A little too tired of just hanging on

Chapter 02

Vision had no other choice but to fly with Tony, in his arms, to the closest hospital. It was a good thing that he was built so strong like that. Opening the armour, in the bunker, could have done more harm than good. The genius could have bled to death before reaching help. The android wasn't a doctor of course, but thanks to the never ending knowledge of the internet, he had access to a lot of things. He was able to assess the situation. Vision called Pepper and Friday on the way. Colonel Rhodes was in surgery himself. He didn't need that stress on top of what he was already going through. The news would reach him soon enough.

The hospital was quite small but well equipped. Despite that, it wouldn't be enough to save Tony Stark. The man needed a miracle. And maybe Helen Cho's cradle. Human's bodies were so very fragile. Tony's rib cage even more so. Vision couldn't help thinking that, maybe, Mr. Stark should have stopped trying to be a superhero and let others less breakable do the job. Then again, he didn't know much about those things and what motivated people to risk their lives for others. It wasn't for him to judge after all.

Vision stuck around. The doctors were trying their best in stabilising the genius. They had needed him to open the armour finally. Underneath it, the sight wasn't nice. The breastplate had bent inward along a very specific line. It looked disturbingly like a wound Captain America's shield would make. Logically it meant that, not only Steve Rogers had fought against Iron Man, injured him but had left him behind. While Tony was operated on, Vision made a quick trip back to the bunker to get back what he had to leave behind, the shield, the arm and videotape. The android couldn't understand what had pushed a good man like the Captain to do such a thing. Hopefully, Mr Stark would be able to tell them what had happened soon. If he would make it of course.

And then Tony was taken to Dr Cho and her cradle. Vision tagged along. What else was he supposed to do? The genius had slipped into a coma. At that moment, Pepper arrived with a vial of a watered down version of the Extremis Virus. The gold liquid would help the repairs alongside the cradle. Tony had used it before when he had the first arc reactor removed. Vision had to trust Pepper's jugement. She always had that self confidence about her in everything she did. The woman had a long story with Tony Stark, much longer than himself. Vision knew their choices were very few. Miss Potts was the genius medical proxy. She had the last word.

Tony woke up again in an unknown hospital room. Funny how they all looked the same. The smell and the sounds were all too similar. Maybe they did that on purpose so nobody would doubt even for a second where they were waking up. Tony hated being in a hospital more than everything. If possible now, more than ever. This time, he didn't want to be saved, not really. That was the main difference. His body was a giant ache. Any kind of mouvement, even breathing, was an agony. Thinking about his injuries right now wasn't a good idea. Thinking at all wasn't a good idea either. But, as per usual, things weren't going his way.

Louboutin heels could be heard from quite a distance. Just by the way she was walking, fast and hard, Tony already knew she was mad. They weren't exactly on the best of terms these days. He was always doing things wrong even if his intentions were good in the first place. The Starks were destroyers of worlds. The lineage should stop here with him. Earth didn't need them to damage everything they were touching anymore. People would be mad at first. Oh not for his death no. For that, they would rejoice, except maybe the ones who would lose their livelihood in the process. In the long run, it would be better for everybody and Tony had always been the kind to think far ahead in the future.

"Tony! You better have the best explanation ever this time!"

Pepper had started shouting as soon as she had seen him awake. The loud noise made him wince. The sharp mouvement made everything more painful. He couldn't really answer anything. He had, after all, a plastic tube shoved down his throat. Answers weren't exactly what she wanted anyway. They both knew that. She wouldn't like anything he had to say. She never did.