Tony's eyelids flickered like a light bulb upon the entrance of the rising dawn. The nurse had yet again slipped into his personal room and opened the blinds, parallel to one-another as they awaited the sun Tony had so begun to detest with each passing day. 'Bitch,' Tony sighed to himself. Tony began to sit up, the cracking of his spine drowned out by his pain enforced groans – not to mention the incessant sneezing of the Paediatric ward just down the hall. Uncomfortably lifting himself out of his bed, as Tony's feet slapped against the hard floor, he realised today was the day Pepper had promised to take time off from her new-found duties as head of Stark industries and visit her predecessor – at three pm. Tony threw his head to his right, facing the unneeded alarm clock on his bedside table. The time now was just after six am. A nine hour void stood between Tony and the one person he would actually care to see. 'BITCH,' Tony growled as a violent fit of coughs stampeded through his chest and out into the adjacent space, slamming against the wall in thick mucus. Tony picked up his clipboard, and whilst scribbling a message for his unappreciated nurse to clean the phloem riddled mess on his wall, he couldn't help but notice the words 'Critical Condition' stamped on the doctor's notes area of the clipboard – it was in big, bold, black letters, after all. This was not of most interest to Tony, however, as a bottle of cough syrup strew stopped atop his bedside table. Skipping a couple aspirin into his mouth and downing it with the sweet viscous mixture, Tony lay back in his bed and deliriously waited, as the next best thing to the soothing effects of alcohol dragged him back into a deep sleep...at least until Pepper arrived, he hoped.
Tony fell fast, and Tony fell uncomfortably. The dents in his armour scratched against his arms as he dropped further and further out of space. He could feel his heart drag through his ribs as he fell. Suddenly, it was daylight. Rich oxygen flooded his systems as he plummeted to the unforgiving, hard, fearsome ground below. But it did not make a difference. The decompression had taken its toll, and Tony slipped into a deep unconsciousness. He shook violently for a matter of seconds, and finally, came to a stop. All was still. All was peaceful. Peace eternally found inside the armour of a man surrounded by chaos. 'Tony! Tony!' He could hear them calling for him. He could do nothing. He could not lift his arms. He could not cry out in pain. He could not reply to their desperation. Darkness consumed him.
Tony suddenly jolted upwards. Pepper shot backwards, her eyes swimming in tears. She lunged at Tony, grasping his body tighter than he could remember her ever doing before. Tony gasped for air as adrenaline flooded his veins. His warm sweat condensed around her fragrant skin as he slipped back into unconsciousness. When Tony next awoke, it was not to a rising sun, but instead to the steady beat of a heart rate monitor. Sitting up, more painlessly than earlier, his bloodshot eyes met a familiar figure at the edge of the room. 'Where's Pepper?' Tony shouted, though his attempt to yell came out as a whisper to the rest of the world.
'I sent her home,' the figure replied, 'she has a business to run, and she can't afford to waste her time caring for an injured, alcohol deprived child.' The last word hung in the air, a reminder of Tony's foolish impatience. 'That's your nurse's job.'
'Try telling her that.' Tony quickly quipped back, more confidently than before.
Maria Hill's glossed lips pursed into a half-smile; before quickly drooping back into its previous position of seriousness.
'How did you sleep?' she asked.
'I wouldn't call that sleeping.' Tony replied. 'Why are you here?'
'I have arranged for your doctor to clear you of your need to remain in the hospital within a week. You will return to the avengers tower to be monitored, and from there, partake in physical therapy sessions.'
'May I question the rush, or is that too top secret for the man who saved New York?'
'They need you, Stark. As much as I hate to admit it...we all do.' Maria's eyes met the floor as she said it. Clearing her throat, she lifted her head high and concluded 'Colonel Fury anxiously awaits your return.' Turning for the door, Tony couldn't help himself but to call after her;
'Tell Pepper, I'm sorry. And I'll see her at home as soon as I can.'
Hill stood in place long enough to let Tony know his message had been received, before swiftly storming away, briskly down the hallway. The swing of the emergency ward doorway signalled her departure, as Tony lay back in his bed, and allowed the steady metronome of his pulse to drift him back into unconsciousness.
Seven excruciatingly fruitless days passed, each spilling over with pain and sassy conversations with his all too non-sealant nurse, but finally it was the day for Tony to leave the germ riddled cess pit he had recovered in for the past month and a half. Tony was just stepping out onto the sidewalk, his leather jacket immersing under the hot New York sun, and his sunglasses protecting his eyes from its damaging rays, when a stunning streamline Lamborghini pulled up beside where he stood. The black-tinted window rolled down to reveal a familiar friend: Clint Barton. Casually turning his face to meet Tony's, Clint smiled at the philanthropist, before quickly saying 'Get in.' without hesitation, Tony opened the car door. It alleviated upwards rather than traditionally outwards. Pedestrians on the street stopped to marvel at the shining brilliance. And then, they noticed just who was getting in.
