To evagreenph, for reigniting my inspiration on this fic. Thank you thank you thank you! And all my best to you!

More to come soon! (Can't WAIT for you all to see what I've got cooking! Oh BOY!) ;) :D

Once Vanessa was alone in the bathroom, she turned on the shower to heat up the water, and proceeded to undress. Then she pulled up Obi's contact on her phone, and dialed his number.

After a few rings, he answered. "There's Ms. Matthews! I was hoping to hear from you today, my dear," he said. "Things are going well in the Cayman's, I assume?"

"Ye, mullon-ibnida (Yes, of course,)" Vanessa answered softly, in Korean.

"Ah, I gather our boy is near by," Obi deduced. "He's not beside you, is he?" he asked cautiously.

"Hajiman gwimagae an-eseo. geuneun da-eum bang-eissda. (No. But within ear shot. He's in the next room)," she informed him. "Geulaeseo naneun ppallidoeeoyahabnida. chogi ibgeum-aeg-i sintag gyejeong-eulo olmgyeojyeossseubnida. naneun oneul sinmun-e seomyeonghaessda. ulineun gongsigjeog-eulo bughangwa sa-eob-eulhago issseubnida.(So, I must be quick. The initial deposit from South Korea has been moved to our trust account. I signed the papers today. We are officially in business with North Korea, my friend.)," she told him.

"Fantastic! I'm glad to hear it. Meanwhile, your Russian software worked beautifully. We're reworking the old Stark nuclear plans as we speak. Making the necessary upgrades in the designs to match current technology, and the like," he explained to her. "They'll be ready to send to your factory in a few days."

"Gii (Marvelous)," Vanessa purred, with a sly grin.

"And, on a more personal note," Obi went on to say. "I have to ask- is Junior still eating out of the palm of your hand?"

Vanessa smiled to herself, and looked down at the diamond engagement ring on her finger. "Nae son-e deun banjiga eotteon pyosiladohandamyeon, naneun geuleohdago daedabhaeyahanda. gajang hwagsilhabnida. (If the ring I have on my hand is any indication, then I should say yes. Most definitely.)," she said smugly.

She heard Obi splutter in surprise on the other end of the line. "What?! A ring?!" he cried. "You mean to tell me he's proposed?!"

Vanessa chuckled darkly. "Naneun...yaggan-ui seoldeug-eulhaeyahaessda. hajiman gung-geugjeog-eulo geuneun nae bangsigdaelo mulgeon-eul boassseubnida.(I...had to do a bit of persuading, shall we say? But ultimately, he saw things my way.)," she explained.

Obi whistled in amazement. "Well, Miss Matthews! I must say, you are a force to be reckoned with," he marveled.

Vanessa sighed. "Geulsse, naneun geu yaghon-i habbeobjeog-ilago malhal su iss-eoss-eumyeon johgessda. geuleona geugeos-eun danji hyeobsang il ppun-imyeo, naneun dulyeobda. dongjeong. geuneun jinsillo chinjeolhabnida. naneun deo na-eun sanghwang-eseo geuleul algileul al-a? eojjeomyeon ulineun hamkke jal jinael su-iss-eossseubnida. (Well, I wish I could say the engagement was legitimate, but it's only a bargaining ploy, I'm afraid. Pity. He truly is one of a kind. I should have liked to get to know him in better circumstances. Who knows? Maybe we could have been good together.)," she said regretfully.

"So, you haven't just twisted his arm to give you his share of Stark, but you've some how convinced him to marry you, too?!" Obi clarified. "How did you get him to go along? And so quickly, I might add?" he asked.

