Thanks for the reviews! Keep letting me know what you think so that the chest piece doesn't run out of power! ;)
VVVVVVVVVVV
CHAPTER NINE
The large, mostly dark ICU was silent--a hollow but heavy silence in which a person feels suffocated. The only noise was the soft beeping of the two separate heart monitors.
Pepper stood back against the wall still wearing her nightgown, a robe wrapped around her. She hid in the shadows, one arm crossed over her chest, the other propped up with her fingers brushing her mouth. Fifteen feet in front of her on a hospital bed, illumined in a halo of sterile light, lay the muscled form of Wolverine, covered in a white blanket from the waist down. His body was laced with wires and tubes. Lines of stitches marked the spaces between his knuckles, and thick bandages wrapped around his chest. A long laceration on the right side of his rugged face had also been stitched. Dark, ugly bruises on the backs of his hands showed the shredding damage that had been done inside during the exit and reentry of his wicked claws. Pepper bit her lip. He had not healed. In fact, in a few small places where it could not be stopped, he was still bleeding.
Rogue sat in a chair next to him, wearing her flowing violet pajamas, her crutches leaning against his bed. Her dark eyes, partly eclipsed by a strand of snow-white hair, drifted slowly over Logan's wounds. She looked beautiful, her soft, comely face tilted toward him. Her black, slender eyebrows drew together as her gaze fell upon his face and lingered there. Her lips parted as a silver tear fell down her cheek. She reached down, and with shaking hands, pulled off the long white glove on her left hand. Her graceful bare fingers wandered hesitantly up toward his head, then paused, hovering fearfully. She swallowed, then let her hand settle against his hair, just above his forehead. Her brow knotted and her mouth tightened.
"Logan," she choked softly. But she couldn't say more. She stroked his hair gently, but her fingers started to quiver. She withdrew, closing her hand into a fist. Her face twisted and she let out a strangled sob. Leaning down, she rested her head on the mattress next to his shoulder, pressing her knuckles against the bridge of her nose, teardrops sliding down her skin.
Pepper, shaken, glanced to her right. Peter Parker lay in a similar bed, also bandaged and unconscious. His young countenance looked peaceful, and too quiet. Pepper watched his chest barely rise and fall, his breathing shallow.
Tony stood at the foot of Peter's bed, his jeans and long-sleeved blue shirt stained with grease. His hair was mussed, hanging over his forehead. His troubled, black gaze surveyed Logan and Marie, who lay still. Tony's expression of pain sharpened as Marie tried to say Logan's name again. Slowly, Tony turned his head back, his eyes unfocusing. Pepper stared at Rogue, an ache jabbing down through her heart. What would it be like to care about someone that much and yet be terrified to touch him? Pepper's eyes were drawn back to Tony, standing alone, his arms hanging limply down at his sides.
Pepper felt her feet taking her to him. But when she neared his side, she hesitated, pulling her hands back to herself in uncertainty. What was she doing? Would he be okay with his assistant trying to comfort him?
There's only one way to find out. Biting back her fear, she stepped forward and slid her arms around him, wrapping her right around his lower back, and draping her left across his chest so her hand rested on his metal chest piece.
To her surprise, he reflexively closed his left arm around her, pulling her body to his side, and his hand covered hers on his chest. Pepper lay her head down against him, shutting her eyes, her brow tensing.
"This is my fault." His voice vibrated against her head. She raised her face, startled.
"No. No, it isn't," she insisted.
"Yes, it is." He took a shuddering breath, glancing back and forth between Logan and Peter. "Good men are lying here dying because I couldn't get my suit ready fast enough." He swallowed hard. "It's looking too familiar."
Pepper struggled for words.
"What do you mean?"
He glanced at the floor, the skin around his eyes tightening. She was so close to him, she could see every flicker of emotion that crossed his face.
"I didn't tell you much about my captivity, did I?"
Pepper shook her head minutely, her hair brushing his shoulder. He took an unsteady breath.
"A doctor named Yensen, also a prisoner, saved my life by putting a device on me that would keep shrapnel out of my heart. This thing is loosely based off of that." He tapped his chest piece with one finger, then closed his fingers around hers again. "He was a good man...a good friend." Tony swallowed. His voice became rocky. "I built a primitive suit to get us both out of there. But the terrorists discovered us when my suit was still powering up. Yensen...ran out into the cave...to buy me time." Tony's eyes shone. Pepper's grip on him tightened.
"The suit took another thirty seconds to get ready so that I could get out after him." He shrugged and sniffed. "I was too late."
Pepper fought back her own tears, knowing that he needed her to be strong.
"Well, I'm not giving up on these two yet," she said firmly. "I'm positive that they've been through worse."
Tony's gaze just faded again. Pepper took a deep breath, running out of words.
