Chapter 21
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February 5th 2005
About three months have passed since Melinda and Natasha's mission in Russia and in that time Peter has celebrated his fourth birthday. It's a Saturday afternoon and while Melinda is on a mission with Phil, Clint, Natasha, and Maria Tony, Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter are home together, all four of them in the lab as Bobbi and Daisy are working on their homework, Peter is colouring in and Tony is working on his designs.
"Dad, I have a question." Bobbi says, feeling confused about what she is doing.
"Sure, what is it?" Tony asks, trying to make sense of something in his designs, so he doesn't look up, but yet he is paying complete attention to Bobbi.
"Water is released during polymerisation reaction. Which monomer is likely to have been involved in the reaction?" Bobbi asks her father curious.
"Glucose." Tony answers, without even needing to think about it.
"Thank you." Bobbi says, a little amused that Tony just gave her the answer, but she isn't going to admit that, as usually he gives her the process, which he makes sure she understands, and then helps her figure out the answer on her own.
"No problem." Tony says, "Why is this not connecting?" Tony mutters to himself.
"Mr Stark-May Agent Coulson and Agent Barton are here they need to talk to you." JARVIS says.
"Okay, I'll be right there." Tony says, feeling concerned as Melinda should be with them, "Little Bird, can you keep an eye on your brother and sister?"
"Sure Dad." Bobbi answers, reaching the same conclusion that Tony has reached, that Melinda should be with Coulson and Clint.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." Tony says, before leaving.
After leaving the lab Tony heads straight to the living room, and honestly he can feel his sense of dread rise with every step, and seeing Coulson and Clint, who are clearly trying to hide something, makes that senses of dread even worse.
"Please tell me she's alive." Tony says, a level of desperation in his voice, as he looks between Coulson and Clint.
"She's in surgery." Coulson answers, feeling like he doesn't even have to say that Melinda is hurt, "At a S.H.I.E.L.D medical facility in Zurich." He explains.
"What happened? How bad is she hurt?" Tony asks, his voice breaking.
"We were on mission, I can't say where." Clint explains, "Things went south, there was an explosion." He reveals.
"May got some serious shrapnel injuries. She was in bad shape when we left Zurich." Phil explains.
"Nat and Maria are with her, waiting for news, and Fury gave permission for you and the kids to come to the facility." Clint explains, and Tony just stands in shock, and horror, as he digests everything he is being told.
"Tony?" Phil asks concerned, "Did you hear what we said?" he asks.
"Yeah." Tony confirms, "I'll go get the kids." Tony says, wiping his eyes and puling himself together as he knows he can't full apart around Bobbi, Daisy and Peter, even though he may want to.
"If Mels doesn't make it…." Clint starts to say.
"I know." Phil says, not needing Clint to continue.
After leaving Coulson and Clint Tony walks back to the lab, and when he walks in he finds Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter exactly where he left them.
"Little Bird, Tiny Toni, Kid." Tony says, walking over to them.
"Dad?" Bobbi and Daisy ask.
"Uncle Tony?" Peter asks, as Tony pulls a chair over and sits down near all three of his children.
"Something happened to Mom, didn't it?" Bobbi asks, looking at her father.
"Yeah." Tony confirms, sounding sad, "Uncle Clint and Uncle Coulson are here because Mom was hurt on a mission, she's been taken to a S.H.I.E.L.D medical facility in Switzerland."
"We're going there, right?" Daisy asks, looking upset.
"Right." Tony confirms, "Bobbi, Daisy, go pack a bag each, some clothes and important things you want to bring with you" he explains, "Bobbi, help your sister when you're done, I'll help Peter." Tony explains, also planning on making one phone call as he does.
"Yes Dad." Bobbi and Daisy say and they both head out of the lab.
"Come on, Kiddo." Tony says, picking up Peter and the two of them head out of the lab too.
A few hours later Tony, Phil, Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter are on a jet to Switzerland, with Clint flying, and thanks to the speed of the jet they will be landing in Switzerland much sooner than they would had they been trying by any other jet other than a Stark one.
"Bobbi, is Aunt May okay?" Peter asks his big sister in a quiet voice as he is sitting between his sisters.
"I don't know, Pete, I don't know." Bobbi admits as she puts her arm around her little brother, and as she does Tony's phone rings.
"Romanoff? Has something happened?" Tony answers, having checked the caller ID.
