Quinn fell into the other world with the grace of a falling tree. Which is not graceful. She grunted as she hit the ground, hissing in pain. "God. That never gets any easier." She got up, realizing she was in the same white dress she entered Gage's nightmare in. She huffed, looking around. It was dark. Nearly pitch black with the exception of her reactor.
She walked a few steps, speaking to any elder that might be listening. "Elders! You know who I am and probably why I'm here. Please just come out and talk to me." She walked a few more steps before she nearly fell on rock. Making her realize she was in a cave. She nearly growled with anger. This was just getting annoying."Elders, just come out and show yourselves! I want to talk!" She heard a noise behind her, turning quickly. Staying quiet. Seemed to be nothing. She turned and nearly screamed, falling to the ground. It was Greene. She breathes heavily, trying to back away. "No..what the fuck...elders please. Stop." She whined at the end, now upright, leaning against the cave wall as he came closer. A smirk on his face and his hands at his pant belt.
She shook her he'd no. "Elders. Please. Stop." Her eyes watered as he started to unbuckle the belt. She heard an elders voice as he continued the action. "Is this what you want to see in your visions? Such fear? "She swallowed down her fear, speaking up, continuing to back away from Greene. Then they spoke again. "Or helplessness?" Suddenly Greene was gone replaced with Gage who was stabbed thru his stomach, reaching out to Quinn. His hand covered in blood. Her lip trembled. "You've made your point. I just want to talk. Is that so much to ask?" Suddenly the cave went back to being pitch black then she heard the wiring of a drill and the sound of electricity.
She saw her shadow in flashes behind her. She tensed, paralyzed with fear. Hoping it would go away. That he would go away. The doctor that was the reason she had a light in her chest in the first place. She saw his shadow on the wall in front of her while blue electricity flashed erratically. He was walking closer. She wanted to wake up so bad but she had a reason to be here. She knew they were trying to drive her away. Maybe if she could withstand the fear they'll talk to her. So she closed her eyes, willing him to go away but he was getting closer and closer. Her heart was beating so fast and hard she wondered if it was a serious deal back in the real world. Tears fell down her face while she stayed still. She felt his scalpel on her neck. She whimpered but didn't move.
Then everything was gone and she was left in the darkness. Then a mans voice spoke to her. "Why have you not left? Do you like pain? To be paralyzed with fear?" She sniffled. "No. I don't. But if that's what it takes to fucking talk to somebody here then I'l go thru it." Suddenly there was a young man in front of her in Jedi robes with a mop of brown hair. "If your willing to go through all that pain and fear, I will speak with you."
She huffed. "Thank you. Now I am severely pissed off that you don't count my brother, Clint or Loki as people I should know about in my visions. You barely give me any visions to help Gage. Or even my mom. " He nodded. "The angel has told you what we do didn't he?" She crossed her arms. "Yes. Because stupid me was feeling guilty over a vision I didn't have. He wanted to make me feel better. And, well. He wasn't wrong. So stop editing my visions, give me one for each family member and we can be on our merry way." He chuckled. She didn't like that. "What is so funny?"
He sighed, still a hint of a smile. "Do you know why we edit your visions? " He walked closer. "We edit them so you do not become overwhelmed with what you cannot save. If you could see all the visions we stored you would have lost your mind." She frowned. "I just want to know so I can try to protect my family. All of them." He sighed. "I see you wont be giving this up. Fine. I will give you all the visions you missed and then you will continue to get ones about each member of your family." She nodded. "Thank you." He walked closer, pressing two fingers to her head.
Suddenly she had the worst migraine of all time. She screamed in pain, holding her head, collapsing to the ground as vision after vision erupted in her mind. She saw flashes of her dad at the expo, the bombs exploding around them while he got hit with a beam, going unconscious. She saw Justin hammer with that smirk of his, holding a gun to her restrained brothers thigh. Shooting him. She saw Greene trying to have his way with her while she fought him off in vain. She saw Clint being tortured by Ward. She saw everything she missed and was held from her.
