Tony watched Scarlett through the camera feed on his phone. What was her story? Why tell Pepper her name but not him? She'd made it clear she wasn't a fan. Was it all an act? Was it a trauma response after everything in South Africa? If she needed a way to work off the stress he had more than a few good ideas on how to help.

One thing at a time.

Knowing she was dressed, Tony walked back downstairs and into his office.

"You know, Scarlett." Tony was delighted by Scarlett in Pepper's dress. It was a drastic improvement from the ruined clothes she'd arrived in. "You really could be a model. If you like, I could help you with that."

"Gross."

"Don't thank me. That's just the kind of guy I am." He smirked. Scarlett cocked an eyebrow, hand on her hip.

"Wipe that smug look off your face, Stark." Scarlett curled her lip in disgust. She knew he was calculated. That he was feeling her out despite his sexist comments. "I knew Pepper would pass the information along. If I really didn't want you to know my name then I'd just give you a fake one."

"Question is: is it a real name? Scarlett is an awfully sexy name. Pretty color. One I'm quite familiar with." Tony sauntered over slowly.

"I didn't see the point of anonymity."

"Why not tell me when I asked then?"

"It was fun to annoy you a little." Scarlett smoothed out the dress. Tony was ready to get down to business. Pepper was right. He couldn't keep her here forever. She had to at least know why she was there.

"And tell me: what were you doing in Africa, Scarlett? And don't bother with the whole… you're holding back to grind on my nerves thing. Sounds fun and all but this is important. You were up to something out there and I need to know what. I'm not exactly the picture of patience…"

"No, really? Spoiled rich baby isn't patient? I'm shocked, Stark."

"You do know my name is Tony, right?" Tony was trying not to let it get to him. "I did tell you that, didn't I? Oh, that's right. I did. Because you went on and on about how powerful and famous I am."

"...is that really what you think I said?"

"Are you going to call me by my name? Stark is for business. Hell, even the paparazzi call me Tony. Stark, especially the way you say it, is cold."

"Does it matter? Aren't there more important things to discuss?" Scarlett was exhausted. She was hungry, thirsty, tired, and grumpy. The medicine bothered her with an empty stomach. All she wanted was that shower and food and instead she had to spar with Tony Stark and pretend she wasn't attracted to him. God, she had the worst taste in men.

"You're right. There are more important things. But it seems to me that you're too frightened to speak about those important things."

"Frightened? No. It's just not your business. Trust me, that little thing in the desert was nowhere near the worst thing I've dealt with, Stark."

"Tony."

"Look, I appreciate you pulling me out of that situation and taking care of my wounds." Scarlett began trying to worm her way out of this but Tony interrupted. She was flabbergasted.

"Really? Could have fooled me! You've been so grateful thus far."

"Oh, is this not pleasant enough for you, Stark? Because I assure you, I can be worse." Scarlett snarled. This was all bad. She'd never wanted to punch someone in the face more than she did right now. It was tempting but Scarlett knew that it would get in the way of the bigger picture. Scarlett needed the truth. She needed it.

It was all she had left.

"I have no doubt that you can be incredibly naughty."

"Lay one hand on me and I will be the first girl to break your arm."

"I think you're all talk. You know, all this resentment and frustration you're feeling? It could be put to far better use."

"You're a pig."

"Actually I'm… you know what, I can't argue that one properly." Tony didn't look even a little amused. As much as he wanted the truth from her, he also wanted to understand her. Joking was his baseline. It felt like it was hers too.

"It's killing you, isn't it? That's why you keep hitting on me."

"What? What's killing me? That's not specific enough."

"You have no idea what happened in Africa and it's killing you. And I'm not falling for your charm." Scarlett stepped closer, a smug smile on her face. Tony was taller than her just by a few inches. She hated that she liked that too. "All this flirting. All the inappropriate jokes. That's how you cope with things beyond your control."

"Killing me is dramatic. I don't like it, if that's what you mean." Tony shoved his hands in his pockets. "What happened down there that's got you acting like this?"

"Acting like what?"

"Ashamed."

"So, let me just… make sure I'm understanding. Because I won't spill my guts to you, Stark, I must be ashamed? Traumatized? Hiding behind a mask of sarcasm? Christ, your ego is unbelievable."

"It's Tony." He would correct her until she got it right. It was making him squirm. She was trying so hard to push him back. He wasn't such a bad guy, but she wouldn't even give him a chance to figure her out.

"Let's lay it out there. You're accusing me of all that so… what about you? Are you really this… sex obsessed asshole? This thick-headed?"

