Quick note, 50+ reviews. YES! YES! YES! Not much of an accomplishment, but yes! I'm proud of myself and my lovely reviewers. Let's shoot for 100?

I woke to the sound of thunder and rain bouncing off the window, normally I'd sleep like a sloth in this weather, but for some unknown reason my body didn't want to. And it seems to be the exact opposite for Tony as he quietly snored in a chair next my bed. He was slouched sideways and his head was leaning back against the back of the chair, I'm sure his neck would hurt when he woke.

My mind suddenly began racing and ideas sparked off one another, I quickly grabbed the pen and paper that Pepper had left for me.

I wrote for about an hour before it started to lighten in the room, though rain still poured down. I pulled the blanket off and slipped out of the bed, it was a shock for my legs to walk after two days in bed but they got used to it and I dragged my IV along with me as I walked out of my room and down the hall slowly. I was glad the hospital had given me a top and comfy bottoms instead of that paper thin, well, paper gown. I suspect that would be Tony's doing.

I turned right, then left and I found myself in a hall way of windows over-looking the city and the rainy sky. I leaned my forehead against the window and watched the fat drops of water hit the window, bursting into lines that look like road maps. My breath fogged a circle in the glass and I drew a frowning face and laughed, thinking of that Jason Mraz song.

"Oh, I won't hesitate," I sang softly to myself, "no more, no more...I cannot wait...I'm yours." I giggled and sighed, feeling the dull pain in my chest again, but it subsided slightly and I could handle just ignoring it for the moment. All I could think about was Tony, and how much I wish I were in his mind right now, thinking his calm and soothing thoughts. My mind was a wreck right now, and I couldn't stop thinking for one second, but I had to at least try and collect myself in placid urges.

I began to walk again, wandering around. After thirty minutes I found myself in a lounge room with two old men with cancer spots on their necks and balding heads playing cards, a woman in a wheel chair with hair like a bird's nest and lips a red as an old English Telephone booth (you know, the bright red ones?), and a normal but classy man and woman sitting and reading magazines. The room filled me with this overwhelming sense of depression and sickening exhaust. But in the corner I spied a piano placed against the wall, it has been some time since I've played, but it would be a great way to relax myself.

I sat myself down on the bench and began to play some simple measures for a while, focusing all my energy and attention to the black and white keys, leaving no room for anything gray. I was so determined in teaching myself to play piano, I remember Tony telling me he had done the same when he was younger. I began to play a small tune that came to my mind at the moment, improvising when I needed to.

Suddenly, I felt someone sit next to me on the bench. I continued playing as I looked up and saw Tony sitting next to me. I smiled slightly, his eyes so dark as he looked upon me. His eyes, I loved them.

My eyes shut themselves as my fingers moved over the keys, and a single thought pushed it's way through all the others in my mind.

What if I am going to die?

Tears began to swell up in my eyes, but I didn't let them fall.

My fingers quit playing and I sighed, and watched Tony stand. He led me back to the room but I didn't lay in the bed, I only stood in the middle that small room and the tears fell from my eyes, there was nothing inside of me.

"Hey, hey, Riley..." Tony tried to comfort me, but I flinched away from him and pushed myself against the wall and slid to the floor, clutching my stomach and I cried silently. Tony sat down next to me and held me whispering his strong, optimistic words.

Tony sat, his head in his hands as Pepper told him he needed to leave the hospital and head back to Stark Industries, because he was the CEO after all. Tony shook his head telling her no, and that he needed to be here with her. Tony did leave for several hours yesterday as he was needed in the eastern part of the world.

Pepper sighed in frustration but left quietly, leaving Tony and Riley.

He looked upon her, her orange hair like fire against the white pillow case. She would be going into surgery in an hour, and she'd completely broken down not five hours ago. Tony did his best to calm her, but he didn't know how to calm himself when they would wheel her out of the room and operate on her. He couldn't stand the thought of Riley being cut open, poked, and prodded. But it was the only thing that would save her.

Pulling a few strings, he was able to get her into surgery earlier than they would've normally scheduled her, three weeks and the cancer would have spread far too much to be removed by then.

As the doctor's came in and took Riley to the operating room, Tony began to think of how much his life has changed in the past four months.

He'd been faced with destruction and hell, he realized that who he was was not who he should be, and he met a sharp, red-headed journalist who made him know that it was not impossible for him to actually care for someone more than just signing their pay-check. And to hit such an extreme mental difficulty so sudden, it was overwhelming, so very overwhelming.

Tony thought about how different the situation has put the two in, how different they've become. Tony became the stressful, worrying boyfriend and Riley became the depressed, weak girlfriend. They weren't like that, they weren't like that at all. They were both sarcastic and overbearing, this cancer had de-characterized them, and Tony could not wait until they were back to their normal selves again. And he wasn't going home until Riley could come home with him.