In the lab they could do nothing but watch. Earlier it seemed she was close to having a heart attack. Jarvis said it was out of fear and no injuries were present. And things seemed to calm. Kim held Quinn's hand while she slept and worked. Tony had sat down a small distance away with Gage. Just making small talk to ease the worry.
Then suddenly her body on the bed went rigid with pain, the heart monitor spiking to dangerous levels. Then a seizure started. Tony and Gage both ran over. Kim had her hands to her mouth, trying not to break down. She was terrified. Gage and Tony quickly held Quinn's body in place while it shook and convulsed for what felt like hours but was really only 15 seconds.
Once Quinn calmed the lab doors open, TJ, Loki and Bruce coming through. Tony saw Bruce. "Bruce?" Bruce ran over. "TJ called me. Said you might need my help." Kim whimpered. "Please. Help her. " Tony looked just as lost and terrified. Bruce went over to Quinn's body. The heart monitor slower then before but steady. Tony walked over to TJ. TJ spoke first, looking scared."sorry dad. Jarvis told me what you were doing, how long shes been out. I thought you might want his help, especially with how the elders get." Tony just hugged him. "Thanks. " TJ hugged back.
Bruce inspected Quinn's eyes, they dilated just fine. He checked her blood for pretty much everything and heart rate. He sighed. "She's not great but she's not well. Her heart beat was normal before?" Gage nodded, his eyes red, arms crossed. "Yeah. There was a blip, almost a heart attack but it steadied out." Bruce nodded. "Her heart rate is much slower then normal but steady and her blood oxygen level is low. Do you have an oxygen machine we could hook her up to?"
Tony nodded. "Yeah." He went over to the far end of the lab were most of the medical stuff was kept. He got a tank of oxygen and a mask. Bruce took it from him, hooking it up and placing the mask gently on her face. Bruce turned to the worried family. "Why don't you guys relax while I watch over a while? I promise Jarvis will call if anything happens." Kim shook her head, wiping the tears away from her face. "No. I'm going to stay here. I want to be here when she wakes up. Maybe if somethings seems wrong I can go in her head and see if she's stuck in a dream." Bruce nodded.
Tony walked over, hugging Kim. "Il make us some tea. Anybody want anything?" Bruce spoke up. "Green tea if you have it." Gage shook his head. He was too emotionally fried to think about putting something into his stomach. He stood by Quinn's bed side. "No but thanks anyway. Il stay here to." Tony nodded walking out of the lab, Loki and TJ sitting on the couch that was down there.
Micheal watched from the lab doors. Because it was the elders territory he couldn't intervene, even if it meant saving her life. He explained to all of them when they asked if he could help her earlier. He hated he couldn't. He also hated that he knew this won't be the last time he gets asked to help when he can't. Sometimes he really hates being an angel.
Tony was alone in the kitchen. He tried to stay strong. He really did but his lip trembled while he turned on the tea kettle. Then a whimper escaped while he was getting mugs out. Then he saw Quinn's favorite mug. He broke. He sobbed. Covering his face with his hand. He hated that he wanted to talk to Clint.
He was always the strong one. Least I felt like it. But he was in a hospital bed in Budapest in a shield facility going through his own severe injures.
He didn't realize when he was heading into a severe anxiety attack. Sitting on the kitchen floor, curled up against the counter gasping for air. Jarvis must have sent an alert because Kim was in front of him, holding his shoulders. "Tony! Tony! Breath, it's ok." Her arms came around him and he didn't waste a second, leaning into her chest, breathing in deeply before it escaped again as a sob.
Kim just held him, her own tears falling. She tried to feed Tony good, soothing feelings but it was hard. So she held him until he calmed down.
Quinn wasn't sure what happened. One second she was getting every vision that was held from her then she was waking up in a field of sunflowers. Still in the white dress. She just kept walking and walking and getting lost. She looked around her and didn't see any path to wakefulness. She tried to wake up but nothing happened. She spoke out. "Hello?! Is anybody here?! Can any body hear me? Elders!" She felt like crying. She got what she wanted. They talked to her and she was supposed to wake up but why wasn't she? Was her body really that damaged from the visions? It was the worst pain she ever felt but she has no idea how bad it really was.
