Ooh, this is...blleerrggh. If you know what I mean...not like, "OH WOW I AM A SUCKISH WRITER!" I mean it's...it's upsetting me...but it's funny. ^_^ please review! Oh, and this is dedicated partially to thedeathberry911, who made the most amazing picture of Birdy sitting on Tony. So, THANK YOU. And enjoy!

"How long will you be gone?" I asked Tony. He shrugged. The Avengers were going to check out who hacked their system and try to find out why they did it, thus leaving me in the house alone.

"No longer than two days, I think." He wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed me. "Don't miss me too much."

"I won't." I smiled at his pretend expression or horror.

"I might have to change that." He wrapped his other arm around me and pulled me to him, kissing me once more. Everything about dating Tony was amazing. The hugging, the flirting, the kissing, the...I'll stop there.

"Stark," Steve said, "come on." Tony moved one arm from my waist and held it up to Steve, holding up his index finger to signal one more minute. I giggled against his lips upon opening my eyes and seeing this. Steve frowned, so I pushed Tony off and said, "Shoo, Stark."

"Fine." He ruffled my hair before kissing my cheek. "Be good."

"So no wild parties?" I asked, mock pouting. He shook his head. "Aww..."

"Tell you what," he said, looking down at me. "You be good, and we'll have our own wild party when I get home." He winked and I blushed.

"Is that a promise?" I asked, still blushing. He nodded. "Then I'll be good." I put my hands on his chest and leaned up to kiss him again. I saw Steve standing impatiently with crossed arms, so I sighed and fell back to my normal height, smiling at Tony and saying, "Good luck." He smiled at me and was dragged away by the Captain, who also gave me a smile over his shoulder. I returned it and a wave. The Captain confused me. Well, not the man himself, but the feelings I had for him.

Slam.

I sat bolt up in my bed, my eyes bugging with fear. Did I imagine that or...?

Slam.

Nope, didn't imagine it. Someone was in the Avengers Mansion.

I got cautiously out of my bed and took a small step towards the door. God, I wished Tony was home. He'd protect me. No, I wished Steve was home. He was bigger and not an average height skinny man like Tony was.

Slam.

Hell, I'd be happy if Natasha were home. She's the scariest.

Voices. I heard voices, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Just a low murmur of talking. I gulped and took another step towards my door, reaching my hand to the handle cautiously. Then I remembered something.

"Jarvis," I whispered, "is someone in the house?"

"Yes, miss," he replied, "but I feel you should know tha-"

"Thanks, Jarvis," I whispered. "Now hush. I don't want them to hear."

"Yes, miss," he repeated in a seemingly exasperated voice. But I ignored his tone and opened the door, taking a slow step into the hallway. I wish my bedroom wasn't on the first floor, so it'd take me longer to get to the front door. That way, I could maybe work up enough courage to figure out what to do or what to say. But by the time I got to the front door, I knew I'd be paralyzed in fear still.

A weapon. That'd be good. I needed a weapon. I glanced around and saw a door about ten feet down the hall. I rushed to it and found it to be a closet. I reached in and grabbed the first thing my hand touched. An electric bug killer. About as big as a tennis racket, same shape, too, but bright yellow with metal bars across the metal netting. A big yellow lightly bolt was in the middle of it. I shrugged. Good enough.

I held up the big zapper I instantly deemed to be called Thor because of it's lightning bolt. God of thunder, yeah, but he controlled lightning. With Thor raised above my head, I walked further down the hall, thankful for my noiseless bare feet. I was still scared. Thor only gave me a very slight feeling of protection. What good would an electric bug zapper do against who knows how many big guys there were.

The murmuring grew louder with every step I took, and that only meant my fear was growing. The living room, where I assumed they were by now, was thirty feet away. Twenty-five. Twenty. Fifteen.

The door opened. "Birdy?"

I screamed and jumped back, holding Thor over my head but then I blinked. "Tony?"

"Hi," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Fly zapper?" I dropped Thor and threw my arms around Tony, hugging him tight. "Oomph."

"I was so scared!" I exclaimed, hugging him tight. "I thought someone was gonna kill me!"

"So naturally," he said, "in a house full of weapons, you went for the electric bug killer. Of course." I smacked his shoulder but hugged him again. He hugged back this time.

"What's going on?" Bruce asked as he walked into the hallway.

"Birdy was going to kill someone with a bug zapper," Tony replied. I smacked him again, so he hugged me tighter. "I'm sorry we scared you, Tweetheart." I rolled my eyes at the dumb pet-name, but couldn't help but to smile.

"It's okay."

"Now." He pushed me away and grabbed onto my shoulders, holding me at arm's length. "How about that wild party?"

Tony's POV

Birdy slept peacefully against me, black hair spread across the pillows. I smiled slightly and brushed some hair off her face. A sudden, unwanted image of Pepper flashed through my mind.

Oh, I mentally groaned, not now of all times.

