It's been a week and Gage has yet to wake up. The doctors tested and concluded that he was in a coma due to the combination of lack of blood and the body healing and he should start showing signs of waking up when his blood returned to normal. But he didn't. Quinn barely left his side. Holding his hand or petting his hair talking about anything. Tony made sure the school knew they had a family emergency and Quinn would be back once it was sorted. TJ and Lucy had to go back, Visiting every day after school, bringing her homework back. Clint stayed the entire week, guarding the door, keeping Quinn company, talking to his brother.
It was the start of the second week of his coma when Clint walked in, seeing Quinn, holding his hand, half asleep, half talking when he noticed her hair was an oily mess, she had been wearing the same cloths the entire time, even when they went out and bought some stuff. "Quinn..." She looked up and he could tell she was exhausted. "Yeah, whats up?" He frowned. "You should take care of yourself to you know." She nodded. "I know but I need to be here when he wakes up." "If he wakes up." She glared but it was weak. "Don't talk like that." Clint sighed. "At least go wash your hair. It'l take five minutes and I'l let you know soon as I see something." She frowned, nodding, walking herself to the hospital room bathroom, closing the door.
She didn't take long, coming out with her hair wet and smelling much better in Clints opinion. But he wasn't gonna tell her that. Not showering for a week is worse then you think. She sighed, sitting back in her chair, frowning. Clint was sitting by the window, overlooking the city. "Sorry, nothing." He could practicality feel the disappointment and dread roll off of her. She spoke, sounding so small and defeated. "What if he dosnt wake up? What if the doctors pull his plug?" Clint walked over to her. "First off, didn't you just tell me not to think like that and second they'll only pull the plug if you allow them." Her eyes watered. "So we just wait? Like we've been doing for nearly two weeks?" "Seems so." He saw the look on her face, that look she got when she got an idea for an invention, the same look Tony got.
He raised an eyebrow. "What?" "What if something is holding him back? Like if he's stuck in a nightmare or something." Clint nodded. "Possible I mean he did just kill his horrible excuse of a father. Bound to bring up some shit." She suddenly stood up. "I'm going in then. I can go in his head and bring him out." Clint frowned. "Whoa, hold up. Snit that dangerous? It sounds it." "probably but I have to try." She started to gently moved Gage over, giving her enough room to climb up and lay next to him. She sighed, keeping her eyes on Gage. "Clint, just keep an eye on the door, make sure no one disturbs this." Clint sighed. "Yeah sure. Your as crazy as your father." He started to walk out the door, closing it and guarding it. Then he got his cell out, calling Kim cause he just had a bad feeling about what she was doing.
The phone rung then Kim picked up. "Is he awake?" Clint sighed. "No, no improvement but your daughter is doing something even I think is fucking crazy." "oh god, what is it?" "She wants to use her dream walking powers and go into his head and see if something is holding him back, like emotional baggage or.. or nightmares." He heard an inhale of breath from Kim. "Did you stop her?" "Should I?" "Yes, going into someones nightmare is different because there just sleeping but in a coma, she could become stuck in there by his nightmare or even die if they die." "Shit." "Shes doing this right now isn't she?" Clint bit his lip. "Would you be mad if I said yes?" She sighed. "No. Shes just like Tony, nothing would stop her, no matter the odds. Just, keep an eye and update us." "Got it."
Quinn laid next to Gage carefully on the bed, making sure she didn't hit any wires or tubes. Once she got situated she sighed, frowning, cupping the side of his face. "I'm gonna help you, ok? Just...whatever happens remember, I'm your light in the dark." Her eyes watered as she leaned her forehead against his, almost instantly being sucked into his head, her body lax against his in the quiet room.
She fell into his head with a thud, realizing vaguely it was a wooden floor. She groaned, getting up slightly, rubbing her wrist. "So much for a graceful entrance." She got up, then realizing she was wearing a dress, a white dress at that but she still had her converse on and the dress went to her knees. She sighed. "Great." She heard crying coming from down the hall. She realized she fell into an room, a study of sorts. She ignored the crying for a moment to look around, noticing it was all military related. Medals and pictures and books and different weapons hug on the wall. She swallowed down, knowing who this belonged to. She heard yelling this time from don the hall, going to the door, just the edge to hear. " What the hell is wrong with you boy?!" She frowned, swallowing down the urge to run over and save Gage.
She realized this was him, as a child with his horrible father. His father continued. "Your a worthless little shit no one could ever want! I wanted a soldier and God sends me a cowardly child!" "Dad!...stop...! Please!..." She heard a body hit the floor followed by more crying and yelling out in pain.. She gripped the door entrance so hard her knuckles had gone white. Then the door suddenly opened and the boy struggled in his fathers hold as he drug him down the hall, Black mumbling something about being put in the basement until he could "man up." She listened to the footsteps. They went downstairs then opened a door to another set of stairs before there was silence.
