"Will you be requiring me to remain with you today, ma'am?" Watson enquired as he drove (Y/n) the five miles from her apartment to Stark Tower. (Y/n) not seeming to hear the cyborg as she looked out at the city going by. The towering skyscrapers surrounding her like a forest of giant redwoods. Except these towering behemoths were made of steel, concrete and glass.

The entire weekend had gone by with a blur. But there again, most weeks, never mind weekends, always did. Her life was either a long procession of meetings with investors, contractors, and board members. Or hour upon hour spent in the labs, trying to fix glitches. Waiting for programs to run through, or trying to make some strange idea that she had had over night, come to life. To many, Stark in particular, her life may sound boring, as boring as he had accused her of being in their youth. But being boring had got her this far. Being boring had got her to the point where the government and even S.H.I.E.L.D had jumped at the chance of having her company assist them. Got her to the point where she would now be working with the famous Avengers. To the point where she could make Tony Stark eat his words.

"What? Oh, er.......... yes. Sorry, Watson. Yes. Why not. It could be fun." (Y/n) chuckled, as she smiled at her friend that was peering at her through the rear view mirror.

"Is everything alright, ma'am? You seem a little preoccupied." Watson enquired, as the professor turned her eyes back to the bustling streets of the metropolis. Her mind momentarily filling with thoughts of what the lives of those around her, were like.

The city was always a great melting pot of people from all corners of the world. A glorious palette of creeds, colours, and religions, that made New York one of the greatest cities in the world. Around every corner you could find the best, and worst that humanity had to offer. Anything from movie stars and millionaires, to simple people just trying to eke out a living and make their way in the world. And that was one of the reasons she loved the great dirty city. A city that had been good to her. A city that she was going to show what a fool the great Iron Man really was.

"Yes, Watson. I'm fine. I've just been waiting for this day for a very long time, that's all." (Y/n) assured. A small smile pulling at her lips as her car drew up under the great shadow of Stark tower.

                                                                >>------------------------------<<

"Well Stark. Monday morning. Bet you've been looking forward to this. Your girlfriend should be here soon." Clint chuckled as Tony finally dragged himself into the kitchen area. The rest of the team looking up from their breakfasts as the billionaire poured himself a large cup of coffee and huffed at the comment.

Tony had spent the entire weekend trying to work out how his old nemesis had been able to control his suit without seemingly any way of doing so. And even more, how she had managed to make the thing fall to pieces only moments after she had left. He had pulled the suit apart. Checked and double checked everything. Ran diagnostic after diagnostic on the interface and come up empty handed. The only thing that he had been able to find was that the nano molecules of the metal in the armour, had somehow been misaligned, rearranged and broken. Resulting in some parts of the metal crumbling in his hands. And now it was Monday morning. (Y/n) would be at the tower at any moment, and Tony had a horrible feeling that once again she would be making a fool of him.

"She's not my girlfriend." Tony grumbled as he slumped down into one of the sofa's, not in the mood for the teasing that the others had put him through all weekend. Clint, Sam and Bucky, seeming to get the most glee from watching him squirm.

"Your right there, Stark. I think the Professor is far too smart to get involved with you. Let's face it, your normal types usually have names like, Candy, and Crystal." Bucky added. The super soldier and archer smiling at one another.

"Yeah. Strippers, with daddy issues." Sam chimed in. His comment sending a ripple of laughter around the room. Tony rolling his eyes and wanting to send a torrent of sarcastic comments at that the two bird brains, and the one armed bandit. But knowing that if he tried to protest, it would probably only add fuel to their fire.

"Okay. Okay." Steve interrupted. Trying to cover up the fact, that just like Bucky, he had enjoyed seeing Tony lose some of his usual confidence.

"I think that Stark might have suffered enough." Steve continued, trying to quell the childlike enthusiasm of the trio.

"Personally, I don't think that he's begun to suffer yet. Us teasing him, is nothing to what I think the professor has planned for him." Clint mumbled. The rest of the team, after seeing what they had at the party, finding that they could do little other than agree.

"Sir." called out, before Tony could say anything in reply to the archer's latest comment.

"Yeah. What?" Tony groaned. Already having a terrible feeling that he knew what the AI was going to tell him.

"Sir. Professor (Y/l/n) and her man are here. They are coming up in the elevator now." F.R.I.D.A.Y informed the billionaire and the others. The team all getting to their feet. All of them looking forward to getting better acquaintanted with the beautiful, and intelligent professor.

Tony put his head in his hands. He had hoped to have answers by now. He had hoped to know how (Y/n) had controlled his suit. How she had made the armour fall to pieces. He had hoped that he would be able to rub her face in the fact that he had easily been able to work out what she had done. But he was going to have to face her knowing that he had no idea. And that that was only going to make his rival all the more determined to keep proving that she was better.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen." (Y/n) said happily, as she and Watson entered the common room. The boys looking at one another, as yet again the professor appeared in a finely tailored pant suit. The dark blue cashmere hugging every dip and curve of her perfectly proportioned form. The open collar of her crisp white shirt, plunging just low enough to make their eyes grow wide. And their minds drift to the possibilities of what else could be hiding under the crisp lines of the English suit.

"And good morning, Stark." (Y/n) continued as she walked up to stand in front of him. Tony trying to pretend that he was his usual confident self. The billionaire leaning back in his chair and smiling smugly up at her.

"So, you actually turned up?" Tony asked with a chuckle. Not liking the grin that had spread across (Y/n)'s lips.

"Oh, Stark. Believe me when I say that I wouldn't miss this for the world. I have been waiting a long time to come up against you again. And this time there will be no doubt about which one of us is the superior intellect." (Y/n) chuckled as Tony got to his feet. The two rivals facing one another, just as they had the night of the party.

"Then I only have one thing to say." Tony replied, as he looked deep into (Y/n)'s eyes.

"Bring it on!"