AN: Figured it was time for an update since FF fixed their mess of a site. This chapter is rated MA.

Twenty Two

McCoy's brows furrowed together in confusion as the hover craft pulled into a nicely paved driveway. Sitting before him was a massive looking complex that looked as though it had been designed in the twenty-first century. She knew he'd seen commercials before for Stark Industries, but they rarely showed the whole facility. The building itself was just for show. Inside the building it was a massive compound that stretched for several city blocks. Tony's company rivaled that of Pym industries, which was another big facility that worked in the weapon's department. The only difference with this facility was that Tony worked on other electronics as well.

"Remind me again why we're here?" he asked once the hover car came to a stop. The man who'd driven the car was also one of Tony's caretakers. He hadn't been thrilled to be the chauffeur for a couple of teenagers, especially those who were considered outsiders to the company. It was only when Emily had offered him a generous tip that the man stopped questioning her presence with the company. "I feel completely out of place here, and that's saying something."

"I thought it would be good to expose you to something other than city life in Atlanta and Manhattan," Emily explained with a knowing smirk. McCoy just threw her a scowl when she reminded him of their trip in Manhattan. He hadn't been happy when she ran into Julia Thompson and helped the girl out. Of course, Julia was another kid she'd been able to keep in touch with from time to time. "And Rhodes asked if I could keep Tony in line while they look through the roster of interviews they have with his future assistant."

He didn't look any happier with the idea of having to deal with Tony for the rest of the weekend. Luckily he didn't bother arguing as they were led into the main lobby of the facility. The lobby itself was futuristic looking, with sleek white walls and panels that displayed brilliant colors. The lobby was mostly for show; what happened behind those walls was the real excitement.

Receptionists at the desks were busy taking calls or making orders for future shipments. Emily wasn't surprised by their lack of interest in their sudden arrival. By now, most of the employees who were veterans of the company had gotten used to seeing her around. She was by far the most frequent visitor outside of the company.

"Emily, it's good to see you again!" Before McCoy could get his bearings, Tony suddenly approached them and pulled Emily into a warm embrace. She couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed when the two squared each other up. "You're the ass who took her virginity."

Emily snorted with laughter when McCoy's cheeks turned a faint shade of red. Try as he might to hide his embarrassment, he knew he couldn't for long. Tony had known immediately what he was up to when she mentioned going with him to prom. He hadn't been the least bit happy when he found out, but he didn't bother pointing out the risks involved with going to prom.

Tony was well aware that she wasn't above breaking the rules. And when it came to getting her way, she went above and beyond doing so just to prove a point. To her, proving everyone wrong was more important than anything else.

"And you're still as much of an ass as I remember," he retorted with equal annoyance.

"Touché," Tony crossed his arms in amusement before looking back at her. "Rhodes told me you were stopping by; I'm guessing this has to do with my little assistant problem?"

"More or less," she replied with a shrug. "I was informed that you've been sleeping with half of your interviewees."

McCoy rose an eyebrow at her last statement, while Tony merely smirked as if he was proud with the notion. She knew Tony well enough to know that that was only half of the problem. He was proud to admit that he'd claimed a few of the interviewees. He was known for being a playboy and fooling around with women.

"Only about more than half," he retorted. "At least none of them were virgins."

He added the last part with a pointed look at McCoy. Emily just rolled her eyes when McCoy's hands balled into fists. One warning glare was all it took for the jokes to stop, along with Tony's constant badgering. She was grateful Tony focused too much on the women doing the interviews. A few men with good backgrounds and degrees had also shown up, but of course he wasn't interested in them.

Emily sat in the back of the conference room as she listened to each interviewee talk. She could tell from the look of boredom sweeping across his face that Tony was losing focus. The latest interviewee happened to be a strawberry blond who'd recently graduated from NYU. Her field of study happened to be law school and psychology, along with numerous other degrees. Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise as she scrolled through the woman's bio. Virginia Pepper Potts was unlike any other interviewee she'd seen so far. She seemed smart, probably too smart for Tony's taste. He preferred women who were easy to read and would give up too easily.

"Ya know, I'm not really interested in the whole background thing," Tony suddenly cut the woman off as she continued rattling on. Emily threw him a warning look when her jaw snapped shut and her eyes narrowed. She held back a sigh of frustration as the woman finally looked in her direction with pleading eyes. "What I wanna know is why you're interested in working for me personally. You've got five seconds to impress me."

Good question, Emily found herself wondering the same thing.

