The Suit lifted off the ground, both feet together, and began to glide as Tony leaned forward to steer it. It picked up speed, zooming through the driveway out of the garage, and he was flying. Scarlet groaned, she ran out of the garage, shifting into a dragon.

"Ooh, YEAH!" Tony cheered as he zoomed out into the night. "Woooo!"

The Suit turned and twisted as it zoomed through the air, making Tony gasp.

Scarlet flapped her wings, trying to keep up with him.

Tony managed to steady his flight a bit. "Handles like a dream," he said as he flew through the air, circling Malibu.

As he came near the city, an icon on his screen zeroed in on a Ferris wheel some distance away, and from there it focused even further, allowing Tony a prime view of two small children in one of the seats. One of them was eating an ice cream cone, and the ice cream had just fallen out of the cone onto the seat beside him.

Scarlet followed after him. It did not take Tony long to put some considerable distance between himself and the Ferris Wheel covering what would take a car at least an hour to travel in heavy traffic before veering upwards.

Tony zoomed over the city's sparkling lights, and then he tilted his flight upward through a cloud. "All right, let's see what this thing can do," he said as he continued climbing higher. "What's S. R. 71's record?"

The altitude record for fixed-wing flight is eighty-five thousand feet, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. informed him bringing up the relevant details on the SR-71 Blackbird up on the screen for him to see. The only other thing showing on the screen was the close up of the moon that Tony was steadily approaching.

"Records are made to be broken," Tony said excitedly. "Come on!"

The Suit zoomed straight up into the sky. He kept pushing himself. higher until ice began to form over the front of the HUD making the screen falter around the edges. From below, Scarlet froze in mid air, only flapping her wings to keep her airborne.

"Sir," J.A.R.V.I.S.. informed Tony. "There is a potentially fatal buildup of ice occurring."

"Ice?!" Scarlet cried in alarm.

"Keep going!" Tony ignored his AI. "Higher!" He added in a strained tone as the ice build-up only worsened almost completely covering the surface of the suit. Eventually it got so bad that one of her foot repulsors completely gave out.

"Higher?" Scarlet shouted. "Are you out of your mind?! Maybe high altitudes aren't the place to be breaking records!"

The Suit began to fail as the ice crusting over it reached the helmet. The lights blinked and went out, and the Suit began to plummet toward earth.

Tony let out a strained gasp and then began to fall unable to stop himself from screaming out loud.

"We iced up, J.A.R.V.I.S.! Deploy flaps!" Tony shouted, hoping the AI was still online. "J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

Tony had by now fallen through the clouds and the lights of Malibu were speeding nearer and nearer.

"C'mon, we've got to break the ice!" Tony cried out, and he scraped the ice off one of his leg plates and turned it. Flaps unfolded themselves from the arms and back of the Suit, slowing the fall just long enough for it to regain power and flight while still in the air.

_________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, Scarlet had returned to the garage and had taken on her human form again.

_________________________________________________________________

The flight rays roared to life, and Tony sailed almost directly into a line of traffic, causing the drivers to swerve and blare angrily.

Tony gave an exhilarated laugh as he flew upward.

Tony slowed down as he approached his house, folding his arms down and de-powering his flight rays as he hovered just above the roof. "Kill power," he said only the weight of the suit combined with the aerodynamic position Tony was in made it like a missile.

The Suit crashed through the roof, through the ceiling of the lounge, through the piano, through the ceiling of the garage, and down onto one of Tony's many sports cars with a crash. The other cars' alarms all began blaring.

Dum-E blew on the Suit to thaw it, and Tony's head went back as soon as the neck was free.

"Are you okay?" Scarlet quickly rushed over to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Tony waved her off. "J.A.R.V.I.S., make notes of what we need to fix."

"Of course, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. answered.

"Tony, you fell from the sky. You are not fine." Scarlet pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

"I didn't fall from the sky," Tony said as he stood up. "I fell from two inched above the roof."

"Oh, cause that makes it any better." She retorted.

_________________________________________________________________

Tony walked over to his work station, out of the Suit with an ice pack pressed to his forehead. He caught sight of the coffee mug and the box (which was actually wrapped in brown paper) that Pepper had brought him earlier that evening. He absentmindedly picked up the mug as he walked past his desk. Then he turned back around to look at the box.

