Title: Hold Me Together ("Anchor" prequel)
Series: Anywhere That You Tell Me
Author: Vashti
Fandom: post-IM3
Characters: Pepper Potts, OC
Rating: PG
Summary: Sophie calls the one person who has the answers she needs.
Length: ~260 words
Spoiler: IM3
Disclaimer: See chapter 1
Author's Note: Just a reminder that I'm writing this as part of my NaNoWriMo assignment. There may be glaring mistakes. Feel free to point them out to me.
"Sophie, I was—"
"Captain Rhodes, where is my mom? Where is my- Where's Mr. Stark?"
"We're looking for them. I swear we have every resource at our disposal—"
"What about the Avengers?"
"You know as well as I do that SHIELD isn't going to assemble the Avengers for a kidnapping."
"This is more than a kidnapping! It's a terrorist!"
"I'm sorry to say this, Sof, but terrorists are business as usual these days."
"It's my mom! And your best friend!"
"Who put himself at risk."
"And my mom…"
"Sof…Sophie, please don't cry."
"I'm not. I'm not crying. I'm just…breathing. Noisily."
"We'll find them. I give you my word. And Tony has this uncanny knack for popping up when shi—stuff gets really bad."
"I know. I know. Can I do anything to help?"
"Stay out of trouble."
"It's New York. I can't promise."
"I'm serious, Sophie. Give me one less thing to worry about, okay, kid?"
"…Okay. And you'll tell me the minute you find them."
"You'll be the first person I call."
"Even before your CO?"
"Don't push it."
"My mom is Pepper Potts. I was born negotiating."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, Rhodey."
"Of course, Sof. You know that I was going to call you, right? I wouldn't leave you out there hanging."
"I know."
"Okay. Now try to...I don't know...not pull your hair out."
"I'll try. Thanks. Again."
"We'll find them. Don't worry."
Fin[ite]
AN2: This is another scene that had been floating around for a while, although a bit amorphously, when I was writing "Where You Lead".