Another chapter, so soon! What is this world coming to?

Also, a virtual cookie to anyone who catches the obscure, nerdy reference in the last chapter before I credit it at the end of this one.

Enjoy!

If there was a woman in the world that could put every bridezilla in the world should learn from, it was Pepper Potts. Even after Tony's shenanigans the night before, she was perfectly calm. She sat through the ministrations of the hairdresser, then a makeup artist, then was helped into her dressed with easy tranquility. There was no sign of last night's tension, just a sort of dazed disbelief. Tony only tried to break in once, but Natasha dealt with him summarily. Mostly, Asa curled up in a corner and watched, and her mouth hurt from smiling. Occasionally she was sent to fetch things like coffee or a box of safety pins. Once the hairdresser- a kindly woman whose hair was truly, unfortunately, fluorescently red- had finished with Pepper, Natasha nodded at her and she pulled Asa into the bathroom.

Asa eyed herself in the mirror, swallowing hard. She remembered another mirror, at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base, when she had been too thin and her hair too long. As the hairdresser set up a chair and laid out her scissors, she pulled at the long strands, pulling them tight and then letting them spring back into curls. Cutting it seemed… She wasn't sure. But then she remembered trying to tie it up off her neck in Liretto's awful apartments, and she suddenly couldn't wait for the hairdresser to get to work.

The woman chatted while she worked, but Asa only half-listened. Her heart was pounding, and she told herself that she needed to do this, that it would be a way of reclaiming herself from her own personal hell. A memory of an arrow shaft and a man's life-blood threatened to rise up and choke her confidence, but she pushed it down angrily. She had thought, at the time, that she was making the right choice, and that was the best anyone could ask for.

"There you go, sweetie!"

Asa realized with a start that the hairdresser had finished, and turned to inspect herself.

The hairdresser, her own dye job aside, was miraculous. Asa's hair was just right, just long enough to curl over her forehead and ears, but not nearly long enough to be a nuisance. She'd done something with the layers, too, that kept her looking less like a boy and more like a fairy. She looked like herself again, and she grinned in spite of herself.

"You, my friend, are a genius!" The hairdresser waved away her thanks, but seemed pleased nonetheless.

Asa poked her head back into Pepper's room.

"Hey, what can I do?"

Pepper smiled over her shoulder.

"Nothing, for now. Just stand there and look pretty."

Natasha rolled her eyes behind Pepper's back.

"Actually, would you mind heading downstairs and making sure there are no major catastrophes? If anyone gives you trouble, just give them your doctor face."

Asa shot her a thumbs-up. She wandered downstairs to check on the wedding. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, for a miracle, so she reported to Natasha, then retreated to get changed. She had paid careful attention to everything Natasha had done the night before, and was more or less able to replicate it. Her dress today was the cotton-candy piece that she loved in spite of herself, and since her hair was already perfectly messy, it didn't take her long to get ready. Soon, she was downstairs, sitting in a bench close enough to see, but not so close that those who deserved to couldn't be in the front rows. The floor plan of the room had been rearranged, with light benches forming a slightly curved aisle down from the stairs, all facing a slightly raised platform in front of the window. The drapers and flowers, though, were still in place, and Asa sighed as she settled onto a bench. She though it was the most beautiful wedding she'd ever seen. People started trickling in, some of whom Asa recognized from the night before, but none of whom she knew. She waited shyly until Stephanie appeared. She waved frantically, catching her eye, and patted the seat next to her hopefully.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Stephanie asked as she sat. Asa nodded emphatically. It even smelled beautiful.

"It's amazing what you can do."

Steve and Beth appeared, and came in to settle next to Stephanie. Asa complemented Beth quietly on her dress, and Steve and Stephanie slipped into easy conversation.

"Where's Bruce?" Steve asked, and Stephanie looked around sheepishly. Asa had to catch her smile before it snuck onto her face.

"I don't know. Did I… do something weird last night?"

Asa had to positively swallow her laugh. It was cute, how concerned Stephanie was with Bruce's opinion of her, when it was clear that she could stand on a table and tap-dance and he would still be besotted.

"You were pretty, um…" Steve trailed off, and Asa stubbornly refused to come to his aid. Beth had no such qualms.

"Out of it," she supplied. "But you weren't bad."

Asa had to admit the truth of that. For how tipsy she had been last night, Stephanie had remained very charming. Just a little… silly. But in a sweet way. Asa was envious.

"I wonder if I embarrassed him out of his mind." Stephanie seemed genuinely worried.

"I think he walked you back to your room," she prompted helpfully. It didn't seem to help.

"Oh, great, then I definitely embarrassed him out of his mind!"

Asa rolled her eyes a little and patted Stephanie on her back. "I'm sure you didn't."

"He's got two minutes," said Steve, changing the subject slightly.

"Or he's not coming," muttered Stephanie. Thankfully, just at that moment, Bruce appeared.

"Sorry I'm late." He slid into the row, and Asa quickly scooted over so that he could sit between her and Stephanie. "You feeling okay?" he asked Stephanie. She flushed.