There was a Post-It stuck on top of the box with the words 'From Pepper' written on it. Tony removed the note and tore off the brown paper.

It was not really a box at all; it was a glass case, and inside was the old Arc Reactor in a frame on top of a short stand. On the casing around the reactor were engraved the words 'Proof That Tony Stark Has A Heart.'

A slow smile spread over Tony's face.

_________________________________________________________________

In Afghanistan, two Ten Rings men argued over the construction of the pieces of the first Iron Man Suit while Raza looked on with a critical eye.

_________________________________________________________________

A digital mask was on a computer screen in Tony's workshop. "Notes: main transducer feels sluggish at plus forty altitude, hull pressurization is problematic." He shifted in his chair. "I'm thinking icing is probably a factor."

"A very astute observation, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. jibed, obviously in a Mood. "Perhaps if you intend to visit other planets we should improve the exosystems."

Tony just leaned back in his chair. "Connect to the sys co," he said. "Have it reconfigure the shell metals. Use the gold titanium alloy from the seraphin tactical satellite. That should ensure a fuselage integrity while maintaining a power-to-weight ratio. Got it?" He continued taking a sip of his smoothie.

"Yes," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied, having apparently got over his Mood. "Shall I render using proposed specifications?"

"Thrill me," Tony told him.

The television in the corner caught his attention. An announcer was speaking: "Tonight's red hot red carpet is right here at the Disney Concert Hall, where Tony Stark's third annual benefit for the Firefighter's Family Fund has become the place to be. . ."

Tony cocked his head in interest. "J.A.R.V.I.S., we get an invite for that?" he asked.

"I have no record of an invitation, sir," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied.

Tony picked up the damaged mask of his second Suit and looked it over, putting it on his face while the announcer spoke on. ". . .hasn't been seen in public since his bizarre and highly controversial press conference. Some claim he's suffering from post-traumatic stress and has been bedridden for weeks. Whatever the case may be, no one expects an appearance from him tonight."

Tony smirked at the television, just as a new image flashed onto his computer screen. "The render is complete," J.A.R.V.I.S. announced.

"A little ostentatious, don't you think?" Tony asked, for the image was indeed all in bright gold.

"What was I thinking?" J.A.R.V.I.S. said. "You're usually so discreet."

Then Tony caught sight of a very new-looking, very old-fashioned car of his with an open top. It was black, with bright red flames painted on it. "Tell you what," he said. "Throw a little hot-rod red in there."

"Yes, that should help you keep a low profile!" J.A.R.V.I.S. replied, but he made the requested coloring adjustments in the image. "The render is complete," he said when it was through.

"Hey, I like it!" Tony said. "Fabricate it, paint it."

"Commencing automated assembly," said J.A.R.V.I.S. "Estimated completion time is five hours."

Tony pulled out his Bulgari watch and looked at it. "Don't wait up for me, honey," he said, and went zooming off down the road in a silver sports car with a nameplate which read STARK4.

_________________________________________________________________

Tony pulled up alongside the curb of the concert hall, and climbed out. He was once again wearing a business suit that looked like it cost at least five figures.

Obadiah Stane was being interviewed. "Weapons manufacturing is only one small part of what Stark Industries is all about," he said. "Our partnership with the fire and rescue community. . ."

Obadiah paused and turned his head as people all around him began screaming in excitement. Tony Stark was striding up the steps the red carpet.

Cameras began flashing at once as Tony passed them by. "Tony! Remember me?" said one of the women.

"Sure don't," Tony replied as he strode past her without a second glance. "You look great, Hef," he slapped an elderly gentleman with a cigar on the shoulder. The man turned around, probably to reply, but Tony was already gone.

He marched straight up to Obadiah. "What's the world coming to when a guy's got to crash his own party?" he asked.

Obadiah chuckled, looking Tony up and down as if he couldn't quite believe it. "Look at you!" he said, plastering a grin on his face. "What a surprise."

Tony just nodded and smiled. "See you inside," he said, and turned to go inside.

Obadiah caught him by the shoulder. "Hey, take it slow, all right?" he said. "I think I've got the board right where we want them."

"You got it," Tony said. "Just cabin fever, I'll just be a minute,"

Obadiah looked after him as he went.

