A/N: Sundays will be my new posting days as I'm usually exhausted on Monday after work.
Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel, Disney or the Avengers. Just Mia.
"Dr. Stark?" I heard a soft voice say, as I lifted my head from my fist. After an unexpected complication, the surgery took another 3 hours more than I wanted, making it a full 20 hours. I felt my whole body shaking with exhaustion as I opened my eyes to see Brian's sats better than when I had him wheeled up to the ICU.
"He's waking up." Sylvia, one of my night nurses said. Shooting up from my chair, I had to steady myself. Brian's eyes moved until the lids, and I waited until they were fluttering open before I asked him, "Brian? Can you hear me?"
"…" He tried to speak. I didn't hold my breath as I checked his reflexes. The problem I had was around his spinal cord, and I almost sobbed in relief, as he was able to wiggle his toes, at the stroke of my pen on his foot.
"I'm going to remove the tube from your throat. It's going to be uncomfortable, but I need you to cough as I pull on it." I said as a nurse gloved my hands, and set out a cloth for the used tube.
"Brian, can you form one word? It doesn't have to be intelligent, I just need to assess you," I said softly as I put my fingers in his hands, "Squeeze my fingers."
It was a full minute before he coughed out and said, "My head doesn't feel as big."
"I took about 5 pounds of punk tumor out of it," I laughed as I went to check his pupillary reactions.
"Doc," he rasped out.
"Yes Brian?" I asked,
"Can I have some food now? I'm starving," He said, as I heard a set of feet running down the hall.
"Where is he? I need to see him!" A feminine voice said, before she stopped in front of Brian's intensive care room.
"You stupid jerk. You broke up with me over a brain tumor." A woman cried.
"Who told you?" He asked, looking at the woman with tears in his eyes.
"You're mother got an email last night, that you were heading into surgery. I drove all day to get here." She said, coming up to his side, gently taking his hand.
"I was just about to tell Brian the news," I interjected, making them both look at me.
"Doc, this is Maggie, my girlfriend. She can hear anything you have to say." He said looking at her lovingly.
"Brian," I said, gaining his attention, "There was an unforeseen complication in the surgery. When I was approaching the lines of resection closer to your spinal cord, you're brain started to swell. I got the swelling to go down, and I'm happy to respond that I got every inch of that extra weight in your head." I said, smiling.
"You even got those, radioactive thingies in my head?" He asked, not remembering the words.
"The radiation seeds? Yes, and they will prevent the tumor from recurring. It's over, you have your life back," I said as Maggie broke down crying.
"It's done?" He sighed, as I nodded smiling.
"Now, I have a few rules for you about the opening we had to make in your head, but I am confident you will listen to these rules. They are going to keep you alive for another 60 years, at least," I teased.
"I'll jump when you say jump," He joked, looking to be fading off again.
"Rest now. Right now, your body thinks you've been awake the entire time, you and I both need our rest. But I'm going to make sure that I'm called the second you need something. Don't be afraid to ask," I said, signing the chart, and nodding to Maggie.
"I'm going to ask the nurses to bring you a cot." I said as I left the room.
"I want labs every few hours, and if his sats drop more than 5 points, you page me. I'm going to rest a little bit before heading home to sleep."
"No, I'm driving you home," I heard Steve's voice say. Turning, I smiled at him quickly before turning back to Sylvia.
"Anything. And if I don't answer within two minutes, call Dr. Harrison. He's been given my surgery notes, and knows this patient just about as well as I do."
"Dr. Stark, go home. You deserve some sleep," I heard the Chief say from down the hall.
"You're the boss," I laughed.
"We need to start training you on how to handle the administrative part of the hospital on Monday. Meet me in my office first thing," He said, smiling, "Take the weekend."
"But my patient," I started, about to argue when Dr. Fisher said, "You need to rest. Dr. Harrison is going to keep an eye on him while you relax. You're going to learn to let other doctors have the scut."
