Echoes

Unzipped his leather jacket Tony shoved his hands into jean pockets as he walked through the glass doors of the police station. Clearing his throat, he waited for people to realize who he was then took off his sunglasses and carefully put them in his pocket.

Several people whispered, others looked for police officers behind him in case he'd been arrested. It wouldn't be the first time. But no Tony hadn't been arrested. Not today, at least.

"Mr. Stark? May I help you?" A detective walked up to Tony and held his hand out to shake. Tony took his hand, shook it, and then nodded his head in greeting.

"I'm looking for someone. Spoke to one of my friends and they said she was in lock up here. Any chance you could help me out?" Tony smiled a charming smile but the gears were turning in his mind. He wanted these policemen to like him and very often policemen did not like him. This particular detective however, seemed at least a little curious. He glanced outside and saw Tony's car parked out front.

"Is that a Maserati?"

"That old thing? Yeah." Tony played it cool, as if everyone could afford the Italian luxury car. He knew they couldn't but if he wanted to impress the man he certainly would. It wasn't exactly the plan Tony had in mind but if this detective was into cars, he would run with it.

"You know your way around a car, Mr. Stark? Or is it all for looks?"

"What, you think I let strangers touch my cars? Trust me, I get my hands dirty more than most." Tony chuckled but then glanced behind the detective. There was a crowd of police officers and other employees watching him, hoping to joke with him too. It was better than being glared at as if to be ashamed of whatever he'd done that day. Most police officers didn't think jokes about public nudity were very funny, he'd discovered the hard way. Very importantly he'd discovered female police officers did not want to be flirted with. Also male police officers. Sometimes Tony had been desperate.

Today however, he'd broken no laws and the police officers and detectives seemed excited by the chance to meet him. He opened his mouth to talk again but heard a male voice behind him interrupt.

"Excuse me, Mr. Stark. Some of us were wondering if we could get a picture with you?"

"Yeah, of course, but only if you tag me in it." Tony grinned and when the police officer excitedly handed his phone off to a coworker, more like shoved it at him, he stood next to Tony and posed. His friend took the picture and gave a thumbs up. "Don't be shy, everyone's welcome." Tony laughed and one by one, the police officers and detectives let down their guard, came to shake his hand and take pictures, each asking him ridiculous question after ridiculous question. Tony considered it ridiculous, at least, to be asked how expensive his sunglasses were, if he wore an Iron Man suit beneath his clothing, and if the arc reactor was itchy.

Tony wasn't there for a social call. Hell no, Tony never stepped into a police station without good reason. Today he was there strictly for personal reasons. He'd seen a very interesting and alarming story on the news that afternoon while he'd been organizing the renovation of his Malibu home. Scarlett had shown up at a nearby hospital, bloody, soaked, and dazed. On top of that she'd assaulted a reporter and was arrested. After making a few phone calls, Tony contacted a rookie cop he'd helped get into the academy a few years back and had found out she'd been brought here.

No, despite Tony Stark's smile and his finesse, he was worried. He'd known for some time that things with Scarlett were bad but he'd never known how bad they were. Still, someone had to be there for her. Several times he'd tried to call but she hadn't answered and now he guessed it was because she didn’t have her phone with her in lockup.

"Hey, can I have a word privately?" Tony whispered to the detective who had been brave enough to approach him.

"It's Detective Gutierrez." The detective smiled, his brown eyes still very curious of Tony and drifting still every so often to the gorgeous red car parked out front.

"I heard you've got Scarlett Damien here in lock up." Several officers turned their heads at the name.

"Asked for her autograph too but got the silent treatment…" One of them spoke but the detective interrupted him.

"Everyone deserves their privacy, Astin." He was stern. "Besides, she was handcuffed."

"What exactly happened? I mean, with Scarlett not with the autograph I can pretty much picture how that played out." Tony joked seamlessly.

"You know her, right? Close or something, I read. Not big on the gossip mags but sometimes you can't help but overhear it or… see it while trying to by groceries."

"Yeah, we're friends and colleagues." Tony wanted to say more, but he didn't. Now wasn't the time to gush about just how intense his relationship with Scarlett had become with time. "I saw something about her assaulting a reporter on the news but I didn't have much time to really sit and listen. Not my thing, honestly. Used to have an assistant who briefed me on all that. It was chance that I caught it."

"I can see that you're not one to sit still very long. But yes, sir, that's exactly what happened, I'm afraid. Though, can't say I blame her considering." Detective Gutierrez spoke under his breath.

"What do you mean?"

"There was a swarm of them all over her there. Like flies. I went to investigate and get witness statements after she was brought in. Even the reporters admitted they were being way too forward. She needed air, she was clearly out of it, and one of the reporters kept pushing and pushing until Miss Damien pushed back."

"So, let's say that I want to bail her out. How much is that going to cost me?" Tony peered around Detective Gutierrez as if he could catch sight of Scarlett just by glancing. That wasn't how it worked. "And when does she have to be back to appear before a judge?"

"Actually, it won't cost anything." Detective Gutierrez shrugged but he looked concerned behind dark brown eyes.

"That doesn't sound like our government. No offense."

"None taken. Charges were dropped an hour or so ago. She can go home. Turns out that they were never formally filed in the first place. The big panicked crowd turned it into a fiasco."

"Does she know that? Doesn't seem like her to stick around if she's free to go."

"I…"

"What? What is it?" Tony interrupted quickly, suspicious. Detective Gutierrez seemed nice enough, but he'd seen the darker side of the law. The side that had it out for people like Scarlett.

