Chapter 3: In which there is a bit of background and Tony doesn't totally suck

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Please don't sue me…

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Nina flew through the apartment, filling the dishwasher, pulling out the last load of laundry, making the beds, going over the kitchen table with a rag, and sweeping the floor from her latest cooking failure. She wondered of she should pick up her and Isabella's room real quick, but when she saw the huge pile of dirty clothes and towels, moldy dishes, and wrappers on Isabella's carefully defined side, she decided to wait. She really didn't have the energy right now.

Deciding her work was done, Nina left a quickly scribbled note on the counter for her mom: the usual. She wasn't even sure why she still had to: her mom never got home until ten at night anyway, and Nina was almost always at the shop, at home, or next door babystitting the wolves – er, Wolfes.

Lewis and Susan Wolfe were Nina's next door neighbors, both of whom worked full time, and both perfectly nice people.

Their three children were another matter.

Nina was convinced Derrick, Adrian, and Emma Wolfe were a pack of demons. Derrick was ten and the ringleader, Adrian and Emma the seven-year-old twins who managed to deal four times the destruction as one kid.
Still, Susan always tipped Nina really well, and coffee money had to come from somewhere.

Grabbing her bag and about ten bucks, she dashed out the door. As she passed the Wolfe's door, Derrick stuck his head out the door. The dark-haired, blue eyed boy dripped charm and trouble as he grinned.

"Miss Nina!" he cried, and Nina stopped.

"What's with the miss, kid?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"I just wanted to tell you, we're staying at our grandma's for like a month!" he said cheerfully. "You won't have to 'sit us for a long time."

Nina rolled her eyes. "I know. Your parents told me. Have fun."

"Don't worry. We will." Derrick laughed, and went back inside. Nina felt very sorry for the grandmother.

Shaking her head, she left the building and began to walk to the shop. It was only about four blocks through an okay neighborhood, and Nina figured the exercise was good for her.

While walking, she let her mind wander. It landed and latched straight on her mother.

Gwen Adams was an okay mother, but the stress of the divorce, her recently ex-husband dying of a terminal illness, and being stuck with two teenage daughters had taken its toll on her, and she sometimes reverted to alcohol.

It especially hurt, when Nina saw her on her days off; hair prematurely gray, an exhausted look about her frame, trying desperately to hide it from her chidren.

Nina wished she could do something sometimes, but she hardly ever even saw Gwen. Besides, Nina was a great listener, but actually talking to her mother was entirely different.

And, of course, there was Isabella. Seventeen years old and with a deep-seated hatred of her life – tiny apartment, overprotective mother, weird and home-schooled sister – Isabella never really fit in. She, like Gwen, was almost never home. Often going to concerts, staying with friends, out with her boyfriend, Gwen was constantly worried. But Isabella was planning on moving out as soon as she was able and attending Madison-Wisconsin University for zoology.

Nina nearly ran into the café door, but caught herself just in time. She greeted Hope, who was manning the station, and lugged her bag and newly-bought coffee to her usual table.

One seat was occupied.

Orange crème! she thought. Usually no one's here, so I get that spot. It was the most comfortable, though, and she could see someone else wanting it. She picked out another empty table and began walking towards it when a voice called her back.

"Nina!"

She spun around, recognizing it.

"Damn, damn, dammit!" she chanted.

"Ouch! Am I really that bad?" asked Tony Stark, a wounded expression on his face..

"Yes."

"Please sit down!" he begged.

"Why…?"

"Because… there's an empty seat?"

"Gah!" But she did so. "Why are you here?"

"Because I like it here, I like you, and it's quiet enough to get work done."

"You have work?"

"Yes, I have work! I own a company!"

"Kind of… doesn't your girlfriend do that?"

"That's not the point."

"Mmm. So. You like me?"

"You're not as cool as me, but you're more interesting than some."

"Oh. Thanks, I think. Well, sit there if you want," she said with a huge sigh, as if she were giving up something terrible, "but I have class." Nina pulled out earbuds that were so covered in mismatched duct tape they could hardly bend and put them in. "You have to be quiet for an hour."

"So how does this café-schooling work?" Tony asked curiously.

"My teacher will give a lecture. I will listen and take notes. Then she will assign homework. I will do it. I will e-mail it to her. You will do your work. Silently." She pointed at his StarkTech thing (she didn't know what it was called, and didn't want to ask – she'd probably die of jealousy).

At first, Nina would occasionally glance up out of the corner of her eye to see

Tony tapping away on his StarkThing. She was a little edgy, having him there, but soon she got used to his presence and actually tried to pay attention during class.

(It was hard, though. Geometry wasn't her best subject. She tried to take notes, but…)

Tony tried not to stare at her. He didn't want anyone thinking he was a creeper, after all.

Nina was still dressed eccentrically. She wore a full-length red cotton skirt with a pair of fur-lined winter boots. Her shirt was white and lacy, with long sleeves and finger cuffs. There was a cheerful red flower barrette in her hair, which had been pulled back into a French braid. A bright red piece of ribbon that matched the skirt had been tied around her neck like a choker. Red earrings dangled from her ears, and she had three our four rings with red stones. Red eyeshadow completed the look. She stood out, and Tony had a feeling that this was the point.

He noticed that she would occasionally glance up at him, eyes slightly narrowed, as if she didn't quite trust him. He supposed it was a rather odd situation, but Tony Stark had never really cared how most other people thought of him.

Besides, she was interesting, and here was a place where there was no Pepper to bug him about meetings, no Fury to piss him off (something about that man just automatically annoyed him. His only consolation was that Tony was pretty sure he did the same to Fury), and no paparazzi or creepy fans to follow him.

And the coffee was really good.

When Nina finally took out her earbuds, she noticed that Tony was gone. In his place was a still hot cup of coffee with a smiley face on it.

Nina shrugged. She was never a girl to turn down free coffee.

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A/N

Augh! Writing Tony is so hard… :( Literally. I keep typing 'Tiny'.

I'll try to put in more of our favorite genius billionaire playboy philanthropist next time – I just figured if I was writing an OC I wanted to do it correctly and give her an actual life.

Fanks all darlings for reading and you KNOW you want to review!