Awakening
What do you know? You lot don't live in my head so you can't say I own anything!
*every character that exists in my mind scream* "BUT WE DO!"
*groans*
Tony's POV
"So, how long have you known about Penny? I assume that you didn't raise her…." Bruce asked hesitantly breaking the awkward silence that had gripped the room after Pen vanished from my arms.
I hadn't really talked much, as Pen's goodbye still sent shivers up my spine and I just knew that something was wrong. I knew that Bruce was trying to get me out of my funk, but it wasn't going to work.
I just knew that something was going to go wrong, and I didn't know if I would be able to mentally take any more stress regarding my daughter. I had only known the girl for a little over a year, but she was my baby girl, and I couldn't imagine my life without her in it.
"Why?" I wondered, "Why was she saying goodbye? What does she know that she isn't telling me...or what did her friends know that they weren't sharing at all?"
I knew that Mortem and the girls knew more about what went on in Pen's life then I did, and I usually didn't mind, she was a teenager after all and I was pretty sure that I didn't want to know every single detail regarding her life.
But I still wanted to know what on earth was going one, especially since Pen's departure had left a bleeding hole in my heart that was constricting in worry.
"Tony," I looked up to see Bruce standing beside me, his hand on my shoulder. "It'll be ok. If I know anything about your daughter it's that she doesn't just give up, she gets her stubbornness from you after all."
I managed to give Bruce a weak smile before collapsing in a chair, my heart was still aching, and I was still inches away from a mental breakdown, but I could deal with it.
And I would deal with it like I dealt with everything else wrong in my life; I ignored it until I had to confront it head on.
Shaking my head I decided that telling our story to Bruce perhaps wasn't such a bad idea, it was one way to ignore the panic that was slowly starting to build in my mind.
"I only met Pen last year...a little over a year to be exact. She knew who I was, but I had no idea who she was. She applied to be an assistant PA and considering that she was brilliant and I was instantly drawn to her, I gave her the job. She worked with me for a month before...well, before Afghanistan. I didn't even know that Pen was mine until; I think it was few weeks...before we broke out. Time was difficult thing to measure there…" I trailed off, my chest clenching as I tried not to think about the Cave or any of the other horrible things that have happened to us in the past year. I also tried to ignore the clenching sense of horror that was growing in my gut.
Something was wrong, I just knew it.
"You two really are a lot alike." Banner commented with a fond smile on his face, though I could see the concern in his eyes. He knew that I was worried, and I knew that he was worried as well.
"Yeah," I muttered, and kept talking for Bruce's sake. I personally wanted to take off down the corridor, find my daughter, and then recruit Mortem to keep her out of trouble for the rest of her life.
"She got her brains and most of her personality from me, though she inherited her mom's looks and heart." I sighed, glad that Bruce hadn't asked about Evanna. I didn't know if I could handle those memories on top of everything.
The feeling in my gut darkened, if that was possible, and I shuttered as Bruce said, "She's a great kid."
"She really is." I agreed, worry echoing in my voice.
Suddenly, red lights started flashing and an alarm blared. I froze, and my eyes widened. Please, please, don't be about Pen...make it be Loki, anyone...just not Penny…
"Security breach on Level 4 sector seven; all available units move in. I repeat we have a code blue security breach…"
I paled as my gut clenched and I jumped to my feet, and instantly pulled up the security footage of the sector.
"Please don't be Penny." I muttered under my breath as Jarvis loaded the footage and i scanned the multiple video feed as fast as I could.
"Tony, I'm sure she's fine." Bruce stated coming up behind me as my heart nearly froze in horror and my drained of color.
Pen suddenly flashed into view on one of the screens as she and Romanoff collided. There had been reason for Pen's behavior; I just knew that there had been! God, why hadn't I listened to my gut? Why hadn't I tried to follow her, or stop her?
What if she got hurt? Romanoff wasn't someone to take lightly...God I couldn't lose Pen again. I barely survived the first time. I wouldn't be able to survive a second time….
"Tony...Tony….it's okay…." My eyebrows connected in confusion, why was Bruce's voice fading? He wasn't walking away was he? This was no time to leave, Penny was in trouble!
