2012-11-08 The Trouble With Tony

It's nearing the end of another work day. Another day after she actually received an email from Steve Rogers, and Tony continues to be completely out of touch. She's about ready to go confront him at home whether he likes it or not. But first, maybe some backup.
A quick consultation with JARVIS earlier had given her a name and contact number, and she'd left a message. Now, she's waiting for Ms. Selina Kyle to drop by. And hoping that the woman doesn't just blow her message off. Of course, she finishing up some paperwork while waiting. Thirty more minutes and a not a minute more.
Luckily for Pepper, Selina is in NYC today (despite her having told Tony she hates the city when she last saw him), it being business that brought her here. Unfortunately Peper's call came in just as she is in the process of trying to wrap up the last meeting of the day and it's almost the end of the thirty minutes Tony's aide and right-hand gal is willing to wait by the time she is able to return the call. Of course the first thing she does is apologize and then the second thing she does is agree to come over immediately.
By the time Selina arrives she has worked herself up into quite a bit of worry, not exactly sure what is going on, her concern very easy to see on her face. Brows furrowed, mouth held in a frown... it all screams 'concerned'. "Hello..." she greets Ms. Potts with once she's shown her way in, Selina offering her a hand.
Pepper Potts looks up, having left her office door open so Selina wouldn't have to knock or anything annoying like that. "Ms. Kyle, hello." She starts hastily wrapping up the email she'd been in the middle of typing, then stands to shake the woman's hand. "Thank you again for agreeing to speak with me. I know I didn't give you much information to start with, but to be honest, I don't really know all that much myself. All I can say for sure is that it's been well over a week since I've been able to get Tony to so much as answer a phone call, and I'm honestly very worried." She looks down at her desk, one hand on the closed folder sitting there. "I'm hoping that if he continues to refuse to speak with me, maybe he'll agree to talk with you."
Huh. This is not exactly a position Selina's used to being in and she's fairly taken aback at first, not sure how to respond. Pepper is nodded to, the bobbing of her head meant to convey her understanding, but it is at least a minute before she can speak. "I take it this is more than 'moody billionaire sulking'..." Selina pauses and looks around. "I don't know what I could do," she eventually says, sounding a bit more concerned than she did when she had when she arrived. "We were going to go on a vacation... wonder if that'd help him?"
Pepper Potts takes a deep breath while she considers yet ANOTHER tidbit of information she'd not been privy to before. "Maybe it will. But if he's anything like he was ... a few years ago, he might cancel that vacation by claiming to be too busy." She looks at Selina again at this point, and the worry in her own features is all too evident. "I can't help but feel like he's not going to make it out the other side this time."
If Sel were to know just how little Pepper knows she would fill her in on the details of the trip that is supposed to happen but she doesn't. She doesn't know one iota of the dynamics between the two so all she can do is move on, conversationally. "Ah. Well, if he does I'll find another way to try and keep an eye on him." Not that the vacation was supposed to be so she can make sure Tony's alright but at least it would be a means to keep vigilance and at least try to keep him from doing something stupid. But... "Alright. Look. I really don't know what happened back then save little snippets I read in the scandal rags. Care to fill me in?"
Pepper Potts nods and moves to sit again. "Do you remember hearing in the news a while back about his having been recovered from being held by terrorists in the middle east?" She says all of this a bit slowly, as if choosing each word carefully.
"Yes, I did hear something about that," Selina says, her own words paced about as slowly as Pepper's are. "It had to be hell on him." Her hands become clasped before her, fingers laced together. "Do you think his behavior now might have something to do with that?"
Pepper Potts shakes her head quickly. "No, no, nothing like that. It's his current behavior that's mirroring the way he was when he first returned. He's ... withdrawn. It's like he's hiding from everyone. And I can't get him to tell me anything, which is different from that other time and not for the better. JARVIS, is Tony still in the mansion?"
Alright. Now she understands and she can see why Pepper's as worried as she is. While she asks JARVIS for Tony's location Selina sticks her head out of the office, asking one of the employees for a glass of ice water, not wanting to bother Ms. Potts for something as trivial as that. Once the request is made she turns around, her lips pursed. "Would you like me to try and talk to him for you?"
"He is, Miss Potts. And per your request, I have reduced the liquor delivery quantities by fifteen percent. Sir has yet to notice."
Pepper tries and fails to completely smother a sigh. "Thank you, JARVIS." She's so preoccupied by what's going on with Tony that she doesn't even seem to notice that Selina got a glass of water for herself. "Well, probably not /for/ me, but maybe at least offer to be a friendly ear?"
Selina nods. She can do that. Of course she'll probably have to dodge innuendo and advances but if it means being there for Tony then it'll be worth it. "I can do that," she eventually says after being given her water, that drank quickly, the glass drained in no time flat. "Should I give you a call afterward?"
Pepper Potts looks at Selina for a long moment, then just nods a bit. "Please." She's now resigned to having to wait for someone ELSE to check in on Tony. Again. While she sits here worrying and wondering still some more. She WANTS to just go over there and help Tony however she can, but... she's not at all sure he won't just tell her to go the hell away. And that would be more than she could take.
A phone is pulled out from a pocket in her suit coat and she puts in a quick text to Tony, asking him if she can come by. "I will go and look in at him," she says once the message is on its way, that being all she can do for now. The ball is in Tony's court. "I am very sorry he's putting you through this, Pepper," she adds sincerely, deciding to call Pepper by her first name. "I will do what I can to make sure this will end well."
Pepper Potts nods to Selina. "Here. Let me know if there's any way I can help. I don't care what time it is, le me know and I'll be there." She hastily offers Selina one of her business cards.
The card is taken and one of Sel's is offered in return. "I will. And the same goes for you. I live in Gotham but if you need me, I'll get out here as fast as I can." As much of a smile as she can muster is offered to Pepper. "Well, I'm going to check in on him. Take care of yourself, Pepper. And don't worry."
A similarly forced smile is offered to Selina in return. "Thank you, Selina." Pepper doesn't say that she won't worry, that's just impossible. "JARVIS, Selina Kyle has my authorization to enter the Mansion when she arrives there, regardless of any restrictions Tony might have told you. All right?"
"Yes, Miss Potts. Ms. Kyle, I do hope you can assist. Sir has been more difficult than usual."
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