Return of the Crimson Dynamo

Chapter Eight, The final results

It had been several weeks since the fight between Lucy and Titanium Man. For the first two weeks, she had been recovering in the hospital. However, during the last week she had gone home but was still resting at her dad's house. Throughout that time, she had been given what needed assignments through Tony. The only unfortunate part was that she hadn't been able to escape the confines of her loft until a couple days ago. She still hadn't been allowed to do extremities like use her powers or lift heavy objects but Lucy didn't see how that mattered. She didn't ever really do the latter much unless she was working out.

In addition to that, being the nice individual that she was, Whitney decided to move her party to when Lucy could attend. Which was this Friday. So far, Lucy wasn't looking forward to escaping her confinement. Especially considering that, her stepmother was going all out and buying some ridiculously fancy dress. Lucy didn't see the point. She wasn't going to dance anyway. All she ever did at these things was sit and watch other people enjoy themselves. However, she would allow an exception for tonight. It wasn't as if anyone was going to ask her to dance and if they did, they would discover how horrendous a dancer she truly was.

As Lucy finished her homework at her desk, a knock came to her bedroom door. Figuring it was her father, she decided to open it only using her telekinesis. The mahogany door swung itself open, without Lucy's hand to guide it. In the threshold stood Tony, Pepper, and Rhodey who were all holding some piece of dress clothing. Half of her was relieved to see them and half of her was frightened. Fear always clogged her chest whenever it came to dances. Ever since her eighth grade good-bye dance, she had accidentally stepped on some kid's toe. Without hesitation, Lucy had fled the dance floor and the entire dance altogether. Nobody had teased or ridiculed her but she still felt bad for the incident.

Feeling a little sheepish for not answering herself, she turned to face them. Pushing in the chair, she knew what was coming. However, she like to remain optimistic whenever it came to Pepper and dresses," Hey guys. How was school?" She was instantly sweating, perspiration dripping down her face and palms. Her fingers and hands twitched rapidly. Her breathing quickened ten fold and she took a deep breath. She swallowed a lump," Okay I know what you guys are here for. Pepper, you don't have to attack me because I'm already going. My mom's making me," brave move, especially considering that she was telling the truth. Turning to the boys she said," And you don't have to force me. I'm kind of bored lying in bed all the time anyway."

Silence followed shortly after that. Nobody really knew what to say. It was out of character for her. And they knew it. For a while, the world felt like it had stopped turning. Pepper was the first to respond to the silence. Her grin was murder and her voice was killer," Why aren't you two changed? I think I saw a bathroom two doors down. We'll get dressed in here."

The boys shared a disconcerted look then shrugged and walked out of the room. Pepper's grin only grew as she stepped in and closed the door behind her. For once, Lucy was truly horrified. There had been times in her past when she had fought nefarious villains but this she knew was worse. Leaving Pepper alone in her room with no one else to help Lucy was like murder. To Pepper, it was wonderful. If Lucy would allow it, Pepper would dress her up every day like some kind of Barbie doll.

Lucy swallowed a lump in her throat and glimpsed towards the wooden loft where she had spent two weeks recovering. Right now, that loft looked very nice. Even more so than Pepper. Ten times more than Pepper. A thousand. She would do anything to get back in that bed. Pepper must've known this because just as Lucy made a move Pepper intercepted her and knocked her to the floor. A thud could be heard as Lucy hit the rug underneath her loft. She wished she had been faster. Too late. There was nothing she could do now and Pepper knew it.

Both girls stood up and brushed the fake dirt off themselves. As if there were any dirt with the amount of times, the maid cleaned Lucy's room. Feeling defeated, Lucy sat on the love seat under her bed. She leaned her head back against it while every fiber of her being screamed no. Pepper's shoes squeaked on the oak as she found her way to the closet, which was directly next to the end of the loft. The sound almost hurt Lucy's ears but she knew better than to complain. Fighting to keep herself on the love seat, Lucy's nails dug hard into the couch as Pepper picked through her closet. Grinding her teeth, she rocked back and forth, as the specific shade of Whitney's dress appeared. It was a medium blue that matched her eyes. It wasn't extremely plain looking and seemed to match with the room.

In the bathroom, the boys were getting dressed in different stalls. The suit itself was nice despite it being rented. Tony had been slightly cautious when Roberta had first made him try it on because of how tight his tuxedo would be to his neck. Fortunately, Roberta had fixed it for him back home. Now, he wasn't so sure when he walked out of his stall. A mirror stood directly in front of him and he walked closer to it. The suit was black, like most other suits while the tie was red.