"One of those adjectives is right."

"You're disgusting."

"Depends on who you are."

"Try and be realistic, Stark. I don't know you. Why would I share anything private with you? And if you find me to be such a nuisance then… I'm happy to leave." Scarlett was tired. She was too tired. There had to be a better way to find the truth than to deal with this exhausting man. Tony Stark wasn't worth the stress. She squirmed and resisted. Why did she want to stay? Her mind was all jumbled up.

Or maybe she was enjoying this verbal sparring.

Tony stepped closer, considering her words. Realistically, he understood her point of view. And on top of that he knew what she was going through. After he'd been rescued from captivity he'd wanted food, sleep, and normalcy. That and a hot shower and sex. But he didn't want her to go. Yes, he was being an ass. He knew that. But it was fun to get on her nerves. She wasn't boring. She was far from boring.

"No. I don't want that." Tony exhaled. "You're welcome to stay here. I'm worried about that leg."

"Worried?" She didn't believe him. He was worried about getting his dick wet. That was about it.

"Yes. It still looks nasty. And you have to be exhausted. If they're still looking for you then this is the best place for you. But be warned- I will find out what you were doing down there with or without your help. It would be far easier if you just… told me."

"Good luck with that." Scarlett gasped, having realized she was holding her breath only when her lungs hurt. Her heart hurt. Scott was dead. But if Tony didn't understand what happened in Africa then how could he have been the reason why? Unless he let someone else take care of it. And seeing how he operated, she guessed that wasn't the case. But Scarlett needed to know. She had to. Her entire life was upside down. She was lost.

For the first time in her life she had no idea what she was supposed to do or how she was supposed to go on. And on top of that, she didn't want to go back to what she'd been doing. It wasn't sudden. The job with MedCo was supposed to be her first normal, steady job in years. Look how that had turned out.

She needed someone to blame. She needed something to fight. Something that would distract her from the fact that she was changing. That she had changed. She would find out the truth and maybe, if he proved to be the good guy he claimed to be, she would give him what he needed.

"I don't need luck." Tony assured her. He'd bridged the gap between them. She was electric. Like static. Was it just that she was resisting him that made him so excited? He didn't think so. It was more than that. Something he couldn't wrap his mind around. They were close now, and he could feel that draw. Did she feel it too?

"Answer me one thing, Stark."

"One second." Tony gently grasped her shoulders and looked seriously into her blue eyes, staring for a long moment, studying them. They were startlingly blue, but her pupil wasn't blown either. "Just checking for a concussion. My name is Tony. You don't seem to be absorbing that. Stark was my father."

"No, that was Howard."

"...you're having too much fun with this." Tony pouted.

"Why are you letting me stay?" She ignored his distraction. He was ridiculous. "I've been less than friendly and even less cooperative. I've been pushing your buttons since I woke up. Why let me stay?" Scarlett didn't understand. She'd found it impossible to be kind. She'd thrown up every wall she could think of.

Tony frowned. He'd been just as confrontational as she'd been. They'd gotten off on the wrong foot. Maybe it was time to take a step back and try again. "That facility you were in… I don't know how much you know about the people in charge. MedCo. They've had many other names but that's the one they come back to time and again. They're an international terrorist organization and I've been tracking them for months. Every time I find anything concrete they disappear. At first I thought they were this run of the mill eco-terrorist group but… they're more than that. I tracked them to that facility and finally caught up with them but they were ready for me. I need to know what they were doing. I need to understand what I'm up against so I can stop them." Tony had a choice in the desert that day. Save Scarlett or search for more signs of MedCo. If he saved her they'd disappear like they always did. If he didn't then she'd bleed to death or worse- be captured again. But it wasn't really a choice. There was no way he wouldn't save her. Even now he didn't understand why. "They were gone by the time I got you to safety. No record of the battle or explosion. The papers say that the building was destroyed in a bad storm."

Scarlett rested her hand on her chest, fingers habitually rubbing the end of some of her long rebellious curls between her fingers. What if he was telling the truth? What if he really was hunting them? What did that mean for her? For Scott? She wanted to believe him. She so badly wanted to and she didn't understand why she was internally defending Tony Stark. She was supposed to hate him. But she didn't.

She needed the proof. Her heart hurt as she considered that for the last two months of her life, she'd been starved, exhausted, tortured, and held against her will, forced to do something despicable. She wanted revenge. But would that really fix anything?

"I think you know what they were doing. I think you know how dangerous they are. And I think you know more than I do about them." Tony spoke in a quiet, deep voice. A sexy voice. "You're the only proof I have that they even existed. The only lead I have to follow."

