As promised, the next time Tony gave her a call, Martha agreed to meet him at the Tower once again. A few weeks had passed since their previous session, during which time he made good on his promise to upgrade her security clearance.
When she reached the lobby, Tony was there waiting to greet her arrival. "Should I be pleased or disconcerted that you're here to escort me?" she asked upon seeing him.
"Both?" he suggested with a slight smirk. "C'mon. Let me give you the tour."
"The grand tour, yea?" She almost sounded impressed. Almost. "Next thing you'll be introducing me to all your superhero mates," Martha teased.
"So you can make googly eyes at General Geriatric?" Tony scoffed while offering his arm to her. "Don't hold your breath."
Martha shifted the overnight bag she was carrying to one shoulder then slipped her arm through his and allowed him to lead her off in the direction of his private elevator. "Do I detect a note of jealousy?"
"Me jealous? Of Cap?" Tony scoffed again. "Why would I be jealous of him?" Martha offered a shrug and smile as her answer. "Last time I checked it was me you were planning on cuddling up with tonight."
"True, but maybe that's only because I haven't had the opportunity to meet him yet," she joked.
"I'm living proof that it takes more than just a pretty face to win you over," he countered defiantly.
Martha pinched his cheek. "And such a pretty face it is."
"Flirt," Tony retorted as they stepped inside the elevator.
He started the tour off by showing her around Stark Industries, which probably wasn't nearly as exciting after hours as it was during the daytime. Though, if Martha was bored, she hid it well. Once they had covered the office space and R&D department, he walked her through the layout of the residential areas of the Tower, showing her where the individual Avengers' quarters were located. That was one of the few parts of the Tower to which he had not given her full access, for obvious reasons.
Once he felt that Martha had a firm grasp on the geography of the Tower, they headed up to his place. Tony gave her a quick tutorial about her security clearance upon reaching his penthouse. Afterwards, he took her straight to his workshop. "And this…" Tony began as they walked inside. "…is where all the magic happens."
"You're such a nerd," Martha replied with an amused expression. She unhooked her arm from his and set her bag down as she took a stroll around the workroom, taking in her surroundings. "This is amazing."
Tony shoved his hands into his pockets. "I like to think so," he commented. It was his life's work and he was proud of it, but he couldn't help wondering how it looked through her eyes.
"I feel like I'm sneaking a peek at some sort of highly classified material," Martha confessed with a mischievous grin. "Are you sure I'm allowed to see this?" she asked as she picked up an armored gauntlet that he had been working on from a workbench.
"Maybe not that," Tony answered, taking the gauntlet from her. "The repulsor needs calibration. One false move and we'll both be in need of medical attention," he warned as he gingerly set the item back down.
Martha drew a breath in through her teeth as she slowly backed away. "Right. Look but don't touch."
"That seems to be our motto," Tony quipped.
Martha held her hands behind her back as she looked over a schematic Tony had sketched out on a monitor. "There's plenty of touching in our situation, just not the sort you seem keen about," she retorted.
"I like our arrangement," Tony insisted, perhaps more fervently than intended. Martha lifted her head to meet his eyes. "I mean it serves its purpose, right?"
Martha smiled brightly. "No complaints thus far," she told him while returning her gaze to the blueprints.
"Tony?"
Tony turned his head at the sound of his name, not expecting to see anyone else, but clearly there weren't alone. "Bruce?" The other man moved towards them slowly, casting a curious glance at Martha as he approached. "I didn't realize you were still here."
Ever since the Battle of New York, Tony and Bruce had been collaborating on a global peacekeeping program that could be used in conjunction with his Iron Legion. The goal was to create a completely self-sufficient android force with the intention of using it to protect the Earth from both domestic and extraterrestrial threats. So far, they had made great strides in their endeavor but there was still some missing part in the artificial intelligence design that they had yet to crack. At any rate, the Ultron Program wouldn't be functional any time soon.
"I was headed out," Bruce assured him as he adjusted his glasses. "I just wanted to get down some numbers to check later before I forget." He glanced at Martha again. "I didn't mean to interrupt your…"
"It's not a date," Tony and Martha said in unison. Their eyes met briefly and Tony could have sworn he saw a ghost of a smile on her face.
"If you say so," Bruce replied.
"I do," Tony said firmly. "Anyway, introductions seem to be in order." He signaled for the both of them to gather closer. "Bruce Banner, meet Martha Jones. Martha here is my doctor."
The expression Bruce wore was one of pure skepticism. "Your doctor?"
"Therapist, specifically," Tony added, with a quick look in Martha's direction. He saw her shaking her head slightly from the corner of his eyes and there was a barely audible huff. "Rhodey and Pepper staged an intervention. So I decided to give in and get some help."
Bruce nodded slowly, but Tony still wasn't sure if he fully believed the story that Tony was trying to sell him. It wasn't a complete lie, just a creative spin on the truth. "I heard about that," Bruce said. "I would have helped but I'm not really good with confrontations."
"I'm not overly fond of them myself," Martha confessed as she stepped up to Bruce with her hand extended. As they shook hands, it was hard to say who was more flustered. "I can't believe it's actually you," Martha said in an awed whisper.
"Sorry…" Bruce glanced at Tony for a brief moment before looking at Martha while retracting his hand. "Have we met?"
"No, but you're…a bloody legend," Martha answered.
"Is that what they're calling me?" Bruce glanced downward and rubbed the back of his neck. "That's a creative spin, isn't it? Did your PR people come up with that?" he asked Tony.
Before Tony could respond, Martha continued speaking. "Your research on gamma radiation and bio organics is brilliant."
When Bruce lifted his head, his brows were raised. "You've read my work?"
"You never told me that," Tony added, feeling as surprised as Bruce sounded.
"You never asked," Martha shot back with a shrug. Well wasn't she just full of surprises? She turned her attention back to Bruce. "Whenever I'm not rehabilitating billionaires, I work for an organization that has vested interest in the effects of gamma radiation on the biological processes of different species. In fact, I'd love to pick your brain sometime, Dr. Banner."
"But not now," Tony cut in quickly. He had a feeling that if he didn't intervene, none of them would be getting any sleep tonight and he selfishly wanted some alone time with Martha. He hadn't slept as well in the time since he left her apartment and he missed their late night conversations. "We have a session, right?" He looked to Martha for confirmation.
"That we do," Martha agreed. She lifted her overnight bag onto her shoulder again. "Perhaps another time?" she suggested to Bruce.
Bruce's gaze zeroed in on Martha's luggage and flickered on Tony for a fraction of a second before he made a point to adjust his glasses. Whatever Bruce was thinking he didn't say it out loud, but Tony was sure it would need to be addressed sooner or later. Preferably later. "Maybe so," Bruce told Martha as he made his way for the exit. "Anyway, enjoy your night."
Tony watched Bruce leave before returning his full attention to Martha. "He seems nice," she said.
"He is nice," Tony insisted as he led the way out of the workshop and towards his bedroom. "Just don't get him angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry."
