The Senate Armed Forces Committee was none too pleased at Mia and Tony, the latter spent most of the time there making goo-goo eyes at Pepper, while the witch had used Jarvis to hack into the computers to show clips taken of Justin Hammer's pathetic attempts to recreate their suits. After Howard Stern had begun swearing on live television at them, they had happily left the building, and went straight back to the tower in New York.
2 days later, Mia got word that Bruce had been in an ambush in Rio de Janeiro, one that was orchestrated by Thaddeus Ross' unit and headed by a special-ops operative on loan from the British Army, Emil Blonsky. He had escaped and was heading north, while fully accepting of Hulk now, he wanted the research he and Betty Ross had made to both make sure it was never used and also to attempt a reversal. Mia wasn't pleased about the second part but she accepted he needed to do it and told him to keep in touch.
Almost a month after the Rio attack, the pair were back on the west coast and at Stark Industries, Pepper needed a few dozen loud words with them about some papers she had dug up, the last pieces of Stane's reign of terror. So, of course, Tony was in the boxing ring sparring with Happy while the two women went to work, the way all parties preferred it.
"Are you ready for me Miss Potts?" A female voice asked from the hall into the gym.
All turned to see a very beautiful woman with long red hair and piercing green eyes standing there, a portfolio in hand, and Pepper answered with a smile, "Of course Miss Rushman."
While the two men ogled the redhead, Mia was barely letting her humour show through her eyes, and after the two women were finished, she stood, "Miss Rushman, I'd like to ask you about something, I'll walk you back to legal."
"Alright. Miss Potts," nodding to her boss and the two men, the pair left.
They were barely out of the door before Mia began to openly laugh, "I hope you had no intention of your 'secret identity' remaining in place Agent Romanoff, I don't have secrets from my family."
"Coulson?" Natasha asked, not at all surprised she was found out, she had been told not to bother with a cover.
"Didn't tell me but I've searched his brain enough to know all the major players in SHIELD, which he prefers because that way he can honestly state he has told me nothing at all"
The assassin nodded, "Regardless of the fact that you will inform Stark and Miss Potts, Fury has assigned me to be here, so I must remain here. Even if learning nothing whilst being ogled in the legal department."
"You'd be ogled no matter where you were Agent Romanoff but it won't be legal doing it, only Tony, maybe Happy and James too but not many more," holding her hand out, Mia gave the SHIELD agent an honest smile, "You are now my personal assistant, not that I really need one, and will call me Mia or else."
The two deadly women shook hands, which brought a smile out on Natasha's face also, "Alright Mia, as long as you do the same and call me Natasha."
"Of course. Now, Natalie should perhaps resign and I will see Natasha at the house in a couple hours," with that the two women head in separate directions, an obvious pep in Mia's step as she was certain she was about to gain a new friend.
Tony heard the footsteps and turned to ask his sister something, only to have Happy get a right hook in and knock him to the ground, getting a laugh from the other three. With a wheeze and looking up at the ceiling, he asked, "So, have fun talking to the notary?"
"Notary? You must be mistaken, I wasn't talking to a notary though Pepper, those papers will still be all legal," happy to see the confused looks directed at her, the witch let them wonder for a minute before chuckling and explaining, "Miss Rushman is not who you think she is. Her name is Natasha Romanoff, better known as Black Widow, and is one of the best spies and assassins in the world. She's also a SHIELD agent and my new personal assistant."
The trio looked dumbstruck for a second before Tony groaned, "Why is Mia allowed one but I'm not?"
"You already have one," Pepper laughed, the information having sunk in easily, "So will Agent Romanoff be around here much?"
"Don't think so, I'll have her popping about with me and Tony, keep SHIELD out of the company as much as possible, they're already getting their fair share, no need them trying to get more," the brunette explained, taking her place next to Pepper once more, "Besides, I doubt she'll be here too long. Being as good as she is, Fury will give her a new assignment soon enough, especially if we remain as boring as possible."
Even Tony rolled his eyes at that, no one seemed to gain as many problems as they did, they were even told by Harry that they were far more trouble prone than he ever was. So, with that all sorted, the men continued with their fight while the women returned to the business.