"Come here," she offered. Carefully, she turned him and slid her arms around his shoulders, resting her hand on the back of his head, silently asking if he would let himself come down to her. He resisted for a moment, his brow furrowing, then bent and wrapped her up in his strong arms, pressing his face into her neck. Pepper let out a long breath, folding into him. She just held him for a long time, trying to ignore the beeping of the heart monitors, Tony's chest piece pushing against her breastbone.
VVVVVVVVVVVV
Tony sat back against the ICU wall, his eyes fixed on Peter's heart monitor. Pepper rested next to him, her legs tucked under her, his left hand held gently between both of hers. It had to be near dawn. But no sunlight would reach down here. Here, the Night Prince still reigned.
Tony shifted his shoulders and rubbed Pepper's fingers with his thumb. He turned his head toward her. Her pretty brow was still troubled, but she faced him and tried to smile.
"I bet you wish you hadn't come with me now, huh?"
She glanced down, laughing softly. He offered a feeble grin, but it died as his eyes traced her features. He swallowed.
"But I don't."
Her smile disappeared and she met his gaze. Her eyebrows came together.
"Thanks for coming, Pepper," he whispered. Her brow tightened farther as her eyes searched his.
"Tony, I--"
"Mr. Stark?"
They both looked up as Storm entered the room, casting her worried gaze over a sleeping Rogue, Logan and Peter.
"What is it?" Tony wondered, too tired to rise.
"There's a man outside who wishes to speak with you," Storm said with some earnestness. Tony frowned.
"Who is it?"
"Nick Fury. He wants to know how the mission went."
Tony stared at her, frozen.
"Mission?"
She nodded once, glancing at Logan again.
"He says he was the one who sent Pete and Logan out last night." Storm turned back to him. "And if I had to guess, he sent Bobby, too."
Tony went stiff, then flew to his feet.
"Tony--" Pepper gasped. He barely heard her. That scarlet rage was back, almost blinding him, and he stormed out into the hall, his heart hammering so hard it hurt.
A man stood there, his back to him, wearing a long leather jacket. The man turned, and Tony saw that it was indeed Nick Fury--he had the same hard face, the same eye patch.
"Tony Stark," he stated. "I--"
Tony didn't let him finish. He lunged forward and struck him hard with a closed fist, sending him crashing backward onto the floor.
"I might as well call you a murderer," Tony said savagely. He lashed out and grabbed Fury by the collar, yanking him up and snarling into his face. "You sent Bobby to his death and tried sending three more of us after him." He shook him hard. "Whose side are you on, Fury?"
It happened so fast Tony couldn't react. Nick twisted, whirled out of his grip and punched Tony in the jaw. Lights exploded across his vision as pain shot through his head and down his neck. He collapsed backward, his hips, elbows and head hammering against the metal.
"Tony!"
Pepper's cry slurred through his senses. He struggled to rise. He saw Pepper's bare feet race past him. She stepped in front of him and slapped Nick's face. The sharp blow resounded all down the hall. Nick grabbed her wrists. She yelped. He threw her forcefully away from him. Tony managed to climb to his feet fast enough to desperately catch her, pulling her tightly into his chest. Fury's one eye blazed. He advanced on them.
A hand suddenly settled on Tony's left shoulder and Pepper's right, and Tony felt strong arms wrap around them. Then a loud, deliberate flap snapped through the hall.
Fury stopped, staring at the young man who stood behind and held both of them protectively, his fearsome wingspan fully expanded, intimidatingly filling the width of the corridor.
"It's our guardian angel again," Tony muttered, swiping at his mouth. His hand came away bloody.
"Good morning, Mr. Stark," Angel answered calmly from behind them, withdrawing his hands but remaining near and keeping his wings spread. Tony looked to Pepper, not letting her go.
"You okay?"
"Yes," she said breathlessly, looking fearfully and hatefully at Nick Fury.
"What happened?" Storm ducked under Angel's right wing, glancing confusedly back and forth at all of them. Tony wiped his mouth again with the back of his hand, and spit blood onto the floor. Storm stared at him, then whirled on Fury.
"Nick! What is this?"
"He hit me," Nick adjusted his coat. "That's all."
"I hit you for a reason," Tony started toward him but Pepper tightened her grip on him so hard he could feel her nails.
"You think I did those things to Iceman and the others on purpose?" Nick advanced on them again, and Tony felt both Storm and Angel tense.
"It certainly looks that way," Tony gritted.
"You don't have any idea what's going on, then," Fury scoffed. "Iceman, Wolverine and Spiderman volunteered themselves. We decided to build the Avengers together, and they allowed me to be the leader." Fury stood right in front of him, now. "I brought them information concerning Night Prince. They took the missions they thought they could accomplish." Fury held his palms out to the sides. "I have no leverage against them. I can't force them to do anything. They chose this."
"How dare you?" Tony lunged at him again, and this time Angel's vise grip on his arm restrained him, but just barely. Fury's gaze narrowed.
