Notes: I am so sorry for all the delay on this chapter! To make it faster I just finished and published. My new amazing lovely beta will check it later, then I'll update.

WOW. Seriously guys I am shocked and in love with all of you. Thank you so much for all the kudos, favorites, comments, all the support. You make writing even more fun.

So, this is the last one. Here.

Yes, there is a sequel to this, called "A Dama Vingadora", which I am still not sure how to translate exactly. My beta suggested "The Lady Avenger", any thoughts? That fanfic has a total of 20 chapters of pure fluffiness and luv, we will jump head first on Thor 2, a lot of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Captain America 2.

But back here… Last chapter, spoilers from "Avengers" (the first movie), a major change in the end of the movie and what would be the hook for AoS first episode… And, of course, lots of love.

Chapter 7

Toni wasn't opposed to having a drink with Loki, but nobody paid her any mind. They ended tying the Evil Diva and dropping him on SHIIELD's HQ, that one that is basically in the freaking middle of New York, and then they went to grab a bite.

They also got the Tesseract and put on a super secure vault on Stark Tower. There was no fucking way in Hell that thing was going back to Fury's hands.

The couple that owned the joint was cleaning up after all the mess the aliens left behind, but they insisted on feeding the Avengers. Shawarma was nice.

Now, looking around, Toni could barely believe where she was. And with whom.

Everybody was quiet, not for lack of talking subjects. More likely it was the shock that had finally settled on all of them, and now they were realizing that they don't really knew each other. Though a couple of hours ago they had almost died together, they knew close to nothing about each other.

Toni watched Thor plunge through his food. She knew of dr. Selvig and Thor's terrestrial lady love was, as far as Toni knew, a genius on astrophysics. Maybe she should get in touch with them and see where that would lead. Bruce, to whom they got some SHIELD scrubs, was eating silently. Toni was worried he would have some kind of bad funk going on, blaming himself or whatever, but for now he seemed okay, almost in peace.

Right now the most interesting figures on the table were Natasha and Clint. Toni didn't know what was the thing between those two, but they looked very comfortable with each other. Clint had one of his legs casually thrown over Natasha's chair and she would let put her hand on his thigh form time to time. There was something going on there and Toni wanted to know what it was.

Steve… Well, she didn't want to think about him in the moment. They were two completely different people and half of the time the billionaire wanted to strangle him for being such a stick in the mud. The other half of the time she kept wondering how would be to tear his clothes apart. Not the kind of thought she should be entertaining right now.

Steve bothered her just because he was there, so she wouldn't talk to him or even think about him. Easier that way.

When they finished eating and the owners of the joint refused to charge them anything – Toni would ask Pepper to arrange the rebuilding of the place A.S.A.P. –they left to make their way back to S.H.I.E.L.D.

Toni expected a lot of things, but seeing Pepper inside the building, mingling with the agents, wasn't one of those things. She was wearing one of those lovely power suits of hers, black Lamboutins and she seemed desperate.

"Pepper?"

Upon hearing Toni's voice the redhead turned immediately. "Toni!" She came walking in the billionaire's direction "Oh my God! When I saw you on the news... Don't you ever do that to me again! I thought you were going to die and I would never see you again."

Toni raised her hands, because Pepper might not be the Hulk, but getting slapped wasn't high on her lists of priorities. "Pepper, I'm fine, I swear."

"I was so scared." Pepper declared before throwing her arms around Toni's neck and kissing her.

It was amazing kissing Pepper when she was taller than Toni, like now. Actually, kissing Pepper was always amazing. So Toni just put her hands in Pepper's waist and went with it. Unfortunately was a very short kiss with a distinct lack of tongue.

When Pepper let her go Toni was still a bit shocked. "Well, in that case… Yes, I almost died. It was awful. It still hurts."

Pepper threw her a look, but she was holding a smile.

"OK, I'm sorry." Toni said, even though she wasn't feeling all that sorry "I couldn't help it. But for the record: I tried to call you!"

"I was busy!" The redhead defended herself "Crying in front of the TV, because you were carrying a nuke into a black hole!"

"Well, next time answer the freaking phone. My last words were almost lost because you didn't pick the phone." Toni replied "And for you information that wasn't a black hole. Actually it was a…"

Somebody cleared their throat. Both women turned at the same time to be confronted by the rest of the Avengers. Pepper blushed, Toni smiled broadly.

"Dear teammates, let me introduce to you all this amazing redhead." She said proudly "Pepper Pots, CEO of my company and the almost love of my life."

"Almost love?" Pepper arched a brow.

"It came really close." Toni teased with a smirk.

Pepper ignored her and looked at Natasha. "Nat. How are you?"

"Been better." The assassin answered "You?"

"Well, apart from Toni almost scaring me to death, I'm fine." The redheads laughed, ignoring Toni's pout.

Natasha proceeded to introduce Pepper properly to the other Avengers.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Pepper asked, turning once again to Toni.

