Jennifer was running around the track at S.H.I.E.L.D. early in the morning. The track was only lit by a few of the overhead lights since it was so early. She found that running would help take her mind off the nightmares. They had grown worse since she had started using her powers more regularly. There were a few other agents on the track, but most of them left her to her thoughts. Fury wanted her to finish some testing today. After New York S.H.I.E.L.D. had grown suspicious that she hadn't been completely honest about her abilities. Her phone started to ring, and Jennifer made her way over to the bench glad for the distraction.
"Agent Shylow," she said while trying to catch her breath. She had dropped the doctor since S.H.I.E.L.D. informed her that she would not be practicing medicine anymore. Not that she had been doing much before New York. It had still been a disappointment. Why let her go to school for so long just to take it away from her.
"Are you thinking about me." Jennifer jerked the phone away from her ear staring at it before she realized whose voice was on the other side.
"Tony…What do you want." Jennifer started grabbing her things.
"I…I need your medical opinion on something." Jennifer sighed zipping up her bag.
"If this is some crude joke, I'm too busy to deal with it." She walked over to the staircase not wanting to take the elevator. Jennifer needed to catch a shower before her testing started.
"I'm having problems…medical problems." Jennifer stopped there was something in his voice that was different. Taking a deep breath, she ran over to the elevator. The stairs would take too long it sounded like he needed to talk.
"Tony what's going on." Jennifer reached into her duffel bag and pulled out a pen and notepad.
"I'm having chest pains, and I can't sleep. Its sudden and I have to fight for breath." Jennifer stopped what she was writing.
"What does Jarvis say." Jarvis was a powerful AI that helped Tony run all his tech. She knew that Tony had him monitor everything including himself. That information would give her the best bet on what was going on.
"He says there's nothing wrong, but they've been happening since New York."
"How long has it been since you've slept, really slept" Jennifer bit her lower lip knowing that the answer probably wouldn't be ideal.
"Three days." Jennifer sighed walking into her room and grabbed her "go bag" and keys.
"How have you been eating and drinking." Jennifer sent a text to one of her pilot friends and started heading to the garaged. She didn't want to get permission for Fury to take one of the jets. This wasn't any of his business what she was doing. Her testing would have to wait.
"The drinking helps, and food takes too much time," Tony said with a small laugh at the end. Jennifer lowered her voice as she slipped into a car.
"What prompted this Tony. Anything besides New York." She put the phone on speaker as she pulled out of the garage.
"If you have been watching the news you know. I rescued the president and destroyed all my suits." Jennifer had seen bits and pieces of the story, but with all the testing the past few weeks she didn't get the whole thing. "I read your file both versions by the way and thought that you would be the best person to call." Jennifer smiled, he would be the only person that could gain access to her whole file. That's why she didn't tell S.H.I.E.L.D. everything.
"You know I'm not a practicing doctor right." She said letting the slight disappointment into her voice. She glanced down at her class ring. It had M.D. engraved in it. Jennifer didn't know why she kept it.
"I know that I also know that S.H.I.E.L.D. is the reason you aren't. They are the reason people like Dr. Strange are out there." Tony didn't hide his disapproval. Jennifer didn't know why he didn't like Dr. Strange; he was a promising doctor out of New York. Jennifer would give anything to be like him. She had even read most of his papers and watched some of his surgeries.
"Alright Tony, I'm on my way. I should be there in a few hours. Send me all the information you can get me. I'll read it over the flight." Jennifer pulled into the airport and boarded the plane heading for Tony.
Jennifer got off the plane and was greeted by Tony. He looked like a wreck. She walked over shaking his hand.
"I'm sorry we have to see each other under these circumstances. Do you want me to wait to talk about why I'm here or just jump right into it?" She said throwing her duffel bag over her shoulder. Tony walked her over to a car that probably cost as much as a house and not even a small one. Jennifer couldn't even imagine what it would be like to live like he did.
"Jump in by all means." He said getting behind the wheel.
"You have severe PTSD that I assume started when you were held hostage all those years ago, which is not news if your file is correct. Other doctors have pointed this out. The events in New York aggravated it and you were forced into a fight or flight mode. If your account of what you saw is correct, then it's understandable. After looking over the information you sent me, I think that the shrapnel is having some effect on you aside from the obvious one. Your body knows that it's in danger. Even with your ARC reactor, your body feels like it's dying." Jennifer explained reading over her notes not wanting to miss anything. Tony glance over at her.
"What do you suggest I do." Jennifer sighed; this was the hard part. She flipped to the next page.
"I called the local hospital and got one of the top surgeons to set up a room. I think that you should get it removed. However, it could be dangerous like with any surgery there can be complications. If you don't want to go through with it, we can deal with it through other methods." Tony looked over at her.
"Meaning your abilities. Thanks, but I don't like the idea of you crawling around in my mind so let's go the surgery route." Jennifer smile, to be honest, she didn't want to use her powers either. It wouldn't be fixing the problem only masking it.
"Okay, surgery it is. I will go with you to the hospital and make sure everything goes alright. Then slip out of town with Fury none the wiser." She said smiling.
"Thank you, Jennifer, I really appreciate this," Tony said.
"Anytime Tony."
