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While it's definitely not her whole wardrobe, Pepper wasn't sure WHAT she was going to do with her whole wardrobe, she's packed at least two weeks worth of essential things and gone to the one place she could think about, the one person she's actually semi become friends with over the last few weeks, the person who *understands* — Betty Ross. She's rolling one hard plastic suitcase behind her and has a duffle over her other shoulder, leaving her a bit breathless by the time she makes it down the hall to Betty's apartment, but there isn't much farther to go. She drops the duffle to the floor, pushing a slightly shaky hand through her hair and trying to look a bit more put together than she feels, before she knocks at the door. It's a little after 9 am, hopefully not too early.
*
Over the last few months, Betty has become someone who really doesn't sleep well. Between staying in the on-call room when not-on-shift, and thinking about everything going on at work while home, she has questionable sleeping habits. Which, for Pepper, works out well enough. The knock at the door is met by an undeniably alert Doctor Ross.
Betty opens the door a crack and peeks at Pepper. She shoots the other woman a small, reassuring smile before opening the door in its entirety. A coffee cup is cradled in her hands, and she slowly takes a step back to make room for the other woman to come in. "Pepper?" the concern in her voice is unmissable as she takes a step back to allow Pepper entrance. "Please… come in." Spying the suitcase, her head tilts slightly with an unspoken question, but she opts, instead to hone in on other things: "Coffee?" because that she has in spades. It's basically a physician's life blood while on-call.
The home itself is warm, and semi-lived in. The living room just off the small entrance underwent a paint job over the summer, and the faint mint green gives it a cool air. But the pictures on the wall are likely more telling. A couple of prints of art pieces. A few photos of her and Bruce. Nothing from her childhood, save for a single family photo framed to cut off one figure in it. Her mother, presumably, remains seen. "Cream or sugar — " she's already treading towards the kitchen to retrieve Pepper a cup of coffee.
*
"Coffee? You're a saint." Pepper breathes out quietly, not quite explaining the bags yet, for the sheer fact she can't bring herself to puke out the little hell the last 24 hours have been as the very first thing she says to Betty. Pepper's a mess, yes, but she's not impolite. Everything else, however, screams that Pepper is completely off her game and probably up a river sans paddle. She hasn't bothered with make up this morning, which bares the evidence of a sleepless night and daily drug use all too well on her thin, slightly sallow features. Her hair's been combed and carefully pulled back into a rubber band, but there is no fancy styling, pins, or fashionable BUMP that she generally likes to wear. At the moment, she looks as plain and exhausted as Pepper Potts ever can.
She steps the rest of the way through the door, setting down her bags right in the door frame, so they are ready to leave when she exits just in case her plea for a place to crash isn't followed up with agreement. She can't imagine that, but one never knows. She then slips out of her heels and starts unbuttoning her coat, "…Just some cream, please. Thank you. ANd…I…I hope I didn't wake you. I know it's early. I just… it's… been…" Her lips struggle against finding the words. Finally, she settles quietly on, "I didn't know where else to go." At least that was true. She takes a few more steps forward, looking over the photos. The ones of Betty and Bruce get a ghost of a smile from her.
*
"You didn't wake me. You are lucky, however, that I forced myself home last night. I came very close to staying in the on-call room. I've got this new case — " she cuts herself off. "Regardless, I'm home. I'm awake. I'm even alert." Moments later, Betty returns with coffee, setting it on the coffee table in the centre of ht room for Pepper to drink at her leisure. The brunette curls in a small sitting chair at the edge of the room — one of the few well-worn pieces of furniture, a true relic of days gone by. She motions for Pepper to take a seat on the couch. The admiration of the photos earns a flicker of a smile, "I like most of those. I'm lucky that I insisted on photos back then. Losing my mother when I was a teen… I became strangely married to photos." Her smile grows. "Bruce didn't exactly like my penchant for posterity, but he respected it enough to cooperate." The fondness in her tone is unmissable.
"Anyways," her smile softens and she inhales a long sharp breath. "I suspect this is more than a social call…" a knowing glance is cast towards the suitcases and then towards Pepper's eyes. "So," her speech slows, "What happened?"
*
The slender woman shrugs out of her jacket, hanging it anywhere that looks appropriate or, if there isn't a coat rack, over the back of a close chair. Pepper isn't dressed for work today, a rarity in and of itself, but in a pair of high waisted black slacks and a button down dark green shirt. It's probably as casual as she gets, even if the style is still quite in fashion. Neither piece quite fits her right at the moment. Just in her socked feet now, she makes her way over to the sitting area and accepts the mug of coffee with a thankful smile. A deep breath is taken of its scent and a deep sip before she folds herself down into sitting on Betty's couch. Instinctively, she curls her legs up beneath her, fitting her small frame into an even slightly smaller ball. Body language is a powerful thing and, right now, Pepper's says she just wants to disappear from the world.