"To be honest I haven't said a thing to her since she was brought in. I know we have to let her go, but the press are going to be all over her and I'm not sure she's exactly with it enough to deal with them. I was going to wait until after hours to contact the hospital and consider sending her back there before telling her she was free to go."

"Isn't that against some law or something?" Tony cocked a curious eyebrow, feigning disinterest.

"If you saw her you'd understand my concern."

"Can I see her?" Tony wondered what the detective would say but was met with a nod.

"Yes, of course. Hey, Claire, can you bring Mr. Stark to see Miss Damien?" Detective Gutierrez called over his shoulder.

"Of course, sir." A woman in uniform stood alert and went to get her keys then typed on the computer.

"Hey, one more thing, Gutierrez."

"What's that?"

"The reporter… what's his or her name?"

"Let me check." Detective Gutierrez walked over to his desk, shuffled a few papers around and flipped open a folder. "Ah yes, small out of town reporter. Dianne Hendricks. She was actually upset the officers brought her here. She didn't want to even consider pressing charges when it happened. Said she fell. Was real shaken when I interviewed her. Threatened to have me arrested."

"Okay, thanks." Tony felt his stomach do a front flip. He knew that name. Dianne Hendricks was the same woman who had published those articles about Scarlett, the ones that had actually alluded to her secret life, her involvement with S.H.I.E.L.D., her potential illness. Maybe she'd hit too close to the truth with Scarlett, maybe that was what prompted her to go on the offensive. He made a mental note to talk to the reporter later.

"If you could follow me, Mr. Stark." Claire approached and bowed her head respectively.

"Hey, Gutierrez?" Tony started.

"Yes?"

Tony threw his car keys at the detective who caught them, startled.

"Go have fun for ten minutes. I'll need it back so don't, you know, steal it or something. We are in a police station and if I've learned anything from my history with you guys it's that you shouldn't commit a crime… here."

"Thanks, Mr. Stark." Detective Gutierrez didn't know what else to say, his mouth agape for a long moment before he walked out of the police station and toward the dark red sports car waiting out front. He tried not to go too quickly, he didn't want to look too eager. But Tony saw him hurry off at a run once he was past the glass doors.

"After you, ma'am." Tony turned back toward the officer who then led him down the hall and through a few barred and locked doors. Tony didn't pay much attention to anything else along the way though he did smile and shake hands with a few people who stopped him. Vaguely he considered making a joke about role play with the police officer, but he didn't. Scarlett sat in the furthest cell, which was also the smallest. Her hands were clasped in front of her and she stared down at them. Even as he got closer she didn't turn to look at him. "…is she okay?"

"Hasn't said a word since we brought her in." Claire whispered, though she looked partially saddened as she did. "Really do think we should bring her back to the hospital." She opened the lock on the door and left the cell open as Tony walked inside.

"Can we have a moment?" Tony asked and Claire nodded then walked away.

Tony sat next to Scarlett, who looked like hell, and waited with a sigh. Scarlett glanced at him and then back down at her hands.

"Don't ask."

"Too late." Tony scoffed and wiped his hands over the knees of his jeans and then leaned back and folded his legs. "What happened?"

"I happened." Scarlett grumbled.

"Well, that's not much of an answer." Tony carefully reached for her hand and at first she winced and stiffened up. Still, he didn't relent and gave it a gentle squeeze. She waited for a moment, hesitated, and then squeezed it back. "Are you okay?"

"Not hurt, if that's what you're asking."

"Yeah, okay, covered in blood… so I believe that." Tony smiled a little as Scarlett gave him a look just to assure him how much she appreciated his sarcasm. "That wasn't what I asked."

Scarlett didn't say anything in response. The truth was she wasn't okay and for a wide number of reasons, none of which she'd shared with Tony. And oh how desperately she wanted to. God, she was tired of being alone, she was tired of this whole screwed up situation. She'd thought, at first, that she had handled the Scott and Mikhail situation remarkably well. At least until she had gotten to the hospital and Natasha had told her just what a disaster she really was.

Clint was alive, but for how long Scarlett wasn't sure. Natasha was probably never going to forgive her for putting her friends in the crossfire. Scarlett knew she'd never forgive herself for any of it either and yet here she was, selfishly, considering telling Tony just what was going on and throwing him in harm's way too.

Tony watched her curiously, she was so lost in her own thoughts she didn't at all seem like herself. In fact, Tony was almost certain she needed medical attention. He wouldn't force it on her, but he wouldn't leave her alone either. She needed him right now, whether or not Scarlett would admit it and he had a feeling she was the type who would never admit it.

"You're free to go." Tony nodded, but didn't let go of her hand, smacking his other against his leg resolutely. Scarlett furrowed her brow and tilted her head to the side curiously, like a damned bird. What did he mean she was free to go? She had been arrested, if she'd been free to go they wouldn't have locked her up.

Then again, they hadn't tried very hard to subdue her after bringing her in. She wasn't handcuffed and people had been nothing but kind to her. Some had even asked her for an autograph but she wasn't feeling well enough to oblige. Scarlett could usually fake the persona that Tony so oozed with at every moment, but right now Scarlett couldn't fake anything, not even a smile.

"What?" Scarlett finally managed to mutter, but even that didn't sound convincing.

"That reporter isn't pressing charges so legally they can't hold you here for anything." Tony nodded and considered telling her that they only kept her here for so long because they were worried about her, because they didn't want to send her to the sharks when she wasn't well. But he didn't. It was just another thing left unsaid between them and that seemed to be an overwhelming amount of things these days.

"I didn't do anything." Scarlett looked to Tony but didn't get up, didn't act like she should leave. She felt like this was where she belonged. God, she had to get out of her head, she was trapped there and every time she tried to step out, she heard Natasha's accusatory words in her head, she saw Clint's intestines hanging from his side. It made her stomach turn.