"I'll make sure she gets some rest," Steve said, taking my hand and nodding to Dr. Fisher.
"Good man," Dr. Fisher said, clapping Steve on the shoulder and walking back down the hall.
"Hey," Steve said, turning to face me.
"Can you carry me? My limbs are quivering, and I'm not sure how much longer I can stand." I whispered.
"As soon as we get your stuff, I will carry you down to the car," he smiled, as Gwen appeared out of nowhere, and handed him my bag. He promptly picked me up bridal style, carrying me down the hallway.
"Wake me when we get home," I mumbled.
"Sleep doll," he chuckled softly.
"One bubble bath," Steve said, setting me down on the tub's edge to carefully start undressing me. If I wasn't so exhausted, I probably would have climbed him like a tree. So I just let him, no fight in me, and no embarrassment as he set me in the tub, before undressing himself and settling in opposite me.
"You spoil me Captain," I slurred from lack of sleep.
"Enjoy it," he whispered as he picked up one foot, and started gently caressing it with his thumbs. He touches gradually got harder and deeper, massaging away all the stress I had put my feet through in the last 30 hours.
"Where's your mind?" He asked, as I stared at him lovingly.
"Here, with you. It's where I always want to be," I said softly, before I heard the sound of fast approaching paws.
"Athena, no!" I said just as she jumped in. Laughing at my crazy puppy, Steve watched as she swam contently.
"She's done this almost every time I fill the tub for my own bath. She loves the water." I said, as the puppy came to settle in my arms.
"Well, I will dry her, and then we can get you into comfy clothes," He said, rubbing my other foot. Groaning, I wasn't thinking about sleep anymore.
"Steve," I whispered breathlessly, as we locked eyes. It was almost instantaneously that we met each other halfway in the tub, and our lips crashed to one another.
"You can get the dog dry," I panted when he released my lips.
"What are you going to do then?" He almost pouted.
"You'll see," I said rising from the water and winking at him as I stepped out of the tub. Quickly throwing a towel around myself, I dried off on my way to my closet. I searched the few bags on the floor, before pulling out a blood red bra and panty set. Noticing that my hair had stayed up in its bun, I hoped that it wasn't greasy as I let it down. My curls seemed to still be bouncy and soft, even after a day of being in my scrub cap.
"Mia," Steve called as I heard Athena bounding off to her bed.
"Yes, Captain?" I asked, striking a seductive pose at the door to my closet. His eyes widened in lust, and I saw his posture change immediately.
"Slow, right Steve?" I joked, as he scooped me up to deposit me on the bed.
"You are sore from standing for over a day. Let me do all the work tonight," He said sweetly wrapping one of my legs around his waist.
"Whatever you would like tonight, I'm not going to bother complaining," I chuckled as he ground himself into me, making me groan.
"Relax," he whispered. Letting my head fall back, I focused on the sound of my breathing, and exactly what he was doing to my body. It was like we had never been apart, as he remembered every spot on my body that made my toes curl. His soft fingers whispered over my skin, as he used his body to make mine sing. I felt like I was seeing the sun again after living underground for years. I felt warm and wrapped up in his embrace as we moved. Within minutes, he brought my body up and over the edge twice. I was beginning to feel the stirring of sleep as a third high claimed my voice.
"Mia," he whispered, as he panted.
"Don't ever leave me again," I whispered.
"I don't have to leave to look for Bucky anymore."
"I mean, don't leave me," I said, looking into his eyes, feeling vulnerable.
"I'm not going to, I won't." He said, promising me, with a passionate kiss.
"You need to sleep now."
"I need you to hold me," I said blushing. Smiling, he didn't respond, except to wrap me up in his arms, spooning me to his chest. I heard a soft huff from the corner, and I knew Athena was upset we were keeping her up.
"Good night sweet girl," I whispered, to which Steve said, "Sleep doll. I'll be here in the morning."
And then all I saw was black.