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[37] What's Wrong With Me?

All I remember from the previous day was the clawing at my own neck, fighting for air.

Now, I'm in Tony's lab, with Bruce fussing over me. I was laying down on a metal table, with tubes in my arm and an air mask over my mouth, providing oxygen. Marie was up with Steve and Blossom, and Tony was here, with Bruce. I was still having breathing problems, but I was awake, and that's what mattered at the moment. As far as I knew, no one had alerted my father to what was going on, but then again, who knew if I was totally conscious at the time. Everything seemed far away, and sounds were distant. Bruce walked over to me, and I looked up at him.

"Doing alright?" he asked, but his voice was distant. I held up my hand and shook it side to side to say 'eh'. He nodded, pressing a kiss to my forehead. I fought to keep my eyes open, and I could hear a faint beeping noise.

"Bruce." Tony called, and I was able to turn my head a little. The beeping was coming from my the heart monitor that was set right beside my makeshift bed thingy. The beeping was steadily growing faster, and I could feel my chest rising and falling quickly. I could feel heat crawling up my skin, scorching my arms, but there were no marks, only pain. I was fighting for oxygen again, and I could feel a scream building in my throat. My back was arching off of the table, and my eyes flew wide open. The oxygen mask fell off of my mouth, and the shriek that I was holding back burst forth.

"Cynthia!" Bruce yelled, but I couldn't respond. It was impossible. My skin was on fire, but not really. It was a white hot pain, and lights were flashing in front of my eyes. I couldn't help my screams, but sounds were coming back. I could hear shouting upstairs, feet thudding against the stairs, and I heard Steve yelling.

"Mommy!" I heard Marie yell.

"Marie! Don't go down there!" Steve yelled.

"Uncle Steve! Let me go!" Marie yelled at him. I guess he must've wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back, and she was struggling against him. Suddenly, the burning feeling subsided, but it was replaced with the feeling of being submerged in water. I was gasping and spluttering, my whole body shaking. Bruce was by my side, and I tried to push him away. The feeling of being underwater dissipated, but I could feel the fangs growing in my mouth.

"B-Bruce! Run away from me." I whimpered, trying not to let the full transformation take over my body. He shook his head and took my hand, squeezing it. I shut my eyes tightly, fighting against Demoria, and she wasn't not pleased. She was shrieking in my skull, and that's when I realized it.

"Demoria!" I screamed, gripping my hair with my free hand. It was all her doing. It was just like the dream I had had with Demoria and my mother. She was the evil one. She was the antagonist in my effed up life. 

"Cynthia! What about her?" Bruce asked, and I started to writhe in pain.

"It's h-her! It's all her!" I cried out, twisting my body. There was a battle of voices taking place in my head. I could hear Demoria shrieking, Phoenix shouting, Floraa sobbing, and Aquaria was singing a lullaby to try and calm the others down.

"Shut up! Not helping!" I yelled. All I wanted was for it to stop, but nothing was working. 

"Tony! I need it! Now!" Bruce yelled. I started to panic. What did he need? Was he losing his temper with me? Was I making him angry? Was Hulk angry with me for angering Demoria? I was so lost in thought, I missed Tony toss Bruce something. But what I didn't miss was the huge freaking needle that Bruce practically jabbed into my arm.

"I'm sorry." he whispered, holding my hand and stroking my hair. Everything started to fade out, and I squeezed his hand weakly.

"Don't be. You did what you had to do...." I mumbled, and then everything went pitch black.

***

"Mommy loves you very much." a woman whispered, tucking a blanket under an infant's chin. The baby looked up at her mother, cooing softly. She reached a hand up to the woman, who held in her larger one fondly.

"Momma loves you so very much. And when all of this is over, you and momma will be together again, with daddy, too." the woman whispered, kissing her daughter's head. The baby looked up at her mother, the cutest smile on her face. The baby's mother smiled back, making the infant giggle softly. The woman looked around in fear, and she shushed the child.

"Shh. Princess, we don't want anyone to know you and mommy are here, okay?" the woman whispered, holding the baby close to her body. The baby snuggled into her mother's arms, and the mother smiled a bit.

"That's my little Cynthia. Now come on, time to see daddy. You and momma will be together again soon, I promise." the woman whispered, and she began her run through the streets.

'Why lie to the kid Veronica? You know you won't make it back'. a sickly sweet voice whispered. Veronica ignored the voice in her head and concentrated on getting her daughter to safety. 

'H.Y.D.R.A. will get you both, and you'll both die. Just accept it. You're experiments!' the voice shrieked, and Veronica saw the safe house.

"Stuff it Demoria. If anyone here's an experiment, it's you." Veronica growled.

'You'll regret that. Or, maybe the kid will.' Demoria seethed before her voice vanished.