"We should go. You don't need to be here." Tony stood, letting go of her hand at last and Scarlett simply stared up at him. It made his heart melt and any frustration he felt washed away. Scarlett wasn't being stand offish, no matter how bitchy she sounded right now with every word. She was hurting and it was so obvious that it was almost painful for him.

Scarlett turned her gaze away.

"Come here…" Tony gently tucked his hand underneath her arm and helped her to her feet and she allowed him to do just that. "I'll get you out of here."

"You don't have to do this." Scarlett stopped him from urging her out the door and he smiled and shook his head.

"I know that. Trust me, I don't do anything I don't want to do. Not anymore."

"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not." Scarlett joked finally and Tony laughed.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"No, not really. I like the mystery."

"There she is." Tony nodded and escorted her, hand on her back through the police station. Everything was a blur for Scarlett from there. The officers were all very kind, at least she thought they were kind. Still she refused pictures and autographs but promised to come back later when she wasn't a complete mess. The only thing Scarlett would remember from that afternoon was that Tony was there and he guided her, helped her, spoke when she couldn't speak and made sure she wasn't put into any situations that made her uncomfortable.

She was amazed by him.

By the time they got back to her loft by the shore, Scarlett was still out of it. Tony parked in front of the beautiful building which looked lonely without her car. He hadn't asked where it had wound up but he didn't think now was exactly the time either. Perhaps he'd have Jarvis take care of it, Scarlett was in no condition to drive. Part of him wanted to take her back to the hospital but he knew that the press was there, still, waiting, like a fucking feeding frenzy. It disgusted him.

"Is this a Maserati?" Scarlett narrowed her eyes at the insides of the car before looking back to Tony.

"It is. Sexy, right?"

"Feels like you're compensating."

"Everyone likes a good Italian sports car."

"You were buttering up the cops." Scarlett nodded in understanding.

"What, you thought I'd compensate for dick size? Scarlett, you should know that is not something I have to compensate for."

Scarlett practically snorted and shoved at his arm. She couldn't ever thank him enough for reminding her that not all the things in her life were bad right now. Tony wasn't bad at all. In fact he was probably the best thing she had. Which was a little sad in itself since most of their relationship had to change sooner rather than later.

"Can I drive it?"

"My dick or the car?"

"The car, dick."

"You sound like you're feeling a bit better."

"It's all relative." Scarlett found it easy to joke with Tony, she always had, it was part of why they'd always gotten along so well. She wondered if this had to have been how he felt when she'd walked in on him having that panic attack the first day they'd met. Vulnerable, scared, judged. Maybe this was also how he felt after she had refused to take advantage of him and had instead comforted him. Scarlett had forgotten that people could be so damn kind. Even after seeing everything Clint had gone through to help her, it was somehow different.

Scarlett at last got out of the car and unlocked the door to her house. It was lucky that her keys were still in her pocket, since she hadn't had the sense to remember to grab them. Tony followed her inside and Scarlett was in no shape to object.

"I am going to guess you have a first aid kit somewhere." Tony pointed around the spacious living room. "And that we shouldn't do this on the white couch."

"Do what?"

"You're bleeding, Scarlett."

"Oh…?" She tilted her head and then felt the sting on her scalp. "Right. Right… I swear, I'm not… as out of it as I probably seem. I…" She drifted off with a sigh and then nodded toward the bathroom. "I'll go grab the first aid kit. Make yourself at home."

Scarlett returned and Tony sat down at the bar in the kitchen and patted the seat next to him. She took it and placed the first aid kit in front of her, unlatched it and opened it. Before she could begin to take care of her wounds, Tony slid the first aid kit across the countertop and started emptying it himself. She wanted to tell him she didn't need him to do it, that she was capable of it on her own but Scarlett just wasn’t her usual self.

Carefully he cleaned up the scrapes on her arms, things she hadn't even noticed. It became soothing, the feeling of a wet cloth wiping away the muck and the mire that had been left behind after she'd helped Clint to the hospital. Scarlett would give anything to make sure Clint was okay. She'd give her own life in exchange for his if that were allowed but she knew realistically that wasn't how things worked.

That would just about solve everything. Tony watched this change wash over Scarlett as he cleaned up her wounds. Sadness drenched her until she was sopping with it. Whatever she was going through, whatever trouble had led her here, it was eating her alive. He'd noticed it before on several occasions, this crippling fear that hid within her, but he'd never witnessed it take hold of her so severely.

Gently he tilted her face toward him and brushed the cloth over her cheeks, wiping away the dirt from her skin. Even beaten, bruised, and exhausted she was still the same woman who had comforted him, been there for him through thick and thin. Whatever lies she had been telling or secrets she hid, it seemed none of them mattered. Tony had been mad about it once before, had been angry over it on multiple occasions but Tony knew Scarlett.

No matter what else, he knew that every moment they spent together, the woman she was when she was with him was real. Each touch, each word, every side glance had been sincere. That was suddenly all that mattered to Tony. Regardless of what would come next, Tony knew this was where he was meant to be. Fate wasn't exactly something he thought of very often but this felt a lot like it, an epiphany of belonging.

Tony, with time, had understood that he was always meant to be Iron Man. While that had been silly for awhile in his head, the more he thought about it and accepted it the more of a comfort it became. The next time he'd known he was meant to be something it had sounded less silly. Tony was meant to change the world with his knowledge. And now he was meant to help Scarlett, meant to love Scarlett and all that entailed.

It was terrifying, but thrilling all at the same time.

