Tony was still in the garage, trying to keep his mind focused on work until Pepper showed up.
"Sir? Dr. Banner is requesting you at the medbay immediately. It's an emergency." FRIDAY's voice was calm, neutral, despite the panic that Tony felt when he heard her words. He immediately jumped out of his chair, almost knocking it over. He rushed out of the garage and made his way toward the medbay.
When he got there, there was a team of nurses surrounding Evan, headed by Dr. Cho. Something was wrong. Even though Tony couldn't hear through the glass, he could tell that Dr. Cho was stressed, yelling orders at the rest of the staff.
"What happened?" Tony's voice was tight. He could barely get the words out.
"Everything was going fine, but in the last few hours, she's taken a rapid decline. Her heart stopped for a couple of minutes. We had to revive her. We think that her spleen may have ruptured because of the first surgery. We have to perform another surgery. We may have to take it out." Banner sighed and removed his glasses. It was clear that both men were exhausted; too worried to sleep.
"Another one? Can she even handle that in her condition?" Tony threw his hands up, furious. He was furious at Banner for not doing a good enough job, furious at the woman who had shot Evan, and furious at himself.
"I'm not sure. But if we do nothing, she will die. This is the only option we have." There it was. The reality of the situation. There was a slim chance that Evan would make it out of this alive. There was a slim chance that Tony would be able to make things right with her. He ran his hands through his hair.
"If it's the only chance we've got then…" Tony trailed off and Banner nodded.
"Have you told Pete?" He needed to think about the kids first, not himself. Banner shook his head no.
"Don't. I'll go tell him now. He should hear it from me. He shouldn't have to see her like this." Banner nodded his head in agreement. For someone who had sworn off the idea of kids as long as he had known him, Tony's parental instincts were better than most would expect.
Tony entered the room he had set up for Peter, surprised to see that the kid had actually taken his advice and was completely knocked out.
He looked so young, asleep. He always knew they were just kids. That had never been in question. But lately, he had started to see Peter as an equal. It was clear even from the first few times of working in the lab that Peter was incredibly intelligent. Even smarter than Tony was at that age. It had caused him to see Peter as older than he actually was. But seeing him now, asleep, his features relaxed, he looked like a little kid.
He sat on the edge of the bed, hesitant to wake Peter, but knew it was something that had to be done. He put a hand on Peter's shoulder and shook him a bit. Peter immediately shot up, eyes wide. It was clear he had been waiting for something like this.
"What? What happened? Is Evan okay?" Peter's voice rose as stress set in and the sleep wore off.
"There were some complications during the night." Tony sighed contemplating how much he should share with Peter. That was a bad idea, clearly.
"Oh God, is she dead?" Peter's voice wavered and tears flooded his eyes.
"No, no. She's not dead Pete." He placed a hand on the kid's shoulder, trying to keep him calm. He could feel some of the tension release.
"According to Dr. Banner, they think her spleen ruptured during the night and they want to take her in for surgery again." Peter put his head in his hands, trying to think through what this meant. He knew next to nothing about the medical side of science, aside from the occasional first aid knowledge, but still, he knew she was weak and surgery required a certain amount of strength to withstand.
"How long is the surgery?" Peter decided he was going to be there the whole time. He wasn't going to leave her again.
"I'm not sure. A couple of hours?" Tony threw up his hands. He had forgotten to ask for any details. He was too concerned about Pete.
"Can I see her? Can I wait in the medbay at least?" Tony could tell Peter was desperate. Even though Evan was still alive, Tony could tell that believing she wasn't, even for a second, was enough to terrify Peter. Tony felt that fear any time FRIDAY sent him an alert about one of the kids. Or when he had watched Pepper fall into that explosion. That still kept him awake at night.
"I don't know, kid. She doesn't look good. You sure you wanna see that?" Tony knew how important it was to Peter to be close to Evan. The two were practically inseparable, well at least they used to be. But he also knew how much it could affect Peter to see her in the state she was in.