Behind him, Rhodey walked out of his stall wearing the same kind of suit but with a different tie. Tony was thankful that at least on of them knew how to put on their ties because Tony didn't. He looked good, but not as good as Tony. Rhodey snickered as he saw Tony's tie hanging around the back of his neck.

"What? What's so funny?" He asked not really understanding Rhodey's private joke. But then again, it was Rhodey's private joke and only Rhodey really understood it.

"Nothing," He stifled another snicker which somehow escaped his lips. He grabbed the tie from around Tony's neck and began to fasten it to Tony," You just don't know how to dress yourself do you?" So that was what it was. He had figured as much but didn't want to assume anything. He rolled his eyes with a sigh. Some people never change.

"Really Rhodey grow up," He said as they walked out of the bathroom to greet the girls. Tony's mouth almost dropped open at the sight of them, mostly Pepper. It was like he was seeing both in a dream or some kind of other dimension.

As usual, Lucy's skin looked bright and coppery as if she had spent hours in the sun or at a tanning booth. Most likely, she had but Tony didn't want to assume as he continued to gawk. Her hair was in a large bun with several small strands of hair sticking out. Sky blue eye shadow lit up her eyes like fireworks and the same color nail polis streaked her nails.

The dress itself had straps and reached the ground. It too was a light blue hue and complimented her eyes nicely. For Lucy, heels were a killer. Fortunately, for her they weren't very high but she still didn't like them. Her expression displayed as much if not more. It almost seemed as if she were annoyed or put out but Tony wasn't about to start an argument.

Pepper was another story. Her hair had been transformed from plain orange to curls. The curls were layered and each hung around her head, almost hiding her eyes. With one blow, they moved away from her face. Her eyes sparked brighter than the lights at the football stadium.

Her dress was bright pink but not too bright. It too had straps and reached the floor. From the height of Pepper, it looked like she was wearing flats. A sound very far away from the group put Tony back into focus. Shaking his head, he turned to face the person whose hand was clasped tightly on his shoulder.

It was Lucy's father with his wife, Whitney, following closely behind. Both wore casual clothing and looked down upon the group of friends. He smiled down on his daughter who flushed feverantly," You all look very nice," turning to Tony, he sized up the teen and noticed his tie. Tony could feel his gaze searching for something. For something, that Tony wasn't sure of just yet," Tony do you need help putting on your tie?"

The girls giggled to themselves quietly and Tony blushed. As Whitney led everyone away, Anthony helped Tony get his tie on. When he was done and sure that nobody else was near he leaned close to Tony and whispered," So who was she fighting?"

Tony pulled back and stared at the older man with bewilderment. To Tony, it seemed as if he found this funny. Tony didn't understand why and he was going to set it straight with him when Anthony's laugh roared through the hallway," You think I really don't know what my own daughter does on her own time? I know she works for S.H.I.E.L.D as an undercover agent, which is why I'm giving her any kind of education she might need. I figure it'll do her some good. I mean, besides her powers."

Tony's jaw practically dropped when he heard that last part. He had known that Lucy was taking private classes but he wasn't sure how he had known about her powers. How could he have? Then again, how couldn't he have had? She was his daughter, which therefore meant that he had been with her long enough to know or at least get a hint.

"How? How did you-"Tony couldn't finish his sentence. His shock was too great and he was still mulling over the facts. Anthony clasped his hand on his shoulder once more and spoke with his voice more under control this time.

"You don't think I wouldn't know about my own daughter's powers?" His hand left Tony's shoulder and he waved away an invisible object. It was so nonchalant Tony wasn't sure whether he should be scared or excited about the situation. Nevertheless, Iron Man never got frightened so why should Tony Stark?" I knew the moment she was born what with her perceptiveness and all. Don't worry, her mother knows. Where do you think she got most of them from?"

Before Anthony could speak another word, Tony decided that now would be his response to the man's original question. He would play it straight, figuring that if Anthony didn't already know he would whether Tony told him or not," Titanium Man. We fought Titanium Man."

