The moment had taken on a surreal, dreamlike quality that Pepper hadn't experienced since she'd been informed of her father's death. The information being relayed was just so unbelievable that her mind couldn't process it despite that her body was making an admirable attempt. She'd gone incredibly pale and tears tracked lines across her freckled cheeks.

She wanted desperately to believe that none of it was real, that she was perhaps still dreaming or even coma-ridden, but Pepper Potts had not earned her reputation by succumbing to irrationality. Furthermore, she hurt far too much for it to be untrue.

Covering her eyes with one shaking hand, she turned her head away, grief-stricken for reasons she couldn't yet place.