6115/Cure for What Ails

Cure for What Ails
Date of Scene:	05 January 2019
Location:	New York City
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Pepper Potts, War Machine

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Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper has cleared her afternoon schedule, sending a message off to James Rhodes to request a meeting. Of sorts. On her desk are two large paper cups of coffee, likely gourmet, and strong. Each has a heat sleeve, as Pepper awaits the arrival of her "appointment." She shuffles a few papers restlessly, and looks at the clock.

War Machine has posed:
     And as if right on cue the doors come open and out from the other side walks Rhodey. He comes in with a friendly enough smile given towards Potts "Hey, hey!" He starts off, broadening that smile as he pulls his hands out from the pockets of his bomber jacket. "Pepper, it's been a while."

     Walking over he moves for a seat cracking out his back a little bit. "Honestly you surprised me a bit with this whole meeting, thought for a second you and Tony forgot about me." A lighthearted jab given with that friendly tone that diffuses it of a deeper meaning. "Think the last time I was up here there was still a hole in the wall from that business."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper smiles warmly and stands, moving around the desk and taking Rhodey's arm in her hands, as a friendly and embracing gesture. "How could we ever forget about you?" she asks with a grin. "I know I haven't. If I ever see Tony, I'll make sure he hasn't, either." She winks and reaches back for a cup of coffee from her desk. "Cuppa joe?" she asks, offering the fresh coffee to him before taking the other for herself. "Mostly, I wanted to make sure you were doing all right. It's been a while..." she seems to agree.

War Machine has posed:
     Rhodes returns the gesture before grabbing some coffee for himself. He takes a long sniff of that warm cup of Joe before enjoying its contents. Despite initial appearances and the general stance there's bags under his eyes which behind the calm friendly exterior show a bit of weariness to them. "You know what they say Pep"

     Finally enjoying a nice set down proper. "You never really retire from the Marines." He chuckles a slight bit. "When they say jump I ask which bridge they want me to leap off of, and all that."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Well, don't you go jumping off any bridges anytime soon. We need you around. /I/ need you around..." She pauses to consider the size of that statement. Certainly, it's true. Rhodey is a piece of solidity in her life, and indeed the lives of many. Probably far more than he knows. Losing Rhodes would be losing a bit of something akin to security blanket.

"You've heard what all's going on out there? When it isn't safe to go to bed anymore, it isn't safe to do /anything./" She rakes her fingers through her strawberry hair and sighs subconsciously.

War Machine has posed:
     "Don't worry, most the time when they ask me to jump off the bridge they at least give me a 'chute" That smile staying on his face as he takes a long sip from that cup of coffee. It's been a long, long time since he's had proper coffee and not just whatever is left over in the lounge at SHIELD.

     That smile fades at the mention of the sleep. He looks down at the cup for a long moment before just falling his expression into a more flat one. He's clearly not letting it get too bad on his face but there's a bit of something beneath the surface.

     "I was actually at the hospital when I got the notification on this meeting" He is keeping himself stiff upper lip and all that but there's a bit of a serious tone to his voice. "It... got her while she was heading down the stairs." He shakes his head. "Not even half surprised anymore about this stuff." A low chuckle escapes his lips not really a genuine laugh more stilted. "One week it's giant mold monsters the next it's a crazed musician turning the city into highschool musical 13, and now it's some wacko sending people to the land of nod."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Ohh, Rhodey..." Pepper moves to his side and places a hand on his shoulder. "What's going on now? How is it?" She gives his shoulder a little squeeze. "Is there anything I can do? This must be hell for you..."

War Machine has posed:
     Rhodes doesn't exactly shy away from the hand on his shoulder but he's also not exactly about to break into tears and open up a can of feelings at Pepper. "It's just another day in the life." He says not exactly smiling but he's keeping himself from getting too down. "I brought some of her favorite blueprints and spent most of the last few days keeping her company, but she's in good hands."