"I dare because I was fighting the darkness even while you were aiding it." Fury's voice grew even more caustic. He shook his head. "Don't lecture me, Tony Stark. Weren't you once called 'The Merchant of Death'?" His gaze knifed straight through Tony. He leaned in and hissed in his face. "Be careful who you call a murderer."
He swept past them, Angel quickly folding a wing to let him by. No one moved until Nick's footsteps faded into silence.
"Why didn't you let me go?" Tony spoke roughly, turning to Angel. Angel met his gaze coolly, fluttering his wings so they folded back down.
"He's stronger than he looks. And faster than he should be," was the answer. Storm hung her head.
"I'm sorry I let him in here. I didn't know..."
"It's okay, Storm," Tony tried to assure her, easing his grip on Pepper.
"I'm going to go check on the others," Storm murmured.
"Yeah," Tony cleared his throat, speaking darkly. "I'm going to go rinse out my mouth."
VVVVVVVVVVVV
Pepper sighed, leaning against the railing of the third floor balcony--her new favorite place in the mansion. She gazed out over the spacious grounds, her gaze lighting on Marie, who sat on the bench alone, while the other kids played noisily in the lawn. Pepper glanced down at her own folded hands. She knew how Marie felt. The tension was killing all of them.
Letting out another long breath, she turned and wandered back into the house, heading downward.
Eventually, she found herself outside Tony's workroom. Hesitating just a moment, she opened the door and stepped in, pausing on the threshold.
The room seemed too big for just Tony alone. And though he was in the process of building three new units to help him don his suit, the workroom felt empty without Peter.
Swallowing, she started forward, catching sight of Tony sitting behind a broad computer monitor. He glanced up at her briefly, then looked back down at what he was working on.
"Hi," Pepper said quietly, managing a smile.
"Hi," he answered shortly. She peeked around the monitor. He wore his gray shirt--one he could completely ruin without a second thought--and his jeans with a hole at the knee. He hadn't shaved in days, and his hair was unkempt. Before him on the metal table lay five objects that looked like small, squared-off sheaths about three and a half inches long. He was holding another one. He lifted it up and touched one end. Something made a tiny sliding noise inside, but nothing else happened.
"What are you doing?" Pepper asked.
"Just something to keep me occupied while I'm waiting for a robot piece to cool...or when that project's driving me insane," he answered faintly, not looking at her. Her smile faded, and she stood still, her hands slowly clasping in front of her.
"Are you okay?"
He briefly met her eyes before avoiding them again.
"Yeah. What makes you say that?"
"Well, the fact that you haven't come out of here for three whole days and you've barely spoken to anyone since Nick Fury was here," she explained frankly. He didn't answer. His jaw just tightened. She licked her lips and swallowed, shrugging.
"I mean, I'd be upset if someone called me The Merchant of Death and a murderer."
"It's true, Pepper," he snapped. "You know it is."
She looked at him sharply.
"What? No it isn't. Not anymore."
"Yes, it is," he tossed down the sheath with a clatter and pushed off the floor, sending him rolling across the floor on his wheeled chair toward a large builder robot. "Who am I to lecture about being cavalier with other people's lives when my company was dealing with the enemy, and I was too self-centered and arrogant to even pay attention?" he said flatly.
"Tony, you're not like that now," Pepper tried to tell him.
"I don't know that." He picked up a small piece and started attaching it to the machine arm. Pepper stared at him, disturbed.
"What do you mean? I know that."
He shook his head.
"No, I'm the same," he insisted. "I've acted that way with you."
"What?"
"My head got so big, and the hype got so charged that I decided, what the heck--I'll tell everybody I'm Iron Man and bask in the glory of being the savior of the civilized world. And that got you shot at."
"Tony, they weren't--"
"If we both hadn't been ducking, we both would have died," Tony countered. He shook his head once. "Then, instead of learning from that, I made you come with me on a trek all the way across the country so you could get shot at again, and get thrown around by jerks who send guys out to die." His jaw clenched again, his face tightening as he worked on a latch. "I said I was glad you had come, but I'd given you no choice. And I didn't even ask you to come because I thought you'd be safer, like I said." His voice quieted bitterly. "I made you come because I wanted you to come. Because I'm selfish." His expression twitched and he swiped at his eyes, bending closer to the machine. Neither of them spoke for a long moment.
"Tony," she finally said, gently. "They'll be okay."
He took a deep breath, his hands stilling a moment as his gaze flickered. Then he set back to work. Silently, Pepper turned and left the room.
VVVVVVVVV
It was the middle of the night again, and once more, Tony was not sleeping. He sat, his back aching, bent over the last missing piece of his final assembly unit. Once he finished this, his suit could be put on in a matter of moments.