Once everyone was calm Bruce had them meet in the living room. Quinn has been asleep for hours. Kim held Tony's hand. He was still shaken up. Bruce sighed. "Quinn has gone into a coma. But it seems to be caused by the seizure and is likely it's temporary. What exactly was she doing? Maybe it'l help."
Kim spoke. "She wanted to speak to the elders about getting the visions she's has a right to have. She found out they were withholding a lot of them. It's possible they gave her all the withheld visions at once." Bruce nodded. "The brain can't take that amount of stimulation. It got overwhelmed and triggered a seizure which caused the coma. It makes more sense now. But I also can't give you any type of estimate of when she'l wake up. It could be a day, it could be months." Kim sucked in a breath. "Months?"
Tony ran his hands thru his hair. His daughter was in a coma because he let her go speak to the elders in anger. The guilt was eating at him. He craved a nice strong drink but he's been sober for over ten years. Coffee will have to do.
Kim spoke up. "I could go into her head. It's possible she's stuck in a nightmare." Tony perked up, frowning. TJ held Loki who had a hard time dealing with the emotions around him. Gage was still at Quinn's bedside, talking to her, hoping that if she is stuck she'l follow his voice and find a way out. He already got the talk from Bruce about her condition.
"Angel, no. You can't. You could become stuck to or even dead if it's a nightmare which we don't know." "Tony, this is our baby. I have to try." Tony held her hand tightly. "I can't lose you to." Kim smiled sadly. "You haven't lost anybody. And you won't. I just want to do everything possible to wake her up and bring her back to us. " Tony leaned his head against her shoulder. "There no stopping you is there?" "Nope." TJ spoke next. "Face it dad. Stubbornness runs in the family." Tony scoffed. "No shit. Fine. Just be careful."
Quinn wasn't sure how long she had been walking for. The flowers were nice and it was strange she wasn't thirsty or sunburned or tired. She momentarily panicked, gasping and looking around. Was she dead? Did she actually die because she wanted to talk to the elders? But then she heard Gage's voice. Surrounding her. She turned, trying to look for the source but there was none.
"Quinn, I know you must be tired and scared and probably alone in that head of yours but you need to wake up. You've been declared comatose by Dr. Banner and if heard that talking to them helps. So if your lost maybe follow my voice. Or something. I'm not even sure if you can hear me."
She sighed. "That explains the not-being-able-to-wake-up part. Least I'm not dead. But how do I wake up?" She groaned. "I'd follow your voice if it was in any fucking direction. Which its not. Ugh. Oh well, guess it's the thought that counts. Can I even do anything here?" She tried to imagine a coffee in her hand. Nothing. Change of clothes? Nope.
She sighed."Guess this is some kind of purgatory? For comatose people? But I guess it's for me personally. I mean, sunflowers. There my favorite. " She groaned, sitting on the ground, her dress puffing out around her with the movement. "Guess I just sit here and wait. For what? I'm not even sure. "
She perked up, hearing Gage talk again. She smiled softly, missing him. Wondering how long she was out in the real world. How worried they must be. She laid down in the sunflowers, listening to Gage talk and talk. He said her mom was planning on coming into her head to help lead her out. Hopefully that worked and they both don't get stuck.
They got a spare bed to put next to Quinn's, being mindful of any wires or monitors. Kim held Quinn's hand for a better connection. And the comfort that was there was nice to. Tony was at her side, Gage at Quinn's, talking quietly to her, about what's going on or any conversation that might pop up. Kim looked at Tony who looked so worried and terrified. She held his hand with her free hand. "Il be alright. This isn't my first dream walking." "I know. I worry. You know that." She smiled. "Il bring our daughter back. I promise. I love you." He kissed her softly. "I love you to." She closed her eyes and within moments she was asleep, entering Quinn's mind.
And it was not what she was expecting. She was expecting a nightmarish landscape. With darkness and fear. She was surrounded by sunflowers, the sky a bright blue and the sun bright. But the field was endless. She took the first step, calling out Quinn's name as she walked. "Quinn! I'm here! Quinn!"
