"She's your mother, Gene. It's not about deserve," Pepper counters, more sharply than she meant, and she winces a moment after. None of this was Gene's fault, and she really hates that the way he had so few choices in his life, to the point of shaping him into the Mandarin they'd once fought against.

"The fact that she married Zhang for you, to protect you... look, your mom isn't an idiot. She's a grown woman; she made her decisions. Making them to keep you safe is what a parent is supposed to do. She must have known how much of a risk she was taking-- You need to give yourself a chance as much as you need to give her a chance." She sighs quietly. This wasn't going to get resolved overnight, of course, but she's firm on the point that he needs to see her. "You should tell her what you saw, what Malicant did. You have a chance to deal with everything that happened, together. Isn't that better than doing it alone?"