The drive to Tony's Malibu home felt far longer than the drive to the compound. Scarlett grew tired of Tony and Pepper's bickering so she'd drifted in and out of sleep, snapping awake every few minutes from a nightmare. That was until she actually managed to sleep peacefully for a time.

A shift beneath her made her stir and then the throbbing pain in her head from the earlier adrenaline woke her up. She shifted and felt the warmth of another body beneath her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open despite the drumming behind them. And there was the light of Tony's reactor shining through his tank top. Her gaze traveled down his chest, over his stomach, and to where his hands were working at his cellphone. Scarlett sat up at once and then wiped her eyes and her cheek where she'd been resting.

How embarrassing to fall asleep on Tony Stark's shoulder. After all that!

"I was never much of a cuddler but I could get used to that." A smile played on Tony's lips even though he didn't look away from his phone.

"That wasn't cuddling." Scarlett's voice was frail and she rested her head in her hands, leaning her elbow on her knee. Her head was splitting. Coming out of shock was a bitch.

"Really?" Tony rotated his shoulder. "I know I'm not the most comfortable pillow but it sure felt like cuddling. If that's not what it was then feel free to enlighten me."

"Do we have to argue about this right now? Can you put a pin in it for later?" Scarlett muttered. Pepper was talking somewhere in the distance. It was grating. How did Tony survive hangovers with her constantly talking at him?

"I'm flattered. You sought me out for comfort. Of all people. There are a great many things my name is synonymous with… wealth, intellect, brilliance, pleasure… but comfort? No. Not usually." Tony was far too pleased with himself. She bet he'd had plenty of time to come up with all that but her head was screaming far too painfully for her argue. That must have worried him because he adjusted next to her and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Tony was worried despite his joking. He had Pepper call a doctor and he'd let Scarlett rest. Pepper had really railed into him on the way home to give Scarlett a break. They'd both watched Scarlett struggle to rest in the car, that was until she'd accidentally rested her head on his shoulder. Then she'd slept the rest of the ride home and some time after their arrival.

"You don't have to pretend you care. I'm fine." Scarlett opened the door next to her and went to climb out.

"Wait, wait." Tony took her hand to stop her and she sighed in frustration. She didn't want to hold her head up anymore. She just wanted to elevate her leg and sleep until her head stopped pounding. Much to her surprise, Tony began to crawl over her to get out of the car on her side. She gasped and tried to push him off.

"What on earth are you doing, Stark?" It was impossible not to laugh. Tony was climbing past her all while trying not to hurt her and he looked so dumb doing it. She was caught in a fit of giggles. "Why didn't you just get out on your side? This is ridiculous."

"I didn't think it through." Tony seemed rather pleased with himself. Scarlett tried to scoot to the side to give him room to climb out past her but they were too close. She laughed and took to urging him back into his seat to no avail.

"Oh my god." She laughed and then Tony stopped with a sigh, legs on either side of her, hand next to her on the seat behind her. "You are one step from giving me a lapdance." She laughed, holding up her hands in a defensive position to try and urge him to get on with it. Tony's brown eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Now that's a fun idea." Tony smirked, tilting his head just so. They were far too close like this and Scarlett's head hurt too much to even consider the consequences of flirting with him. "Not something you'd easily forget, either."

"Is that a threat or a promise, Stark?" Scarlett was grateful for her edge but why did she have to lean forward and smirk while saying it? Why'd she have to fuel the sexual tension? Why bat her eyelashes and pout her lips all sexy-like? Especially after she'd kissed him like an idiot. "You talk a big game for a guy who can't get out of a car properly."

"I'm happy to follow through if you let me past those walls for just a few seconds."

"Just a few seconds? That's disappointing."

Why? Why was she like this?

"Oh, well now I have something to prove…" He rested his other hand on the other side of her and leaned closer. Scarlett held up her hand against his lips to stop him.

"Get out of the car." Scarlett urged him to move back but the scruff of his goatee made her shiver from head to toe as it brushed over her hand. Tony, instead, took to making ridiculous kissing sounds behind her hand and she couldn't stop laughing. He tried to pull her hand back and nibbled at her palm.

"Come on, Scarlett… I need the chance to prove I'm not just empty promises. I just need some stimulation, you know?"

"Why don't I just flash you quickly and leave you to your own devices, huh?" Scarlett pulled her hand back and wiped her wet palm on his arm.

