Two months ago
"Mr. Rogers," the doctor said.
"Yes sir?" I asked. His expression was grim.
"I'm afraid I have bad news. The damage to Nights' brain is getting worse. She's not even capable of working her vital organs anymore. She's approaching brain death."
The coffee I was holding fell to the floor. Natasha had forced me to go sleep for a few hours in the hotel room that she had gotten and I was on my way back to relieve her. The doctor had met me on the way.
"When did this happen?" I asked.
"Over the night. She gave us all quite the scare. It was a steady and progressive decline. We've increased the permeolycine dosage and that seems to have stopped the progression but I don't know for how long. Mr. Rogers, I hate to say it, but if things keep going like this Nights won't live for much longer, comatose or not."
I nodded, leaning against the wall for support. "Thank you doctor," I said.
"I'm very sorry," he said, before walking away. I took a moment to gather myself before walking into Nights room, finding Natasha, Clint, Banner, Sam and Tony inside, their expressions grim.
"Do you really think she won't make it?" Sam asked. I shook my head and leaned against the wall, tilting my head back before moving it to look at the people in front of me.
"I have no idea," I said. Tony nodded.
"Banner, come with me," he said.
"Um, okay?" Banner said, leaving the room with Tony.
"It'll be okay Steve," Natasha said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"No," I said. "I don't think it will be."
One month ago
We had had Nights moved back to the East Coast. She had been doing fine for a few days so we moved her fast as we could. As soon as we did though, her condition began to deteriorate again. She had been declared brain dead two days later. That was three days ago.
Tony and Banner hadn't been seen since that night a month ago. I didn't know what they were doing and I didn't want to. I spent my days with Nights, holding her hand and talking to her, watching movies and listening to music as well as reading what I had missed while in the ice. Sometimes I'd almost think I saw a slight change in her expression but it was just my imagination.
Natasha came and relieved me sometimes and Sam and Clint came to visit quite frequently. When Sam and Clint came over we played poker, dealing Nights in even though she couldn't play. "It's a good thing she can't play. She'd probably beat all our asses," Clint said.
"Probably," Sam agreed.
"I wish she would," I said.
Two weeks ago
I walked with my coffee down the hospital hallway. Natasha had insisted that I get some sleep last night, offering to sit with Nights. I hadn't wanted to but she threatened to break my neck if I didn't. I was on the way back now.
I stopped outside the door. Natasha was talking with someone inside and some heavy equipment was being moved. I opened the door.
A machine thing was on Nights' head, Banner was standing beside her taking notes and Tony was talking to Natasha. "What's going on here?" I asked.
"Steve! What are you doing here? It's only five am," Natasha said.
"I couldn't sleep. Now what are these two doing here and what is on Nights' head?" I demanded.
"It's a special scanner," Tony said.
"What are you scanning for?" I asked.
"Well, if you're gonna ask like that, I don't think I should tell you," Tony replied.
"It's scanning Nights' brain waves and stuff so we can use the information to code something that's going to be able to save her," Banner said.
"What?" I asked.
"Well that's where we've been this whole time. Tony found a prototype from the days when Stark Industries still made weapons that can be implanted in her brain and, in theory, it will allow her to wake up and stop the damage to her brain and stuff," Banner explained.
"You can do that?" I asked Tony.
"In theory," he said.
"What are the chances of it working?" I asked.
"Slim but possible," Banner said. "Enough to legitimize a risk."
"What's the risk?"
"It's not compatible and we accidentally kill her," Tony said. I sighed.
"Which is the bigger chance?"
"Bigger chance that she'll make it. Not necessarily that she'll make it and it'll work, but she should make it. We'd have the best brain surgeon in the world put it in."
"The risk isn't that bad?" I asked.
"It's about normal for an experimental surgery," Tony said. I nodded.
"Do it then," I said.
"Got it. With this information we should be able to get it done within the month. Hopefully the little devil can hold out till then," Tony replied.
"Hopefully," I agreed.
Today
I sat tapping my foot incessantly. "Relax Cap. She's going to be fine," Clint said.
"You sure about that?" I asked.
"It's Nights. She'll be fine."
"If your response to everything is 'It's Nights. She'll be fine,' then why is she in there?" I demanded.
"Steve," Natasha said.
"Sorry," I said, sighing and standing up to start pacing again. Nights had been in surgery for almost twenty four hours now. "How much longer?" I said, stopping to look at Tony.
He pulled the magazine off his head. "I have no idea Cap. It all depends on the wiring and stuff and how hard it is to get into her skull. Last I checked, all her bones were reinforced with titanium so it could be a damn long time," he said.
"Nights' bones are reinforced with titanium?" I asked.
"Yeah, still not sure when it got put in, but that's part of the reason she's not going to grow anymore," Tony said.
"Why is it I'm still learning about the stuff she was subjected to while in SHIELD? Did they use her as a guinea pig for everything new thing that came down the pipe?" I demanded.
"She volunteered for most of it," Natasha said.
"I don't care! They had no right to ask that of anyone, least of all her!" I said.
The sound of something crashing came from the operating theatre. I turned, running to the door. Natasha, Clint, Sam, Tony and Banner followed.
The doctors were holding Nights down as she convulsed, the monitor beeping wildly as someone ran for the defibrillator. "Nights!" I cried.
I turned to Tony, grabbing him by his lapels and shoving him against the wall. "What's going on?!" I demanded.
"Ugh, look I don't know! She may be rejecting it or it may just be calibrating! It could even be one of the doctors screwed up or she could just not be able to handle the surgery anymore. I don't know!" he said.
"Steve put him down," Natasha said. I released him and walked away, running a hand through my hair. Please don't let her die! I cried silently, slumping to the hospital floor.
I don't know how long I was there, silently begging the universe to let Nights live. "Mr. Rogers?" an unfamiliar voice said. I lifted my head, looking into the face of the brain surgeon Tony had flown in from Germany.
"Yes?" I asked. He smiled.
"The surgery is over. She's doing well. I don't know whether the device is working or not, that's not my area of expertise, but she's survived the surgery."
Thank you! I said silently. "Can I go see her?" I asked.
"Of course," the doctor said, a smile on his face. I stood up, looking at Natasha, Clint, Sam, Tony and Banner before walking to the room where Nights was. I put my hand on the doorknob and took a breath before opening the door.
Nights was laying against the sheets, pale as the sheets with her head wrapped in bandages. The expression on her face was the same as before. I smiled, walking up to her and taking her hand.
"You did it Nights," I said, sitting beside her. "Now hopefully it'll work and we'll finally see those beautiful silver eyes of yours. Please, let it work Nights," I begged.
And so November has begun! How's it treating you guys so far? Good? Anywho, Halloween has been over for almost twelve hours now, so we get to start listening to Christmas music now, right? Because, I think we totally should start listening to Christmas music now. Hope you liked the chapter, read and review all that jazz, hope you have a wonderful night or day, whatever time it is where ever you are and I will hopefully, maybe see you tomorrow? I've got study questions to do so I may or may not be able to update tomorrow, depending on when I get those done. Anywho review! I know I said that already but Imma say it again. REVIEW! Please.