"Like it matters now," Tony muttered, rubbing his forehead. The guys had been unconscious for nearly a week. Both had stabilized but neither had shown any signs of regaining consciousness. Tony swallowed. Storm had warned him that the damage done to their minds due to the emitter may be permanent.
Tony winced as he pinched his finger and he threw his small wrench across the room, kicking himself away from the robot and swearing. Letting out a long, weary breath, he bent over and rested his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands. He was so sick offeeling helpless.
The door banged open. Tony jerked up, his heart beating faster.
"Tony!" Rogue braced herself against the open door to keep it open, fighting with her crutches, but her face was glowing.
"Sweetheart, be careful," he warned, standing up. "Crutches aren't the most--"
"Logan's awake!" she crowed, her eyes shining. She swiped at them with one hand, but her grin broadened. "Come quick!"
His heart surging, Tony started toward the door. Then, on an afterthought, he turned and snatched up the six sheaths and stuck them in his pocket. After helping Rogue through the door, he hurried after her to the ICU.
VVVVVVVV
"Hey. It's the Tin Man." Logan's dark eyes hazily searched until they found Tony's face. Tony couldn't keep from smiling.
"Hey, Logan. How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck, so..." he glanced up at Rogue, a smile of his own tugging on his mouth. "Not bad."
She laughed in sheer relief, not taking her eyes from him. Tony cast a critical eye over Logan's form. He didn't know about the wounds under the bandages, but the bruises and burns were gone, the huge cut had left his face, and Logan's hands had returned to normal.
"Amazing," he whispered.
"Hey, Marie," Logan's voice came out hoarse, and he cleared his throat. "I'm freezing."
Her smile became brighter.
"I have your blanket."
His gaze softened.
"Good."
"I'll get it."
"Let me get it," Tony offered.
"No, it's okay," Marie said hurriedly, and Tony realized that she was delighted to finally be able to do something for him. She made her slow way past them to the door, eased it open and left. Logan cleared his throat again.
"So did you ever think I wouldn't make it?"
"Nah," Tony waved it off.
"Not even for a second?"
"Nope." Tony shook his head. "In fact, I was so sure that you'd wake up that I made you these." He stuffed his hand in his pocket and pulled out the six sheaths. He lay them out on the bed, and picked on up, holding the glinting metal between his thumb and index finger so Logan could see. Logan's eyes narrowed.
"What are they?"
"They're kind of...sheaths for your claws," Tony explained, turning the one in his hand. "They'll have to be surgically implanted inside your hands of course, but that shouldn't take too long with your incredible abilities," Tony grinned wryly. "See, they sit in here like this, and at the first, barest hint of one claw touching this end--" Tony touched it, and in the same instant, the small, swift sliding sound issued. "And it opens up, immediately letting your claw slide through your hands smoothly, without tearing up your muscles and tendons. And this part," he tapped the opposite end. "Stays out of your skin just a little bit, so that you're not constantly reopening your outer layer of skin."
Logan slowly lifted a hand and took the sheath from Tony, gazing at it intently.
"And the coolest part," Tony went on. "Is that they're made of the same metal that my armor is, which means..."
Wolverine half cocked an eyebrow.
"What?"
Tony canted his head.
"It means that they're extremely durable, but if they ever malfunction, one: I will personally buy you a new truck, and two," he grinned smugly. "Your Adamantium blades can cut right through the closing device, still allowing your claws to come out."
Wolverine snorted.
"It also means I'll be part Iron Man."
Tony's eyebrows went up, suddenly uncertain.
"Um...I suppose you could look at it that way."
Logan smiled crookedly.
"I guess I'm okay with that."
"Good," Tony nodded, trying to hide his sincere relief. "'Cause I'm not making different ones."
VVVVVVVVVVV
In a matter of minutes, Rogue returned, bringing with her an overjoyed Pepper, Storm, Angel and Beast. They all greeted Logan warmly, carefully shaking his hands and teasing him about lying down on the job. None of them would have noticed the small groaning noises coming from the other side of the room if Angel hadn't said anything.
"Look!" he turned, his wings flapping once. "Peter's waking up too!" He swiftly stepped over to Parker's left side. Tony hurried around Logan's bed, joining Pepper at the foot of the younger man's, and the other X-Men fell in right behind them.
Peter's brow furrowed, and his eyelids fluttered. Very slowly, he eased his eyes open, squinting up at the young man standing right by his bed.
"Am I dead?" Peter whispered. No one laughed. Any one of them might have thought so if a shining young man with vast feathered wings and encircled in a halo of brilliant light was there to greet him when he woke. Angel's vibrant eyes shone as he grinned.
"Not quite, Pete," he assured him, offering him his hand. Peter's face cleared of its bewilderment at the sound of the familiar voice and he smiled, reached up and grabbed Angel's hand. Angel gripped it firmly.
"Welcome back to the land of the living."
TBC
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