'Is that Tony Stark?'
'Hey, Iron Man!'
'You're the best Stark!'
Lines like these and many more were heard in a quickly ensuing rumble of excitement amongst the passers-by. Even a man on a stretcher sat up to get a closer look at New York's own resident hero. As the street-public began to converge upon the car, Tony knew it was time to stop soaking in the all-too-missed popularity.
'Drive.'
The rebellious red car zoomed away, screeching tires and a plume of exhaust left behind for Stark's adoring fans rather than the pictures and autographs they so desired. Tony began to relax as the wind rushed against him, cooling him in the hot weather. 'Nice car. Where'd you get it?' said Tony, casually addressing his chauffeur.
'Your garage,' Barton replied, coolly. 'I also took your GT out for a spin a few times. Hope you don't mind?'
'I don't care as long as you replaced the gas.' Tony replied, running his fingers through his hair.
'Well how about the image of myself I had spray-painted on the sides?'
Tony let out a quick sigh – 'Keep it. It's last year's model anyway,' Barton displayed a devilish smile, before sharply turning a corner. Tony's sore body jerked sideways with the car. 'Hey, watch it! Do you drive everyone you pick up from the hospital home like this?'
'Just the ones that need woken up.' Clint replied, swerving around a lamp-post. 'Have you even been paying attention to the news, Tony?'
'Yeah, I've heard the best ratings come from a hospital with a couple hundred dozen regularly unconscious people.'
'You haven't missed a beat, have you?'
'My doctors tell me I missed quite a few a little while back.' Clint chuckled at the irony of Tony's answer. His face straightened as they came to a stop in traffic.
'The US congress is trying to close down SHIELD. Apparently people seem to care when you aim a nuclear missile at Manhattan.'
'What? Really? I'm shocked.'
'This is serious, Stark. Listen up. The final hearing is in three days, and Fury wants you to speak on the behalf of the Avengers Initiative. We've been holding it off until you got out of hospital. None of us are exactly what you'd call public speakers. Besides, you have all of New York behind you. If the Congress won't hear you out they'll certainly hear out the people.'
They need you, Stark. As much as I hate to admit it...we all do. Lieutenant Maria Hill's words now made a lot more sense.
'Fine. Do I have to be sober, or is that optional?'
'Try non-negotiable.' Tony let out a groan as the red light changed to a fluorescent green, and the car sped off, closer and closer to its destination.
The garage doors opened and the Lamborghini slipped into the Avengers Tower, Barton parking it in its designated spot. Tony couldn't help but notice the purple spray-painted SUV opposite the parking space. 'It was Bruce, I swear.' Tony rolled his eyes while Barton chuckled. 'Your room's on the seventh floor. Leave your stuff off and make your way to the briefing room on the top level.'
'My room's on the top floor, and I'm going to my workshop.'
'Tony, Fury needs to-'
'I'm going to my workshop.'
The elevator smoothly scaled the building as Tony scanned the unfamiliar tight space. There had obviously been a lot of work since his last visit.
The doors of the elevator opened on the top floor as Tony confidently strode towards the room at the end of the hallway. Bursting through the door, The Asgardian God of Thunder jolted upwards as Tony threw his bag on the silken-sheet bed. 'Okay, Zeus; I'm giving you two hours to get your Norse crap out of my room or you'll be sleeping in your daddy's kingdom for the foreseeable future.'
Quickly turning out of the room, Tony was met with a strange figure. His dazzlingly brilliant robe was tied at the hem with an orange ribbon. His chest displayed an icon similar to that of a 3-pronged candlestick, and an orange cape hung stiffly around his shoulders. His slicked hair glimmered in the artificial light and his moustache furrowed as he gave a welcoming smile to the man staring at him so obliquely.
'You have my most enthusiastic greetings, Mr. Stark.' Tony rolled his eyes at the eccentric person before him.
'Judging on first impressions, I'm guessing you're Thor's English teacher. Well, listen up Shakespeare, I'm too sore and too tired to give a damn about who the hell you are right now. If you're here to steal stuff there's a God in the next room so I wouldn't advise it.' Tony unceremoniously barged the stranger's shoulder as he strode off down the hallway. Dr. Stephen Strange looked at Thor with a concerned look.
'Does he always introduce himself so warmly?'
'At least he didn't insult your cape.' Thor replied.
'Your cape makes you look like a dick, by the way!' Tony's voice was heard clearly from the elevator, as the doors closed, signalling its descent with a sharp ding.