- I -
Pepper's face grew pale as she listened to every word that came out of Bruce. How he had flown into another dimension, almost didn't make it back and fainted because of the lack of oxygen. She felt how a great wave of tears built up inside of her, but she didn't want them to see her weak, crying.
But her sadness showed and Natasha stroked her arm slightly in comfort. She held back the temptation to sob and rose from her seat, trying to find something to engage her hands in, so she could calm down a tad. She felt a soft, large hand grasp her shoulder and swung her around.
"If I was in your shoes, I would go and give him a piece of your mind."Thor said with a serious face and Pepper nodded in agreement.
"I'm sorry, but he can be a jackass sometimes."Clint said quietly.
Before she could collect her thoughts and channel her anger on Tony, Thor let her go and went towards the elevator. She caught up with him and the other had disappeared behind them. They probably withdrawed back to their seperate rooms in the Stark Tower, leaving Pepper to yell at Tony in privacy.
"Where are you going?"She asked Thor as they waited for the elevator.
5,6,7,8..
"I'm going to fulfill a promise to someone."He said, and she recognized something very similar to nervousness in his voice.
9,10,11..
"Jane?"She blurted out.
"Correct. She is my first priority, even though 'work' came inbetween."He chuckled a little.
12,13,14..
"How did you know she was safe..? I heard about Loki's threats.."She said softly and she got the reaction she feared for; pain.
"I requested for her and Darcy to be transferred to a base in the north, as far away from Loki as possible."
"How did you make them go through all that trouble- I mean, they don't exactly do much for my safety."She smiled a little.
56,57,58..
"As long as she was safe, I would fight alongside with the Avengers. If security was poor I would back out and go to Trondheim myself to protect her."He said simply."..Tony would do the same for you, if he was in the same situation as me."
"I know. And it kills me that I missed what could possibly be our last words to each other."
"It's in the past, and he's alive and healthy- as healthy as Tony ever can be."Thor's deep chuckled vibrated through her and she joined in.
73,74.. BING!
She stepped into the elevator with him, feeling how the tears burnt in the corners of her eyes. They both pressed for the top floor, where Tony's lounge and apartment was. She had a encyclopeadia of things to say to him, and she began focusing on the true anger inside of her. She was going to slap him, verbally and physically, yell out her feelings and cry. She wasn't going to let him in, to let him win. She wanted to be the strong one for once.
Thor suddenly slided out of the elevator, and walked surprisingly gracefully across the newly repaired livingroom. Pepper rushed up to match his pace, which was impressing since she was wearing heels.
"Did you get a helicopter to the roof?"She asked.
"Your 'metal birds' lack of speed and my own flight is four times as fast. All I require is a place high enough to start from."He said with a chuckle and glanced to the side, towards the bar.
Pepper knew that Tony was there, probably with a pained expression due to her ignorance. She didn't look, she just kept up with Thor until they reached the glass doors. She hesitated at first, but went out after Thor, not prepared to be angry at Tony just yet. She was far too shocked and panicked to do nothing but cry.
She felt the warm summer breeze sweep through her clothes and hair, and Thor turned to her. He had a encouraging look on his face, and it made her smile.
"Now don't be too harsh on him. He is far too shooken up about this than he wishes to admit. All he needs is a little sense and a caring woman."He said before literally disappearing in a flash.
Pepper looked up towards the sky. A threatening, endless coat of black rain clouds came in quickly from the east and she could smell the rain in the air. She heard familiar footsteps on the concrete and ice clinking against glass.
"Pepper..?"