"I've always been up for a challenge," the woman replied after realizing what he was doing. "When I saw the interviews and the press reports, I knew you would provide the perfect challenge. You're arrogant, hardheaded and you can be an ass. But I'm willing to bet that's all a facade to keep the press off your back."

Emily rose an eyebrow in surprise at her sudden confidence. She shared a knowing look with Tony. This woman was different from all the others they'd listened to. She wasn't put off by his sudden change in demeanor, and she seemed to rise to the challenge. He needed someone like that in his life… someone who was willing to put up with him and help him grow as both the man he was and his company.

"I think we've heard enough for one day," Tony finally said after letting her words sink in. The woman gave him a hopeful look, clearly expecting to hear an answer to her interview. "You can leave now."

She was taken aback by Tony's brashness. The woman's face fell as realization dawned on her. Emily shook her head in disbelief as the woman finally stood up and left wordlessly, though not without huffing in annoyance. She let out a sigh of frustration once the woman was gone. She was only just beginning to understand why Rhodes had been getting so frustrated with him earlier.

"Alright Tony, you wanna explain to me what's really bothering you?" she demanded once she was able to regain her composure.

"I never wanted or needed my own personal assistant in the first place," he rubbed the temple of his forehead in frustration. "The only reason Rhodes and Obadiah think it's a good idea is because it would be good for the press. I've already finished working on my latest project: Just a Rather Very Intelligent System, or Jarvis for short."

She couldn't help but chew the bottom of her lip in surprise. She knew he had been working on an AI for his facility and for his personal lab back at the mansion. She hadn't realized until then that that was what had been keeping him up at night. She let out a quiet sigh and reached him within seconds, wrapping her hands around his as she sat down next to him.

"She seems like a good match for you," she said thoughtfully. "When you look through the rest of that roster and the records of each woman you've interviewed, who do you think fits your personality best?"

Tony gave her a hard look before glancing at the data PADD warily. It only took him a few seconds to register what she meant by that. He snorted and shut the data PADD off, leaving it across the table in the process.

"The only reason you're interested in her is because she'd kick my ass if I tried imposing her," he scoffed.

"Which is precisely someone you need to keep you in line. She'd be perfect for the role," she retorted with equal fire.

The genius just stared at her with a challenging glint in his eyes. But the more he thought about the woman during their latest interview, the more he began to realize she made a good point. He let out an overly dramatic sigh of frustration and reached for the data PADD once more, shooting her a dirty look along the way.

"I hate it when you're right," he muttered crossly.

Emily only stuck her tongue out in response, earning a sidelong smirk from Tony. Once that was established they left to find McCoy talking to Rhodes. Emily rose an eyebrow in amusement when Tony's friend seemed to easily get along with McCoy. Despite their earlier misgivings at the bonfire that night, it seemed as though old rivalries were forgotten.

"You get your acceptance letter yet?" Rhodes was asking when they approached.

"It came in the mail the other day. Pa was damned proud that I got it," McCoy replied without missing a beat.

She watched the scene in amusement when she realized that McCoy was getting along with the same people she cared about. She knew it would take time for Tony to get used to him, but as long as someone got along, it was better than nothing. She couldn't hide the sheepish smile that followed when McCoy finally looked at her pointedly.

"Did she kick your ass?" Rhodes asked after glancing between Emily and Tony.

"Only a little," she replied while struggling not to laugh at Tony's expense.

"I've got my choice," he let out an exasperated sigh. "You know the offer's still open, Kiddo."

It was her turn to roll her eyes, "Thank you, Tony. But I think this Virginia woman will be a good match for you. Maybe she can kick your ass when Rhodes and I aren't here to do it."

Tony just stuck his tongue at her once more, though she noticed his demeanor seemed to change at the prospect of finally choosing someone.

"You and Cowboy over here are welcome to spend the night at the mansion. We've still got the spare bedroom you claimed as your own," he suddenly put in.

Emily shared a knowing look with McCoy when she realized how generous his offer was. On any normal occasion she tended to stay at a nearby motel the agency booked for her. Tony was one of the few outsiders who offered her a place to stay when it was needed. She'd spent more than a few nights at the mansion when she needed an escape from McCoy while he was dating Nancy.

"You up for a night at Stark mansion?" she asked curiously.

"I suppose a night at the mansion doesn't sound too terrible," he rolled his eyes in annoyance.

She couldn't hide the sheepish grin at that.

.

.