"She's in still in surgery. The doctors just gave us an update." Natasha explains, knowing that she will likely have to be patient with Tony.
"What did they say? How is she?" Tony asks, speaking fast and it is clear to Natasha that he is close to losing it, even if he is trying to be strong.
"They say she's in critical condition. The shrapnel has caused internal injuries to Linda's liver and kidney, as well as having a collapse lung, and broken ribs, they are trying to repair all the damage." Natasha explains.
"Did they say what her chances are?" Tony asks worried.
"No but using S.H.I.E.L.D medical tech increases her chances." Natasha explains, wanting to say what she can to help Tony.
"Okay." Tony says, honestly not sure what else to say.
"I'll call you if there is another update." Natasha says.
"Thanks." Tony says, before hanging up.
"Is Mom okay?" Daisy asks, looking concerned.
"She's still in surgery. Aunt Nat says that the doctors are doing what they can." Tony explains, as while Bobbi doesn't call Natasha 'Aunt' Daisy and Peter do.
"Is that good?" Peter asks, looking concerned.
"Yeah, it is." Tony says, knowing that things could go bad, but for the moment the fact that Melinda is still in surgery and the doctors are doing what they can, is a good thing, as everyone on the plane drift into silence.
A little while after Natasha called Tony Clint lands the plane at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Trauma Zentrum, and once they landed Clint and Phil lead Tony, Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter, who Tony is carrying, to where Natasha and Maria are waiting.
"Have there been any more updates?" Tony asks, the second he sees Natasha and Maria.
"Not yet." Maria answers.
"How are none of you hurt?" Tony asks, as Bobbi gently takes Peter from Tony and takes him and Daisy over to the seats, looking between the other agents who seem to have some minor injuries but nothing close to what Natasha described Melinda's injuries to be.
"Mels protected us." Clint says, guilt in his voice, "Took the blunt of the explosion in the process."
"Of course she did." Tony mutters, not overly surprised, as he walks over and sits down with his kids.
For about an hour Tony sits with his kids, and is joined by Rhodey who got permission to fly in from where he was in the Middle East, waiting for new. While he just sits and waits for news Bobbi and Daisy read with each other while Peter naps on his lap, and Rhodey watches him in concerned, as he tries, and fails, to make it seem like that's not what he is doing.
"Tony, that's the doctor." Phil says, seeing a women walk towards them, and Tony quickly, but carefully moves Peter of his lap and stands up, and gives Bobbi a look telling her to stay with her siblings.
"How's Mel?" Tony asks, walking over to the doctor, with Rhodey who is right by his side.
"Mr Stark?" The doctor asks, clearly surprised, and confused.
"It's Stark-May, Melinda May's my wife." Tony quickly explains, "How is she?"
"Agent May is in recovery, she's stable." The Doctor explains, to Tony's great relief, in fact he is so glad that he quickly hugs Rhodey before turning back to the doctor, "Agent May has four broken ribs, a collapsed lung that has been repaired, shrapnel damage to her liver and kidney, both of which have been repaired, though we did need to resect a lobe of her liver, and she also sustained blood loos which has been replenished." The Doctor explains.
"She'll be okay, though, right?" Tony asks, his relief vanishing as he becomes more worried.
"She should completely heal, and the removed part of her liver will regenerate with time." The Doctor answers.
"That's great." Rhodey says, looking between Tony, and Clint, Natasha, and Phil who are looking about as relieved as Tony.
"Thank you." Tony says, looking relieved, "Can our kids and I see her?" Tony asks.
"Of course." The Doctor answers, "She won't wake for a few hours though." She reveals.
"Okay." Tony says, walking over to where Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter are sitting, Peter having woken up, being pretty sure that Bobbi would have heard everything, even if her siblings didn't.
"How's Mom?" Daisy asks, looking concerned.
"She's out of surgery, she's going to be okay." Tony says, looking relieved, and Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter look just as relieved as he feels.
"Can we see Aunt May?" Peter asks curious.
"Yeah. Come on." Tony tells his kids, and all four of them stand up and head out of the waiting area, the doctor leading them to Melinda's room. Leaving Rhodey, Phil, Clint, Natasha, and Maria who are just looking thrilled that their friend is okay.
A couple of minutes after Tony, Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter are shown into Melinda's room where Melinda is lying still in a bed, connected to the machines that are monitoring her, and the IV's that are helping her.
