Willow came back into the living room with a new glass of wine clutched in her hand. She couldn't take her eyes off the screen as she watched her two favorite characters shoot daggers at each other.

"Oh my God," she groaned, "just kiss already."

She sat down slowly, almost falling off the edge of the couch because she wasn't paying attention. She squealed loudly when their lips finally touched and all the sexual tension from the first two seasons came pouring out. The clothes came off next and she grinned wide, feeling vindicated for believing these two would get together one day. A loud knock at the door pulled her out of the moment and she jostled her glass as she jumped up.

She squinted through the peephole before yelping loudly and jerking the door open. She pulled Pepper into a hug and over the threshold.

"What are you doing here?" she asked into the other woman's hair before pulling back.

"Tony," Pepper said flatly, her only reply.

"Yeah, that guy's the worst," she joked. Pepper didn't laugh. "Yikes."

She walked into the apartment fully, Happy dragging behind. Willow pulled him into a quick hug too before whispering, "What'd he do now?"

Happy just shrugged before shutting the door. He knew. He always knew, but he wasn't going to take this away from Pepper, who was already sitting on the couch with her head in her hands. She was somehow ignoring the moans coming from the TV as the characters Willow loved effectively ruined their strained friendship.

There's no going back now, she thought before turning it off.

When she switched it off, she turned her attention to Pepper, rubbing her back. She put the wine glass down on the coffee table in front of them and pulled her in for another hug.

Pepper wrapped her arms around Willow too and let out a gentle sob.

"What happened?" she asked again.

"He left," she said after a second. "Just walked right through a portal. Then he called and... and..." Willow waited patiently for Pepper to find the right words. "And then he called me from a spaceship or something."

"Like the spaceship?" Willow asked in awe.

She'd seen it on the news like everyone else. Another group of aliens coming to wreak havoc on a big city and, of course, Tony had been there. He was always in the middle of the chaos. She was used to him creating it, but now he was more mature. An adult. Which meant he was the one fixing the problems these days.

"Isn't it always?" Pepper said.

Willow snapped her mouth shut and pursed her lips. It was always like that with Tony. One of the many hazards of caring for him.

"He always comes back, though." Willow offered. "Doesn't he? I really don't think we're ever gonna get off that easy."

Pepper gave a watery laugh and sat back up. The tears had been silent, but had left streaks in her otherwise flawless makeup.

"I don't see how you've put up with him for this long," she admitted.

"Eh," Willow shrugged. "45 years isn't that long."

She gave another laugh, this one more genuine than the last, and Willow could see she could distract her. It was just going to take some work. Pepper had dealt with Tony for a long time too and that took its toll on you. Especially when that man was responsible for saving the world. A world that seemed to get in trouble more than stay out of it lately.

"You know what we should do?" Willow asked, clapping her hands together.

"Get drunk," Happy suggested.

"That," she answered with a smirk, "and we can play Avengers Monopoly."

"You have that?" Happy asked.

Pepper stared at her for a second. Willow was convinced she was going to tell her that was a stupid suggestion, but she just burst out laughing instead. Willow smiled and stood up to grab the game.

"You get the alcohol. I'll get the game," Happy corrected, shooing her to the kitchen.

She saluted him and he rolled his eyes before making his way down the hall. She loved how well they knew their way around. They were all so comfortable here and it was like welcoming roommates home every time they, or Tony, dropped by.

She put the wine bottle she'd been nursing all afternoon under her arm and grabbed another from the small fridge. She walked back to Happy who was already pulling the board and pieces out, but Pepper was nowhere to be found.

"Bathroom," he answered.

"I'm Thor," she said in response, which made Happy perk an eyebrow at her. "What? Don't act like you didn't know my type was tall and blonde, okay?"

"With one eye, apparently."

"What? Who hurt my baby?" she demanded.

Happy chuckled, "No idea. Tony said they got a transmission or something. He's with Loki. Maybe he did it."

"Loki would never."

"Sure," he said slowly.

"I'm just surprised he didn't tell me."

"Maybe he was afraid you wouldn't be not-so-secretly in love with him anymore."

"Not possible," she teased.

They gave Pepper the Iron Man piece without thinking and Willow started snickering when she saw the piece Happy had in his hand.

"What?"

"Spider-Man, huh?"

"I was just holding it. I didn't pick Spider-Man."

"Uh huh. Whatever you say, old man. I know you got a soft spot for the kid."

"I—no—listen..."

Willow stared at him, grinning wide, waiting for him to finish his thought.

"He's a good kid," he finally mumbled, slamming the piece down next to the other two.

"He is," she agreed quietly.

Willow topped off her glass and offered one to Happy, who refused. Like always.

"Come on," she pleaded. "You're not working."

"I'm always working."

She put his glass back, knowing he'd take it eventually, and they both fell into a comfortable silence as they waited for Pepper. Happy let his head hit the cushion behind him and his eyes slowly closed.

A loud crash shook the whole building, making them both shot straight up. They looked around for the source like it was in her apartment, which they knew couldn't be true.

They heard the screams next, coming from every direction. Willow's heart started to beat wildly uneven in her chest. Happy grabbed her hand and he pulled her toward the bathroom, where Pepper hadn't made a noise the whole time.

"Pepper," Happy called cautiously as they made their way. "You okay?"

"Pepper?" Willow spoke up. "Say something."

Happy gave her hand a gentle squeeze once as they stood in front of the bathroom door. He pushed it open slowly, finding nothing but a pile of ashes in her place.