didknowthat | appt. 1: video

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appt. 1: video

[Well hello there, residents of this fine barge. What you'll find on your screens, is a rather tiffed redhead, looking only just a little like she might be trying to bite her tongue. Without actually puncturing herself.]

Hi- Hello. My name is Virginia Potts, and I've been asked to come and .. work on this ship. [It's only a partial lie. She'd sought it out herself.] That being said, I've come as a warden, and am here to help.

[There's a moment of hesitance, her mouth opening to continue. But then it shuts. ... And she tries again.]

Is there a Tony Stark on the barge?

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Actually, it's Nicole. [For now. For here. But despite the fact that Pepper is very smart, despite the fact that Natasha would not be surprised to find that Tony spilled the beans as completely as possible, Pepper doesn't have clearance of any kind with SHIELD, and that's enought reason for Natasha to withold her name.

She knows she doesn't have that long, once she gets a warden, the cards are on the table. But she sin't showing her hand until them.

She has got to find better metaphors.]

It's nice to see you too. I trust you aren't here because Stark Industries took a turn for the worst. [I.e., what happened. B|]

[Oh, she got plenty from Tony. But the issue of her name was ... actually still up for debate. Because in Tony-explanations, her name changed every other sentence.]

Oh- Nicole, okay. [Even though she'd called her Natalie for at least a month, but if she wanted Nicole, then Nicole it would be. Pepper can respect that, at least.]

No... Stark Industries are fine. [Well. No they weren't, actually. Not with Tony's death- but they weren't going down the shit hole or anything. Tony was still considered a hero back home.]

Tony's dead. Back home. [And that's a lot harder to say than she thought it would be.] I'm here for a deal to get him back.

[What.

Son of a--

But the Captain said--

These are the things that go through her head in .5 seconds and form a little crease between her brows. Stark died just after her at the expo, fighting Vanko, and he died after, what, after saving the world? Is she after Cap's time? Is she before, and this is just another example of how lucky Tony Stark is?

None of it really makes sense, so she files it away, doesn't let it effect her. She even manages a wry response.]

Guess I didn't do my job very well. [Keep him alive, that was all she'd had to do. Fury would have her head.] What happened?

[Yeah, sorry Nat. Pepper is ruining a lot of things, lately. And she's only been here for a few hours.]

No, it wasn't your job. You were helping with the rest of the Avengers. --Actually I think you're the one who .. finished it. [Sort of. Black Widow had been the one to close the portal, finally, hadn't she?]

There was a nuke heading for the city, and- Tony flew it into the portal.

[Gosh Pepper, all these spoilers. It's a good thing Natasha doesn't give a shit about temporal paradoxes, either, that's all just science fiction to her.

She doesn't bother pointing out that it was her job because she probably shouldn't have let that slip to begin with; although. The Avengers, she's on a team with a name that isn't an acronym and okay. It's weird.]

'Finished it?' [Yeah she'll ask about that nuke in a second, Capt didn't mention that. :c]

[..Right, this might sound a little bad.]

You closed the portal. Tony didn't come back out and .. It needed to be shut. [And excuse her because she feels like she might need to sit down again.]

[Son of a bitch. :C Little doesn't quite cover it, because hey, his death is on her? That's awesome.

Not that she shows it. She doesn't show anything unless she wants to, really. It's strange, though: she's watching Pepper like she expects to see blame, or anger, and her brow creases a little mo re when she doesn't immediately see it.]

The Chittauri, right? [Steve had given her a very basic run down, but she was still certain he'd have mentioned Stark above Phil on the casualty list. Maybe that, maybe his memories was the payoff of what Pepper did here.

It made sense, in a fuck you Admiral kind of way.]

[She looks confused for all of a minute; Chittauri? That's what those alien creature things were called, wasn't it? So she nods, one hand pressed to the side of her face in mock-sooth for a headache that wasn't quite there.]

There just wasn't time to wait any longer.

[Natasha let's the conversation lapse, for just a few seconds. Stark, putting his life on the line, doing what had to be done. And she, apparently, would do the same.

It made no sense, she was a spy, an assassin, not a soldier, and by two accounts she was going to wade into an out and out war, in the open. No assassinating the opponent leader behind the scenes, just battle. It was almost ridiculous.]

Where did the nuke come from?

[Here, she shakes her head. She doesn't know exacts, unfortunately.]

Someone higher than SHIELD, I think. Some part of the government, I don't know. They wanted to clear the damage- the entire city was in ruins. Still was, for the most part, before I came here.

[The World Security Council, but she doesn't tell Pepper that. She isn't surprised that their decision was nuke it and see what survives. If there was a portal - well it sounds like they would have just kept coming.]

Loki was behind it all?

[Confusion! Weren't they talking about the nuke a second ago? Jeez Nat.]

I-I don't know. Maybe, I never met him or spoke to him. It's just second hand knowledge, and while I might have great clearance, I don't have all of it. But it .. looked that way.

[Sorry Pep, conclusions were made, time to tackle the next subject. but the fact that Pepper doesn't know, that she probably only watched all this on the news, makes Natasha pause. She shouldn't be interrogating a civilian for info.]

All right. Look-- [Wait.] What have you told Stark?

[Really Nat?]

Everything I know.

[Well shit. B| HOW CAN SHE SALVAGE THIS (you can't, Nat, just give it up pls)]

Okay. [Damn damn damn.] It sounds like the Captain's the only one from your time. I was at the expo before I came here, when Vanko attacked. [She doesn't bother pointing out that Tony is two years behind her, too, because that's probably awkward and, well. She figures Pepper knows, if she's talked to him.]

Yes, I figured that out pretty quick. Both Tony and you are .. behind, then. [Wow. Weird to say that out loud.]

That's right. [Oh it has been weeeeiiiiird to hear about, too.] Is there anything else I should know? Do you have questions?

No, I think I'm covered. For now, at least. Thanks, though.

Welcome to the Barge, Ms. Potts. [There is a teensy bit of dryness in her voice, if she's listening for it. Natasha's just going to replan things.]

[Don't you just love that she fucked up all your plans, 'Tasha? Cause Pepper might actually feel bad if she found out. Really. You were her favorite ~~and only~~ PA she ever had.]

Thank you.

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appt. 1: video

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