Right, so this is based on the series of comics Civil War. You don't have to have read it as everything is explained in the fic that has any reference to it.
Also, this is the sequel to River! Yay!
Finally, I want to thank the fantastic author saichick. She's really helped inspire me to write this and her advice has helped a whole bunch. I really implore you to go read Reality of Life With A Superhero because it's awesome, truly.
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing mentioned in this fic. None of the characters are mine, none of the places mentioned are mine. Hell, the idea is barely mine. Thanks to Marvel Universe Wiki and Marvel Comics Database for much of the character background.
July, 2020
Pepper knew she was in for a bad day as soon as she woke up.
Her alarm had for some reason refused to go off, making her a whole half hour late in rising. Her boyfriend, Robert, had complained that she woke him while she rushed around like a headless chicken, she didn't have time to grab any breakfast, nor did she have time to get any on the way to work.
And then there was the scary ass woman standing directly outside her front door when she opened it. That didn't help either.
"Can I help you?" Pepper asked her, trying to take inventory on the situation. The woman was around 5'10" with a crop of short black hair and one of the creepiest smiles Pepper had ever seen. There was an equally scary looking person standing next to the woman wearing some kind of gas mask and wielding what looked like an Uzi on steroids, and there seemed to be some kind of frigging huge space ship in the sky.
"Miss Potts, my name is Maria Hill, I'm the Director of SHIELD." She held out her hand to Pepper, who shook it. "I have some important information that I need to share with you, may I come in?"
'Uh, no' was the first response that entered Pepper's head, but she settled for "I'm actually running late for work, so-"
The woman smiled wider. "I won't be taking up much of your time." She interrupted.
Pepper raised an eyebrow. "I don't really approve of guns in my house." She gestured to the grunt standing next to Maria. Maria turned her head and nodded at the grunt, who turned and walked a short distance away from the house before stopping and standing guard again.
"Better?" Maria asked.
Pepper didn't like this woman.
She stepped aside and let Maria into her home. Maria uttered and thank you and Pepper led her into the lounge area.
"Would you like a coffee or-"
"This isn't a social visit, it's purely business I'm afraid." Maria interrupted again.
Yeah, Pepper really didn't like this woman.
"Ok, well like I said I'm in a bit of a rush so…"
"Of course." Maria dropped a file onto her coffee table and clasped her hands together on top of her knees. "I'd like to talk to you about Tony Stark."
The hair on the back of Pepper's neck stood on end, there were too many conversations that could lead with that name and she honestly didn't want to have any of them.
"What about him?" she asked.
Maria smiled again and opened the folder. "Well, let's start with the last time you saw him. When would that be exactly?"
"Ten years, seven months ago." Pepper answered immediately. Maria raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't even have to think about that, huh?"
Pepper's jaw tensed. "You tend to remember the day someone you love walks out of your life." She shrugged.
"Quite." Maria said. "So according to you, you haven't seen him since…December of 2009, correct?"
"Yes." Pepper said, her suspicions rising. "I haven't heard anything about him for nearly seven years; last I heard he was helping the war in Afghanistan." She watched as Maria noted this down. "Ms. Hill, what is this about? Is Tony in some kind of trouble?"
"You could say that." Maria said, not taking her eyes from her file. "Am I correct in thinking you are still dating Agent Robert Owens?"
"Yes." Pepper said yet again, beginning to get impatient. "Ms. Hill, I really am running late-"
"Forgive me, Miss Potts," she spoke over Pepper. "I promise we're nearly done. Now, what do you know of Project 42?"
Pepper was about to answer that she didn't know anything at all about it, when a male voice came from behind her.
"It's the Superhuman Registration Act." A tall, well built man with spiked up brown hair appeared in the doorway to the lounge. "Director Hill." He saluted Maria, who nodded back at him, and made his way over to sit next to Pepper, limping slightly as he went.
"Agent Owens." Maria acknowledged. "How's the leg?"
Robert smiled. "It's feeling a lot better, ma'am. I'd come back to base now if the medics would let me."
Maria laughed lightly. "Now, now, we want you all healed up before we throw you back into action, don't we?" Robert smiled politely back at her. "But I digress." Maria continued. "The SRA, do you know anything of it Miss Potts?"
Pepper shook her head and looked at Robert, who also shrugged. "That's about the extent of my knowledge as well; I'm not cleared to know anymore."
Maria placed her file back on the table and cleared her throat. "Project 42 was dreamed up by Director Fury in 2013. What it entails is the registration of those with naturally occurring superhuman abilities, abilities acquired through science or magic, and those non-super powered humans using exotic technology, like our man of iron." She smiled that creepy smile. "The American Government would then employ the registered super-humans to work alongside the law enforcement agencies across the country."
"Hey wait, I heard about that." Robert said. "Yeah, I joined SHIELD not long after this was first propositioned, but it was rejected because Fury was killed in action."