"I want to wait for her, Mr. Stark. In the medbay." Peter pulled the covers back and stepped out of bed. He was in some old exercise wear Tony had put in the drawers here. He walked over to the dresser and pulled out one of Tony's old M.I.T. sweatshirts and pulled it on. Tony stood up while Peter slipped on his shoes. He stood and looked at Tony expectantly. In response, Tony just threw his hands up in defeat and walked through the door, an invitation for Peter to follow.
The two made it to the medbay where Evan was being wheeled out of the ICU and into the OR. Tony and Peter got there in time to see the stretcher pass by them. Evan was as pale as a sheet, her eyes were closed, her dark hair was slicked back with sweat and most of her body was covered with tubes of some kind, including the one that was down her throat. Tony swallowed hard. She was so small. She was practically engulfed in the large hospital gown. He looked at Peter, who had turned pale and had a look on his face like he was going to be sick. Tony realized Peter hadn't seen Evan yet.
Peter watched with horror as Evan was wheeled past him. She looked like she was already dead. She even needed a machine to force her chest up and down, to keep her breathing. Peter had seen her injured before, and she had seen the same from him. Their occupation demanded it. Peter remembered Evan's face when he had seen her after the Vulture had dropped a building on him. He remembered the hitch in her voice when he had called her, telling her he needed to see her. He remembered the acute fear that was written all over her body, her voice, and he knew that he was feeling that, multiplied by 100. They were both well aware that this was always going to be a potential consequence of the job, but neither of them had ever really understood it, even in Berlin. This was completely different.
The doors closed behind Evan and the team of nurses and doctors and then Tony and Peter were alone. Peter could feel the guilt chewing away at him. He couldn't stop seeing her dial his number, hearing her voice as she begged him to pick up; her last hope.
"Sit down, kid. You're shaking." Tony's voice was gentle. Peter hadn't even realized his legs had been trembling, his hands too. He sat down in one of the chairs lining the hall and put his head in his hands. Tony sat next to him, unsure of what to say.
"God. She looked like she was already dead." Peter picked up his head and looked at Tony, looking for some comfort.
"I know. But she's not. She'll pull through. We both know how stubborn she can be." Tony gave a small smile that Peter reciprocated.
"Why would she do this? Have you noticed she's been more and more reckless since Berlin?" Peter's voice strained. It was clear he was looking for answers. Tony looked at the floor. No. He hadn't noticed that.
"I don't know, kid. You two are some of the most altruistic people I've ever met. My guess would be there was someone in danger." Tony sighed.
"It's like she doesn't even care if something happens to her anymore." Again, Tony could hear the strain in Peter's voice. He had his elbows on his knees and he was wringing his hands. Tony could see the tears in Peter's eyes. He sighed deeply, knowing he was probably right. There was going to be a lot to sort out if Evan made it out of this thing.
"Pete… It's not your fault." Tony knew Peter was blaming himself. He was the type of kid who took responsibility for all the world's problems, especially the problems of those closest to him.
"No, Mr. Stark. How can you say that? I told her I would watch out for her. I told her it was just her and me. I told her I would be there. And then I wasn't." The tears that had been resting in Peter's eyes finally fell over, marking two wet tracks down his cheeks. He sniffled and wiped the back of his hand across his face.
"Honestly, I haven't been there for her for a while. She's all alone, you know? No one except me is looking out for her." Again, Tony couldn't meet Peter's eyes. He was right. She really was all alone. No support system. He was trying to figure out what to say to Peter, but he couldn't think.
"And you know she tries to act tough all the time, but these things affect her." Tony nodded. He was able to see that from the first time they met. He spotted it almost immediately because he was struck by how much she reminded him of himself. It was that quality that blinded Tony to the cracks in her surface. Tony saw himself in her. And he had always been fine. He had never needed anyone looking out for him. He thought she was fine, alone.
"Don't you think she knows how I would feel if she… doesn't she know that I care?" Peter's voice cracked and Tony watched as his face crumpled. They had finally gotten to the root of what Peter wanted to say. Peter covered his face with his hands, embarrassed of crying in front of Tony. He just couldn't stop thinking about her dying, dying thinking that he wouldn't care either way.