_________________________________________________________________

Scarlet arrived with Pepper. It was her first red carpet, but she was quickly able to handle any nerves. She was a S.H.I.E.L.D agents after all, blending in was second nature. Once the two women were inside, Scarlet went straight to the bar. She knew she was going to need a drink. As she took small sips of her drink, she observed her surroundings. She noticed that Coulson was already here, talking to Pepper.

"Surprised to see you here, Mrs. Silverthorne-Blake-Barnes-Dean," Obadiah's voice came from behind her. Scarlet turned around, plastering a pleasant smile on her face. "Thought you would be watching the golden boy."

"Mr. Stark is fine without me for a few hours," Scarlet replied. "Plus, his AI is hooked to my phone. I'll be notified if he does anything stupid."

"Except that J.A.R.V.I.S. was made by him and can be controlled by him."

"You'd be surprised at how often I get J.A.R.V.I.S. on my side." Scarlet took another sip of her drink, keeping it close to her just in case Obadiah wanted to do something to it.

"Would you care to dance?" Obadiah held his hand out to her.

Scarlet's phone buzzed, and without even looking at it, she knew Tony was on his way. "You might want to go back outside, talk to the press and greet the guests."

"And why is that?"

She moved so that her lips were close to his ear, "I just know you can't handle dancing with me... All the men I end up dancing with spill all their secrets. And I can tell you have a few big ones."

"Like what?" Obadiah asked.

"Like how Tony's kidnapping really happened."

Obadiah cleared his throat and stepped back. "It was good to talk to you, Mrs. Silverthorne-Blake-Barnes-Dean."

"And to you as well, Mr. Stane. Maybe after your done pleasing the masses, we can have that dance."

Scarlet turned around and headed into the crowd. She was close to being on the other side of the room with a hand fell on her arm. She turned to see Coulson.

"Phil," she smiled, extremely relieved to see him.

"Scarlet," he smiled back. "You look amazing."

"Thank you. Just so you're aware, Tony is on his way over."

"I am aware. The agents there informed me that he sped off the property. So I figured he saw the news and headed over. Does he know you're here?"

"No. Both Pepper and I didn't give him any information as to where we were going. I simply told me I was meeting up with an old friend. Which wasn't a lie."

"No," Coulson chuckled. "It wasn't."

Coulson glanced around the room, noticing that many people were dancing. He grabbed Scarlet's hand and began leading her into the crowd of dancing couples. Scarlet followed his lead.

"How are you?" Phil asked.

"I'm... I'm fine."

"You don't need to lie to me, Red."

"I'm not. It's true. I'm fine. And I'll work on not breaking down in front of my mission... Did you tell Fury what happened?"

"I did. Even tried to get you off the mission. But Fury said that you'd pull it together and use it to your advantage."

"He's not wrong." As Phil turned, the entrance came into view for Scarlet. She saw Tony waltzing in. "Tony's here. This might be your time to talk to him."

"On it." Phil quickly let Scarlet go and made his way towards Tony.

Tony went up to the bar. "Give me a Scotch, I'm starving," he said to the bartender. Right next to him at the bar was none other than Phil Coulson himself.

"Mr. Stark," Phil asked causing Tony to turn to him giving him a smile.

"Yeah?" Tony asked, turning around.

"Agent Coulson," said that gentleman.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah," Tony gestured with the glass. "The guy with the, uh -"

"Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division," said Coulson.

Tony whistled. "God, you need a new name for that," he said, and took a sip from his glass.

"I hear that a lot," Coulson was saying as Tony took a sip of his drink. "Listen, I know this must be a trying time for you, but we need to debrief you. There's still a lot of unanswered questions, and time can be a factor with these things. Let's put something on the books - how about the twenty-fourth, seven p.m. at Stark Industries?"

But Tony was no longer paying Coulson any attention. He had spotted Pepper, some little distance away near the dance floor, in a light blue satin backless evening gown. Her vibrant hair was all in ringlets around her shoulders and she was obviously wearing a full face of makeup.

"Tell you what," Tony said, automatically shaking Coulson's hand but with his eyes still on Pepper. "You got it, you're absolutely right. We'll, uh. . .I'm going to go to my assistant," he pointed at Pepper. "And we'll make a date."

Tony crossed the room and came up behind Pepper. "You look fantastic," he said. "I didn't recognize you."

