Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I make any profit off of the Avengers. All rights belong to the MCU and the Walt Disney Company!
Reviews: I've never had two reviews on the same chapter before, you guys are spoiling me! I really wanted to get this one up ASAP so if their are a few more mistakes than normal I deeply apologize!
lizyeh2000- Oh you're very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to review last chapter and thank you so much for taking more time to leave a review for this Chapter! Seeing the interaction really makes me smile and you're words were so generous, THANK YOU! I hate to burst you're bubble but hopefully this extra long chapter can answer you question of is she's okay or not ;) Thank you for making me smile!
amhowe- HELLO AGAIN! Thank you so much for dropping by and taking the time to leave a review! It made me SO happy to read your words! When I see people wanting more updates I try to get them out fast, but this one just took me so much time so I apologize for that and hope that making this a little extra long was worth the wait! And again thank you so much for the kind words!
WHY
Tony Stark paces up and down the street, thoughts and anger boiling. When that threat came to the tower a week ago he ignored it, then another one came and another. Steve showed up hours later after he received the fourth one, saying one come to the compound. So they did what they always do, try to trace the threat back, have a news conference stating everything was under control and made sure that everyone was aware and ready just incase, they did it all. Yet here he was pacing on the streets after a Hydra jet crashed into the 75th floor of HIS building. Immediately when he saw the jet and then felt the first shake, he sent an Iron Man suit to grab Pepper and fly her to the compound. Knowing she was safe with the only active suit he currently had at the tower, he made his way out, letting the anger grow with each step he took down the stairs until finally he was out the door and on the sidewalk. Squad cars and Fire trucks were already blocking off the road and taking count. Tony immediately found Happy and started damage control. He had the compound locked down then he had the tower damaged assessed, a majority of it was on floors 78 down to 60, he had his own private security ensure that the stairs were clear and everyone was making their way out and then had a game plan put into place with the fire department to help those who couldn't get out.
At one point he was contacted by Nick Fury, however he hug up on him the minute he picked up the phone. The crowds got bigger, but a combination of the private security and the NYPD kept them at bay. Both Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner showed up after securing the compound. They confirmed that Pepper was safe and against her will had gone down to Med to get looked at, Natasha Romanov right behind her to keep her company. Steve had contacted Sam and asked him to come but he was about an hour out. For the most part everything was running as smoothy as it possibly could for the circumstances with Tony spearheading the whole thing,
"Tony!" Bruce called making his way over to where he stood. He had set up a small makeshift head quarters with blueprints and nine different laptops each on had different security footage pulled up of the floors that had the majority of damage.
"Hit me, big and green." Bruce stopped and closed his eyes, he hated when Tony called him that.
"Steve said he's got the last of the injured out and over to the paramedics." Tony pursed his lips and gave a short nod,
"The ones still alive?" Bruce didn't say anything, but both knew their had been death, and a lot of it. Tony could see it on the Security cameras and both Steve and Bruce had seen it when the entered the building, although Brice stayed mostly to the lower levels to anyone that couldn't make it out on their own for any reason. Even Tony's assistant Trish had been hurt. In the rush to get everyone out, she had been knocked down, hitting her head hard enough to fall unconscious. She had been one of the first to be taken away.
"We're doing the best we can." Tony placed his hands into his pockets, he'd taking off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves, dressing nice after Pepper demanded he attend the shareholders meeting. Was the Hydra jet crashing in the building so bad after all? A commotion took his attention away from Bruce and over to where a part of the crowd was getting too loud,
"Happy!" Tony turned to where the man stood, phone pressed against his ear, he made a face and held the phone up. Tony pointed to where the noise was getting louder and louder until finally Happy sighed, hung up, pocketed the phone, and headed over to noise.
"From what I could tell inside the building felt secure." Bruce tried to see the light. "The building's still standing, their was more internal damage than structural damage." Tony gave Bruce a curt nod and looked down towards the blueprints,
"It's fixable, however I don't think New York was ready for a jet crashing into a building again, more importantly my building, these people are-"
"Tony?"
"If people think that they can destroy my home twice-"
"Tony!"
"I am going to shove a rocket thruster so far up their a-"
"TONY!"
"WHAT HAPPY!" Tony turned toward the man hard, "I'M BUSY." Happy's steps were long and fast one hand at his side the other was gripping onto the back of a boys collar dragging him along.
"Happy, why do you have a strange boy with you?" Tony sighed exasperated, they had bigger things to worry about.
"You need to listen to this." Happy forced the boy forward. Only once Tony got a good look at him did he recognize they face in front of him,
"Ted?" He questioned,
"It's Ned sir..Tony Stark Sir, Mr. Iron Man, Mr. Tony Stark Iron-"
"Ya, we get it. I'm great. What are you doing here?" The boys eyes grew wide and he looked up to the building,
"I was wondering where Penny is sir."
