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It's funny how quickly moments can change.
When Tony found out Peter had a long weekend due to some conference being held at MIT, he wasted no time in extending an invitation. It's been months since he has seen the boy, and Morgan was missing her big brother like crazy. The invitation was of course extended to his usual plus one, given that him and MJ had been a package deal ever since they started dating. This was good for Pepper, having another woman around, especially one so bright and easy to talk shop with. Morgan lovingly deeming her 'Auntie M' after watching The Wizard of Oz firmly cemented Michelle's spot at the cabin, and she was just as excited to escape from Boston as her boyfriend was.
For the most part it had been the welcome change of pace they needed. Lectures from renowned scientists were nice, but paled in comparison to the storytelling of an excited ten year old just honing her imagination. And dining hall food was prison slop when up against a homecooked meal made with vegetables grown just outside. It was heaven, the world put on hold for three days.
Until it was rudely taken off pause on Sunday evening by Nick Fury, interrupting dinner with a phone call demanding Spider-Man's help with a mission involving alien tech. Peter tried to get out of it, but as per usual the director was relentless and duty called. And if Spider-Man was needed, so was Iron Man. Tony was mostly retired, but when it came to his son he wasted no time donning the suit, especially with a mission as unpredictable as this. Peter may have been 22, but he was still his baby who he would protect with all he had, and he wasn't about to let him handle it alone.
As soon as the father/son duo was airborne, MJ was on the couch in a tight ball with eyes glued to the news caster covering the mission on the TV. That's where she stayed for hours, relaxation long gone and replaced with a fear so bone-deep she couldn't move a muscle. It was a fear she had grown immensely familiar with over the last six years, a toll she had to pay to love Peter Parker. It gripped her tightly every time her boyfriend put on that damn spandex and swung away, causing her brain to flip through a book detailing all the ways he may not make it home. This was nothing new to her, but it was never something she enjoyed.
Lucky for her, she had the world's leading expert on this particular fear in the adjacent kitchen washing dishes.
"This isn't healthy, you know." Pepper called out, voice stern yet empathetic— a tone she has spent well over a decade mastering.
MJ just sighed, chin buried in her knees. "I know." And she did know, she knew that not leaving her post on the couch was doing more harm than good. That it wouldn't ease the uncertainty, and was probably only adding fuel to the anxiety kindled fire in her stomach. But something was keeping her right there, a need to protect, or at least feel like she was. The mere idea of changing the channel made her stomach churn with the unfounded guilt of abandoning her Peter.
Pepper returned this sigh, knowing exactly what was happening here. She was watching a scene she herself starred in many a time play out in front of her, only the current leading lady had someone close by to help. Someone who knew how it ended. So, she put down the sponge daddy, and walked to the couch. She sat next to the younger woman, close enough that MJ could reach out if needed but still far enough away that she wouldn't feel smothered. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, MJ watching the TV and Pepper watching MJ, who was already visibly deflating with Pepper's mere presence. It was the younger who broke the silence, turning her head slightly to face the elder. "Does it ever get easier?"
"That's a loaded question." Pepper said with a bit of a dry laugh, trying to ease the tension a bit before she focused up. "One I can't say I have an honest answer to."
MJ looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"I mean…" Pepper paused for a second, gathering up her thoughts and sorting them to present an answer to the girl in front of her that was both honest yet avoided worsening her spiral. "I mean it never really does get easier. Having someone you love risk their lives like that, gaining life altering trauma in the process… how can it?"
"Oh…" MJ's gaze went to the floor, dread visible in her body language.
Pepper's hand went to her shoulder and began to rub soothing circles. "I know that's probably not the answer you wanted, but it's the one I have." She sighed again, voice starting to crack. "You think I'm not terrified right now knowing Tony is out there purposefully in harm's way? And not only him, but a kid I have grown to love as my own? That's a weight that never gets lighter."
MJ tensed slightly at the mention of Peter, at the reminder of him being in danger. Still, she steeled herself. "You carry it well."
"And I deserve an Oscar for that."
MJ let out a small laugh, one Pepper returned. It made her feel a bit lighter, seeing MJ smile like that. She needed to ride that wave. "I mean, honestly! I think I deserve the title of Avenger for holding it together this long!"
"You do. You are so strong, Mrs. Stark."
"It's Pepper, MJ. You know it's Pepper."
Another dry laugh. "Right, sorry. You are so strong, Pepper."
"There we go. And you are too, Miche—"
"It's MJ. You know it's MJ."
God, no wonder her and the kid were dating. They were each other's perfect match if their shared affinity for throwing words back was anything to go by. "Right, sorry. MJ, you are stronger than you know."
A sad smile, words spoken softly under her breath. "Thank you."
Pepper grabbed her hand, running her thumb over her knuckles to provide some comfort. "I mean it. You carry the weight of this life better than I did at first, and at much younger. It's so clear the love you have for him, and that is going to be what gets you through this. That and acceptance. People like Tony and Peter aren't going to change, and trying to get them to is only gonna cause rifts. Trust me, I would know. To them, saving the world is just another Thursday."
MJ just looked at her attentively, brown eyes swirling with understanding. For the first time, she felt truly seen in this. Someone understood what she was going through, which made it ever so slightly lighter. Pepper recognized this, and kept going. "You also can't lose sight of yourself. It can be hard not to, but you are important too. You matter, MJ. You are so bright, and you are going to change the world someday. Not by being Spider-Man's girlfriend, but by being Michelle Jones-Watson."
Those brown eyes were wet now, tears filling them hearing those kind words. "Thank you, Pepper. For the record… I always thought you were much cooler than Iron Man."
The two shared a quick laugh, before overwhelm took over the younger and the laughs transitioned into small sobs. The strawberry blonde said nothing, just opened her arms and let MJ fall into them. She embraced the girl, holding her tight and rubbing soothing circles on her back as she sobbed. Everything was coming out— her fear, her sadness, her love… all now a wet stain on Pepper Potts-Stark's pyjama shirt. Not that she minded, she was a mother afterall.. and this is what a Mom does.
"Shhh… it's okay. It's okay, I got you. I got you…" She subtly reached for the remote, turning off the TV now that the young adult in her arms was distracted.
"No! Don't turn it off!" A small voice called, startling the two. They looked up to see Morgan Stark standing on the stairs, blanket in tow.
"Morgan, what are you doing up? It's like… 11 o'clock!" Pepper chastised in a quiet tone.
"I know, I just… couldn't sleep."
Pepper softened at her daughter. "Worried about daddy?"
A small nod. "And Peter."
She sighed, opening her arms as an invitation for her daughter to join the cuddle pile, which she did without question. "Well, I'm not leaving the news on. But, we can watch a movie. Get our minds off it. That sound good, Morguna?"
The ten year old nodded feverishly, a wide smile appearing on her face as she reached for the remote. "You like Descendants, Auntie M?" (This was Morgan's favourite, for reasons one could probably guess).
"Never seen it!"
Morgan's draw dropped. "You've never seen it?!" When MJ shook her head, the ten year old grew serious. "Well. Let's change that!"
Before long, the sounds of Dove Cameron's singing became white noise. A lullaby the trio drifted off to, safe in each other's arms.
When Peter & Tony returned home in the early hours of the morning, unscathed and mission complete, they were met with the heartwarming sight of Pepper Potts-Stark asleep, using her two girls as oversized teddy bears. A sight that was immediately photographed, destined to join the growing collection of beloved photos that decorated the cabin.
Too bad there was nobody to take a photo of the scene 10 minutes later, when the boys became a part of the cuddle pile with Peter snuggling into MJ and Tony safe next to his wife and daughter. The classic image of a true family.