"Jaemi iss-eoyo.(It's funny)," she began. "Gananhan sonyeon-eun miseu pepeo pocheu (Miss Pepper Potts)wa geungjeongjeog-eulo daemyeonhabnida! neowa naneun dul da igeos-i eoneu jeongdo sasil-ilago saeng-gaghaessda. hajiman uliga saeng-gaghaessdeon geosboda deo simhada! neomunado, geuga geunyeoui anjeon-eul bojanghaneun han mueos-ideun hal yong-uigaissda. geulaeseo naneun gong-gaejeog-eulo jeowa gyeolhonhago geu daesin-e hoesaui jusig-eul gyohwan hal geos-e dong-uihaeyahandago malhaessseubnida. geu da-eum-e ulineun handong-an ihon hal geos-igo, geuneun geuui gibun joh-eun bangbeob il su issseubnida. geuleona amudo geu widaehan Tony Starkga binsonhan gyeolhon saenghwal-eseo beos-eonal geos-ilagoneun amudo moleul geos-ilago saeng-gaghaessseubnida. geulaeseo naneun geuga geuwa hamkkehaneun modeun sa-eob-i kkeutnamyeon saeloun salm-eul sijaghagi wihae don-eul beol su issdago yagsoghaessseubnida.(The poor boy is positively smitten with one Miss Pepper Potts! You and I both knew this was true to some degree, yes. But it's worse than we'd ever thought! So much so, that he was willing to do anything so long as I guaranteed her safety. So I said that he must agree to publicly marry me, then hand over his share of the company in exchange. Then we'll divorce after a time, and he can be on his merry way. But I knew no one would buy that the Great Tony Stark would walk away from a marriage empty handed. So I promised he'll get a bit of money with which to start a new life, as well, once all our business with him is finished.)"

Obi chuckled slyly. "Sure! Promise him whatever he wants! Doesn't mean he'll live long enough to enjoy any of it," he said smugly. "Same goes for Pepper. I would say since he's made them a package deal, he's sealed her fate at this point, yeah?"

Vanessa chuckled too. "Certainly, on all counts," she concurred, slipping briefly back into English. "Naneun geu an-e saeng-gang tateuga-eobsneun segyee salgo sipseubnida.(I would love to live in a world without that ginger tart in it.)"

Obi laughed at her remark. "So, Miss Matthews? I have to ask- when are the nuptials to take place?" he asked.

"Wonlae naneun uliga yeogiissneun dong-an gyeolhon hal gyehoeg ieoss-eo. geuleona tonineun deo ginmilhan gyojeon-eul seonhohandago malhamyeonseo uliui gwangyeleul daejung-ui siseon-e deoug habbeobjeog-eulo boigehaessda. geulaeseo ulineun gidalil geos-ida.(Originally, I'd planned to get married while we were here. But Tony said he'd prefer a longer engagement, so as to make our relationship seem more legitimate to the public eye. So, we'll wait.)" she replied. "Geuleona jjalb-eun sigan dong-an man. geuneun naleul aju olaesdong-an naleul kkomjjag moshage hal su issdago saeng-gaghandamyeon geuneun baboibnida.(But only for a short time. He's a fool if he thinks he can stall me for very long)."

"Of course," Obi responded. He whistled again, and chuckled to himself in disbelief. "Boy. He really must have it bad for Pepper, to go to all of this trouble for her. Can't say as I blame him, though. She is a catch."

Vanessa gritted her teeth as a wave of jealousy washed over her. "Geuneun (He does)," she said, her tone sharp. "geuleona naneun geuga geuleul wihae gabs-eul chileuge hal geos-ida. kkeutnagido jeon-e. geuligo naneun geuui don-ina hoesa-e daehaeseo iyagihaneun geos-i anibnida. i nugudo geuleul jeulgeobge hal su eobs-seubnida. dangsin-eun geu ansimhasil su issseubnida.(But I'll make him pay dearly for it. Even before the end. And I'm not just talking about his money or the company. NONE of this will be pleasant for him. You can rest assured of that.)"

Obi chuckled. "I knew there was a reason why I liked you," he purred.

XxXxXxXx

Just as we'd taken a seat on the foot of the bed, and I was about to start my explanation, Nick's phone rang once more, and I was halted. He gave me a grimacing smile before he glanced at the screen. "Sorry, Babe. Just one second? It's the New York office, now. I've gotta..." he said, trailing off as he gestured awkwardly toward his phone.

I exhaled sharply from the sudden break in the tension of the moment, and waved a dismissing hand at him in response. He quickly got up from the bed to answer the call. I watched as he walked away, and I got up to walk back out to the balcony, more for the purposes of clearing my own head than anything.

The waning daylight of the early evening cast everything in an orangy-pinkish hue. I turned my eyes out to the ocean, and watched some more sail boats cross paths on the horizon. Then I closed my eyes, and tried to concentrate on the sound of the waves- a trick I'd used plenty of times at the mansion to help to ease the stresses of the day. But that association sent a spark of recollection up my spine to my brain that only made me frown at why I remembered it. Tony, I thought simply.

