Proof Tony Stark Has A Heart (February 1987)

Isabella spent the next day reading through the report Renee had given her regarding the missing Stark weapons. Clearly there was something going on from inside Stark Industries. There was just no other explanation for why these weapons were not accounted for. Isabella didn't want to believe that Tony knew about or endorsed this, but she needed to talk to him about it. However, before she went to Stark Tower she called up Luca and Laura to check in. Isabella was brought up to speed on the wedding plans and Isabella found out that the wedding was going to take place in May. Isabella promised Laura that she would stop by in the next few days to really start helping her. She would also need to get fitted for her Maid of Honor dress. Luca seemed upbeat and cheerful on the phone, which made Isabella happy. She had been worried about him and hearing how positive he sounded brought her some relief.

She had a cab drop her off at the Tower and she used the access key Tony had given her to head inside. She was met by security guards, but once they knew who she was they let her in. She was told that Tony was in one of the labs and she headed that way. Much to her relief, Pepper didn't seem to be around. She had brought the documentation about the missing weapons with her to show Tony. She found the lab and found the door partially open. She knocked on it though because she didn't want to disturb Tony if he was working.

"It's Isabella. May I come in?"

Tony had been working on an upgrade to his mini arc reactor. With the aid of a real lab he was able to make it far more powerful and efficient than the first one that he built in the cave. He still had been having nightmares about his captivity. He was on his lab chair and he had hooked himself up to a heart monitor while he exchanged the reactors. Problem was though his damn hands were too big. When he heard Isabella’s voice his eyes went large in surprise and in anticipation.

“Isabella! Hey, do you have small hands?” He asked as he saw her come in. He tried to get a look at her hands. He was nude to the waist and had designer khaki pants and shoes on. “I really need an extra pair of hands...if there small,” He asked and smiled when he saw them. There was a metal, round cylinder literally in his chest.

Isabella furrowed her brow at Tony's question and then stepped into the lab. She was shocked by what she saw. Tony was in a chair, partially reclined back. He was shirtless and she could see the round, metal cylinder in his chest. He had told her a little about the mini arc reactor he had constructed in the cave. It was what was keeping him alive. She was slightly alarmed by what was going on.

"What is happening Tony? Do you need me to call for an ambulance?"

“No no no, hey, I need you to help me for a minute,” He said quickly and gestured for Isabella to come closer. “I made a new arc reactor and I need to get it in. The problem is that there is a copper wire and I need it pulled out but I cant get my hands in there to get at it. Your hands look smaller than mine so what I need you to do is reach in and get the wirem” He said as if it was a simple task. The cylinder went deep into his chest.

Isabella listened to what Tony was telling her to do and she began to internally panic. She had no idea what she was doing, but Tony needed her help. She started to reach her head down but then pulled it back and looked at him. "I really don't think I'm qualified to do this."

“Isabella, you are uniquely qualified for this. And...I don’t have anyone else,” He said and looked at her. He shrugged. “I don’t, you’re it and I need you,” he said. “Just get the wire please,” he asked.

Isabella gave a little nod. She pushed up her sleeve and took a deep breath. She then reached down through the center of the metal cylinder and she grimaced at what she felt as she felt for the wire. "Oh my God...there's puss."

Tony felt himself feeling light-headed and he was beginning to worry. “Yeah that’s not puss its a plasmatic discharge. Just feel for the wire,” he asked again. “And make certain not to touch the outer ring,” He said as she felt for it. “Just the copper wi...Ahhhh!” He exclaimed as she touched the outer ring. He saw her continue to pull it. “Just dont pull it all the way outtt!” He said just as she did pull it out. He used his arm to slide hers over. “Don’t put it back in!

Isabella was full on panicking now and Tony would be able to see that in her eyes. She could hear alarms from the machines he was hooked up to going off. She tried to calm herself down and looked at Tony. "It's going to be alright Tony...you're going to be fine. Just tell me what to do." She followed his instructions carefully and quickly and within a few seconds the new piece was in and the alarms stopped. She stood there with plasmatic discharge dripping off her hand and she looked greatly relieved that that was over. "Please...don't ever ask me to do something like that again."