"What if you're wrong?" Scarlett didn't mean for her voice to break. She cleared her throat. Tony smiled. "What if I don't know anything and you're wasting your time?"

"Then I'm wrong and I saved a pretty woman from a horrible place. But I'm rarely wrong."

"Of course you think that." She turned away from him. "Pretty sure I'm really only still here because you were hoping I'd hop into bed with you out of gratitude."

"I mean, I wouldn't have said no." Tony chuckled. "But I know what the papers say I am. I'm not that man anymore. I don't spend every moment of my life looking for someone new to jump into bed with. I mean, I am still a hot-blooded man who can't resist a good time but I definitely don't bring strange women home anymore. And they definitely don't get to see this place." He tapped his desk. This was all too serious for his taste but it already felt a bit better. She'd showed some of her hand even if she hadn't meant to. She had been a prisoner there. And whatever happened was traumatic. He came to terms with the fact that this would take time. "Though, I'd make an exception for you."

"You couldn't handle me, Stark." Scarlett smirked and Tony tugged at his collar in response.

"Is that a challenge? And it's Tony."

"I'm not ready to talk about Africa. I'm still working through it. That and I don't know you. You could be lying. For all I know, you were involved in it. If this… MedCo was up to no good then what right do you have to stop them? Isn't that as illegal as what they do? Something about vigilante justice?"

"That's your opinion."

"No, I think that's a legal definition actually." Scarlett sneered.

"I'll give you time. And you'll have to learn to trust me. Once you do, you'll see I am not capable of what those monsters do. I know I haven't been the best… person. But I'm trying to do better." He knew he had a responsibility to do better. They were both too wary of the other to be entirely honest.

"Well, you're going to need that luck then, Stark."

"Ouch." Tony placed his hand to his chest, stepping back as though he were struck. "I'm taking it as a challenge. And it's Tony. Come on."

"I don't care what your name is."

"Yes, but I do so…" Tony drifted off, waving aside. "Since you're not going to talk to me about Africa then how about I offer you a job?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Scarlett had whiplash yet again.

"You're smart. And good at what you do. I could use your insight as I create this converter for the energy project."

"...I'm sorry, I'm just trying to understand. I've told you how I feel about you and your company. I even told you where to shove your ego and your assumptions. I could potentially be an international criminal and you are… offering me a job?" Scarlett couldn't believe his arrogance. Why on earth would he think she would accept a job? Did he really think she'd be willing to follow orders and take a paycheck from him? Not a chance in hell! If Scarlett wanted to work on something, she'd take one of her own ideas and go from there.

"You were practically working for me just a few minutes ago. I could hire you as a private contractor that way there's never an obligation to continue after the energy project. You won't be tied down. Well, unless you want to be tied down and in that case I could absolutely oblige. What kind of safe words do you prefer?" Tony was delighted by his innuendo.

Scarlett was insulted. Not by the innuendo, but by the rest of it.

"First of all, I'm not working for you on any planet. And I wasn't working for you when I corrected your idiotic mistake. Making an amplifier for something that's already so powerful, come on. Honestly. Correcting your mistakes out of the goodness of my heart, Stark, is not working for you. Do you have any idea the damage that Stark Industries has done under your leadership? Just because you're changing now doesn't erase that. Your company single handedly supplied genocides with the weapons they needed to succeed! I do not need to work for someone who I am just as smart as. And I definitely don't need to work for someone who is a much bigger asshole than I am."

"Whoa! Whoa, calm down! I know what my company was! Okay? I know I can't forget. I'll never forget. It was happening right under my nose and I have to live with that for the rest of my life. I didn't know…"

"Oh, shut up! Don't act like ignorance wipes the slate clean, Stark! You turned a blind eye because you only cared about getting off and spending money! Feeding your ego any way you could. Ignoring it doesn't make you innocent."

"My name is Tony, first of all. I am not my father and I never will be. He was cold, calculating, and while his intentions were good it didn't mean he did good things. He and his partners set Stark Industries in motion long before I came around."

"And you continued its legacy of death for years."

"Yes, I know. I ignored it. I did and…"

"The only reason you changed your tune was because your weapons were used against you." Scarlett tapped her index finger against his chest where she knew the reactor was beneath his shirt. Her ears were buzzing with adrenaline. When had she gotten so close to him? Tony swatted her hand away.

"It's more complicated than that and you keep interrupting…"

"Are you kidding? You've spent the last hour interrupting everything I say to demean me by reducing me to my sexuality!"

