It helped her; maybe Billy could take some comfort in how Pepper let out a breath when he firmly claimed he couldn't, or how some of the tension bled out of her shoulders. That he lacked the will now was less comforting than the certainty of inability. The Malnosso would do as they always did, but Billy couldn't make those same mistakes on his own.

"Good." That one assurance helped settle a number of things for her; even if she couldn't understand what had happened in full, it was so much less likely she'd be faced with that same heart-wrenching agony again. She'd had too many of her dreams thrown in her face, things that could never be but that had been so beautiful while they were. Pepper didn't think she could take it happening again.

Still, there were matters to be dealt with. As was her way, Pepper closed off more emotional responses in favor of a professional manner. Billy had been a friend, a dear, precious person in their lives--but right now, Pepper simply couldn't see him as that. It hurt too much in light of what he'd revealed.

"I think that for now it might be best if you didn't come over to the house. Not after you tell Tony." For now, because she wouldn't cut off that avenue completely. She could give all of them that much. But in the end the answer was always time, and while it passed Pepper couldn't bring herself to let Billy into the home she was trying to rebuild with her husband.