The look on his face of utter desperation only minutes before was going to be forever burned into my memory. And this is what I still saw now when I closed my eyes- his pleading expression, begging me to help him. It's not something I'd soon forget. I don't think I'd ever, in all of my years of working for him, had seen him quite like this before. And it was unnerving, to say the least.

I'd love to tell him just to fire me for his own sake. Get me out of the equation, so that Vanessa had nothing to bargain with. But that solution was too simple. And judging by what he'd implied, Vanessa wouldn't accept it anyway, as she'd threatened my life if she detected "one false move", as he put it.

A shiver coursed down my spine at the thought. I'd never been threatened before by someone in Tony's world. And just thinking about it again made me reflexively grit my teeth, and ball up my fists in anger. How DARE she!, I said to myself once more.

But soon I was distracted from my thoughts as I felt Nick come up behind me and wrap his arms around my waist. He laid his head on my shoulder, and sighed. I closed my eyes again, relaxed and smiled, grateful for his interruption. I raised an arm behind me, and softly cupped his cheek in response.

"Hey, beautiful," he said. "I'm sorry I had to interrupt you."

I shook my head. "It's fine. If anyone understands the annoyance of untimely phone calls, it's me," I joked, assuring him.

He chuckled, and then moved to step to my side. "Well, this one was untimely, yes. But, it's one I've been waiting on," he explained. "I've got some big news."

"Oh?" I said, turning around to face him.

He smiled, and pulled me into his arms. "They've been talking about moving me up in the firm," he said, proudly. "And that was a call from the Senior Vice President to inform me that it's made it to his desk, and he's seriously considering it. That means I'm pretty much a shoe-in. He wouldn't be calling me personally if I hadn't impressed him."

I smiled back at him. "Well, congratulations," I said jovially, though the look in his eyes told me there was more to this announcement.

"Thank you," he said graciously. "But that would also mean a...move to New York," he revealed, somewhat regretfully.

"Oh," I said again, this time with a little disappointment. I would hate to see him go so soon after we'd just started seeing each other. I really did like him, and at least wanted the chance to see where this relationship would lead, under it's own volition. But it sounded like we might not get that chance. If it's not one thing, it's another, I thought glumly to myself.

Nick picked up on this, and put a finger under my chin to gently lift it so he could look into my eyes. He smiled sympathetically. "I know. It's not exactly what you wanted to hear," he said. "But the good news is, it wouldn't happen for another few months, at least. So, we've still got some time together. If you'll have me, that is," he joked.

I chuckled softly, and nodded. "I'd like that," I said.

"And..." he said, pausing to take one of my hands in his, and bring it to his chest. I gave him a curious look, as he gazed intently at me. "I hope I'm not being too forward, but...if all goes well for us in that time, maybe...you could come with me?" he proposed, with a coy smirk, and a cocked eyebrow.

I raised my eyebrows and spluttered. "Uh-hum, sh-sure. I suppose?" I said, surprised by the intention of what he was saying. I wasn't expecting this kind of invitation so soon, obviously. But he wasn't exactly proposing we get married tomorrow, either. He was saying that if we made it through the next few months, which was a perfectly acceptable time period to decide if you're compatible with someone or not, that the next step could be that we move to New York together. Besides, Nick was definitely the type of man I could see sharing my life with. So it was worth considering in my book, in all respects. And, after all. It was only the day before that I'd made the promise that I was going to swear Tony off for good. Moving to New York would certainly help me in that department.

But that's before you knew the truth about what's going on, I reminded myself. And my spirits sank. I couldn't leave him in this horrible situation. He needed my help. And I promised he would get it, in whatever form that took.

But then something occurred to me. Maybe my willfully leaving my position as Tony's assistant and relocating to a completely different city would be the biggest help of all to him. I wouldn't be around for Vanessa to use as a pawn anymore, and she wouldn't be able to cry foul against Tony if I did things this way. A seed of hope sprouted in my brain, and I smiled, though I felt a bit forlorn about it. I would be leaving a job that I loved. And a man that I...cared for. As a friend. (We could never be more. It just wouldn't work. We're too different. It's not in the cards, my subconscious recited to me once again.) But if it meant I could still help Tony out of this mess in some way, and without Vanessa ever catching on, then it was worth it. Though I prayed another solution would present itself soon, as I knew there was a good chance Tony wouldn't make it much farther. Especially since Vanessa had made him an involuntary drug addict.

