A/N: So, the second trailer fucked me up. It was the longest two and a half minutes of my life. My mind was swirling with images of Bucky and Steve and Natasha and Clint and Peter. I couldn't believe my eyes when Spiderman appeared. His suit gives homage to the comics and I think that's sweet. (just my opinion, please don't hurt me) But, the one that stuck in my mind was Rhodey. Rhodey freefalling and landing onto the ground with Tony holding him in his arms. I couldn't get that image out of my mind and all this happened.
Disclaimer: All credits to Marvel. I don't know anything.
Pandora, whose curiosity got the better of her, opened the jar, releasing all that was trouble into the world...
It was just a trip back to Stark Tower after a trying meeting with the higher-ups, nothing out of the ordinary. But despite their weariness, they were on high alert for anyone who could be in league with Captain America. A grim determination had settled deep within them. They were prepared (but, not exactly willing) to fight anyone who sided with the Cap, anyone that wasn't on their side. But, that didn't lessen the pain of having to fight friends. Could they even be considered friends still?
The attack came unexpectedly, as most things in battle did. There was only a slight register of heat and a flash of blinding light, before Rhodey was falling, falling, falling.
"Rhodes!" Tony had turned his head in time to see the dark armor of War Machine plummeting towards the face of the earth. Was this what the Cap felt when Bucky fell? Without a moment's hesitation, he dove, firing repulsors at the sky with vengeance, as if he wanted to scorch the brilliant blue with the scalding crimson of agony. But the armor was falling too fast and too hard and he was too slow, even with the upgraded suit. Fuck.
Rhodey fell with a thud that shook the world and laid still. NO! Time slowed as the arc reactor at the center is his chest glowed weakly, flickering, before sputtering out of existence and took along with it, a piece of Tony .
He landed on the ground, faltering slightly at the sight of his rock, practically the only person keeping him sane, unnervingly still. With a shudder, he let his helmet fall back into the suit, the cool air biting at his cheek. He reached towards Rhodey's helmet with a bated breath. The metal gauntlets gave a pretense of steadiness, of stability that he didn't have. His hands were shaking under the armor, even more so than when he was still back in Afghanistan.
The helmet gave way easy, dislodged from the fall. He lifted it to reveal Rhodey, his eyes closed and lifeless, a stripe of blood running across his skin. Please don't leave me. The sight knocked the breath out of his lungs, his heart heavy with dread. Is this what Wanda felt when Pietro died?
"Colonel Rhodes' vitals are weak, but he is still alive," FRIDAY's disembodied voice murmured. "Would you like for me to search for the nearest hospital in the area?"
Tony pulled Rhodey, metal suit and all, into his arms, cradling him. "No, I'm taking him home."
"Sir, I recommend taking Colonel Rhodes to a hospital. The Tower will not suffice. All medical supplies have been exhausted and has not been yet replenished. Colonel Rhodes requires immediate medical attention from a professional." Tony cursed.
"Where's the nearest hospital that values privacy?" The last thing he needed was to have the Cap or anyone on his team find Rhodey. He knew that they would do anything to get leverage on him. Since the beginning, Rhodey had always been his one and only weakness. They wouldn't dare touch Pepper, not when she was Stark Industries' CEO and a civilian on top of it all. Even when playing on the other side of the law, the Cap still had morals. Perfect motherfucking boy scout.
"I have located a hospital three miles from your location, sir," came FRIDAY'S voice. "I took the liberty of notifying the staff of your impending visit."
"Mmm," he hummed distractedly. He was too busy nestling Rhodey in his arms to answer. The suit was bulky, even with the new modifications he had just added, but he endured it. With both arms wrapped tightly around his best friend, he headed towards the hospital. FRIDAY had conveniently placed the coordinates into his HUD and was maneuvering the suit. His mind was everywhere at once. He couldn't focus. Not when his best friend was laying in his arms, life hanging by a thread. If there is a God out there, this is me praying. Oh God, please save my best friend.
"Reaching destination in T minus 2 minutes," FRIDAY announced, "the main doctors have already prepared a room for Colonel Rhodes, sir. They have a back entrance open for you to use."
