10865/Surviving Infinity: Three Weeks

Surviving Infinity: Three Weeks
Date of Scene:	25 January 2020
Location:	Pepper's Office, Stark-Fujikawa Tower
Synopsis:	JARVIS has a message for Pepper, that Tony created for this kind of situation.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Pepper Potts
Tinyplot:	Surviving Infinity

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Iron Man has posed:
It is another long evening of work and keeping the company going full speed ahead without the CEO. It's been three weeks since his very public abduction into a portal at his New Years' Eve party.

The time grows late, the clock ticks over to the next hour....

"Ms. Potts," JARVIS's disembodied voice says simply, smoothly, his tone requesting her attention but never demanding it.

"I have a message that I was instructed to provide to you from Mr. Stark," JARVIS explains. "Please let me know when you are ready for it to be played."

Pepper Potts has posed:
There have been a lot of long nights. Not simply because there is a lot of work. Certainly there was, dealing with the company and their leader's missing status. In addition to that, Pepper had the press hounding her at every turn.

She dealt with it as she must. She Kept a strong face for the company. She kept herself pulled together. Until she was alone. When she was alone at home, then she let all those emotions free.

That was the other reason. By keeping busy, by exhausting herself, it helped her to finally fall asleep when she got home.

At the voice of JARVIS, she raised her head from the document she was scanning. "They found him? Where is he, JARVIS? How is he?" The hope, the need for him to be okay was there. After all, how else would she have gotten a message.

Iron Man has posed:
"Unfortunately, this message was recorded prior this his disappearance, at approximately this time last year," says the AI very apologetically. "It was scheduled to be presented to you at the time of him being unavailable for a period of three weeks. I am sorry to have gotten your hopes raised." The AI does sound, indeed, sympathetic.

"It is primarily a pre-recorded message." On one of the screens across the other side of the office, there's an adjustment, and the screen shows, 'T. W. I. T' - Three Week Interval Transmission'.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper closes her eyes, an almost pained expression on her face. A deep breath then slowly releasing the sigh. She takes a good ten seconds to get herself braced for what is about to come.

Opening her eyes, she brushes her hair back from her face in an anxious motion. Next she focuses on the screen. TWIT. She can't help smiling a little at that, because it is so Tony.

"Please play the message, JARVIS."

Iron Man has posed:
"Message beginning," JARVIS answers serenely. He would never judge or hurry her, he is only there to be supportive in any way that he can.

Then, the message begins. It's Tony, relaxing back in his chair at his desk in his office. He's playing with a little stress-ball looking toy; she may remember it as part of the merchandising giveaways from the previous year for one of the tech conventions. She might remember bringing it for him to preview, and he kept a few.

What a long time ago that must seem, and it also dates the video a little bit.

"Hey Pep," Tony says, cheerful and pleasant, as if nothing were wrong. At that time, there were dangers present, though: Sentinels were looming. Captain America had been very injured. This recording might make some sense.

"If you're getting this, I've been out of contact somewhere for three weeks," Tony begins, letting the ball drop to rest on his desk, his fingers curved over it. His expression focuses a little bit more. "Maybe I've got to save the world. I'd like to think it's that, so let's stick with that for the moment," Tony suggests.

Pepper Potts has posed:
As he appears on screen, Pepper breathes out his name. "Tony." Low. Barely audible. It's so good to see his face, even if it is on a screen. If only it was a live transmission instead of a recording from so long ago. She remembers the tech convention, able to place the time from that little toy.

Things had been tough then. They always were. His life was not for the faint of heart.

She doesn't speak again but keeps her attention raptly focused on the video. Saving the world? Who knew at this point. He'd done it so many times already, alone and with his team.

Iron Man has posed:
"I know you've been worried," Tony says, in his usual arrogant way: assuming she'd be worried. Then again, is he wrong? That other side to his arrogance: that he's //right//, that often so frustrates people. It isn't mean, though: there's a kind undertone to his voice.

"And probably killing yourself at work. I'd rather you not do that; when I get back, I need you in good shape to fill me in on all the things I've missed," Tony says with a quick, flippant grin.

"This video isn't here to give you answers. If I had some I could send, I would have sent those to you by now," Tony says, with a quick sigh, his grin dropping fast. "But it's here to say wherever I am, I'm trying, and if anybody can solve it, I sure as hell can. And I'll kick the butt of whatever is keeping me away."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Of course he's right. He knows her as well as she knows him. That well earned arrogance can be off putting to some but not for Pepper. She's doing everything he figured she would. Putting in too many hours, worrying herself sick. She has to smile as he continues, with his little comment about filling him in when he got back. When. Not if.

Then he sobers and is serious for a moment. Her smile fades as the tears well. They begin to slide down her cheeks even he adds the final line. The half smile is back on her face even as the tears leave wet trails down her face. "You will, Tony. I know you will."

Iron Man has posed:
There's a little pause as he appears to perhaps guess, or maybe even SEE her somehow, but then it continues onward. "So the real point of this message is to remind you I'm coming back, if I have anything to say about it. And I always have something to say," Tony grins. He draws a few fingers to his mouth and blows a flippant kiss, winks once, and then drops his hand to the console near him, which cuts the video.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper freezes as the screen goes dark. She immediately is feeling bereft all over again, that moment of light in all this darkness of his disappearance. She sniffles, reaching quickly for the box of tissues she's been keeping handy. She wipes her eyes and gives a little blow of the nose into the tissue before tossing it in the nearby trash bin.

"Hurry back to me, Tony. I miss you. I...need you." A moment to close her eyes again then she focuses back on the screen. "JARVIS. Replay the message. I just need to see him once more."