"Rhodey" Pepper exclaimed a forced smile coming across her face "Please take a seat." Her words were calm but she shook nervously. "Mia please go grab Rhodey a cup of coffee."
"No no I'm fine I just need to talk to you quick Pepper." That made Pepper's heart skip an extra beat. What had happened now.
"What's wrong?" Pepper questioned her voice wobbly.
Rhodey's eyes widened "Oh no no no nothing like that!" Pepper let out a long whoosh of air at his words. Rhodey didn't come very often. He only came when something bad happened with Tony. "I'm holding a small barbeque and I wanted to invite you and Morgan."
"Will he be there?" Pepper questioned her voice cold. She didn't have to clarify what she meant. Rhodey knew.
"Yes," Rhodey answered attempting to meet the strawberry blonde's gaze.
"Then I'm sorry but I'll have to say no," Pepper responded instantly returning back to her work.
"Pepper please hear me out." Pepper shook her head anxiety overcoming her emotions.
"I can't go through this again I can't."
"He's really been trying to get better, I promise you that. He's been coming into work. He's sober. He really wants to be a part of Morgan's life." Pepper shook her head refusing to believe the words that he spoke. She'd heard it time and time again and this
time she would not fall into the trap. The trap of believing. Believing that he would get better. That he could. That they could go back to being a happy family.
"Then why did he show up to court completely drunk and out of his mind! Why did he lock Morgan and me out of the house? Why did he hit me!!!"
It had been two hours. Two hours since the custody battle for Morgan Stark was supposed to begin. He never came. Rhodey called. Happy called. Natasha called. Steve called. He never picked up. Two hours later he showed up completely drunk. He threw slurs towards everyone flipping on a pair of sunglasses. At this moment Pepper was positive she would never let her daughter near this man again.
......
Pepper tried to sleep. But she couldn't. Not with the strong smell of vodka wafting from beside her. Not with the man who was completely drunk sleeping next to her. Morgan's sobs came late in the night. Pepper froze.
"Get that fucking kid to shut up," Tony grumbled stuffing a pillow over his head. Pepper tip-toed to her toddler's room. Lifting her from her bed.
"Oh, Momo what's wrong?" Morgan's cheeks were a bright pink and her eyes were filled with tears.
"I feel so hot Mama!" Her wails grew louder and louder and Pepper pleaded for them to stop. She opened the front door the cool night breeze instantly making Morgan cooler. She snuggled to her Mother's chest her cries quieting down to a few hiccups. Loud stomps could be heard from inside the house.
"I'm trying to sleep!" He bellowed slamming the door shut the lock clicking.
Pepper's heart dropped in a second. "Tony let me in!" Pepper yelled her free hand pounding on the door "Your daughter needs to sleep!" She screamed until her voice became hoarse. Morgan had begun to wail once more at her Mother's distress. She didn't hesitate to click Natasha's number. "What is it?" Natasha questioned cutting straight to the chase. Pepper's sobs racked through the phone "Natttt he locked Morgan and I out again please come."
........
"Tony you need to help pay the bills!" Pepper demanded, "We both have to do our fair share here!" Tony rolled his eyes growing annoyed towards his wife. "Anthony Edward Stark!" Pepper spoke sharply gaining his attention "You haven't paid the bills in months! You haven't helped raise your daughter! You need to help me here." That's when the slap sounded. It was so quick and sharp Pepper couldn't help but yelp in surprise. Tony's eyes instantly widened
"Jeez Pep I swear I didn-" Pepper ran out of the room tears filling her eyes. She couldn't keep living like this
....
Pepper gained her composure once more finally meeting Rhodey's gaze.
"My answer will not change, now you can see yourself out. Have a nice day." This time Pepper didn't turn back to her paperwork. She was trapped. Trapped in memories. The good. The bad. And the ones that were fuzzy.
YOU ARE READING
Learn to Love Again
ФанфикPepperony AU. It had been a year. A year since Pepper finally caved. Since she'd left with Morgan. Since Tony had gotten himself so deep into alcohol he'd completely changed. The man Pepper once loved more than anything in this world was gone. He wa...
