,,Business versus Pleasure,,Tony

[Headmistress Charlotte Burke]

--Charlotte was sitting at her large oak desk. Another new year, new students, new everything. And she loved it. Her desk was piled with papers and forms. But she could find anything and everything on her desk. People always looked at her like she was mental when they saw her desk. But it's always how it was the first month or so of school. Then it would be clean and eveything would be back to normal. Today, she tried to make it neat, well, neater than it normally was. Not that Tony minded at all, he was far to used to her habbits to even notice anymore.

--He had always been with her. Tony proved to be a valuable assistant more times than not. And she had gotten accustomed to his company. There had been many times when she would've have gone insane without his help. That's why he was her second in command, her right hand man, etc. Charlotte smiled at the fond memories. She hadn't realized she had been tappin her pen against a piece of paper when she tapped it a little too hard and ink exploded everywhere, coating the paper. Not again.

--Charlotte lept up and tried to plot away the ink with a tissue, witch only seemed to make things worse. She couldn't help cursing under her breath. Luckily her door was shut. And Tony would be here any minute. She frantically tried to find something to wipe up the mess.

[Professor Tony]

Tony blazed through the halls, dodging and weaving through the students crowding it. The students that knew him waved, trying to talk to him. The ones that knew him and didn't like him hid or just ignored him.

Either way, getting to Charlotte was taking an act of God itself. He finally got to the corridor that held the Headmistress's office and let out a huge sigh of relief, before walking in. He looked at the assistant, a fifty year old woman named Agnes.

"Hey Agnes! I take it Charlotte's going nuts with paperwork, and holding out for a hero to save her, right?"

Agnes just rolled her eyes, a common occurance and her usual reaction to Tony's self-praise.

Tony burst in the door without knocking, and instantly began observing the surroundings.

"Ah. What a mess. That's why I'll never take this job. Hahaha.

When he finally spoke, he did so wearing a big smile.

"Mornin, Boss. You know, you look ravishing behind a hefty stack of papers that the group of old men like to send your way. "

Tony moved ino the room with practiced ease, having made this walk several times and knowing that he'll make it several more. Sitting down in the chair in front of the desk, he looked at the ink soaked paper.

"Lost your train of thought again, didn't ya?"

[Headmistress Charlotte Burke]

--She had almost gotten the ink somewhat managed when Tony walked through the door. He always came at the right time. Charlotte grinned at him. "Good morning. Oh thank you." She said grinning, rolling her eyes slightly. Charlotte knew she would look a lot better minues the paperwork. Of course it sucked, but she wouldn't trade her job for anything in the world. She truly cared for this school, and she wasn't sure if she could trust anyone besides Tony. As much as he said he didn't want the job, she knew he would take it if she asked him to.

--Her cheeks flushed slightly. He knew her so well. "Yes. I did." Charlotte shook her head. "Oh I give up." She said, exhasperated. She picked up the ink-soaked peace of paper and many tissues, along with the broken pen, and tossed it into her garbage can. Her hands were now stained with ink. "You think I would've figured out how to properly clean up by now." Charlotte said, more to herself than anyone.

--She sighed heavily before plopping back in her chair, and easily pulledo out a drawer with hand wipes in it. It removed the ink easily. "Now we can talk." A smile reappeared on her face as she faced Tony. "Actually, I should probably find a new pen." Charlotte chuckled as she rumaged through drawers and picked one out. "There." She laid it gently on her large desk and leaned on her elbows, wondering what Tony would have to say today.

[Professor Tony]

He watched with obvious interest as she busied herself trying to clean up the mess made from her exploded pen. It happened at least once a year, whether she would admit it or not. Still, as she fussed at her "lack" of cleaning ability, Tony could only scoff.

"You, not knowing how to clean? That's like Michael Jackson saying he doesn't like to dance. You're a neat freak, Char. I mean that in the most loving, please-don't-punch-me-through-a-wall way possible, of course."

The gravity manipulator sighed contentedly as he realaxed into the chair. Charlotte was always fun to mess with, and he'd been doing it for years.