"That's what we told people." Maria said. Robert's eyebrows rose. Maria opened her file and handed both of them a thinner file which had a large red stamp across it stating the documents inside were classified to Level Nine.
"Jesus." Robert muttered. Pepper looked at him. "I thought there were only eight levels." He said.
"Officially, there are." Maria said. "Myself and my team are the only ones with Level Nine clearance, but you need to see this." The gestured for them to open the file and they were greeted with a mug shot of Tony and a bunch of papers to do with Project 42.
"Seven years ago," she continued. "Nick Fury submitted Project 42 to a small group of SHIELD higher ups, consisting of Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and myself. We were all on board and eager to start. Unfortunately, Tony wasn't." she indicated a document in the file with Fury's information on it. "The official story outside of Level Nine is that Fury was called away on a mission with Stark and Banner and they were ambushed, Fury was KIA and Stark and Banner were reported missing-"
"What?" Pepper snapped. "They're missing? Why hasn't anyone been told about this?"
"Honey, let her finish." Robert said soothingly to Pepper. She glared at him but let Maria carry on.
"Thank you, Agent Owens." She smiled that irritatingly cheerful smile again and continued. "Now, as I was saying, that was the official story. Unfortunately, the truth is a lot darker." She handed them some more documents on which was a grainy CCTV image of what looked like Iron Man using his repulsors on two other men. "After the proposal for Project 42 was put forward, Stark fought with Banner and Fury, arguing against the proposal. He wanted it withdrawn. When Fury refused, Stark killed him. And Banner." She indicated the images. "He then fled the SHIELD facility and has been in hiding ever since."
"Oh my God." Pepper gasped. "You have to be joking."
"I never joke Miss Potts." Maria said sternly. "This is deadly serious."
"Damn." Robert whispered, picking up the images and studying them. "I can't believe Iron Man killed Director Fury."
Pepper turned to glare at him and then immediately wished she hadn't as an image of Nick being thrown backwards by Tony's blast engraved itself across her brain. She took a deep steadying breath and tried to calm herself.
"Why did you survive?" she asked Maria.
"Fortunately, I was stationed at one of the ground level headquarters at the time." Maria replied.
"Why is all this coming to light now?" she asked after she'd taken a moment. "Why are you telling us this?"
Maria sighed and pulled out another folder from God knows where and placed it in front of Pepper.
"Miss Potts, the law states that when a person is declared missing for a period of seven years or longer, that person is declared legally dead." She withdrew a document from the folder. "I'm afraid today marks seven years and one week from the day Tony Stark fled and was declared MIA. As far as the United States Government is concerned, Tony Stark is dead." She pushed the document towards Pepper and she picked it up.
"What's this?" Pepper asked, voice barely above a whisper. Robert reached out and took her hand.
"Stark activated a code with his artificial intelligence unit within his home at some point, I believe it's 5253-7," she gestured to the document. "That code states that in the event of his death, you are the sole beneficiary. That document is his last will and testament."
Pepper stared at it. She was just able to make out the code that Maria had stated before she somehow lost the ability to read and her eyes became blurry. Robert gently took the document from her hands and scanned it quickly.
"Jesus, Pep, he's left you everything. The company, his house, his freaking money!"
"Unfortunately, due to the nature of his…'disappearance', all of Stark's funds were seized-"
"I don't care about his money." Pepper spat at Maria.
"Pepper." Robert warned but Maria raised her hands.
"It's fine, Agent Owens. Miss Potts has had quite a lot to deal with today." She gathered the scattered files and folded them away neatly under her arm. "I've taken up more than enough of your time but I believe I have addressed everything that was required. I'll see myself out."
"Will you be pushing this Project 42 thing again?" Pepper asked nervously.
Maria nodded. "Now that it's once again safe for us to do so without possible interference, yes, we will." She said. "We do recommend, however, that you hold a funeral for Stark, make it official. The story we're going with is that he was killed in action serving with the US Army." She'd reached the door before Pepper spoke again.
"You don't really think he's dead."
It was more of a statement than a question. Maria turned back to Pepper. "I think if Tony Stark were really dead, everyone would know about it." And with that, she opened the door and left.
Pepper had finished attempting to read the will and she laid it on the table in front of her before running a hand through her hair and over her face. "I don't believe this." She muttered.
"I know." Robert said. "Who'd of thought Tony Stark would actually kill the good guys."
"What?" Pepper said angrily. "Don't tell me you bought that bullshit."
"What do you mean?" Robert asked.
"Tony wouldn't do something like this." Pepper said as if this was the easiest thing in the world to grasp.
Robert shrugged. "Pepper, the evidence seemed pretty stacked against him."
Pepper stared at him and huffed disbelievingly. "This is ridiculous." She stood up and headed towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Robert asked, standing up as well.