"How's your side?" Tony set down the cloth that he'd used to clean her wounds and then picked up a small suture and placed it over the wound on her forehead. It wasn't that bad, just looked like it had bled for some time without being cared for. She was pale, still, looking worse by the minute. Tony couldn't imagine anything else was bloody, not judging from the look of her.

Scarlett shook her head but didn't say anything more to him. If he had known how truly bad that stupid wound had been then he would have beaten himself up for not taking her to the hospital when he'd first discovered she was bleeding. Seeing that it was healing up nicely now, Scarlett didn't see the point. Maybe it would be something she explained when she told him the truth of everything.

Scarlett didn't want to deal with any of it. Not right now. Her head was spinning, her chest was aching and she was embarrassed. God, she'd made such a scene at the hospital, had nearly attacked Dianne Hendricks and blew her cover so hard she wasn't sure it could be fixed.

"You're really pale. Are you sure you're not bleeding anywhere else? Whatever caused the rest of this certainly could have pulled stitches."

Scarlett looked to him skeptically then lifted the bottom of her shirt and showed him the dirty, but not bloody, bandages over her side. He nodded in understanding and his gaze lingered for all but a moment before he finally asked what he'd wanted to ask since he saw her on the news that first day in the bar with Rhodey.

"What's happening with you and S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Tony folded his hands in his lap and tapped his fingers nervously together. Scarlett didn't say anything. She knew Tony was smart and she knew that eventually he'd figure out what was going on but to what extent he already knew, she was unsure. "Don't try to say it's nothing or some business deal. I saw Barton. I know he's… well he's an archer which is weird but… I also knows he's part of the Avengers Initiative. Or he was before that got nixed. I've worked with him before, Scarlett."

"Tony…" Scarlett sighed and her insides felt all knotted up. Now that the hour was seemingly at hand, it was more difficult than she thought it would be to just spill her guts. God, she wanted to desperately but saying it all out loud was like admitting it was all true. And Scarlett knew it was all real, knew it was true and happening, but part of her was afraid of saying it was so. She was afraid of falling apart and that fear was real more now than it had ever been. She'd lost Natasha and Scarlett had no idea how to tell Tony just how detrimental that was to her survival.

As much as Scarlett joked about going through this alone, about being the tough one and dealing with it with a smile and a laugh, she knew that it was impossible. She went to Natasha because she had been desperate to stop MedCo but also to save her own life.

"Please don't shut me out." Tony hated being serious. He really did, but this was all very serious and for once he didn't have any jokes lined up. These were answers he'd been waiting for.

"I can't tell you." Scarlett didn't sound very convincing.

"You won't tell me, you mean."

"You can't be involved."

"Again, meaning you don't want me involved."

"Yes, yes I don't want you involved." Scarlett exhaled deeply and felt like her chest was on fire. Her breathing was suddenly very short and no amount of calm was helping. This wasn't a panic attack, it was so much more than that. She'd overdone it. Swimming as far as she had, climbing as much as she had, carrying Clint, Scarlett felt as sick as she knew she was, which happened very rarely.

"Scarlett?" Tony picked up both of her hands and looked at her seriously. "It's a little too late for that." She held her breath. "I'm already involved."

"You've been through so much." Scarlett didn't make to pull away her hands, but suddenly it was very hard to speak around the lump in her throat. Serious conversation wasn't as easy as the joking had been but Tony didn't want her to crack jokes. Tony wanted to help her and she could see that need shining in those honey brown eyes that she had gotten lost in on more occasions than she would like to admit.

"Me?"

"Everything with Pepper, with… Manhattan. It's been such a roller coaster ride for you. The last thing you need is more to deal with. You deserve better."

"It doesn't matter what you think I deserve, that's not what I'm asking."

"I don't want you to get hurt because of me. I don't want you to get hurt period." Scarlett finally said that much out loud and now that she'd said it she couldn't stop. It didn't matter what the truth was behind her reasoning, she knew that more than anything. She didn't want anyone to get hurt because of her, not Nathan, not Clint, not Natasha, not anyone! But more than anyone, selfishly, she wanted Tony to be okay, to be safe. He was no damsel, but he had been in need of saving when they'd first met and for once Scarlett had gotten to be a knight in shining armor rather than the bearer of bad news or the grim reaper. It had felt damn good and Tony was much better for it. Ever since she'd approached S.H.I.E.L.D., the only thing Scarlett truly wanted was to do some real good. And nothing else had seemed to matter after she'd met Tony.

"Hey, I'm going to be fine." Tony laughed, but the worry in Scarlett's face was so real he wondered just how deep the hole she was trapped in went.

"More than anything I want you to be okay." Scarlett leaned closer and looked up at him seriously and her blue eyes were so full of sadness that Tony nearly choked up watching her.

"What about you?" Tony furrowed his brow and actually leaned back in his seat. "I want you to be okay too. Not just me." For a brief moment being so close had been claustrophobic for a hundred different reasons.

Scarlett pulled her hands away from Tony's after staring up at him for a long moment. If he knew the chaos she'd caused, the hell that had unfolded because of her he wouldn't feel that way, would he? Natasha certainly didn't.

Wiping her hand over her lips she walked to the other side of the counter and pulled the first aid kit toward her and began to pack it up. Scarlett shook her head and with trembling hands dropped the bottle of antiseptic and cursed as it clattered and broke on the tile. Crouching Scarlett picked up the broken pieces of glass, her hands stinging as the antiseptic splattered on her skin. Tony walked around the counter and crouched next to her, helping her pick up broken glass and throw it in the nearby trash can.

