[NT] Phone call
Phone call in which Larry learns things he cannot accept.
Pepper: Hey husband
Larry: Hello wife, how are you?
Pepper: Wonderful. Peachy. I have a 12 year old.
Larry: So I hear. How'd this happen? Who's the father?
Pepper: Hell if I know
Pepper: Damnit Larry, I have a kid now and NONE of the fun that normally goes into making them
Pepper: Ugh
Pepper: It's a long story..
Larry: Start at the beginning.
Pepper: Right
Pepper: So!
Pepper: Back in NYC, I go to SHIELD to get my security clearance, kidnap Bruce, whatever and eventually, I have to bring him back. Fine. So he goes off his merry way to his lab and I'm downstairs at security and this guy walks in, kid asleep in his arms and just ..lays her down on security and goes hey! You're Pepper! Have a kid!
Pepper: Okay he didnt' say it like that
Pepper: But basically stated that he feels SHIELD is the best place for her, and he's not taking care of her anymore. I tried to EXPLAIN we're not a daycare. He still left. And then I went and talked to Fury -- big bad scary general guy, you dont want to meet him -- who is the director of SHIELD and he just laughs and says 'Potts! You've been Stark's babysitter for years. Have fun."
Larry: ...Pepper...I understood about five words of that. So who is this kid? Have you looked for her parents?
Pepper: How could you only understand five words of that?
Pepper: Bah
Pepper: I don't know who she is. Her name is Molly, she's an orphan, was living on the street... she may have mutant powers....
Larry: Have...what?
Pepper: Out of curiousity, have you ever met a mutant before?
Larry: A...mutant? Like...the teenage mutant ninja turtles? Well- there was this one time I was walking home with a pizza, got attacked..
Pepper: Funny
Larry: I thought that's what we were doing. Funny.
Pepper: I'm being SERIOUS, Larry
Larry: And seriously, you're asking me if I've met a mutant?!
Pepper: Yes, I am!
Larry: And I thought my drugs were good.
Pepper: Okay, if you're going to be this way, I'm not talking to you anymore
Larry: What way?! What the hell are you talking about, Pepper?
Pepper: I'm being seroius
Pepper: You get all mad that I don't tell you things and here I am, TELLING YOU THINGS but you're just making a big joke of it
Larry: I don't get mad when you don't tell me things, only when you don't tell me how my friend is after she's been in an explosion, and I'm not making a joke!! This is a joke! Mutants aren't real.
Pepper: I TOLD YOU HOW SHE WAS
Pepper: And yes mutants are real!
Larry: Twelve hours later!
Larry: Right, and next you'll tell me warewolves and vampires are real, too.
Pepper: I'm SORRY if I was BUSY
Larry: It would have taken you FIVE SECONDS to call me and tell me what was going on!
Pepper: I WAS LEADING A MISSION LARRY! I DIDNT HAVE TIME TO CALL YOU
Larry: A mission? A mission. So what, are you a mutant, too? Is this the X-men?
Pepper: ...No, I'm not a mutant too, but I do know the X-men..
Pepper: *sigh* There's a lot you don't know about me, Larry
Larry: I...I don't even know what to say, Pepper.
Pepper: *sighs again* Okay... I'm sorry for yelling, I forget that my life is hardly normal
Larry: You know what this is? This is me dreaming again. That's it. I'm dreaming.
Pepper: You're not dreaming
Pepper: But if you'd like, we can hang up and you can pretend this conversation never happened
Larry: Yes, we'll hang up and pretend you haven't just lost your mind.
Pepper: How is this so hard for you to believe?
Pepper: My best friend is Iron Man for fuck's sake
Pepper: I just went to Italy with Captain Freaking America
Larry: Yea, and I'm getting laid by the Invisible Woman.
Pepper: Fine
Pepper: You know what? I'm just not ever going to tell you things
Pepper: You have no IDEA the things I know, the things I've seen and I CLEARLY cannot confide in you or talk to you
Larry: Fine. Don't. It's probably for the better, anyway.
Pepper: ...*starts to cry*....
Larry: ::quiet, realizes:: Good God...Pep..
Pepper: I'm not lying *hiccup* Larry
Larry: ::sighs:: Pepper...how...you...how am I supposed to take this?
Pepper: Why would you think I'd lie to you.... I'd never lie..
Larry: I'm not accusing you of lying! I just...this stuff isn't...real to me. It's movies, and..comic books...not reality.
Pepper: ...but it's my reality
Larry: ...and I don't know how to respond to that.
Pepper: *sniffs* If you dont' want this to be your reality, then you can leave now if you'd like... I don't want to force you to accept something you cant..
Larry: You...you need to give me some time to digest this.
Pepper: ...k
Larry: ...look..be mad at me if you want, I'm sorry for how I reacted...but I told you a long time ago - I'm not perfect.
Pepper: I'm not mad at you
Pepper: It's just... I forget that this isn't everyone's reality, that's all
Larry: ::sighs:: Right...can..can we just talk later? My foot's really starting to bother me...as soon as I take the drugs I'll be out..
Pepper: Whatever, fine, just.. call or something
Larry: Okay.
Pepper: I'll talk to you later
Larry: Talk to you later.