[ Well, it's not exactly the conversation Pepper was expecting. She blinks, reacting a little slowly to the absence of frustration, or of Tony's own brand of sadness, the kind that was all at once dismissive and resigned to dealing with something that upset him as just an unfortunate matter of fact rather than something that actually hurt him. ]

Of course you did. [ As she closes the distance between them, her eyes stare directly at his chest, brow knit with a mild, unreadable frown. ] You took something amazing and made it into something else - something that saved your life a few times, if I remember correctly, and I do - and the possibilities are still endless. I may not understand anything of the mechanics behind this, but I know you. I know how utterly capable you are.

[ With a small movement, she raises her hand, her index finger tracing the glowing outline of his reactor, softly, finally lifting her eyes to meet his, and repeats, ]

Of course you did.