Book 3: Shifted Souls

Chapter 10: Awakenings

Violence, Torture and Lots of Adult Language.

Everyone was still taking turns sitting with Lizzie. Tony was getting frustrated. He woke on night after he had dreamt of Lizzie lost in the dark. Tears fell down her face. She wasn't just Lizzie though. He had listened to all this mystical mumbo jumbo until it was making him crazy. He walked down to Lizzie's room. He stepped inside and instead of going to the chair he normally sat in he sat down on the edge of Lizzie's bed. He noticed how pale and gaunt she was becoming. He watched her, he reached out and pushed her hair behind her ear, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, then rested his forehead against hers. "Lizzie-bean, Kitten, whoever or however many people are in there. Come back to me. I need my girl back."

He placed his hands on both sides of her face, "Come on Sleeping Beauty, fight your way back to me." He kissed her gently on her lips. He shook his head after a moment. Who was he kidding he was no Prince Charming to wake his princess with a kiss? He stood and felt rage explode inside of him. He stood and threw the chair across the room. "Fuck!" he screamed. He turned back to the bed and knelt beside it. "God damnit Lizzie come back, you aren't allowed to leave me like this!" He laid his forehead down against the bed beside where she laid. "Don't you give up! Come back to me." He hit the bed with his fist then reached out and took her hand in his own. He kissed the back of her hand. "Don't leave me Izz, Please. Kitty, wake up. I need you." His voice broke as he choked out the last words. He rested his head back on the bed beside her. He didn't realize that tears had come, unbidden, and were streaming down his face.

He felt a hand come to rest on the back of his head. Fingers tunneled into his hair. Trying to sooth him and to give comfort to him. He stopped moving, held still by the sensation of her fingers stroking through his hair hesitantly. Her other hand gripped and released his. He lifted his head up to look into her face. "Hey T." Soft words left her lips and he jerked up and grabbed her to him. "Come on baby, wake up all the way, don't slip away from me again." He supported her under her arms with one of his own. His other hand supported the back of her head, holding her close to him. She worked to put her arms around his neck. "I got you," she told him.

Tony chuckled. "If I had known a temper fit would have working in waking you up, I would have done it sooner," he laughed and peppered kisses across her face. "Leave it to you to wake me up," what sounded like a weak giggle came from her. He held her back from him so he could see her face. He looked into her eyes and noticed they were still mismatched, and he had hope that it meant that they would both make it. He smiled but then he gave her an over exaggerated frown. He gave her a small shake, "Don't you ever do this to me again, either of you, you are making me gray early." She smiled and tried to lean back into him. "Just makes you a silver fox, shut up T." He grabbed her up in his arms bridal style and carried her to the healer. He had learned at least one was always on duty. He had at least learned something while he was waiting for her to wake up.

Lizzie lay on the healer table; Tony had been none to gentle about her being checked out. The healer had sent her apprentice to wake the others. Lizzie was so still. He kept wanting to pinch her to make sure she stayed awake. "Open your eyes Button. You are messing with my sanity here," he told her for the third time. She opened her eyes and was looking at Tony when Barton and Romanoff came in "moya sestrenka," Natasha cried as she came into the room. "Hey Kitten, about time you woke up." Lizzie smiled and they both crossed the room and kissed her on the forehead. "Hey Natty." She winked at Nat. "Feathers, where's my dog?" She grinned at Barton.

The healer was trying to push them away from Lizzie. Her scans were being interrupted by their efforts to say hello. Steve walked in and Lizzie chuckled. "Looks like they finally found the Capsicle and thawed him out. About time." Steve just smiled shaking his head at her comments. She is definitely Anthony's daughter and Bucky's niece, he thought to himself. Thor threw open the door, tankard in hand, The Warriors Three and Lady Sif all behind him. "Lady ." He roared into the room. Lizzie laughed to herself and grimaced all at the same time as they all trapsed in and patted her on the shoulder or knee.