Stark Mansion was even bigger than the facility they had been at earlier. Huge panel windows overlooked the ocean the mansion was built over. Tony had specifically chosen this location simply because it had an ocean view on all sides. Down below she could see the private beach he reserved for large parties. The sun was just beginning to set, providing a spectacular display of orange, gold and red along the back of the building. McCoy's jaw practically dropped when she led the way inside. She knew this was all overwhelming and probably too much to take in at once. After growing up in a hobble next to his family's farm, it still took some getting used to for herself.

"He lets you stay here… for free?" he asked in disbelief.

"I wouldn't necessarily say it's a free night," she admitted as she led him further inside. The kitchen alone dwarfed his mother's kitchen. It had a full bar and dining area overlooking a wooded grove. "That grove used to be his mother's favorite place to hang out. Whenever we stopped by for Papa's job she would spend time with me there."

McCoy gave her an odd look as realization dawned on him. He hadn't known at the time just how close she was with the family. Tony was quite literally an older brother to her. She had quickly adopted Rhodes into her family as well when they got to know each other better. There were times when Tony admitted how jealous he was of whenever she spent time with his mother. After all, his father was usually too focused on the agency and his company to take time for his son.

"I never realized how close you all were," he admitted guiltily. Emily frowned when she caught him looking at her with renewed guilt. "I'm surprised you turned down his offer. Would've been a good, stable job at least."

She couldn't help but let out a sigh as she reached her room. The room itself was twice the size of her room in Georgia. McCoy's jaw dropped once more when he saw the walk-in closet and large bathroom. The fact that she had been willing to give this sort of lavish life up for him was beyond his understanding. He knew she would have likely been better off in a place like this where she wasn't hurt so many times.

"Like I said, Tony is pretty much my unofficial adopted brother," she replied with a shrug. "I wanted to follow in Papa's footsteps and become an agent like him… I've always wanted to help people the way he's helped me and so many others."

It was only until hearing those words that renewed admiration swept through him. He'd always admired her for being so damn forgiving in a world that had cruelly treated her like an outcast for so long. She deserved so much better than what he had to offer. He was just a lowly high school graduate who hadn't even gotten into med school yet.

"He was right about me not being good enough for you," he let out a heavy sigh. "You know that's the first thing that Rhodes' kid told me."

Emily's heart sank when she realized what he meant by that. She'd known that Rhodes would likely follow Tony's lead. Like Tony, Rhodes was also another brother she could always rely on. But there were times when their overprotective nature could be overbearing. She let out a quiet sigh and suddenly took hold of his hand, giving it a light squeeze in the process.

"Leonard, look at me," she whispered. The moment he did was when McCoy found himself swimming within a pair of dark brown orbs. "Look, I chose to decline Tony's offer because I knew it would mean keeping us apart… at least with the agency I can take whatever time I need off when I'm not out on the field. You're my best friend and the man I've come to love. Nothing is going to change that."

The joy that swept across his face was enough encouragement for her. He suddenly captured her lips with his, ignoring the fact that anyone could walk in on them. At that point, he didn't care. He was grateful for the constant encouragement she provided. Between that and the fact that she had given up everything for her meant more than he could ever admit out loud.

"I want you," he admitted when his hands slid down to her waist.

Her eyes danced with their usual mischief when she saw the tent forming in his pants. Whether it was their conversation from earlier or their sudden actions, she wasn't sure what had turned him on. But she certainly wasn't above breaking the rules. She returned the gesture by nipping at his lips, grazing her tongue along them until he allowed entrance. Neither of them moved for the next few seconds as their tongues fought for dominance. The feeling of hands roaming her ass was enough to egg her on, and she let out a huff of laughter when she realized he was guiding her towards the bed.

"Hang on a moment," she suddenly paused just when he began tugging at her shorts. "Security override, lock the door. CoulsonAlpha2233."

"Security overridden. Have a pleasant evening, Agent Coulson," the computerized voice of what she assumed was Jarvis responded.

She smirked in amusement as McCoy's eyes widened at the thought of being interrupted by Tony Stark of all people. She knew they would've never heard the end of it had he caught them in the act. Fortunately she'd quickly learned how to hack into security programs, and his AI was no different. Though it seemed as though Jarvis had taken her side when it came to whoever was in charge of the situation.

"Who would've thought you were such a sneaky devil?" he remarked after realizing what she'd done.

"You can thank Tony for that little trick," she giggled when his hands slid down to her waist once more. He made quick work of her shorts, revealing moist panties that were also quickly discarded. "In his defense he did convince me to hack into the Pentagon when we were six. I managed to beat his record by ten seconds."

