What! This news, THIS HEART-STABBING news, was too much. Way too much! How to respond? How to keep from going bat-bonkers crazy? They had gotten back together, REALLY? They'd been separated for a very long time now. So, why?

Natasha, her emotions all over the place, wasn't one to breakdown, suffer emotional collapse. She was an overcomer. But this? Tony was back with Pepper? The very thought cleaved Natasha in two. Is he serious? Pepper hadn't wanted to deal with Tony's drinking problem. And I refused to sleep with him, like I'm some cheap trick. Natasha had stayed, had tried to help him. Tony being Tony, he'd misread her signals, had read 'let's be intimate' into her actions. At least, that was what Natasha told herself. Now he practiced being sober, was getting quite good at it, so Pepper took him back? Why did it feel wrong on so many levels?

We've got to talk. Find out if it's really true, and if so, why? I love him. Does he see that, or thinks I'm just good for a good time?

Having lost her heart to the billionaire big shot, Natasha plowed her way to Tony's galleria that sat high atop the tower. Before just barging in, she knocked twice. "Tony!"

"Yeah?"

With her index finger squarely pointing at his handsome face, she rushed him, fuming. "Are you totally kidding me?"

Staring at her, saturated in confusion, he innocently asked, "Something the matter, Nat?" His raised eyebrow needled her.

She grilled him with eyes full of ire. "You're with Pepper—again?" Fat, sloppy tears were in her eyes. She refused to look away; the look on his face wouldn't allow that. Her tears dried up. This was no time to fall apart.

Silence enveloped them until Tony demanded, "What are you talking about?"

"You know she doesn't love you, right?" Her voice was surprisingly calm, as she felt herself gain control over her riotous emotions.

"Who?"

"You know!"

"No-you tell me."

"Pepper," Natasha growled.

Tony came to his feet, sizing up the dangerous, beautiful redhead. He wished she would sing for him again. Her voice was a force of nature. But, she looked far away from breaking into song. He weighed his words, and tingled from the power of her presence. "Just to set things straight…Pepper loves me. She does. She just didn't want to deal with me when I was a useless, self-medicating drunk. Repeating, repeating, repeating my self-destructive behavior." He stepped in closer to Natasha, sensing her fragility beneath her tough stance as she shook her head.

"Whatever. She'll dump you again, you know. Whenever you're not perfect enough for her, or you don't do what she says. She'll bail, like she always has." She really didn't know what was wrong with her. This was ridiculous; she sounded like a desperate, lovesick schoolgirl. Well, she'd never had the chance to be one. Had she? Anyway, she was saving him from Pepper-hot-to-trot-Potts, which was her priority.

Tony regarded her several minutes more. "I could say the same for you, Romanoff. You won't sleep with me, but you're all too ready to give yourself to ole red, white and blue Cap. You two have become awfully chummy, if that's the right word. Or, should I say crummy, getting lost in each other every chance you get." Tony sniffed. "What's with you, him and that puppy? What? Is it your love child?"

"WHAT!" Her voice went the shrillest it had ever been. Is he mad? Steve and me! "We're just friends, Stark! The puppy needed a home. You said so yourself. You love that puppy!"

"Oh, come on. I wasn't born yesterday. I know when a guy is completely crazy about a woman. Rogers snaps up like a love-sick wuss whenever you're around. And you—you—"

"What about me?" Natasha, fire in her blood, challenged. Under her breath, she muttered, "I dare you." I've only been, patient, understanding, supportive, caring, sincere, compliant, attentive, honest, on-and-on-and-on…because I love you, you infuriating imbecile!

Tony reviewed the advantages of not making her angry. Well, she already was angry, so he worked on not making her angrier. He valued his butt, not wanting it kicked. "You're not into Cap?"

"Like I said, and I'll keep saying. We're friends, amigos, pals." Natasha bumped herself up into Tony's face. "If you're back with Pepper, then it is what it is. But, to make myself super-clear, I don't love Steve." She got into Tony's face, kissed his cheek and insisted, "I love you!"

"I know," Tony said smirking to beat the band, settling his hands around her firm, squeezable waist. She didn't dislodge his grabby possessors. "You can't help yourself."

"Stark!" Natasha screeched, "I'm gonna kill you!"

"But, if you do, you don't get to hear me say that I love you too. Pep and I never got back together."

Natasha was shocked into speechlessness. "Never got back…"

On the heels of her voice petering out, Tony brandished, "I wanted to piss you off. Always have. Always hope to keep doing it. You're everything to me, Nat, alias BW. Don't make me sorry I haven't said this sooner."

His kiss smothered her, and as she fought to suck air into her lungs, she wheezed, "Said what, you jerk!"

He punished her again, harder and deeper this time, she letting him have his way all along. "I love you, Romanova, Natalia Alianovna. So much so that if you ever think of leaving me, you'd better sure as spidey sense take me with you!"

"Tony!" she gasped, unable to snap back with something devastatingly witty to say. So he unraveled her further with his violently potent, yummy kisses. Her response, wrapping her arms around him in a death hug, goaded him.

"Crazy girl," he breathed against her ear.

"Jerk!" she murmured, burying her lips into his beard. "My jerk!"