--confirm something I'd believed for a long time; Tony was still possibly alive. The anger in his voice as he explained about the flower--

--at the grave made the Flower resting against my chest stir and whimper, I silently pleaded she wouldn't cry. Before I managed to finish--

-- my sentence to Happy, Dummy (who had wheeled himself to my right hand side, only given away by a squeaky wheel) began to chirrup--

--and move his claw - the noises seemingly calming down Flower. I was amazed

Laughter was all too rare. The moment between Bobby and Pepper over all too soon. With a swallowing lump wishing she could share the fun ~

~ with Tony giving way to tears, Pepper tries to disguise them from their adoptive son by continuing to laugh. Never one to succeed ~

~ successfully at lying, Bobby throws his arms round her neck clinging tightly as they sit on the floor with the music still sounding ~

~ loudly around them. Bobby was too young to witness more sadness, yet his eyes had already witnessed an intense amount, making his ~

~ observations to emotions comprehensively perceptive. Wherever her husband was, she was sure he was still alive no matter what the ~

~ reports were saying. In her heart she could feel he was still alive and she would never give up on him. Meticulously working to routines ~

~ with him gone was the only way she could deal with his disappearance. Deal with the information that Tony Stark was dead. ~

~ Deal with the possibility Flower would never get the opportunity to meet her father. ~

~ Time dissipates with a silent holding tight of each other until the sudden silence of the music ceasing deafens her. Pepper stands ~

~ carefully with Bobby still attached in a monkey grappling cling. "Is it sis' feeding time now Mama?" his muffled question into her ~

~ shoulder was exactly what was needed to spur her back into her zombie state routine. ~

~ "Of course," whispering her reply as she presses a kiss to his head. ~

~ Tightening his grip he whispers, "It's okay Mama, I got you." ~

~ "I got you first," she whispers back carrying him out of the room.

Delicately Pep twirls at the gold ribbon on the red extravagantly wrapped gift. An array of gifts and (cont) tl.gd/n_1s1upcu

Standing on the balcony of the hotel room, Pepper tightens the emblazoned bathrobe to her fast chilling (cont) tl.gd/n_1s22a4t