"Yeah, I am, but…" Toni stopped. She didn't want to be the one to tell Pepper about Phil, at the same time she knew it would be better. "Agent Coulson…"

"I know." Pepper cut her.

"You do?" Toni was confused.

"Yes, but you don't need to worry. He'll be okay…"

"Pepper, he's not going to be okay." It was Toni's turn to cut the other woman. "Phil is dead."

Pepper was looking at Toni as if she was completely crazy. " Of course he isn't, Toni. He got hurt pretty bad and it was touch and go for a while, but the doctors think he will make a full recovery in a couple of months."

A very heavy silence settled among them until Steve decided to break it. "Miss Potts, who told you that?"

"Phil." She said hesitantly "He called me to know if I was okay, if I made it back to New York…"

"I am going to kill that son of a bitch!" Toni vociferated, marching down the hallway.

"Stark, wait!" Steve called, but she ignored him.

She stomped down the halls and the son of bitch she was looking for had the misfortune of showing up in front of her.

"Miss Stark, what are you…"

"You bastard!" Toni pulled her arm back, getting ready do punch Nick, but someone grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back.

At first she thought it was Steve, but when she looked behind her shoulder it was Barton that was holding her. The archer didn't seem all that happy either.

"Sir…" he said, and the word seemed to be ripped form him "Is it true that Agent Coulson is alive?" He might appear calm, but Toni was still being held by him and she could feel the tension on his body, like he was one step from snapping.

Fury didn't say anything, but his silence was loud and clear.

"You bastard!" Toni yelled again.

"Stark, it was needed." He said firmly "Otherwise…"

"Needed?" She yelled "What else have you done? Dipped his card collection in some random pool of blood?"

Another silence. Toni thought she might throw up. "From now on S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't exist to me." She declared. "You all stay the hell away from me, my associates and my life."

"Stark, you are being way too emotional…"

"I never thought we would be the flawless good guys, Nick." She cut him. He was not getting away with calling her 'emotional', like it was a woman's flaw. "I never had any illusions about what we might need to do to go against all the monsters out there. But what you just did… The way you used us all this time… Us! We were on your side, fighting with you" She stopped and took a breath "I won't be your tool, Fury. This is over."

Toni left and Pepper hurried after her. When the brunette passed Bruce she grabbed him by the arm and took him with them. They left S.H.I.E.L.D.

XxX

"Toni?"

Toni felt her chest constrict upon hearing Pepper's hesitation on talking to her. That was her fault. Last night, after they left S.H.I.E.L.D., Toni had locked herself up on her workshop with a bottle of whisky. She drank most of the time and, in what was left of it, tinkered with her suit, that was pretty banged up after the battle.

She refused to speak with either Bruce and Pepper, she grumbled, got drunk and generally felt sorry for herself. A lot. Now she only felt selfish and guilty. Pepper got pretty shocked about the way they used Coulson to make they work together, but Toni knew that the redhead had wanted to see him and only didn't because she decided to take Toni's side.

Now she was becoming a cockblocker.

"Jarvis, stop the music." She asked and the workshop was immediately drowned in silence. "What's up, Peps?" She forced herself to smile.

"Natasha just called." The other woman said softly "They're going to Central Park, so Thor take the Tesseract and Loki to Asgard. Just the team, no S.H.I.E.L.D. or Fury. You and Bruce should go."

"Bruce wants to go?" Toni asked.

"He thinks it'll bring some kind of closure." Pepper said "He is quite spiritual."

"Somebody gotta be…"

They traded a long look.

"You know, if you wanna talk to with the Agent…"

"Are you going, Toni?" Pepper cut.

"Yeah." She sighed. "I just need to retouch my makeup."

XxX

Of course that, before she could even resemble a human being, Toni had to puke all the whisky, take 3 aspirins and apply a pound of makeup. But after that she got her best "business" Chanel, her favourite black Lamboutins and her Dolce & Gabbana sun glasses, grabbed Bruce by the jacket, picked up the Tesseract, sat on the newest car on her garage and left for Central Park.

Bruce was eerily silent in face of it all.

"Sorry." Toni spoke up, because the quiet bothered her "I shouldn't have pulled you that way yesterday, like you were mine or something. Maybe you wanted to stay with them…"

"I didn't." Bruce said softly but honestly. "After everything I was already trying to figure out how to sneak out".

Toni smiled "Bruce, Stark Tower will Always be open to you if you wanna stay." She said "I would love to have you around. I stay in Malibu a lot, so it's not like I'll be in your hair all the time."

Bruce was quiet for a long minute, staring at this hands that were on his lap. "You know... Before I would say "no" to this conversation before it even started." He said reflexively "But after yesterday... I really want to try, Toni. So yes, I accept your offer."

Toni was so shocked by the positive answer –she really thought it would take a whole lot of begging to make him want to stay –that she didn't know what to say for a couple of seconds. The she squealed like a five year old.