"Penny?" Bruce stepped forward and Ned looked as if he needed to change his pants,
"Oh my god...you, sir...do you know who you are, Dr. Bruce Ban-" Tony stepped forward, cutting the kid off with one glare,
"What do you mean where's Penny?" Ned swallowed,
"Well uh...she-"
"Penny wasn't suppose to be here today." Tony stated each word harsh and full of malice, Ned shrunk,
"I know..she...uh...she wanted to talk to you...about what happened between you guys, she told me." It was clear the boy was nervous, his words coming out slow and almost jumbled,
"Where. Is. She?" The superhero pushed out between clenched teeth,
"She..uh...left us in the lobby... the last time I saw here was when she was getting into the elevator." Tony looked up to both Bruce and Happy. It was just then Steve Rogers walked up. He took a long look at everyone, including the new boy,
"What's going on?"
"Penny's still inside."
…
I'm cold, why am I so cold? I pry my eyes open finding everything blinking red. The emergency elevator light...I was falling...no the elevator was falling, somewhere along the that timeline of falling and and now, I blacked out. I swallow and focus on everything around me, although the red light makes it a little hard to see anything, still the view around me isn't great. The elevator has almost complexly caved in, rubble and brick metal lay in front of me on both sides, and it's then that I realizes I'm trapped. What ever happened has caused the elevator not only to fall but almost completely destroy it, glass from the mirror sits around me and when I try to arch my back in the position I'm laying on, I can feel it underneath me too, pocking into my back and tearing into the fabricof my jacket. If Mr. Stark hadn't used shatter proof glass for the mirror, large chunks would have broken off and possible impaled me. I sigh and rest the back of my head on the broken metal that I'm laying on. I try to put together what could have possible happen and the only though I can come up with is an earthquake, but Mr. Stark took that into accountability when he purchased the tower for the first time. Honestly what else could it be? I bring my hand up to my face and then realize I can't,
I turn, my right arm is elbow deep in rubble, it's only then that I become aware of the pain. It all hits me at once and when a deep seeded pain starts at my ankle working it's way up to my knee I realize both my right arm and leg are trapped under the crushed metal and concrete. It feels like a hundred tiny needles hitting every square inch of skin under both my extremities. I grit my teeth and try to move when suddenly my whole body feels on fire and realize even if I could wiggle my way out from where my arm and leg lay theirs another factor stopping me. I can see the pipe entering my right hip and exiting at my left shoulder, I can even feel it resting next to my neck and pressing into the back of my ear, but I can't feel it. Whether because the adrenaline is pumping through my veins so hard it's by passing this bit of pain or because I'm so far in shock it's impossible to really feel anything except the tingling in my trapped limbs. I don't know, but I'm stuck. Theirs no way out for me.
"HELP!" I scream, although somewhere in my hazy mind I know it's not going to do anything, and I rest my head back. Theirs something behind me, pressing into my back, keeping my body bent at an obtuse angle and allowing my to rest back with very little pressure on the pipe imbedded in my body. I take a breath feeling my lungs fully expand, meaning this pipe has left them untouched and when I'm able to get my bearings better I can tell this pipe is the only thing keeping me from bleeding out. How long will I'll be able to lie here like this...how long until I die.
…
I don't know how much time passes, it feels like hours, but it could be days, it could be minutes, the pain has begun ebbing away at my brain, leaving very few coherent thoughts. One of them is I wish I could say goodbye to aunt May, the second is my friends who I left down with Trish, are they okay, is Trish okay? The third is I wish I knew why Mr. Stark was so angry with me, what he'll think when I finally can't take it any longer, when my body finally gives out. Will he be upset? Will be blame himself? Will my body every be found? I take a deep breath and realize I'm beginning to lose feeling in both my arm and leg. What was once pin pricks turned into full on hammering pain, letting my know bones have been broken in both limbs and badly at that, now the pain is beginning to numb...this is how it starts, the death and decaying of a body. I rest my head back feeling the sweat pooling on my neck and forehead. I'm not hot, if anything I'm cold and the moisture running down my skin, isn't helping my chill. I swallow when a ringing starts in my ear. I roll my head back and forth on the concrete slab behind me when the ringing turns into a whirling. I lift my head realizing the whirling isn't in my head, but a noise coming from the corner of the broken elevator,
"Hello?" My voice comes out slowly. I swallow, my brain feeling clumsy, I have to focus when small bits of broken concert start shaking as if a tiny earthquake has started only in the corner. Suddenly something small and round pops out of the rubble, it's the same size as a jumbo bouncy ball you can get for 25 cents in gumball machines. I use to beg uncle Ben to give me a quarter every time we passed one, he always would. Theirs a sharp pointed tip affixed the top of the spear as if burrowing is it's soul purpose. Without notice the ball jumps in the air and six metal legs pop out and it starts crawling around like...like a spider.
