[Text, Friday Morning]

[nodavinci]

[The message goes out Friday morning, not too long after Tony gets this e-mail.]

Pepper's out of commission. If you had business arrangements, get in touch.

[Private to Piper]

You're in charge of Callahan's for the foreseeable future. Get in touch, we'll allocate funds for supplies, staff, and any further reno work you need.

[Private to Kaylee and Inara]

I have Pepper's files on your planning sessions. Come by the apartment and pick them up.

Comments

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

((easy to lose in the middle of a bunch of other replies :3 no worries))


Oh, and-- you put her in a pod?

[He's actually quick on the uptake, here, guessing:]

To help keep her safe?

[There's no judgement there, just understanding. He'd have done the same.]

[Video]

[nodavinci]

To keep her alive.

[Is that why she's been thrown back now? He can't know for sure, but it seems plausible.]

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

Then it was the right thing to do.

[He is obviously quite certain of that. Keeping Pepper Potts alive is a worthwhile endeavor, in any situation.]

Perhaps she will awaken again, then. Like Jane did before, and those others have more recently.

[Ever the optimist.]

[Video]

[nodavinci]

Maybe.

[But so far, most of those who'd inexplicably gone dormant and awoken again haven't lasted very long.

That he's one of the few exceptions is neither lost on him, nor something he cares to share.]

If she does, it's out of our control. We still can't wake someone from deep stasis without a lot of nasty side effects.

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

Then we will simply have to have faith.

[Not something Tony is great at, maybe, but Thor can believe enough for both of them.]

I can visit her when I visit Jane, if you feel that would be...

[He pauses to search for the word.]

Appropriate?

[Video]

[nodavinci]

Knock yourself out.

[It's not half as flippant as he'd like it to be, not when he's spent more time than he'd care to admit in the vicinity of the pods himself.

He knows people might wake up again. He just also knows he can't count on it.]

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

I will do so, then. And if you are in the ship when I do, may I come by to see you, as well?

[Because bros with podded girls, man. He's with you on that. He'll even bring ale, if he can find some decent stuff.]

[Video]

[nodavinci]

I'll be there.

[It's as close to admitting he'd welcome the company - and, just as importantly, the distraction - as he's willing to come.]

[Video]

[loveshishammer]

Then that is where I will see you.

[Whether or not Thor can read between those lines, he'd go anyway. He is of the opinion that the man needs the company, whether he'd admit to it or not.]

Until then, Stark.