"You're okay, right?" Tony moistened his lips nervously and wiped his hand over his goatee. Scarlett froze and clenched her jaw to the point where her head throbbed with tension. She didn't look up from the mess of antiseptic on the ground. She wanted to tell him the truth but what if he took it the wrong way? What if he stood up and walked out? She couldn't emotionally handle losing Tony, Clint, and Natasha all in the same day. She'd never known her heart could break so painfully and yet here she was, feeling that deep ache again, incapacitate her, keep her from breathing.

Scarlett said nothing and continued to clean up the mess, looking away from the Tony and back at the pieces of broken glass that she shakily picked up. In her mind she kept trying to find a way to phrase it, to maybe start by telling him that the wound she'd had the other day had nearly killed her. How she had almost died and if he hadn't removed that blade she probably would have before anyone had the chance to save her.

Then she could tell him that she was going to die anyway. For some reason those words weighed her down even in her mind. She'd never thought of it that way, she kept clinging to that stupid little bit of hope and now here she was letting it pin her to the ground as she frantically tried to clean up a mess that was way beyond her control. Tony watched that panic take her, watched as she struggled with whatever it was inside of her head that wasn't allowing her to share these secrets.

In that moment Tony knew that some of his worst fears were realized.

Scarlett wasn’t okay. She didn't have to say it anymore, he knew that she wasn't okay simply by her silence and her fear. Finally she opened her mouth to say something and sat up, still crouched. But she saw it in Tony's eyes, the realization of a truth she couldn't say out loud and instead she choked on her words. They were trapped very much in her throat.

Tony scooted closer, past the mess and looked to her seriously.

"I can help." He spoke quietly and he saw Scarlett immediately reject the notion. "If you just let me help you then I can help." Tony smiled finally, that confident, ridiculous smile that won people over so easily but even now Scarlett could see that same fear in his eyes, mixed with something else. "I'm Iron Man! Let me help!"

"Tony…" Scarlett began what he was sure was going to be a very tough let down but Tony didn't let her.

"You said it yourself! When you told Pepper off that morning. I have all these suits, a whole army of suits, of armor and they're not for me. They were never for me." Tony shook his head. Scarlett pulled back and got up, her heart racing away in her chest. Tony stood and followed her as she went to the sink to wash her hands. She was doing anything and everything to avoid dealing with what was right in front of her. Tony was tired of dancing around the truth, he wanted it, and he wanted it now. Hell he wanted more than the truth, he wanted her, he wanted everything. Tony had never been very good with patience and he was sure that he'd been way more than patient when it came to Scarlett.

"They're to protect the people I care about, Scarlett. The people important to me." Tony followed her around the counter and hoped she'd listen to him. "Let me help you! I have all this power and money, let me do something with it. You have done more for me than I could have ever asked, just let me repay you!"

Scarlett turned away from the sink and looked to him seriously. He was beaming with pride, but with worry, and with something more. Cursing mentally she grit her teeth and pointed at him seriously.

"I can't watch another person I care about die." Scarlett was little by little letting the truth slip, more and more. With that she'd expected Tony to get upset, angry, to be hurt she wouldn’t tell him more but much to her surprise he beamed.

"You care about me, then?" He batted his eyes comically and Scarlett actually laughed and wiped her hand over her face. She started back to the bar and cleaned up the first aid kit, this time her hands reassuringly gripping each piece to make sure it wouldn't shatter like the last one did. "You're avoiding the question, Scarlett." It didn't seem to matter to Tony if she told him the truth yet, he'd gotten very caught up in those few words. He couldn’t stop smiling.

"Of course I care about you Tony!" Scarlett turned, her stomach dropping. She hadn't meant to say it like that and she certainly hadn't meant for him to read between the lines so clearly. "How could I possibly not care about you?"

"So how long exactly have you cared about me, hmm? Tony walked around the island counter again and back to where she stood.

"Seriously? Everything we've talked about in the last ten minutes and that's what's stuck with you? Really?" Scarlett leaned with her back against the bar as Tony stepped closer and still wore that dopey smile on his face.

"Honestly that's all that matters to me in all of this." Tony nodded and placed his hand next to her on the bar.

"You're unbelievable." Scarlett slipped narrowly away from Tony and wiped her hand over her mouth again, carrying the first aid kit back to the table as an excuse to get away from the intoxicating tension that had always carried between them. There were no more real excuses not to, other than the truth and even when faced with a small bit of the truth, Tony didn't seem to back down. Worse than that Scarlett didn't want him to. Or did she? This was all very overwhelming and happening very quickly.

Tony followed after her.

"I am unbelievable but now's not the time for that." Tony grabbed her elbow carefully and tried to turn her toward him but much to his surprise, Scarlett didn't budge, not even a little bit. "Aren't you going to ask?"

"No."

"I didn't get to finish."

"I know what you're going to say." Scarlett still didn't budge.

"How are you even doing that? That's ridiculous. God, you're strong." Tony looked down at her feet, amused that she'd pretty much fixed herself to the floor. Instead he walked around her and slipped between her and the table, placing his hands on her arms gently. There was very little space between them.

Scarlett took a step back and Tony took a step closer and shook his head no, as if to say she wasn't getting away so easily this time.

He didn't even smell nice today, so why was this all so intoxicating? Usually Tony smelled of expensive cologne or something equally pretentious. This was different than those moments where they locked eyes and crept so close to the line they couldn't cross, a line they had both known for some time that they wanted to cross.

They were allowed to cross it now, or at least Tony was. Scarlett had used Pepper as an excuse, a big ridiculous excuse not to get any closer to Tony, not to feel anything for Tony but the only person she'd been fooling had been herself. Scarlett shuffled backwards and Tony grabbed her arm to stop her and tugged her closer. She nearly fell against him and placed her hand to his chest to catch herself.