Just as suddenly as it had occurred, Anthony's expression changed from one of joy to one of almost pure hatred and anger. Keeping his anger under control was hard for Anthony, this Tony knew from past experience with Lucy's mood swings. He saw that the other man's rage was so great he looked as if he were about to hit something, which he probably was depending on how strong his anger was. When voices filled the hallway again Anthony spoke in a much calmer voice than his physical appearance let on," I figured as much. Hammer just can't keep his hands off of her," Turning to really look Tony in the face with his eyes now showing concern," Listen Tony I have a job for you. I'm not asking you to do anything too inappropriate," he paused for a moment as Tony took in what he said then continued," but would you mind watching my daughter? Just until I can have a serious talk with Titanium Man's employer."

Tony nodded as they made their way down the hallway and into an elevator," I think I can do that," as the elevator door closed Tony tried to think of what else to say. It hit him when they had finished their descent he asked his question before he his time passed," So is that why you moved your building here? To check up on Hammer?"

Just now Tony noticed that they had exited the elevator and were now standing in the empty Lobby. Waiting for them near the front door was Whitney. She stood there looking like she was trying to overhear their conversation. He hated it when people did that. He hated it so much he almost chocked from restraining himself against her.

Anthony's expression was calm again as he responded in a voice so low it was practically a whisper," Maybe. Just do me a favor and tell her that. I wouldn't want her to get too worked up."

Just then, Whitney Stane pushed her way through the double doors. She wore a red dress with a black fur coat over it. Her heels clicked on the floor as she rushed towards the two men. Grabbing Tony by the arm, she dragged him towards the doors. Tony felt the muscles in his arms scream as they neared the doorway. The other Whitney held one door open as they went and Anthony waved after them.

"Ciao Tony and don't forget what I told you!" Anthony shouted as his wife joined him in the doorway. He cupped his hands over his mouth as the two got into the limo," Have fun and bring her back in one piece!"

With that, Anthony Parker's voice was drowned out by the window rolling up. Tony jolted when the limo moved and felt Lucy's eyes on him. They weren't far away because he could feel her mind next to him. Through her, he also felt Rhodey, Pepper, and Whitney. He turned to Lucy around the same time Lucy turned to face him.

"So what was all that about with dad?" She asked her blue eyes sparkling more than ever. Tony felt he had to wipe his eyes just to see his surroundings more clearly. Out of the corner of his eye, he could tell that Whitney looked jealous. Her crossed arms and silent attitude shone brighter than Pepper and Lucy's dresses combined.

Before Tony would say anything, he thought about what he was going to say before he said it. No way was he going to tell Lucy what her father had told him. At least, not right now. She didn't need to know and to him that was okay. He would protect her for as long as she, or her father, needed it. He also figured that she would know or figure it out when the time was right. Which wasn't right now.

"Oh it was nothing," he said thankful that Whitney's gaze had softened by a ten fold. Letting out a mental sigh he finished the last part of his sentence with caution," he was just warning me not to undo my tie. Apparently, it has certain sharp qualities."

A sly grin formed on his face as Whitney and Lucy shared a look of disbelief. Obviously, they couldn't believe what they had heard. Both shook their heads and started up their own conversation, as if Tony didn't exist. The next thing he knew, Rhodey was glaring at him from the other side of the limo. Even though it was dark, Tony could tell what his friend's eyes were saying. At first, Tony thought it was anger at lying to them but then it relayed amusement. Rhodey wrapped his arm around Pepper, who flung it off. For the rest of the ride, the girls' voices could be heard. The limo passed under dimmed streetlights. Tonight would be interesting.

Several blocks away from the moving limo sat Justin Hammer in his living room on his white couch. With a drink in his hand, he was just about ready to call up a few girls when a knock came to his door. He growled under his breath, wishing nobody had bothered him at this time, and waited for the person to come in. Thankfully, it was only Sasha with a clipboard held tightly to her chest.

Before he could open his mouth, Sasha spoke. What she told him didn't surprise him and he figured it would all happen anyway. Especially the incident with Anthony Parker, which he would fix tomorrow night," I checked on Dynamo and he's sulking," she waited for a response then continued," Justin are you sure he won't get angry enough to you know, kill you?"

Hammer chuckled lightly to himself and answered, taking a sip of his drink," Of course not. If I make him afraid of me enough, he'll have to surrender. Emotionally that is. So what's the news on Mr. Parker? Anything?" Something inside him itched to know how Parker had responded, even if all he got was fury. Fury was the one emotion Hammer could work around. Any other reaction he would actually have to sit and look at the game more closely.

