"It literally has nothing to do with responsibility," Pepper replies immediately, sitting up straighter. "We're your friends, and we're your family. What hurts you hurts us. I mean, if you really want to deal with everything by yourself then you can tell me to back off," she amends. All bets were off as to whether she would actually listen.

"My point is that you don't have to. You can be a pretty intense sometimes, sure, but if our situations were reversed would you let me just sit and stew for another fifteen years? I don't think so."