Hiya guys. It's been a while hasn't it? I say that everytime tho, so I guess it's starting to lose meaning.

Well I'm on holiday now, so techinically I should have more time to do some writing.

Technically

I've changed the F22's to MiG's (technical reasons- ask ladyhawke legend) and I went back and changed the, in chapter 36 as well.

It's not a long chapter but it'll have to do for now.

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! You guys make my day.

I was in trouble.

Two fighter jets and a dangerously angry virgin.

Woman, I mean.

I 'respected' her now which meant the fact that she was a virgin was of no significance whatsoever, seeing as sex was no longer in the agenda.

Yeah right.

I had intended this to be a simple mission. It seemed things were getting more and more complicated by the minute.

"Sir, I would strongly recommend that you concentrate on staying alive at the moment," Jarvis told me when I insisted on taking Maria's call.

"That's exactly what I'm doing, Jarvis." If I didn't take her call the MiG's might as well have me.

"Well if you insist, Sir."

"I do."

"Tony?!" She was furious. I could hear it already. God. It seemed like an eternity ago that I'd heard that voice. Still, as gorgeous as her voice was, I really didn't want to hear it right at that moment.

"Maria. Hi. I'm so glad you called," I lied.

"Yeah, well you shouldn't be. I've got plenty to say, and none of it's nice."

Her response was surprisingly dignified. I'd expected her to jump right into to yelling verbal abuse at me.

" Well actually I was just about to give you a call." Another lie.

"Coincidental that," she replied, sarcasm practically dripping from her tone.

"Yeah I just, uh, wanted to apologise-"

"For canceling the third time this week? For jeopardising my career? Or just being a complete and utter bastard in general?"

"Well-" She didn't give me a chance to reply.

"Tell me Tony, what's so important that you have to cancel on me three times?"

"I don't think you'd believe me," I told her while trying to get a lock on one of the jets.

"Go on, Tony. Shock me. What was it? A party? A girl? Actually make that plural."

"No." I replied firing at the closest of the two jets and narrowly missing an oncoming missile fired at me from the other jet.

"Then what exactly are you doing, Tony? And what the hell was that noise?"

"That noise was the sound of missile that failed to hit its target " I said smugly. I'd managed to get a hit on one of the two planes.

The bad news was I'd pissed the other one off.

"Tony, are you playing games with me?"

"Maria. You know what, I'm kind of busy, so can I call you back?"

"Don't you dare hang up on me Stark!"

"No, I'm not going to hang up on you I just-"

"You canceled on me three times. I think the very least I deserve is a five minute phone call."

"Of course but-"

The first of the two jets was going down in flames. That had been just too easy.

"No, Tony. You will listen to exactly what I have to say."

But the second jet was going full out now. It was impossible to even attempt to get a lock when I was being fired at so relentlessly.
I cursed as I narrowly avoided the third of the three missiles shot at me. Obviously these guys were in abundant supplies of them.

"Did you just swear at me?" Maria asked.

"No. I didn't. Maria I really need to go."

I decided to go supersonic. It seemed like I didn't really have any other options at the moment. I had to be careful though. I needed to make sure I had enough power to get me home.

"If the line goes dead and you are a goner Tony," she threatened.

"Yeah," I muttered, "I will be."

"What are you? Suicidal?"

"No."

Well actually, going on a mission like this? Some might say yes.

"Good, 'cuz I don't have time. If anyone should be suicidal it should be me. Why are you so intent on screwing things up for me, Tony? When I don't want to see you you're there, and when I need to see you you're not. I swear Tony, after this CGI work, it is over. If you don't stay away from me I'm going to get a restraining order. Do you have any idea ho-"

I interrupted her. "Did you just call me up so you could just shout at me or was there actually a point to all this?"

She was silent for a few seconds. Usually, I'd let her rant on at me, but at the moment I had bigger fish to fry.

Much bigger.

"I-I want a meeting."

"Yeah, well that's impossible at the moment. Speak to my P.A."

"I want a meeting tomorrow night."

"I can't I've got a meetings all day-"

S.H.I.E.L.D.

"And you won't be back until ten, I know, but after that you're free."

"How do you know that?" I asked, a little surprised.

"I spoke to your P.A."

"You've been discussing my schedule, with my P.A?" I almost couldn't believe it.

"Yes, I have. Now, I want a meeting at 10.30 tomorrow. Miss Potts told me that it was too late and that you'd be tired but I want you to tell her that actually it's absolutely fine."

I didn't reply, still shocked that these two women were talking about my schedule behind my back. I wondered what other information Maria had got out of Pepper.

"Tony!"

"It's a little late, don't you think?" Even though I knew categorically that nothing would happen, part of me liked the idea of having her over at that time of night.

"If I don't have my meeting tomorrow night then I'd really tighten up your security, Tony. A pissed of woman is not a nice thing to encounter in the middle of the night."

I lingered on that thought. It was one I liked. Maybe it was worth canceling again.

"Dangerous?" I asked.

"Very."

I smiled. "You can have your meeting Maria. I'll be in all night."

"Good," she said and with that ended the call.

The second jet seemed to have given up.

Honestly these North Koreans. Give up too easily.

Well, at least that was sorted.

Now I needed to go blast some weapons.

And then do a whole load of CGI work.