Sasha sighed before speaking again," He actually called here and specifically said that he wanted you to call him back. Something about dinner tomorrow night at some place called N'Halmmer."

Hammer nodded and set his drink down. Although Parker had been good at hiding his emotions in front of other adults, but apparently not children. Crossing his fingers together, he put them to his chin, trying to wrap his mind around what Parker would want. Finally giving up, he glanced up at Sasha," And what exactly did our Mr. Parker want?"

Sasha bit her lower lip nervously. Hammer leaned back on the couch as Sasha held her clipboard closer to her chest. Something was up with her. Something had been up with her and it hadn't been just because he had decided to kill the Crimson Dynamo's family. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to make a big deal out of it now," He said he would like to talk to you about a business agreement of some kind. He said he wouldn't talk to you unless you called him back and confirmed going to N'Halmmer with him."

Hammer nodded and picked up his drink once again. The sweetness of port slowly made its way down his throat. The drink itself was addicting and soon he was swallowing more before he answered Sasha," Fair enough. What's his number?"

Putting the drink back on the mahogany counter beside him, and crossed his fingers. Sasha's answer came out but not exactly, how he was expecting it. Her clipboard was thrown down on the carpet carelessly. All form of professionalism was gone when she flung herself onto the couch and into his arms. Her lips pressed hard against his as her arms found his chest. For a moment, Hammer couldn't help but respond by wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her towards him.

Pulling himself off the couch, he finally pulled away. The two were gasping for breath when Hammer pulled away and he half grinned at her," What was this about?" he was half-angry at her and half-glad. How could she hide this from him? And how long had she felt this way? Why hadn't she told him this before?

Just as Sasha was about to go in for another kiss Hammer put a finger to her lips. A devilish smile played across his face as he sat back on the couch. Grabbing his bottle again, he swished around the liquid that was inside. Silence ensued and to Hammer it felt as if the world were ringing everything it could into his ears. When Sasha's voice finally filled the room again it was with normalcy," I didn't mean it like that. I meant to tell you earlier," Hammer held up his hand to silence her. She already knew what he was going to say, which was why she blurted out Anthony Parker's phone number," Five-one-seven seven-seven-two nine-five-six-seven."

He nodded, picking up the phone that sat on the counter next to his drink. Picking it up he dialed the number and waited for a response. Before Hammer could refuse, Sasha set her things down on the coffee table next to him and sat next to him on the couch. It was surprisingly comfortable and even plush. When Hammer finally got a response to his call, he held Sasha's hand and kissed it.

Finally, Sasha thought silently grinning to herself as Hammer began his conversation with Mr. Parker, Why did this have to take so long?

Several blocks away from Hammer Multinational, mutli-colored lights came from the Stark Industries building. Everyone, or at least most everyone, was busy enjoying themselves. Most everyone except for a certain telepath that is.

Lucy, a.k.a Lady Blue Hood, huffed in exhaustion. So far, she hadn't really done anything except sit down the minute she had gotten here. Which had been about a half hour ago. For about the fifth time Whitney made the usual round to check on her with the exception that this time she had a man on her arm and a good-looking one as well.

The man wasn't really a man just a large boy that had the build of a man. His chest was huge and his skin was as dark as Tony's if not ten times darker. His hair, which was extremely curly and the darkest hue of ebony she had seen, was short. He wore a black tuxedo with a dark blue tie.

As if on cue, Tony appeared with the two. Lucy could tell that Tony was jealous, seeing a glare creep up on his face. A girlish giggle escaped Lucy's lips and she immediately covered her mouth when the three reached her. Tony's face didn't lighten up much as he sized up the much taller and handsomer man.

"Okay this it," Whitney said taking Tony's arm and leaning against it. Probably to let him know that she still loved him, even though the other guy was so much better looking," This is your final offer. You take him and you go dance before I kick you out Lucille Samantha Parker! And this is a promise!" Lucy blushed at the use of her full name, which Tony had probably told her. Lucy wondered what else Tony had told her but wasn't going to read his mind just now. Especially when Whitney was lecturing her in front of a pretty boy," If you don't get up on that dance floor and dance with nice Jeremiah Everett I will personally kick you out!"

Lucy's blush had disappeared as Whitney's reprimanding continued. However, when she was finished Everett grabbed her by the hand and pulled her towards him. She noticed that his hands felt strong and his arms well muscled. Lucy's blush reappeared as well as Tony's jealously. He took her hand, brought it to his lips, and then kissed it.

