The Unknown Variable

Hello, yes this is the next chapter. The reason that these are being updated faster than Sophi is because the chapters are shorter... for the most part. IM STILL WRITING SOPHI it should be out soon.

anyway I do not own avengers, iron man, harry potter or anything else, disney, marvel, Jk, and WB do.

Penny POV

I had been working for Tony for a month, and let's just say it's been interesting. For one thing, I was let into night clubs and casinos without much thought. Because I was Tony's personal babysitter and had to go wherever he went everyone assumed that I was at least eighteen. They simply believed that I just looked young for my age and that was how I got the job.

After that first confrontation with Pepper I didn't see her very often. The only time I saw her was when she threw out the trash, because I watched her so I could learn how to do it efficiently. Pepper had given me all the jobs that kept me in constant proximity with Tony. Anywhere he went, I followed.

Sadly, because of Tony's reputation as a playboy, everyone assumed that I had subdued him into giving me the job. It was quite disturbing when you think about it, I was fifteen for crying out loud. When I first heard that I blushed like mad, and shuttered. I had no interest towards Tony like that, it was just wrong!

Pepper seemed satisfied when I told her that, she was worried that Tony was going to take advantage of me, though I doubt Tony would ever do that. He didn't seem the type, even if he was a playboy. Even Tony seemed disgusted at the stories the media was spouting.

In the past month nothing really exciting or important happened, I was adjusting to life as Tony Stark's second assistant, which brings me back to the present.

There's an award ceremony for Tony going on right now, and everyone, including Pepper and Stane was there. But we weren't, Tony was in a casino gambling with two girls on each side. I was behind the gathered crowd, keeping Tony in sight. I sighed in dismay, sometimes I was more mature than my boss... okay, a lot of the time I was.

"Hello, Penny," a voice spoke behind me. I spun around to see Rhodey standing behind me holding Tony's award. "Rhodey," I nodded to him in greeting. "I tried to get Tony to show up."

He just shook his head. Tony was impossible sometimes. "I know you did. Let's get him out of here."

I smiled at him, happy to leave this alcoholic smelling place. I watched amused as Rhodes confronted Tony and walked him out the door... after a battle of wills in which Tony only surrendered to after my name was dragged into the conversation.

Even though Pepper wouldn't say it, Rhodes told me that since I appeared Tony became easier to handle, slightly.

Now Pepper and Rhodey both knew Tony's new weakness that made him agreeable for eighty percent of the time. The weakness was me. They just had to bring up how this was affecting me or how I wasn't happy here, etc. and Tony would give in. I had apparently wormed my way into his iron heart, even if he would never admit it.

Walking to the car with Tony and his little team of bodyguards or whatever they were, I couldn't help but scowl as a reporter ran up to Tony. After giving the blonde my worst glare, which caused her to glance at me worryingly before starting her 'interview' with Tony, I got in the car and blocked out the conversation. Or I did until the mention of my name caught my attention. Listening closely, I wondered what type of conversation I was being brought up in... and worried slightly about that too.

"-Penny Telnets and you true?" I heard the blonde reporter say. I rolled my eyes, 'not that rumor again'.

"Now, why would I date my assistant? There is no relationship between us, and I can prove it to you if you'd like." I heard Tony say smoothly.

"Oh?" she asked, flirting with him; causing me to fake gagging. "And how are you going to accomplish that, Mr. Stark?"

'Great' I thought to myself. 'More trash to take out in the morning.'

The next morning, at six o'clock a.m. I locked the door to my apartment and entered the elevator. I sighed as I looked around the shabby street that I called home. My apartment wasn't in the best neighborhood, but with Grandfather's money nearly gone, and all of the medical bills to pay, I could barely afford the bus and the apartment I was staying in.

Tony's paycheck was quite large, and it was definitely a bonus to working with him. The bills probably should be paid off in a few months. I'm not sure if Tony knew I was living there, but I knew the chances were slim.

After Mom died I wiped myself off of every computer server I could find. It took me four days to do it undetected, but it was worth it. There was no electronic record of me anywhere, or the real me at least.

My birth certificate was gone, my hospital records were gone, and so were my schooling records. According to the electronic world, I didn't exist. Hard copies of those records still existed, but there wasn't much I could do about that. I also had a worm program running that monitors the computerized world and pulls anything down that is related to the old me, even mentions in passing.

The information about the 'new' me, the one that works for Tony, is kept up, though it is closely monitored. Though I really didn't like being plastered all over the media but I knew that it would be a side effect of working for Tony. It was worth it, and it could be worse.

The 'new' me had a foolproof, or as foolproof as I could get it, history fabricated in case anyone looked me up. The new me still had some true facts about me, home schooled my whole life, was accepted into the online branch of M.I.T., and is a certified genius. Though that was hidden more carefully and you really had to look for the fact to find it.

Personally, while having two identities was slightly frustrating and had disadvantages, the advantages it had, like being with Tony, were well worth it.

After the bus dropped me off a half a mile from Tony's, I started walking towards his house. It was about seven now, and I had a few things I needed to do before the trash was taken out. I walked through the house when I arrived, and out onto the back sundeck, it was one of my favorite places to work. One of the main reasons was that it was outside, and I loved being outside.

I opened my laptop and got to work. Tony has asked me to upgrade Stark Industries Fire-Walls and electronic security for all the files. Now the programs they had were some of the best in the world. But for someone on my level, they were insignificant, or to another hacker who was on the same level; though I have never encountered one.

Tony had given me the pass codes for the main frame network, though that wasn't necessary, it was helpful and thoughtful.

The first thing I did was install my own personal firewalls behind the company's existent ones and start scanning every file and program I had access too. I was mostly making sure there were no worms, leaks, ghost drives, or anything else that shouldn't be there. This was only a temporary thing; I wouldn't be able to have them completely up until I accessed the physical hard-drive and mainframe. This would be enough, for say, a few months. But what I was currently doing was limited and not as efficient; at least to my standards that is.

As I watched the numbers dance across the screen I let my thoughts wander. One year ago today was the day that marked the change in everything. I wouldn't be here if I never had that epiphany of mine that started it all. It was strange, that day had started out normal, and it had changed everything.

I had a feeling that history was going to repeat itself; and I hoped that it would be nothing bad. Unknowingly, at the time, I had just jinxed myself.

Sometime later, my stomach growled pulling me out of my thoughts and pulling me towards the kitchen. As I walked back into the house, leaving my laptop running on the deckchair, I saw Pepper talking to the reporter from last night, who was wearing nothing but Tony's button-down shirt.

As I watched them interact I couldn't stop smirking, Pepper really knew how to deal with these girls, and had Taking out the Trash down to an art.

As soon as Pepper reached the part of the well-rehearsed speak that stated, "- including taking out the trash." I walked in pretending I had no clue Blondie was there.

"Pepper do you have that... oh I'm sorry." I said smirking at the blonde. "I didn't know you're taking out the trash."

I said it snidely, and the reporter glared at me. All of the girls that Tony brought home, since I started working here, irritated me, but I was sure they irritated Pepper too. So I look some sadistic pleasure in annoying them.

Pepper did as well, apparently, if her smirk was anything was to go by.

Oh, how I love my life.

Second chapter is done, I hope you are enjoying it. I know it's a bit rough, but i'm trying to get into rhythm with the characters.

(Beta'd as of 8/5/13)

Cp