"Testing one, two. Penny can you hear me?" I swallow, feeling tears start to fall pool and fall down to my cheeks. Somewhere on this tiny contraption is a speaker,
"MMMMMMMr. Stark?"
"What are you doing here kid?" I rest my head back, trapped, impaled and dying and his only concern is why I'm in his building,
"I wanted to talk." My mouth feels thick and all I want right now is water.
"Yay, I got your text."
"I sent it before this happened, earthquake?"
"Not exactly. I've tracked you're heat signature and located exactly where it is you are, but it's going to take some time to get to you, so I'm going to go down a list okay, answer yes and no." I sigh and close my eyes. Hearing Mr. Starks voice has giving me relieve to be rescued, but now I want comfort, now I want to be coddled and loved, now I want aunt May.
"Aunt May?" I chock out, the tears falling more fiercely now.
"Keep focused Penny, one I need to know if the structure around you feels secure." I rest my head back and roll my eyes,
"I don't know."
"When you move, does the elevator move with you?"
"I. Can't. Move." I force out between clenched teeth, and the robotic spider on the other side of the elevator begins crawling closer towards me and stops,
"How bad?" Mr. Starks voice finally asks after a few minutes of silence, or it could be seconds, I don't know, I'm beginning to feel mutt-led again,
"How bad what?" I breathe out,
"How bad are you trapped?" I look over towards the small device and it hits me. Tears well up in my eyes,
"You did it?"
"Did what?" I swallow and laugh,
"That's my design, my fathers...my fathers blueprints, my design...you did it." My father wanted search and rescue drones, I designed it to burrow underground, I gave it legs to crawl in open air pockets, and I gave it a way to communicate for help...I left everything in Mr. Starks Lab and he actually made it,
"You did it Penny," Mr. Stark finally says, "I just brought it to life." I smile,
"It's looks good." I whisper so low I don't know if he actually hears it on his end.
"Focus Penny, how bad are you trapped?" I roll my head back and forth trying to clear my foggy mind,
"Ummm...mmmmyyy arm and my leg,"
"How bad are they trapped can you move them?" I bring my left arm up carefully of the lead pipe and wipe the tears from my eyes,
"No" I moan out,
"Okay, okay," Mr. Starks voice, changes, more gentler over the speaker, "Is that all?" I look down to my right side where the pipe exits the wall to enter my body at my hip, I follow it's course to my shoulder where it's exits and then I follow it up to where it's entered back into the concrete behind me.
"No," I force out after a second,
"You gotta tell me kid, I can't see you." I look around trying to find the words I can't admit to say,
"Have you...have you ever watched Grey's Anatomy?"
"What?" Another voice on the speaker asks, I recognize it as Dr. Banner,
"It's a pop culture thing the kid does...No I have not seen whatever it is you just said."
"I have!" Another voice on the speaker shouts,
"Seriously?" Mr. Stark directs towards it,
"It's on my list." Theirs a silence and I'm still trying to place that voice,
"Okay, Steve has." Mr. Stark confirms. I furrow my brows looking at the mechanical Spider,
"Mr. Rogers and Dr. Banner are there?"
"Ya, showed up when the building you know...keep talking kid what are you trying to say?" I imagine Mr. Stark standing on the streets of New York, his phone in his hand walking back and forth talking to me. Mr. Rogers and Dr. Banner watching him do so, all while the rest of the citizens of New York watch behind police rope. I don't know why I see it this way but I do.
"Have you seen season two?" Theirs a shuffling sound and then Mr. Rogers voice in the background,
"Give me that...I'm up to season five!" I swallow "The episode with the train crash... with the two people?" Silence and then Mr. Rogers voice in a low whisper,
"Are you saying you're in the same position?" I look at the pipe again,
"Kinda." More shuffling, Mr. Starks distant voice in the background,
"What does that mean?"
"I..I think...she's been impaled on something?"
"What!" Mr. Starks voice shouts from a distance. I can almost imagine him pulling whatever it is their using to talk to me out of Mr. Rogers hand,
"Penny, what are you saying, I need you to be clear about this." I take a breathe,
"Theirs a pipe-"
"Where?" He cuts me off and I take the opportunity to lick my lips and rest my head back,
"Hip to shoulder." I whisper out. More silence, I can't take the silence, "Mr. Stark?" I choke out,
"I'm here, I'm here. We're going to get you out honey and you're going to be fine, I need you to keep talking to me though." That's the first time he's ever called me honey. Even as I laid mangled and dying on the ground in Wakanda he kept yelling at me in the same sarcastic harsh tone he uses. Telling me how stupid I was, how I should have gone home. Then he started yelling at himself, how he could let this happen, how stupid he was because I was so young, about how I should have let him handle it, blah blah blah, probably didn't help I was still making jokes before I passed out. Still his his voice was the last one I heard. "Penny can you hear me?"