She carefully went down the hall, looking around. Pictures hung up, Black posing with different officials or victims he killed. One particular picture was one of a little Korean boy, so mutilated he barely looked human. She only knew it was by his genitals on full view. She swallowed down the sick feeling and prayed the boy was dead int he picture. She wouldn't put past Black to pose with a torture victim that was still alive. She suddenly heard large footsteps, ducking behind a wall. Then the slam of the front door before it locked. She sighed, running down, following the pattern. Noticing in her rush how bairn the house was.
It was like a museum. No toys of any sort. No drawn pictures on the fridge. It was damn depressing. She got to the door she assumed Black took Gage down to and walked down. The further down she went, the louder the cries got. She followed them and found a door that had a very large pad lock on it. Unless she had a key, she wasn't getting him out anytime soon. But she could hear him, sobbing, most likely in fear. She walked closer, looking down at her dress, making sure her arc reactor was shining brightly. She heard him gasp and scrambling movement. "Oh God...whose there? Please, I'l be better, I'l do better-" "It's ok! I'm not gonna hurt you. How did you know I was here?" "I heard your breathing." She frowned, walking closer. "I'm here to help you, I promise. Do you know where the key for this is?" The boy sniffled. "My dad has it and he left for the night." She sighed. "of corse he has it. Just hang tight, I'm gonna find something." She was about to go looking when he yelled. "No! Don't! If he sees I got out.." She frowned. "It's alright. I'l protect you." She started rummaging around then he spoke. "Are you a guardian angel or something?" She smirked weakly. "Or something is a better description."
She found an ax on the far side of the room, going over to the pad lock. "Ok, stand back, I don't want you hurt." She heard him mumble. "Too late for that." It made her smile. Her Gage was still in there. She took a breath, aiming at the lock. It took five hits before it finally fell and door could be opened. She dropped the ax, walking over and opening the door to the small room. There she saw him, no more then eight years old, huddled in a corner with a bloody nose. She smiled softly, holding her hand out. "Hey...your alright. Take my hand." She saw he seemed hesitant. She continued. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you." Then he reached his hand out, holding hers tightly. She noticed how much smaller his hand his to hers as she helped him out of the small room.
Once out he looked up at her then saw the light in her chest. She chuckled. "It's ok. I got you." She could see a bruise on his eyes, on his wrists and arms, his nose bloody and dried. She gently hugged him, kneeling down to him. He started crying, holding her tightly. She held him close, rubbing his back. "shh...it's ok. I got you.." She noticed his hand went to her reactor, trying to hold it. She felt her eyes water, holding his hand there. Then there was a loud thud of a door closing. He jumped, backing away. "Oh no..he's back early. Whenever he's back early, he's even more mad then when he left." She held him close. "Hey, remember, I'm here to protect you. I won't let anything happen. Com'on, were getting out of here." He looked terrified but willing. He held her hand tightly, following her up the stairs, holding her hand tightly.
They thought they got away, getting to the front door when suddenly Quinn heard the sound of a gunshot before the pain hit. She got hit in her shoulder, making her slam into the wall, using it for support. Gage cried out in fear. "No! Angel!" She breathed thru the pain, thanking god it wasn't fatal. "I told you kid, I'm not an angel." She smirked to him best she could, consecrating on her outfit to make it look like wonder woman but with a cape and red and Gold with her arc reactor showcased. "I'm a super hero." She saw his eyes go wide in awe and excitement and the fear nearly banished from his eyes. She turned to his dad who held a pistol in hand.
He was drunk. She could smell the whiskey on him. "Tryin to take my boy? He's gotta man up first before he can go." Poor little Gage was shaking, listening to his father. She glared, ignoring her screaming shoulder as it bled, standing in front of him. "Your not gonna hurt him anymore." She charged at him, punching black in his smug, drunken face. He nearly fell back but he gathered himself before charging at her but she twisted his wrist, broke his arm and leg before he fell, woozy from pain. She breathed thru the pain again, her shoulder in a horrible amount of pain and fighting only made it worse, she walked over to Gage who was hiding by the door, watching her as she walked over to him before she heard a gunshot again and saw a blood splatter across the door in front of her and Gage's horrified face. The drunken man laughing weakly behind her, gun still in hand.
Gage saw this, looking horrified. "No..." She swallowed down her fear, feeling the bleeding wound in her gut before pain and shock and blood loss took over, making her collapse. Gage was crying, trying to using his shirt to stop the blood. "No! Super hero! No! Your suppose to help me!" She coughed, gasping in pain, vaguely wondering if she was dying in the real world. She mental apologized to her parents before she heard black speak. "Your not leaving until you man up. It's a tough world out there. It'l eat you up boy!" Quinn let those words roll around in her head, hearing Gage cry, trying to stop the bleeding then she thought of it.
She stopped Gage's hand to get his attention. "This is a dream. Ga-Christian, this is a dream ok...you can do anything in dreams." He shook his head but she continued. "You trust superheroes, right?" He nodded., tears falling. She breathed heavily. She smiled weakly. "Then trust me. This is a dream. A very bad dream but you can change it." She gasped in pain, coughing. She could feel the prickling of sleepiness coming on her. He cried but she continued. "Close your eyes. Listen to me and close your eyes." He swallowed, closing his eyes. She took this moment to show the pain she was in, wincing and letting a few tears fall. She spoke. "Ok..think. Think hard. Whats your happy place? What do you love?"