"Talk? Actually, Boss, I came figuring that you were unable to reach for the the Tony Signal for me to come and rescue you. My "favorite-super-boss" senses were tingling, and I just felt like stopping by, too, on a much lesser note. Need any help?"

Tony took this moment to look at his counterpart. She was a little younger than him, and they had started here about the same time. The job had worn away a lot of the girlish pretty-ness she had once had, but in it's place grew a very beautiful middle-age woman.

He smiled to himself and propped an elbow on her desk, resting his head in his hand while waiting.

[Headmistress Charlotte Burke]

--"Hah! I am not." She paushed. Then a silly grin spread across her lips. Okay, so she was a bit of a clean freak. "I wouldn't punch you through a wall. No one would be as much fun to boss around as you are." Charlotte said chuckling. Then she playfully schowled at Tony, knowing he was responsible for her sudden plop in her chair. But she was used to it.

--"Oh! My Tony signal must be broken." She rolled her eyes as she moved some papers into the corresoponding piles. Luckily none other papers had gotten damaged with her little...accident. "Thanks. I think I might need some. If you feel like helping me sort through the papers?" She offered. "You know what, just sit here. I need some company." Charlotte said smiling at him.

--She glanced at him quickly. Tony was handsome, very handsome. But she just couldn't. It wouldn't be right. But sometimes she wondered what it would be like if they were more than just colleagues. She shook her head slightly, her cheeks flushing once more. Charlotte really needed to get this blushing thing under control.

[Professor Tony]

When she denied it, Tony stared at her, his eyebrow arched in disbelief.

"You obsessively clean, Char. You cleaned my desk when we just started teaching, and you almost threw out my collectible Atom Ant stapler."

He stuck his tounge out at his boss, matching her playful scowl with his own childish mannerisms.

"I dunno. Guy's about as fun to mess with as you are, so he'd make a good replacement for me, should you ever turn into She-Hulk and backhand me to Finland. Stefan's just... wierd, and Jennette's like you only more strict and not as lovable. "

He pouted as she claimed the Tony-signal was broken, but the mischeiviou grin came back in a second.

"What, did it meet the same fate as your now-obliterated pen?For shame, Boss, for shame. "

Asked to help with the paperwork, Tony eyeballed it with fear. Paperwork was a curse from Lucifer himself. The bastard that came up with the idea of paperwork was probably a super-possessed Hellion on a mission from Satan. Reguardless, he grabbed a few papers and reached in his suit-pocket for his own pen.

"Ugh. Charlotte, I hate paperwork."

Even as he complained, he started reading. It took him a few seconds to read it all through, and he hurried at it still. He kinda felt like someone's eyes were on him. He looked up when done and noticed his boss with red cheeks. Come to think of it, they'd gotten really red a lot today.

Since she was his best friend, Tony felt worried.

"Are you getting sick, Boss? You look kinda red, and not the kind of red you get when you're mad."

[Headmistress Charlotte Burke]

--"Okay, okay. Jeez. I'll admit it. I, Charlotte Burke, am a clean freak." She rolled her eyes playfully and pulled a paper off the top of a stack. It didn't matter, because they all needed filled out and sent away. She usually waited until the last mintue, and only stressed herself out. But it seemed the paperwork never stopped coming in. "Did you just stick your tongue out at me?" Charlotte said, adding a light gasp. "I could fire you for that." She played. Of course she wouldn't fire him for something as silly as that. She wouldn't fire anyone for that.

--Her brown curls bounced as she shook her head. "I couldn't trust anyone as I trust you. We've been together too long." She said, filling in some small blanks on the form. Then she looked up at him, and really looked for the first time in a while. Tony had grown up a lot. It was strange to think how they both changed. He looked more mature, aged, handsome. That boyish look was gone, but he still had the same personality, the same spark to his eyes, which she adored.

--"Only temporarily. All this paperwork is numbing my brain." She groand and rubbed her temples. "It's giving me a headache." Charlotte closed her eyes gently, her long eyelashes fluttering. Then the opened slowly. Everything was still here. She was hoping the papers would be gone. Everything would be gone except Tony. "I know you do. But you love me, and it's kind of your job to help me so there." Charlotte told him lightly.