Tony chuckled and then looked up at her. “You’re all I got Isabella there is no one else,” He said and smirked. As she shook her hands off he removed the leads and got out of the chair. He saw her holding the old reactor and she asked him what he wanted to do with it. “Sentimental I am not...throw it out, destroy it,” He said simply as he began to put on his shirt.

“So, to what do I owe the pleasure Miss Corsetti?” He said formally.

Isabella wiped her hands off on a towel and then picked up the old arc reactor. When Tony told her to just throw it out or destroy it she decided against that. For some reason or another she decided that Tony needed to keep this. She put it into her bag for safe keeping and then picked up the file Renee had given her.

"Well...to be honest I'm here because of what's in this file," she told Tony as she handed the file to him. "It appears that you have Stark Industry weapons that have been sold, but are unaccounted for. From what it looks like, they have been sold to people that Stark Industries does not have official contracts with...in other words it's being done under the table."

She watched Tony's expression as he looked at the official report. "Please tell me that you have nothing to do with this." Isabella desperately needed to hear him say that. It mattered greatly to her because Tony mattered to her. She wouldn't be able to take knowing that he was involved in this.

Tony hadn’t said anything right away, he was reading. When he looked up he saw her looking at him and then he saw her eyebrows draw down expectantly and her eyes were growing impatient. “What, I had no idea Isabella...but I intend to find out,” He said. He had been laying low because Obediah had asked him to. Now though, after reading the report his suspicions about Obediah began to grow. He knew there was an event tonight and he wondered if it would be a good idea for him to attend it. But...if he had a date, he thought.

“There’s a...thing tonight Isabella. Tux, red carpet, the whole deal...you feel like playing dress up tonight?” he asked with a smile.

Isabella looked visibly relieved to hear that Tony had not been involved in this. Deep down in her heart she had known that he wasn't. She just needed to hear it from his lips. Now, though, Tony was aware of the situation and could take action and stop it. She began to wonder if Obediah wasn't ultimately to blame. Obediah seemed to be chomping at the bit to take over Stark Industries from Tony and that worried Isabella. She didn't know what he might do.

She blinked when Tony asked her to be his date to an event that night. When he mentioned red carpet and tux she smiled a little. "I would need to go buy a new dress and some new shoes."

Tony smiled and reached into his pocket. With a flick of his wrist he tossed her his money clip that was fat with 100 dollar bills. “I’ll send a car,” he said and smiled brightly at her. “I really like red but black is probably more elegant,” He said.

Later that evening Tony arrived at her new apartment in a gray Lamborghini. He got out and as a few people left they goggled at him as he whistled and moved up to the buzzer. He buzzed it. WHen she answered he leaned down. “I’m here to pick up Miss Corsetti,” He said using an odd voice just to be funny.

Isabella was surprised when Tony pulled out his money clip and tossed it to her, however she didn't refuse it. She smiled at him and then left to go shopping. Knowing she was going to be seen with Tony out in public she decided to also get her nails done. Her hair and makeup she would do herself. She wanted to still be herself for Tony and not pretend to be someone she wasn't.

She heard the buzzer and then heard the voice of the man she assumed was the driver Tony said would be picking her up. She headed downstairs and stepped outside. She was surprised when she saw Tony there instead of a driver. She saw him looking at her and from the look in his eyes she knew he liked what he saw.

She was wearing a strapless, satin, floor length dress with a sweetheart neckline and a slit on the left side. The dress was in a gorgeous shade of red that accented her olive skin tone and she strappy heels she was wearing matched the color of the dress exactly. The dress was fairly simple in its design, but on her it was anything but simple or mundane. Her dark hair was down and fell in soft waves past her shoulders. Her makeup was also fairly simple and not overly done, although her lipstick matched the color of the dress as well.

"Well...what do you think?"