     "I just lucked out that my employer has good insurance." He smirks at Pepper for a moment.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Yeah, it's all we can do, really. If there's anything at all I can do, though. Anything. I have plenty of strings. And if I have to knock down Tony's door to get ahold of some more, I'll do it." She shakes her head and leans back, half-seating herself against the edge of her desk and taking a sip of her coffee. "There's an answer to this. I know everyone's working on it from every angle. The consensus is there's going to be a way to beat it. We just have to hold onto that, and I'll support anybody out there who's looking for it. By whatever means necessary."

War Machine has posed:
     "Most my answers tend to be: fly to the middle east and blow terrorists up till I start feeling better." Rhodes letting out a more genuine smirk as he relaxes a fair bit just trying to enjoy the coffee. There's something to be said about a warm cup with a good friend. "Onto brighter times, how are you and Tony?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
"I'm great. Tony's...well I'm sure he's fine wherever he is. He has been increasingly missing in action around here lately, but you know a Tony is always exactly where he wants to be. So I'm sure he's fabulous." Pepper smirks and sips from her cup, letting the warmth relax her, too. "I needed this, though. Making sure you're doing okay...and just a chance to breathe, and let go. Even if it's just for a little while. It'll help me get through."

War Machine has posed:
     Rhodes leans ahead a little bit setting down the cup for a moment having already drank a little over 3/4ths of the stuff. "Tony's got almost as bad a habit of vanishing as I do." He points out leaning back to a full proper upright set. "Man's busy as a termite though thankfully not nearly as destructive..." He trails off thinking for a moment before adding "Most of the time anyway."

     A smirk crawls its way back across Jame's face at that last bit before he nods to Pepper. "What are friends for if not helping each other out? I've yet to see anyone lift themselves up by their own bootstraps outside of superman, and he cheats."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Totally cheats," Pepper agrees, breathing a laugh. "But I don't know, Tony might run the average termite a close race," she adds. "So what did I interrupt today? I hope I didn't pull you away from anything terribly important." With a grin, she adds, "Not that I'm sorry u less it was important to YOU."

War Machine has posed:
     "No, no nothing major, just saving the world from a terrorist threat that would have annihilated the entire eastern seaboard." Rhodes starts. "Definitely not just setting at home binge watching that new Netflix documentary series on Rogers." Said in the exact sort of manner which confirms the later of the statements to be true.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Rogers. Mmh." Pepper presses her lips together and nods, inhaling slowly and letting out a sigh. "Well as much as I hate to have torn you away from good ol' Steve, I do appreciate you being here. It means a lot to me when someone cares to take time out of their day just because I need someone." She clears her throat. "Not that I need anyone. Like...ever. But you know. It's nice. Not to be forgotten."

War Machine has posed:
     "Pepper, even if I wanted to forget you I couldn't." Rhodes says with a firm expression. "If I tried you'd just come crashing through my memories with fantastic takeout, a cup of coffe and maybe a hankering for ear pinching and dragging about because I dared to try"

Pepper Potts has posed:
Laughing, Pepper shakes her head. "Now now, I wouldn't ear pinch. I find I can get much better leverage from an arm drag, anyday. I figured you knew that by now." Pepper grins and takes a swallow of her coffee. "So...where is she? I'd be glad to pay a visit, keep some company. At least till they figure out how to put a stop to this mess."

War Machine has posed:
     Rhodes holds up his hands to either side giving the look. "Alright you got me." He chuckles slightly lowering his hands back down and picking up the coffee for another sip.

     He looks a bit more serious at the mention of seeing Lila, brought right back to the reality of the moment. "It's easier if I just send you the address" A few quick taps on his smart watch sends an address over to Peppers phone. "You know how often it seems these hospitals change names with all the heroic sacrifices going around."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper nods, turning to pick up her phone when it vibrates. "Well at least I have it now. I'll do whatever I can to help, Rhodey." She saves the text, and relocks her phone. "I have a couple more emails to send out, here. Maybe we can run out for a bite of dinner when I'm done. Doesn't seem like either of us has anything going on right at the moment. Nah...forget the emails. Let's go."