She watched him, his eyes closed tightly. Before she could see the world around starting to change, unconscious took over. When she came to she heard his voice. "Super hero! Wake up! Wake up!" She groaned, waking up, realizing she wasn't in pain. She looked over at him. "What happened?" "You were right. It was a dream. I took us to my happy place and wished your wounds away."She felt her stomach, seeing she still had the costume she had in mind on. She smiled before looking around then saw a banner. "Comic-con?" She raised an eyebrow. He grinned, looking as happy as shes ever seen him. "Yeah! Someone at school was talking about it and I couldn't believe there was a place were people go and dress in costume and talk about comics all day! It's my biggest dream!" She chuckled, seeing his green lantern costume. She held his hand,standing up. "Lets go look around." She gave him some time to look around his dream world before taking him with her as they woke up.
Clint did his job, keeping an eye on them and the door. He kept the nurses out best he could, either by flirting or distraction. Then when he went in to check on them he nearly pressed the call nurse button when he saw blood. Alot of it, dripping to the floor. He inspected Quinn, seeing it was her with a gun shot wound on her shoulder and stomach. He knew he couldn't call the nurse because there would be too many questions and not enough answers that they would believe. He got his phone out quick, making sure the door was locked. He paced, waiting for one of them to pick up. His free hand going thru his hair. Tony picked up. "Hey, hows everything?" "It's bad. It's very, very bad and you and Kim need to get down here because I don't know what the fuck to do-"
"Whoa, easy. Clam down, what the hell is happening? Is Gage ok?" "It's Quinn, she went into his head to get him out of his coma, pull him out and whatever dream he had there was gun shots and she was shot and now she s bleeding Tony! I can't get a nurse, what the fuck do I do?" "First off calm down and second we'l be there as soon as possible. Just stay calm and put pressure on the wound." Clint took in a breath. "ok, ok. I'l try to calm down. Just get here fast." He hug up, going to the closet and finding bedding. He got the pillowcase off of a pillow, bunching it up and turning her over enough to see the wound. It was still bleeding so he put the bunched up pillow case by it, putting pressure on it, watching the white cloth turn red quickly. His eyes watered in fear and panic and worry. "Goddamn it kid."
He had no idea if Quinn was even alive at this point. She was pale, lost alot of blood and was barely breathing. There was knocking on the door and he went to it, quickly, opening it to see Kim, Tony and an older looking doctor. Clint paled. "Tony-" Tony gently pushed him aside, holding his hand. "It's ok, he's a personal doctor of mine." The doctor spoke as he worked on Quinn. "I've seen my fair share of weird." Kim just watched with red eyes, petting her daughters hair. "Will she be ok?" The doctor sighed. "I'm not sure yet. Shes lost alot of blood if the small puddle on the floor is any indication. I see Clint, his name is? Tended to the wound which most likely saved her life but a gut wound is very dangerous." The doctor checked her pulse, looking at his watch. "Her pulse is slow but steady." Clint was holding Tony nearly for dear life. Feeling as thou this was his fault. His arms wrapped around hist waist from behind. Tony spoke. "So she'l be ok?" The doctor sighed. "Only time will tell." The doctor looked back then eyes widen. "Well...thats something different. It's...healing." Kim looked and tony rushed over looking. "Well I'l be damned." The doctor chuckled. " , with you my job is never boring."
Gage was the first to start waking. His eyes opening then nearly gagging on the tube down his throat. The doctor went to him. "Calm down , were taking the breathing tube out now." The doctor carefully took the tube out, placing it on the desk as Gage coughed, trying to speak but it came out so dry and raspy. The doctor, signaled for some water. Kim got some water, helping Gage drink it down. He gasped when he was down, nearly gulping it down. "Thank you..." He felt Quinn next to him then looked, seeing blood. "Oh God...Quinn.. Is she ok?" The doctor sighed.
"We thought she wasn't. She lost some blood but then the strangest thing happened, her wounds started healing themselves." Gage looked away. It did work then, I wasn't sure if it would." Quinn started to wake, seeing Gage, her eyes watering. "It worked...your awake.." He smiled, his eyes watering as well. "I wouldn't have woken up without you." the doctor sighed. "As lovely as this is I say we clean up the crime scene and get his actual doctor." Quinn looked down at herself, seeing she was covered in blood. "Oh." Tony chuckled, arms crossed. "Yeah. Oh. You worried us, especially Clint but right now the good doctor is right. Lets clean up. Clint nodded, wiping his eyes. "I'l guard the door." He made sure to wash his hands first, making there wasn't a spec of blood on him. He was just glad they were both ok. He wasn't sure he could handle losing two people he cared about.
AN: reviews are welcome! They make my writing world go round! And sorry it's taken so long to update, it's been a busy weekend.