"Work? You know, that place I should have been at nearly an hour ago before GI Jane stormed in here?" Pepper replied sarcastically.
Robert sighed. "C'mon Pep, I think in light of what's happened you're entitled to a day off."
"When I woke up this morning, I was a CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and now I own the damn thing Robert," her voice was dangerously reaching towards screech mode. "Not only do I have that to sort out, but I have to now plan a funeral with no body, so I don't think I have time for a day off." And with that, she stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
Robert let out a groan of frustration and returned to the couch, flopping down on it a little harder than necessary. He gazed over at the will lying on the table.
"I don't get how you do it, Tony." He muttered. "You're not even alive any more and you're still getting to her."
Iron Man Laid To Rest
Today marks the death of a legend as the funeral of billionaire mogul, industrial giant and, of course, superhero extraordinaire Tony Stark takes place.
Stark, who was working alongside our boys abroad, was killed in action last week according to official reports, and his body was escorted back under high security from the Government ally SHIELD. Little is known about the exact cause of death, and even less is known of the mission he was supposedly on, or indeed who killed him. One thing's for sure, this is one soldier who'll be sorely missed.
According to Stark Enterprises, Stark left everything to his former partner and current CEO, Virginia 'Pepper' Potts, who has always maintained a very Tony-esque outlook on the company since the man himself left to join SHIELD over ten years ago, and the Board of Directors have reported they have every confidence that Potts will continue the excellent work she has always brought to the company.
The funeral will be held at Our Lady of Malibu Catholic Church.
"God, this is going to be a nightmare." Pepper mumbled, throwing the paper aside. She was sitting in the back of her car, head in her hands, as Happy drove at snails pace following the Hearse containing Tony's empty coffin. She'd managed to arrange everything; service, cremation, even the measurements of the coffin, without revealing that actually, they didn't have a body to put in it.
Unfortunately, with the press release of Tony's 'death', reports had come in that hundreds of people were now lining the street outside Our Lady of Malibu church, waiting for them to turn up. The church itself was closed off and only Pepper, the Board of Directors and a few colleagues he'd been close to were actually allowed inside, but as they turned the corner onto Winter Canyon Road, Pepper saw the sheer mass of looky-loo's stretched along the entire stretch of road. Thankfully, word had gotten round early enough for security to be arranged and some barriers to be put up along the street.
"Calm down, we'll be fine." Robert said, taking her hand.
It seemed he spoke too soon, as all of a sudden, someone threw something at the Hearse.
"Oh my God, they are not throwing things at a dead man's coffin!" Pepper screeched. She watched in horror as a few other people did exactly the same thing. "Happy, stop the car." She didn't wait for him to do so before she threw open the door and stepped outside.
Her anger disappeared almost immediately. The people were still launching things at the car, but as she looked closer, she noticed they weren't rocks or bits of trash or anything, they were…
"Roses?" Robert's voice came from behind her. Evidently he'd stepped out of the car as well. "They're throwing roses at the car?"
Even more people were throwing them now, the Hears was practically covered in them and the driver was having to use the windscreen wipers to be able to see where he was going. No one was yelling anything or clamouring to see the coffin, they were all just silent, some even bowing their heads in prayer.
"It's a sign of respect." Someone said from behind the barrier. Pepper and Robert turned and found it was a middle aged woman, holding a rose in one hand and balancing a young boy on her hip with the other. "Tony Stark served with our soldiers, our sons and husbands. As far as we're concerned, he's a hero."
She handed Pepper the rose she was holding and shuffled away through the crowd. Pepper stared at the rose and felt a lump rise in her throat. She quickly got back into the car and sat back in the seat, resting her head against the head rest and closing her eyes, breathing deep. She felt Robert get into the car and sit next to her, closing the door and telling Happy to drive on.
"Pep, you ok?" Robert asked softly.
Pepper opened her eyes and shook her head. "We're conning these people Rob." She muttered.
"We're not." Robert scoffed. Pepper glared at him. "Look, it's not like we're lying to them Pep, legally he is dead."
"Yeah, but we don't know that for sure."
"Pepper." Robert said sharply. "SHIELD doesn't get things wrong. If they think he's dead, he's dead."
Pepper raised her eyebrows. "Wow, you're really into that don't ask, don't tell thing huh?"
Robert shook his head and sighed, slumping back in his seat. "I know you want him to still be alive, but he just isn't." the car stopped as the finally reached the church and Robert jumped out immediately.
Pepper stared at the rose in her hands. Raising it to her nose, she took a long sniff and closed her eyes.
"Are you ok, Miss Potts?" Happy asked from the front of the car. She looked up and caught his eye in the rear view mirror. He winced slightly. "Sorry, stupid question."
"It's ok Happy." She sighed softly and smiled. "Come on, we'd better get inside."
TBC