Chapter 3: Tragedy
After the excitement of Brigid's first scuffle, Astrid, Will, and Tony all settled in for a cup of coffee once she had gone to bed. Astrid sat next to her husband as Tony sat across from them, sipping their steaming cups.
"You should put this one in the books," Tony said, a smug grin on his face. "First scuffle. You'll never forget it."
"Why Tony, do you think I'd forget?" Astrid laughed, her smile matching Tony's. "My daughter fed those boys mud. How could a mother not be proud?"
Will was flabbergasted as he shot both his wife and friend confused looks. "Am I the only reasonable adult here? Brigid just beat up a kid!"
"Yes, but boring," Tony dismissed breezily, his playful smile still intact. "Come on, Will, you would've done the same thing, just like me."
"I wouldn't beat up a child!" Will cried, his face a mask of concern.
"And that's why I'm glad one of us rubbed off on her," Astrid said with a wink.
Will was dumbfounded, this time his face turned angry. "You seriously think it's funny that she pummeled another child."
Tony and Astrid looked at each other before replying. "Yes!"
"You two are unbelievable," Will said , shaking his head. "Our daughter beat up a child. Violence is not the answer!"
"Will, honey, she has to learn to protect herself somehow," Astrid said calmly. "I'm just glad she learned it now rather than never."
"Well, she pretty much said everything," Tony said, patting Astrid on the back. "Look, I know you don't like the violence part but think of this: you won't have to worry about your daughter when she grows up because she can already kick a**."
"Maybe I'll just have her kick yours," Will mumbled with a crooked grin.
"Aww, I knew you'd see it my way," he replied, strangely gleeful at the prospect.
Suddenly, there was a great scream from the other side of the house.
"Mama! Papa!"
All three adults raced to Brigid's room, out of fear she was being kidnapped or worse. To their relief, Brigid was safe and sound, but she was shaking, frightened, and her skin was whiter than death as sweat poured down her skin. The three were scared seeing Brigid in such a state as they sat by her bed.
"Brigid, sweetie, what happened?" Astrid asked her, masking her fear as she held her daughter.
"I...had a nightmare," Brigid quivered, the terror written on her face.
"Tell me," Astrid demanded, not caring for the outcome.
Brigid held her mother and father tightly. "We...were going somewhere...I don't know where...but you and father disappeared. And I could not reach you! I tried to run, but I couldn't get to you!"
Brigid broke down and sobbed as Astrid held her.
"Oh, shhhh, there now, little one," Astrid whispered, rocking her daughter. . "It was just a dream. I promise. That will never happen. Mama and Papa aren't going anywhere."
"Dreams are just overactive imaginations," Will ran his hand through his daughter's hair to lend comfort, putting on a brave smile for Brigid. "Mama and I are right here with you and Tony. We're not going anywhere."
And Uncle Tony will be right here with you too," Tony said, giving Brigid his confident smile and a tight hug.
Brigid sniffed. "I can't sleep. I don't want the dream to come back."
"Well, how about I help you chase the dream away?" Astrid suggested. "Would you like that?"
Brigid nodded. Astrid tucked her in under her blankets and sang her a lullaby as she cuddled close with her daughter under the blankets.
"Don't leave, Papa. Please," Brigid begged.
"You'll be safe, Brigid. I promise," Will said. "I'm not going anywhere."
Will leaned down and kissed her head. "Now, go to sleep and no bad dreams. I promise."
Tony took his turn and tenderly kissed Brigid's head. "Kick the dream's butt like you did that mean boy."
Brigid giggled as Tony gave her one last kiss goodnight. "Good night, Leprechaun."
"'Night, Uncle Tony," Brigid whispered with a yawn.
With her mother's breath on her ear and her song in her head, Brigid drifted off to sleep, her dreams eased by her mother's voice and her father and uncle's presence.
Four years later...
"Mama! Uncle Tony!"
The three adults came rushing into Brigid's bedroom where they found her screaming and sweating in her sleep once more, worse than she had been years ago.
"Brigid, Brigid, wake up, sweetie," Astrid whispered, poorly hiding her distress.
Brigid still did not wake but continued to moan in her sleep as sweat poured down her head. Tony and Will grew desperate and sick to their stomachs as Brigid continued to toss and turn.
"Brigid, honey, Papa's here," Will whispered, masking his trouble.
"Wake up, Leprechaun, come on," Tony soothed, hiding his own worries.