"Mommy?" Daisy days, her voice breaking, sounding both scared and upset, and so Tony squats down a little, as Bobbi walks over and sits down next to her mother.
"It's still your Mom, Tiny Toni." Tony assures his daughter.
"It doesn't look like it." Daisy says, sounding afraid.
"I know, you should listen to this too Peter." Tony says, and Peter looks to him, "All those tubes and wirers are helping your Mom they're helping her get better." Tony explains, looking between Daisy and Peter as he speaks, "But if you think it's too scary you both can go sit with your Uncles, Aunt Nat, and Maria." Tony says, Maria being someone that none of them call Aunt.
"I want to stay." Daisy answers, after a moments pause.
"Same." Peter confirms.
"Okay." Tony says, and once he does he, Daisy, and Peter walk over and sit down around Melinda as well, Tony taking Melinda's hand as he sits down.
For a few hours Tony sits with Melinda, in those few hours Rhodey, Phil, Clint, Natasha, and Maria all take turns coming into check on them, and Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter all fall asleep, something which doesn't surprise Tony.
While all his kids fall asleep Tony stays wide awake and just goes between staring at Melinda and staring at the machines that are monitoring Melinda. Finally, after what feels like a lifetime, Tony feels Melinda's hand moves in his.
"Mel, can you hear me?" Tony asks, "Open your eyes Baby, come on, just open them." Tony begs.
"Tony." Melinda says, opening her eyes.
"Hey." Tony says, feeling beyond relieved as Melinda looks to him.
"What happened?" Melinda asks.
"You protected your team from an explosion." Tony explains, "You've really got to stop being a hero." He says.
"I'm not a hero." Melinda tells Tony, "But I'll never stop protecting my team." Melinda says, "You know that."
"Yeah, I do." Tony admits, even though he may wish otherwise sometimes, as he pushes Melinda's hair out of her face, "I love you Mel." Tony says, before leaning forward and kissing her.
16th April 2005
Over two months have passed since Melinda was hurt, and in that time her injuries have healed, and as of a week earlier she is back on normal duty.
It is a Saturday afternoon and Daisy and Peter are together in the living room of the apartment while Bobbi is doing homework in he room and Melinda and Tony are both in the lab, Tony working on something while Melinda is doing paperwork.
Sitting on opposite parts of the very large couch, Daisy and Peter are hitting a balloon back and forth, clearly playing volleyball with it.
"My point!" Daisy says, as Peter misses a hit and the balloon hits the floor.
"I know, I know." Peter says, looking at his sister in annoyance, and he hits the balloon back at Daisy.
For the next few minutes Daisy and Peter continue to play together, hitting the balloon back and forth, both gaining a few more points. As the siblings continue to play they become more competitive, and so as his sister has hit the balloon at her in a way that is really difficult for him to catch, Peter dives forward, and tries to hit it, but fails and instead falls of the couch and hits the coffee table.
"PETER." Daisy yells in terror, "JARVIS, GET MOM AND DAD." Daisy says, sounding terrified, as she hurries over to her brother, "Peter, Pete, talk to me. Are you okay?" Daisy gets to her brother,
"Daisy?" Peter asks, crying and bleeding as he cut his arm om the table.
"Peter, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Daisy says, sounding worried, as she gets to Peter's side.
"What happened?" Melinda asks as she and Tony run into the room.
"We were playing…. Peter was hurt." Daisy says, looking upset, moving back from her brother, as Melinda walks over to pick up her son, while Tony walks over to Daisy.
"It was an accident, Tiny Toni, it's okay." Tony assures his daughter, seeing how upset she is.
"Peter's hurt." Daisy says, looking upset.
"I'm okay, Daisy." Peter assures his sister.
"See, Peter's okay." Tony tells Daisy, "You two were playing and there was an accident, accidents happen, it's okay." Tony assures his daughter.
"Your Dad's right." Melinda says, looking at Daisy, "It's okay, it's not your fault." She assures Daisy, "Let's go get a band-aid." Melinda tells Peter, and the two of them head out of the living room.
"Dad does Peter hate me?" Daisy asks, looking at Tony, looking worried.
"Of course not." Tony says, putting his arm around Daisy, "Peter's your brother, he loves you, could never hate you." Tony assures his daughter and the two of them hug, it being clear that Daisy still feels guilty for the accident.
May 6th 2005
Almost three weeks have passed since Peter accidently got hurt while he and Daisy were playing, something which she has felt guilty about ever since, but that guilt hasn't stopped her from playing games with Peter.