Quinn was drowsy with sleep from listening to Gage's eve surrounding voice. It was like a blanket. Soothing and warm. Then her moms voice broke in, sounding from a distance but getting closer. She sat up, listening. She gasped, standing. "Mom!" She yelled as loud as she could, looking around frantically. Then she heard it again with movement, she started walking toward the movement.
Kim heard Quinn, nearly running. "Quinn! I'm here!" They both kept running toward each other. Quinn got to the top of a hill she forgot she walked up, seeing her mom at the bottom. "Mom! Up here!" She waved. Kim smiled with relief, trying to get to her. Quinn ran down the the hill but half way down she fell, rolling ungraciously the rest of the way.
She grunted as she stopped moving then felt arms come around her. Her mom speaking softly in her ear. "Oh thank goodness your alright." Quinn hugged back. "Of corse I am, I only passed out." Kim frowned, shaking her head. "You did but more then that. You nearly had a heart attack then shortly after you had a seizure that caused a coma." Quinn frowned. "I heard Gage say something about a coma but not the other part. I'm sorry, I didn't think I'd get all this. Maybe some pain or bruises, even a few cuts but not this. I want to wake up but I can't. It can't do anything here, it's like some personal purgatory."
Kim kissed her head. "Hold on to me tight." Quinn held her mother tightly. Within moments they were floating off the ground. Flying high over the sunflower field. Quinn looked around. "Whoa. What is this? I couldn't do anything here." "This because this was your purgatory. Not mine. I can control everything here. Now keep holding on." They flew higher and higher. Quinn thought they would break through the atmosphere.
But when they did there was black and mumbled voices and she could feel her body on a bed, wires on her arms and something on her face and a hand in both hers. Oh she hoped she was awake and not some sick joke by the elders. She dared to open her eyes, slowly. She saw the medical part of the lab. Bruce standing at the foot of the bed. "What do you know? It worked. Welcome back."
Quinn groaned. Feeling heavy and sore. "Hmmmm?" Gage smiled, his eyes watery as he kissed her head. "Thank god." She looked over at him. "I could hear you. But your voice was surrounding me, there was no direction it was coming from. Just everywhere." She smiled sleepily. "I almost fell asleep to your voice." Tony spoke up next, Kim resting on the other side of Quinn. "what happened? That dosnt normally happen."
Quinn let out a breath, moving the oxygen mask away. Gage took the mask as she spoke. "I got all my visions they held from me all at once. It was so painful but then I woke up in a field of sunflowers and I couldn't do anything. Normally I can change it but it was like some kind if purgatory. I could only wait." Bruce nodded. "That explains the seizure and coma." Gage sighed. "How about from now on we don't talk to the elders unless we absolutely have to? We were so close to losing you. You were a hair away from a heart attack." Quinn turned to face Gage. Nodding. "Not talking to them sounds good. Also sleep sound good, why am I so tired?" Gage chuckled. "Well you were in a hospital bed for 56 hours. All that not moving isn't good for you. " "56 hours?! Oh my god. What day is it?" Jarvis spoke. "It is Thursday, 12:36am." Tony spoke next, coming closer to her side while Kim started to wake slowly. "Happy is patrolling that's why Gage is here."
Quinn nodded. "Am I allowed to eat?" Bruce spoke. "Small stuff. We can start you with sandwiches and tea and work up. " Kim groaned softly. Tony went to her. "welcome come back angel. You did it." Kim smiled, looking over at Quinn. "Thank goodness. " Bruce smiled. "Il get them some tea." He walked away, out of the lab.
Quinn got a better look at Gage. He looked exhausted. He looked like he stayed up the entire 56 hours. There was a bit of five o clock shadow, bags under his eyes. She reached out, holding the side of his face. "Gage..I'm ok." He held her hand to his face, kissing it. She frowned, seeing his eyes water. "Babe.." "We almost lost you." His voice was rough with emotion. He continued. "Your heart almost stopped. And we can't really use a defibrillator on you, it could short out the reactor. " She sat up straighter, frowning, still holding the side of his face. "But you didn't. I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere." A few tears fell from his eyes. She wiped his tears away, hugging him tightly. "I love you. I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere." Gage just held her tighter, letting tears fall into her hair.