Chapter 29: The Aftermath
Silence echoed across the street as the groups stared at each other. My hitching breaths was the only thing that broke the deafening silence, before Tony spoke.
"Let the girl go, and no one else needs to get hurt.' I had never heard his voice so cold before. I feel the man holding me laugh.
"Oh no. I think I'll hold onto the pretty little lady while we have a civilised conversations of me getting what I want from you." His grip on my hair tighten, making a small yelp of pain escape my lips.
A low growl comes from Bucky as his grip tightens around the gun in his hand. Tony raise a hand to keep Bucky in place.
"It's hardly a civilised conversation when one is holding a knife to throat of a child!" growls Tony, the eyes of the Ironman suit flashing.
"That is true. But, I just need to hold on to her as insurance of getting out of this conversation alive. After all, you have taken down almost all of my men," His grip on my hair lessens a bit as he takes the blade away from my throat to gesture to the fallen men. I take the chance to look at Steve, Bucky and Tony. They were all keeping their eyes fixated on the man in black. Then I see Bucky glance at me, he gives me a small nod trying to reassure me. I take a choking breath before the bite of the cold blade is back against my throat. I whimper quietly but the man hears it as his grip tightens once more. Pain radiating through my head, making me cry out again.
Tony takes a step forward.
"Ah that's far enough Stark. Any closer and the girl gets it." The man threatens, the blade harder against my throat. Tony stops in his tracks, and raises his gauntlet.
"What is it you want? Tell us and let the girl go!"
"All I want is for the good Captain to come with me. Without putting up a fight that is. And while I have you here, so money wouldn't hurt either. And I happen to know that you have a lot of that Mr Stark."
Steve stands up straight and walks up beside Tony.
"I go with you and you let the girl go?" He asks.
I try to shake my head to stop him. I wasn't worth it.
"Well, I might just bring the girl along. She seems to be good insurance after all."
Steve shakes his head. "No. I go with you but the girl stays here. I will come without a fight but the girl is let go."
As this goes on, I see Bucky look at Tony before looking at me with a nod. Tony must have whispered something to him. I keep my eyes on Bucky as he discreetly points at me and then puts a hand over his eyes.
With a shaking breathe, I just stare at him. I didn't understand what he was saying. He does it again and mouths "Shut your eyes."
Looking at Tony, he nods with his gauntlet still up and trained on the man. With another shaking breathe I close my eyes and focus on breathing. I trust them to get all of us out of this situation but I didn't want any unnecessary deals to be made because of me.
"The girl is coming with us. The only way she stays is if she becomes nicely acquainted with the blade of my knife." I squeeze my eyes tightly shut at those words as tears begin to run rivers down my cheeks.
"No!" I hear Steve yell. "It won't need to come to that."
"No. It won't come to that at all," I hear Tony growl before a whirl, click and a sound of something slicing through the air. The man holding me lets out a shout of pain as his grip loosens on my and I hear a thump behind me.
I hear Tony, Steve and Bucky walk towards me, metal clanging with every footstep and the man groaned in pain behind me. I didn't dare open my eyes as Tony's metal footsteps stopped in front of me as Steve and Bucky's continue on behind me. A whirling fills the air before I hear Tony speak.
"Open your eyes now Alexis. It's safe."
Slowly, I open my eyes to see Tony kneeling in front of me. I stand frozen before him. Tears still streaming from my eyes making the image blurry.
"I promise you are safe," He reassures as he opens his arms. With a loud sob, I rush and collapse in his arms. Instantly he holds me tight and shushes me. "Hush now, Shortcake. You are safe. Nothing with hurt you now." He repeats this over and over as I sob violently into his shoulder. My panicked breathes increasing every second. I feel Tony push me away from him as my breathing gets more erratic.
"I need you to breath with my darling. You are breathing a bit too fast for my liking and I don't want you passing out on me," Tony says. I try to slow down my breathing but panic has a firm grip on my mind.
"I...I… I can….can't," I sob.
"Yes you can, shortcake. Just copy me alright?" Tony soothes as he takes an exaggerated breath in and let it out.
Slowly, through copying Tony, my breathing slows and the panic subsides from my mind. Tony smiles at me and brushes my hair behind my ear, before something behind me catches his attention and his faces darkens. I go to turn around and see what he is looking at but he catches my cheek and turns me to face him. "Don't look. This is something you don't need to see," he says with a small smile as he stands.
Footsteps come near to them as Bucky comes into view.
"Stay with her," Tony tells Bucky before heading off to where he was staring before. Bucky stands with me and I see his eyes scan over me. "Are you hurt?" he asks, as he scans me.