The moment Isabella came out that door Tony gaped and knew he was in trouble. Isabella wasn’t just beautiful in red, she was stunningly so. Everything about her was beautiful elegance from her hair to her heels. “What do I think? I think maybe we skip the to do and have a little party of our own...in your apartment,” He said honestly. When she just looked at him he continued. “A little bourbon, a little dancing and and we might even do something out of bed too,” He joked. When she laughed it was a wonderful, musical laugh. Tony sighed. “Oh alright, if we must,” He said begrudgingly as he showed her to his car. He opened the door for her and held her hand as she dropped down into the low, sports car. Tony got in on the other side and before she knew it they were going at a breakneck speed down the street.

The car seemed to hug the road and it was indeed fast. Tony handled it like a professional race car driver and when he looked over at her he could see her digging the speed. Isabella was fearless and more and more he wondered if she was ‘the one’.

The trip only took about 20 minutes and he pulled up to the curb. A valet came up to them right away and another helped Isabella up out of the car. There was indeed a red carpet and the sign said. ‘Stark Foundation Gala’.

Any other woman might have been terrified with the way Tony was driving the car and might be begging him to slow down, but not Isabella. She could tell Tony was an excellent driver and could handle the car and so she relaxed and let herself have a good time. When they came to a red light she glanced over at him and saw him look at her. Her eyes met his and she gave him a little smile before the light turned green and they took off again.

When they reached the venue a valet immediately came out and opened up her car door and she stepped out. She saw the sign that read 'Stark Foundation Gala' and she blinked and looked at Tony.

"I didn't think there was a Stark Foundation."

“Uh, yeah, this is for the Stark Expo. Every year Stark Industries raises money to fund technology advancements and inventions. Think of it like one massive science fair,” Tony said as he took her hand and they waved at the crowd and the photographers that appeared surprised to see Tony there. Obediah was just up the stairs from where they were, he was smoking a cigar and talking to several business men. “Wait here Isabella,” Tony said as he saw him and he left her at the base of the carpeted stairs. He still waved as photographers snapped his picture and he smiled as he stepped up to Obediah. Isabella was also being photographed and some of the photographers and reporters began to ask her questions.

“What’s your name? Are you with Tony Stark? Are you Tony Stark’s girlfriend?” Some of the comments were not so kind. “Hey, look, its Tony’s flavor of the week!” Someone said and others chuckled at that.

“Hey Tony, I didn’t expect to see you tonight,” Obediah said as he took Tony aside. Tony’s expression changed to obvious irritation. “Are we dealing under the table? Are you selling weapons to the enemy?” Tony asked bluntly. Obediah smiled and turned Tony away from the photographers. “Relax Tony, money is money right?” Obediah said and Tony’s eyes turned from annoyed to outward anger. “And our shareholders agreed to that!?” he snapped. “Tony, the shareholders have a right to make a profit just like you do,” He said. “Who do you think filed the injunction against you? Its the only way I could protect you,” Obediah said as he smiled at the cameras that snapped away at them then he stormed down the stairs past Isabella and into a waiting limousine. Tony just looked at his back like he wanted to plant a knife in it.

He looked around no longer wanting to be there but when he saw Isabella once more he gestured for her to come to him.

Isabella had never once been on a red carpet before, nor had photographers snapping pictures of her the way they were right now. She actually felt a little nervous, but she never let that show on her face. She followed Tony's gaze up the stairs and saw Obediah. She nodded to him when he told her to wait there and watched as he went to go confront him. She was left alone and photographers and reporters began to yell out questions to her. Tony had told her in the car not to give the reporters anything so she kept her answer simple.

"Tony and I are just friends," she told them as she waited for Tony to finish talking to Obediah. From the corner of her eye she could see Tony's face and could tell he was angry, a clear sign that Obediah was the one who was dealing the weapons under the table. She felt rather sorry for Tony because he had trusted Obediah and had thought of him as a friend. However, now that Tony knew what was going on he could stop it.

She saw Tony gesture for her to come join him and so she walked up the stairs and to him. "It's going to be alright Tony," she told him softly. "We'll figure out how to fix this."

Tony smiled but it would be obvious that it was completely fake as they stepped into the hall. The hall was very nice and fancifully decorated. There was a sea of tuxedos and very fancy dresses, men and women who would give their money to fund the Expo. Tony stopped a man who held a tray of Champagne flutes and he downed three in quick succession and then took up two more and handed one to Isabella. He was very upset at what he had just learned and he knew in his heart that there was no real ‘fix’ for it. He continued to put on a good face but as they stepped further into the party they quickly blended into the crowd of people.