"…He's very handsome… I'm glad you got photos too. Bucky… he never would. Said the camera bothered him. I didn't think anything of it…" But now Pepper certainly would. Then Betty is asking about the elephant in the room, and Pepper's tired blues drop away from meeting her gaze. That shame in her features just deepens a bit more. "Tony… Mr. Stark. He… he let me go." She sighs slightly, "…well, to be fair, he gave me a choice… That… drug, or remaining working for Stark Industries. Since SHIELD hasn't really found a cure for that drug yet… it… it wasn't much of a choice. I left. And… my apartment was through them. So… I… I was hoping I could stay here? Just a few days, I promise, until I find somewhere else. I promise it won't be long…" It breaks everything in Pepper to ask something like this.
*
Pepper's assessment of Bruce earns a brighter smile, "And so unaware of it." She stifles a chuckle at the thought. "I'm sure my interest in him came as more than a small surprise. Honestly." The notion of Stark's ultimatum prompts Betty to frown slightly and she slides out of her chair to reach out and squeeze Pepper's shoulder. "Well, of course you can stay here. I have a spare room." She winces slightly, "It probably smells stale, I haven't used it yet." Her cheeks flush slightly. "Stay as long as you like." Her lips purse lightly and she notes, "Annnnd, if you wanted.." she swallows hard, "the General," and then to clarify she notes, "my father, General Ross, is part of the Department of Defence. I could arrange for a meeting. Your work at Stark Industries would make you desirable as a hire. Plus," she sucks on the inside of her cheek, "the General has been trying to get into my good books lately. I think he'd do it as a favour. Probably."
Her fingers curl tighter around her mug, "And," she inhales a deep breath, "we can get you clean if you like. Even without a cure. It'll be tough, but…" her lips edge downwards, "…well… not impossible. I am a physician. Fluids, mild opiates… basically we'd actively lower your dosage to work against the withdrawal. It won't be easy. You'd have to decide to do it. But." She shrugs. "It's an option. We'd have to start on a weekend and I'd need to give Bruce a head's up not to expect me…"
*
A slight, almost fond chuckle crosses her lips at the comment about Bruce not knowing how handsome he is. Pepper just shakes her head, smile faintly lingering, "The best ones never do…" She's clearly NEVER going to talk Betty out of this relationship. But then, possibly suspect relationship choices really is how their friendship bonded. Then the commentary about the department of defense comes and Pepper's bloodshot eyes widen just a bit more. She hadn't been expecting that at all. She rests her coffee between both of her hands, letting it warm chilly fingertips even if she's far more interested in the conversation than the drink.
"…The…department of defense? I mean, they'd want me even… even after I got fired? I figured I'd have to go back to the secretary pool somewhere. Though… Wilson Fisk said he'd always have a position for me too. I… I had a few ideas. I just needed a few days to get on my feet and find a boarding house or somewhere. I really don't want to be a bother…" Then the comment about getting her off Vigor comes and some of the hope that was on Pepper's features rather quickly leaves.
Shame. It is replaced by shame. She can't quite meet Betsy's eyes as she shakes her head slightly, "…Bucky… and Janet Van Dyne… they both tried. And it was bad. Really… really bad. I don't think I can do it again and… I'm already being such a bother. I'm not going to take you away from your life, from Bruce… to… To do *that*. No one else needs to see *that*…"
*
"Yes. General Ross is always looking for bright people to help in his office," Betty replies easily enough. "He used to always say that good workers were indispensable, but hard to find. I think you'd qualify. And your experience at Stark Industries would be an asset with the DoD." Her eyebrows lift. And then the last has her consider, "Well, I suspect neither of them are physicians. This is literally my job. I've seen far worse, and could give actual treatment instead of mere round-the-clock watching. We could alleviate your symptoms. We'd hook you up to an IV and give you fluids. That would help stabilize your electrolytes and should help the nausea. Honestly Pepper, this is possible if you want it." She shrugs and then manages another smile, "And Bruce knows me well enough to know that it would take something rather important to keep me away. I've been bothering him for about a decade already. It's not going to disappear randomly one day." She takes a sip of her coffee. "Not with everything that's happened."
