A Blast From the Past
Disclaimer:
As always, I own nothing but Shaelynn Banner.
Rating:
M (for language)
Genre:
Romance/Family/Hurt/Comfort
Pairings:
Shaelynn/Steve
ScienceHusbands
All Cannon Twilight couples
Lyrics Used:
Seether f/Amy Lee "Broken"
Broken
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away | 'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome | And, I don't feel right when you're gone away
You're gone away | You don't feel me here | Anymore
The worst is over now | And, we can breathe again | I wanna hold you high and steal my pain away | There's so much left to learn | And no one left to fight | I wanna hold you high and steal your pain
'Cause I'm broken | When I'm open | And, I don't feel like I am strong enough | 'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome | And, I don't feel right when you're gone away
"There." Carlisle declared as he finished wrapping Steve's cracked ribs in bandages. "That should hold while your fractures heal." He explained. "Just try to take it easy until the cracked ribs heal. Too much strain could exacerbate the injuries."
The occupants of the medical bay Tony had built in the new Avengers Tower all flinched as said genius, billionaire, playboy and philanthropist continued to scream and cry out in anguish-his thrashing, flailing limbs restricted by the titanium straps on his bed. "I'm sorry, can we please address the elephant in the room?!" Clint Barton begged, desperately.
"Yeah..." Steve groaned, carefully sliding down off of the exam table where Carlisle had been treating him. "Should Stark be...screaming...like that?" Steve asked as all eyes turned to Shaelynn.
Dreading the impending conversation, Shaelynn released an unnecessary sigh as she ran over how to explain the situation so that the Avengers could understand it. "Yessss..." She sighed. "Sadly, the transformation from human to vampire is an excruciating pain unlike any pain you could ever imagine. It's like..." She paused, trying to find an accurate analogy to describe the pain of her own change. "...Like fire and ice both flooding every vein, artery, capillary-even the muscles and tendons-in your body all at once. Your entire body is freezing and burning simultaneously. Pain that you could never imagine or even attempt to accurately describe spreads over every inch of your body."
"How much longer will be like this?" Bruce Banner asked his daughter; his eyes, voice and body language all well beyond tired after attempting to sit by Tony's side through the process. Though, now, he wasn't sure how much more he could take. Tony's pained screams and thrashing seizures were beginning to take their toll on him.
"He's already been like this for hours." Natasha added, also concerned for Tony, who she had grown to love as the brother she never had.
Lowering her gaze to the floor, Shaelynn raked a hand through her hair before answering her father and Natasha's question. "I'm so sorry..." She choked, her voice thick and watery. "But, the transformation could last up to three days..." Shaelynn explained, turning away to avoid the reaction to her answer.
"WHAT?!" Clint shouted, leaping from his seat as he stormed across the room, grabbing Shaelynn's arm to turn her around-facing him. Glaring, he now stood mere inches from the young vampire's face, steadfastly ignoring the fact that Shaelynn could easily kill him in mere seconds if she were so inclined. "You're telling me that Stark may continue to suffer this kind of pain for three days?!" He snarled, leaning in so that their faces were as close as was physically possible without touching.
"ENOUGH!" Bruce finally snapped. After everything Tony had been through, watching his daughter fight it out with Barton was just too much. The power of his voice was enough to shock the entire room into whipping around to face him. "Please..." He begged, his voice more tired than ever. "I think we can all agree that it's bad enough that Tony's suffering this way...Do we really need to pile on by picking fights with one another?"
"Bruce is right." Natasha summarized. "Being at each other's throats like this won't help anyone. Least of all Stark." She elaborated.
Turning back to shoot one last glare at Shaelynn, Barton mentally admitted that Bruce and Natasha were right. Picking a losing fight with a vampire wasn't going to get any of them anywhere. With that in mind, he wrenched his hand away from the arm it was holding in a vice-grip and stormed back across the room to his now vacant seat.