It is early Friday morning, and Bobbi is fast asleep, or she is until she is woken up by her siblings jumping on her.
"Daze… Pete?" Bobbi asks confused, as she opens her eyes.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Daisy and Peter yell as Melinda and Tony walk into Bobbi's room carrying a birthday cake, and Bobbi notices that her Dad is also carrying a large present.
"Thanks Guys." Bobbi says, smiling at her sisters.
"Happy Birthday to you…" Tony starts to sing, "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Bobbi, Happy Birthday to you." Tony, Melinda, Daisy, and Peter sing, and once they finish singing Tony and Melinda put the cake, which is on a tray, on Bobbi's lap, and she quickly blows out the candles, as Melinda and Tony sit down on the bed too.
"Thanks Mom, Dad." Bobbi says, smiling at her parents.
"Happy Birthday Bobbi." Melinda says.
"Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Little Bird." Tony says, smiling at her, looking proud.
"I'm not so little anymore, Dad." Bobbi says, to her father.
"You'll always be my Little Bird." Tony tells his daughter.
"And my little girl." Melinda adds, and Bobbi just smiles, feeling completely touched.
"We should eat the cake, it looks really good." Daisy comments.
"It really does." Bobbi says.
"Yep." Peter confirms.
"Once we eat there are presents downstairs, and once you get home from school, and for the rest of the weekend we're going to do whatever you want." Tony explains to his daughter.
"Sounds good to me." Bobbi admits, knowing what she wants most is to spend time with her family.
"Like your Dad said all your presents are downstairs, but we wanted to give you this one first." Melinda says, and Tony hands Bobbi the present he is holding over, as Melinda moves the cake so that Bobbi can open the present properly.
Taking the present for her father, and feeling curious about what it is, Bobbi quickly unwraps the gift and inside she finds a large wooden chest, with carved on the front, "M. Stark, Dad's Mom." Bobbi says, looking between her parents, as she runs her name over the name.
"Yep." Tony confirms, as Bobbi opens the chest, "Dad was the famous scientist, but she was amazing too." Tony explains, as Bobbi finds a lab coat, microscope and other scientific tools and equipment, "So with you being a biology degree at college your Mom and I thought you might like that. All the equipment is in perfect working condition even if it's a bit old." Tony explains, as he made sure of that.
"I love it." Bobbi says, looking amazed, knowing how much of a big deal it is for Tony to part with something that belonged to his mother, "Thank you." Bobbi says, looking between her parents and feeling touched, "I love you guys so much." Bobbi says, smiling to her parents.
"We love you too." Melinda and Tony say.
"Us to!" Peter tells his sister, hugging her.
"Yep, me too!" Daisy confirms hugging her sister, and for a few minutes the three Stark-May siblings hug each other and once they break apart all five members of the Stark-May family proceed to eat Bobbi's birthday cake together.
June 17th 2005
Over a month has passed since Bobbi's eighteenth birthday and the day of her high school graduation has come. Alone in her room Bobbi is getting ready, and as she gets ready she is just standing and staring at her mirror when she hears a knock on her door.
"Come in." Bobbi says, and as she does her parents walk into her room, "I'm almost ready." Bobbi reveals.
"It's okay, take your time." Tony assures his daughter.
"How you feeling?" Melinda asks her daughter curious.
"Excited." Bobbi admits, "And a little sad."
"I can't imagine that, I was happy to finish high school." Melinda comments.
"Same." Tony adds.
"Well in all fairness Dad, you were fifteen when you finished high school, and Mom, you were going straight into S.H.I.E.L.D. You had things to be excited for." Bobbi explains.
"So, do you." Tony tells her, "Bobbi you've got accepted to one of the most prestigious colleges in the country, and you're going to be going there with your two best friends, it's something to be excited for." Tony tells her, as Bobbi, Sharon, and Trip all got accepted to, and decided to attend, the same college.
"Yeah, guess it is, but I still have no idea what I want to do with my life." Bobbi explains, as while she does have one idea, she's not sure she can bring herself to admit it.
"You've got plenty of time to figure it out." Melinda says, walking over to her daughter, "Enjoy today, you earned it." Melinda explains, "I'm so proud of you."
"Thanks Mom." Bobbi says, smiling at her.
"We both are, and you should be too, you have a lot to be proud of." Tony tells Bobbi, walking over to her too.
