Chapter 4:

The Devastating Truth

If pepper were here she would know the perfect thing to do. She would know how to tell him in a way that wouldn't upset him, instead, she would make him smile and forget all about it. She was perfect, his perfect little angel, she didn't even have a blemish and everyone knew it except maybe her. How do you tell someone bad news about someone they care about? What if that news was one of the most devastating news that you could ever hear, what if that person just suffered a severe concussion, was in a coma and had broken all of his bones. Isn't great how God works in mysterious ways, Tony's bones recovered while he was in a coma for a year. The question is, could his heart?

Rhodey remembers the date: it was January 12, 2018, 10:30 exactly when Tony woke up. He remembers the doctor coming around the corner with a smile on his face, this made Happy and Rhodey smile because they finally got some good news. Rhodey let the other Avengers know that Tony was ok, they both walked in with huge smiles on their faces and said hey! At the same time.

Rhodey and happy: Hey!

Tony: is pepper here (Horsley) wow, I sound weird what's wrong with my voice?

Happy: maybe you just need some water, you have been in a coma for a year.

Rhody sighs deeply

Tony (looks at Rhodey and than happy) I'm sorry, run that by me one more time. A year! Did you say a year?( Tony turns to Rhody and then inhales deeply because his body is in pain. He inhales then exhales but tries not to let them know that he was in pain). Did he say a year?

Rhodey just closes his eyes and nods his head because Happy just dropped a bomb. The doctor clearly said don't stress out the patient, let him rest and don't tell him anything until he recovers! But Happy must have forgotten or his brain must have been wiped if Tony has a setback when he was going to kill him. Happy could see the disappoint and how upset Rhodey was and he just stares confusedly at both of them and says

Happy: what? What did you want me to say, he asked!( he gestures told Tony)

Rhodey: and you told him, you know what the doctor said (he says aggravated)

Tony: guys! Guys! Really, it's ok. I'm fine. Can one of you call pepper and let her know I'm ok.

They stare at each other nervously and then stare back at tony

Rhodey: later, right now you have to make sure you're ok. So when you fully heal, we will call her. Ok!

Happy: I can't handle this! I can't-do this! I can't-do this, ok! (happy looks at Tony) pepper's already here Tony.

Tony: well, can you guys get her for me. I really want to see her.

Happy: we can't.

Tony: why not? She doesn't want to see me or?

Rhodey: pepper's here too.

Tony: ( Tony's heartbeat speeds up a little bit and the monitor starts to beep faster.) what?! Why! How did she get here?!

Rhodey and Happy look nervously at each other again

Rhodey: don't look at me, you wanted to tell him now. Now you have to be the one to finish it off.

Happy: what do you remember about that day.

Tony: pepper and I were out shopping and when we were done the shopping we saw the city is under attack. I went to go help people and pepper went home and that's all I remember.

Happy: (sighs deeply) except she didn't go home, she figured it was pointless. So she waited until you were finished when you were hit by a missile and fell on the roof of the car. The Doc said you sustained minor injuries because the car broke your fall, it could've been worst.

Tony: I fell on her! So all of this is my fault?! She's in the position that she's in because of me, it's always my fault.

Happy: ( feels responsible that Tony feels this way) no! Don't say that, this isn't your fault.

Tony: really? Because I'm the one who got off easy and she's the one with severe damage, damaged that I caused.

Rhodey: come on man, you were doing a good thing. You didn't know what was going to happen, you shouldn't beat yourself up and I'm sure pepper would say the same thing.

Tony: ok, real quick without looking at each other nervously. Tell me where she is right now.

Rhodey: room 207 in a hospital bed, the doctors said that she suffered a severe concussion and broken bones. Her bones have healed since you've been out and now it's just her head, it's not as bad as it would've been had she not gotten out of her car in time. She just hit her head really bad when she jumped out.

Tony: how bad is it?

Rhodey: tony( he pleads with him)

Tony: how bad is she!? Is that a hard question she answers? All I want to know is how bad is she?!

Rhodey: she was fine at first before she fell out of bed trying to see you. She still had broken bones then and her body was weak from just coming out of the coma. The impact of the fall ruptured her body and it shocked her body and made it worst, they had to make her panic to send her back into a coma so her body could heal itself. But now they say that it looks like she may never wake up, she's unresponsive and-and they say they want to- that we should just….

Tony: noooo! I won't do it, I just got her back and I'm not just going to let her go. I have billions of dollars and this place should provide her with the best care possible, they should be able to fix her!( gestures towards the door). Call that one doctor, whatever his name is! Tell him to get done here right this second and do whatever it takes to get her better. She needs to, I need her to…. I can't- I won't lose her, Rhodes.

Rhody: we're not going to lose her, Pepper's a fighter. I mean come on she put up with you for years and she's not about to throw the towel in now.

Happy: there is nothing in this world that pepper can't-do or overcome. She is a strong, confident and determined woman. She can beat this, no! She will beat this and you will be able to say your vows at the altar.

