Stark Crossed Lovers

Chapter Forty-Four

Sam found herself unable to recover from the emotions she had been feeling. She didn't feel like Tony cared and felt like he never would. All she wanted was to know who she really was, and the people she was actually related to. It was strange, Sam went almost her whole adolescent life not knowing that everything she had known was a lie, but now that she knew, she felt as though she was missing out on something more. Sam thought about all of this and how she felt, staring out the window on the way to a boutique downtown that Pepper knew about. Sam had grown up not feeling hole. Sure she lived comfortably with Tony, and she never had to want for anything materialistic. Tony always made a point to eat dinner with her every night, and talk to her and understand her. But there were still times when Sam felt misunderstood and alone.   Those were the times that Tony couldn't be with Sam, due to business issues or superhero stuff. She grew up always recognizing this hole as her missing her mother, that she just didn't get enough time with. Wondering what their relationship would have been like had she not gotten sick as Tony told her. But now knowing the truth, she realized the hole in her life that kept her from thinking that everything was perfect, was much larger. She lost a mother, that hadn't changed, but now she was also without a real father in her eyes. Sam didn't think she could ever truly forgive Tony for what he did to her that day on top of the tower. “Samantha we're here,” Pepper said lowly. Pepper had heard the yelling before leaving the tower. Though she loved Tony, and saw where he was coming from on not wanting Sam to see the files on someone who would just hurt her anyway, she still felt bad for Sam. Pepper thought back to how Sam grew up as they got out of Happy's car, and made their way into the store. She remembered how much Sam didn't like her until a month or two ago, but also how fast she had to grow up. Having a superhero for a father was never easy, and while Sam tried to hide it from everyone that it really bothered her, Pepper had always been a good judge of character and emotions. Pepper knew that Sam would always lock herself away when Tony was gone, and she would cry. Wondering and hoping that her dad would come back safe. Pepper knew this because she too worried about Tony. But she had also heard Sam sobbing one night while he was gone. And now Sam was being told that the man she wept over wasn't her biological father, and it was heartbreaking to see. She couldn't imagine how confused Sam must have felt towards him at this point. Pepper pushed everything to the back of her mind and tried to break the silence and help Sam find a dress. “Have you put any thought into what you might want the dress to look like?” Pepper inquired, looking over at Sam who hadn't bothered to take her one earbud out of her ear. Sam responded lazily, “Not really, especially since the tyrant has rules against my neckline now.” Pepper wanted to tell her that he was just being a dad, but it wasn't worth arguing and it wouldn't help any. “There are plenty of fashionable dresses that have high necklines,” Pepper said trying to make Sam feel better. “If you're a grandma,” Sam said, slightly under her breath. Pepper didn't respond to the comment, though she wanted so badly to. Instead she sucked it up and sighed. She began to look around the store for the perfect dress. Pepper had made it her mission for it to be perfect, to at least bring some real happiness back to Sam's face, which had been slowly falling away since Tony told Sam the truth. “What about this one?” Pepper said, pulling a ridiculous looking bejeweled cocktail dress off the rack, trying to make Sam laugh. While she didn't even giggle, she did smile at least half way as she said, “Never.” Pepper put it back and walked around some more. “What about this one?” Pepper said, pulling another dress that she knew Sam would hate, due to her incredible taste in clothes, off the rack. The dress was velvet red, body hugging, and floor length. This time Pepper got a little bit of the laugh she wanted. “I am not wearing a rug to prom,” Sam said, only letting a tiny laugh out. Pepper then saw a dress that she thought Sam may have honestly liked. “What do you think?” Pepper said, holding up the floor length black dress that was silky and smooth. “I love it, but not for prom. I wear a lot of black any other day of the week, I want to stand out you know?” Sam said, denying the dress as an option. Pepper put the dress back on the rack and began to look harder. She pulled out a purple dress that came to Sam knees, a baby blue dress with a high neckline, and even a neon green one, just to see if the oddball choice could win Sams affection. But of course Sam found something wrong with all of them. “Well, I guess we could always go to another store Samantha,” Pepper yelled over to Sam, who was off looking at dresses a few racks away from Pepper. “There are plenty of other shops on the strip and more over on….” Pepper froze in her tracks, spotting something that might just work. “What was that?” Sam yelled back, having not heard Pepper over Semi-Automatic playing through her earbud. But Pepper didn't answer back right away, and instead stared back at the dress on the rack. “Hey Samantha?” Pepper yelled back, having pulled the dress of the rack and walked over to her. “Yeah,” Sam replied back, looking up to see Pepper walking towards her with a dress in hand. “I know this one is a little plain, and I know you're not a fan of pink, but there is just something about it you know?” Sam looked at the dress as Pepper spoke. Sam examined it closely and realized that the dress was a mix between hot pink and peach, definitely not the color she would have picked for herself. But besides that it had a high neckline, almost appearing as if it had a built in choker, and it looked like it would end right around her knees, and it was textured and sleeveless. She could see what Pepper meant as she looked at the dress, but was still a little unsure about it. Pepper could tell she wasn't completely sold on the dress yet and said, “I think the only way to know is if you try it on.” Sam smiled to Peppers surprise, and took the dress from her hands and rushed to the dressing room to try it on. It took Sam only a few moments to come out of the dressing room and confirm that this was indeed the dress. It fit her shape perfectly, and the color accented her dark curly hair and her sparkling brown eyes perfectly. Pepper was quite pleased with herself, she had accomplished what she set out to do. Make Sam smile again and find her a perfect dress. As Pepper and Sam made their way back to Happy's car, having paid for the beautiful pink dress, Pepper thought about how easy it had been for her to make Sam's smile return. Then it hit her, she was the only person who could convince both Sam and Tony that they still needed each other. Having found the perfect prom dress, Pepper made up her mind that her next mission was to repair their relationship, and hope she didn't make things worse in the process. Pepper looked over and smiled at Sam, and Sam looked back and returned the smile. Someone else was smiling as well. Someone they couldn't see. Someone still waiting and planning. Someone, who now knew when and where to strike, having learned that prom was this Saturday.