*
The war in Pepper's head is not a pleasant one. Her pale eyes stay on her coffee cup for a few moments, not really able to meet Betty's gaze. There were so many excuses to stay on the drug. Hundreds of them screaming at the back of her skull. She doesn't say anything for a long few moments and finally fills the silence by taking another sip of her tea. Then a breath and she forces herself to take enough courage to look back up to the woman with a weak smile, "It…I think things are fine for now. I've got a decent supply and… it's not really that harmful. It's like taking a vitamin, I guess. And we still don't have Bucky… if we find him again, I'll… I'll need the help to get him back here and listening. And, truly, I'd hate to pull you from people who really need your help. I'm fine, Betty. Really." Pepper presents her case as calm, professionally and business like as possible.
*
Betty has seen this song and dance before. She went to med school. She's seen people without problems overdose. Her eyebrows lift and she nods slightly. "Alright." There's a long pregnant pause and Betty notes: "You could certainly stay in the guest room long-term. I'm sure you gathered that I'm not here often. The apartment ought to be used more." It may beg questions why she keeps so large a residence for one person never home. "And I will put in a call to the General.. At the very least he'll give you a meeting," that much Betty can guarantee. "He may view his daughter as an idealistic version of her mother in love with a monster, but I'm still his daughter. So…" she knows some things about General Ross.
*
The redhead can feel that loft of Betty's brows, the judgment, the skepticism. Pepper's quiet for several heartbeats herself, trying to reconcile it all in her head, but the lies that drugs tell are often so much louder than sanity. Still, she offers a bit quieter, "If…if SHIELD doesn't make much progress on a cure soon we… we can revisit the issue." It's not a promise, and Pepper doesn't define soon, but she does offer that much, at least.
Then they are onto better things, like apartments and jobs. She blinks at the long term offer, "If…if you want? I certainly don't want to intrude, but I could split the rent with you. That might be a help to both of us, really. Your place is so big… I don't have much, all my furniture…it was all supplied by Stark, so.. .just clothes and some books. And that'd be great. If…if you don't mind making the call, all things considered. I swear I'll be a great worker for him. Anything else… it won't affect my work. I promise."
*
Betty lifts a hand, "It's no intrusion." She actually chuckles, "To be honest, I don't use the space enough to justify it. But I won't give it up either. Not easily." She manages a flicker of a smile, "Too committed to dreams to let it go." She shrugs and then nods. "I will make the call. And I'm not terribly concerned. In case you didn't notice, things with my father and I are rather… strained." Her lips tighten. It's a grimace more than a smile, though it seems like Betty intends it to be smile-ish.
She inhales a deep breath and leads the way to one of the rooms at the back of the apartment. She opens the door, and sure enough, the stale smell permeates, prompting a vague frown. "Apologies. I… don't use it. Not nearly enough." The room itself is small, but clean and warm. A queen sized bed sits in the centre of the room and a single reading chair adjacent to the closet. "The closet is empty, and you can hang anything there, and if you need more space, well, we can revisit that later." She shrugs. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you like. Like I said, it's mostly empty and unused."
*
Taking one more sip of her coffee, Pepper sets the mug down on the table and stands up to follow Betty into the room. The stale smell really doesn't seem to bother her, though there is a crease of concern behind her eyes as to what dreams Betty's not giving up. She studies her friend a few long moments, coming up behind her and resting a small, warm hand against Betty's shoulder, "Well…the least I can do is keep this place warm while… while you and Bruce figure things out. And I am happy to split the rent. It'd work out for both of us, really." Pepper tries to offer reassuringly, her hand dropping down to take Betty's for a moment, giving it a soft squeeze.
She then tries to pull the woman's attention back in her direction, not quite letting go of those fingertips yet, "And…Betty, if you don't want to talk to your father? Don't do it. Not for me. I have other possibilities. I don't want to make your life worse because I… I messed up the best job I ever had. This is my mess to clean up. Don't hurt yourself for it. Please?" Pepper is strongly meeting Betty's eyes now, tryign to be certain the woman can see just how dead serious she is.
*
Betty manages a flicker of a smile, "It's fine. I should actually have an overdue conversation anyways. We're well past the point of acceptable space." There's another meaningful lift of her eyebrows. "We disagreed on something rather big and have been dodging each other too long. But we'll need to come to some semblance of peace." Whatever that looks like. "So. Don't worry. It gives me excuse to call and bring up…" she hums "…less comfortable topics."
