Pepper doesn't quail for a second, doesn't budge an inch. If anything, she meets his stormy gaze head on, chin tipping up assertively like it always does when they go a few verbal rounds-- not that they'd fought like this with her Tony in years, now. Her blue eyes narrow, but the spear point of her anger is starting to dull, mixing with dread slowly creeping in.

"So, that's it, then? Sorry, but you're shit out of luck? That's all you have?"

It's not her usual style to use language like that, but she thinks she's allowed this once. She wants to rail against his claims, but deep down she knows Tony Stark in any universe wouldn't leave a single stone unturned.

"That's... " She shakes her head, and her smile is an ugly, bitter thing, sharp with disappointment and nameless fear she desperately tries to strike down. "Fantastic."