"Mmmmmmm" A cough bubbles out of chest, god I didn't know it was possible to want water this bad,
"Okay, we know you're on the 64th floor and we're trying to figure out a way to get you out of there without compromising the structure, however that pipe is the only thing keeping the elevator from dropping," I reach up running my hand along the pole stopping when I hit my shoulder. I have to breath deep into my stomach to keep my chest still
"Just my luck." I mumble. The only conclusion I can think think off is during the fall is the pipe was dislodged and somehow perfectly struck out going through the elevator to skewer me and then back out the elevator and into the concrete, putting enough pressure to stop it all together. That means cutting the pipe means letting the elevator fall.
"Listen to me, I have the worlds greatest heroes and minds here, and by that I mean me, and I'm going to get you out." I clear my throat,
"I think...I think if I wasn't enhanced I'd be dead Mr. Stark,"
"Don't think that like that, alright? Do you hear me, stop it." I can't because the possibility of me dying here seems more likely then in Wakanda. It feels like a lifetime ago, but back then my whole arms was practically blown off and most of my right side was burned, but still I could feel myself healing. This time I can feel my body working overtime just to keep me alive, it can't heal with concrete keeping the bones from mending or with a lead pipe buried deep with in it.
"Don't worry Mr. Stark, it doesn't hurt so much anymore," I lay my head back again and look up to ceiling, it's still intact, thank god, if anything fell right now I wouldn't be able to get out of the way.
"Hey Penny, kiddo focus on me. Those robots you made, the technology and algorithm you created for it was spot on, kid you're brain even rivals me at that ago." I could laugh, in fact I try.
"You were enrolled at MIT at my age,"
"Ya well, so could you." My mind races back to that night I told Mr. Stark I think I might want to take a year off, I still do, but I keep that to myself,
"My dad did most of the work," I whisper...if I die, i'll get to see him again...thats how death works right? You get to see you're loved ones again. Mom, dad, uncle Ben, I really want to see uncle Ben again.
"Back in 1999, technology's changed, advanced. You were able to keep the blueprints while changing the technology to fit the generation...I don't even think some of the people who work for me can do that." Another bead of sweat trickles down my forehead and for a second I don't even realize I'm smiling. Mr. Stark has never given me praise like this before and I know a large portion of that is due to the fact he wants to keep my talking, but even then Mr. Stark doesn't just say those things.
"I've been working on it for days,"
"You did a great job." I actually chuckle, another cough bubbles into my chest, "Penny I'm patching you into the coms okay?"
"uh huh,"
"Penny can you hear me?" Mr. Rogers voice sparks over the speaker,
"I can hear you."
"I'm on my way up to you okay Queens? I know where you are, so I'm goanna need you to hold on until I get there okay, Sam's on his way too so he can get to the floor faster."
"He doesn't need to come." I don't want this much attention on me, and I rest my head back,
"Shut it kid." Mr Stark barks, I take another breath realizing what I came here to do, now is the perfect time, and theirs no way Mr. Stark could shut me out, kick me out or make me stop,
"Why did you ignore me all week?" I clear my throat, "What did I do?" Mr. Stark sighs on the other side,
"You didn't do anything Penny, it was just me being me."
"You promised," I whisper, this time loud enough for him to hear, "You broke it again."
"I know."
"Is it just me?! Was it something I did?" I feel the tears again, "I don't want to do it anymore, Mr. Stark. I don't want to be Spider-Man." It's a thought thats been in my head, being Spider-Man has been both a blessing and a curse. One one hand it's brought me everything I could want. A purpose, friends, a mentor, a life path, but on the other hand it's brought secretes, pain, anxiety, and thee days it feels like the bad outweighs the good.
"Pen, I'm sorry." Mr. Stark finally breathes out. I remember when Mr. Stark told me he never apologizes. "I know this superhero thing isn't easy and I've put a lot of pressure on you, and I haven't always been around,"
"I'm not asking you to be around!" I shout loosing all my breathe in one sentence, I look back up to the ceiling, "Just not to ignore me...I don't need you to be around all the time, I just need you not to make me feel like an invalid." The tears fall down collecting around my ears,
"I never meant that-"
"You never mean what you do." If I didn't think I was close to dying I wouldn't be saying all of this, but at this point who cares,
"You're right."
"What did I do?"
"Nothing-"
"Than why, why!?"
"I don't...nothing Penny, it's really just me, alright, you've done nothing wrong, absolutely nothing. It's just me getting in my own head." I look down to the little metal spider,
"About what?"
