1964-03-29 - Deja Vu all over again
Summary: Pepper and Steve meet again to talk about Bucky.
Related: If there are no related logs, put 'None', — please don't leave blank!
Theme Song: None
pepper steve 


With his hands deep in his pockets, Steve arches his back to look up at the tall building in front of him. He isn't sure how hopping between major corporations must be—he doesn't understand that world at all, really. What he does understand, however, is that he'd better come right away. It was Pepper and she had news. A few months had passed since he had last seen Bucky and the trail, as it always seems to, has gone cold.

It takes a while, but he's eventually shown to a quiet conference room, given a glass of water, and made to wait.

*

The conference room is only his waiting area, Pepper not having wanted to keep him in a general waiting room where he might be accosted by other people from the public or new interns. Within five minutes, another cute secretary comes out and gives him a perfectly professional smile, "This way, Mr. Wayne. Miss Potts will see you now." And he's lead to the executive floor. Down the long hall, the third to last office.

The woman opens the door for him and motions him inside. The office is nice, especially for a woman. Not a corner office, but it does have floor to ceiling windows, enough room for an interior fire place, leather furniture seating area, several bookshelves, mini wet bar, and Pepper's large oak dress. The style is definitely more masculine, she probably inherited the office, but she's settled in well. The plaque on the end of her desk says Virginia Potts, CFO. She smiles wide to Steve, looking rather better than she has in ages. "Steve, it's good to see you…" She comes around for, if he permits, a quick hug. They were beyond handshakes.

*

LOG NOTE: Probably wanna switch that to Mr. Rogers XD

*

Steve smiles softly and returns the hug warmly. "Hey, Pepper." He's wearing his normal bomber jacket with a green and beige, plaid, shirt and pleated khaki pants. He probably sticks out like a sore thumb in this part of town but it doesn't seem to bother him. "You got a new job," he says, stating the obvious. "Do you like it better?"

*

"…That's… putting it mildly." Pepper admits with a little laugh that actually betrays a fair amount of the pure nerves she's feeling at her new position. It's not something she shows to many people, but Steve Rogers just has a way of bringing out the truth in someone. And being trustable enough that she CAN show that truth. She doesn't bother him with the desk but motions over to the davenport and more comfortable sitting area. "…I like the chance to… really use every inch of my ability. To prove to a whole lot of people a woman can be an executive. Can run the upper echlons of a company. So, now I just have to DO that." SHe flashes him a half smile, "Do you want a drink? Coffee? And… How are *you* doing?"

*

"Coffee or water would be great," Steve says, giving a dismissive wave with his hand. "Things are pretty good. I think Jack is getting settled in nicely and I know her dog has." He chuckles a bit. "It's been a good change. Other than that, I can't complain."

*

Pepper even has her own percolator, something that is going 24/7 practically. And there is a little pillow tucked under one of the chairs, evidence she's slept in the office at least once since starting here. The coffee is needed. She steps over, pouring out a tall mug for him and grabbing the High Tech Powdered Creamer! and sugar bowl. Both are brought over and set in front of him. A glass of water follows. "I didn't know you and your lady moved in together! That's good. No…that's great. I'm glad…people can be happy."

*

"Yeah, we're doing pretty well." At Pepper's comment, Steve's mood darkens a bit. "What is it? I assumed it was about Buck—Seems like that's confirmed. Is everything alright?" he asks raising his eyebrow as he takes a seat.

*

Without a drink herself, Pepper just folds down into the chair across from him, neatly crossing her long legs beneath the skirt of her pin stripe suit. She nods slightly, "..I… I saw him again. First time in… two months, at least. Since he had me in that hotel. He was down this way, in the financial district. Looked… like himself. A little scruffier. Like when I first found him, when he was living at the VA. He seemed… Skittish. He didn't remember me. DIdn't remember anything."

*

Rather than jump to the bits of information gathering, Steve feels a pang of sympathy for his friend. To not be remembered, after what those two had been through, had to be terrible for her. He looks at her sadly, "You know that has nothing to do with you. It's likely a symptom of what his symptoms are. I know that he loves you." He doesn't /know/ that, but he does believe it to be true.

*

A slight nod follows, Pepper doing her very best to keep professional about it. Distant. But there is that ache behind her eyes. For as good as her life is, for as well as she's doing again, she misses him. It hurts to be forgotten. "I know. They… they probably got their hands on him again. They tried to erase me once before. He… he said they thought I made him soft. I guess I did. They just… managed… this time." Pepper then stands, changing her mind. SHe moves for the wet bar to pour herself a scotch.

*

"I'm really sorry for what you've been through. I know that the real Buck is in there, somewhere, and that he'd never do this to you if he could help it," Steve replies. "Did you get any information about him?"

*

A slight shake of her head comes in turn, Pepper walking back over to him, pacing in front of the fire place now. Quiet, back and forth. "No. He was too jumpy. He didn't understand why I knew his name. He was going by Jack again — that was the name that made him stop walking. When I said Bucky something… twitched, but he said he couldn't remember it. I tried to get information. I think he thought i was after him too, that I knew too much."

*

Steve nods sadly, bracing his elbows with his knees as he leans forward. "Did he give away any hints about where he might be staying? Anything in the way of clues?"

*

A quiet shake to her head again, Pepper looking all the more guilty about it. "No, and…I chased after him as best I could, but he's far faster. I couldn't keep up. He was so… scared. So paranoid. I'd be willing to bet he might be in a VA somewhere… if not on the streets. Or with the Russians, again. I…I really think they did this. They wiped him."

*

"It's as good a hypothesis as any," Steve says with a nod. "And, I'd bet the right one. I'll put in a call to Peg and see if she'd be willing to send some agents around to the VA and maybe scope out that area of town. I know there are a lot of people who want to see him brought in. And safe."