The problem was, God only knew how long it would take for Nick's promotion to kick in, as time was not our friend in this situation. Would I continue to have to be subjected to watching Vanessa manipulate and torture Tony until I could legitimately take myself out of the equation, and move to New York with Nick? Wasn't there anything else that could be done sooner?

I decided to table this conundrum in my head for the moment, and instead I smiled at Nick and nodded. "Yes," I told him. "If all goes well, I think that would be a wonderful idea," I said.

He smiled happily back at me, and nodded in approval. "Good. Because I like you, Ginny Potts. I really do," he said just before he lowered his head, and softly kissed my lips. And I let myself fall into the kiss, hoping that this new development would create that spark I'd been searching for each time he'd kissed me. But, still, and much to my disappointment, it didn't.

The kiss soon broke, and I gave Nick a polite smile. He took it as a fond one, and smiled fondly back at me. "Well, I...like you, too," I murmured to him sheepishly, which made him chuckle. I laid a hand on his chest. Then I bit my lip, my mind still feeling very troubled. I hated to disrupt the moment by dredging things back up, but I really felt the urge to let Nick in on everything that Tony had told me. If for no other reason than to garner a nothing dose of moral support.

But Nick started to speak before I had a chance to form the words, so I held my tongue. "Hey, what would you say to a little dinner and dancing, hmmm?" he cooed, smoothing his hands up and down my forearms. "I saw a great looking restaurant on the way back. I saw they've got a stage set up for live music, too. Might be interesting..." he cooed, trying to tempt me.

"I...I suppose it would be,...yes," I stammered.

"Great!" he hooted, grinning. "I was hoping you'd go for it. I think it's just the ticket."

I frowned. "Yes, it sounds wonderful. But...Nick," I protested. "I have to tell you, I'm really worried about..."

Just then, he shook his head, and started shushing me. He cupped my cheeks in his hands, and laid his forehead on mine. "No more talk about Tony, huh?" he protested. "Tonight is going to be about us."

My eyebrows went up in alarm. "Ex-cuse me?" I said defensively, pulling back from his grip to look at him squarely. "I know it may not seem to you like he's..."

"Ginny," he interjected. "He's a grown man! I'm sure he's perfectly capable of..."

Just then, Vanessa's shrill orgasmic howling from next door floated directly into our opened balcony doors, and I instantly grimaced, while my cheeks reddened at how outrageous and distasteful her behavior once again was.

"Oh! Yes! Yes! Oh! GOD! YES!" she squawked. I swear to God, it was the exact same sound she'd made all of those other times I'd overheard her and Tony together. Honestly. I had to wonder if Tony had yet noticed how fake, how rehearsed, she sounded in these moments? It's like she practiced it in the mirror, or something.

And then, I heard it. "Yeah, Vanessa! Oh, God, yes!" Tony grunted loudly in reply, and I shuddered in complete repulsion. I immediately bit my lips together hard to prevent suddenly vomiting, or screaming out loud, fighting the urge to grab any nearby object and hurl it across the room in complete disgust. The thought that he could actually bring himself to do...that...with her, given everything that had transpired between them recently, was repulsive. He CAN'T be in his right mind right now, I reasoned. Then a pit grew in my stomach, as I realized that of course he wasn't. She must've shot him up again, I thought glumly, my heart breaking once more over how dismal this situation was for Tony.

But Nick started chuckling, and I looked at him as if he were growing a third eye. "There! You see?! Seems he's perfectly fine, wouldn't you say?!" he cajoled loudly over the continuing noise, and motioning to the window. "You're worrying over nothing!"

I exhaled sharply, and furrowed my brows together in frustration, still trying to keep my true reaction at bay. "You know what?! How about we go to dinner now!" I sternly urged. I wasn't the least bit hungry, as their collectively obnoxious mid-coital yelping had quickly turned my stomach. But what the hell? I was willing to go anywhere that I didn't have to be subjected to this.

Nick looked at me curiously. And then looked at his watch. "Now?" he said. "It's only 5 o'clock!"

I gave him an encouraging grin. "Yes! But we could walk there! It'll give us a chance to work up an appetite!" I countered.

Nick teeter tottered his head from side to side as he reasoned this, and then shrugged. "Okay. Whatever you want, I suppose, honey! I'm at your command," he conceded, raising his hands up to his sides in surrender, and smiling.

I smile brightly at him. "Perfect," I sighed, quite relieved.