"Well-"
"Is it because I was hanging out with the others?"
"No Penny-"
"I only went to movie night last night when you didn't text me, and Mr. Wilson and Mr. Barnes...it was an accident and we went to Buffalo Wild Wings and Mrs. Potts invited me to lunch and I couldn't say no-"
"I know, I over reacted I'm not mad-"
"Was it because I was working on my dads blueprints? I found them...and I couldn't look at them at first...I just," more tears fall, it feels like eventually I won't be able to cry anymore, "I miss him." I force out.
"I know," Mr. Stark finally says after a long pause. I shake my head, the emotion filling my head like hot air,
"I'm tired."
"Come on Pen, I know you're tired, but you have to keep talking to me okay?"
"I'm almost there Tony." Mr. Rogers heavy breathing comes through and I take another breath,
"My friends?"
"Their okay, they told me you were here."
"Can I talk to Ned?" Mr. Stark curses under his breathe, and I imagine him scanning the crowds trying to locate him. After a second I hear Mr. Starks voice in the distance, "Ted! Let him through." I hear jostling and then heavy breathing,
"Penny, Penny are you okay?" Ned breathes out,
"Ned," I can't help the smile on my face and swallow, "You're okay?"
"We were on the ground floor when the attack happened." I furrow my brows, this wasn't an earthquake,
"Attack?" Theirs a rustling on the speaker and then Ned's voice again, "You're okay right?" I look to the pipe,
"Just stuck." I breathe out, I can't listen to Ned being worried I don't want him to be,
"Penny, were both going to be on the news, I got to talk to Good Morning-" again with the shuffling and then it's Mr. Stark's voice again,
"Teds fine, focus on talking to me and listening for Roger's, what's running through you're mind right now?" I lean my head back again and close my eyes,
"Wanda." I mumble,
"What?" I open my eyes and stare up at the ceiling,
"I haven't seen Wanda in a long time, have we checked on her?" When we went to Russia which is when this whole thing started I was suppose to stay in Wanda's room for the weekend, but when I think about it, I haven't seen Wanda sine Wakanda and since Wakanda is on my mind, Wanda is on my mind.
"I don't think so kid, I'm putting that on my list, once we get you out, I'll have her located."
"She's has to be upset since Visions death." I'll never forget watching her take the stone out of Vision's head all while keeping Thanos back. I regret making everything about me that day instead of Wanda. "Can we make a new Vision?"
"I'll put that on my list too, what else are you thinking about?" I search my brain for thoughts that have crossed my mind this week,
"I think Mr. Rogers and Ms. Romanov should get together." Theirs a knocking on the wall next to me,
"Do you hear me?" Mr. Rogers voice questions through the speaker,
"Ya,"
"I'm going to get to you okay?" Suddenly I can hear banging on the side of the wall, I look away and shut my eyes tight feeling dust and small bits of rubble fall onto my face and clothes. The banging gets louder until it the crushed elevator around me shakes and Mr. Rogers voice fills the air,
"Natasha huh?" I open my eyes and turn towards the hole he's made with his shield. Sunlight trickles into the small space,
"I imagine you having a son and naming him James." I whisper, coughing as the dust around me starts to settle, it's raised up again as Mr. Rogers crawls through the medium sized hole he created. Once threw he drops to my side, the elevator groans as if it's going to drop, carefully Mr. Rogers kneels and starts sliding the shield off his arm and throwing his gloves on the ground,
"Hey, hey look at me, you're okay." He pushes his fingers into my neck and looks me over,
"How'd you get up here?"
"I climbed." I sigh he is Captain America.
"Rogers speak to me!" Mr. Starks voice demands over the speaker, Mr. Rogers reaches into his ear and throws his com down
"I'm patching you through now." Mr. Rogers reaches into the satchel strapped to his back and pulls out what looks like a small laptop and places it down. Opening it the screen comes to life revealing Mr. Stark, the minute his eyes land on me his face changes.