Tears are streaming down Tony's face and he looks spaced out, did he hear what they said or did his brain cut off the moment they said that the doctors wanted to pull the plug. Tony just stared at the door. He saw pepper come in and out of doors so many times, he remembered when pepper walked back into his life. It seemed like everything was going in slow motion, he didn't want to move out of fear of waking up and he wanted to enjoy every second. He also remembered the first time that she walked through his door, he examined her posture and the way she carried herself. He saw how serious she was and tried to break her out of that, he tried to make her smile but she would hide it and walk! Ok! Guilty! He flirted with her and she bypassed it completely and continued what they were talking about. So many things lured him into her, she was so beautiful, smart, had a great body, smile, and laugh. Then tony remembered how she stormed out and slammed the door but then he remembered all the time she came in and out of the door. When she woke up to shower in the morning, she would close the door quietly not to wake him. He always smiled when she did that because he found it so sweet. When she came to the door she opened it gently and swing it closed, that's how he knew she was happy to be home or just happy to see him. He would pull him in for a kiss and tell him how much she missed him and he would ask her about work. She would moan and he would change the subject by massaging her arm and telling her how amazing she was. He prayed that she would walk in his room right now, he didn't care if she swung the door open or slammed it shut. He wanted to see her right now.

Tony: I wanna see her, I gotta see her!

Rhodey: the doctor said-

Tony: it wasn't a question!

Happy: I'll get a wheelchair.

They all went to see her in her room. Once they reach the room, Rhody and happy leave tony in the room with pepper.

Tony: how's it going potts, even in here you've managed to look outstanding. I'm so sorry honey, I screwed up again. I'm always screwing up, I'm a mess and you deserve better but I promise you that I will stop at nothing to make sure that you ok again.( he holds her hand and lays his head on her bed) I'm sorry, I'm so sorry honey.( he cries).

Pepper: (Horsley) t-tony?

Tony: (slowly looks up in shock) pep! Pepper! Yes, honey!

Pepper: why are you shouting?

Tony: (smiles) I'm so sorry, I'm just so happy to see that you're ok.

Pepper: why wouldn't I be ( she clears her throat)

Tony: oh I'm sorry.(pours a glass of water) here's some water, baby.

Pepper drinks all of the water and tony pours her some more and hands it to her. Tony tells her everything as pepper drinks her water and tony pours her more. By the third cup, pepper chokes on her water as Tony tells her she's been in a coma for a year and a half,

Pepper: what?

Tony: I know, that's what I said. I'm glad to see that you're ok.(smiles)

pepper:(smiles back) you too, when I first tried to see you I fell and did worst damage to myself.

Tony: I'm the reason you're in here, you probably never wanna talk to me again. Let alone see me( he says as he looks down and pepper gently lifts his chin up to face her).

Pepper: that is the furthest from the truth, Tony. I missed you so much, I was so worried about you that I wanted to check that you were ok. When the missile hit you, I thought- and then you fell, i tried to check on you but then I fell. I don't know what happened after that.

Tony (cleared his throat) it's probably for the best, i'm just glad to see you up.( tony wanted to grab her and hug her, he wanted to get in bed with her and hold her tight but he didn't want to hurt her. So he just held her hand by her bed side and rested his head on the bed and pepper closed her eyes too.)

Rhodey and happy walked in to find Tony and pepper asleep, they both panic because people who have concussions aren't supposed to sleep. So rhodey shook toney up and happy shook pepper.

Tony: aaaah- hah! ( he looks around confused until he sees rhodey and happy) what the hell!

Rhodey: you're not supposed to sleep

Tony: you guys are acting like barbarians! What do you want!

Rhodey: the rest of the avengers are here to see you guys, they were worried sick too.

Tony: now?

Happy: there actually right outside, we told them what the doctor said but seeing how we didn't listen.

Tony: they didn't listen. Fine, i'll be out in a minute.

Rhodey: actually.

Happy: their not here to see you. ( they all look toward pepper)

Tony: absolutely not, out of the question. She needs her rest.

Happy: but the doctor said.

Tony: that was before her surgery, she's fine now and needs her rest. I talk to the doctor and he said it was a long surgery and that they almost( he puts his head down and covers his face while exhaling sharply. Then he removes his hand and looks at pepper.) the point being, her brain needs all of the rest she can get. Which means no stress, no surprises or excitement, so the avengers are just gonna have to wait. I'll tell them.

Tony (goes out the door and looks at the avengers, they all look at him like kids who just did something wrong.) what?

Natasha: (moves her eyes from side to side then she looks at the avengers then back at tony) we sorta( cocks head to the side) heard everything.

Tony: (underneath his breath) spies. (he looks up and smiles at them) well, great then i don't have to repeat myself. Nice seeing you all, I'm going back to my room to rest. See you soon, bye!(tony rolls himself back to his room)

Natasha (looks at the avengers confused, she waits until he is fully gone to continue talking.) does anybody know who's all on the list.

Steve: well, i'm still trying to make the list.

Bruce: i'm already on the list, i've been told i was third on the list( bruce smiles).

Steve: that should be my spot!

Bruce: how do you figure, Tony and I are science bros.

Steve: what?!

Bruce: another term you don't get, why i'm I not surprised. We're genius's, we're inventors and we just see the world differently than other people do. That's why i'm number three and even though you and tony didn't have a falling out, i would still be number 3 and you would be at the bottom of the list.

Steve: ok. Let's not start another war.

Bruce: you started the last war, turning your friends against each other, disobeying the rules because it doesn't cater to your every need. Real smart, steve.

Natasha: enough! What about my spot?

Bruce laughs

Natasha: what( she looks confused) what's so funny?

Bruce: come on, you can drop the act. Tony and pepper know that you bugged their car and phones so you can know if you're on the list.

Natasha: i would never do something like that, that is not true.

Bruce: ok. Then we're all going to stand here and pretend you're innocent, i'm going to go see if my friend needs anything.( bruce walks away to tony's room)

Steve (watches as bruce leaves before he starts talking) i'm surprised he didn't hulk out