Chapter 1
1.
Virginia “Pepper” Potts would say that the migraine that was Tony Stark started almost as soon as she went to the job interview. She was fresh out of college with a BS in business management, and even if it was a long shot, she applied at Stark Industries. When she had gotten a call back, she had specifically went out and bought a new pencil skirt, blouse and matching blazer. Even if she wasn’t use to wearing heels, she had bought four inch stiletto heels and practiced, practiced, practiced until she and the heels were one entity.
Finally, she was ready, leaving a whole hour before the job interview to make sure she made it in time, her red hair perfectly styled into an updo behind her head. When she walked in through the door of SI, she turned heads, since she was an attractive twenty-two year old, well dressed woman. She was glad that her posturing was working and she didn’t look as nervous as she felt, and the admiring eyes felt good, giving her an extra boost of confidence.
Even so, she was jittery as she sat down in chair in the lobby, waiting to be called in. There wasn’t much hope of her getting the position, since even if it was a supervisor position in the mail room, she knew the likelihood of hiring someone fresh out of college with no job experience was relatively low. Even so, she could only hope to impress the right person and hopefully land a position.
The secretary called her forward and she was directed to the elevator and given a room number. She nodded, turned toward the sleek looking elevators and entered the next one that opened up. When she arrived at the 10th floor, it occurred to her that she might have been confused with someone else, since this didn’t look at all like where she should be going.
“Hello?” Pepper called, pushing past the door and was confused at all the wires that had been pulled from the walls. “I... I’m here for the interview.”
There was a loud splintering sound, followed by a snap and she shrieked as a body fell directly in front of her... then proceeded to be suspended midair by several wires wrapped around them. “Oh, hello,” the man that appeared to be a few years older than her greeted. “This isn’t what it looks like, I assure you.”
He was an attractive man with a bit of stubble coming in on his jaw and chin, and what had once been an expensive suit. It was now hopelessly wrinkled and had what appeared to be burns on the undershirt and sleeves of his dress shirt, and the coat was missing. His dark hair was tousled and looked a bit like he might have been electrocuted. Pepper wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.
“So, here’s a thought,” he said, eyeing her from his horizontal position but tilted a bit downward so his head was closer to the ground. “How about you help me down?”
Pepper startled forward. “Oh, yes!” she said, reaching out toward him before she stopped. “Wait... is it dangerous? I’m not going to get electrocuted, am I?”
The man studied her face a moment before finally answering. “Probably, I can’t really guarantee that you won’t,” he answered honestly. He tilted his head. “So... if you don’t mind? The blood is rushing up to my head, and it’s not a very pleasant feeling.”
The young woman sighed, hoped she didn’t get shocked and reached out to help him get untangled. She was relieved when no electricity curled through her body. He was out quickly after that, use to her little nephews shenanigans that usually involved getting tangled in a soccer or hockey net, depending on the season.
He grunted as he hit the ground, groaning a moment before he scrambled up. “Well, that ceiling needs to be replaced,” he mumbled to himself. “I also might be late. What time is it?” the man asked without looking at her.
“It’s 9:12 AM, May 2, 1994,” she informed him, in case he was confused by the date as well. He looked a bit spastic, like he could get lost on a brainstorm and forget to eat, sleep and other basic necessities.
He nodded and then he turned to her, looked her over as he hummed. “You’ll do, come along,” he said, turning on his heel and walking away. Pepper was startled, not really sure at this point who this man was, but there was something about him that seemed very familiar.
She helped him find a shirt to replace the burned and wrinkled one, and then she found herself taking notes at a meeting where she learned he was Tony freaking Stark. He was odd to be sure, but also something else entirely.
Pepper somehow found herself getting the job as his personal assistant, which she hadn’t even applied for.