I was 18 again, waitressing at Donny's Cafe. My vision was clear as day as I looked upon the restaurant. My hair was longer and held it's natural curl it used to have, it was bright and rich orange as I smiled into the mirror. I was dressed in the uniform black and a name tag on my left breast telling me I was 'Riley'. And I served the customers, giving them their coffee. I loved talking to them as well, I loved learning about people and how they feel, and it was a pleasure doing it again.

And that's when a tall man with graying hair walked into the cafe. I don't know why he took my interest so suddenly, but something about him seemed so familiar. He walked up to the counter and I smiled at him.

"Hello, how are you today?" He shrugged.

"I've been better," he said, looking up at the menu, "I've never ordered from here before, what would you recommend?"

"Well, on any normal day I would recommend the chilled mocha coffee, but for your day I would say a nice cup of double hot chocolate, I know that always makes my day a little bit better."

The man smiled slightly, I knew that smile... "All right, I think I'll have that, oh, and I'm sure my son would like a cup of coffee too."

"Okay, what kind of coffee? Anything special?"

The man shook his head, "How about you surprise him?"

I smiled, "And your name?" I grabbed a pen and was ready to write on his cup.

"My name is Howard. My son should be in here soon, he just had to get something out of the car." I nodded as I began to mix the chocolate and milk together.

"And what's his name?"

"Tony." I heard a very very familiar voice say. Looking up, I saw Tony, but he was younger and had no facial hair. He winked at me. "I'll have a large white chocolate mocha, whole milk please." He smiled.

"...All right."

I made Tony's father's drink first and handed it to him, he sat down at a table. My young hands began to make Tony's coffee. I poured in the whole milk as he watched me. I slipped on the sleeve and handed it two him, his hand clasping over mine as he stared at me.

"You'll be able to breathe in five...four...three...open your eyes babe...one."

I breathed in suddenly and my eyes shot opened.

I was in my hospital room, and Tony and my mother were looking over me.

"Breathe Riley, breathe." Tony said slowly. I did as he said and I noticed how easily I breathed. I smiled, "Operation went perfectly, babe."

I began to sit up, but my mother stopped me.

"And no standing for a few days either, not until the stitches heal." I nodded my head.

"So...I'm alive."

Tony laughed, "You're alive, and breathing as good as you did the day you were born."

I breathed in, and out. It was...beautiful. Words cannot describe how good it felt to breathe without wheezing, or coughing.

"And angel eyes?"

"Mum?"

"I approve of Tony."

I looked over at Tony and he exclaimed a silent 'yes'. I laughed, and something caught my eye on the stand next to Tony. I looked at it, a pair of yellow aviator sunglasses.

"Where-where did those come from?" Tony turned his head.

"Oh, yeah, some guy named Ralph Steadman came by and dropped them off. Said they were yours."

I smiled and thought to myself that those cannot be the ones...

"Hand them to me."

Tony set them in my hands. I looked on the ear piece and sure enough in small letters were H. S. T. chiseled in sharply. Oh, Hunter...

I laughed slightly, and handed them back to Tony, only he didn't take them.

"Can you set those back?"

"I have a thing, I don't like things being handed to me."

I looked at him, my hand still out stretched. Was he really going to be this way?

"Seriously?"

"Seriously Riley."

I kept my hand out-stretched for about thirty seconds, I held the sunglasses in his face. He sighed and picked them from my hand slowly and set them down. I rolled my eyes.

"So difficult." I said to myself as I sat up slowly. My mom just giggled at us.

A week went by slowly and uneventful, though I have gotten a good start on my book. I had to practically drag Tony from the hospital to go home and take a day off from the hospital.

"I don't want to see you until Thursday, I don't want you to drive by the hospital, I want you to stay home, rest, shower, eat some actual food and I promise I'll be ready to come back with you soon."

And he did, and soon the week was over and Tony and I stood in the elevator, waiting to get to the bottom floor where we'd be faced with thousands of cameras and reporters.

"You ready?" I nodded, breathing in.

I was not happy that this had gotten out into the public and everyone wanted to know how it all went. "Fuck them if they think they're going to get anything out of me." I said, angst running through me. Tony laughed, kissing my cheek.

"My Riley's back."

Ding!

The door opened and we were attacked.

The most beautiful human being on the planet walked me up the steps to his home, holding onto me tightly.

"Tony I can walk myself."

"Yeah, well, I'm not taking any chances." I rolled my eyes.

"I am not going to allow you to treat me like I'm a new born child, Tony."

"I'm aware," he said, while opening the front door, "That's why I'm taking advantage of this moment right now when you are."

"I'm not a child." I huffed, and he only chuckled. "How long was it until I'm able to, you know, be a fully capable human-being again?"

"Ah-uh, six weeks, I think." Tony said as he grabbed two glasses and poured some tea.

This would be a long two weeks, goddamnit.

Well? :)

Also, if you were able to make that connection earlier about the sunglasses, w00t for you!