A/N
SilverPedals1402- Thanks so much! I try to make it different so you guys can enjoy it. :)
PercyJacksonLover14- NOOO! *writes Tony back so he can save you* Whew, that was close... Haha, I'm ecstatic you enjoyed it! :D
imaAvenger- Haha, thanks! And yeah, isn't that what all nonexistent boyfriends do? Drive girls nuts? Lol, just kidding. Anyhoo. And thanks! And also, did you know hippopotomonstrosesquipedali ophobia is the fear of long words? XD
Espera Para Principe- Thank you, that means a lot! I try to write them as something I would be intrigued to read. And I feel your pain about being busy, but hopefully you'll catch a break soon. :D
PottsXStark- Thank you! :)
Well, it's been a while, eh? I really wish I had more time to write, but you know how that goes. But I'm not complaining (or perhaps I am... I should quit that...) because even if I'm exhausted, I've been having a lot of fun lately with my family and friends. Plus I got into SEMBDA (the honor band clinic) and another one next week that I'm the only person my age to ever achieve. My aunt's been hovering me like Flavius or Octavia from the HG, but it's still tons of fun to go hang out with her and Uncle. Anyways. I finally got one or two of my friends to go running with me, but after a while they collapse in a ditch. I only realize this after I've been running for a little while and realize they aren't talking to me. But hey, better than nothing!
This chapter was written on my Kindle, so sorry for the not-so-great quality. I really just wanted to hurry up and get it out of the way so I could get writing on the next one. :P Hope you enjoy!
Chapter Eight
"Um, hi," Pepper greeted the receptionist behind the pristine circular desk. The woman's silky caramel hair was neatly pinned back on top of her head, thin, angular bifocals were perched atop her nose, and she was clad in a navy blouse. Her appearance radiated formality, similar to the aura school teachers gave out. "I would like to meet with Mr. Stark."
"Name," the woman asked curtly, her piercing emerald eyes locking on her.
"Ma'am?" Pepper asked.
"Last name, please. For the appointment." Then, apparently seeing the sheepish look spread across the teenager's face, she squinted at her over her glasses. "You do have an appointment, don't you?"
"Not so much," she admitted with a slight shrug. What was she supposed to tell her? My name's Pepper, and I don't have an appointment, but you really need to let me see the really rich, really intimidating inventor upstairs so that I can save his son that doesn't exist. Yeah, that sounded convincing. Then, an idea springing to her mind, she added, "But they're expecting me, so..."
"What's your name?" the woman repeated.
"Stane," Pepper said, "Courtney Stane. Whitney's second cousin." She furtively hoped the woman bought the lie, or didn't check too far into the databanks. Or even worse, she thought, maybe the Stanes didn't even work there any more.
With a skeptical glance at her red hair, which made her blush, the receptionist's gaze returned to the screen. "I wasn't aware Obidiah had any family apart from Whitney."
"I live in Vermont," she lied once more, hoping she wasn't as terrible a liar as the son of the man she was trying to meet. It was particularly egregious fabrication to believe, and it would be simple for the woman to call upstairs and check with them. "My family came down for a few days on business and I wanted to visit them, and he said he would be with Mr. Stark today."
"Whitney's in France until the end of the week," the woman said, still eyeing the teen dubiously, "and I can't imagine you want to visit with Obidiah Stane for fun..."
"Money," Pepper blurted out, "I, uh, was going to ask to borrow money." The receptionist nodded, her look of confusion melting away; apparently it wasn't unusual for someone to show up pleading for monetary gifts.
"I'm only going to let you up because you're Stane's cousin and I'm feeling generous today," the woman said, reaching under her desk and procuring a little silver bracelet from a gaping drawer, "but be warned; try anything and there are tons of security guards on every floor watching you." She slid the bracelet across the counter-top and Pepper took it, slipping it onto her wrist. It was a sort of VIP pass into the Stark tower that locked onto the wearer's arm and didn't unclasp until he or she was outside the building. She thanked her, hardly believing her luck, and practically sprinted for the elevator.
A few moments later, emerging onto the fourteenth floor, she searched along the corridor for Howard Stark's office, hoping it was in the same location as she remembered. She didn't encounter any guards, but as she recalled security around the Starks was pretty lax compared to other science facilities and office buildings she had visited.
She caught sight of another desk set in the corner of a expansive room that she recognized as the one Trisha had used to occupy. While there was no one seated in the large black swivel chair, a plaque with the name "Bethany Morris" was displayed on the furnished wood of the desk. To the right she found the room she was searching for, the words "Howard Stark, Stark Industries" etched on the wood, but she found herself hesitating outside. What was she even supposed to say? She hadn't fully thought through how to explain the situation to them, and if Rhodey was any indication, improvising wasn't a very good idea. Before she could make a decision, however, the door opened and she nearly collided for the second time with Maria Stark.
She lurched back as though shocked with electricity, staring wide-eyed at the woman.
"Sorry, I've been so clumsy lately," Maria apologized as she closed the office door behind her. She glanced at her before cocking her head to the side curiously, shifting a purple folder under her left arm. "Didn't I see you yesterday morning?"
Pepper didn't answer; she doubted that she would be capable of articulating anything but a meaningless jumble of words because at that moment, seeing the woman and knowing what she knew now, she realized something. Her whole objective for meeting Howard and Maria was to try and persuade them to help her bring back their son. The most difficult part of that would be convincing them they even had a son, she had assumed, but now a different problem came to light.
Maria was inquiring something of her. Through the fog that seemed to have settled over her mind she realized she was asking if needed help with something.
"I need to find Mr. Stane's office," she mumbled detachedly in a hollow voice, hearing the words as though someone else had spoken them.
"Obidiah? He's two floors up, second office to the right," the woman offered cheerily. "Just be careful, he's in a bit of a tetchy mood today."
"Thanks," Pepper said distractedly, beginning to walk away. She needed to think this through...
"No problem. Remember, two stories up, two offices to the right!"
"'Kay," she responded, having no intentions to follow her directions.
In the reality with Tony, Maria was dead. She had died in a car accident staged by kidnappers trying to get her son, and since here he had never existed, Maria was still alive. Asking them to return things as they were...
That would be synonymous with asking them to choose Tony's life over Maria's.