To Infinity and Beyond ||Tony Stark|Iron Man||

Learn You Inside Out

*Alli's POV*

"I'm more of a Tony Stark fan." I corrected. He smiled, I knew he was pleased by that statement. It was true though. I believe the man makes the suit, not the suit makes the man. If Iron Man were anyone else it wouldn't be right. I looked up at him and our eyes met. I could have stared at his eyes all day. Dark Brown almost black, full of hurt, sorrow, but hope. Just looking in his eyes you could tell that the smile on his face was fake. He was hurting, for a long time. Everyone knows that, but no one cares because everyone thinks he doesn't care. I noticed I was staring at my shoe, I forced myself to look up at Tony. He locked eyes with me and ran his fingers through his already messy hair.

"Okay, well I guess I'll leave and let you guys get to know each other, because this is kinda awkward." Rhodey said breaking the silence. I laughed nervously. I look at Rhodey, but feel Tony's eyes on me the whole time. Rhodey walked over to me and pulled me into a hug.

"Hey, be careful. Tony's a great guy, but he's kinda... hurt right now. Vulnerable." He whispered in my ear. You could hear Tony's eyes roll.

"I'll be careful Rhode. It's Tony Stark what could possibly happen?" I said sarcastically. I heard Tony chuckle in the background.

"Yeah sure." Rhodey said walking over to Tony. Tony looked at him and smiled. Rhodey pulled him in for a hug and told him, "You crazy son of a bitch, call me after we haven't talked for a year and flirt with my best friend."

Tony shrugged. "What can I say, I'm Tony Stark." He added simply. I giggled. Tony and Rhodey looked at me. Rhodey backed up and Tony came to stand next to me.

"Okay, you kids have fun, but not too much fun." He said pointing at us as he went into the elevator.

"Bye, Rhodey." Tony said. And with that Rhodey was gone. I was alone with Tony Stark, at Stark Tower. What could go wrong?

*Tony's POV*

"Bye, Rhodey." And with that Rhodey was gone. I was alone with Alli Frost, at my house. What could go wrong?

I look over at Alli and see her nervously playing with her hair. She looks at me and smiles.

"You want to sit?" I ask gesturing towards the couch.

"Sure." She said. She sits on the couch and I sit next to her. We start talking and get more comfortable. By now she has her legs on my lap and her head on the arm rest. I have my arm on top of the couch. We are getting more serious now.

"So, tell me. Why Iron Man?" She asks.

"I had my eyes open. I realized I had more to offer the world than just making stuff blow up." I said. She nods and looks at the arc reactor in my chest. She sits up, her face inches from mine, she places her hand on the arc reactor.

She looks up at my with her turquoise eyes and asks, "Why do you need this?" Her eyes full of hurt and sorrow. I tap the arc reactor.

"Before I was kidnapped a missile, a Stark missile blew up next to me. I should be dead, but this," i say pointing to the arc reactor,"this is keeping me alive. I should be dead."

"No you shouldn't you deserve to live." She says tracing the outline of the arc reactor in my chest.

"Tell me about your past. You know all about me." I say softly.

"I'm not sure you want to hear that. It's a long story." She says still looking down.

"I have all day." I say back to her. She looks up at me and sighs.

"My Mom died when I was 12, so I was left with my Dad and my older brother Jack. Yeah, Jack Frost my parents thought it was the funniest thing ever. My Dad couldn't take my Mom's death so he drank, a lot. Jack was always my Dad's favorite, so he tended to favor him until he was out of high school and off to college, on his way to college Jack got hit by a semi and was killed on impact. I was 14 at the time, just starting high school. I started to cut, it got really bad. My dad blamed my Mom's and my Brother's deaths on me, so he started to abuse me physically. When I was 17 my Dad rapped me. I ran away from home and lived on the streets until I was out of high school. A week before I left for New York my Dad overdosed. That was his first and last time doing drugs. I moved to New York. met Rhodey and here I am." She said tears brimmed her eyes, she had a fake smile on her face. I looked at her and the tears fell.

"Hey, it's alright I won't leave you. And I will never hurt you." I said pulling her on my lap and wrapping my arms around her shoulders. She put her head on shoulder and wrapped her arms around my chest. I pulled away a single tear slips from my eye. I look at Alli tears stained on her cheeks, mascara everywhere, eye red. She looked beautiful.

She looked up at me and said, "I'm sorry about Pepper."

Another tear escaped from my eye.

"The past doesn't matter Alli, what matters is here and now. And right now I'm here with you." I say never looking away from her eyes. I start to lean in she starts to lean in. I rest my forehead on hers. I close my eyes and...

*Ring*

Alli pulls her phone out. I sigh and back away. She looks at me her eyes full of regret. She wanted me to kiss her. She stands up and I look at her confused.

"I have to go Tony." She says. I look at the time, 2:07,  wow it's late. I walk over to her. She's waiting for the elevator. She turns to face me. I pull  her in for a hug. My hands on her back, her arms wrapped around my neck this, seemed so right. We both pull away.

"Tomorrow, 6, here, pizza?" I ask. She walks into the elevator and smiles.

"It's a date." She says.

"A date." I say back. We both smile and then the elevator doors closed.

I smile. A date. I walk up stairs and lay down. As I start drifting to sleep all I can think is, I should have kissed her. And with that I slept for the first time in 3 years without the nightmare.