He touched down gently, his mind running a speeds impossible to focus entirely. FRIDAY, bless her electronic heart, was able to get the hint and disengaged his suit, having it fold into a neat red suitcase. It was much more difficult to peel the metal encasing Rhodey away, however. The dents in the armor made it difficult to even command the suit to eject its user. Tony had to forcibly pull it apart, wasting crucial time. Time that could be spent healing Rhodey. Please don't die. I don't want to be alone.
"Mr. Stark?"
He looked up to see a nurse dressed in scrubs, her hair tied in a messy bun with a tired expression on her face. But, her brown eyes were bright, filled with such hope and awe that Tony found himself relax just a little. It reminded him of his mother's eyes and while that hurt, it calmed him.
"Yes?" He was mildly impressed that his voice was steady. It took all of his hard-earned will to not choke out a sob.
"Right this way please." Her tone was clipped and professional, but it was just her doing her job. Tony knew what that was like. It haunted him pretty much his entire life, a mask that he could never take off.
She lead him through a white hallway, the smell of disinfectant permeating his senses. His heart seized slightly at the familiar scent. It was an old fear, one stemming from Afghanistan. He hadn't let anyone near his body, aside from Pepper, after the Cave. And, no one, now that Pepper is gone. It held too many dark memories that not even alcohol could drown.
They were led to the surgery room, where a couple of doctors in protective gear were waiting. Tony quickly laid Rhodey onto the bed and stepped aside let the professionals do their work. He may be a genius, but even the medical field was out of his reach. He wasn't a healer, but rather, a destroyer. No matter what he fixed, he would even up breaking them in the end. Merchant of Death.
The nurse had suggested for him to wait outside the room, more for the doctors' concentration than his benefit, but he felt as if he owed Rhodey. He needed to be there for him, watch as the medics try to piece him back together like a morbid version of Humpty Dumpty. He could only hope that Rhodey's fate wouldn't follow the grim nursery rhyme.
"Do you need anything, sir?" the nurse asked, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
Tony shook his head numbly. What he truly needed wasn't anything she could ever give. He needed Rhodey to live, his hands to be clean of blood, just all of this to end. But, when did he ever get what he wanted?
"Mr. Stark?" He looked up to see the nurse again. He hadn't even realized that she had left, too wrapped up in his thoughts to even register anything outside of his misery.
"Yes?"
"Here." She held out a styrofoam cup, a bit of steam peeking out from the tiny opening. "I thought that you might need this."
"I-" At this angle, he could finally see her nametag clearly. Abigail. "Thank you, Abigail." He took the cup in hand, the heat warming up his palms.
She brightened considerably and shook her head. "You're welcome, Mr. Stark. Don't worry about, Colonel Rhodes. He's a strong man and the doctors are the best we have. He will be fine. And, that's coming from a professional."
Coming from anyone else, Tony would have scoffed, but something about Abigail, a regular civilian who has no idea of what was going on with him, was different. She knows. She knows who I am. And, she doesn't care. He allowed himself a small smile. "Thank you."
She gave him a nod, before whipping her head around at the mention of her name. Abigail gave him an apologetic smile, but he waved her off, dismissing her to do her job. She walked away with a noticeable bounce in her step and Tony grinned. He stared absently at the drink in his hand, imagining it to be alcohol, something strong and unyielding. Like the Cap. He stopped that train of thought before he started. No, more like mamma. Strong, unyielding, but yet warm at the same time.
He hasn't had a drink since Ultron, but now, Tony thought, if it was just coffee, then he would allow himself to drink again. The drink was disgusting, just black sludge in a cup, but it gave him what he didn't know he needed. It gave him hope . Hope for the future, hope for humanity, hope that he could change, hope that he could do better.
He would wait for Rhodey to wake up, then they would face the world together. Because that's what they were, two people against the world.
... but a little thing called Hope remained. And, Hope made all of the difference in the world.
In case you didn't know, "mamma" is simply mom in Italian.
This story was supposed to be much darker, much more angsty, but I got carried away. I'm always a sucker for happiness and hope and I guess it carried into my writing. I couldn't write true angst even if I tried.