"I'm fine. How are you?"

Bruce opened his mouth to answer, but then the music started. The crowd settled, and Tony found his way to the platform with his best man, the military man who'd made the wonderful toast the night before. Asa nodded in approval. Tony looked very dapper, and very sober. The music shifted, and Asa turned intuitively to watch Pepper enter from the stairs behind them.

She was stunning. Even watching her get ready hadn't prepared Asa for this. She was glowing with her own internal light, like a stained glass window set in front of a chandelier. Asa snuck a look at Tony, and almost squealed in delight. He looked positively awe-struck. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Peter taking unobtrusive photos not of Pepper, who was already being thoroughly recorded, but Tony. Asa was glad; if she was Pepper, she'd want to be able to remember the look on Tony's face forever.

The ceremony was simple, and if Tony fidgeted, well, he was pretty much a five-year-old. The important thing was that he stayed through the whole thing, and when they said their vows, he said them firmly and without hesitating. They kissed, and Asa's heart did a happy dance. Two of the most perfect people in the world for each other, and now they were married!

They flowed seamlessly into the dancing, and the rows of benches disappeared from behind them as Tony and Pepper shared the first dance. At the end of it, Pepper's father cut in, and then more couples joined them. Asa edged away from the dance floor, pleased with all the happy, but not even wanting to step in rhythm. She wandered through the crowds, watched Beth pull a reluctant Steve onto the dance floor. She craned her neck a little when it looked like Bruce was going to ask Stephanie to dance, but he was waylaid by some wench Asa didn't know in a green dress. She was wearing a wedding ring, too. After a few moments, Stephanie positively ran away, and tossed back an entire glass of Long Island lemonade in one gulp. Asa winced, wondering whether Stephanie could even taste the vodka. She wove her way in that direction, but Peter got there before her, and she threw him a grateful glance. Soon he was teasing her, taking picture after picture in an attempt to get her to smile.

Asa, firmly denying her instincts to save Stephanie, decided to stay back and see how Peter would fare on his own. Just as he was starting to push it, Steve appeared to rescue her. Then, just as Asa thought all would be well, Tony popped up behind them to irritate Stephanie further.

Asa shook her head. It was possibly the most drama she'd seen in real life, ever. Thankfully, after a few curt words, Steve pulled Stephanie away from Peter and Steve and onto the dance floor. Beth was watching them fondly from the sidelines. Asa walked to her side, and struck up a casual conversation. They talked about Steve for a bit, Beth blushing prettily, then about Stephanie and Bruce. They agreed that Bruce should just make his move already.

A flash and a click made Asa started. Peter stood there, of course, camera dangling from one hand and grinning like he'd just played a wonderful prank. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Oh, come on, two pretty ladies and they don't appreciate having their pictures taken?" He snapped another photo. Asa raised an eyebrow, but refused to say anything. She'd remembered this morning that she was annoyed with him on account of the whole Spider-man thing. She turned her back on him pointedly and resumed her conversation with Beth. A tap on her shoulder interrupted her.

"Asa?"

"What do you want, Peter?" She kept her tone very polite, and noted that he'd set down his camera.

"Would you like to dance?"

Asa forgot that she was annoyed with Peter. She forgot that she was safe in Stark Tower, that Beth was smiling encouragingly at her side, that there was music and a real dance floor and she was wearing heels. All she could do was shake her head mutely.

Peter held out a hand. "Please? You're mad at me. This is supposed to help!"

Asa took a step back from the dance floor, then another.

She didn't want to dance, not a little bit, not ever again.

"She would love to dance with you." Natasha had appeared behind Asa's shoulder, and spoke sweetly in her ear. "Wouldn't you, Asa?" Asa shook her head again, feeling vaguely guilty at Peter's confusion.

"Asalynn Liretto, get yourself on that dance floor before I throw you onto it," Natasha ordered, not unkindly. She gave her a little shove, Peter caught her hand, and her was pulling her towards the music. She closed her eyes and let him guide her, swallowing her heart. Her hands were shaking, and probably sweating, and she wished that she had ear-lids to close out the music. She still didn't open her eyes when Peter stopped and turned her, shifting her hand in his and placing his other hand at her waist.

Vaguely, that didn't seem right. Without opening her eyes, she shifted his hand a little higher, to the bottom of her shoulder blade. It felt safer, that way. He took the correction without comment, then took a single step forward. Asa had to step back, or be pushed. She stepped back. He took another step to the side, and she followed. Just as she was starting to think this might be okay, he sped up the steps, set them in sync with the beat. Asa completed a full box-step before she panicked. Her eyes snapped open and she tried to pull away.

He stopped her.

"Oh, no, you don't. You're still mad, and you're not leaving until I've made it up to you with my charming dancing skills. Come here."

He took another slow step tugging at her insistently. She opened her mouth to speak, and found it entirely dry. She swallowed a few times, then tried again.