"Hey there kid." My vision feels blurry and I can't see well, but from what I can see, he's standing outside the building dressed in a nice shirt and untucked tie,
"Hi." I rest my head back, it's becoming harder and harder to keep my head up,
"Stay with me Queens." Mr. Rogers jumps to his feet causing the elevator and pipe to jostles. I throw my head back and scream the pain flaring deep in my body, it feels like the pipe is trying to fly out of my body straight up, organs and bones be damned,
"STEVE STOP!" Mr. Starks voice shouts, and carefully he lowers his self to the ground again and waits, the elevator stills and I take a breath pained cries clawing their way up my throat,
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" A large hand rests on my forehead, it has to be Mr. Rogers and carefully he pushes my hair back. I look over fresh tears in my eyes,
"It hasn't hurt in a while," I mumble, "Sorry I screamed." Mr. Rogers shakes his head,
"No, no Penny don't be sorry, can you lift you're left hand?" I furrow my brows and with heavy sloppy movements I lift my left arm and hold it above the pipe. Mr. Rogers reaches into the satchel and pulls out a watch...it looks like my watch, the one on my right arm that's currently crushed under a concert slab. Slowly Mr. Rogers reaches over and places the watch on my wrist and directs my arm back. I let it flop down and look over confused until Dr. Banners voice comes over the speaker,
"The window to move her is small. Vitals are all over the place," So that's what the watch is for,
"I'm patching Sam in." Mr. Stark voice hits my ears again,
"I'm coming in through the 60th floor and making my way up," Mr. Wilson voice shouts, he sounds like he's flying,
"I'm sending Steve's location." Mr. Stark replies,
"Queens look at me," I roll my head to look at Mr. Rogers, again he reaches forward and brushes my hair back, his hand lingering on my forehead a moment,
"I'm sorry Mr. Rogers." Mr. Rogers furrows his brow confused,
"What are you sorry for?"
"I'm wasting everyones time," Mr, Rogers hand tightens his grip at the top of my head,
"Hey stop it. You're not wasting anyones time, were going to get this pipe out of you and then were going to talk about you finally calling me Steve."
"Good luck, I've been Mr, Stark for about a year." Mr. Rogers smiles,
"I heard you had lunch with Sam and Buck, how was that?" I try my best to smile, but I'm getting tired and my face feels numb,
"Jealous?" Mr. Rogers smirks and nods,
"Ya, a little bit. How about when all this is behind us we hit up the nearest pizza joint?"
"No, sorry Roger, I call first dibs" Mr. Stark demands from the screen behind mr. Rogers,
"We won't tell him." Mr. Rogers winks, and I can't help the laugh, although another cough bubbles it's way up my chest.
"Steve!" A distant voice shouts, Mr. Rogers turns around keeping his hand on the top of head,
"Sam, we're over here!" I can hear Mr. Wilsons shoes pound on the floor, the sound getting louder and louder, until he's right outside the elevator hole,
"I'm...Oh lor-"
"Sam shhh," Mr. Roger whispers. I rest turn my head back to the pipe at my shoulder, I feel the elevator shake a bit, I squeeze my eyes shut and grit my teeth. Mr. Wilson crawled through the hole crowding the elevator even more. Hands land on my shoulder, I open my eyes to Mr. Wilson gripping my shirt collar. With one quick movement he rips the fabric, reeling the exit wound of the pipe,
"Thats my favorite shirt." I mumble, Mr. Wilson cracks a grin,
"I'll buy you a new one." I turn to my right where Mr. Rogers once sat, now he looks at me through the hole,
"I'm right here Penny, we can't risk too much weight."
"We're going to have to cut the pipe, theirs just no other way," I grin,
"Dr. Wilson." I chuckle although I'm finding it too much effort as the seconds pass on,
"We can't cut the pipe, cut the pipe and the elevator crashes." Mr. Rogers argues,
"If we don't cut the pipe she stays here. She's going to bleed out form inside." I chuckle,
"I'm sorry, what is so funny about this?" Mr. Starks demands,
"Brooklyn 99," I do my best to force another laugh, "That's we're the blood is suppose to be."
"She's delirious!" Mr. Stark sighs,
"Actually it's a pretty funny show." Mr. Wilson adds, I roll my head back to look at Mr. Rogers,
"Put that on your list." I look to the screen, "You should watch it too."
"How about we watch it together." I shake my head,
"You'll just ignore me again." I feel darkness creeping into my vision, someone slaps my cheek,
"Hey, keep your eyes open." Mr. Wilson demands,
"Sam you can't just hit her," Mr. Rogers shouts,
"Penny, keep you're eye open, focus on me and me alone." I look over, "We're going to get you out, you think this is bad you should see how it was back in Afghanistan, I once helped one of my buddy's who had two broken tibias hobble 10 miles to get to the nearest med tent. We've got this."
"I'm a human shish kebab." I explain,
"Have you ever had two broken tibias?" I look down at the lead pipe,
"Uhhhhhh no."
"Exactly, we're going to figure this out." I swallow and look to Mr. Rogers who doesn't look convinced of Mr. Wilson's words either, he changes his face once he notices me staring. I lay my head back and look towards the ceiling,
"Let's do it."
