Silver Death

Ready to Yell

(Aly's P.O.V.)

Pepper and I wait for almost an hour before we receive a call saying that the client we were to meet with isn't going to make it. His plane had to make an emergency landing.

We go for a wander and end up in the hallway by the lab. Through the frosted glass I can make out my mother's form laying on a table, my dad leaning on the table and Steve leaning on a different table while Tony and Bruce hustle around. They stop in sync and get closer to the others. "FRIDAY what just happened in the lab?"
"Your mother just told your father that she can't remember anything about anyone in the tower."

Pepper reaches for me but my feet are already moving, down the hall and into the stairwell. My feet come off the ground as I jump down into the gap between stairs, dropping maybe five floors before stopping myself. I keep going until on one of the last floors.

Curling into a ball I tuck myself into a corner that has no cameras visible to it. "She doesn't remember Steve." I don't care if she remembers me right now. We barely knew each other to before her head was put in a blender. But the way she talked about Steve made it obvious that you can love after being put through everything bad.

She has to remember him. She's just has too.

Tears slide down my cheeks, someone is walking down the stairs. They aren't in heels so it can't be Pepper.

Steve's shoes come into view, he's standing right where he can't be seen by cameras.

He ends up sitting down, hands in his hair elbows on knees. He lets out a quiet gasp, it's rocky and unexpected. He's starting to cry, but trying to hold it in.

Uncurling and shoving off the wall into a standing position I start up the stairs to him. "Steve, it'll be okay. We'll figure it out."

He looks up from his lap at me, a tear stuck to his face, "why you down here kid?"
"I heard what she said and started running." Pointing down a flight of stairs I continue "that's where my feet took me."
"You okay?"
"I'm doing better than you are obviously."
"Don't get sassy with me."

Plopping down beside him, and flopping my head into him I mutter "how are we gonna make her remember?"
"I don't know squirt. I don't know."

After a few minutes of silence- other than the noise the tower makes- someone else starts down the stairs near us. "I knew I'd find Steve here, didn't know I'd find you too pipsqueak."

Steve turns around, my head falls off his arm, but I catch myself "I'm not a pipsqueak Tony."
"Sure whatever, Steve I was coming down here to ask if you know where Nat might be."
"Her floor. She tends to disappear after a mission."
"Is that what my mom was? A mission?"
"No! Um-"
"Technically she was. But the mission was to bring her back."
Steve still looks like he's trying to find an explanation for the way he worded that, "how'd you know Steve was down here?"
"I was told he entered the stairs but didn't come out on a different floor."
"Oh." Standing up I start my accent of the stairs. "I'm going to find Pepper."

Tony is in front of me in an instant. "I wouldn't if I were you."
"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't just poke through you."
"I can't. But Pepper probably doesn't want you to see her like this."
"Explain Tony."
"Well, uh, Steve?"
"She and your mother are having an argument."

Shoving my way past Tony someone is trying to catch me. A hand grabs hold of my pant leg making me fall and hit my head. I'm out for a nap.

(Pepper's P.O.V.)

We didn't have a meeting. I just faked it so I could have more time with her. I've been taking care of her since she got here and now with her mother coming back she won't want to be near me. I message Ang my secretary to call my phone, just so I can make the lie believable. After she does Aly and I start wondering the halls, making it up by the lab. We stop in the hall not going in. Aly seems concerned about what's happening inside.