"You must be Lucy," He said almost making Lucy feel like a pixie compared to his size," Whitney has told me a lot about you," he then turned to glimpse at Tony," Both of you. It's really an honor," turning back to Lucy he smiled radiantly that almost could've swept Lucy off her feet," Would you dance with me?"

Magically, the song turned from fast and upbeat to slow and rocking. Feeling guilty if she rejected the nice and handsome looking boy, Lucy nodded and followed him on to the dance floor. Even from across the room, she could tell that everyone was staring at her and Everett. Part of her felt almost guilty and part of her felt almost giddy at dancing with probably one of the most handsome and better-dressed boys at the party. Even Rhodey and Tony, who she had known since diaper days, didn't compare to him.

Practically reading her thoughts, Everett swung her around and then caught her with both hands," Don't look at them." He smiled down at her, as if he were having the most wonderful time. Which he probably was.

Lucy shook her head, shaking off the blush on her face. She looked deeply into his soft gray eyes and noticed sincerity in his voice," How can I not look at them? They're all practically staring at us?" she still felt nervous, just not as much as she would be if she were dancing with somebody else.

"Try thinking about something else," he suggested twirling her around again. His feet guided hers as they moved around the floor.

Lucy nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. Even though he was tall, he wasn't tall enough that she couldn't reach him. Feeling slightly tired even though she had spent all day in bed, she rested her head against his chest. She could feel the air entering and exiting his lungs. She could also hear his thoughts, which she took a note to remember. As if reading her own thoughts, Jeremiah spoke again with a deep bass voice.

"So you're a telepath, eh? Whitney didn't tell me that part," Lucy glimpsed up at Jeremiah and almost felt ashamed. She immediately looked down and was bewildered when his hand cupped her chin and brought her to face him," I'm not mad. It's actually somewhat cool," His smile was warm and contagious and before she knew it, Lucy was smiling right back at him," Go ahead. Try to guess what I'm thinking."

For a moment, Lucy almost thought he was challenging her. When she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, he was. She used very little energy while reading people's minds, which was why she used it directly after she had been injured. Normally she would've done this some other time to try to renew her telepathic strength but she didn't want to disappoint Jeremiah.

She closed her eyes for a moment and relaxed her muscles. Reaching for Jeremiah was harder than reaching for one of her usual friends. For one thing, Jeremiah's mind was still new to her so it would take her longer to be able to reach it. There was also something blocking part of his mind, which Lucy decided not touch it. Instead, she headed towards what she thought were Everett's thoughts then pulled out as soon as she found what she was looking for. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that her head was still rested against Everett's chest and that they were in the center of the dance floor.

When her eyes met Everett's she practically lost herself. However, she wasn't just going to fall for the first good-looking guy that slow danced with her. She saw Everett's warm eyes sparkle and cleared her throat before answering Everett's question," How about we just stay friends then move to what you're thinking okay?" It wasn't that she didn't want a boyfriend right now. As her family said, a boyfriend could really spice up her life, but not right now. Something had been blocking Everett's mind. Something dark and something probably evil. Which was partly why she didn't say yes right away.

He nodded and the two continued to dance. A little ways away from them, Whitney and Tony were looking on. Neither seemed to notice as the couple passed and Tony felt more irritated than he had in his entire life. He knew he already had a girlfriend but still part of him wanted to take the Hulk Buster armor and find a way to permanently injure Jeremiah Everett. Whatever the cost.

Somehow having telepathy, Whitney pecked him on the check," Tony what's wrong?" she asked a little too flirtious for Tony's tastes. When his eyes wandered down to her, he saw that her expression conveyed that she was truly worried about him. Or at least, as truly worried as Whitney Stane could be. Or any Stane for that matter.

He sighed, in defeat," I don't know. Something about those two seems off," he figured it would be okay to tell his girlfriend something, even if it was direct.

Whitney nodded and pulled herself closer to him. For some reason, that made Tony feel uncomfortable. However, he wasn't about to blurt it out to the world. He listened when Whitney responded to him, already telling him something that he knew but needed to hear anyway.

"You know Tony it's not so bad. Lucy looks really happy and I think Everett is too," both turned towards the two, who were as close as one couple could be. Lucy with her arms around his neck and Everett with his hands around her waist. Tony noticed that they were tied a little too closer than he would've liked. Somehow, Whitney squeezed him but he didn't feel it," Relax will you? They're actually kind of cute together."