Bruce's voice echoed through my thoughts again but my mind was too frazzled to recognize any of the words. Now wasn't the time to be talking to Bruce, or watching footage. Penny needed me, I had to get to Penny…
God, why wasn't' this feeling going away? Something was wrong, I knew it….
Suddenly, it was like the world snapped back into clarity and confusion gnawed at me like an animals. I had no idea how I had gotten onto the ground, or when Bruce had started shaking me. But my mind locked onto the one thing that horrified me beyond anything else.
The music that had overpowered SHIELD's alarm. It was the low, deep tone of the violin that sent shivers down my spine.
"What!" I gasped as I sat up right, causing Bruce to look at me in worry. Suddenly, I realized that more than one alarm was going off.
Jarvis' alarm was going off as well as SHIELD's and Penny's panic button. Leaping to my feet I quickly spotted the hologram popup that was trying to get my attention.
The note changed and a melody started to play, I tried to block out the music that was sending waves of fear down my spine but I couldn't.
"Sir, Miss Penny's Core is fluctuating dangerously, it's extremely close to failing." Jarvis intoned as I swiped all of the holograms aside.
"Damn it!" I screamed and threw the closest thing to me, which was a random cup, at the wall. "Jarvis, initiate Emergency Protocol P932!"
"Tony…Tony what's wrong?!" Bruce grabbed my arm as I spun around, trying to get my thoughts under control.
"Penny!" I exclaimed in answer, as horror gripped my heart. What was I still doing here!?
"What? What's wrong with Pen, Tony?" Bruce asked but I had already taken off running.
The music, the music...God the music was a code; we swore only to use it in extreme emergencies...
I slid through the door, and sprinted down the hall, now wasn't the time to wait around, I needed to get to Penny…
The song...her Core...God….please, I can't do this again!
"TONY!" Bruce's yell echoed through the hall and I barely noticed that he was right beside me. "What's going on!?"
I ignored him, now wasn't the time to answer question, I rounded the corner and literally had to slide to a stop to avoid colliding with Coulson and Thor, who were both staring narrowed eyed at the ceiling, the music and the alarm fighting for dominance.
"Jarvis cut the alarm." I muttered under my breath as Coulson raised an eyebrow at me as SHIELD's alarm turned off. I didn't have time for this...Penny was in trouble, I just knew it!
"Stark, if you have anything to do with…" Coulson started but froze in horror as he caught sight of my face. I must really look as panicked as I felt.
Ignoring the agent, I pushed by him and the large blonde and continued my sprint down the hall.
"Please be ok Pen...please, please be ok…" I muttered to myself as I tried to breath, but it felt like there was a block on led on my chest.
"What is happening?" I heard Thor asked as the three all followed me in a sprint.
I ignored the people following me, as I slid into another corner. I had to get there...Penny was in trouble…
"Nothing good," was Coulson's stated reply.
The violin was getting louder, and I knew that the lyrics would start soon. Please, oh...please be alright Penny….
Suddenly, a guitar that belonged to Mortem added to the violin and tears sprung to my eyes as my heart clenched, froze, and leapt all at the same time.
This was our last resort….this was Penny's last SOS….
The world seemed to slow around me though I never stopped moving, I didn't care about SHIELD, and I didn't care about Loki or Thor. I didn't care about those following me…
Penny was all that mattered….
"No...God...no…" I choked out in a whisper as Penny's soft voice joined the melody that floated down from the speakers.
If I die young….bury me in satin…
"NO!" I screamed and suddenly I was moving fast then I ever had. Faster than when we were fleeing in Afghanistan, faster than when I fought Stane, faster than when I thought Penny had been dead.
I met no resistance; it was like someone had cleared my path of all agents, even if they were investigating. But that didn't matter. Nothing mattered.
Lay me down on a bed of roses
It didn't matter that I was being followed, nor that the ones following me were yelling for me to stop, or to slow down. It didn't matter that my mask was breaking around people that I barely knew, and others that I didn't know at all… It didn't matter that we were floating thousands of feet in the air, and that an insane alien was aboard.
Sink me in a river…
I had to get to Penny…
This was bad...this meant life and death…
And I couldn't lose her again.
…At dawn…
Everything became a blur as the song became the only thing around me that mattered.
I couldn't think….
Nothing mattered.
Penny was in trouble.
