[Pepper nods.] Time is warped between our world and here. However much time passes here, no time passes at home. Tony was apparently here for months, then went home for two years only to end up back here. In Luceti's time, he was gone for a week.

[And Pepper shakes her head. It still gives her a headache to think about.

He's not wrong about the reason, and Pepper's smile is polite.] Things were complicated between them when Howard was alive. Tony just needs time.

And honestly, it's pretty low on the list of unbelievable things. Those are the people here from our world. Then there are the people from alternate versions of our world.