Finally, Tony sighed in defeat. There was no use in crying over split milk," Yeah I guess so."

Back in the center of the dance floor, the couple had now switched from slow to fast. The song had just changed a few seconds ago and now Lucy was trying to keep up with Everett. She could almost see the smirk on Everett's face. After a few minutes, Lucy felt she was going to collapse. Finally, Everett confirmed his story.

"You know you don't have to keep up with me," he spoke with that sweet smile of his. It was contagious because every time he smiled, she soon followed," Dances are supposed to be for fun," she nodded," Excuse me for a minute I have to use the bathroom. Be right back."

He moved his way around dancers, which had now occupied around the couple. Getting to Whitney was a challenge, but not extremely so. Once he finally found her, it wasn't so hard. All he had to do was tap her on the shoulder and ask her where the bathroom was. Once he had done that, he went in the direction directed by the little rich bitch.

He was thankful when he finally found it. Making sure nobody else saw him, and he locked the door. Looking around the bathroom to make sure nobody saw him wasn't always a simple task. As he finished his rounds in the stalls, he decided to make the call to his employer. He turned on his earpiece and set up his laptop. The rest of his job was downhill from here. All he had to do was listen.

A scruffy voice on over his earpiece," So? Did you find her? What's her name?" Everett grinned devilishly to himself as he typed on his laptop. He chuckled quietly to himself before answering.

"You'll be pleased to know that I did find her," The typing sound continued as he talked," Although I had to do a fair amount of digging to do so. You'll be happy to know-"he was cut off before he could say anything else. His head found its way to the door and he listened. Someone knocked on the door.

Everett looked around his current environment. One wrong move and his career as a mutant assassin would be over. If he cleaned all this up now he would be safe. For now. However, whoever was on the other side of the door would want to know why the door was locked.. He thought of a lie quickly as he cleaned up his station as he put everything back in his backpack. When he opened the door, four people blocked him. One was the royal bitch, whose father was secretly hiring him along with another mysterious rich playboy, another was an African American kid, the second to last was that Tony kid, and the last was Lucy. Out of the four of them, she was the only one that looked genuinely concerned.

"Sorry guys really had to pee," turning to Whitney with a false smile on his face. He hoped it would be enough to fool them," Hope you don't mind. Lucy how about we get to the snack table?"

Without another word, Jeremiah Everett grabbed Lucy's hand and dragged her to the snack table. He was thankful for the respite from the others and a chance to study his prey more carefully. The others went back to the dance, ignorant of who Jeremiah Everett really was. However, they would find out soon enough. Hopefully, sooner than later.

The party passed sooner than Lucy realized which was good for many reasons. Most of them, involving Jeremiah Everett. When it was finally time to Tony and the four to leave Lucy made sure to get as much information as she could out of Everett. Something about him gave her the chills, but she couldn't put her finger on what directly it was.

As they were getting into the limo, Whitney followed them, saying her last good byes to Tony. The two kissed and Tony stepped in. Silence ensued shortly afterwards then suddenly, everyone turned to Lucy, who was pretending not to notice them. After what felt like an eternity, she huffed in annoyance and Pepper was the first to speak, her voice overly eccentric.

"So how was your date with Mr. Handsome?" She asked with her cupped hands brought up to her check and her eyelashes fluttering.

Before Lucy answered, her eyes caught a glimpse of Tony's expression. Anger with a mixture of jealously and over protectiveness. In her head, Lucy scoffed. Why did he care if she spent her time with another guy? It wasn't like he was her dad or anything. So what did he have to worry about? However, Tony's next expression completely gave him away. His face transformed from one of jealousy and hate to softness. A hand under his chin and an almost bored expression followed the soft sigh, almost as if he were thinking about something else. Longing, at least that's what it looked like to Lucy. But for Lucy? Why? And how long had this been going on? Why hadn't he told her? Or better, the question when had he planned to tell her?

Lucy shook her head as she returned her focus to Pepper," It wasn't much of a date," she saw Tony's head turn towards her, as if she had calmed his deepest fears," he stepped on my feet most of the time and acted kind of weird."

"Yeah what was up with that kid?" Rhodey asked as they turned a corner. The limo jerked and everyone moved with it. The rest of Rhodey's sentence was blocked out as Lucy turned her attention to Tony, who fortunately sat adjacent to her.

