Summary: SEQUEL TO THE SECOND YEAR. Pepper's life is about to get that much more complicated after some shocking news she receives, and never before will she be more grateful to have a retired jock and a young genius around.

Standard disclaimer for all my stories: My stories are graphic, angsty, frustrating, filled with cliffhangers, drama and foul language. Read at your own risk – medical issues and subsequent bills are not covered by yours truly ;) If you don't like, please don't read. I appreciate reviews and constructive feedback but if you cannot stand the plot, save yourself and me some time and walk away. You don't have to love all IMAA stories :) I don't own IMAA. My stories are better viewed by using the "half screen" option of FFNET

THIS IS A SEQUEL TO THE SECOND YEAR. Start with The Last Month, then The Last Summer, then The First Year, and just read your way here.

READ THOSE FIRST OR BE FOREVER CONFUSED!

The Third Year

Prologue

Even though her heart was beating in her throat at the shock, and tears were already streaming down her cheeks, Pepper's face was as stoic as ever as she listened to Dr. Ross. His words were slow and highly enunciated, as she needed them to be at the moment, to follow along with the diagnosis he was giving her. Never, in a million years, would she have imagined that she would be spending her twentieth birthday listening to the most shocking news she had ever received in her entire life, but yet here she was.

She swallowed hard and licked her lips. A second after Dr. Ross finished speaking, he handed her a tissue. Pepper nodded her thanks to the man and made quick use of the offer. She used one of the corners of the tissue to wipe some of her tears from her face and then left the rest untouched and on her lap. She knew the doctor was expecting her to speak now, but it appeared as if all the words she had ever learned throughout her life had just suddenly deserted her.

What should she ask? Should she even ask a question or just make a statement? What would be the most appropriate response to what she had just heard would happen to her?

She sniffled, hung her head and then used the tissue to lightly blow her nose. Dr. Ross knew that this was very difficult for her – it would be for anyone in her situation – so he gave her all the time in the world she needed to regain her senses. After a couple of minutes of silence between them, Pepper finally found her voice again, stared at the doctor's concerned face and spoke up.

"How much longer?"

"A few months."

"What's a few months?"

"Six… maybe seven."

Pepper nodded soundlessly and looked at her lap again. She inhaled and exhaled slowly and deeply, and then, after another long silence, she finally looked up at him with a more determined look.

"I guess we should run the other tests that you recommended, then?"

"Perhaps, but at this point it'd just be procedural and nothing more. I understand you have some reservations about this coming out, so I suggest that if you do want the other analyses done, we do so under a different name again."

"I'd appreciate that," the redhead nodded. "My dad… he's due to the States next month. I'd like to tell him in person and not have him find out by the news."

"I understand. There are some options for treatment if you'd like," Dr. Ross said and handed her a card. "And while I'd love to have you under my care again, Miss Potts, I think it's best if I refer you to a specialist – a colleague of mine."

Pepper grabbed the card in her shaky hand, stared at it for a second and then put it away in her jeans pocket. She then fidgeted with the hem of her blouse and sighed loudly.

"I'll think about it. I'm not sure if I even want to proceed with the options."

"Of course," Dr. Ross said. "And I know this is the last thing you want to do, but I think you should tell your friends and family as soon as possible. Having their support will make a world of difference, especially towards the end."

"I know," she whispered and honestly agreed, but she was not sure she was ready to deal with the reactions of everyone if she was yet to deal with her own. "I will."

"Pending further test results, I want you to start taking these," Dr. Ross said as he opened the top drawer of his desk, took out a small plastic bottle and handed it to the redhead. Just as before, Pepper grabbed the item that was being handed to her and, this time, she dug it inside her purse. "Other than that, there's nothing else I have for you for now."

"Thank you for doing this for me on such short notice, Dr. Ross," Pepper said and then slowly stood up from the chair she was in. She extended a hand to the doctor and the medic returned the handshake with a grim smile and a frown of concern.

"Any time, Miss Potts. Let me know what you decide to do, alright? You have my direct line."

"Yes, thanks, again," the ginger said with a nod. She then retracted her hand from his, turned around in place, and all but dragged her feet on her way out from the doctor's private office, through the hall and into the parking lot of the hospital. Seconds later, she found herself in front of her Stark Bike, thinking hard about where to go since she did not want to go back to campus just yet.

Now what?

The tears began flowing again.

She had nowhere else to go other than her dorm room or Roberta's home, but right now she needed to be alone, even though she felt like she should be talking about her predicament with someone that would listen to her. The truth was that she had not had anyone to speak to for a while since Scott had left her, and now that she thought about it more, it was not that she needed to talk to someone that could actually talk back to her; she just needed someone who would let her talk.

With that thought in mind, Pepper got on her Stark Bike, started it and drove to Rosedale & Rosehill Cemetery in Jersey.