" it only makes him stronger "

recovery

returning home

The students (apart from the exchange students) were used to the post-events from a pretty high-level event like a school shooting, or an extreme hostage situation.

Loki had been given special 'energy booster' tablets so she wouldn't pass out. Her support shield apparently significantly helped Stephen's, since Carol's blasts were more powerful than they had anticipated. She had managed to stay awake all the way to SHIELD Academy but passed out when they entered the gym hall. She fell asleep on the bleachers as the officials were sorting everything out.

Carol had used a lot of her energy up when she blasted the room apart. The room, turns out, had been built specially to contain even the most powerful bombs. She was also given the special 'energy booster' pills but fell sleep on the ride to SHIELD Academy. She was woken up later to give a statement but ended up being dismissed because she was too dazed.

Sam had been knocked out during the explosion from a bit of concrete skimming his head. He had bled out but it clotted quickly. He'd been immediately driven to the hospital after being released from the basement. He got a mild concussion but otherwise, he was up and chatting with his friends the next day.

Thor had broken his leg due to the falling debris and ended up on crutches. Nothing he was a stranger to. He was taken in the same ambulance as Sam's.

Darcy was fine. She wanted to take the 'energy boost' pills just to see what would happen but Jane held her back.

Jane travelled back to SHIELD Academy with Darcy, taking notes about what happened. She was very distraught but intrigued by the situation. She answered a lot of Darcy's mindless questions.

Val travelled back to SHIELD Academy with a grumpy Natasha. She understood Natasha's annoyance at not being able to help more and was a bit annoyed herself. She was just glad they got Than and Than's dad behind bars. For now.

Natasha was annoyed but she understood why she couldn't go. She went with Val to SHIELD Academy and into the gym hall, giving statements and helped their friends who had passed out from their exhaustion.

Ned had gone back to SHIELD Academy's gym with some agents, anxiously waiting for Peter to arrive with others without being hurt. He helped the others but when the second group returned, safe and relatively not injured, he ran up to Peter and made sure he was okay.

Peter was in mild shock but was okay. He didn't get any bad injuries and his cover as 'spiderman' hadn't been blown yet. He helped Ned and SHIELD with all the processing.

After arriving at the gym, Gamora and Nebula had immediately been taken by agents for questioning and processing. They were fine and were let out quickly. They were relieved about the A'lar family being taken down. They both got angry but worried calls from their parents.

Rocket seemed unscathed but was happy to give statements and helping the agents putting away their weapons. He swears that he didn't mean to 'click off the safety lock and try out the laser gun on the dummy that was lying around'.

When Clint arrived, he immediately looked for Natasha. She was relieved to find he was okay. They talked about what happened. Clint only watched as Natasha was ranting about the chief police and what he had said.

The officials took Wanda into questioning and processing as soon as she came in. After getting her statements, she took the booster pills as she was close to passing out. She hadn't used her powers to this extent before. She fell asleep beside Loki on the bleachers. No one disturbed the couple.

Bucky wasn't doing okay in the aftermath. Steve had to help him in the bathroom and calmed him down. They didn't have to give statements yet. Bucky wished he could tell Steve everything but he couldn't. He could only tell him and the officials what had happened and that was it.

Steve wanted to find where they took Tony but he wasn't allowed. He went to help his friends instead. The atmosphere of the gym was busy but dead. Everyone was tired.

Stephen didn't pass out, even though it was his shield that protected his friends. He was exhausted, yes. He wanted to close his eyes and sleep, but he couldn't. He managed to keep his eyes open, which was a struggle, even after taking one too many of the booster pills. Once in the gym, he wanted to find Tony. They didn't tell him where he was.

It was Stephen. He knew perfectly where Tony was. Even Clint could figure it out. He and a couple of the others (who could still stand) managed to sneak out of the gym and steal a police car to ride to the hospital.

They made a pit stop at Thor and Sam's wards and then headed to the more officially secured wards. They didn't let them in.

Stephen passed out in front of them.

...SceneChange...

Beep. Pause. Beep. Pause. Beep. Pause.

The repetitive sounds of the heart monitor were haunting. The continuous buzz of the other machines didn't help.

Stephen woke up with his muscles aching. His head aching. Everything aching. After stretching his arms and his eyes adjusting, he found he was sitting in a chair in some office. An office with the morning sun shining in. But he could hear the muffled sounds of the machines next door.

In a flash, he was up and at the door, his hands fiddling with the handle. Bad idea, he thought as spots appeared in his sight. He moved too fast.

Click. The door swung open and Stephen limped to the door that was beside the one he had left. As his hand landed on the handle someone called his name. "Stephen," It was Happy.

"Tony," Stephen turned around. He felt lightheaded still. "Is he in there?" his words were almost slurred. Damn this headache.

Happy smiled softly. "He's alright," he wrapped an arm around Stephen as if he were about to faint. "You can see him later,"

"No, I can't, I have to see him now," he managed to choke out, the floor still spinning.