--So he had noticed her constant blushing. "Oh, no. It's just...nothing. It's nothing." Charlotte rushed and hurriedly grabbed another paper, making it seem as if she was truly concentrated. She got it done in record time. "Looks like when can stop for the day. It's not like it's going anywhere." She shrugged. Then she leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands. "What have you been up to?" Charlotte asked grinning. Trying to get the attention away from her and her stupid cheeks.

[Professor Tony]

"Clean freak's puttng it nicely. Fire me. I dare you. Then you'll have to push all of your paperwork onto someone else. Like... Agnes."

Tony had to stifle a shudder. He knew he wouldn't get fired. The old man hadn't fired him, and neither would she. Tony had his faults, but Charlotte filled in where he couldn't handle something and vice versa.

"Only what? How many years? Let's see, we've both been teaching for about 6 years, and in that time, and we knew each other before that... Lord, you're the only woman in existance to put with me for a least 10 years. My mother doesn't even talk to me as much anymore. Seriously, Char, when did we get married?"

Tony joked, but it didn't feel too much like one. Not that it wasn't funny. He still chuckled.

Filling some of the forms he had out quickly in his chicken scratch handwriting, he grunted.

"I don't know... keep making me work, and the love will dry up quick."

He looked up at her as she hurriedly grabbed more paper work and concentrated.

"Odd. Seems there's something wrong with the Boss. Maybe she's seeing somebody? It's been a while.... I think her last decent relationship was like... a year ago? Of course, so was mine, but that's besides the point..."

What had he been up to? Investigating rumors, trying to figure out secrets, reading, going out and partying, shacking up with random women for a week or two, getting dumped or dumping them...

"Not much, Boss. Just living life."

[Headmistress Charlotte Burke]

--"Oh you know I would never fire you." Charlotte said honestly. And if she did, it would have to be for something totaly serious. But she would never find someone to replace him. No one would put up with her. The way she did things was often a bit different than others would do it. Her and Tony were a team, and they would probably forver be a team.

--Charlotte looked up at him as he spoke. "Has it really been that long?" She shook her head, not believing it. No way could it be that long, it couldn't be ten years with Tony. She hadn't been with anyone this long. Except family and friends, which she left behind when she came here, and even then she didn't really meet anyone besides her colleagues. "I don't remember. And if we did, you didn't even get me a ring." She joked grinning.

--Of course it was every girl's dream to get married, have children, grow old with your significant other. And Charlotte was no different. There just really wasn't anyone she was interested in. If she got out more, went to other places. But the island was her home, she had no reason to leave.

--"Since when do I ever make you work?" She joked, her tone light. He was always good about doing more than what he was required to do. She nodded. "I feel so old. All I've been doing is work. Haven't been really living much lately. I need a good time." Charlotte dropped her pen and filed her paper and rubbed her temples. Was she stressed out? That couldn't be it. She handled stress and pressure wonderfully.

[Professor Tony]

"You're damn straight you'd never fire me. Even if you find a husband, settle down and have twenty kids all capable of benchpressing a semitruck with their thumbs, you're stuck with me. But, hey, I'm not worried. A decade's gone by and you haven't gotten tired of my partying, college frat boy ways yet."

Tony smiled, looking up to meet her gaze.

"10 years, yes. Give or take a month. Met at that meeting for teachers with Gifts the old man hosted. What was it called?"

Tony closed his eyes, thinking back into his past. The old man, as he liked to call him, was about as sweet as somebody's grandpa and the Former Headmaster of Ashburn.

"Haha. Back in those days, I don't think either of us could afford to get rings tatooed on our hands, let alone buy a ring. Now that we're all fancy and have well paying, government sponsered jobs babysitting the world's superpowered legions... Well, I wear Armani suits for a reason, now."

He worked, he did what he was required and more, because it made her job easier and gave him something to keep his powerful mind at work. Not for the cash. Not for the respect.

"You're as old as you feel. You gotta remember, I'm almost three years older than you, and I'm still knocking back drinks like a champ. Granted, I'm not as good as I once was, but, hey... carpe diem."

"A good time? Haha. That's a funny thought."

Actually...