"Oh, well now that sounds fun." He tugged at the top of her dress with a grin.

"Get off of me." Scarlett shoved at Tony's shoulder with a laugh but then yelped as he lost his balance and fell right out of the car, legs still inside as Scarlett tried to catch him.

Tony looked up at her in shock, mouth hanging open but a clear smile behind his eyes. Scarlett basically inhaled her lips to try and not to laugh.

"You could have just said no. You didn't have to attack me!" Tony pouted, pulling himself properly out of the car, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. He was very much trying not to smile as he offered Scarlett a hand to help her out of the car.

"Are you feeling attacked? Because you could have just gotten out of the car like a normal person instead of humping my leg the whole time." Scarlett hesitated to take his hand for a number of reasons. It was too tender a thing. But her leg also wasn't exactly cooperating with her right now. It was still pretty miserable actually.

"Listen, I didn't think it through and I'm not a quitter."

"After knowing you for two days, I'm confident it was a ploy."

"I mean, you can't blame a guy for trying."

"Actually, I can and I am." Scarlett laughed in disbelief.

"Come on, I'm giving you a second chance to cuddle. You'll sleep like a baby, I assure you."

"Let's just make this clear, Stark. I was not cuddling you. I fell asleep. Your shoulder happened to be there. You could have stopped me at any second." Scarlett argued.

"I sat in the car for an extra fifteen minutes just so I wouldn't wake you. My hand fell asleep. If that's not cuddling then I certainly haven't been doing it right." Tony smirked, letting his hand fall to his side.

He had?

Well, that was oddly sweet. She didn't really know what to do with that.

"Don't be dramatic." Scarlett carefully stepped out of the car, keeping her weight off of her right leg. When she set down her foot, she didn't collapse. Thank god.

"Dramatic? You tossed and turned until you planted your head on my shoulder and then slept peacefully. I comforted you." He exclaimed.

"That doesn't make it cuddling, Stark. It means I couldn't sleep without something supporting my head." But she had slept on his shoulder and she had been comforted by him. It was the first time since Africa that she'd slept without her brain buzzing.

"You were smiling." Tony teased, following her closely through the lab. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm a strong, comforting guy. Though, I don't love being compared to a pillow."

"Stark, can we… put a pin in it?" She was exhausted and with each step she was unsure of her strength. She couldn't do these mental gymnastics with Tony and get herself upstairs and into bed.

"Fine. I'll stop. But only if you call me Tony." He walked alongside her and Scarlett sighed. "Honestly, even after…?" Tony pursed his lips and she turned to him with a snap. How dare he use that against her!

She was an idiot. Why the hell had she kissed him? And why the hell was she comforted by him? It wasn't him, she coached herself in a panic. It was exhaustion. Not him. That was a coincidence. And why the panic? Why now? Why again? She could absolutely not fall for Tony Stark!

Scott would be so ashamed of her. So angry.

"Is that a no?"

"Yes. It's a no." Scarlett rested her hand over her throbbing leg carefully. It wasn't overheated, it wasn't smoking or smoldering.

"Why? I don't understand." Tony whined, very much like a child who wasn't getting his way.

"I could use some help." She decided to offer him something useful to do to get off topic. Her leg was trembling with every step.

"I was trying to help you but you knocked me out of the car. Starting to think you might be getting pleasure out of hurting me."

"I'm not a sadist and you fell out of the car because you're a moron."

"You knocked me out of the car because you're afraid of all of this. Either that or you are a sadist."

"It's for your own good that none of this continues, got it? I'm not… dignifying the rest with a response." Scarlett had gotten pretty decent at bouncing back and forth with Tony. She even kind of enjoyed it. Unfortunately, he was also hitting on all her insecurities too. All the things that haunted her thoughts.

Tony stopped and watched her struggle. What did she think she was protecting him from? Her? He didn't want her to protect him from that. No, he was ready to dive headfirst into whatever her mess was. He was all in.

"What do you mean by that?" Tony caught up with her and then lifted her up into his arms and she went rigid and tried at once to escape. He held her tighter and braced his footing.

"I asked for a little help, not for you to carry me!"

"This is helping." Chuckling, Tony tried to make his way carefully to the door. "Would you quit squirming? We're both going to get hurt."