Brigid snapped awake, and burst into tears. "Mama! Papa!"
Will and Astrid held their daughter close.
"Brigid, darling, you're safe," Will breathed, his fingers running down his daughter's hair.
"We all are," Astrid reassured her, her hands running up and down Brigid's back.
Brigid composed herself long enough to speak. "It's always the same dream. I keep seeing you die. It's so real! Where does it come from?"
Astrid shook her head. "I cannot say, little one, but dreams pass in time."
"It's always the same one," Brigid blubbered, unable to control herself. "It won't go away!"
Astrid brightened with an idea. "You know, maybe we need to escape, so the dreams can't follow us."
"Really?" Brigid questioned.
"That's a brilliant idea, Astrid," Will commented, taking a liking to the idea.
"I think we should see where grandma came from," Astrid declared, "And where I grew up in Norway."
"Well, nothing ever happens in Norway," Tony joked. "The dreams definitely can't follow you there."
"Bite me," Astrid sniped, giving Tony a good-natured smile. "but yes, grandma is from there, so am I, and so are the Norse Gods that came down there thousands of years ago."
"Wow!" Brigid exclaimed.
Tony shrugged. "Well, if she's sold, so am I."
"We'll have fun, right, Uncle Tony?" Brigid inquired.
Tony's face fell. "Brigid, I'm afraid this trip is just for you, mommy, and daddy."
"But Uncle Tony!" Brigid protested.
"I have to stay and take care of things here, but I promise, I'll have surprises for you when you get back," Tony vowed.
"I hope it's a robot dragon," Brigid giggled.
"A robot dragon!" Tony chuckled. "That will be a welcome challenge. Go on, you better start packing, little leprechaun."
Brigid scampered away to pack.
"A robot dragon? Where did she get that from?" Tony demanded, blinking at Astrid.
"The girl just wants what she wants," Astrid shrugged.
The next day, the Regan family settled into their car on their way to the airport.
Tony gave little Brigid one last hug goodbye before she climbed into the backseat.
"We'll give you a call at the airport and when we land," Astrid promised.
"Great," Tony replied with a cheerful smile. "I'd hate to get sick of you."
"Hey, you have fun and tell me about all your fun when you come back. Okay, Leprechaun?" Tony asked.
"Deal," Brigid agreed. "Uncle Tony, do you think I'll meet Thor or even Loki in Norway?"
"Well, I think anything is possible, Leprechaun," Tony replied. "And when you come back, I'll have that robot dragon for you."
"I can't wait!" Brigid blurted out.
Brigid gave Tony one last hug and climbed into the car and waved as she drove off.
As their journey waned into the night, the Regan family was still a long way from the airport. Will turned to find Brigid fast asleep in the back seat.
"Is the little one asleep?" Astrid asked.
"The SandMan has visited her," Will whispered. "Is there a Norse God of Sleep?"
"That would be Nott, the God of Sleep," Astrid stated. "And it seems he has visited."
Will chuckled. "Tony really loves our girl. You'd never hear him tell us a god exists. Not any god, Norse, Christian, nothing. But listen to him sing for our daughter."
Astrid laughed. "Well, it's not hard to see why."
Just then, there was a rumble of thunder.
"Did you hear that? Where did the thunder come from?" Will questioned.
Brigid, roused by the rumbling thunder, rubbed her eyes as she woke. "Mama, are we there yet?"
Before they could blink, they were blinded by lightning which lit up the sky and struck a tree. It was sent a crashing down with a thunderous noise!
"Look out!" Will cried.
Astrid swore, jerking the wheel harshly, swerving to avoid the falling tree, nearly crashing into another car
"Mama!" Brigid shrieked.
With a chilling metallic crunch, the car spun out of control, rubber burned and released its fumes. The car careened into a median, glass shattering and metal warping in stress, it came to a final, foreboding stop.
Unaware of the tragedy that had befallen Brigid, Tony was on his cell phone, desperately trying to call Astrid. There was a feeling, like an itch that Tony could not scratch. Astrid had always checked in with him, especially when it came to Brigid and her well-being. Tony had waited for hours and he had not heard one word from Astrid or Will.
"Astrid, don't try to ignore me," Tony barked. "You said you'd call me. You should be on the plane by now. Where are you?"
"Jarvis, can you tell me if the Regan family have boarded their flight to Norway?" Tony asked desperately.
"Sir, I have no record of the Regans checking in or boarding their flight," Jarvis replied.
