(1) When We Collide (T. Stark)

Chapter One

Spencer Winchester sits alone at a bar in New Orleans, she and her brother, Dean, have taken a night to themselves to celebrate a hunt done well before moving onto the next. Spencer and Dean had come out to a bar but he's since abandoned her after getting lucky, she doesn't mind, they take what they can where they can. Spencer doesn't really come to the bar to hook up though, she knows Dean usually gets out of there early into the night and she pulls out the books and studies, unknown to her brother and her father she is actually self teaching. She sighs. Thinking of her brother, her twin brother just upsets her. He'd really abandoned her two years ago when he chose to leave the family and go to school. It's not like she didn't want to go to school. It's not like she wanted to learn or expand, but after the way John had reacted to Sam leaving, how could she after that? How could Sam leave her after that? They're twins, they're supposed to share an unbreakable bond....and he broke it. They've not spoken at all since he left, and she feels it every day. She traces the diagram on the page of her book pushing away that Debbie downer feeling edging forward. Along the other end of the bar a man is surrounded by a gaggle of women, all half naked and pawing all over him. But his eyes are on Spencer. She's the only girl in the bar not interested in him what so ever.....and he's fascinated. Tony Stark likes to get out of New York every now and then and try to pick up girls in bars he wouldn't normally step in. But it's just so easy now. He wants a real challenge. And this girl, this one actively ignoring him looks like a challenge he wants to conquer.

"Excuse me, Ladies" he tells the girls, his best friend Rhodey looking up from his drink as Tony walks away from a whole load of sure things and moves towards the loner girl at the end of the bar.

"What are you playing at?" Rhodey asks himself watching his friend. Spencer ignores that feeling that someone is approaching her, she just wants to be left alone and hopefully if she ignores them, they'll go away.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Tony asks her. She looks to him wide eyed as if actually surprised someone he tried to talk to her.

"What?" she asks him.

"A drink" he offers with a smirk. "Your glass is empty and you're sitting alone"

"How do you know I'm alone?" she asks him cocking her head.

"Because you're in a bar and you're reading..." he points out and lifts the cover of the book to read the title, she looks down a little. "Mathematical Techniques for the Engineering, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences" he reads. "You're in a bar and you're studying" he lifts his eyes to hers.

"Just reading" she tells him. "Trying to anyway but you and your..." Spencer cocks her head looking to his lady friends. "Concubines are making it rather difficult" Tony smirks a little and takes the seat at her side, she raises an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing?" she asks him.

"Sitting with you" he answers adjusting his suit jacket. He watches her as she sighs and goes back to her book. He realises that she has no idea who he is unlike everyone else who only want to be around him because of who he is. "One drink" he leans on the bar to smile at her. All the other girls in the bar are glaring at Spencer because she has his attention, because he has chosen her.

"No" she tells him. "Try the blonde by the jukebox who is about a shot of tequila away from dropping her panties....if she hasn't already" she tells him, Tony raises an eyebrow and looks to said blonde who smiles and waves at him flirtatiously.

"But" he looks back to Spencer. "I'd rather have a drink with you" he tells her, she closes her book and sighs. He smiles victoriously and holds out his hand to her. "Tony" he offers. She takes his hand.

"Joan" she offers back. Tony keeps a hold of her hand and motions to the bartender.

"What are you drinking, Joan?" he asks as the bartender approaches.