"Do you not understand the concept of boundaries, Stark?" Scarlett stopped squirming, but only because she was afraid of falling on her bad leg. She turned her gaze away from him. It felt so incredibly foreign to be cared for like this.

"Au contraire, I know exactly how boundaries work but in order to keep a boundary you have to set it first." Tony seemed delighted that she'd stop fighting.

"I can walk. I just need you to be there in case I fall." Scarlett had to fight not to smile and was mentally cursing her inability to hate this. She didn't hate it. It felt nice. "Not some half-assed excuse to touch my ass."

"I don't do anything half-assed, Scarlett. That includes touching your ass."

"I'm just saying that I can walk." Scarlett laughed in disbelief. She barely had a chance to breathe without him on top of her today. How was she supposed to fight these stupid feelings in her gut like this?

Tony stopped in front of the stairs. Pepper was talking upstairs in the living room with another person. She listened to try and figure out who it was but then decided it didn't matter. She didn't want Tony to carry her up the stairs or anywhere. They'd spent enough time in each other's arms today. It wasn't good for her. It wasn't good for him. She destroyed everything she touched.

But as she turned back to Tony, his expression had shifted. It was more serious and made her shiver. Something she had to fight to hide. All the objections were caught in her throat.

"Just… let me help you. Okay?" There was that feeling again from this morning. Where he'd been strange and aloof. But now she saw through it. Something was happening to him. She hadn't noticed it with all that was happening to her but now she saw it. He was as conflicted over this as she was. Was that why he'd let her rest?

Tony was worried about her. And he had been since this morning. But why? He didn't know her. She was just another woman in his house. Another object for him to admire. To conquer. Or maybe, just maybe, Tony Stark really wasn't that man anymore and all the joking and bad behavior was there to mask something else.

"Oh, I see what you're up to." Scarlett stopped objecting to his help.

"I'm not up to anything." Tony's smile was subdued. He'd been through a lot of awful things in the last few years but nothing like what had just happened in the laboratory. Nothing like the nightmares she was having. Pepper had advised him to have her taken to a hospital and let authorities take her out of his hands. But he couldn't do that.

Somehow, he'd gotten attached to her. All without meaning to. Instead of playing her like a fiddle to get the information he needed, he'd ended up bonding with her and finding a kindred spirit. He didn't think either one of them had anticipated this. And he certainly hadn't anticipated the way that kiss felt. He wanted more. More than just a good time and that was a little terrifying.

"You like me. Far too much." Scarlett smiled, but avoided his eyes. It was impossible to hide from them. She hated it.

"What's not to like?" Tony carried her up the stairs but stopped walking and nearly fell over as she rested her head on his shoulder. She didn't budge. He could feel her hot breath against his neck.

"Careful there, wild stallion." Scarlett closed her eyes. She was exhausted. Holding her head up was taking too much effort. That and she didn't think this was something she'd get again. Comfort. From strong arms. Her whole life suddenly felt incredibly lonely. Disasters of relationships. Bad choices. Friends that were few and far between. No one she could turn to for this.

She didn't want to be alone anymore. A dangerous notion.

Tony whinnied playfully then started back up the stairs with a smile. "I think you like me a little too much too." Tony whispered at the top of the stairs.

"Oh, good. She's awake." Pepper sighed with relief. There was a heavyset man next to her wearing an ill fitting suit, glasses perched on the edge of his crooked nose and his thinning hair combed in such a way to make it look less so. "And she let you carry her? I'm surprised you've learned how to compromise."

"Yeah, I asked for help walking and he just picked me up. I objected, but honestly I'm too tired. He jumped the gun. I'm capable of walking."

"There was no jumping the gun. You asked for help and this is helping." Tony gave her side a squeeze.

"Yes, I asked for help, not to be swept off my feet. Stop groping me." She swatted lazily at his shoulder. Tony was delighted.

"This is heroic and romantic. It's what I do. No worries. You can thank me later." He smirked.

"You're an ass."

"And you have an incredible ass. Are we just stating facts here?"

"I take it back. I'm not proud of either of you." Pepper tried not to laugh. "I think you might be just as bad as he is, Scarlett!" Pepper then turned to the man alongside her. "Tony, I've been speaking to the doctor. He's been briefed on how you found Miss Damien in the desert and how you've gone about treatment. And today's incident." Pepper assured them. "I figure that we can have her treated in the guest room."