"That's because…"

"Let me guess, there's a good reason or you wouldn't be doing it? Because what you have to say is more important than what anyone else in the room has to say, right?"

"I didn't say that but it doesn't mean…"

"Oh, come off it!"

"Excuse me." Pepper Potts squeaked from behind them, near the door. Tony and Scarlett both turned to face her in surprise. They were both red in the face.

"What? What is it, Potts?" Tony took a breath. Scarlett was still steaming next to him.

"The guest room is prepared for Miss Damien. I had the sheets changed and it's been freshened up. The adjoining bathroom has fresh towels and the best beauty products we could find." Pepper looked nervous. Tony couldn't blame her. That had been one hell of a back and forth. The aggression was through the roof. But Tony would be lying if he said it wasn't fun.

The two exchanged a glance and Scarlett softened a little. He'd forgotten all about that. It was like Scarlett had been there challenging him for years and not just for a few hours.

"I left some catalogs on the nightstand so you can choose clothes to your liking in your size. They'll be delivered overnight once you make your choice." Pepper continued when neither responded.

"Thank you." Scarlett sounded tired. Tony was disappointed that their argument would resolve without him lifting her up and taking her against the wall. That seemed to be the only logical end. "Is it okay for me to do that? I feel like I could think a little clearer if I showered."

"It's actually not okay." Tony objected as Scarlett walked past him.

"I was only asking as a formality. I'm going."

"We'll have to wrap your wounds again, you know that right?" Tony tilted his head, admiring her as she walked away. For a dress that didn't fit her, it sure did hug her curves in all the right ways.

"That's fine. I'll do it myself after I've cleaned up."

"Like hell you will. We're not done here. Talk it through with me. This is a good opportunity, Scarlett. A great opportunity. Working for me is…" Tony watched in awe as Scarlett walked out of the room and Jarvis just let her. "She doesn't know where she's going, one of us has to go with her."

"Jarvis can handle it." Pepper shrugged. "He offered to earlier."

"I'll be damned if he's sweet on her. Jarvis, are you sweet on her?"

"I don't understand what you're asking, sir."

"He's sweet on her." Tony assured Pepper.

"What was going on down here, Tony?" Pepper lowered her voice, approaching cautiously.

"What do you mean?" Tony sat back at his desk, urging his screens to life.

"What do I mean? Tony! You were both shouting! She said terrible things and you…"

"She wasn't wrong about most of it, Pepper." Tony shrugged. He knew what he'd ignored. And he would carry that with him for the rest of his life. But what was he supposed to do about it? Get drunk? Cry? No. He was going to do better. He might never make up for what he'd ignored for years, but he was trying his best to do just that and make the world a better place along the way.

"You're not the monster she…"

"Don't defend me, Pepper. I know what I was." Tony let his eyes scan his work. Every MedCo search was a dead end.

"You're in over your head with this woman. She's trouble."

"And here I thought you liked her."

"I like that she put you in your place about… your libido but Tony, she's dangerous. I have a bad feeling about her."

"A bad feeling? And libido? Really?" Tony scoffed, spinning in his chair. She was right. Scarlett was trouble but he was having more fun than he'd had in ages. That and he thought that it was more than that. Scarlett was not only trouble she was in trouble.

"She was furious with you. This goes deeper than we know."

"I know. And she won't tell me that yet." Tony muttered. "There's something off about all of this and I'm going to figure it out. And she's going to help me."

"I think you'd both be better off if she didn't."

"I need her to stay. She's the only link I have to MedCo." Tony stifled Pepper's continued objections with a wave of his hand. "I can't keep her hostage here. I know that. She's free to go but I need to make her want to stay."

"I don't think that's going to go very well." Pepper sighed with relief, lord only knew why.

"I offered her a job."

"...okay, that actually clears up everything I couldn't understand." Pepper laughed. "Why she would sound so offended. All that yelling…"

"We weren't yelling."

"You were both yelling."

"No, we were just passionate. Which is far sexier than yelling."

"You really have to get off that idea."

"If I ever do, please have me committed." Tony smirked, turning to face Pepper when it was obvious she wouldn't let him just go back to work.

"I'll make a note of it. So, how do you plan on making this job work if she feels that passionately about your company? You rubbed her the wrong way even suggesting it."

"God, I wish I was rubbing her the wrong way." Tony sighed, turning to watch the door with a pout.

"Stop."

"You can't make them that easy, Potts."

"Tony, please." Pepper laughed. "You need to focus. I haven't seen you this distracted in months." It was true. But it was a good distraction. A distraction Tony liked.