“There is no fix for this Isabella, I need to find…” He began then he saw her. Pepper Potts was in a very nice sea foam and light blue dress. Surprisingly it was cut very low in the back and her strawberry blonde locks hung low down her back. She looked...quite sexy in that dress and he wondered if he had really seen her before.

“I’ll find you, enjoy the party,” he said and left her standing there as he approached Pepper Potts.

Isabella blinked as she watched Tony walk away from her. She was left standing there alone holding a glass of champagne. She didn't know anyone at this party and was only here because Tony had invited her. She thought she had been attending the event as his date, but as he approached Pepper she began to think that thinking had been a big mistake. She downed the glass of champagne Tony had handed her and put the flute down on an empty tray. She then walked out onto one of the balconies to look out over the city. At night it looked quite beautiful with all the lights against the inky black sky.

Pepper had chosen this dress specifically to catch Tony's eye. It wasn't something she normally would wear, but she wanted Tony's attention, especially now that he was giving it to Isabella. She knew that Tony was coming here with her and hoped to lure him away. When she saw him step away from Isabella and approach her she began to think that her plan had worked. She smiled at him as he stepped up to her.

"Good evening Tony. You're looking quite handsome tonight."

“We need to talk...in private,” Tony said and took Pepper’s hand. She excused herself from those she had been talking to as Tony hauled her away from them. He saw the terrace and moved through the crowd to the doors. He opened the door wall and shut it behind them. As soon as he did the sounds of the party muted. It was dark outside and the terrace lights were dimmed. Tony turned and faced her. He didn’t know that there was another terrace and that Isabella was out on it right then. “Obediah has been dealing under the table. He’s been selling weapons to just about everyone, including enemies of the US. Those men that kidnapped me...those were Stark Weapons they were using. I think Obediah had them abduct me in order to get me out of the way. I’m certain as soon as I made their missile they’d have killed me. The worst part is I think he did it all and the board knew about it...some of it at least,” he said.

Pepper walked out onto the balcony with Tony. She didn’t see Isabella standing on a separate balcony, but Isabella saw them. Isabella sighed and looked away. She felt her heart breaking a little in her chest and realized her feelings for Tony were far deeper than she had thought.

Pepper looked at Tony and listened to what he said. She was visibly shocked by the revelation that Obediah was dealing weapons under the table. However, she had never liked him. She could see the distress in Tony’s eyes and she reached out and gently placed a hand on his cheek. “We’ll figure this out Tony...together,” she said gently as she lightly caressed his cheek with her fingers. She looked into his eyes and then leaned in and kissed him.

And there it was again. ‘We’ll get through this’. Isabella had just said that and even though Pepper had been his assistant for years he honestly didn’t think she could do much to help him. Isabella had been a CIA agent and she had given up everything for him. Her marriage, her career, everything. Pepper was looking at him right then with her large, blue eyes and he knew what she was thinking. She wanted him, wanted to be everything to him. He saw these eyes soften and felt her shift toward him. When her lips touched his Tony’s instincts kicked in and he kissed her back. However there was no spark. He opened his eyes and gently pulled back from the kiss. In that moment he knew what it wanted. And he had just rudely left her to fend for herself at the party.

“Pepper, what would it take to make Isabella Corsetti the CEO of the Stark Foundation? I need to make some quick moves to save what can be saved,” he said as if the kiss had not happened. His mind had shifted into problem solving mode.

Pepper felt Tony kiss her back and her heart began to beat faster. She finally was going to have what she had wanted for so long. Unbeknownst to Tony or Pepper, Isabella saw the kiss. She sighed and walked back inside the party and then made her way outside to try and get a cab. She wasn’t going to stay any longer. How could she have been such an idiot? Tony didn’t actually care about her. He was just looking for a woman to sleep with.

Pepper looked up at Tony when he pulled back from the kiss suddenly and started asking her about making Isabella the CEO of the Stark Foundation. That was a position she had wanted for herself.

“Tony, I’m in love with you.”