"C'mon kid." Tony wrapped his arm around Peter and pulled him into his chest. Peter just kept his face in his hands but Tony could feel his body shaking.
"She knows you care, Pete. How could she not?" Tony felt Peter nod, but he knew that he didn't believe him. Tony looked at the ceiling and silently hoped that Pepper was almost here. He didn't know how to deal with grieving children and Pepper had a natural way with people. She was calm, gentle, and maternal. That's what Peter needed right now. Not Tony. All he could do right now was hold Peter and hope that Evan made it out of surgery alright.
Half an hour later, Pepper showed up. She met Tony in the medbay in a dark skirt and blazer with a white shirt underneath and black pumps. Her face was contorted with worry but still, Tony marveled at how put together she looked. Never a hair out of place. Peter was slumped over in one of the chairs, asleep. He perked up though at the sound of Pepper's heels hitting the tile.
Tony met Pepper in the hall, not able to wait until she made it over to him. She embraced him and kissed his cheek.
"How is she?" She asked as she pulled away.
"She's in surgery now." Pepper could hear the worry in Tony's voice and she rubbed a hand on Tony's arm, almost like she was trying to get warmth into it.
She made her way down the hall where Peter was sitting, still waking up.
"Hey, Mrs. Potts." Peter's voice was quiet and dejected and Pepper gave a small smile. All her maternal instincts seemed to perk up when she was around Peter. She treated him as though he was her kid.
"Hi, Peter. How are you holding up?" Pepper sat down next to Peter and put a hand on his back, making circles with it. Peter nodded. The maternal action seemed to render him speechless for a moment.
"I'm okay." His voice was tiny. It sounded so much like a little kid's. Pepper continued rubbing Peter's back and turned to Tony.
"When does she get out?" Pepper checked the small watch on her wrist. It was 4:30 in the morning. Tony checked his watch as well, trying to remember what time it was when Evan was wheeled away.
"She probably has an hour, if not more, left. All we can do is wait." Tony sat down next to Pepper, grabbing her hand. She grabbed back, giving it a squeeze, trying to provide some comfort. Pepper sat there, between the two boys, trying to conceal her own worry; her own fear. The three stayed that way, each lost in their own heads until Dr. Banner walked out of the OR.
Bruce's expression was unreadable. Tony, Pepper, and Peter all stood, anxious about any information they may hear.
"Is she…" Tony gestured with his hand, not wanting to say the word. Bringing the word into the world, making it real.
"No, no. She's alive. The surgery went well and she's in a stable condition." Everyone in the room let out a breath. Peter even felt himself smile. She was alive. Thank God, she was alive. Tony, however, knew Banner too well to think that that was it. He knew there was more.
"But?" Tony's face was still dark. He was more than relieved that Evan was alive, but there was more to this.
"But, we had to remove her spleen completely. The recovery process, while obviously quickened by her advanced healing factor, will still be long and grueling. I'm not sure when she'll be back at full capacity." Banner crossed his arms. He saw as the gears were turning in Pepper and Tony's heads. Peter still had a stupid smile on his face. Banner didn't think he had even heard what he had said. All he had heard was that she was alive and that was enough for him.
"Okay. Okay. But she will recover, correct?" Tony could figure out the rest of it as long as she would be okay in the long run.
"As of now, as long as there are no more unforeseen complications, she should recover." Tony sighed and Pepper pursed her lips. She was already thinking about recovery, living arrangements, and school.
"Okay. Well, we can deal with the recovery. When can we see her?" Pepper stepped forward. It seemed Tony was done listening as well. He heard she was going to recover and that was all that mattered.
"We're keeping her another night in the ICU but if she remains stable I think that you should all be able to see her. She may not be awake for a couple of days, though. It's a hard surgery, especially in the state she was in." All three nodded and Peter's smile grew. All that mattered to him was that Evan was alive and he would get to see her soon. He would get to make things right with her.
"Well, I need to get back in there. I'll let you know if there's anything to report."