"It's a nasty chemical burn, doc. I've got all the information on what we've been treating it with and when." Tony sounded proud of his work.

"Are you really going to be cocky about this after my pants caught on fire? There was actual smoke and flames, Stark." Scarlett lifted her head from his shoulder. Tony gently urged her to rest her head back down and she laughed.

"Shh, you're delirious from the pain." Tony gave her another squeeze and then turned to carry her up to the second floor. "Follow me. She needs proper rest and treatment. I've been doing my best but I'd feel better if someone with a medical degree took a look."

"Follow me, doctor." Pepper urged and followed Tony and Scarlett up the stairs. "We appreciate your help."

"We'll see how I feel about it after I see how this ravishing woman has been treated." Tony wasn't going to lie about how he felt about it. For some reason he was protective over her care though he wasn't about to admit that. Jarvis opened the door to the guest room and Pepper hurried inside and turned the bed down. Tony then gently sat Scarlett down on the end of the bed.

"This is too many compliments now. I need you to calm down." Scarlett scooted onto the bed and rested back on the pillows.

"I won't apologize if my charm is too much for you."

"What you think is charm is actually you just being a pig." Scarlett readjusted her bad leg with a hiss.

"No, it's charm. You're just afraid to say it's getting to you." Tony brushed her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. She tried not to shiver. "She thinks I'm charming." Tony clarified for Pepper and the doctor.

"I'm unsure if that's true." Pepper couldn't have looked less comfortable.

"...could we have some privacy? The doctor and I, not… Tony and I. Just heading off that joke before he gets there." Scarlett adjusted. No matter what position she was in, her leg was miserable. The doctor sat next to her and looked concerned at the sight of the wound. Scarlett hiked the dress up for him to see it better. "It's still like fire."

"No, I'm not leaving." Tony objected at once.

"She's right, Tony. Give her some privacy. Go prepare the notes to give to the doctor." Pepper gave Scarlett an apologetic look.

"It looks ten times better than it did earlier." Tony peered at the wound from where he stood.

"Go away." Scarlett's leg twitched.

"We've all seen you without your pants. And he's a doctor. This is professional ogling, I promise." Tony made a point to look her over from head to toe and she heaved a sigh.

"How am I still surprised by this?"

"If it makes you feel any better I am also surprised by his behavior." Pepper was flabbergasted. And concerned. "Tony! Could you not behave this way in front of the doctor? It's demeaning."

"I'm complimenting her. Is it a crime to find her attractive? Doctor, weigh in. Beautiful, right? Stunning. Shouldn't she know it? Why is it a crime to appreciate it?"

"It's demeaning, Tony."

"No, Pepper, let him keep going." Scarlett frowned. "Maybe he needs to understand what it's like to be reduced to a sex toy."

"Oh, god, please reduce me to a sex toy, Scarlett." Tony smirked, hands in his pockets. "Enjoy, I know I look good."

The doctor did his best to look over her wound and then cleared his throat, which got all their attention. "I've made my initial assessment if you're interested." Tony turned back with worry, the playfulness fading entirely. It was fascinating to watch.

"Will she be alright?"

Was he worried about that? Scarlett was truly confused.

"Yes, she'll be just fine."

"Then why do you look so… grim?" Pepper frowned, sitting on the foot of the bed.

"This chemical burn has… penetrated a layer of skin. While I'm sure that your concoction is doing good work, Mr. Stark, it hasn't permeated deep enough to truly neutralize the cause. If it reaches muscle, well that is a more dangerous thing."

"What if we used an injection." Tony approached, making no effort to hide his worry. His mind was racing. He'd made it worse. He'd done her a disservice by not bringing her to a hospital. This was his fault.

"No, no. I do not think that's the right method." The doctor smiled hopefully when Tony and Pepper seemed beside themselves with concern. Pepper had her hand on Tony's arm with worry.

"Then what needs to be done?" Scarlett just wanted it fixed.

"I'll have to… remove the infected tissue." The doctor was skating around the gruesome reality. Tony went pale.

"Okay." Scarlett exhaled. "How bad will it scar?"

"I don't know how it will heal. My larger concern is the chemical itself." The doctor looked to Tony instead of her for confirmation which was terribly annoying. To his credit though, Tony looked like he was about to pass out. "I worry about conflicts with medication. I don't know if I can, in good conscience, give you pain medication for the procedure."