She leaned over towards him with a crooked grin on her face and whispered as quietly as she could," Hey Tony I need to talk to you." Hoping it would work, she turned the other way just as he turned her way.

"About what? I thought you already had a boyfriend," he snapped and recoiled as soon as it flooded out of his mouth. He relaxed a bit then lay his hand near hers," I'm sorry. It's just-"Lucy gave him no time to finish as the limo stopped. Putting a finger to his lips, he stopped in his tracks. She figured she already knew what he was going to say.

"I know," she whispered as Rhodey and Pepper continued their own conversation, completely ignoring what Tony and Lucy were doing. Which was exactly what Lucy had wanted and hoped for," If it makes you feel better, I have a bad feeling about this guy," Tony turned to her and she nodded half opening the door to the limo," I'm going to do some research on him. He seems somewhat creepy and he knew I was trying to reach into his mind. Even when I went into his mind, there was something blocking a part of it. I couldn't get close enough to move it but there's something there and I intend to find out what. Anyway, I had an interesting time and I'm thankful you brought me along."

Before Tony had time to react, her lips met his for a brief moment. When she finally let go both of the other passengers stopped talking as Lucy exited the limo, and slammed the door behind her. Both sets of friends turned to Tony as the limo continued on its course, making it difficult for him to enjoy a kiss from a girl he had been crushing on since his diaper days.

Fortunately, for Lucy, she wasn't pressed with questions as soon as she got trough the door. In fact, neither her dad nor stepmom were around. Which would give her the perfect opportunity to contact the boss man. She quickly changed out of her clothes when her phone rang. She picked it up.

"Hello Lucy," Said a deep masculine voice over the line. She waited as a holo screen appeared showing the face of Nick Fury. Immediately she felt embarrassed, looking down at her dress. She felt naked seeing Fury and wearing some frilly dress," So what have we learned?"

Dang it! She had forgotten to call Fury and report to him. She hoped her job wasn't at stake because of this. Before she could form any real thought process," I-I-I," Before she could get another word in Fury's booming laughter filled the room. Lucy's face instantly became the color of a cherry.

"That's alright," he responded as Lucy began fidgeting with her hands, which was what she did when she was nervous. She was nervous whenever she was around Nicholas Joseph Fury," I expect you were quite busy, what with dealing with Titanium Man and all. Not to mention your little social outing."

Her blush slowly faded, allowing her natural skin color to return to its normal hue," A few weeks back his employer was stealing from Stark International. I haven't had enough time to investigate the matter but I have discovered something else."

Fury's eyebrows rose and he leaned back in his seat, his attention now totally devoted to her. His arms were crossed against his chest," I'm listening." Swallowing a hard lump in her throat, she nodded and continued.

"While I was out I discovered an assassin," she waited for Fury then continued, still fiddling with her hands," His name is Jeremiah Everett. I remember he was one of S.H.I.E.L.D's most wanted."

Lucy waited and for moments silence followed. Lucy's ears rung by the time Fury had finished thinking, which usually didn't take long," Yes I remember him now. Keep track of him and keep reporting to me new Iron Man information. I want to be informed the minute his ass gets anywhere Iron Man. Fury out."

Without another word, the holo screen disappeared and Lucy let out a sigh of relief. She walked towards the elevator and pressed the up button.

Miles above Lucy's position in the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier sat Nick Fury with Maria Hill behind him. His hands were folded in front of him and he was thinking. Thinking to himself about how in the world Jeremiah Everett could have made it to New York. Let alone survived the last time S.H.I.E.L.D had taken him down. Why was he after Iron Man? What could he possibly gain from killing him? What was so important?

Most likely reading this thoughts, Hill spoke after too many moments of silence," But I thought Everett was a mutant assassin?" she asked.

Fury turned his chair around to face her, thinking the exact same thoughts," That's exactly what I was thinking. Last time we saw him his ass was spread out all over kingdom come. Which would raise the question of how he even survived?"

As if finishing his thoughts, Hill spoke again this time her voice sounding graver than before," Which would also leave the question of if he's really after Iron Man at all?"

Fury nodded and stood up from his desk," Which is why we're watching after little Blue Hood twenty four-seven." He left and Hill followed close behind like a dog with her master.

Several hours away Tony was recharging in his room at the Road's house when Rhodey knocked on his door. A second later, he entered, knowing that Tony was almost finished recharging. He was thankful that today was Saturday and that they didn't have to go to school. At least not yet.

