AN: here we go. I'm starting to get an idea of where this story might go now.
By the time she felt ready to leave the sun has moved significantly in the sky and it was fast heading towards the horizon. Stretching stiff muscles she went back to the tower thinking a little wistfully of when she felt hunger and bemoaning the loss of another day without food.
When she got into the workshop Tony was waiting and seemed to let out a sigh of relief, turning down his music and walking towards her. He looked about to chastise her but instead put an arm round her shoulders and led her to her room. After he sat her down on the sofa she realised how bad she must look after several crying stints and no attempts to fix her makeup.
Tony had disappeared and when he came back he was leading a woman in denim shorts and a mans shirt. The woman let out a quiet "Oh." Clearly realising what was going on. She turned back to Tony and instructed him to fetch a bowl of soup and some bread from the communal kitchen. She walked over and sat next to Marian on the couch. "My name's Pepper." She said in a tone that suggested she was talking to a startled deer.
Marian recognised the name though, in fact from the way Phil had sung her praises she rather thought he had a soft spot for Pepper Potts. "Marian." She replies, her voice a little husky from the day. "I think I look worse than I am."
The CEO of Stark Industries levelled her a look that just said 'I-deal-with-Tony-Stark's-bullhshit-daily-don't-think-I-cant-see-through-yours' making Marian snort a laugh before Pepper continued, "when did you last eat?"
"Jarvis told me to eat last night." She replied.
"But if I might interject, Miss Coulson, Miss Potts, you did not actually eat anything." The AI piped in with.
Marian frowned as Pepper raised an eyebrow. "Really? Then I'm sure I ate on..."
"Okay," Pepper said, taking charge "tonight you are going to eat then sleep, tomorrow we're going to go to a spa and your going to get a well earned break.
Marian smiled a little at her attitude but had to say, "tomorrow I've got to go to SHIELD. The will is being read."
Pepper frowned a little at her plans being disrupted but said gamely "in that case I'll come with you, protect you from the drama that Tony seems to think is inevitable and then we'll go for an even more well earned spa day."
Marian thought for a moment. "The other people mentioned in the will are agents Barton and Romanov. They were closest to Phil and as far as I'm aware didn't know he had any family. So yes, there will be something and not the kind you can protect me from, much as I appreciate the sentiment."
Pepper just smiled a little sadly as Tony returned with food and watched her eat as much as she could and sent her off to bed where she went willingly, emotionally exhausted after such a long day.
In the lift towards their suite Pepper turned towards her boyfriend. "She's been Ill longer than a week. "
"Yes, it has to have taken longer than that for her to forget about food."
"Not just that though." Pepper said, her voice deeply troubled. "Did you see the almost faded bruises." When Tony shook his head she continued. "They are on her wrist, upper arms, and when she took off her makeup I'm sure she had a black eye recently as well as bruise on her jaw."
Tony frowned. "What do you think happened."
"I don't..." Pepper began hesitantly. "I don't think I want to know." Thinking back to the half-broken girl in the room floors below her she had a pretty good idea what had happened. She supported a charity for victims of domestic abuse after all. She knew what it looked like. Saying it out loud would make it far too real.
Marian woke up early again the next morning. She had less time than the day before since she had to be at New York SHIELD headquarters for nine to have the will read by Phil's solicitor. She also had less time because it seemed that Pepper Potts had taken it upon herself to make sure Marian looked after herself.
So, when she stumbled out of her bed room on her way to the shower it was to almost walk straight into a chirpy Pepper already looking sleek and perfect in a sky blue skirt suit. Glaring at the breakfast that was thrust in front of her, Marian grunted a "morning." It was all very well getting up early but that didn't mean she had to enjoy it.
Pepper beamed at her when she shoved two slices of toast into her mouth and continued onwards on her quest for a shower. Twenty minutes later she emerged much more awake. Her hair once again had a mind of its own but at least today she only had to put on eye makeup since her bruises had almost faded. She also didn't bother attempting to look smart pulling on her jeans and a dark green sweater that was two sizes too big.
"You don't have to come with me, you know. " she said to Pepper as she got in the lift with the CEO of SI. "You'll have to live with these people longer than I do, there's no need for you to have problems with them."
"Don't be silly. Now I'll meet you there since I'm assuming your taking your bike?"
"What you don't want to ride with me?" Marian replied smirking, imagining the damage her motorbike would do to that designer suit.
"Maybe next time." Came the dry reply.
When Pepper entered the office, the solicitor was seated behind the desk ready to begin, director Fury and agents Barton and Romanov were seated in front of the desk with Marian off to the side, her back to the wall studiously ignoring the curious looks from the agents.
Pepper took the seat next to her and the Solicitor took his cue to begin. "Ahem. Right. There are three people named in the will. I will start with Agent Barton.
"To Agent Barton I leave my property the address of which I will not leave here. On another page is instructions on how to get there and it is given to you in the knowledge that everyone needs a place where no one can find them. It's harder in our world but this property did the job for me so I hope you can make it your place to escape. I also leave Agent Barton $300,000 dollars on the understanding that he use some of the money for the upkeep of the above mentioned property."
Pepper wondered how Marian felt about her brother giving so much to an Agent that she'd never met. Nothing showed on the young woman's tense face and Pepper reached over to give her arm a squeeze - an action that was not missed by Agent Romanov who gave the girl another curious examination.
"Next to Agent Romanov. I understand that you, perhaps even more so, need a secret place to call your own when you need to escape from the world. Nowhere I own at the moment would satisfy your unique requirements so instead I leave you my family's estate in Scotland on the understanding that it can be sold and the money go towards a home in the location I'm sure you have in mind. I also leave my mothers grand piano to you as a reminder to enjoy yourself."
Pepper was again surprised at how much Phil chose to gave the spies and wondered how much he would give to his sister.
"To Marian I leave the rest of the contents of my bank account and any of my positions not left in either of the previous mentioned locations.
"That amounts to $140,200 for your information Miss Coulson and all of the possessions have been boxed up for you to do with as you wish."
Both spies had visibly tensed and turned to face Marian when her name was read. Director Fury pinched the bridge of his nose. The solicitor being oblivious to the tension in the room or a very good actor looked at the last page of the will and handed it to Agent Barton informing him that these were the instructions to the property he had been left.
Marian knew what the paper said and pre-emptively cringed at the thought of the Agents reaction. Agent Barton snorted and read aloud in an incredulous voice 'Ask Marian.'
Pepper swiftly cut in, "I think introductions are in order, don't you director?"
The director sighed before saying, "Fine. Black widow, Hawkeye this is Coulson's little sister. Marian this is Agent Romanov and Barton."
Marian almost visibly gathered her courage together and pushed down her dislike of being touched and held out her hand to Barton. "It's an honour to meet you both." Neither of them moved to shake her hand so she dropped it back to her side.
"He never mentioned you." Barton said bluntly, rudely and with intent to wound.
The Director face palmed before stalking from the room. Pepper was glaring in a way that had forced Tony Stark to listen to her but all Marian said was, "I imagine that was the case. He spoke a lot about you two though. Sang your praises every time we talked." With that she left taking her copy of the will.
"Congratulations, Agent Barton. Not only have you hurt your friends little sister but you've also proven that a 20 year old girl who lost the last member of her family a week ago is significantly more mature than you. She's staying in the tower so I imagine you'll be able to get the address of that property off of her there." With her rant finished Pepper stalked out to find Marian.