Chapter Seven
Within thirty minutes the whole Chapman family was sat at the hospital waiting for Tony Stark to arrive. He was going to travel 4,900 miles for a girl he had never met in 30 minutes no less. He must be crazy.
The hospital doors flew open with the following commotion the Chapman's suddenly became aware that Tony Stark had just entered the building and now the whole hospital was in melt down. Everyone wanted to know why he was there and wanted photos or signatures.
"Hi" Tony said looking carefully at the family all sat anxiously in the waiting room. They were the only ones not running at him wanting signatures or photos. It must be the Chapman's.
"Hi, I'm Duane Chapman" said a man with a blonde mullet, tan and jailhouse style tattoos "but everyone calls me Dog. This is my wife Beth" he said indicating to a blonde lady with huge boobs who looked like Tony's perfect type of girl but he wasn't in to that anymore "and my children Leland, Duane Lee and Lyssa as well as my grandson, Dakota and his girlfriend Arvie" indicating to the younger people who were in the room. You could cut the tension with a knife it was that tense.
"Hi, I'm Tony Stark also known as Ironman in case you didn't recognise me_" Tony began before being interrupted by another person entering the room and the same kerfuffle as before when Tony entered. "I thought I told you to wait outside until I was done" Tony growled at Capsicle who had just walked into the waiting room after being bombarded by the hoards of people wanting to know why the Avengers were in Hawaii.
"Sorry, babe but Fury is getting annoyed and you still haven't explained why we are here" Captain America explained "also Loki has disappeared from the tower so we need to get back"
"Okay I'll get what we need and finish up here" Tony said " Do any of you have any issues with me taking Melody back to New York with me?" glancing at the Chapman's who just sat and looked at Tony in shock. The avengers were taking Melody.
"There are just a few things I'd like to sort first" a young man about twenty said staring at Tony
"What is it Dakota?" a young girl asked who Tony presumed was Arvie.
"What will happen with Melody's puppies and can I visit Melody" Dakota said
"Of course" replied Captain America aka Steve Rogers
"As long as the puppies don't pee in my house or I'll put them on the streets myself." Tony snapped
"Tony be nice" the captain scolded
"Okay I'm sorry" Tony replied looking at Dakota again "Arvie can come too if she wants"
"Thank you" Dakota said getting up "should I go to get the dogs"
"No, I'll get Thor to go, it'll be quicker" Captain replied smiling at the two twenty year olds.
"Right let's get Melody and go" Tony said walking towards Melody's room.
As Tony and Steve walked towards Melody's room they could hear a voice. Talking. And it sure wasn't Melody. It sounded like Loki. So Tony and Steve just stood listening. It was Loki. So holding hands with Tony, Steve opened the door to reveal Loki singing in ancient Norse holding Melody's hand. He knew it was Tony and Steve stood behind him but he didn't stop until the end of the song.
"She's beautiful isn't she" Loki said "you'd never know how fierce she is when she's awake."
"Why are you here with my baby sister?" growled Tony at Loki.
"She's my best friend alright and if Odin hadn't taken my powers and made me mortal. I could have helped her" Loki said as the tears silently ran down his face. He had let his best friend down and he didn't know how to help her.
"Okay well can we just concentrate on getting Melody back to New York and out of the woods, please" Tony whispered feeling genuinely touched by Loki's commitment to Melody.
"Okay" Steve said hugging the genius "can you fly her back to the helicarrier or do you want some else to come and fetch her?"
"I can't leave her now I'll take her back" Tony replied as the tears slid down his face. He was shaking in his amour as Steve reached up to his comms unit next to his ear.
"Tony's on his way back now" Steve said, everyone knew that was a message for Bruce so ignored it.
"Let's go, I'll check on Dakota and Arvie" Steve replied gently kissing Tony.
Tony walked towards Melody's bed, before carefully picking her up off the bed trying not to hurt her any further. He knew it wasn't just a panic attack. It was something more. Something more serious. He needed to get Melody to the helicarrier now.
"Bruce…" Tony sharply said in to his comms
"Yes Tony" Bruce replied
"Its Melody, I don't think it was just a panic attack" Tony replied shaking in his armour still.
"Okay bring her up to the helicarrier now and I'll have a look" Bruce responded.
So uncharacteristically Tony did as he was told which was shocking to all the avengers. He didn't fight against them. Tony seemed totally destroyed, almost subdued and quiet. The jokes and sarcasm were long gone and the only thing he cared about was his sister. He could nearly remember those two years when Gabriella Sophia Stark was a baby. Over the past twenty four years the hope that Tony would ever find his baby sister had slipped away. After all Howard had told Tony that she had died in his arms after a tragic accident and that she would never come back. Right now he hoped that the woman he was holding now known as Melody was really Gabby.
"Tony quickly" yelled Bruce through the comms
"Yeah sorry" Tony replied feeling flustered
"I'll sort the Chapman's go" replied Steve
"Thank you" Tony replied
He slowly walked back towards the door of the hospital room when it opened. It was a man about forty, with a long braid and tattoo sleeves. He was holding a bag full of things; it looked like an evidence bag.
"I wouldn't go that way the crazed fans and paps are everywhere" he said looking directly into Tony's chocolate brown eyes with his own dark brown eyes "anyway I want you to have this" he said handing over the evidence bag "it's everything Barbara left Melody _"
"Gabriella" Tony corrected
"Sorry I didn't realise that she had a different name." Leland replied still staring directly at Tony, he could see the tears that were streaming down his face "anyhow they are her prized possessions, she looks like you too and you better look after her is going to be strange in the office without her now" Leland said sadly feeling the tears prickly the corners of his eyes and his mouth going dry.
"Thank you for everything" Tony whispered "I'd love to stay and chat more about my sister but if I don't get her to New York soon she might die"
"Okay, goodbye" Leland whispered before gently kissing Melody on the head "I love you and I'm sorry for what I did"
"Come and visit sometime" Tony said sliding the face plate into place and opening the window before slipping outside onto the window ledge.