Time To Celebrate (November 2001)

Kate smiled and kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his. They slowly pulled back and she smiled at him. "I actually kinda like the idea of keeping it a secret for a while. You know as soon as Isabella finds out that she's going to want to send out a press release. But for a little while this just belongs to us."

Tony was kinda taken aback by what isabella had claimed. Bruce, is in love with Natalya? He couldn't see it. "Are you certain? I'd expect him to go for...someone more...tekkie or sciencie," he said. But he watched Bruce's frown when Natalya stepped away from him to go to Logan. "Well, that's not going to be good for us," Tony said.

Isabella glanced back over at Bruce and saw his expression change as Natalya walked back over to Logan. "His face lights up anytime Natalya is around. I mean she is extremely attractive, but I guess I..." she paused when she saw Tony trying to deny that she was attractive. "Oh come on Tony. I saw you checking out her ass the other day when she bent over to pick up that spoon."

Tony grinned as they moved together. "Well, I guess I'll need a more current comparison...tonight perhaps?" Tony suggested in mock innocence. Her raised eyebrow almost made him chuckle.What Isabella did in the bedroom was one of the ways she had tamed him. Tony's libido was crazy and for the most part, Isabella was able to keep up with his needs. Tony was just one of those men that had alot of needs and desires. If they weren't met he was just not himself. He had won her over with the flowers and the confident way he chased her. But she knew before she married him that he was going to be a handful. But Isabella had always loved a challenge and Tony was that and more.

The party was in full swing and Steve and Kate rejoined the festivities. Isabella's parents were talking to Frank and Ava. And something her father had said had made them laugh and look over toward Isabella and Tony. Likely he was telling a story of when she was a girl and by how they laughed, it was probably something embarrassing.

Isabella grinned at Tony. "Perhaps." Isabella knew that she had no reason to compete with Natalya. Natalya may have more curves than she did, but she knew that Tony loved her. They shared a deep connection that made their relationship truly special. Yes, they had their differences like all married couples, but they never let them come between them. 

Isabella and Tony took a break from the dancing and moved towards the bar. However, she looked over and saw her parents talking to Frank and Ava. Her father said something that made them laugh and look her way. "Oh God...what is he telling them...." she said and then walked over to them. Tony followed her with a little grin. He always loved hearing embarrassing stories about her before he knew her. "What are you telling them Dad?"

Lorenzo was very proud of his children. And though he identified more with his son, he loved Isabella dearly and knew she had a good heart. When he heard her voice he turned to regard her. He smiled, both he and Elena did. "I was telling them about the first time you made lasagna. Do you remember? It was the day of our family reunion. You were 12 and your brother had started to serve it as if 'he' had made it. Well, you tried to get the pan away from him and he would not let it go. So, like you always did, you tried harder and he did let it go...All over your shirt. So there she was, having to spend the rest of the afternoon like a personal, walking crime scene," he said and everyone chuckled. "Oh, then there was that boy you were so set on...what was his name? Jeremy..." He began.

Isabella’s eyes widened in horror when her father started to talk about Jeremy. “Ok, story time’s over.” Frank, Ava, and Tony were all laughing until she reminded them with a grin that she had stories about all of them.

Over the next few hours the party continued and slowly the crowd started to thin. Everyone had a wonderful time and at 2 am after the bartender and caterer had finally packed up and left, Isabella, Tony, Steve, Kate, Natalya, Logan, Frank, and Bruce sat around in the living room talking and laughing. Ava had gone to bed and everyone else was still drinking a little.

“So, Tony has convinced me not to go out with Sean, but to go out with him instead,” Isabella told the group. “I get ready for our first date and then wait for him in my dorm room...and wait...and wait. I finally get sick of waiting and go where I know I’ll find him..the science lab and he’s there and he clearly has forgotten about our plans until he sees me and sees how pissed I am. He then proceeds to try and convince me that the lab was going to be part of our date.”

"I never programmed a robot to laser cut a heart faster in my life!" Tony said. "As I recall, the evening ended with us eating fast food on the heights overlooking the city. I don't know, it seemed pretty romantic to me," Tony said. "So, when did you and Kate get together?" Frank asked as he took another sip of his beer. Steve, Logan and Natalya were drinking beer as well. Kate and Isabella had wine and Tony and Bruce had Bourbon. "Well, I think I was attracted to Kate when I first saw her but I was distrustful of SHIELD for the most part so it was just a physical thing," he said and then saw raised eyebrows.