"You want a good time, boss? Let's go do something after work. Grab a bite to eat, watch a movie, go grab a drink from a bar.... The usual! What do you say?"

[Headmistress Charlotte Burke]

--Charlotte chuckled and shook her head. "Oh you don't have to worry about me finding a husband, or having children." She added smiling. Her life was here on the island. Even if she did find someone, where would she find the time? She had no time to go out and just mingle. Her children were here at the school. She didn't need her own flesh and blood. But she often wondered if she would make a good mother. Everyone told her she would, but she would probably never know. The thought didn't usually bring her down too much.

--"I've gotten used to you're...lifestyle." Charlotte said smirking. Sometimes he acted more like a student than a professor. But it surely hadn't been ten years. She counted back in her mind. It certainly didn't feel like ten years had gone by. "I barely had enough money to live." She joked. Now she could afford the best of everything. "And you look very handsome in your expensive suits." Charlotte said smiling.

--All she could do was shake her head. "True. Well, I don't have enough time to drink. And if I started, I might not be able to stop." Charlotte added truthfully. Alchohol wasn't really her thing. But she would drink a few now and then. It was usually with Tony...imagine that. A wide grin spread across her lips. "That sounds wonderful. What time are you picking me up?" She asked playfully.

[Professor Tony]

Not having kids or getting married? Oh please. That was a load of bull. He'd seen her stare longingly at young married couples pushing strollers. Okay, so it was more like a quick glance, but still... it looked like she wanted to be like them. Maybe he was wrong. Charlotte loved the student body, often considering them her children, and he knew for a fact that she'd do anything for any single one of them.

"That's a shame, Char. You'd make a great mom, and lets face it, Uncle Tony'd be an outstanding, male role model. You know, because I'm the epitome of testosterone. Haha. That kinda rhymed."

Tony chuckled at his own cleverness, amused by such simple word play.

"Seriously, though, the cool part is that you would be the one to have some kind of superbaby that could bench a few trucks. You're that awesome, Boss."

Tony's lifestyle.... the man almost, almost felt completely guilty. He'd been able to have relationships, though none of them worked. He'd party, play around, and engage in several immature acts, while Charlotte seemed to never have as much fun.

Granted, the woman was never as outgoing as he was. He was about the only person that ever saw her when she was relaxed.

"You're damn straight I look good. But yeah... I'll pick you up whenever you're ready to go, Boss. Not too many hours left before the city opens the fun parts."

[Headmistress Charlotte Burke]

--Her thoughts flickered back and forth between what her heart wanted, and what she knew she needed. Of course she wanted a family, a husband to go home to at night. But what she needed was to keep going like this. By herself, taking care of the Academy and its students, giving them the best education they could get, and providing them with a safe place to live and get used to their powers. Of course most of them had left the only home they had ever known. And she knew how they felt. Did they think she had the best life? No, she hadn't. All those tests. She cringed involuntairly. But her parents had loved her. Most of the students were sent here because their parents didn't know what to do with them, were afraid of their own children. Charlotte wished they could've been as lucky as she had, knowing her parents just wanted the best for her. Charlotte should email them. They knew how busy she was. They were growing older. Maybe she could arrange another trip to see them soon. If anything happened to them, she would never forgive herself for not being there for them. She was their only child, Charlotte knew it was her duty to keep them well and be there for them. Luckily, they were still in good health.

--"Thanks. Oh of course." Charlotte said rolling her eyes. And her mind resumed its taunting thoughts. How would it feel to hold her own baby in her arms, to see it grow up, how it would act like either her or her husband, to wonder what it would look like. If it would get her curly hair, or maybe her husband's straight hair. If he even had straight hair. "But honestly, do you see me getting married? No, because what guy would want a wife who was stronger than him? Or one who had a freaky super power?" She shook her head. Dreaming only provided more ways to be let down. She had given up hoping of one day finding her soul mate. Maybe he was out there, but she was different. No one would put up with her little quirks. "I just have a few more papers to finish up. And please don't ditch me for someone else like the last time you took me out. But you probably don't remember that do you?" She asked smirking. Tony had gotten drunk off his ass, then left with some blond skank. It was probably better that he didn't remember it. But he probably remember how mad she had been at him.