Crossing the room over to her father, Shaelynn gazed up at him apologetically. "Dad, I'm so sorry..." Her apology came on a choked, watery whisper. "I never meant to put you through this."
"Shaelynn, don't apologize." Bruce replied, placating his daughter. "This was my decision." Turning to stare back at Tony's bed-the thrashing had lessened, though the screams still rang through the air making the entire room almost seem haunted. "This is all my fault." He whispered, never taking his eyes off of Tony's form.
Gripping her father's chin between her thumb and forefinger, Shaelynn pulled his head around to face her, again, as she countered "Don't you even dare think that." She hissed. "I should have told you what this would be like for him. I should have made you aware of what we were getting into."
After his daughter released her grip on his chin, Bruce replied "It wouldn't have mattered." He snapped, before his voice took on a more hopeless tone. "I was just so damn selfish. All I could think about was how I...I couldn't live without him...How I have no world without him. Seeing him laying there, lifeless, with his head in my lap...I was taken back in time to almost six years ago...When I learned of your accident. This was no different. It was just as heart-wrenching and I just didn't think I had it in me to go through that, again." He explained. "Losing you damn near killed me. ... I don't think I'd survive losing him."
Finally unable to stand her father's suffering any longer, Shaelynn pulled him into her arms in a warm embrace. "I know, daddy." She replied, rubbing what she hoped were soothing circles on his back. After her father seemed composed again, she pulled away with a grim look on her face.
"Shae?" He asked, carefully, as his daughter averted her gaze toward the floor. "What's going on? What's wrong?"
Glancing at Carlisle for guidance, Shaelynn searched for the right words. Before she could speak, again, however, she was cut off.
"What are you not telling us?" Natasha asked, calmly, although they all knew there was far more emotions going on behind her calm façade.
Sighing heavily, Shaelynn raised her eyes to glance at each of the Avengers in turn before one final glance at Carlisle for encouragement. Carlisle returned the glance with a simple nod. "Listen, everyone...Natasha's right...There is something that I haven't told you-mostly because I...I don't really know how to say it." As she began to pace the room, nervously, Shaelynn raked a hand through her hair as she continued to search for the right words while beginning to ramble in the meantime. "Believe me, it's not for wont of trying. I've run a million scenarios in my head but...Well, let's just say that...None of them ended favorably-"
"Would you just spit it out, already?!" Clint snapped, the tension finally getting the better of him.
Whirling around to face the archer, specifically, Shaelynn blurted out "IthinkitwouldbebestifTonycametostaywithmeandtheCu llensuntilhelearnstocontrolhisthirst!" Not exactly eloquent, but, the stress had gotten the better of her and it all just came spilling out at once.
After Shaelynn's bomb dropped-as the dust began to settle-a deathly quiet filled the room with a palpable tension. Shaelynn, Carlisle, and Esme all watched as the Avengers all looked at each other as if to confirm they had actually heard what they thought they'd heard. Finally, just when the silence was becoming too much for Shaelynn to bear-just before she screamed for someone to say something-her father looked her straight in the eye as he spoke softly.
"What?" It was a softly-spoken, single word. But, it struck Shaelynn like a whip. She heard every nuance, every hidden entendre behind the word, and ached with dread for the conversation she knew was coming.
"Look, dad..." She began, carefully. "I already told you how dangerous I was as a newborn-"
"Yeah, I know!" Bruce snapped, cutting off his daughter's explanation. "But, you said you only did those things because you were angry at Carlisle for taking me away from you!" He reasoned as Shaelynn shot Carlisle an apologetic look before returning her attention back to her father. "Nobody's taking anyone away from Tony, so, there shouldn't be a problem."
