Stolen - Tony Stark

1.

Stark Tower, 2012

It was funny, actually being invited to something.

Usually, she would just con her way through, fake I.D. her way into  some party, and end up leaving with either money or some treasured object worth a lot of money. Get in, get the prize, and get out. That had always been her life.

Even after she'd managed to break away from the tangled web that was the organization she had once worked for. Even going solo she had still abided by the same rules: Get in, get the prize, and get out. Simple and effective - usually.

Most of the time.

Until that one time with Stark Industries. And now here she was, actually being invited to a party at the place she had broken into by the guy she had tried to rob.  Funny how life worked out.

"I'm glad you're here," Pepper said when Kass arrived, the elevator doors giving a ring and sliding open, announcing her arrival.

"Well, I chose this over sneaking my way into a gala in Budapest - I'm joking, Virginia. I do that sometimes."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Too much for my liking."

"Isn't joking good?"

"Not your kind of jokes."

"Let me guess, you sent my the invitation."

"Nope. Tony insisted."

"Did he now?"

  "Yes. And joke or not, he'll be glad that you chose being here over being somewhere else."

"We'll see."

The room was full of people, some who she recognized, and many who she didn't. 

"I heard a rumour you were going to be here tonight." A redhead approached her.

"Well if it isn't my favourite assassin. Congratulations Ms. Romanoff, you're a hero."

Natasha raised her eyebrows and sipped her drink.  "Not everyone shares your opinion."

"You saved a lot of lives."

"Well, I didn't do it alone. Come on, I'll introduce you to the team."

"I didn't think you were much of a team player."

"I wasn't."

Natasha introduced her to Steve Rogers, Captain America - "Not looking so shabby for such an old man" - and Dr. Bruce Banner - "Nice to meet you, Dr. Banner. Any chance  the other guy will be here tonight?" She also met Clint Barton, another Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nat's partner in crime - "I thought we were going to be partners in crime, Natasha. I am betrayed" - and, last but certainly not least, she met Thor, God of Thunder. Apparently he had just returned from his home realm of Asgard after delivering his brother Loki to captivity there. "Norse Mythology, huh? You ever heard Immigrant Song  by Led Zeppelin?"

"No, I haven't, what is that?" Thor looked intrigued. 

"Only a great song from the greatest band ever. Here I'll play it for you." She pulled out her phone. "Hey J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

"Yes Ms. Konstantin?"

"Do me a favour and connect my phone to the Bluetooth."

"Connecting..."

"Um, the only music that will be played under this roof is AC/DC." She spun around to see the man himself standing there. "And J.A.R.V.I.S. answers only to me."

"Clearly not. And J.A.R.V.I.S. and I are friends, like best friends, isn't that right?" 

"Yes, Ms. Konstantin."

"Thanks." She smiled at Tony. "So, you going to throw a party like this every time you save the world?"

"Probably." 

"Well, you deserve it, you six."

"Yeah, did you hear how I flew a nuke through a wormhole into space-"

"Oh jeez." Natasha rolled her eyes.

"Here we go again," agreed Pepper.

"Not again," chimed in J.A.R.V.I.S.

"I feel personally attacked. By my three favourite ladies and my A.I."

"Which one of us is your favourite favourite lady? Pepper I'm guessing."

"Oh I don't know," Pepper said, playing along.  "I'm CEO of his company and he only gave me twelve percent of the credit for Stark Tower."

"I believe we settled on fifteen percent," Tony said.

Kass shook her head. "Anthony Stark, you should be ashamed."

Tony looked to his CEO. "Pep, come on, I thought we were having a moment there."

"I was having twelve percent of a moment," Pepper said, making Kass and Natasha laugh.

"Good one, Ms. Potts," commented J.A.R.V.I.S.

Pepper grinned.  "Thank you, J.A.R.V.I.S. I'm glad someone appreciates the work I do around here." Eyeing Tony, she left.

"You definitely had that one coming," Natasha said.

"Yeah." Tony nodded.  "I'm gonna pay for that later."

After chatting for a while with Earth's Mightiest Heroes, Kass made her way out  onto the balcony. She was alone out there until Tony joined her.  "I'm trying to figure out the best way to sneak into the building from the outside."

"Impossible, security is impenetrable."

"Managed to get past it before," she reminded him. 

"You know, if you just want to stop in a say hello, you can always use the front door."

"But what's the fun in that?" She winked. 

"No, but seriously, I did fly a nuke through a wormhole and fell from space."

"Only you would get into such trouble. And quit boasting about it - you scared the devil out of me!" she scolded, punching his arm.   "I saw it all on the news. I thought for sure you weren't going to make it..."

"And yet here I am."

"But you might not always be..."

He looked confused at her words, and perhaps a little conflicted, just as she was. She shook her head and forced a smile.  "But no talking like that. The important thing is you're here, you're alive, and you succeeded.  So a toast to you and your team." She held up her glass.

"But mostly to me, right?"

"Sure." They touched glasses and both took a sip. 

In a last-minute decision, she kissed his cheek. "Thanks for inviting me to your lame party. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with the King of Wakanda tomorrow."

"Liar."

She smiled, but didn't look back at him as she left.  She stepped into the elevator.   "J.A.R.V.I.S., hit play."

Robert Plant's musical screams filled the room, making for the perfect exit.

(I'm super obsessed with Led Zeppelin at the moment so of course their music is going to make an appearance in my writing. I keep making Zepp references in lots of my stories ;)

Welcome to my new story! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! :))