When Tony finally finished charging he awoke to Rhodey, who was sitting next to his bed. He yawned and stretched, not really ready for whatever this particular Saturday had to give to him," Hey Rhodey. What's up?"

"Mom says breakfast is on the table," he answered as the other boy went to get changed," She's worried about you man. Last night after dinner, you went straight to bed. You normally play video games after chow. What's up?"

Tony sighed, not exactly sure how to tell his friend what had happened to him last night. He knew already that he couldn't sugar coat him. He knew that he couldn't just avoid the subject altogether because then other people he probably wouldn't like would get involved. Which meant he could only do one thing.

"Last night when Lucy kissed me," he waited for Rhodey's reaction then continued as he finished putting on his clothes. As usual, he wore a red shirt and jeans with the exception that his feet were bare. He sat down on the bed," I could see into her mind. I could see that-"

Before Tony could finish Rhodey spoke," she didn't love you," Tony turned him," Dude you've had a crush on her since, what, diaper days? I know she was everything to you man but forget that. You're in the here and now. Now, Whitney loves you. And even farther into the future, some other girl might fall in love with you. You just can't keep obsessing over this. You gotta let it go. Now do you want to eat or what?"

As Tony stood up from his bed, he heard Roberta's voice shout over the sounds of bacon frying. His nose found the scent before his brain could process what it was. His mouth watered and he followed the scent with a growling stomach.

When the boys had reached the kitchen Tony noticed that Roberta held the home phone, a phone that was rarely used since the invention of the cell phone. He grabbed a couple pieces of bacon along with a large chunk of omelet and some hash browns. As he was about to sit down Roberta's eyes darted to him and she pulled the phone away form her ear," Tony it's Lucy. She wants to talk to you."

Chair legs screeching on the floor, Tony pushed his seat away from the table. Padding towards Roberta, he took the phone from her and walked back to his seat. He saw Rhodey out of the corner of his eye grab a substantially large chunk of hash browns and omelet from Roberta's frying pans. Roberta rolled her eyes as she grabbed a coffee mug and began to make some morning coffee.

"Hey Lucy what's up?" he tried not to sound too bored, making a list of the possible reasons that Lucy would want to call him on a Saturday morning. It wasn't that she hadn't ever called. It was just that whenever she did call, it was normally from her cell. Something was up and Tony could smell as just like he could smell the bacon seated in front of him. He took a bite, not allowing his precious breakfast go to waste.

On the other end, Lucy's voice sounded sad. Or at least, not like her normal self. Something was definitely wrong. The smell lingered until Lucy actually spoke," Well I just wanted to apologize for last night. I know I wasn't completely honest with you-"

Turning to Rhodey, who was deep in his meal, he smiled then leaned back in his chair. Making sure not to pop it as Roberta had nagged him hundreds of times not to do, he cut her off," And you have nothing to apologize for. I was the one who didn't tell you sooner and I should have. Anything else you'd like to tell me? Because I know, you didn't just call to apologize for not knowing something."

A tired sigh was all the reply Tony got from the other end. Hiding how he really felt, he stuffed some more bacon down his throat and washed it down with some orange juice," Actually I wanted to talk to you about Everett. I've done some research on him and I wanted to tell you what I found."

The line was silent as Tony contemplated this. He turned to glimpse at Rhodey, who shook his head. His plate was already devoid of anything that had once been there. He picked it up and went to get seconds. Shaking his head he spoke," Tell you what. Why don't you come over to the Road's house at around eleven o' clock. Sound good?"

Lucy's response came and he nodded, giving her directions to the Road's house. With all the nodding he did, it was no wonder that he lost his head when Pepper finally called. She had asked him some details about last night, but nothing more than Pepper would've normally asked. When he finally hung up the phone, it was around nine o' clock.

Today would turn out to be a good day, if nobody tried to kill him or his friends first.

The End

Me: So this is the last chapter of the fic! I'm somewhat sad to be finishing this project but I really hope people enjoyed this! It was fun to make and I apologize for not posting in so long!

Had a somewhat busy schedule and I hope I can post more often! P.S. I'm sorry if I didn't have Nick Fury in character, I'm still learning how to write him.

Lucy: Legion22 doesn't own anything except her own characters and the plot!

Me: Also, I will most likely do a sequel, depending on how many people read this. Remember, reviews equal love!