I was still running I had to still save her…
But that song…that stupid song…
Why did it have to be that song?
Send me away with the words of a love song….
But I wasn't going to send her away, not now and not ever. No one was going to take her away from me…
I would kill anyone who tried.
No, no, no...
I could feel myself turning...moving through the panicked blur that was my mind...
Lord make me a rainbow
Everything came crashing back into focus.
There...there was Penny.
She was collapsed on the ground; the hood of a strange silver cloak had fallen back. She was surrounded, surrounded by the very men she had tried to help so many times.
They were shooting at her, why were they shooting at my baby?
I'll shine down on my mother
I noticed her shield, rippling as her Core fluttered….I could see her Core too...it shone through the white fabric…
But something was wrong...her shield was reflecting the bullets...it was just holding them in place...
She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors, oh…
"No…" I gasped as managed to focus enough to realize that her eyes were close, her hands out stretched, she was covered in sweat, and literally shaking from the strain.
And life ain't always what you think it ought to be…
Why….
Why….
No….
"No…" I whispered a bit louder as Coulson and the others rounded the corner.
I tried to move...why wasn't my body moving?
"Shit!" I heard Coulson exclaim and I heard Bruce, no, Hulk, growl.
Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby…
"Stop!" I yelled...yes, I was moving...trying to push through the crowd of fifty strong agents.
The sharp knife…of a short life….
I wouldn't let this happen…I couldn't….Penny was everything…she was my life…my star….my baby…my reason for living...
Oh well,
"Stop!" I screamed my mind whirling, and suddenly I felt a larger, stronger body helping me through the crowd.
"LEAVE LADY PENNY ALONE!" Thor thundered and some of the agents faltered before continuing to fire on my baby girl.
I've had just enough time….
Oh, but she hadn't…she was just a child…it wasn't her time to leave yet...
"PENNY!" I screamed as I managed to push past a few agents…why wouldn't' they stop...why wouldn't they just leave my baby girl alone...
If I die young….bury me in satin
"STOP!" I exclaimed, and I heard Bruce's screams accompany my own.
"Cease fire!" Coulson ordered loudly, his voice echoing over the noise of gunfire.
...Yes…listen to Coulson...stop, please, please stop...
Lay me down on a bed of roses….
Most of the agents paused, and a small bit of relief flooded me...they would listen to Coulson….
Sing me in the river…at dawn
I gasped as everything seemed to slow down as I finally managed to push my way to the front.
"I said, CEASE FIRE!" Coulson screamed….Coulson could scream?
Send me away with the words of a love song
I don't know if it was because the gunshots stopped, or if she sensed me...
But she opened her teary blue-green eyes….
The sharp knife….
Our gazes connected, and Penny gave a weak smile, that smile let me know that she was ok….everything was going to be ok…
...I was here….
Of a short life….
BANG!
A single gunshot rang through the air...Penny's eyes widened and panic gripped my heart as she turned her head towards the noise...
Penny's eyes widened in shock as she turned her head towards the noise…
Her shield fluctuated wildly as I saw her Core flutter, trying to sustain itself...the hundreds of suspended bullets fell to the ground like rain...
I saw her flinch, her head hitting the wall with a thud.
Her sparks danced around her like a storm...an explosion of power sent everyone flying backwards into the opposite wall…
Oh, well…
Everyone that is…. except me...
For a moment I was confused, what had happened?
Why wasn't Pen moving? But then I saw the blood spluttering from her chest.
The next thing I knew, I was at her side.
I've had just enough time
Then time returned to normal.
"Penny! Penny? Penny, baby…can you hear me?" I exclaimed in horror as I slid the ground besides her.
"Hi…Daddy." Penny couched and more blood splattered the walls as she started to shake...
And I'll be wearing white
I didn't pause as I pulled my jacket off and tried to press it to the wound, only to realize that it was pointless. The blood just kept coming...
When I come into your kingdom
I gasped as I realized why her sparks had flared...and just where the bullet had entered my daughter's body...
I'm as green as the ring on my little cold figure
In less than a second, I was peeling back the thin, blood soaked previously white fabric which was the only thing covering her Core.
I almost stopped breathing, for sitting in the middle of her chest, instead of the normal bright blue, whirling machine, was a smoking, sizzling, destroyed Arc Reactor that was shooting blood out like a fountain.