Tony placed his hand on her cheek. His thumb gently brushed over her pale skin, grazing the corner of her lips. Any doubts about what he'd wanted faded away. No matter what obstacles lay in front of him, in front of Scarlett, Tony was ready to face them head on. He'd always liked a challenge and Scarlett was always, consistently, a challenge.

Closing her eyes, Scarlett leaned into his touch, a touch that always comforted and sent a flood of warmth throughout her entire being in a way that very few people ever had. She got the chills and shivered to shake them off. Tony stepped closer, his hand moving gingerly over her forearm, her elbow, and then around her back, pulling her so close that she was pressed against him. Scarlett could feel the shape of the arc reactor tucked beneath his shirt, hidden away, pressed against her chest and she swore it was warm.

Tony watched her lips part, her bottom one scraped up, bloodied from whatever she'd been through that morning but it wasn't a turn off in the least. A busted lip was sexy, at least on Scarlett. Her fingers were bruised and scraped, not soft at all as she touched his cheek and even though he knew what those hands were capable of, they felt delicate as they brushed over the stubble on his face.

Scarlett's mind went completely blank. What had they been arguing about in the first place? Even talking about? Tony was very warm. Taller than her too, she liked that. As she leaned closer she could smell that cologne she thought she'd missed. It was there, she just had to be pressed against him to get the full effect. That damn cologne was going to become a damned aphrodisiac after all the times they'd come close and never gotten anywhere.

There was a reason for that though, wasn't there? It was hard to think this close to him, to think about anything other than how easy it would be to pull his shirt off, to push him against the table and have her way with him.

"Nope." Scarlett suddenly snapped to her senses, pulled her hand away from Tony's face, slipped out of his arms and walked back into the kitchen, shaking her finger at him. "Bad idea, such a bad idea."

"If you mean a very hot, sexy, amazing idea, best idea Tony's had all year, then yeah okay that's a very bad, naughty idea." Tony followed her into the kitchen and she practically ran around the island to get away from him.

"You just got out of a long term relationship." Scarlett stuttered over her words, mostly because she didn't truly mean them. She knew that she wanted this but maybe she didn't deserve it after all that had happened. A man was in the hospital, for god's sake, she'd been arrested, and Natasha had made it very clear that she deserved very little of any kind of happiness, particularly the kind of mindless bliss that she knew Tony would provide and still very much wanted.

"Yeah, okay, that's what was stopping me but now it seems like you were using it as an excuse and grasping at straws." Tony knew that was true, he'd known it for awhile now. She hadn't wanted to be the other woman, he got that, he understood that and he didn't want that either. They'd made that perfectly clear each time they'd somehow, stupidly, wound up in each other's arms. But now, now she was scared of what would happen afterward and Tony could see it hanging off of her.

He wasn't scared. Hell, he was excited. And not in just the obvious way.

"Don't say that!"

"Someone had to say it." Tony laughed and followed her around the island and then stopped. "This is ridiculous, you are literally running from me."

"I am not running, I am just… avoiding…"

"Avoiding a lot of fun? Really? We're both adults, Scarlett, both single adults, I might add."

"I can't believe we're seriously having this conversation, you were just grilling me about S.H.I.E.L.D.…"

"And I plan on grilling you in a completely different way before getting back to that." Tony joked and Scarlett actually stopped to laugh.

"Can you be serious? For more than ten seconds?" Scarlett pulled away from the island and Tony grabbed her wrist and tugged her much harder than necessary back to him.

"I am very serious." Tony didn't give her a chance to pull away again. They were both dancing around the elephant in the room for too long. He'd been waiting desperately for this moment, longer than he had ever waited to take the plunge with anyone for as long as he could remember.

She tried to wriggle her wrist away but Tony grabbed her shoulder and placed his other hand against her neck and pressed her right against the cabinets and kissed her at long last. She didn't kiss him back, not immediately, but it didn't stop Tony from moving closer, from tilting his head to the side to deepen that kiss, a kiss he had more than earned. He'd had dreams about what it would be like to kiss her, to peel her clothing off piece by piece and take her, but nothing about those dreams would match the real thing.

Scarlett pulled back just enough to part their lips, resting her head against the cabinets but Tony didn't budge, he didn't open his eyes. She couldn't believe he'd just grabbed her and done it, for all the times he'd hesitated she was sure that he wasn't ready to take that plunge but he'd finally done it. What was worse was that it didn't lessen that tension that had built so high between them. She thought that perhaps when they finally just kissed, for the love of god, the tension would dissipate, fade out, and maybe they would find that the mystery of it had been all there really was.

But that wasn't at all the case, no in fact it had only made things that much worse. All Scarlett wanted to do was kiss him again, kiss him and forget all about everything else. When he'd kissed her, in fact every time he merely held her, her mind was blank and that was a rare phenomenon for Scarlett whose mind was always racing, always over thinking, always over analyzing.

So she did what she wanted for the first time in a long time. Scarlett closed that very small gap between them and kissed Tony, without thinking. At once he groaned at the contact of her lips. It had felt wonderful to kiss her, but to be kissed back made all the difference in the world. His chest practically exploded with the way his heart was beating so damn hard.

Everything moved slow at first, like someone had hit the pause button on time but that only lasted for a very short moment. Leaning away from the kitchen cabinets Scarlett stood on the toes of her boots and slipped her arms around Tony's shoulders, kissing those surprisingly soft lips with more resolve, more determination. She'd waited so long for this, they both had, and now that they'd open the flood gates the water had come rushing out and they were powerlessly lost in its flow.