"Thanks Dad." Bobbi says, before she just hugs her parents.
A couple of hours Bobbi's graduation has begun and Melinda, Tony, Daisy, Peter, Rhodey, Pepper, Happy, Coulson, Clint, Natasha, Maria, William, Lian, Peggy, Trip and Sharon, the ladder two having already had their gradations, are sitting together watching with proud looks on all of their faces.
"Barbra May Susan Morse." The officiant says, Melinda and Tony having arranged to have Bobbi be announced by that name rather than Barbra Susan Stark-May, and as soon as Bobbi's name is called Melinda and Tony stand up and cheer both looking incredibly proud and having tears of joy in their eyes as they watch their oldest daughter receive her diploma.
July 1st 2005
Two weeks have passed since Bobbi graduated high school, and because it is a hot day Bobbi, Melinda, Daisy, Peter, and Tony are on the roof of their apartment swimming in their pool.
As they both love it Bobbi is throwing, using her powers but still being careful, both her siblings into the water as their parents are watching on in amusement, both completely trusting Bobbi and knowing that she will never intentionally hurt her siblings.
"I know that look." Melinda says, looking at Tony, who's staring at her, "What are you thinking?"
"That you're the beautiful woman I've ever known." Tony says, completely meaning that, as he leans forward and kisses Melinda, a kiss she happily responds to.
"You don't look so bad yourself." Melinda comments, as they break apart, and she puts her arms around Tony's waist, pulling him in close.
"I'm better than not bad and you know it." Tony tells Melinda, who gives him an amused look.
"What else you thinking?" Melinda asks, curious, being pretty sure that Tony is thinking something else.
"That we have an amazing family." Tony comments, as he looks over at his kids.
"We really do." Melinda confirms, smiling at her kids too, completely agreeing with Tony.
"MOM, DAD. COME JOIN US." Daisy yells, and after exchanging amused looks that's exactly what they do both Melinda and Tony knowing that with their kids is their favourite place to be.
July 17th 2005
Over two weeks have passed since Tony, Melinda, Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter had fun in the pool together, and since Daisy turned nine the day after, and for most of those two weeks Sharon and Trip have been staying at the Stark-May apartment.
It's a Sunday evening and Melinda and Tony are both in Tony's lab, while Tony is working on his newest inventions Melinda is siting cross legged on one of his benches doing her paperwork, honestly preferring to sit in Tony's lab to do her work rather than her office.
As Tony and Melinda work the door opens and Bobbi, Sharon, and Trip walk in.
"Um, Mom, Dad. Can we talk to you?" Bobbi asks.
"Sure, what's up?" Tony asks.
"We wanted to ask something." Bobbi explains.
"As long as it's not asking if you can go out so that you can sneak off to a party again, go ahead." Melinda says.
"It's not." Trip assures his aunt.
"Then ask away." Melinda tells them, as she looks up and looks between the three eighteen-year old's.
"So, Antoine and I have been talking, you know how we both, like Bobbi, got into Empire State?" Sharon asks.
"Yeah, did you decide not to go?" Tony asks, looking between the teenagers as last he knew they were all excited.
"No, we're still going." Trip confirms, "Sharon and I were talking because we were wondering if, rather than having to pay for dorms or trying to find an apartment, we could move in here during the school year." He explains, looking a little nervous, and once he asks Melinda and Tony exchange looks, bit being clear that they are thinking the same thing.
"Of course." Melinda answers.
"The spare rooms have practically been yours for years anyway." Tony adds.
"Thanks Aunt Melinda, Uncle Tony." Sharon, and Trip say together, looking glad.
"You don't have to thank us, we're happy for you to be here." Melinda explains.
"This is going to be great." Bobbi says, looking between her two best friends, "Let's go tell Daze and Pete." She says, and she, Sharon, and Trip head out of the lab.
"So guess this place is going to be a busier from now on." Melinda comments, once the three teenagers leave.
"Come on Mel, it's Sharon and Antoine, you love every second of when they are here." Tony comments, as knows Melinda loves spending time with their niece and nephew, and she loves how happy it makes Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter when they are around.
"You do to." Melinda responds.
"Never said I didn't." Tony admits, and the two of them drift into silence as they continue doing their work, both feeling like the more people they consider family around the better, especially because they never want Bobbi, Daisy, and Peter to feel as lonely as they did when they were kids.