McCoy's eyes widened in disbelief as realization dawned on him. He hadn't known just how far she was willing to go to prove herself. He played with her for a few seconds as she pried off his shirt, revealing a chest that was developing nicely. His pants soon followed as he pried off her shirt and bra, not missing the fact that her breasts were bouncing free from their restraints.

"I'm gonna have to keep an eye on ya," he said cheekily. By now she was struggling not to laugh as he gave her breasts a rough squeeze. Her legs were splayed wide open, revealing her moist entrance for his eyes only. His cock was already twitching with anticipation at the thought of claiming her as his once more. "Someone as beautiful as you might just get caught."

"They'd have to catch me first," she laughed in response.

His own eyes were bright with laughter as he kissed her passionately on the lips. His hands roamed her bare chest, feeling out the areas where she had been heavily scarred during the Kelvin incident. Those had been some of the worst scars she could imagine. Because she hadn't gotten medical treatment right away, she was never able to fully recover the skin that was burned away from the explosion or the intense sunlight of the dessert. McCoy was careful around her more sensitive area. Lower and lower he went until he reached her abdomen. She knew what he was doing before it even happened.

"Hell, you're beautiful," he groaned after thrusting into her.

As usual, he was careful when he did so. She was grateful she suggested bringing an extra pack of condoms. The last thing she wanted was for any accidents to occur, and the feelings were entirely mutual. But the moment he thrust into her was when she let out a gasp, biting back a moan of pleasure at the sudden intrusion. The first time they had sex was painful. She could still remember the searing pain that followed. Luckily it didn't seem to last long. The only thing she felt now was the intense pleasure he provided.

He leaned forward and sucked on a particular spot along her neck as her hands raked through his hair. She wanted him deeper inside of her. She knew it would feel different with the condom being off, but one day that was what she aimed for. She wanted nothing more than to experience him fully, even at the cost of losing everything.

"Harder! Faster!"

It didn't take long for her to begin howling his name. McCoy merely offered a triumphant grin as he slammed into her, relishing the way she felt around him. Her walls hugged him tightly, providing some of the best pleasure he'd ever felt. Hell, it was the only pleasure he'd ever felt aside from self-inflicted pleasure. She'd already reached her first climax and was well on the verge of a second when he suddenly slowed his pace. He realized with a start that he wanted the moment to last. Seeing the look of frustration that followed only fueled that desire.

"I wanna make the moment last," he growled while fondling with her breasts.

Emily just rolled her eyes when she realized what he was doing. She knew he was teasing her at that point, and she hated every minute of it. Yet, she also loved every moment of it. Her thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions when he thrust into her slowly, pacing himself this time around. Her body thrummed with the added attention he provided when his one hand reached her clit, rubbing circles around it to add extra pressure. That sent her over the edge. She let out an embarrassingly loud groan as she came for the second time that night, howling his name in the process. He came seconds later, letting out a groan of his own as he did so.

For a while, neither of them moved as they recovered from their initial orgasms. Emily's breathing was hard and ragged as McCoy rested atop of her, still inside her. She would never admit that she loved that sensation. It provided an even deeper connection, one that she couldn't quite explain. She let out a quiet sigh as McCoy carefully pulled out and stripped off the condom moments later.

"It's a good thing these walls are soundproof," she muttered once they shifted into a cuddle.

The feeling of his arms wrapping around her torso was something that she would have to get used to. It was enough to make her feel even more exposed and vulnerable than she already was. Yet McCoy had done more than just make her feel comfortable. He'd gone out of his way to leave his own comfort zone, proving once again what a wonderful partner he was.

"God knows what Stark would say if he caught us in the act," he rolled his eyes while kissing the small of her back affectionately. Emily smirked in amusement and shifted so that she was facing him. "I'm pretty sure he was ready to rip my head off when he saw me."

"He'd have to get through me first," she reminded him with a pointed look. "And believe me, I have kicked his ass on more than one occasion."

"You know, I'm pretty sure most of my friends back at school would be insanely jealous knowing what you know," he said thoughtfully.

Emily smirked in amusement at the thought of his friends being jealous over her. She knew the feelings stemmed along the fact that most of them would likely get local jobs around Savannah or in Atlanta. They were lucky in that aspect. She was only just beginning to realize that McCoy was willing to go out of his comfort zone just to be with her. And that meant more than she would ever admit out loud.

She let out a sigh of contentment as she nuzzled herself deeper into the sheets. They were far more comfortable than what she was used to – a far cry from where she had grown up. But as McCoy's warm breath tickled her and soothed her, sleep quickly overcame her that evening.