"Absolutely not, doctor." Pepper objected. "This is awful. We should bring her to a hospital. They can run a panel and see what she can and cannot take and…"

"I don't need to go to a hospital." Scarlett didn't need them making decisions for her. That and she would end up in a prison if they brought her to a hospital. "That's fine. I'll sign whatever consent forms you need me to."

"Are you certain?" The doctor furrowed his brow. "I am concerned that you'll go into shock."

"It'll be fine. Just tell me what you're doing as you're doing it so I'll be prepared." Scarlett assured him.

"No, I'm sorry, I can't let this happen." Pepper's voice trembled. "I can't believe I'm the only one complaining here! This is dangerous and stupid." Pepper looked to Tony in desperation.

Tony was staring at Scarlett who offered him a slight nod. "I think it's time to let Scarlett be the one to decide how this is handled. It's her body." Tony was still pale but Scarlett smiled in relief. "I don't like this plan. I don't. It's dangerous. But I'm not a doctor. Just promise me… that if anything goes wrong you'll tell Jarvis to call 911."

"I will definitely have my paramedic friends on standby." The doctor assured them.

"If it were me, I'd try to do some tests first. See if we can run tests against the chemical for some numbing agents or painkillers."

"Once the procedure is over I can administer narcotics. I think any doctor you go to would agree with me." The man turned his attention back to Scarlett. "I worry about your prolonged exposure. We will remove the tissue and do a scan and bloodwork to make certain it's out of your system. If I find any evidence of it penetrating to muscle or the bloodstream then we must go to the hospital immediately." The doctor said seriously. "And if you are concerned about scarring, I can recommend a good dermatologist who can help with that."

"Deal." Scarlett had been with less reputable doctors in less reputable places. He was being up front with her. That was important to Scarlett.

"If you don't mind, I must put in a few calls for supplies to be brought to me. I won't be long." The doctor bowed his head then excused himself.

Once the doctor had left the room, Pepper turned to both Scarlett and Tony in a huff.

"You cannot let this happen, Tony. You cannot! This is insane. You are both insane!" Pepper was furious, her face pink beneath her freckles. "How in the world did you manage to rescue the one person crazier than you?"

"I need you to give us a minute alone, Pepper." Tony nodded to the door and Pepper scoffed.

"You better be talking her out of it or I'm going to think you're both out of your minds." Pepper slammed the door on her way out. Tony ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up further.

"Before we… fight… can you give me one good reason why I shouldn't do this?" Scarlett gestured to her leg. "I don't know what the alternative is. It's not getting better. You did your best but now this is what we have to do. Waiting is only going to make it worse." Scarlett felt strange being this serious with him. It was like being part of a couple making an important decision. "It can't be worse than what happened earlier."

"What if it is?" Tony sat next to her on the bed, one leg on the floor. He rested his hand on her knee, and let his thumb brush tenderly over her skin. "What if you go into shock? What if I can't get you to a hospital fast enough? You could die."

"It's almost sweet that you're worried but I'll be fine. That earlier was… different. It was that chemical. This is pain I'm prepared for. I've never… felt like that before. It won't happen again." She placed her hand over his and looked to him seriously. Why did she care how he felt about it? She could tell him to fuck off and deal with his feelings elsewhere. "This is what needs to be done."

"It's not me being sweet… it's just…" He drifted off, like he didn't know how to say it. "I don't want you to hurt anymore."

"Which is… sweet."

"No. This is my fault. If I'd just taken you to a real doctor instead of being a selfish ass who assumes he can fix everything then… this wouldn't have happened at all." The guilt was written all over him. Scarlett smiled. "You've gone through enough. You were right. I can bring you to a hospital. We can run tests. Knock you out so there's no risk of shock. You wouldn't feel it until you were awake…"

"Without insurance. In America. Without papers… in America." Scarlett knew he was aware of the cost. "This burn isn't your fault. This is my fault. Just… let me get it over with and get some sleep. Dealing with you is exhausting." She hoped to lighten the mood and gave his hand a squeeze. Then she pried his hand off of her knee and set it on the bed. "Now stop feeling me up."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I very much want you to stop feeling me up." Scarlett smiled reassuringly. Tony sighed heavily then placed his hand back on her thigh.