Pepper turned at his voice and gaped in astonishment. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I'm avoiding government agents," Tony explained.

"Are you by yourself?" Pepper asked.

"Where'd you get that dress?" Tony asked.

"I -" Pepper looked down self-consciously. "Oh, it was a birthday present."

"Looks great," said Tony approvingly.

"From you, actually," Pepper replied.

"Well, I got great taste," Tony said.

"Yes," Pepper replied much amused.

"You, uh, want to dance?" Tony asked.

"Oh, no thank you," Pepper excused herself looking rather alarmed.

"All right, come on," Tony said, and pulled her onto the dance floor. Pepper glanced around nervously as she went.

Tony began swinging Pepper like a pro. She bit her lip and looked as if she were torn between enjoying it and also wanting to be a thousand miles away. She shot him a look.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Tony asked.

"Um, no, no," said Pepper hurriedly. "I always forget to wear deodorant and dance with my boss in front of everyone that I work with in a dress with no back."

"You look great and you smell great," Tony noted.

"Oh, gosh," Pepper muttered, looking down.

"But I could always fire you if that would take the edge off," Tony replied.

"I actually don't think you could tie your shoes without me," Pepper said, amused once more.

"I'd make it a week," Tony replied.

"Three days, tops," Scarlet commented.

"Really?" Pepper asked.

"Sure," Tony nodded.

"If that," Scarlet added.

"What's your social security number?" Pepper asked.

Tony danced in silence, clearly groping for the answer while Scarlet rolled her eyes.

Pepper smiled expectantly.

"Five," Tony said at last.

Pepper raised her eyebrows. "Five," she repeated. "Great. You're missing just a couple of digits there."

"The other eight," Tony said as she laughed. "So I've got you for the other eight."

Pepper's eyes flew back to his, and then she looked uncomfortable again.

Tony kept looking at her.

"How about a little air?" Tony suggested.

"Yes, I need some air," Pepper said quickly seizing the opportunity to stop this situation from progressing any further, clearing her throat nervously.

Phil Coulson stood looking after them.

_________________________________________________________________

"That was totally weird," Pepper told Tony. She and Tony were standing outside. Scarlet was also outside, she was on the phone to someone.

"Totally harmless," Tony said defensively.

"It was totally not harmless, by the way," Pepper informed him.

"We're dancing, no one's even watching," Tony interrupted.

"Everybody I work wi- no, you know why?" Pepper was obviously upset.

"I think you lost objectivity in there," Tony said weakly clearly beginning to see what a mistake he had just made. "I think people - just - we just danced -"

"No, it was not just a dance!" Pepper cried. "You don't understand, because you're you, and everybody knows exactly who you are, and how you are with girls, which is completely fine - but, you know, then me, you're my boss and I'm -"

"I really don't think it was taken that way -" Tony protested, obviously deflating.

"- dancing with you - no, because it makes me look like the one who's trying to - you know -"

"I just think you're overstating it, that's all," Tony protested.

"- and then we're here, and I'm wearing this -" Pepper gulped. "- ridiculous dress and then we were dancing like that, and -" She stopped, her voice wavering.

Tony's face was for once stripped of all its masks and he was staring at her with the look of a man whose woman is talking far too much when all he wants is just to kiss her.

Then, as if they didn't realize it, Pepper and Tony each took a tiny step forward. Tony leaned forward and down, and Pepper stretched forward and up. Their bodies melded as their heads came together.

Just as it looked like a long, simmering kiss was inevitable, they seemed to realize what exactly was happening. Their eyes met.

"I would like a drink, please," Pepper requested.

"Got it," Tony nodded, and strode off.

"I would like a - a vodka martini, please," Pepper added, staring after him. "Very dry, with olives. A lot of olives. Like, at least three olives." She brushed her bangs from her face.

"Olives?!" Scarlet grimaced, hanging up the phone. She hated olives.

_________________________________________________________________

Tony marched inside and up to the bar again. "Two martinis, extra dry, extra olives, extra fast." he said. "Make one of them dirty, will you?" He slid a tip into one of the tip glasses.

A familiar woman in a black dress came up behind the billionaire. "Well, Tony Stark," she said.

"Oh, hey," Tony greeted, turning as she arrived beside him.

