"How could you two think of something like this?" Pepper angrily stated at the two gentlemen sitting in the couch. She kept walking to and fro scolding the Peter and Harley as if they're two teenagers who drove a car unlicensed.
"I cannot believe you two. You boys are smart and well-behaved why do something as stupid as that?" she went on. "You burnt the whole electronics lab 73, destroyed projects that the employees worked hard for, endangered the people and the whole building for what?"
"You have to be thankful that no one got seriously hurt. That was so immature and irresponsible of you and I'm very disappointed," Pepper look at Harley, then she shifted her gaze to Peter, "especially you."
"Mom…mom, it's not their fault" Morgan defended as she went to her mom's office.
"And what made you think I'll buy that?" the older woman replied.
"But..but we want to see Daddy. Don't you wanna see him?" Pepper paused for a moment and looked at her daughter with disappointed eyes, her voice started to soften and she tried her best to hold the tears. She lowered her head and looked at her children again rubbing her hands in her arms as if she's hugging herself to maintain her composure and hide the brokenness that's boiling inside.
"What made you think that I don't want to see your father?" then the first drop of tear fell followed by multiple others."I've missed him and struggled each they when he left me, when he left us."
She tried wiping away the tears but they refused to stop, "I knew that that day would come knowing that Tony can't stand relaxing when his hero side calls him to save whoever's in need."
"I knew it the second Steve, Natasha and Scott went to our front yard that he would eventually agree on the Time Heist."
"He wouldn't resist it. Especially if his conscience tells him so."
"I allowed him to do something reckless just for this world to regain the little ounce of hope that Thanos' snap left, for families to be complete again, for everything to somehow be normal again."
"I…accepted that sacrifice for a better and safer future for you three 'cause that's what your father always wanted," Pepper wiped her cheeks and stared at her children again, this time sharper.
"So tell me, Harley, Peter and Morgan. Does your science experiment have something to do with messing up time?"
Only Peter responded with a little nod.
"Does it have to do something with altering moments?"
Again, Peter gave her another hesitant nod.
"Does it have consequences?"
This time, Peter joined his siblings in unresponsiveness.
"Is it dangerous?"
Again, no response.
"Can it kill you? Can it kill anyone? Can it endanger everyone?"
"Answer me!" Pepper demanded, her voice now raised. "Well, I guess there's nothing left to discuss. I want none of this to happen again and I don't want you to work on anything related to that project."
"But Mooooom" Morgan again argued.
"Listen, young lady. If this would really get your father here and would result to destroying the peace he has sacrificed for, then I think it's better that we close this matter."
Morgan was again silenced. Peter and Harley didn't even try to talk anymore.
"You're grounded for the rest of the year, you can't leave the house without my permission" Pepper told Morgan. "As for you two, I want you to continue with what you've been working for before this crazy project of yours. I never want to hear any complaints from your co-workers about your lack of focus on your jobs and other matters that you deal with, except for the Avengers duties, Peter."
Pepper left the two in the living room and went to the front yard to catch some air. By then, she was so upset that she started crying as she sat on one of the benches. She cannot believe what she also said. She misses Tony, gravely, but the thought of losing Morgan also haunts her. She's sure Tony would approve of her decision especially if he knows what they've been through after that battle. She just...she just wants to protect them but now, she appears to be the antagonist in the story.