"Sorry, but we're going to have to disagree on that one." He offered a smile though his brown eyes were still filled with worry. He gave her leg a squeeze. She laughed under her breath. He scooted closed to her and she immediately felt her heart back in her throat. Such a small thing could build that tension so high so quickly! That purposeful action of getting closer to her. It was overwhelming.

"Really? Right after I told you to stop? Is that really where we are now?" Scarlett teased. Her leg twitched uncomfortably and for that she was grateful. It was just about all that kept her in the moment and not lost in the haze of this heat between them.

"Why don't you tell me where we are now." Tony shifted his hand onto her right leg and leaned closer. It was addicting. Sexual attraction was one of his skills, but this was different. A natural tension that built just by looking at her. Tony had smiled through most of the last two days. He didn't smile much. Not authentically. There was a natural draw, a natural tug, the kind that would surely lead him to her in a crowded room. He was not the type to fall victim to the charms of others. He did what he wanted. This was different. And he didn't want to lose it.

Even now, he didn't know how to be so close to her other than to kiss her. It was all he wanted. All his body wanted.

Scarlett contained the urge to show him where they were. To kiss him again. She would not make a move on him twice in one day. She would simply not allow herself to. If she could just get past this fog of tension and desire to tell him it was a mistake, a moment of passion and gratitude. But she couldn't. She was simply lost, staring at his hand on her leg. And much to her surprise, Tony wasn't hesitating anymore.

Grabbing onto her chin, Tony forced her to look up at him and she gasped and got the shivers all down her back and she couldn't hide them either. His thumb brushed just over her chin and along her jaw. He scooted closer on the bed, resting his hand behind her on the headboard. She felt powerless and for once she wanted to be.

He was close enough to taste her, close enough to move just an inch and engulf her lips. He closed his eyes and went to do just that and Scarlett held her breath and waited for that kiss, something she desperately wanted to feel again.

Then there was a knock on the door.

Cursing, Tony let her go and stood, running his fingers through his hair. Scarlett stared at her feet and her brain was buzzing. She had to find a way to fight this. Being another slut on Tony Stark's arm was not an option. He was likely this way with all women. That had to be it. They all probably thought it was special.

"Pepper, there's a reason I kicked you out…" Tony opened the door and sighed as his assistant stepped into the room with the doctor behind her. He had a cart full of supplies. Tony narrowed his eyes at Pepper. "That's four now."

"What?" Pepper was bewildered.

The doctor setup a heart monitor and an IV. He cleaned the crook of her elbow. "Is this arm okay?" He gestured to her right arm. She nodded. "This is going to be easier without company. I think it would be best if you two wait downstairs." The doctor said without turning to them. Tony hesitated.

"He's right, Tony. We shouldn't be here." Pepper grabbed Tony's arm and urged him toward the door.

"I'd prefer to stay." Tony looked to Scarlett hopefully but she was avoiding his eyes now.

"It's not a good idea." The doctor continued.

"Jarvis, keep an eye on her. One wrong blip and we get her to a hospital." Tony insisted.

"Yes, sir."

"Just say the word, doc." Tony assured him and then left the room, frustrated. He made his way to the living room but he had left something else in that room with Scarlett. Pepper hurried to catch up with him.

"Tony, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Tony waited to hear screams of pain and anguish but there was nothing. So he collapsed onto the couch, exhausted. As taxing as today has been for Scarlett, it had been just as hard for him.

"You are not okay. No one would be after everything you went through today." Pepper sat next to him nervously. "Even if you didn't care…"

"What are you trying to insinuate, Potts? That I care about her?" Tony laughed but it was the kind of laugh that made the truth that much more obvious. "No, I feel responsible. I promised to take care of her and protect her and instead of… bringing her to get the medical attention she needed I selfishly brought her here."

"It wasn't selfish, Tony. You were helping her. And she could have left at any time." Pepper sat on the nearby loveseat, folding her hands nervously.

"Except she couldn't. You were right. I held her prisoner. And where would she go? She has no papers, no money, nothing. I wasn't thinking when I brought her here. I wasn't thinking about how hard it would be for her. I was only thinking about what I needed." Tony made himself busy on his phone, going through emails.

"You don't know that, Tony. You don't see what I see. She didn't want to leave. She's… been having fun. And she certainly doesn't seem to actually blame you."