Running her fingers through his hair, Scarlett pulled him greedily closer. Every pent up bit of tension pouring from her lips into his and back again. His hair was soft between her fingers, surprisingly so since she'd expected it to be full of product but it wasn't. Tony pulled her away from the cabinets, urging her to lean her body against his. For a brief second he leaned into her hand in his hair, it felt like a dream.

Their lips crashed together time and again, he took the bottom one between his teeth and left a small love bite there, inciting a delectable sound of pleasure. Scarlett leaned so close against Tony he was forced to step back to regain his balance but instead bumped into the kitchen island. His heart was beating so hard it was all he could hear, besides the sounds coming from Scarlett.

It wasn't just a kiss, it was a landslide. A landslide of every bit of tension, of need they'd pent up over the weeks past. Each touch they'd resisted, every kiss they'd longed for, drowned them in passion. Nothing else mattered.

Scarlett's nimble fingers gripped his hair while her other hand slipped beneath his jacket and pushed it just ever so slightly off of his shoulders. His arm slipped around her, pulling her tighter, holding her against him until he could feel every contour of her body pressed tight to his. Gripping her shirt he pulled her chest against his, feeling her hands slipping further beneath his jacket. Then he urged his hand downward, and the other joined it right on her ass, pulling her hips square against his. Scarlett groaned, found herself gripping at Tony's shirt. For a moment, they sat kissing, holding each other close, lips entangled, tongues exploring, greedily taking in all they'd resisted for so long.

Grabbing the collar of Tony's leather jacket, Scarlett tugged it hard away from one shoulder and then the other, forcing his hands away from where they were gripping her ass. He chuckled against her lips, giving her another love bite before the sound dissolved into a groan. Tony readjusted and then with Scarlett's assistance, pulled off his jacket, hunching away from the counter and following Scarlett as she moved so he wouldn't have to pull away from her lips.

He tossed the jacket to the ground and there was a crash, forcing them both to stop and look to see what he'd knocked over. Scarlett made to go check but he pulled her by her arm back to him and slipped his arms back around her and kissed her once again.

"But…" Scarlett muttered between kisses and Tony shook his head and bit her lip harder this time. Moaning softly, Scarlett tilted her head to the side and returned the bite, just as hard, feeling his grip on her falter. She pulled from his lips and kissed down his chin, his scruff scraping against her lips and sending shivers down her spine.

Then she bit, right on the end of his chin, not too hard, but not soft either. Tony felt the sting run through his jaw and into shivers down his spine, one hand reaching behind him to grip against the counter. One by one she pressed her fingers against his chest and slid her entire palm down his stomach, kissing over his chin, beneath it and over his neck, hashing her teeth against his scruff. When he moaned she could feel it reverberate through her lips and she shivered.

"Goddamn…" Tony leaned his head back, his breath short, his heart beating faster, his every nerve on fire with passion and excitement. Scarlett kissed down his neck, as far as the collar of his shirt would allow her. Then she tugged on the bottom of his shirt, her fingers brushing the bare skin beneath it. Every part of him was warm. He tensed up, flexed, so she could feel his muscles and she smiled against the skin of his neck before kissing back up his jaw and starting to pull his shirt up higher.

He couldn't sit idly by and let Scarlett have all the fun so he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her right off the ground with ease. Scarlett wrapped her legs around his middle and he took a few steps forward and leaned her against the fridge. It was cold on her back and so she arched it, her chest pressing against Tony's.

Leaning her weight against the fridge, Tony pulled up her shirt, careful of the wound on her side, and practically buckled at the knees at the feel of her skin. Scarlett placed her hand beneath his chin and tilted him back to her, forced him to focus on her lips and they kissed again deeply, passionately. Tony gripped at her shirt, holding it in place, his other hand moving slowly over her side and up over the contour of her breasts, urging his hips once again against hers, adjusting her in his arms to do so.

Scarlett started again at his shirt and when finding that there was no chance she was pulling it off of him, she began to sloppily tug the buttons at the top, trying to free them. With his hips pressed square against hers, she could feel just exactly how desperately he'd been wanting this moment and it only made her want it more. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, her lungs were on fire, but who needed to breathe when someone else's touch could make her feel this damn good?

Tilting her head to the side, Scarlett's kisses grew sloppier as she tried to focus on both that and unbuttoning his shirt. Every miss caught a bit of scruff and gave her shivers which delighted Tony, who had pushed the sleeve of her tank top off of her shoulder, his hand moving over her breast, giving it a squeeze as he pushed her harder against the fridge and rocked his hips against hers. Gasping against his lips, Scarlett gripped his shirt and rocked against him, then started to push the shirt off of his arms. The blue light of his arc reactor lit up the space between them brilliantly and for a moment, a very short moment, she was left in awe.

Then she started at his shirt, but it was pinned between her legs and his torso. Tony, hands right under her ass, pulled her away from the fridge, turned and set her down on the counter before pulling his shirt off and letting it drop to the floor. Arms back around Scarlett at once, he pulled her close, allowing his bare stomach to touch against hers, where her shirt was still hiked up.

Tony kissed down her neck, big sloppy wet kisses, greedily memorizing her skin. He wanted all of her, to know every nook, every cranny before he would rest. It was like he'd fasted before a big feast. Scarlett scooted closer to the edge of the counter, Tony urged her to continue until her hips were right at the edge.

She swore she saw stars with Tony pressed so tightly against her, her breathing was ragged, she could hear the crackle of her lungs in her ears amidst the groans that shook her to her very core as Tony kissed down her chest. Scarlett gripped at his hair, fingers tingling, numb. His hands caressed over her thighs, down to her knees and back up between her legs.