"Fancy seeing you here," she said, her eyes full of challenge just like before.

Tony looked at the woman, his jaw twitching as he groped for her name. "Carrie?" he questioned at length.

"Christine," she corrected.

"That's right," Tony replied.

"You have a lot of nerve, showing up here tonight," Christine challenged.

Tony bit his lip, backing slightly away from her and looking around, probably for Pepper.

"Can I at least get a reaction from you?" Christine pressed, leaning forward.

"Panic," Tony replied. "I would say panic is my -"

"Because I was referring to your company's involvement the latest atrocity," Christine answered.

"Yeah, they just put my name on the invitation, I don't know what to tell you," Tony said.

Her eyes glittered. "I actually almost bought it, hook, line, and sinker," she said, shaking her head as if at her own naivete at believing anything Tony Stark said.

Tony's face hardened. "I was out of town for a couple of months, in case you didn't hear," he said.

"Is this what you call accountability?" she asked, and she pressed a few printed pictures into his hand. "It's a town called Gulmira. Heard of it?"

Tony's eyes flickered to Christine's face at the mention of the name. He did not speak.

The photos were of a small, obviously, Middle Eastern village. There were was death and devastation all around; there were men he recognized only too well; and there was no mistaking what they were carrying.

There was even what looked like a smaller Jericho missile.

"When were these taken?" Tony asked in a deceptively quiet voice.

"Yesterday," Christine answered.

"I didn't approve any shipment," Tony said, looking up.

"Well, your company did," Christine answered.

"Well, I'm not my company," Tony commented, and he strode past Christine toward the door.

_________________________________________________________________

"Please, do you mind?" Obadiah Stane asked, shooing away eager reporters from the carpeted steps as Tony stood in front of him with fire in his eyes.

"Have you seen these pictures?" Tony asked. "Huh? What's going on in -"

"Tony, Tony," Obadiah said shaking his head. "You can't afford to be this naive."

"You know what?" Tony snarled. "I was naive before, when they said 'here's a line, we don't cross it, this is how we do business.' If we're double-dealing under the table -"

Obadiah put his hands behind his back and looked at the steps.

"Are we?" Tony hissed in Obadiah's ear.

Obadiah turned to Tony, and gave him a long look. "Let's take a picture, come on," he said.

Obadiah put his hand on Tony's shoulder and turned him toward the cameras. "Picture time!" he said brightly, and he smiled. Tony did not; his eyes could have blistered the concrete of the steps beneath the carpet.

"Tony," Obadiah murmured, smiling down at the cameras. "Who do you think locked you out? I was the one who filed the injunction against you. It was the only way I could protect you," Obadiah added, and he squeezed Tony's shoulders before he walked off.

Tony stood in silence, watching his partner turned traitor depart. Behind him, Christine turned and walked back up the steps.

Scarlet carefully walked up beside him, setting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Tony," she whispered.

"We're leaving," Tony stated, quickly grabbing her hand and pulling her towards his car. In any other circumstance , both of them would care about who they were being seen with when it came to the press. But all Tony cared about was getting home, and all Scarlet cared about was Tony's safety.

"Let me drive," Scarlet stated when they walked up to the car. "Give me the keys, Tony."

Tony didn't fight her, handing her the keys before letting go of her hand and sitting in the passenger seat. Scarlet started up the car, and for the first few minutes neither of them talked.

"How much of that did you hear?" Tony asked, looking at the road.

"All of it," she responded.

"Did you know any of it before?"

"No, I didn't. I had my suspicions about Obadiah, but no proof. I came tonight to get proof so that I could confront you about it."

"I trusted him."

"I know, Tony."

"That's how they got my weapons," Tony muttered. "He's been selling our weapons to the enemy."

"That's how who got your weapons?" Scarlet asked.

"The group that kidnapped me. They... They had my weapons. They wanted me to make the Jericho missile for them. I couldn't do it. So I... I built a suit."

"Like the one I saw the other night?" Scarlet inquired.

"Yes. Just not as nice. That's how I escaped. I refused to recreate the Jericho for them, and they still ended up getting it." Tony looked down at the pictures, one of the Jericho missile.

"This is not your fault, Tony. There was no way you could have known he was doing this."

Tony fell silent for the rest of the way home, Scarlet following his lead.