Pepper is relieved that the party in honor of Tony's 'rebirth' does not turn out to be the act of state she feared it would. Instead, Tony and Happy organized a garden party for their friends at the cabin.
Happy, who gave up his job in the security business three years prior to open his own restaurant, is preparing the catering for the day, while Pepper and Morgan decorate the garden with flower garlands and Tiki torches.
In front of the porch, Tony is building a makeshift bar, where he can welcome his guests and provide them with drinks at the same time.
When the first few of them arrive, Pepper mingles with the guests.
Scott Lang and the Pyms are the first ones to show up. Tony invited them too because he had decided to set aside the feud between Pyms and Starks in the hope of collaboration in the future.
Shuri arrives from Wakanda. "My brother sends his apologies, there are important affairs of state he has to tend to."
Tony isn't disappointed about this. The only reason he invited him in the first place was that Pepper told him it would be rude to ask the princess to come and leave out the king, who is a member of the Avengers now.
Shuri is accompanied by Okoye and Helen Cho, who is currently working with the princess in Wakanda on the prothesis-project they started with Tony.
Stephen and Wong appear shortly after via portal from N.Y.C., bringing along Peter Parker, his aunt, and two of Peter's friends, who look absolutely overwhelmed by their first trip with magic.
Minutes later, Rhodey lands in style with his War Machine armor, followed by a stunning looking Carol Danvers.
Bruce Banner has taken on the task to pick up Harley Keener and Steve Rogers, and when Clint arrives with the rest of the Bartons, Morgan finally has some company too.
The party is already in full swing when a space ship lands on the field next to the lake. Of course Tony had invited Nebula and Rocket too. Pepper had grown to like the blue cyborg assassin and the not-raccoon, but she could have done without Peter Quill because that guy is an annoying idiot. At least Thor was with them.
"I am Groot."
She hasn't noticed the tree person stepping beside her.
"Hello, Groot. Rocket told me a lot about you. It is nice to meet you in person finally."
"I am Groot."
"I am Pepper," Pepper replies awkwardly.
"He says he likes your dress." Rocket joins them, grinning at her.
Surprised, Pepper looks down at the flower pattern of her summer dress. "Oh! Thank you."
"I am Groot." Groot lets a flower grow on his arm. He plucks it, to hand it to her. It looks exactly like the ones on her dress.
"Wow... that is... thank you!" With a smile, she puts it behind her ear.
The rest of the day flies by in the blink of the eye. Pepper is happy to be surrounded by so many people she likes and more importantly, people who genuinely like Tony. It is such a contrast to the formal gala earlier this week where everyone just wanted to profile themselves by meeting the savior of the universe.
This is a gathering of friends to celebrate the lives of every one of them.
"Nat really would have loved this," Bruce said, holding a stick with marshmallows over the newly lit campfire.
"I'd like to believe that if there is something like an afterlife, she sits there and smiles at us," Clint muses.
"Sure, she does." Tony puts his arm around Pepper's shoulder.
After sunset, the guests depart gradually until only Stephen is left.
The Guardians have retreated to their ship, and Wong had portaled the others home.
"I think it would be best if you stayed here for the night," Wong had said to a slightly drunk Stephen.
"But-"
"No, Stephen. It's no problem – we have a guest room. You'll sleep here tonight," Pepper ordered.
They sit around the fire for a while, talk and joke, but Pepper doesn't like how much Stephen and Tony are drinking.
"Don't you think you had enough already?" she asks, when Tony gets up to fetch more beer.
He shrugs and sits back down. Stephen, on the other hand, taps his empty bottle with his finger, after which it refills magically. The two men giggle like schoolchildren.
Pepper shakes her head and decides to put the already half-asleep Morgan to bed.
When she returns, she finds Tony and Stephen in front of the fire, making out.
Stephen clings to Tony as if his life depended on it. Between passionate kisses, he sighs, "I love you so much," repeatedly.
When Pepper approaches them and clears her throat to get herself noticed, they stare at her like deer in the headlight. The sight would amuse her if she weren't so angry.
"What is going on here?"
"Pep, I can explain!"
"I'm all ears, Tony." She crosses her arms in front of her chest.
But Tony doesn't get the chance to explain himself, because Stephen gets up and steps away from him so hastily, he topples backward again.
"I'm so sorry." Sitting on the ground, he looks from Pepper to Tony and back. "I forgot which timeline I'm in!" Tears well up in his eyes. "I shouldn't have... I'm so sorry!"
He pulls out his sling ring and is gone before Pepper has the time to react.
Pepper glares at Tony, who sits there, pale and in shock. She doesn't want to hear his excuses.
"You're going to sleep on the couch tonight!"
"But-"
"No! I'm not debating this right now, because I'm too angry and you're too drunk!"
"Pep..."
"Don't forget to extinguish the fire before you go back to the house!"
Without waiting for his response, she leaves him behind.