*

A deeper sigh escapes her lips and, ifnally, she stops her pacing. She sinks back down into the chair, a bit more boneless than before. This isn't the business mogul CFO Pepper. This is the girl who is still quite alone and a little scared. "He… when we had him before… he was sure he'd get the chair. Or spend his whole life in a prison. He didn't want that. What… life is that for him?"

*

Steve nods sadly, "Not much of one. But, at the same time, I'd like to believe a jury of his peers would look past what he's done and realize he's just been a pawn. And that it wasn't really him who did those things."

*

"…I…I would like to also. But you know people in this city, people right now… They're so scared of the commies… Do you really think they'd let him walk? If SHIELD put him on trial… God, Steve. I don't know. Maybe it's better this way. I don't ever want to think that, but… I don't want to help him just to make him a prisoner." Pepper looks up, pale eyes searching Steve's equally blue ones, looking for some sense to all of this, especially about this man they both care for so deeply.

*

"I don't really think a life of running is much of a life either," Steve says with a shake of his head. "I honestly don't know what the right answer is. I would like to think better of people. I would like to think that people are understanding."

*

"…I would like to think that too, but I know people, Steve. They want someone to hate. Right now, it's the communists. It has been since the fifties. Russia, China, Cuba… anywhere they can see red they are pointing fingers. And trust me, I hate them too. They are doing this to him. But… I just want to make certain I'm actually helping him, if… if I help him. I don't know how to find him again, but I'll try…" Pepper swallows back tightly, a bittersweet smile tugging at her red velvet mouth.

*

"There's no way to actually ensure that, Pepper. We don't control it." Steve exhales and shakes his head sadly, "But we do need him to stop hurting people. If there was a way that we could ensure he'd be alright, I'd definitely be open to it. But I don't see how…either way."

*

"I…don't either. I know we have to find him. I just… God. I don't know what to do. I don't even really know how to find him. He recognized his name, I think. Bucky…he knew that, somewhere, deep down. But he looked right through me. He didn't hesitate for a moment… He… he didn't know me at all." Pepper admits that quietly, coming to terms with it slowly but surely. SHe can't lie to herself more.

*

"He's adept at moving quietly and laying low. It's good to know he's safe. It's also good to know he's in New York," Steve replies. "After I leave here I'm going to make a few phone calls. Either way, he needs to be brought in. If there's a way to undo what's been done to him, we have to try. But, before all that, we need to actually find him, first."

*

A short laugh, "Yeah. That seems near impossible. But…he's here. He's back here, for a reason. Probably won't be the last we see of him." Pepper forces a slightly more warm smile to her lips, trying to be reassuring, "If there is anything else I can do… tell me? What should I do if I see him again? I…I'm not trained in this."

*

Steve takes a deep breath and searches for something reassuring to say. "Call me immediately. And do your best to stay safe. I don't think he'd hurt you, but I don't want you to find that out the hard way."

*

A slight nod to him, "I…can do that, but should I try to…lead him somewhere? Ask certain questions? Should I just show him a picture of you? Maybe he'll remember you better, probably. I…I just don't want to lose our chance again because I…I'm an idiot about these things!" Pepper admits, her frustration with herself awfully clear.

*

Steve nods, "It could work. But it could also backfire. I don't want you to do something that's going to put you in danger. If he goes violent, I'd rather he go violent on me than on you."

*

"I…I don't care. I don't think he'd hurt me. I don't. I can take it. God, Steve, the… things I've been through this year?" Pepper gives a weak laugh, leaning back in the chair, "Been through and survived. I…think I'll be fine. I have been so far. I can take it. It'll be worth it if we can get him back."

*

"Pepper," Steve says softly, trying to talk reason into her. "Everyone thinks they're going to be just fine. Until, sometime, they're not. And, then, it's too late."

*

The woman's jaw sets quietly, pale eyes levelling with the larger man, but with that stubborn determination most redheads have in spades. Much less redheaded business executives. "I'm not a little girl, Steve. I… I'll do it sensibly. But a few risks are worth taking to get him back. If you and all the others take it, why can't I?"

*

"I'm not trying to control you, Pepper. I just don't want to end up going to your funeral," Steve says with a raised eyebrow. "I'm not going to be able to tell you what to do, but when you see him again…and you will…please contact me as soon as you can."

*

"I will. That…that I promise. The first phone I can get to, I'll call you. We'll figure this out. Somehow. For him." Pepper gives him one last, reassuring smile before she unfolds from that comfortable leather chair. "I'm… sure you are busy. I don't want to keep you too much longer."

*

"I should get back, yeah." Steve stands and looks to her with resignation. He stands and looks to give her a hug. "Pepper, it was good seeing you. I hope sometime that we can actually talk when it doesn't feel like the world is collapsing."

*

That second hug is given. Happily. Warmly. They don't see each other much, but it's clear the woman cares for him too. He is, was, the best friend of the man she loves. How could she not? She lets the hug linger a heartbeat or two longer before pulling back and breathing out slowly. "…It…was good seeing you too. I'd… really like that." A faint smile crosses her lips. "I…I'm dating someone else. Trying to move on, you know? He's nice. The DA. Maybe you, Jack, Harvey and I could all…go out some night."

*

"I'd love that," Steve says with a grin. "Of course, hanging out with the DA and a CFO is going to be pretty high falutin' for Jack and I. I'll bring a tie just in case." Steve smiles softly at her as he breaks the embrace. "Call me right away if you see him. Bye Pepper." And with that he turns to go.

*

"Bye, Steve. Be…be safe." Pepper calls out after him, trying to let some of the weight in the air out of the room. It doesn't well work. She breathes out slowly and leans down to claim her scotch again, scooping it up and carrying it over to her desk. At least she had work to distract her.

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