"This is going to be awesome, Bruce!" She celebrated "I'll finally have someone to talk science with me! We'll be besties! We can have naked pillow fights!"

"Hum... Better not." Bruce said, but he was laughing.

Toni was so excited she didn't even answer that. Bruce was an amazing man and she truly wanted to help him somehow, give him some sense of normalcy. Granted life for her wasn't really normal, or what people considered normal, but that was okay. Good intentions gotta count for something.

If Jarvis was around he would probably go all "They do say the road to hell is paved with good intentions for a reason, madam."

Toni parked right behind the black SUV from where Natasha was coming out with Doctor Selvig. The redhead saw her and Bruce and waved. Clint, that exited by the other side opened the door for Thor and Loki.

"I didn't think you'd come." Nat said to Toni as soon as they were close.

"Don't know if I should." Toni grumbled "I gotta a hangover."

Natasha snickered then turned to Bruce. "How are you, doc?"

"I'm fine." He answered then seemed surprised by how truth that was.

"He is going to live with me!" Toni declared, unable to help herself. "Bruce will stay at home wearing nothing but a frilly apron, cooking and cleaning, while I work and provide for the family."

Bruce was shaking his head –and probably questioning his decision –Natasha was looking confused and shocked, but it was the third person –the one that dropped uninvited on the conversation –that asked the funny question.

"Are you and Dr. Banner… Together now?"

Toni had her best smile on when she looked at the Captain. He was dresses like a hundred year old grampa. Though… That was what he was. The billionaire genius was extremely satisfied by the way the Captain's eyes dropped down her body, as if he couldn't help it.

Her Channel suit was truly perfect. Grey, to her knees, very tight fitting, in case you're wondering. It also had a generous neckline, the arc reactor needed to breath after all.

"Bruce will live in the Stark Tower." She informed "I'll still spend most of my time in Malibu, but you're also welcome at the Tower. No need to let anyone know. The day you finally get tired of these S.H.I.E.L.D. assholes, you grab your stuff and move in. Actually, don't grab any stuff, you seriously need a change in style. Pepper will help you with that."

Steve seemed surprised. Toni could understand, because she also felt that way. She hadn't planned on saying anything like that, she wasn't about to turn her beautiful building in a shelter for homeless heroes. Alas, now was too late, she had already said it.

"Wow… Thanks." Steve was still in shock.

Toni decided to talk to Natasha before she said anything else to the Capsicle. "You as well, Romanoff." The spy had this infuriating smirk on "The day you need, my doors are open, as long as S.H.I.E.L.D. stays outside."

"Thanks, Toni." Now her smile was more sincere.

"Same to you!" She screamed to Thor and Clint, attracting their attention to her. "Thor, just live the psycho brother at home and you can even bring your girl. And you, bird-guy, will have to walk around shirtless. But, if you insist on walking naked, I guess I'll have to accept." She sighed dramatically.

Thor agreed excitedly, while Clint smirked and saluted. Yep, seeing that one naked wouldn't be any problem. What were those arms? And that butt!

"Let's put this show on the road" Toni declared. It was almost over.

Bruce –such a gentleman –had grabbed the suitcase with the Tesseract. Doctor Selvig brought from the SUV a kind of glass container, where Bruce put the Cube.

"Well, Point Break…" Toni approached Thor "It's been a pleasure."

"Most certainly, Lady of Iron." Thor smiled "Our battle was a great one. Songs will be sung about this day."

"As long as it isn't country I'm all for it." She shrugged.

Thor laughed and hugged Toni. The guy was freaking huge. Actually, in that position she could just… She probably shouldn't, but who could judge her for not passing an opportunity like this?

She wormed her arms around the god waist, sleazed her hands down and squeezed his ass. "Holy crap. Are you made of marble?" She asked surprised "I could break a tooth biting that."

Thor –far from looking offended –threw his head back and laughed.

Selvig gave the Norse hunk the Cube, who offered the other handle to Loki to hold to. The less charming version of Hannibal Lecter had no choice but to hold it. They were both involved by a strong light and disappeared.

"Time to go, doc." Toni smiled at Bruce.

They said their goodbyes –Bruce even gave Nat a hug! –Toni was somewhat civilized and shook hand with Steve –even though what she really wanted was to give him the same she gave Thor –then the billionaire and the crazy scientist got into her car.

"So…" She turned a Machiavellian smile on Bruce's direction "Let's build a couple of buildings and explode a couple of labs?"

Notes: So, this is it.

Yes, Phil is alive. I love him! Hahaha I regret nothing.

Hope this wasn't to terrible to read –grammatically speaking –I will wait for your reviews to know about the rest. Thank you so much for the support through this.

I hope to see you all in two weeks with the sequel and next Tuesday with my newest piece of fluff: "What if…" Details to be revealed ;)

Lots of love

xoxo