "What are you doing here, Mr. Stark?"

He opened his mouth, realizing just then that he had not thought of a reasonable cover story, "Oh, well, uh, Natalie – is it okay if I call you Natalie?"

She simply nodded, swimming to the edge of the pool and leaning over the cement on her folded arms.

"Okay. Natalie. Here's the thing, with Pepper as the CEO now – Pepper, you know, is Ms. Potts – the thing is, I need a new assistant."

Tony Stark spoke so much that Natasha had found it best just to wait patiently for him to finish. He would fill the silence with incessant chatter, but he would dominate a conversation anyway, so she just bore into him with her green (for this mission) eyes.

"I know Pepper has some candidates that she thinks would work, but she's already taking over the company, and I really don't have the time to wait. We're going to Monaco...sometime...I need someone now. Yesterday, really. I want you."

At this, she raised an eyebrow.

"To be my assistant. I want you to be my assistant, is what I was saying."

In answer, she dipped back under the water.

"Okay. That wasn't really the answer I was expecting." He cleared his throat and stood, walking to the edge of the pool. He watched as Natalie broke the surface once more, the moonlight reflecting off of the droplets of water that clung, well, everywhere. A brief image of using his tongue to lick some of those off flashed in his mind. He cleared his throat again, "So...what do you say?"

She swam to the edge of the pool and climbed out, reaching for a towel and patting her hair dry. It didn't do much. Rivulets of water streamed down from the red locks, creating tiny tracks across her skin, down between her breasts, down her flat abs, and falling at her hips. Tiny droplets started to create a pool at her feet. She smiled at him.

He blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

She shook her head slightly, indicating that she had not spoken.

"I, I gotta be honest here, uh, Natalie. I'm not used to people not saying anything when I talk to them. I mean, I know I tend to talk over people, or at least it seems that I do, but to not get any answer, it's a little confusing. A little disconcerting, really. I don't know what you're thinking – are you going to say yes, or are you going to, I don't know, call the cops? Which I guess would be silly because, you know, I am Iron Man, and -"

She had crossed the distance between them and silenced him with a slender finger pressed against his lips. He closed them slowly, an eyebrow raised in question, his hands shoved in his pockets to avoid reaching out and giving reason for that lawsuit that Pepper had suggested.

"Mr. Stark, I accept your job offer. When would you like me to begin providing my services?"

He coughed and stepped back involuntarily, a strange feeling overcoming him, almost like he were prey under the watchful eye of a very dangerous predator, "Well, as soon as possible, really. I was thinking maybe even tonight. Tomorrow, I guess, would work, too, if you're busy tonight. But I need to know when I'm supposed to leave for Monaco-"

"Tuesday," she said in a tone just above a whisper.

"See, there. I knew you were perfect for the job. You already know my schedule. How...do you know my schedule?"

She flashed another smile, "The legal department always knows where you're going, so we can ensure we are prepared should any issues arise."

He gave her an innocent look, gesturing to his chest, "I have to say that I'm shocked that, uh, that my own company doesn't trust me."

She gave him a sympathetic look, as she wrapped herself in a towel and squeezed her hair, "Ms. Potts sends them, usually."

"Pepper sends my schedule to legal?"

Natasha shrugged, "Most of it. I'm sure she leaves some things out..." She looked him in the eyes, then let her gaze drop with a subtle shrug.

Tony just nodded dumbly at that, "Well, uh, Natalie. I obviously interrupted your swim. That is awfully rude of me. I apologize. I should let you get back to your evening. I just wanted to come by and, like I said, I wanted to offer you that job." He looked down at her, a little surprised to see her so close to him.

She gave him a nod, "Then I will begin working under you tomorrow."

With that, she sidestepped him and walked to the door. He watched her, his mouth gaping like a school boy, and he was a little surprised that any woman could still shock him this way. Over her shoulder, she called, "There's a gate opposite the pool that leads back to the courtyard. It's the quickest way to the parking lot."

And then she disappeared through the door and down the hallway. He cleared his throat and shook his head, "Pepper is going to kill me," he muttered, making his way through the gate. He was a little disappointed she hadn't offered to start tonight, but given that they would soon be in a boss-employee relationship, maybe that wasn't for the best, he told himself.

Inside, Natasha made it to her apartment, into her bedroom, and retrieved her phone from the bed. She sighed and scrolled through the phone, selecting another number. She lifted the receiver to her ear, and after a moment, spoke into it. "I'm in," she stated simply, then ended the call.

Looking at the time, then back at her phone, she sighed, and dropped it onto the nightstand before walking into her bathroom and turning on the shower. She had to think about how she would break this news to Clint – after all, the bet was that it would take at least three days to get in. But he had rarely won a bet against her; surely by now he was expecting to lose.

Once out of the shower, she picked up the phone once more and dialed again.

"I was starting to wonder," came his voice from the other end.

"I start tomorrow. Stark came here to offer me the job."

"He came to your apartment? What did you do?"

She looked out the window and responded with a smile, "I went for a swim."

She could hear his smile on the other end, "Natalie Rushman, have you no shame?"

All she could do was laugh.