I shake my head. "No," I whisper, "You protected me from getting hurt from the blast." I look up at him and give him a shaky smile. "Thank you."
He looks stunned at the thanks but gives me a small smile back. "You don't need to thank me. I will always protect you."
It was my turn now to look stunned. "But why-" A yell and sickening thud interrupted me, causing me to whirl around, disobeying Tony. I see Tony standing over the man that held me at knife point with a dark look on his face with his fist raised. Steve stepped in as Tony went to take another swing and held him back. Tony took a step back and shook Steve off before stalking back to Bucky and me. The dark enraged look on his face causing me to shy behind Bucky.
Tony notices me hiding and stops. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he takes a deep breath and walks closer. "I am sorry, Shortcake. I'm just angry at what that man did to you."
I nod and step out from behind Bucky, walking towards Tony who wraps me in another hug. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I rest my head on his chest seeing the pale glow of the arc reactor. "Thank you for saving me," I whisper. His arms tighten around me, as he replies "Always, my dear. I will always save you, and be there whenever you need me."
Pulling back, he looks at Bucky. "S.H.I.E.L.D will be here in a bit to take this guy off your hands. I'd appreciate it if you stayed behind with Steve to keep him and his men contained."His arm tightens around my shoulder, "I'll take this one home before the reporters and all that get on the scene."
Bucky nodded. "Get her home safe," he says as he walks over to Steve. Tony let go of me and walked over to his suit. It enclosed around him and activated. He looked down at me.
"Ready to go for another flight?" he asks, holding out his hand.
I nod and walk to him. I just wanted to get out of this place and away from that man. I wanted to feel safe again.
"Just like before alright Shortcake?"
"Alright."
He kneels down and I wrap my arms around his neck, clinging to him with all my might. Slowly he stands up, and helps me wrap my legs around his waist. With one arm he holds me to him, as he engages the thrusters and we take off to the skies. Once again the wind whistled around me with the chill of the air stinging my skin.
The flight back to tower didn't take long but at the same time it seemed to take a lifetime before I was safely back within the tower. Tony landed on the veranda outside the lounge, and let me down. I watch as the suit detached itself from his body and then fly off.
Placing a hand on my back, Tony ushers me inside, and straight to the couch. Sitting me on the couch, he perches on the coffee table in front of me.
"Are you sure you are alright?" He asks, leaning forward as his eyes scan my face.
I nod. "I didn't get hurt," I whisper.
Tony sighs. "I'm not asking if you are physically hurt, sweetheart. I want to know how you are feeling inside."
I just stare at him. I couldn't answer because I had no idea what I was feeling or if I was feeling anything. "Alexis?" he prodds.
"I don't know." I say as I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know how I feel."
Tony nods and pats my knee. "I understand darling. You are still running on adrenaline, but I want you to know that if you don't feel okay that you can come to me. Whatever the time of day or wherever I am. I will be there for you."
"I know." I give him a slight smile, and get a full one in return.
"Come here, kiddo." He opens his arms to me and I quickly accept it, wrapping my arms around his neck. We cling to each for a moment before I pull away and sit back on the couch. Tony moves to sit next to me as I reach down to take off my boots. Slipping them off, I put them under the coffee table out of anyone's way and then shrug off Tony's jacket that he let me borrow.
Taking a look at it after taking it off, I grimace. The elbows of it are all scuffed up.
"Sorry, Tony," I whisper, as I run my hands over the marks.
Tony looks at me and then at the jacket. He waves his hand dismissively, "It's okay shortcake, I can get another one. Maybe one that actually fits you."
"That would be cool," I grin.
"Now, lets distract ourselves from this horrible turn of events and watch a movie. Pick any movie you want, kiddo."
Suddenly, frantic footsteps echo in the hallway beyond the lounge, getting louder with every step. Loki burst through the doors, his gaze frantic until it finds me.
"Are you alright?" he asks, as he strides towards me.
"I am okay, Loki. I promise," I say as he sits on my other side.
"Are you sure?" he inquires.
"Yes. I promise. I did not come to any harm thanks to Steve, Bucky and Tony," I reassure him.
"So are we watching a movie or not kiddo?" Tony pipes up.
"Can I have a shower first?" I ask, turning to look at him.
"Course Shortcake. We'll watch that movie afterwards," Tony glances at Loki. "Maybe even the God of mischief would like to join. It's an open invite event after all."
Turning back to Loki, I grin. "Will you? I can introduce you to more of disney."
Loki rolls his eyes. "Oh very well, since you asked so nicely."
"Yay," I grin, as I stand up and walk towards the doors to the hallway.
"We will be waiting here for you to return Shortcake. No rush," Tony calls after me as I open the door.
I nod and continue on my way up to my room.