"What makes you so sure of that?" Tony set down his phone.

"Because I get a pretty good read on people. She wants to be here." Pepper smiled.

"And what makes you such an expert?"

"Well, I work for you for one."

"Touche."

"As hardened as she comes off, she's soft. Just like you. I think it might frighten her discovering that about herself." Pepper glanced toward the stairs and then frowned. "I don't know why I expected horrendous screaming."

"I did too." Tony grimaced. "Jarvis, is she okay?" Tony got up and walked over to the bar. He poured ice into two glasses. "I'm getting a rum and coke for us."

"I don't drink rum." Pepper sighed as if he should know this.

"Who doesn't drink rum?"

"I don't. I never have." Pepper sighed as Tony poured rum into two glasses anyway and added some diet coke to both. Then he brought the glass to her, set it down on a coaster on the glass coffee table, and then took a seat and a long drink. "She'll be okay. You didn't hurt her."

"I hope I didn't." Tony drained half the glass. "I wouldn't want to go through that alone. I wish I could have stayed."

"Maybe she's used to doing difficult things alone. She hasn't… mentioned a significant anyone. She hasn't said anyone would miss her." Pepper sounded concerned as she pointed it out.

"She was being held captive. The only one looking for her that I know of is MedCo." Tony took another drink. "But no one should have to deal with something this hard alone." Tony glanced knowingly at Pepper. "You taught me that."

"I'm shocked you did. I wasn't sure you ever listened to me after getting me a glass of rum. I don't drink soda either." Pepper teased. Tony smiled at last.

"I listen to the important things." He was aware that he wasn't the best at this part of relationships, even friendships. He was trying to be better but sometimes stuff just bounced off of his brain. And right now all he could think of was Scarlett upstairs, alone, and miserable. When he wasn't thinking about that, he was thinking about how horrific it had been to wake up alone with a magnet in his chest in Afghanistan.

He finished his rum and coke and then took the one he'd poured for Pepper as his own.

Scarlett's lips.

They'd felt like lightning coursing through him. Literal fireworks going off. Like coming in after a long night and finding there was only enough for a finger of scotch. The taste of that scotch was the best scotch he ever had and it was never enough. He could feel them still on his, pressed tenderly to him, a phantom of a kiss he found himself longing for.

Pepper tried to keep conversation but Tony was too lost in his head. An hour passed and he took to pacing. If it took another twenty minutes then he was going up there. Pepper had convinced him not to, barely.

But then the door upstairs opened. Hurrying to the foot of the stairs, he waited. Pepper joined him. The doctor descended the steps with a smile on his face.

"She did great." He assured them and Tony breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank heavens." Pepper placed her hand on Tony's arm comfortingly.

"Yes. We were able to take samples for testing and remove the infected tissue. There's no sign of damage any further down but I will run tests just in case and follow up. I've put her on an antibiotic since a wound of that size comes with a risk of infection. She's assured me that she is well taken care of here." The doctor waited as if hoping for more information on what had happened but when he got nothing, continued. "I have her hooked up to some fluids but they're just precautionary."

"Was she in much pain?" Tony folded his arms over his chest.

"Tony, I don't know if…"

"She was but handled it like a champ." The doctor sounded perplexed. "I expected her to back out when she realized how bad it would be but she didn't even make a peep." Tony was shocked. What did that mean? She'd told him stories about her dangerous life and career but how dangerous had it really been? What horrors had she lived through? He hadn't considered the other side of her otherwise sexy past.

"Can we see her?" Tony had questions.

"I would let her rest. She was exhausted. If I had to guess, she's already down for the count. The more rest she gets the better shape she'll be in." The doctor smiled. Tony held out his hand to shake.

"Thanks, doc. Send me the bill and I'll cut you a check." Tony shook the doctor's hand firmly and then glanced at the stairs. Pepper handled the rest. He wanted to go see her but he trusted the doctor. Jarvis would keep an eye on her.

"Jarvis, let's get back to work." Tony took his remaining drink and drained it.

"Without Miss Damien, sir?"

"Let's see what we can find to help her." Tony took a seat at the bar and Jarvis brought up his screens.

"I think I'll stay here tonight, Tony. Just in case."

"That's fine. You know where everything is." Tony waved Pepper off and went about his work. He would see what he could find and set her free.