Pepper made sure to greet each newcomer in earnest and make sure they felt welcome. She introduced them to everyone else if there was a need, which it seemed like there was because very few of the people Tony invited actually knew each other. Tony had never seemed the sort to have so many friends, but maybe this was some turning of the leaf.
"No," Pepper shook her head, completely unphased by the puppy eyes. "Stay until Dr. McTaggert releases you," she said with raised eyebrows.