I've never known the loving of a man
The bullet had hit the one place that it shouldn't have…the one place that should never have been exposed.
"Daddy?" Penny gasped again weakly and I pulled her into my lap, knowing that she was already suffering from losing the Arc, not to mention the blood loss.
But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand
"It's okay Pen," I tried to comfort her, as i fruitlessly pressed my coat back onto her Arc.
"Jarvis! ETA on Emergency Protocol!" I exclaimed, choking in the middle of the sentence. Why...why my baby…?
There's a boy here in town,
"ETA on Emergency P Type Arc Reactor: five minutes and counting."
Says he'll love me forever
"That's not going to be soon enough." I whispered in horror, as tears tried to cloud my vision. Pen could only survive three to four minutes without her Arc...and that was without a bullet wound puncturing God knows what...
Who would have thought forever could be severed by…
"Pen, Penny baby, listen to me...I need you to stay awake, alright?" I stated my voice hardening and I maneuvered my arms underneath her bloody form. If I managed to get her to an infirmary...i might be able to keep her alive until the Arc arrived...
…the sharp knife of a short life….
"…alright Daddy…" Penny whispered her voice weak and her eyes gazing at me unseeingly. She was covered in blood, even the silver stripe in her hair was stained red...
"Just focus on my voice." I told her, as I gritted to my teeth and climbed to my feet, my bloody daughter in my arms.
Oh well
After making sure that I wasn't going to drop her I turned to see everyone staring at me, or glaring, as in the case of most of the agents in the hallway.
I glared back, this was their entire fault!
I've had just enough time
Bruce and Coulson immediately stepped forward, their faces contorted in worry and a hint of fear. Thor wasn't far behind them, his eyes narrowed in anger, but his face showing worry and a slight bit of confusion.
I was surprised to see Romanoff and Rogers, when had they shown up? Both of them were looking at me in shock with narrowed eyes.
So put on your best, boys…
I ignored everyone, even when Rogers opened his big mouth. I locked eyes with Coulson and stepped forward. I heard every SHIELD agent cock and point their guns at me, but I ignored them as well.
I didn't need to say a word, as I tightened my hold on my bleeding and dying daughter.
And I'll wear my pearls
"Infirmary's this way." Coulson pointed down the left hall and suddenly all three of the men who knew my daughter were flanking me as I stepped forward.
"What is the meaning of this!?"
What I never did is done
I didn't even bother turning, I just glanced over my shoulder at the Director. Cold fury rose up from within and I narrowed my eyes at the man.
This was the last straw.
"Someone shot my daughter." My voice was cold, hard, and promised pain to the person responsible. "And when I find out who's responsible...Loki won't be your only problem."
A Penny for my thoughts…
I turned away and continued down the hall with a brisk pace that was as fast as I could go without jolting Pen around too much.
"Please be ok, Pen…" I whispered to myself, I really couldn't handle a second time...
Oh no…
"Will Lady Penny be alright?" Thor asked, and I glanced behind me to see not only Coulson by my side, but Bruce and Thor following with worried looks.
I'll sell 'em for a dollar
I couldn't bring myself to answer the man, they meant well...and they cared for Penny…
But they didn't understand.
She was my daughter, my little light...
"Hopefully Thor, hopefully." Bruce answered in my stead, his voice harder and had a certain growl-like undertone.
They're worth so much more after I'm a goner
I had never been more thankful to see a med bay, and I almost started laughing when I realized that it was on the same level, only a few corridors away...
And maybe when you'll hear the words I been singin'
I strode into the empty room and instantly put Penny down on a small cot that was against the wall. Her eyes were glassy and her breathing extremely shallow. We were both covered in blood, and her Arc was still smoking.
Funny when you're dead how people start listening
I pulled out a pocket knife and instantly attacked a nearby monitor.
"What are you doing?" Rogers asked, I didn't look at him, but my anger flared. How dare he follow us!
I started pulling apart the wires, until I found two that were connected to the main power source.
If I die young, bury me in satin
Stripped their ends I connected the negative and positive ends together, and after they sparked, I pulled a piece of string out of my pocket (hey, I liked being prepared) and tied the stripped wires to Pen's wrist.
