Note: This chapter contains some spoilers for Iron Man 3.

Trust Issues

By Jennifer Collins

It was late when Natasha heard a knock on her door. "Tony!" She exclaimed with genuine surprise once she realized who it was. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in?" He asked, his face serious.

She nodded and stepped aside. "What is it? Did you read the file?"

He nodded gravely.

"And? Did you decide that we're really not as different as you think?"

"I did. Which is why I'm here."

"Tony…"

"You once said that it's okay to ask for help once in awhile. Well, I need your help."

"Okay.." she started, running a hand through her hair. "What do you need?"

He held out a folder to her. "I have some unfinished business near Rose Hill, Tennessee. I need you to find somebody."

Natasha smiled a tight smile. "Well, that's my specialty."

"So, are we going to put our trust issues aside?"

Natasha flipped through the folder, holding up a photo to her face. "This is a child."

"Right. His name's Harley. I don't know the last name and I'll be damned if I remember the address."

"This is who you want me to find? I'll see what I can do, but I don't understand. Is he a dangerous mutant or something?"

"No, it's nothing like that. This is a rescue attempt. You see, the boy's been abandoned."

Natasha wordlessly folded her arms across her chest.

"The father left without a trace and the mother… "

"I see. So this is personal."

"Don't look at me like that. Here." He handed her an earpiece. "This is my secure line. Make sure no one knows."

"You got it," Natasha said.

"We'll talk money later," he promised.

She shook her head. "No money. I'll do this one as a favor. Next time you'll have to pay though."

Tony's eyes widened in surprise. He was about to mutter some sarcastic comment about how he was certain he could afford her, but instead he said, "That's great. Thanks, Natasha."

"You're welcome, Tony," she said with a little wave as he turned to go.

XXXX

It was less than twenty-four hours later when Natasha called him with an address.

"Fantastic. I knew you were the one for the job," he said excitedly. "Let me just handle some things real quick and then we can go."

"We?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah. You're coming with me, aren't you?"

She sighed. "I guess I could rearrange some things. We'll have to be sneaky about it though. I'm not sure how Fury would take it if I told him I was doing a side job for you. But Tony, you're going to have to give me some more information."

"Fine. I'll explain on the way. Meet me at my private jet in half an hour."

XXXX

Once they were safely inside, Natasha took the seat across from where he was sitting. "So what's so urgent about this?"

"The kid really helped me out when I needed some serious help. I can't just abandon him like his parents did."

"How noble of you. So what's the plan here? Take him home and raise him yourself?" She asked with a teasing grin.

"Me? Be a father?" He laughed. "Hell no. Pepper and Happy have agreed to take him in. You know, just until we can place him."

"Uh-huh." She nodded. "I suppose that's for the best. Then you can visit him whenever you want, right?"

"We're here," Tony said, ignoring her question. "Let me talk to him first."

Natasha idly stuck her hands in her pockets as he walked up to the front door and rang the bell.

"Hey, it's the mechanic!" Harley exclaimed with a bright smile. "But why knock? That's hardly your style."

"Har har," Tony said sarcastically.

"I saw on the news how you totally slammed that guy!" He paused, noticing Natasha for the first time. "Hey, who's she? Your girlfiend?"

"Ha! I wish," he answered.

"I would too," the boy responded.

Natasha laughed. "I see why you like him so much. He's just like you."

"Ah, he's pretty cool. I'll take that as a compliment. I'm Harley," he said, holding out his hand to Natasha.

"Good. It was meant as one. I'm Natasha Romanoff," she said, gently shaking his hand.

"So what brings you here? You need another favor?" Harley asked, eyes sparkling.

"Nah. You ever ride in a private jet?" Tony asked with his head cocked to one side.

"No!"

"Well, now's your chance. Get in. Unless you want this opportunity to pass you by."

Harley eagerly ran through the entrance.

"And put on your seatbelt," Tony warned.

"Where are we going?" Harley wondered.

"I'll tell you when we get there."

"Ok. Cool. So, now are you going to tell me about the aliens?"

Tony froze.

"Oops. Sorry, I almost forgot."

Natasha gently patted Tony's knee before settling down next to Harley. "That's alright, kid. I'll tell you whatever you want to know about the aliens."

"No way! You were there?" He grinned, turning back to Tony. "You know, she should really be your girlfriend. I bet she's the only one who could keep up with you."

XXXX

"This is where you live?!" Harley asked incredulously once Tony's limo pulled up in front of his house.

Tony nodded. "Pretty spectacular, huh?"

"I'll say."

"Listen, kid. There's some people I want you to meet inside."

"Uh, okay."

Tony punched in his security code into the keypad and the door opened automatically for them. "Here they are now. Harley, I want you to meet Pepper and Happy."

"Hi, Harley," Pepper greeted him with a warm smile. "We're so glad you could join us."

Harley nodded, silently assessing the pair in front of him. "That's great, but I really should get home. My mom will be getting off from the diner soon and she's going to miss me."

Natasha's eyes widened. "Your mom?" She looked pointedly at Tony. "May I have a word with you, outside?"

Tony looked down at the floor. "I'll be right back," he politely informed the others.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Natasha shouted at him. "You told me his mother was dead!"

"I never said that," Tony pointed out, raising a hand.

"You can't just take the boy away from his home just because you feel a connection to your sordid childhood!"

"Hey, that's not what this is!" Tony shouted back. "That boy is much better off here and you know it. You saw how he's living over there! In that dump of a shack with the drug addict mother neglecting him to go screw whoever!"

Natasha folded her arms. "You're assuming a lot here, Tony. And besides, this isn't for you to decide. You are not above the law!"

"The law takes too long. I have to help this kid now," he insisted.

She sighed. "You used me, Tony. I can't believe you made me a part of this."

"Oh, like this is the worst thing you've ever been a part of, right? Black Widow?"

"Screw you, Tony!" She screamed before stalking off angrily. In the background, she could hear the child yelling and she turned around to see him running out the front door.

Tony caught him easily in his grasp. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, kid but we're trying to help you. You have to believe me."

"I trusted you!" Harley cried. "I trusted you!"

"Hey, kid!" Natasha called back to him. "Don't worry. I'm going to set this right."