Gasping for breath, she moved her hands down his bare back, feeling the way his muscles moved as he held her, pulled at her, hungrily, greedily. Her fingernails scratched at his flesh, pulled him closer, tighter. The air was so thick between them, Scarlett couldn't breathe.

It wasn't just that, though.

She really couldn’t breathe.

Her stomach lurched and she had to turn away. Tony pulled her back, thinking nothing of it, at least until she started coughing. She couldn't stop coughing! Every time Scarlett inhaled, she couldn't get the air she so sorely needed. Her body shook and trembled, she lost feeling in her fingers completely. Tony swore she was turning blue and watched, mouth hanging open in horror.

She gripped weakly at his shoulder, other hand over her mouth to try and contain the cough, but her face was turning white. Tony leaned her back against the counter, and gently urged her arms over her head and placed his hand over her chest. His heart was still racing, from the adrenaline of what he had been hoping would happen and now out of fear.

"Scarlett?" She wouldn’t stop coughing so Tony gently brushed his hand over her chest, unsure of what else to do to help other than console her. "Scarlett, talk to me, okay?" But she didn't say anything, she didn't even look at him.

Scarlett stared ahead of her, not up at him, not at anything in particular. Tony waved his hand in front of her face and when she didn't acknowledge him and just coughed and choked, her breathing short and labored, he gently turned her face toward him and tried desperately to get her to focus on something anything. The haze of intoxicating lust and excitement disappeared in a wash of cold reality.

"Scarlett! Please, please…" Tony cursed and looked around him for his phone but it was in his coat and he would have to leave her to call the hospital. Then just like that, Scarlett coughed and blinked her eyes a few times before staring up at him. Tony's bottom lip trembled, he was unsure of what to say. What had happened to her? She disappeared!

"…sorry." Scarlett whispered, her voice hoarse and sore. Tony pulled her upright on the counter and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. Her lips were numb, hands shaking, she felt her heart still beating unsteadily, her lungs still sore and aching. She could still barely breathe.

"You were gone…" Tony whispered and she nodded nervously.

"I'm sorry." Scarlett didn't know how to tell him, she wanted to but she was disoriented and felt like she was fading quickly. She needed help, desperately.

"What happened, Scarlett? What aren't you telling me? Please…"

"I can't… I have… you have to go." She whispered but it wasn't what she meant so much as she needed help. She fixated. Scarlett had to call someone but who was she supposed to call? Jemma? Scarlett was still angry with Jemma even if she had no real ground to stand on when it came to the reasons why. Mickey? Mickey would help her or send her help at the very least. She couldn't call Natasha even though Scarlett wanted desperately to.

"Scarlett…" Tony was leaning up again and watching her. She'd disappeared again and he swore that she was upset, upset about something she was refusing to share. What a roller coaster ride of emotions. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Just… for now." Scarlett placed her hand over his lips to silence his objections. He wanted to fight her, wanted to tell her that she was crazy to make him go. "I need to get some help or… call someone and… about…" She stuttered on her words, moistened her lips. God they tasted like him, everything was so ungodly unfair. She'd been so close, and now she was left to her thoughts once again.

"I can't leave you like this."

"Please, Tony… I'm okay. This is not the first time." Scarlett drifted off. She didn’t want him to leave, she didn't, but if she was this sick she had to do something about it and fast. Maybe a week ago she wouldn't have, she would have said fuck it and done exactly what she wanted to do.

But if getting some help was going to give her more time with Tony, more time to set things right then she needed to call someone, anyone, and get help now before it was too late. Tony tilted her chin up and pulled her close to him again, brushing his lips softly against hers before kissing her.

Scarlett felt her chest ache, and returned that soft sentiment, so different than the passionate kisses they'd share moments ago. A chill ran down her spine and she shivered, before gently pulling back from his lips. Tony kept his eyes closed and shook his head.

"I'll go." Tony whispered, staring down at her lips for a moment before looking back up at her. "But we're not done here, not by a long shot. You got that?"

"I know." Scarlett nodded, her heart in her throat. Tony stared at her for a long moment, his hand on her cheek and then pulled back and exhaled deeply.

"Promise me you're actually getting help."

"I promise. No more lies. Not to you, Tony." Scarlett nodded and Tony exhaled with relief though he internally felt none. Tony retrieved his shirt and his coat and walked out without looking again back at Scarlett. If he did, he'd change his mind, he wouldn't leave, he'd pick her up, he'd make love to her and if she really did need help and did her a disservice, he would never forgive himself.

If she needed him to leave to get help, he would. He knew exactly what he'd do instead. He needed answers. Scarlett watched him leave, her chest sore, her stomach aching.

Carefully she got up from the counter and limped over to the bar. She found her phone and fumbled with the screen.

It wasn't working.

Cursing, she threw her stupid phone and went to grab her computer. It was the only way she knew how to contact anyone right now. She sighed and waited for the screen to load, her head spinning. She'd contact Mickey and find out a status from S.H.I.E.L.D. on Clint and see what they could do for her.

But the memory of Tony so close to her wouldn't fade and every time she closed her eyes she could feel his lips, his touch, and now that she'd had a little bit of it, she wanted more.

Something had to change. No more lies. Once she'd assessed how bad the damage was to her faculties, she would go to Tony and tell him the truth. Every bit of it. She should have done it then and there, she shouldn't have asked him to leave but she wasn't thinking clearly.

She wanted Tony to hear the truth from her, selfishly. Not from Jemma, not from Mickey. Scarlett had to see it for it to mean as much as she felt it did.