Happy sighed as he walked Stephen away from the room. "He's unconscious right now. He'll be awake later you can see him them,"

As Stephen broke free of Happy's hold and was about to turn around to speak to him (if he didn't lose his balance beforehand), Stephen spotted the man he really didn't want to speak to right now.

Howard Stark.

Stephen didn't say anything but just stared up at the man who had drunkenly told him to stay away from Tony. At the man he knew abused his son. The world seemed to have paused for Stephen. Happy disappeared, the nurses about then disappeared. The room stopped spinning.

"Mr Strange," Howard spoke. He paused as if Stephen would interrupt but Stephen was too tired to say anything. Howard stepped closer to him. "I know I should I apologise about what I said last time,"

Stephen just stared blankly. He felt his hands again. Not now, he told himself.

"I just wanted to say-" but Howard never finished his sentence.

Stephen turned to Happy. "Is everyone else alright?"

"Yes. They should all be at home right now," Happy nodded.

"What happened? I don't really remember." Stephen just ignored Howard's presence.

Happy fiddled with his clipboard. "Your friends found Tony and Than's father. He had taken out Tony's arc reactor with the proper procedures. Luckily Tony was smart so before he passed out he used the remaining of his nanotech to stop the major damages done. He's fine though,"

Stephen looked down. "Thank you. I'll come back later when he's awake," he muttered. Turning around, he walked right past Howard without even glancing at the man.

...SceneChange...

"I can't believe it. We almost die one day and then we've got a math test the next," Clint sighed, shoving books into his locker.

"That's our life," Natasha frowned.

"At least our SHIELD Agent ID's look cool,"

Natasha frowned. "We're barely agents. We're like, 'just in case' agents,"

"Still, better than before. We can technically use the staff room facilities. I'm pretty sure they've got a Slurpee machine in there," Clint pointed out. The two students walked out into the gardens and met up with the group in their usual spot.

"Hey," Steve smiled.

Those who needed to take the energy booster pills or went to the hospital weren't at school today, but everyone else was. Although, Nebula and Gamora weren't. They got taken out of the exchange program by their parents so they could go and say 'f*ck you' to the A'lar family in the next state. They were upset about leaving but glad that it was so they could properly get 'legally' mad at Than.

"Math's sucked," Clint stated.

"What did you get for question 4? I got 42," Bucky asked.

"42? I got 344," Natasha frowned.

"I got 7 square-rooted," Val pouted.

"I got 21 over 5," Rocket shrugged. "Maybe we did a different test,"

"Maybe they'll go easy on us," Steve grinned.

"The answer was %100 36, I just did it now," Jane showed them her working out.

"Damn it," Clint rolled his eyes.

"Hey, did anyone get to see Tony after yesterday?" Darcy asked, curious.

"No, we got to the wards and they didn't let us in. Stephen then passed out," Steve replied. "I don't think anyone's seen him yet,"

"I hope he isn't in a too bad of a shape," Natasha sighed.

"Tony hasn't had a good year has he?" Peter said, "Got shot last term and now this,"

"It only makes him stronger,"

Stephen walked into the room. It was the afternoon and he had rested so nothing really hurt anymore.

"You have ten minutes," The nurse said before leaving.

"Thanks," Stephen walked to the side of the bed and just looked at Tony.

Tony was somewhat awake. His eyes sort of flinched opened than flickered open. "Stephen?" His voice croaked.

"It's me," Stephen replied after a pause. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible," Tony smirked before regretting it. It hurt. "Hm, that hurts,"

"Then don't laugh," Stephen automatically said.

"Didn't think of that, genius," Tony managed to reply. "Plus I'm looking at your face, it's pretty hard not to laugh at that joke,"

"Wow," Stephen fell into a smile. "But you love this face so much you've kissed it,"

Tony frowned as much as he could without it hurting in response. "Hm really? I don't remember it's been so long,"

"Really?" Stephen looked down at him.

"No," Tony whispered. "I said that so you can kiss me again to refresh the memory,"

Stephen sat on the chair next to him and placed his hand on Tony's. They were cold. "Only if you answer a question,"

"Alright," Tony turned his head so he could see Stephen.

"Can this be our first kiss being a real couple," Stephen asked in a whisper as well, getting closer so Tony could hear.

Tony stared into Stephen's eyes softly. After some silence, he replied; "As long as you tell everyone I asked you out not the other way around. I have a reputation to keep,"

Stephen broke into a smile again. "Mm," was his reply before leaning into the kiss. And this time it was a real kiss. No awkward tension between them, heated anger didn't leave their tongues and no interruptions.

Except that Stephen broke the kiss to laugh.

"What?" Tony frowned, blushing.

"Your heart-rate monitor," Was all Stephen could say.

Tony wasn't amused but he smiled anyways while still blushing. The monotone beeps had increased.

"If it keeps going the nurses will think you're dying," Stephen was still laughing.

"Shut up," Tony huffed.

hEY kiddos,,, this is teChniCaLLy the last chapter,,, but await an epilogue in a few days time TwT this has definitely been a long journey so thanks for sticking by

thanks/DJ