…
It takes thirty minutes for a plan to be formulated to get me out of the elevator, and in that time, Mr. Wilson keeps slapping me every time I start to close my eyes and it's beginning to get harder and harder to to stay awake. My body feels week and numb, the pain from my crushed bones and rearranged organs are there, but it almost feels like tingling, but slowly it's getting less and less. At one point I ask Mr. Rogers if death is painless, his only responds is neither of us will know for a long time, and then he pats my head again, and pushes my hair back. Over those thirty minutes it's decided that their is no way to remove the pipe from my body without having me bleed out within seconds and if the pipe were to be cut the elevator shaft would fall immediately. It's a miracle the pipe stopped the elevator in the first place using my body almost like an extra anchor to keep it stable. It's concluded that the top of the elevator will be cut since the pulleys aren't working anyway and then the pipe will be cut at both ends simultaneously, while Mr. Wilson keeps a grip on me. Mr. Wilson and I should be in the middle kept afloat mid air by his jet pack and the elevator should just fall right through us. Mr. Wilson smiles and me
"Plan is simple."
One cut the roof of the elevator off
Two they'll free my arm and leg.
Three cut the pipe.
In my haze I keep reminding them that this will never work, but at one point Mr. Rogers looks at the lead pipe and then me,
"We don't have a choice Penny."
Theirs always a choice, they could let me die. Mr. Stark constantly keeps up the conversation, when he's not talking to Mr. Wilson or Mr. Rogers he's talking to me. He tells me about, how in his free time he brought my search and rescue robots to life, he tells me their called "Search Spiders" and once I decide to patent them, he'll get them out and they'll help a lot of people. Then he tries to tell me that as soon as I can we'll go down to the lab and I have to show him how I came up with the algorithm to the "Search Spiders." He tells me we're going to make upgrades to my suit, he tries to crack jokes by saying I'll probably get a week off school, and he also mentions that he's been keeping track of my suit and I'm going to need more web fluid and he's pretty sure together we can come up with a stronger formula . At one point I get emotional and tell him to stop lying to me, and I'm pretty sure at one point I pass out, but Mr. Wilson is their once again slapping me all the while Mr. Rogers coddles me. It's like being interrogated, good cop, bad cop, only one of them is actually allowed to hit you.
"I'm not playing with you kid, keep you're eyes open."
"Their is a metal pole through my body you think you'd give me a break" I cough out,
"Don't listen to her, I give you full permission to hit my intern when ever she tries to go Beddy Bye." Mr. Starks voice comes over the speaker,
"I hate all of you." I mumble
Both have been good about keeping weight of the elevator. Mr. Wilson uses a cord attached to the elevator shaft so he can get the roof off. This allows Mr. Rogers time to sit with me, and then when Mr. Wilson needs to place his weight back on, Mr. Rogers steps out, it's a good system. Twenty minutes later and were here, Mr. Wilson peeling back the metal he just cut from the top of the elevator, Mr. Rogers using his shield as an umbrella over me, Mr. Stark trying to talk to me, it's not until I hear another voice that I find myself more awake,
"Need help Stark?"
"Get off this channel now!"
"You seem to forget that I too have geniuses that can hack into wave frequency's."
"Oh I'm sorry, did you not hear me the first time, GET OFF!" I swallow looking at the now split screen and feel my heart speed up, whether it's mental or physical I don't know but either way I know it's not good. I never signed the accords and up until Thanos the only person who knew my secrete identity was Mr. Stark. Then slowly as I healed and time went on, I was introduced to the other Avengers. Mr. Rogers being the first and the Guardians being the last. And even then not all of them know my identity, Scott Lange is still in the dark and for a long time so was Mr. Barnes. After the Accords, SHIELD was pretty much non existent but something happened and Nick Fury took it back, although it's isn't at the respect it once was and they don't have much jurisdiction as they once did, but I still don't want Fury knowing who I really am.
"I've got 10 emergency agents, ready to drop into the tower and offer assistance when you give the word." Silence enters the the elevator, no one speaks, even Mr. Wilson stops cutting the metal.
"Do it Tony." The voice of Dr. Banner comes over the speaker, has he been listening this whole time.
"Bruce we don't need-"
"We do, Steve and Sam can't do it alone in the time thats needed." Mr. Stark rolls his eyes and looks around, my best guess is he's looking for Dr. Banner, where ever he's chosen to station himself.
"Their doing fine alone I-"
"Her temperatures at 103.5, pulse rate is 120, BP is low, oxygen saturation is low, and have you even listened to her speak? High emotions, visibly confused, lower vocal responds, prolonged pauses between each breath. Tony she's dying!" I could have told anyone that, "If she weren't enhanced she would already be dead, her body is working overtime to keep her alive, but even that has it's limits." I could have told them that too, in fact I have. Theirs a large breath over the speaker and both Nick Fury and Mr. Stark look uncomfortable. "Nows the time to decide, pride or a life." I look to Mr. Rogers, and then Mr. Wilson, both won't meet my eyes. Finally after a second Mr. Starks voice comes through the screen,
"Do it."