"I mean...just the attraction part. There wasn't anything between us," he explained.

Isabella smiled over at Tony. "Yeah, it did end well." She leaned over and kissed him and then settled against him. Kate looked over at Frank when he asked about when she and Steve had gotten together. "I was literally born in a SHIELD hospital because both of my parents worked for SHIELD. However, they were killed during a mission when I was 13. It was then that Phil became my guardian and began to train me. I was working for SHIELD when I was captured by the Mandarin and mind controlled by Mastermind to be the Mandarin's bodyguard. I was under their control for two years until the Avengers and SHIELD managed to free me. I had a very difficult time readjusting and was angry and upset over what had been done to me. Phil finally suggested that I get away from SHIELD and Isabella and Tony agreed to let me come here. Steve and I just...clicked. Before I was taken, I had been seeing this guy named Matt. But while I was gone he moved on." She looked over at Steve and smiled. "Steve took me out for ice cream to get me out and I think I knew then that I had feelings for him."

"It's always the Ice Cream," Frank said and everyone chuckled. He had bought Isabella ice cream almost every time he shopped. They didn't 'go out' but whenever he 'let himself in' he noticed the ice cream he bought was always gone or nearly gone and so he always bought more. He and Isabella shared a brief look but it was just a fond memory. Here in the tower, little had changed. There were at least 5 different flavors in the freezer.

"What are your favorite flavors?" Frank asked. He knew Isabella's but he asked anyway. Steve answered right away. "Butter Pecan and Rocky road," He said. "Chocolate peanut butter for me," Logan said. "Peanut Butter anything for me," He added. "Rainbow Sherbet," Tony said. "Spumoni or Black Cherry," Frank said.

Isabella mostly ate healthy, but she had a serious weakness for ice cream...or more specifically Gelato. Frank would always bring her some when he came to visit her when they were sleeping together. Sometimes after making love he would bring her a bowl in bed. She glanced over at Frank and they shared a look and a little smile. She knew he was remembering the same thing. 

"Mint Chocolate Chip or Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough are my favorites, but I love ice cream so I'll try almost any flavor," Kate answered. "Anything chocolate," Natalya responded. Beside her Logan laughed a little because he knew she absolutely loved chocolate. Everyone looked over at Isabella. Of course Frank already knew her answer. "Stacciatella Gelato," she answered in an Italian accent.

"I don't even know what that is," Bruce said with a chuckle. "I like anything with coffee in it. Coffee or Mocha," Bruce said and then his tone became more...somber and he rubbed his forehead and looked at Kate. "Kate...I spoke to Phil Coulson. I...hurt several agents...and some didn't make it," Bruce said. "Some of them you knew...I'm sorry," Bruce said softly.

Kate was still dealing with her feelings over everything that had happened. She blamed Loki for what had happened, but she had been forced to hurt people that she had once worked beside. She looked over at Bruce when he told her about what Phil had told him. She felt Steve take her hand and squeeze it. She was quiet a moment before looking over at Bruce.

“You don’t need to apologize Bruce. Loki is to blame for what happened...no one else.”

"But it doesn't change that people were hurt and I hurt them. The memories are not exactly complete but I have them just the same. Memories that I'll have to live with for the rest of my life. I'm willing to be part of the team but I want you all to know that. I don't have complete control of myself when I'm the Hulk. I just want to remind you all about that," Bruce said. "I'd much rather help out in the lab...take the load off of Tony a bit," Bruce said.

Isabella looked at Bruce. “I’m sure Tony would love having your help in the lab. No matter what you are doing you are still part of the team.”

It was almost 3:30 am when the group finally broke up and started to head to bed. Isabella had had a lot to drink and she was feeling very good. She smiled as Tony began to kiss her neck. “Well, I think that went well.”

"I had no doubts...you're always a great hostess," He said in between kisses. He knew he didn't have to seduce his own wife but he still liked to just the same. That and he thought she liked him to as well. He was undoing the buttons of her dress slowly, one by one. "I think we all needed this. Some time to celebrate...together as a team," Tony said. "But...did you have fun?" He asked.

Isabella moaned ever so softly at her husband's kisses on her neck. Even after all this time she was still madly in love with him. She grinned a little. "Yes, I did have fun...and it seems like the night isn't over yet."