XxXxXxXx

I'd awakened after what had to have been close to a couple of hours later. I was in bed, naked, with Vanessa, who was also naked, with her head lying on my chest. And she was snoring. Maybe that's what had awakened me. I don't know.

My eyes squinted to try to make out my surroundings in the fading daylight. Then I grabbed my phone off the nightstand to look at the time. It read "6:45pm". And I frowned.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the breeze blow the sheer curtains hanging over the opened balcony door back and forth, and I froze, my eyes wide. God. Had we left that open the entire time we'd been back in this room? I winced in embarrassment. Normally, I wouldn't care enough to pay any attention to this. But since Pepper was right next door, I didn't relish the fact that she'd had to hear any of Vanessa's amorous yelping. Or mine. Again.

I listened for a moment, to see if I could detect any sign of she and Nick in the next room. But it was stone quiet. So, being careful not to disturb Vanessa, I tapped Pepper's name on my phone's screen with my thumb, and started to text her.

You guys got any plans for dinner? I asked, trying to sound innocently curious.

A moment later, my phone buzzed with a response.

Already there! The Paradise Café has AMAZING fish tacos! I know you'd appreciate them, no doubt! :D, she'd written back.

I smiled warmly at her response, thinking instantly of when we'd spent that time together shopping for office supplies, eating lunch on the beach, then sharing ice cream at the pier. I sighed, reveling in the memory. In a word, it was bliss being with her that day.

But then the moment faded, and I frowned in disappointment. It should be Pepper who's naked in my bed, and asleep in my arms, right now, I thought to myself. I thought about the dreams I'd had recently of her and I together, and I instantly ached for another one. They felt so real. The taste of her kiss. The warmth of her porcelain skin smattered all over with those gorgeous caramel colored freckles, the sunshine glistening off her hair, making it look like spun copper, her perfect smile and the sparkly light in her eyes when she looked at me...

I slammed my eyelids shut, as the reality of the situation came crashing back into my consciousness. I hated that Vanessa had got me addicted to whatever it was that she'd been shooting me up with, but now I was regretting not insisting she give me a hit prior to our latest sexual tryst. Those dreams were the only good thing in any of this. They were as close as I'd ever get to actually being able to make love to Pepper Potts, and Vanessa had denied me that pleasure this time, citing that she was tired of me not "being in the moment" with her, and her alone. She'd called Pepper a "ginger tart", spouting that she'd caught me oogling her a few times that day, and didn't appreciate it in the slightest. (She was right. I had. There was no point in denying it.) So she was going to force me to stay in reality as pittance, she called it, and satisfy her own selfish depravity as she saw fit, instead. But, truth was, the joke was on her. I played along, moaning her name here and there. But little did she know, I'd thought about Pepper the entire time. How else was I supposed to get through this nightmare?

At any rate, all I knew was, I wouldn't be able to go too much longer without another fix. In fact, I was sure I'd start jonesing at any minute.

Just then, my phone buzzed again. It was another text from Pepper.

And the pina coladas are to DIE for!, she'd said. A photo was loading just underneath it, and I watched as it began to reveal itself. When it finished, I instantly glowered at it.

It was of her holding a giant glass full of milky liquid, with all kinds of skewers of fruit and flowers, and those cheesy little paper cocktail umbrellas sticking out of it, and she was grinning from ear to ear with the straw clamped between her front teeth. But that wasn't the worst part. Her douchebag boy toy was kissing her cheek as she did this, while clearly holding her phone and taking the picture at the same time. He had this cocky smirk on his face, while his stupid marbly eyes were rolled to the camera. Show off, I thought, as I huffed in disgust. And quickly shut off the phone.

I bugged me that she was obviously comfortable enough with Nick to allow herself to get a little wasted around him. And, also that he was enjoying this. I actually wasn't sure what was worse. The fact that Pepper was already letting herself go with this guy, or that it...

I took a deep breath.

"Isn't me," I whispered to myself in defeat. My hackles went up. In truth, I really hated the fact that Pepper was letting her guard down so quickly with Nick. And I didn't trust him not to take advantage of it. She barely knew the guy! So, I decided I wanted to have her at least where I could keep an eye on her. In case lover boy tried to do anything stupid with her in her inebriated state.

Just then, Vanessa snorted, and abruptly woke up. "What, darling? What is it? What?" she spluttered.

"Nothing," I quickly assured. "I just...you...uh, you hungry?" I offered. "Suddenly, I'm craving fish tacos."