A cold chill ran up Tony's spine. His stomach began to twist and it made him sick to think what happened to Brigid and her parents.
"Jarvis, can you track Brigid's cell phone?" Tony inquired, his voice hiding his true fear.
"Yes. Her location stops sixty miles west of here, sir," Jarvis replied.
Tony jumped in his car and skidded down the road, his tires screaming.
Tony used Jarvis' directions to track Brigid's location until he found a car smashed into the median. Tony froze as he saw the wreck. His body nearly shut down, wanting to deny the truth.
"Jarvis, are you sure this is where Brigid's location stops?" Tony questioned, fearful of the answer.
"Yes, sir," Jarvis replied.
Tony jumped out of his car and raced to the twisted mess. The airbags were already deployed, much to Tony's dismay. Tony felt sick as he saw the chaotic sight.
Please be alive. Please be alive, he begged.
"Brigid! Astrid! Will!" he called.
No response. Tony felt cold and sick as he willed himself into the mess. He desperately took a pocket knife and deflated the airbags to find Will and Astrid motionless in the front seat.
"Astrid, Will! Hey, talk to me," Tony whispered.
Tony put his finger onto their necks and his heart sank. He did not want to believe it, but he knew he had to. His best friends were gone, and the worst part was, if their daughter lived, he had to tell her. Tony held back tears as he heard a small voice call out to him.
"Uncle Tony."
Tony's heart leapt as he opened the door and pulled a bloodied Brigid from the back seat. Brigid screamed as he did so, tears streaming down her face. Brigid was bleeding from her head. Tony shuddered as he noticed glass embedded in Brigid's abdomen and her legs were twisted and bloody.
"It hurts! Uncle Tony, it hurts!" she cried, her face twisted in pain.
Tony ripped off his jacket and placed it over Brigid's mangled body. "Shhh, easy, easy, Little Leprechaun. Uncle Tony is here. You're gonna be alright."
Tony called on his cell phone for an ambulance before turning back to Brigid. "Help is on the way, Little Leprechaun. Just hold on."
Tony took branches from nearby trees and constructed them into splints for Brigid's ruined legs.
"Brigid, sweetie, this might hurt a little. I have to make a splint for your legs," Tony comforted, his face masking his sickness to see the girl he loved near death.
As gently as he could, Tony put the makeshift splints on Brigid's mangled legs as she screamed as he did so.
"I know, I know it hurts," Tony soothed, his heart breaking every time Brigid screamed.
"Tony, where's Mama and Papa?" Brigid asked.
Before Tony could answer, the blaring ambulance showed up and Brigid was loaded into the ambulance with Tony at her side. With Tony holding her hand, Brigid was rushed to the emergency room where Tony waited for an eternity. It did not take long for Tony to get anxious as he waited in the lobby with no answers.
What is taking so long? Why haven't I heard anything? he demanded.
Tony had already felt like a failure to Will and Astrid. Now Brigid was in pain, possibly dying, and he was not there for her. It was painful for him to sit without answers. At long last, the doctor emerged. She was a short young woman with blue eyes and her brown hair drawn up in a ponytail. She looked worriedly at Tony.
"Mr. Stark, I'm Doctor Christine Palmer," stated the doctor. "You're a friend of Brigid Regan's?"
"Doc, please can you tell me what's going on with Brigid?" Tony demanded.
"I'm afraid I can't divulge that to you, Mr. Stark," Dr. Palmer replied. "It's patient confidentiality."
"You can, actually, because, as it turns out, I'm her legal guardian, so start talking d*** it!" Tony blurted out.
Dr. Palmer sighed. She could see Tony was very much invested in the fate of the Regans, and she hated what she had to tell him. "Both Mr. and Mrs. Regan are dead, killed upon impact. Brigid was a little luckier, but not by much. We just took her from emergency surgery."
"What else is there?" Tony inquired.
"Her leg bones were shattered, she sustained a minor concussion, and the touch-and-go part is that glass had to be removed from her abdomen," Dr. Palmer stated. "She had internal bleeding. If she had waited any longer she could have joined her parents."
"Is she going to be alright?" Tony wanted to know.
"She's in very critical condition but only time will tell," Dr. Palmer replied. "We can only make her comfortable until then."
Tony waited until Dr. Palmer left him and he collapsed in his chair. A wave of grief drowned him. His friends were dead, their daughter was near death. If she lived, he would have to tell her her parents were dead. Tony lost himself in his tears.