My mind didn't listen, and still, Pepper was smiling into my head. Her red hair was pulled up into a bun, and her smile was wide and kind. I couldn't shake the picture of her. She was so pretty...

"Tony, I'm sorry, but I can't take it anymore."

The painful memory worked it's way into my mind and I blinked hard in an attempt to get it out.

"Pepper. Please."

"No, Tony. I'm sick of you always coming-"

"Tony?" Someone snapped their fingers in my face. "Tone, you okay?" I shook my head to get the sad image out of my head and looked straight ahead of me. Birdy was propped up on one elbow, looking at my face, worried.

"Wha-I'm fine," I replied. "Sorry. I was just kinda zoned out."

"You looked upset," she continued, still worried. I forced a smile and put my hand on the side of her face.

"I'm fine, Birdy." I lightly kiss her. "Really." She smiled.

"Good." She leaned into my hand. "I was worried." She closed her eyes. "I am a lot."

Something I said years ago to Pepper came into my head: "I'd have this girlfriend who knew my true identity. She'd be a wreck. She'd always be worrying I was going to die, yet so proud of the man I've become. She'd be wildly conflicted, which would only make her more crazy about me..." And I realized that I had that. I had a proud, worrisome girlfriend that was crazy about me.

Then why couldn't I get Pepper out of my head?

Birdy's POV

"Your turn," I said to Tony, taking a sip of my coffee. We're sitting outside a Starbucks playing Free Association. In Free Association, one person says a word, and the next person says the first thing that comes into their head, whether it has to do with what the first person said or not.

"Okay. Money."

"Rich."

"Rich," he repeated.

"Tony Stark."

"Tony Stark."

"Rich."

"Birdy," he said, giving me a look. I grinned, and even though I knew what he meant, said, "Sexy." He laughed.

"You're right on that one."

"Oh, am I?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow. He nodded.

"But not as sexy as I am, I'm afraid to say."

"Now you're just lying," I laughed.

"I don't lie, Tweetie."

"You just did."

"Did not."

"There you go again."

He grinned at me. "And what are you gonna do about it?"

"I could do a number of things," I replied, holding up my hand like I was ticking thoughts off my fingers. "I could throw you off the Avengers tower."

"I vote against that one," he said, drinking his coffee.

"I could chain you in the attic," I go on.

"I'm going to have to veto that one as well."

I smiled. "Or I could just kiss you."

"I might allow that one."

I smirked and leaned across the table to kiss him.

"Will you allow it?" I giggle.

"I think so." He pulls me back to him and kisses me once more. I'll never know how long we stayed glued like that before I heard someone say, "I knew you'd never grow up."

The voice hit me like stones and I shoved Tony as hard as I could in shock, sending his chair back onto it's hind legs for a moment. I heard his 'whoa!' of surprise, but I ignored him.

"R-Reynolds?" I finally managed to say. He shook his head.

"You never will grow up, will you?" he asked. He turned around and began to walk.

"No!" I stood up. "No, Reynolds, it's not what you think!" He didn't look back. "No, Reynolds, please!" Nothing. I bit my lip and looked back at Tony, who was raising an eyebrow at me. "I'm so sorry, Tony. I'll be right back." I grabbed my purse from the back of my chair and raced after Reynolds. "Please, wait! Please!" He didn't.

Once I finally caught up to him, I grabbed his arm. "Reynolds, listen, please." He sighed and looked down at me from his towering height of six-six. "I have grown up. I've matured so much in the past year. I had a cafe, and I only had any alcohol at weddings or celebrations, I haven't touched a cigarette in ten months, I've listened to Lunaire..." I looked into his eyes. "How's my baby?"

"My daughter is fine," he said venomously. "She's very, very happy."

"Is she healthy?" I asked, biting my lip and pressing my hands together anxiously.

"Yes."

"Good." I sighed. "Reynolds, please. She's my baby girl, too."

"Then you should have acted like a mother when you had the chance." He yanked his arm from my grasp. "Sara is staying with me until you prove you're not the woman you used to be. And from what I saw back there-" He jabs his thumb back in the direction of Starbucks. "-you still are."

"No, I'm not," I promised, a pleading tone edging its way into my voice. "That's my boyfriend, not some guy I met yesterday. Please, at least let me see her."

"I'll think about it." He walked away, leaving me in the middle of the sidewalk amongst many passersby. Slowly, I turned and walked back to the table where Tony sat still. I sat down slowly.

"I'm sorry..." I mumbled.

"Oh, wait." He looked up and pointed. "There's a random guy that just noticed you. Why don't you go have a conversation with him, too?"

"I'm sorry, Tony," I said honestly. "I really am. That guy was..."

"Who?" he demanded. "Who was it?"

"He was..." I sighed and looked down at my lap. "He's my baby girl's daddy."

BABABA! Okay! Vote on my poll? Or review? Who do you want her with? Steve or Tony?