"Yes, but, that's not the problem." Shaelynn countered. "I'm not worried about Tony deliberately killing anyone." She paused to take in all of the shocked looks she was receiving. "Never mind. I'll explain that, later." Shaelynn interjected, cutting off any undesired questions. "But, getting back to the matter at hand...Once Tony's transformation is complete, all he's gonna be able to think about is getting his first blood-meal. He's essentially gonna be nothing short of a junkie lookin' for a fix. We need to get him into a setting where he can learn to control his thirst without the worry of losing control and hurting someone-especially someone he cares about. Taking a life-even unintentionally taking a life-stays with a person; changes them. I won't let that happen to Tony if I can help it."
Leaping from his seat, Clint shouted "I don't care! Stark is one of us! You can't honestly stand there and expect us to just let you take one of our own right out from under our noses-"
"All right, that's enough!" Steve snapped, his anger rising at the way Barton was speaking to Shaelynn. "Shae's trying to protect us-She's trying to help us!" He argued. "We have to at least consider the possibility that she could be on to something. After all, none of us are vampires. None of us have gone through what Stark is going through, right now." He reasoned, knowing that the others would have no choice but to admit it. "But, Shaelynn is. She's been there. She knows, first-hand, exactly what Stark is in for. She can help him through it."
"I still won't let you take him from me." Bruce argued, stubbornly. "I already told you what losing him would do to me. Please, don't put me through that."
"Look, dad, I know. I get it." Shaelynn sympathized with her father. She knew how badly it hurt to have someone you loved taken from you. "But, I swear to you...The moment Tony has his thirst under control, I will personally reunite the two of you." As her voice and gaze softened, Shaelynn asked "Have you ever known me to go back on my word?"
Shrugging insecurely, Bruce replied "Well...There was one time..." he murmured, knowing that Shaelynn would know exactly what he was talking about.
Stepping closer to her father until she was right in his face, Shaelynn breathed "You know that's not fair..." Nodding, Bruce knew she was right. Shaelynn hadn't had any control in the situation. Turning back to the others in the room, Shaelynn asked "Could you all give us a minute?"
Sharing a hesitant glance between themselves, the Avengers ultimately decided that it would be in their best interest to listen to the young vampire.
Watching as the others all begrudgingly took their leave, Bruce turned to his daughter. "Shaelynn, talk to me. Is there any way that we could keep Tony here? I mean, surely, he could learn to control his thirst, here. Does he really have to go back to Forks with you?"
"Honestly, dad, Tony would be surrounded by temptation all around the tower. There's too much human blood around here. It would be like ringing the damn dinner bell with a newborn in the tower." Sighing, Shaelynn paused a moment before adding "Plus, there's...There's one other reason I want to take Tony back to Forks with us..." Taking the blank look on her father's face as a cue to elaborate, Shaelynn added "I know how you feel about him. He is your mate-"
"I'm sorry, my what?" Bruce asked, confused.
"Your mate." Shaelynn replied simply. "It's basically the word that vampires use to describe their significant other. Their better half. Their soul mate, really." She explained. "Seeing the two of you together reminds me of when Edward first met Bella. They-well, Edward-tried to fight what was happening between them. But, everyone could see they were in love with each other. I believe that to be the case, here."
"So, let me get this straight." Bruce replied. "You mean to take Tony away from here because I'm in love with him?" He asked, clearly confused and lacking key variables to solve the equation.
"Well, at least you're not denying it." Shaelynn replied, cheekily. "That's always good. But, I'm not taking him back to Forks because you're in love with him. Frankly, I would love nothing more than to see the two of you finally get your acts together and just be together. But, the reason I want Tony to come stay with us in Forks while he gets his thirst in check is because I believe that-as was also the case with Edward and Bella-that you may be what we call Tony's la tua cantante."
"'The siren's song'?" Bruce asked, still confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean that...your blood will forever tempt Tony far more than any other human's ever will." Shaelynn explained, simply. "Because I've seen and heard how Tony feels about you, I'm worried that you will be his siren song and I know that he would never forgive himself if anything ever happened to you because of him or his thirst. I won't let that happen." She surmised.
