CHAPTER 4
Two hours later threw me back in with the others, semi conscience, gasping, coughing and spluttering for breath. The others rushed over to me, worried I guess, "Stark? Come on Tony, Say something" Clint said shaking me. No, go away. Don't... Don't hurt me..."Man Of Iron is...wet...water ... why is there water?" Thor asked bewildered. "Stark, water. Did he use water?" Nat asked, kneeling down next to me. Water... So much water... "B-bucket" I gasped out, curling up into a ball and shaking violently, "Water-er bucket-et". "Nat? What's happening?". "He's confused" Bruce muttered and Nat nodded. "Tony, Tony come on. There's no bucket. There's no Afghanistan. You're alright" she said, gently bushing back my soaking wet hair. No Afghanistan? Then why was there water? Why were they punching and kicking me? "Afghanistan? What... What has that got to do with this?" Steve asked quietly. "Water Boarding Steve. They water boarded him in Afghanistan" she explained. Water boarding... No... Not that again... No more water...
"Yinsen...M-make them s-s-stop" I whimpered quietly. Why wasn't he helping me? "He's not here Tony. It's Natasha, remember?". Natasha? Oh, Nat was here. I knew Nat... What was she doing in Afghanistan? "Jeasus...What have they done to him?" Clint muttered. "Water boarded, beaten up, mild concussion and at least 3 cracked ribs, another few broken" Bruce replied, gently prodding at my stomach before taking my hand, "pulse is way faster than normal". "...That's bad right?" Clint asked again as I pulled my hand away fearfully. Why wouldn't they just leave me alone? Why couldn't they not hit me for once? "Barton. Focus. He's having trouble breathing, hearts beating faster, he's dizzy and confused and he's shaking. What do all of these mean?" Natasha asked. "...Panic attack".
"Exactly. What you don't know about Stark, is he's not actually an over confident jerk. He's scared of the simplest of things, water for instance. Another thing is Losing Control. Combine those, his two worst fears in life, and Ladies and Gentlemen, you get Waterboarding. Being forced to keep your head under water until you almost drown". Water. I didn't like water. Why weren't they getting rid of it? "...Why didn't Man Of Iron tell us?". "Because he's a moron Thor, and he's completely...Stark ... STARK" Natasha started before turning back to me as i stopped shaking. So much water... "Guys...He's not breathing...".
"BRUCE. We need help. NOW" Natasha ordered, rolling me onto his back, checking for breathing or a pulse. "God damn it Stark. If your dead i swear to God I'm telling Pepper it's your fault" Bruce said, pushing down on my chest, "Come ON Tony, BREATHE". CPR. But i was so tired... and hungry... i was so hungry... And i was just going to sleep for a little while... Just a little while. After another few seconds, Nat gently took his arm, shaking her head. "He's...he's...he's gone?" Clint asked, tears shining in his eyes as he stared at my lifeless body.
Was i gone? Was i dead? No. I didn't want to be dead... Come on Stark BREATHE. A split second later, i shot my eyes open, rolling over on the ground and coughing up water and blood. "You son of a bitch. DON'T DO THAT" Clint shouted, patting my back as I choked up more water. "B-breathe Tony. Just breathe" Bruce said shakily, checking my pulse again, "you're alright". Coughing, I looked up at him, still gasping for breath. "Don't you fucking dare let me die EVER again".
I had two broken ribs, and a third and fourth one cracked, a dislocated shoulder that was VERY painful when Bruce fixed it, stabbings along my left leg, the only reason my right leg was left unharmed Hammer had said, was so I would be able to walk, I had a slight concussion, water in my lungs, and internal bleeding along with the usual punches and kick marks bruising all over my body. Basically, I needed a doctor. Or hospital, Bruce said... But I would prefer a doctor.
After that, the team seemed more... Protective... Of me... More caring towards me. Maybe it was because had they found out my fears, maybe it was because they saw how weak I was; maybe it was even because they were worried about me. Who knows? And as much as I hated to admit it, as much as I wanted to deny it... I had missed them.
"Fuck this" I said, standing up and limping over to the door. "Stark. No" Natasha warned and i turned to her cursing under my breath, "you've been here for 7 weeks, and have SHIELD, the American Army, and the Marines looking for you because you're the famous Avengers. I've been here for 17 weeks, and have no one looking for me. This door has been left open for 6 weeks and I'm getting out whether it kills me or not" i growled and she sighed, "when all people looking for the Avengers find us, they'll find you. You just have to wait". "And do what? Wait for Prince Charming to come along? Cause i seriously can't picture Nick Fury in a fairy-tale. He thinks I'm working with a crazed god. Dammit, ye think I'm working with the physco path. Fury wants me dead. So I'm going" I argued. "Stark. Get back here NOW. Remember what happened last time you decided to for a walk?" She asked. "Try and see it from my point of view. You have the entire world looking for you and have been here for a small length of time, a single little tiny month. I have nobody looking for me, and have been here for 5 FUCKING MONTHS. I'm. Going". Turning back around, I limped over to the door, pulling it open and silently closing it behind me. I was out. And ready for round 2.