…
Everything moves so fast, from the minute those words leave Mr. Starks voice theirs chaos. Footsteps start up the hall until voices are suddenly surrounding us, although I can't make out most of them. I feel hazy and then I feel a deep pain in my leg and grunt lifting my head to see a women dressed in all black hand on a syringe buried into my leg.
"What us that, what are you doing?" Mr. Starks voices asks from the small screen,
"Demerol injection." The women answers, keeping her eyes on the black bag opened in front for her,
"Why?" Mr. Rogers asks from his spot. The women looks up, and I follow her eyes above us, are three more men in conjunction to Mr. Wilson. Sparks explode above us, the sound of metal and machine sings into the elevator shaft,
"When I get out of here you're going to come in and lift these chunks of concert of her extremities, Somer's going to expand the hole so you can get the weight off the elevator." I lay my head back and sigh feeling the elevator shift in weight as Mr. Rogers steps back on and the women steps off. More sounds of drilling, more cutting. I let it play like music in my head until pain flares down my arm sharp and loud and I can't help it. I scream. Between my screams and pauses to take a breath I hear Mr. Rogers apologies over and over, all while the women demands he keep keep going and soon the same pain raises down my right leg. Theirs no tears, I don't think I have any left. I rest my head back and suck in air like I'll never get it again and peak my eyes open, I can see up the elevator shaft now.
"I'm going to hate you for a while." I push out between swollen lips,
"That's fair." Mr. Rogers kneels at the top of my head,
"You're doing great Penny." The women tells me and it takes everything in me not to roll my eyes. I guess with the large chunks of concert gone, it's safe to have both of them in here.
"All I've done is not die." I cough and wince.
"That's all you need to focus on doing." I feel a sharp sting on my elbow, "Hold this." The women passes a bag over my head to Mr. Rogers, "Keep it above her head."
"Whats your name?" I ask, I roll my head over to look at the women, she's currently cutting my shirt away from my shoulder following the tear Mr. Wilson started. Great I love...loved this top, their's no way of fixing it now. The women stops and then starts up again,
"Julieta."
"It's pretty." I mumble, her lips twitch up,
"Mejia, we're ready." A deep voice shouts from above us,
"One second!" Julieta shouts back, she looks up at me holding a clear plastic bag "Deep breathe." I furrow my brows, but find out why when she begins sliding the bag over my arm...no not a bag...a splint I think...I don't really have time to think because I'm screaming, she tightens it around my arm, and I feel it inflate. She looks over at me and waits till I stop screaming and then holds another one one up,
"I'm sorry." I swallow,
"I know." I scream feeling her place the splint on my leg, Mr. Rogers keeps his hand on my forehead at one point he asks Julieta is she can hurry and she tells him to bleep off and if I could I'd laugh. A few seconds later she's not longer manipulating my broken bones. She reaches into the bag and pulls out another syringe this time instead of stabbing it into my leg she deposits into a tube near my arm I didn't realize was there and then she looks up to Mr. Rogers,
"Give it a second and then we'll go through with the plan." I shake my head,
"Just leave me here."
"Na, Na, Na, Vamos, you can do this, take a deep breathe." I swallow nothing and take a breathe,
"You give me too much credit." An IV bag is laid on my stomach while Mr. Rogers shimmy's his hands under the crock of my back and thighs just holding me without moving me an inch. I hiss when Julieta grabs my right arm and carefully drapes it over my chest,
"Tu puedes." I don't know what she said but I shake my head.
"I'm here," Mr. Wilson's voice is right where Julieta was. I look to him and then to outside of the elevator where she know stands. I shake my head,
"Please don't." I plead with him,
"Remember two broken tibias in Afghanistan" Mr. Wilson reminds me, I sigh and rest my head back feeling Mr. Rogers slowly retract his arms as Mr. Wilson slides his into place, pulling me closer,
"Captain Rogers please step off sir." I look over and watch Mr. Rogers back away from the elevator as two men dressed in black suits drop down from somewhere in the ceiling...I'm really out of it. Each grab the pole and look at one another,
"Ready, Falcon sir."
"Ready" Mr. Wilson responds, I hear his jet pack start up and have no idea how he started it but I don't care. I brace myself for what ever is about to happen next. Spark fly up in the small elevator as both men start to cut through the small lead pipe. I take a deep breathe, the men cutting the pipe are keeping it stable although what ever is currently flowing through my veins right now has taking a good amount of the pain away, I don't even really feel the shattered remains of my arm and leg and luckily the deep pain in my body is less too. What happens next is a blur, the pipe is cut on both ends at the same time, the floor drops through while the walls around Mr. Wilson and I rush by and arms tighten pulling me closer. Theirs a ringing in my ears and I feel myself being passed and then jostled. I'm so tired I close my eyes, this time Mr. Wilson doesn't slap me.