Bruce was torn. The sounds of Tony's pained cries still rang through the air, calling his attention to the man thrashing on the bed across the medical bay. Watching Tony's transformation, Bruce couldn't help realizing that Shaelynn had been right about everything else, so far. He couldn't fathom a reason for her to be wrong about this-as much as he wanted her to be. And, he had to admit that Shaelynn knew exactly what he would be up against. He couldn't think of anyone better suited to help him through this difficult time. And, deep down, that was what he wanted most-someone who could take care of his Tony. Someone who could help him understand all the changes he was going through. "Fine." He relinquished, already regretting his decision. "You can take him." He added. "But, on one condition."
Nodding, Shaelynn was relieved to at least see some partial cooperation on her father's part. "Go on." She prodded, wanting to see where he was going with this.
"Just..." Bruce began desperately, as he searched for the right words. "Just don't cut him off from me, entirely. You gotta give me something." He begged.
"Well, no one ever said anything about total isolation." Shaelynn reasoned. "I see no reason for the two of you not to maintain contact. You could video-chat, call, text-even write to each other if you're so inclined." She added, hoping to satisfy her father's stipulation.
Nodding, Bruce knew there wasn't much more that he could ask for, short of face-to-face contact which he knew would be off-limits until Tony could control his thirst. "Thank you, Shaelynn." He replied, warmly.
"You know I would do anything for you, dad." Shaelynn replied, sincerely, the subtlest hints of a smile playing at her lips.
Bruce couldn't help finding himself almost smiling in return until another question formed in his head. "How long?"
Dropping her eyes to the floor, Shaelynn replied sheepishly "A year." Fearing her inability to handle her father's reaction, Shaelynn instinctively turned her back to him to avoid him.
"A year?!" Bruce repeated, hoping and praying to whatever deity may have been listening that he had heard Shaelynn wrong. He wasn't at all certain he could handle going a full year without seeing Tony again.
"Listen, dad..." Shaelynn replied, summoning any courage she had left to face her dad again. "A vampire is never physically stronger than their newborn year. During the first year of immortality, Tony will still have his own human blood lingering in his tissues. Any vampire will tell you that human blood makes us stronger than animal blood. Once we can get Tony adapted to our vegetarian diet and his strength levels off-he will always be stronger than you or any of the Avengers. Well, maybe not Thor. But, he's not really human in the same sense that you or the others are. But, my point is that once he's adapted to the vegetarian diet and his strength plateaus, we will be safe to reunite the two of you. But, that will-in all likelihood-take the better part of his newborn year." Shaelynn explained, hoping to placate at least some of her father's concerns.
"And, there's no way to cut that time down in any way?" Bruce asked, knowing he was grasping at straws.
"The only vampire that I've ever seen resist human blood immediately after being turned was Bella. And, quite frankly, even Carlisle-who's been a vampire since the middle of the sixteenth century-hasn't seen another newborn resist human blood. So, the chances are about...damn slim and none." Shaelynn admitted, honestly.
"But, there is a chance." Bruce argued, hoping against hope that he could keep Tony in his life.
Shaelynn sighed as she realized that her dad would need to grasp on to whatever hope he could get his hands on in order to accept this. "Yes...I suppose there could be a very minimal chance that he could resist." Shaelynn admitted. "But, I will not jeopardize your safety or the safety of the team in order to find that out." She added, cutting off any further arguments from her father. "Once we have determined that Tony is not only safe around humans, but, able to resist your blood, in particular, I will personally reunite you guys!"
"Okay..." Bruce sighed. No matter how much he didn't like or disagreed with what Shaelynn had to say, at the end of the day, he trusted his daughter. And, he would do whatever he could to help Tony. "I trust you, Shaelynn."
However, before either Bruce or Shaelynn could say another, Tony's screams and thrashing had abruptly stopped as the room fell into a deathly silence. "Tony." Bruce breathed. Just as he made to cross the room to Tony's aid, he was held back by his daughter's hands on either of his arms.
Author's Note:
Again, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please read & review!
