Tony ignored the chilling wind in his face and sped up.

"Jarvis, where is Harmony now?" he yelled over the whir of the wind.

"Two miles ahead of you. Stopped at a red light, sir," the machine replied ever so meekly from the GPS.

"Keep me posted," Tony replied.

"Take a right," Jarvis reminded him. Tony obeyed just in time to avoid getting sideswiped by a gutsy Ford F150. Thoughts raced through his mind. Where was she going, and why? He knew it wasn't simply that she couldn't carry on a non-professional relationship. Or was it Carter, the boy in that photo he still had? Maybe she knew he had gone through her things, taken the photo. Maybe she was afraid. Tony didn't exactly have the best reputation with women. But he thought she knew him better then that – saw him for who she really was. Tony woodenly followed Jarvis's commands.

"Sir, she is stopped at building approximately 500 yards from your current location, west," Jarvis snapped Tony out of his deep thought. Tony hung a quick right, skidding dangerously into the parking lot. Sure enough, there was her cherry red compact car. And she was still in it.

Tony unbuckled his seatbelt and slowly climbed out of the car. What was he going to say to her? Plead for her to stay or ask her why she was leaving? Probe her for her past, her reasons, the girl behind the silken mask she upheld? Yell or talk softly? Beg or command? Kiss her, or shake some sense into her?

Tony's time for thought was up. With shaking hands, he tapped on the cool window. Harmony's large hazel eyes were slowly raised to his, her look full of surprise, and still somehow expressionless. Her eyes were puffy and red, her lips swollen, hair in ragged tufts around her pinkish face. She looked so young.

"Harmony," Tony tapped again, more imperatively this time. "Can we just talk about this? I have no idea what's going on." Harmony sat in silent for another moment, then rolled down the window.

"Yes," she said. "Did you get my note."

"Why else would I be standing here?" Tony shuffled on his feet heavily. "Either you've gotta get out or I'm coming in." Harmony's eyes looked pleading, for what he knew not.

Tony leaned down closer, face poking slightly into open window.

"Harmony. What's wrong? Is it me? Or someone else? Do you need money? What did I do?" Tony asked, voice husky and low. Harmony reached up, threading a soft hand through his hair. Tony felt his stomach jump into his throat. Her lips trembled, and tears threatened to spill over her heavy lids.

"It's not you, Tony, its me," She replied in almost a whisper. Without warning or warrant, her lips came up, ghosting his lightly, fingers quivering, which still laced in his hair. Tony let her soft lips brush over his several times, aware of his thinking being clouded by her simple touch. What did she mean by it being her?

"Harmony," Tony said, and could feel the hot air of his breath bouncing off her face. "You have to tell me what's wrong." Harmony's breath shuddered in her chest. "Please."

Then Harmony's lips covered his, hot and warm and demanding. She tugged at a tuft of his hair, and he reciprocated, almost being pulled into the window. One hand supporting him against the window, the other trailed across her long neck. When Tony finally came up to breath, she clung to his arm, not releasing it, somewhat like a child clinging for support and help. Her lips traced across his neck and under his chin, leaving a string of kisses.

"Are you just trying to distract me and avoid the issue?" Tony asked, laying his forehead against hers, stopping her from her warpath of concupiscence kisses. Harmony was silent. Tony detangled her from him, and forcing a confrontation, opened her car door, motioning her to get out. Harmony, head low and eyes downcast, got out.

"What is wrong?" Tony's tone was commanding and staccato. The sky cracked loudly above them, and Tony heard a raindrop hit the hood of the car.

"Please," she said, shuffling her feet.

"Please, what?"

"Please don't make me say."

"Harmony," he repeated her name, beckoning for an answer.

"I'll do anything. Just please don't make me tell you," she said, fingers dragging over his chest lecherously. Tony caught her hand and held her wrist firmly.

"Seriously. You're better then this. You're not a prostitute. All I'm asking is for you to be honest with me. One moment you're telling me you quit, and you never want to see me again. Next moment you're kissing me and offering me who knows what. There is more to you then you tell me, or probably tell anyone. And I need to know. Now." He was firm and unmoving. Raindrops fell faster, pelting the hood of the car, reducing Harmony's hair to wavy, dripping mess.

Harmony finally raised her eyes to his. Tiny droplets of water trickled out of his thick hair and over his dark, piercing eyes, the dribbled off his chin and goatee.

"I'm running from myself," Harmony replied.

"What the hell does that mean?" Tony's eyes darkened.

"I don't know how to love, Tony. I can give you anything but love,"

"Who doesn't know how to love?"

"Me,"

"Of course you do. You love me, don't you?" Tony probed. "Don't you? Harmony. Don't you?" Hooking a finger under her chin, he forced her to look at him again.

"When you haven't been loved, you don't know how to love yourself. You don't know the meaning of love."

"Bullshit," Tony spat angrily. "Who the hell told you that?"

"I just know it."

"That's crap. Love is the only thing humans actually know how to do. Granted, we don't always do it right. We screw it up. Just look at my life. But god knows I know how to love. And so do you. But that's not the point. The point is not loving yourself, Harmony. Love is getting over yourself enough to put someone ahead of yourself,"

Harmony sobbed, tears mingling with rain.

"Do you love me. Tony, do you love me?" she whispered, crying.

"Yes," he said. "Yes, I do."

Harmony in a child-like wonder, lifted her eyes to his, lips curving in a invigorated smile.

"Now, please, come back to the Stark mansion and tell me everything,"

"Everything?"

"Don't you think I deserve to know who you really are, Harmony?"

Harmony nodded.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You can thank me later," he said. His fingers curled gently around her neck, pressing cold wet strands of hair into her chilled skin. "Let's get you warm and dry." He turned around, reluctantly releasing her. He was halfway to his car before he realized she wasn't following.

"Tony!" she called at him. He turned, scrubbing a hand through his dense, soaked hair.

"Yes?" He replied back. She ran to him, eyes closed, hands open for him to hold. Her caught her in his arms and held her tightly, as she pressed her head against his chest, listening to the beat of his heart.

"I won't hurt you, I promise," Tony whispered. Harmony pressed her wet lips to his and this time he met her halfway, returning the ardent caress.

"Harmony! Is that you?" A voice, angry and questioning rang out behind them. Harmony, releasing Tony, whirled around, her hands clenched, lips pale, eyes wide.

"What are you doing?" the man was tall, thick in the shoulders, wide in the chest. Eyes dark and flashing, lips pursed, hands curled into fists, staring fiercely at Tony.

"Who are you?" Tony asked, putting a hand protectively on Harmony's shoulder. He was wife-beater if he had ever seen one.

"I'm Carter," the man growled angrily. "Harmony's boyfriend."

Reviews, please! That's the only reason I updated … to please you guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I promise to update soon if you comment soon! ;)

Hannah / RomanceDoneWrite