"Yeah, yeah, of course. Thank you, Bruce. Honestly." Tony shook Banner's hand and pulled him into a short hug. Banner pulled back and nodded, raising his hand as if to say thank you, and walked back through the doors.
"She's okay," Tony said what they had all been thinking and now Peter wasn't the only one with a stupid smile on his face.
Tony and Pepper, mainly Pepper, had finally gotten Peter to go to bed and get some rest. The kid was going on and on about making sure he was there in case something else happened, but Pepper quickly put an end to it. Despite her generous maternal nature, when she told someone to do something, they did it.
Now, Pepper and Tony were sitting in the kitchen of the compound and Pepper was making a pot of coffee.
"What are you thinking, Pep? I saw the gears turning when Banner was talking to you." Tony yawned and Pepper raised an eyebrow as she took the pot of coffee off the coffee maker.
"Oh really? Because I could've sworn that you heard she would recover and completely tuned out." She pulled two cups out of one of the cabinets and poured the coffee into it. Tony smiled as he watched her put cream and only one spoonful of sugar in one and handed it to Tony.
"Oh, special occasion? I thought I was only supposed to drink that Splendia shit." Pepper smiled at that as Tony took a sip.
"I thought you deserved some real sugar this morning." Pepper took a sip of her coffee, black, and gave a little smile. The two sat in that love for a second, able to forget all that had happened in the past 12 hours. Then Pepper cleared her throat, breaking the trance.
"Banner said the recovery was going to be a process. I know she has an advanced healing rate on account of her abilities, but still, I wouldn't be surprised if it was weeks before she's able to be back out on patrol." Pepper finished her statement with a sigh, leaning against the counter. There were a lot of problems packed into that statement; a lot of plans to make.
"She's not going to be happy about that. She's not going to want to stay." Tony shook his head.
"Well, she's not going back on patrol until Banner allows it and she is definitely not going back to her father's place." Tony was glad that Pepper was here. She had a way of making everything make sense. Tony could never do that. Things like this overwhelmed him. There was a reason Pepper was in charge of Stark Industries and not him.
"That goes without saying. Frankly, I'm not sure I want her going back out on patrol. At least not until we've had a few conversations." Tony leaned back in his chair and Pepper's eyebrows raised. She knew it was for the best but she also knew that Evan was going to resent that with every fiber of her being.
"Pep, you should have heard some of the things Pete was saying about her. That she's getting reckless, she's putting herself in danger without thinking twice. And you know, it's true, if last night was any indication. I didn't notice it at the time, but after Pete said that, I started to realize that the reports I was getting from her were way more aggressive. There were more close calls. She was taking on crimes way out of her league." Tony paused but Pepper knew what he wasn't saying: he should have realized earlier.
"Tony…" Her voice dipped down, warning him against blaming himself. He could not bear the weight of everyone's unhappiness.
"I mean I knew the kid was altruistic to a fault, but she cannot keep doing this. She's fifteen for Christ's sake." Tony took another sip from his coffee. Relishing the warmth in his mouth, in his chest.
"I agree. She needs to know people care about her. You need to make things right with her, Tony." Pepper had not forgotten about what she had said to him on the phone. He did bear responsibility for all this, but that didn't mean it was his fault. It just meant that he was going to have to fix it.
The sun was coming in through the windows illuminating Pepper as she leaned against the counter, the cup of coffee resting in her cupped hands. Tony marveled at the light bouncing off of her auburn hair. He never thought he would stop being grateful for her. He didn't deserve her. He must be doing something right.
"I love you, Pepper." Pepper smiled, clearly a little surprised at Tony's declaration of love.
"I love you too, Ton." The pair stared at each other, taking each other in, as they were washed in the light. Then Pepper broke her gaze and set down her cup.
"I'm going to take a shower and change clothes. I still have a few calls I need to make." Pepper walked over to Tony and kissed his forehead, placing a hand on his cheek. Tony leaned into her touch with a small smile. Then Pepper left, leaving Tony with his cup of coffee and the sun shooting through the windows, illuminating the empty kitchen.