Lay me down on a bed of roses
I took a deep breath, and after making sure that the wires were working, started attacking the edge of Pen's Arc with the knife. I needed to remove the ruined one and figure out the damage to see if I could save her.
I had to save her.
Sink me in a river at dawn
Her eyes started to flicker as the electricity tried to substance her systems. I bit my lip as I manged to pull out the Arc...it was totally destroyed and it had been extremely lucky that it hadn't blown up in Pen's chest.
I shivered just at the thought of it.
Send me away with the words of a love song
I threw the ruined Arc behind me, I didn't care if Fury got it ….I had to save her.
"Hi Daddy." I looked down to see Penny awake, but drifting. I couldn't stop the single tear that escaped and rolled down my face at the sight.
Uh oh, uh oh
"Hey, baby…" I whispered softly back, as I tore the sleeve off of my jacket and used it to try and absorb some of the blood. I had to see how badly the base plate and connections were ruined...not to mention try to find out what the bullet had punctured….
The ballad of a dove, oh ah
"I'm gonna get you fixed up…alright?" I stated softly and brushed her silver, bloody hair out of her face. She smiled weakly up me, and for a moment it was like she didn't have a giant, bloody hole in her chest.
Go with peace and love
Penny chuckled weakly in response and closed her eyes as she relaxed into my touch.
"Daddy… we both know….that's not gonna happen." She gasped weakly, causing me to drop the knife.
Gather up your tears; keep them in your pocket
"Yes, yes it is! We'll fix it, just like we always do." I stated as I forgot all about the whole in her chest...I wasn't a doctor… I pulled her into my lap as I pulled myself onto the cot.
"Where's a bloody doctor!" I screamed, tears threatening to fall as Bruce rushed over, and Coulson yelled, trying to find the base's doctor.
I wasn't even talking any more...I was pleading...
I had lost her once…I wouldn't survive the second time.
Save 'em for a time when you're really gonna need 'em
"Daddy…the bullet didn't just destroy my Core…it damaged the socket as well. I'd need a whole new…well...I'll need a new everything really." She stated as her eyes started to drop again. "Not... not to mention the bullet…"
I looked over at Bruce, who was trying, and failing, to stop the bleeding.
Oh…
"You don't know that…" I stated, please, oh God please…I couldn't lose her…
I gazed pleadingly at Bruce but he sighed, and I saw that tears were in his own eyes.
"The bullet caused the baseplate to implode slightly…." Bruce said, and hesitated before looking at me with defeat in his eyes.
The sharp knife…of a short life…
"Tony...it punctured an artery. I could fix it if the socket and baseplate...but...by the time we can get in there…" Bruce shook his head. "I'm sorry Tony."
No...no...no…!
"Daddy…." Penny whispered and I had to blink away tears just to look into her fading eyes.
"Dating Death does come with its privileges." Penny continued weakly, looking up at me with acceptance in her eyes.
I've had just enough time
"But this isn't one of them." She whispered softly and slowly, oh so slowly I saw her eyes dull and the last bit of color fade.
"No...no…come on baby…." I couldn't even less what I was saying aloud, because I couldn't even tell what I was saying, and what I was thinking.
So put on your best, boys,
"I…love you…Daddy…" Penny choked out, our gazes connecting for a brief moment.
"Thank you...guys….for everything…." Penny managed to gasp out a bit louder as she looked over at her friends, who had at one point gathered around us.
Her eyes flickered back up at me, and I held her gaze as the last chord of the song played out.
"I love you too Pen." I whispered as the dam broke.
And I'll wear my pearls
The last note, played on Pen's violin stretched out into the air. Pen's eyes fluttered, and before I even realized it…
I was once again holding my daughter...no...my baby girl's corpse.
Only this time…Mortem wasn't here to bring her back.
Bet ya'll weren't expecting that huh! Well, if you've read this before then you did...but still! I bet all of you newbies didn't see that coming!
Ok...this just might be the longest chapter (in pages) in the whole story! It was 14 pages in microsoft word!
I've had this chapter played out like this since the beginning, and I didn't change very much about it, just made it easier to understand, and I made Tony flip out a bit more. ;)
This is the last time Penny dies, EVER. Though I won't promise she won't vanish *wink wink*
This song just fit…
Please review, the day isn't over yet and...yeah….
Cp