*
Pepper studies Betty's face a bit closer, trying to figure out if the woman actually is comfortable with it, or is just saying that. She doesn't look really convinced, but Pepper is half asleep herself and not nearly so sharp as her regular self. She exhales quietly, "Do… you want to talk about it? I'm listening. It's the least I can do and… hell…it'll be nice not to dwell on my own idiocy for the moment." A whole day and night of beating herself up mentally hasn't done much for Pepper's normally perky self esteem.
*
A hum follows the question. It's consideration of things long past. "Well," her eyes turn up tot he ceiling. "We lost my mother when I was in my early teens. And the General couldn't cope. Not with losing her. Not with me, his idealistic daughter. If he'd had a son, I'm sure, he thinks things would be different." Her lips purse lightly. "He sent me away to boarding school which just exacerbated our differences."
"But I was keen for the job he had waiting for me when I came back here. I went to College, and started with the Department of Defence, where I became undeniably fond of a scientist on my father's team." Her lips edge upwards. "Bruce Banner was undoubtedly the smartest man I ever met." She actually grins. "And so sweet and considerate." She shrugs. "The general didn't know that I was taken with Doctor Banner until after everything happened."
*
As the story is told, Pepper listens in patient, curious silence. Her fingertips never leave Betty's hand, but she gently tugs the woman back to the front room, so they can sit together comfortably for the conversation, instead of standing over the empty, slightly stale room that echoes with unfillfilled dreams. She tucks one leg back beneath her again and keeps listening, her expression tightening as she realizes the inevitable end of this conversation. "…I take it he doesn't approve of your attempts to help Bruce, or your lingering contact with him?"
*
Betty settles back in the armchair — her mother's favourite chair — and her lips tug up on one side in a lopsided smile. "…certainly not." She inhales deeply, "But our issues started when it happened." Her eyes fix on Betty. "I'm not sure what I've told you of Bruce's… condition." Her lips purse and she sucks on the inside of her cheek. "During the course of our work with the DoD, Bruce was exposed to Gamma Radiation. That had…" her eyes turn upwards "…very unexpected consequences." Her cheeks pale. "Parts of Bruce are virtually indestructible. I felt we needed to find a cure for his condition." Her lips roll over her lips, "The General felt that we should replicate whatever lived in Bruce's veins and apply it to soldiers."
Her lips edge into a bittersweet smile. "Bruce, when he found out my father's intentions, ran. Good scientists are responsible for what they put into the world. In this case, Bruce felt responsible to… keep it out of the General's hands."
*
That was clearly NOT the story that Pepper expected to hear. Her eyes go wide, concern and shock painting across her own pale face. "What? That…that's awful. You said Bruce's condition couldn't be controlled, didn't you? It… it's like being sick. How dare he wish that on other people. That's… God, Betty, that's horrible." And Betty wants her to go work for these people? Pepper's expression sets for a moment or two, worry still far too clear in her eyes. "…Is it still like that there, you think?"
*
"I think the General has his own agenda," Betty returns. "But," she lifts a finger, "he's not the only one in the DoD. And he's not wholly cruel. He saw opportunity and room for correction. What they do is important. It just became clear I couldn't stay. Besides, he may be able to pass your name along for other initiatives." Her eyebrows lift. "He helped pull together the alien-inquisition team. Those are good people."
*
A slight nod comes from Pepper, clearly still processing all of this, but she doesn't look ready to deny it either. She takes a deep breath in and finally gives Betty another, warmer smile. "Well, thank you, really… Right now I would take anything, I suppose. And I would like to help. Do some good in this world. If there are good people there… well, I trust you. And I owe you, Betty. So much. If I can ever… ever repay any of this, you just say. Anything. I promise."
*
"Don't even worry about it. I'll give you some time to settle in, and head in to work. I'm working this case," Betty pinches her nose and manages a tired smile. "Well, it concerns me, but I'm sure it'll be fine. A gentleman was exposed to gamma radiation at a facility and… well," her eyebrows draw together. "It's had adverse side effects. I'm trying to resolve them. Anyways. I will be back later this evening. Feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen… the fridge is well stocked." She manages a grin.
*
Pepper then releases Betty's hand so they can both stand because, well, she's going to pull the woman into a hug. Tight, but momentary, it was desperately needed. Maybe for both of them. "You are too good a friend, Betty… far too good." She whispers against Betty's cheek before stepping back. "I promise I won't mess anything up. You'll barely know I'm here." She offers gently. She then steps back to the edge of the door so she can scoop up her bag and suitcase once more. She carries them both back to that extra bedroom. Home sweet home for a while, it seems.
*