PARADOX

My first day as Tony Stark's assistant wasn't a complete disaster. I did however play with his attitude quite a bit and almost blew up his lab. But it wasn't my fault! At least that's what I thought. I thought being his 'assistant' was like organizing papers and doing most of the managing around the company. But really, I was the only one allowed to help Tony in his lab. Anyone who called him or came into the room, he would tell me to not disturb. Suddenly, the incident that happened last year ran across my mind. The Avengers. I couldn't help but wonder, where they all went.

"Mr.Stark, If you don't mind me asking, what happened to the Avengers?" I glanced up at him.

"Disbanded, for now." he answered without looking at me.

"Oh. Could I ask you about something?" I took out a piece of paper and sketched at sign I saw when those men took my dad.

"anything." Tony rose from the floor and walked over to me.

"Do you know what this represents?" I showed him the drawing. He held it for a moment and looked like he was struggling to tell me or not. "It's fine if you cant tell me or don't know. I'll understand." He didn't reply and went off to the other room. 'I know he knows.'

TONY'S POV

'SHEILD'

I fled to the other room and dialed Nick Fury's phone. "She knows."

"Who is 'she'? And knows what?" Nick replied with annoyance.

"(Y/N) (L/N), she knows who took her father. Look you asked me to keep her safe, I am, but the guilt is rising. She has to know."

"Look, I understand she's trying hard to find the people who took her father, but you cannot tell her!"

"You did! You took him! Just because he's some genius, doesn't mean he has to be kept my SHEILD."

"Dr. (L/N) agreed he'd work for SHEILD if we kept his daughter away from danger."

"And you have me looking after her? We are nearly a few years apart! She doesn't need me to babysit her. Plus, why put her in a room where weapons are scattered around?"

"She's under your protection. So do your job and protect her." Nick hung up.

(Y/N)'S POV

Tony came back and he started to work on one of his suits again. I walked over to him and fixed the helmet. I could tell that phone call wasn't pleasant. his fake smile was comforting but I knew he was hiding something from me.

"You enjoy being this close to me?" Tony asked looking at me.

"I don't mind, if that's what you mean." I quickly walked back to the desk and started working on parts.

"I'd have to say, I enjoy you being here with me. Finally have some one to have fun with."

"Shut up, Tony." I snapped back at him.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what happened to 'Mr. Stark'?"

"'Mr. Stark' can come back when I am no longer Tony's friend."

"We're friends now?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No. I just don't make a lot of friends."

"I wonder why."

"Oh shut up."

A couple of hours later, we were bonding quite quickly. I told him about how smart my dad was and how he could almost be as famous as Tony. Tony went on about how his father didn't spend much time with him or cared. His father was occupied with his work and Tony always tried to get his attention.

"Do you miss him?" I asked Tony.

Tony looked down to his lap and replied, "I guess I do. I hardly knew the old man. How about you?"

"I do, there's hope he's still alive."

"Hmm, are you hungry?"

"Finally a lunch break!"

We ate in a different room in the tower. Knowing Tony, he doesn't seem like the type to be eating out alone. We made fun of The Avengers a bit and I complained why I couldn't have a map of the tower. I want to know why this building has so many floors and what those floors held of course! The time I was enjoying now was no other time in my life. I was truly smiling and actually having a friend.

Weeks later, Tony wanted to show me something at his house. Yes, a house that had the view of beautiful waters! I wonder why he would need such a beautiful house if he basically lived at the tower. Tony showed me his home lab, which was filled with broken floors and crushed walls. A line of suits were nicely lined up on the wall.

"Let me guess, JARVIS is here too?" I joked.

"Indeed I am, Miss (Y/N)." JARVIS spoke out of no where.

"Does he follow you everywhere?" I asked walking to Tony.

"He's even in my suit." Tony replied with a bit of laughter. "I've been working on a suit that will come to me by parts. Stand back and look." His arm rose from his side and a piece of his armor flew to his arm and locked on. All of the clumps of armor that was scattered around the room, flew to Tony, becoming one with each other creating a red and gold Iron Man. "It's not finished yet, still a few tweaks to fix." he walked around the room with the suit on and made the most silliest poses. "Hot aren't I?"

"If you say so." I rolled my eyes.

"Could you go get me some coffee?"

"Oh, now I'm acting like a real business assistant?"

"Weren't you an assistant from the start?"

"Didn't feel like it."

I left to find coffee somewhere in the kitchen. Found a lot of alcohol and shot glasses. Does he not have any mugs? When I returned I sat down and flipped through a book that was laying on the floor.

"Where's my coffee?" Tony asked walking up to me.

"In the kitchen."

"Could you go get it?"

"I don't feel like it."

"(Y/N)."

"What?"

"Coffee?"

"No, I'm fine."

"(Y/N)~" he groaned while I started snickering to myself.

"Look if you want your coffee, you can be a big boy and get it yourself."

"Please~"

'It's not hard. Just use those fancy shoes of yours and walk to the kitchen."

"Is there any day where you don't act all innocent?"

"I don't think so. I'm merely an assistant giving an opinion."

"You're more than that."

"Then what am I?"

"You're," At that exact moment, my phone rang. we both paused and I picked up the phone. I walked into the kitchen and stared at his filled coffee mug as I talked on the phone. "My friend." I heard Tony mutter as I picked up his mug and walked it back to Tony. I gave him a smile and left the room.