"I- it's not that, it's just…" her words faded, and she started over. "Dancing is… it's not my thing," she explained lamely. He cocked his head, surprised.

"Really? 'Cause you're dancing beautifully right now." He twirled her under his arm to make his point. Her feet moved automatically, pivoting and stepping back into him, and she clenched her jaw. If she could just keep herself here, safe, forget about Liretto and the hospital room, and…

"I didn't say I wasn't good at it," she countered. He grinned.

"But you said it wasn't your thing."

"It's not," she insisted. Don't mind your feet. Just focus on Peter. "But I am good at it. Natasha will vouch."

"Natasha?" He raised one eybrow, and a hysterical giggle bubbled up inside her.

"Yeah, she's been put in charge of my training. She thinks dancing is good for balance and control, or some such. I re-started my ballet lessons a few nights ago."

"Ballet, huh? How long have you been dancing?" He tried another turn, a little sloppier. She missed the lead and nearly tripped over her heels, but he caught her and pulled her back in.

"Um, years. I started before my gran died, so I couldn't have been older than eight."

"Wow. That young."

Asa shrugged. "A lot of girls start younger. Anyway, I mostly gave it up after I turned sixteen and realized I was never going to be any taller, and I'd decided to go into med school by that point anyway." The music was very insistent, but she refused to acknowledge it, just let herself move. It was getting a little easier.

"And what inspired that?"

Asa hated that question, but if she didn't answer it, she would be back to square one, and throwing up did not currently appeal to her.

"My gran died, when I was nine. The doctor said there was nothing they could've done, but… Well, he was a wash. We sued him later, for malpractice. Long story short, if he'd been any good, he could've saved my gran."

He pulled her a little closer into a sympathetic hug, still almost-waltzing. Asa realized that this was how most people danced, when they didn't have years of perfectionistic habits drilled into them.

"So you wanted to save people. People like your gran."

Asa nodded into his chest. Some of the sting of her gran's death had faded with the years, and the anger at the doctor, but not all of it.

"And I was good at it. Usually, I could work on instinct, then find out later that I'd been right all along. Sometimes, though, my instincts are just… off. Just totally and completely wrong."

She found herself wanting to tell him about Agent Beecher, and clamped her mouth shut.

"I-"

She never found out what he was going to say, because at that exact moment, there was a crash, and a shout, and chaos.

Peter spared her only a momentary apologetic glance, and then he was gone, presumably to change into his spidey-suit. Asa found herself adrift in a sea of people, all taller than she was, all trying to figure out what was going on. Asa craned her neck and stood on her toes, but then the crowd parted, stepping back, and she realized what had happened.

Bruce. Bruce had Hulked out, and he was holding Stephanie in the air, growling in her face.

The first thing Asa did was ditch her shoes. Then she started pushing people back, off of the dance floor, as far away from what was swiftly becoming a fight as possible. Steve appeared in the fray, then the dark-haired wench from earlier was flying through the air. Thankfully, Clint caught her. Asa hiked up her skirt and dashed towards them. Clint helped Asa lay her out, then threw himself back into the tussle.

Asa checked quickly for a concussion, though it was hard to tell without a light.

"You!" she pointed at a particularly blustery, panicky man who was making everyone else around him panic. "Go and find me a light. You," she selected another trouble-maker. "Call 911. You," this time someone who looked reliable. "Two floors up, first door on your right, there is a medkit by the door. Get it and bring it back. If you get lost, just ask for directions out loud. The artificial intelligence will help you. Go! Go go go!" She waved her hands to get them moving. The woman groaned and shifted, and Asa laid a hand on her forehead.

"Lie still, it's all okay," she murmured. The woman's eyes opened blearily. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Betty," the woman sighed. "Betty Ross."

"Great, Betty. What's your date of birth? Your favorite color? Your mother's maiden name?" Asa plied the woman with questions, trying to keep her conscious. Then another figure slid past them, and Asa darted after it.

It was Steve, and Beth was shaking him, slightly hysteric.

"That's not how you should go about it," she called out, trying not to sound too harsh. She dropped to her knees beside Steve, but he was already sitting up, and he waved her away. Asa raked him with her eyes, but he seemed alright, and his balance was fine as he climbed to his feet. Asa let him go, and returned to her former patient. Someone was already helping her sit up, and she batted them away.

"Lie back, Betty. Talk to me, I need to keep you awake until I can check for concussion."

She kept half an eye on the battle; she couldn't really tell how it was going. Her medkit arrived, and she dug through it until she found a flashlight. The panicky man had disappeared, which was really for the best. She shone the light in Betty's eyes as she protested, and as soon as she was convinced of her good health, clicked it off.

"You're going to be fine. A little bruised, but fine."

Then there was the sound of glass shattering. Asa turned just in time to see the Hulk suspended in mid-air, with Stephanie clinging to him. Then they were both falling.

Haha! Romance, adventure, action! Let me know what you think, I love to hear from you guys! And... we have some excellent stuff coming up. I mean, stuff I have been looking forward to since I started writing this. So... be excited.