"I don't know what I'm going to do yet. I'm at a loss. I thought offering her a job would seal the deal but now… she's offended. Something about working with a former devil or something."

"Do you think she's capable of a job at Stark Industries?"

"Oh yeah, I'd argue that she could run her own damn company with what I saw in just a few minutes. I think it's part of why MedCo had her."

"Have you considered that maybe she's more offended that you asked her to work for you rather than… about your company and all that?"

"That isn't helpful. How else am I supposed to make that work?"

"You've completely missed my point."

"Enlighten me."

"Offer to work with her."

"Like a partnership?"

"Obviously. If she's as good as you think she is then she'd be worth the effort. Right? And if she ends up making big discoveries or being good at this then… you'd be credited for discovering her."

"No chance." Tony cringed. This was his work. Anyone working on it would be working for him. In fact, he'd barely let anyone else touch this one. It was his project.

"Think about it, Tony. You offended her! If you're considering hiring her then she's worth it, right? Instead of treating her like an intern desperate for a job, treat her like an equal!" Pepper suggested and Tony shifted uncomfortably.

"Her ideas were impressive. I haven't had anyone school me like that since, well… school." He tilted his head curiously. It was incredibly sexy to have someone correct his math. He'd never considered what a turn on it would be.

"Then make her an offer that's too good to refuse. Just like you would for anyone else you needed to work with you. When she's schooled you already, Tony, and she's been here for only a few hours, then she's…"

"Except she's not my equal." Tony pointed out.

"Well, now you're just being rude." Pepper rested her hands on her hips. "What is it? Are you threatened by her?"

"Not threatened." Tony narrowed his eyes. "I am not threatened." He winced as he considered it. "Okay, a little threatened, but not because of her intelligence. It's the unknown that's threatening. I'm mostly intrigued. Excited."

"Sometimes you really are gross, Tony."

"That was all you this time, Potts." Tony chuckled, eyes wide. "I didn't mean it like that." Pepper's cheeks turned pink.

"I think I've spent too much time here."

"Happy to take credit for it." Tony relaxed in his chair and then returned to scrolling through files he'd compiled on MedCo.

"Just think about it. Offer her something that feels like a real opportunity. That you're not just keeping her here to use her. This all has to be… really scary for her. Between everything she came from, the wounds, the malnourishment, this has to feel a little demeaning."

"Working for me isn't demeaning."

"It is when she has these opinions about Stark Industries. But it would be different if she worked alongside you. You're brilliant, Tony. Use that to your advantage."

"You might be right, Pepper. I can find a way to sweeten the deal."

"That's better."

"What if I offered to show her how the element was made? It's public knowledge but very few have the resources to pull it off."

"I don't think that'll be enough. She doesn't want you to be her boss."

"But Pepper, I'm not good at sharing. You know that."

"You're right, I do know that."

"Besides it means sharing control with… her."

"Why is that such a big deal? Because she's a woman?" Pepper glared in offense. Tony pursed his lips, trying to dig his way out of the hole he had inadvertently dug.

"Because she's too distracting to take orders from."

"And why is that?"

"Well I…" Tony stuttered.

"Your distraction is your problem, not hers."

"I know, I just…"

"And you take orders from me everyday."

"...you know, you're right about that. Though I do only consider your orders before I decide whether or not to take them." Tony laughed. "I'll consider it. I have to think about it."

"Just don't take too long. She's one foot out the door from what I see. If you want information from her then you're going to have to get her to trust you."

"I know that. But she's not letting that happen."

"Then maybe you have to treat her like she's more than just her chromosomes."

"Maybe. I need time to think." Tony folded his arms over his chest. He found himself drawn to this woman which wasn't entirely out of the ordinary. He had animal magnetism and he smirked at the thought. But she was different. Maybe Pepper was right. Maybe letting go of a little of his ego was a way to prove to Scarlett that he wasn't the man the papers wrote him as.

"Just don't wait too long, Tony." Pepper gestured behind her. "I have a thousand things to do. I'll check in on you later." She walked toward the door and left. Tony sighed.

"Sometimes she makes me feel like I'm wasting her time." Tony chuckled. "Jarvis, search for any information you can find on Scarlett Damien. One that matches her description. Let me know what you come up with. I've got to think on things."

"Mrs. Potts had some excellent points, sir. I do not think blackmail is the best idea."

"It's not for blackmail. Just research." Tony kicked his feet onto his desk and watched Jarvis do as he requested. With any luck, he'd find something to unlock the mystery of the woman he'd recovered in Africa.