Stand By Me

Chapter 26 - Slow Drip

When your eyes first opened up your vision remained a blur. The last thing you could recall was falling to the ground and you were alarmed to find yourself in a medical bed. While your eyes adjusted you continued to take in the environment around you. You could hear a drip, almost like a faucet not fully shut off, and feel a cold liquid in your veins. You peered at your arm and saw the slow drip of an IV and found relief in a hospital logo on the bag. Knowing that you were no longer captured caused you to put your head back down on the pillow, re-shut your eyes, and feel happiness. You didn't have to worry that you were just being kept alive to be toured all over again. Then as quick as the happiness filled your body it was replaced by dread when you thought about Tony. Your eyes shot opening no longer blurred but instantly focused as your heart began to race causing the monitor you were hooked up to alert the staff. Three nurses quickly sprinted through the door followed by a provider who went to your bedside. 

"Tony..." Your voice was raspy and the doctor leaned in to try to hear you better. "Tony..." You tried to be clearer but your throat was so dry. "Tony?" The doctor responded back at you and you shook your head yes. He gave you a wide grin and the nurses reset the machines after given the clearance that everything is ok. "Mr. Stark saved your life Ms. Y/LN." 

One of the nurses placed a water jug in front of you and you took a small sip of the water from the straw. After you felt the relief in your throat you turned your attention back to the doctor. "He's ok?" Then as if on queue the door opened and Tony stood in the doorway. The doctor gestured to the nurses and they left your room. 

Tony walked over to you and sat down grabbing your hand. That's when you noticed that his arc reactor was gone. "Tony, your reactor." He looked down at this shirt and smiled. "I finally went with the surgery and they took out the shrapnel out." 

"You told me that you would rather die then trust a surgeon." Tony fidgeted with your hands. "I have some things I need to tell you." You sat up a little further and looked at him. Tony went on to explain your gun shot wound and the damaged it caused. "I went to my lab and found if I just reconfigured the arc reactor to release the needed protein it could potentially restore your heart." As Tony spoke you lightly touched your chest but didn't feel any metal. You looked down and saw a scar in it's place. "It took three months to restore your needed muscle but it worked." Tony stood up and walked over to flowers that were in the corner of the room. As you took them from him you peered down and saw an arc reactor in the center with a note that said, "Proof Tony Stark has a heart." Tears filled your eyes, "You saved my life Tony." Tony's eyes were teary too as he sat back down next to you. "No, you've saved mine." 

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Day after day Tony came and visited you during your hospital stay. He went over everything that happened the night of your escape and everything that occurred during the three months you were under. He explained that Happy and May were happily together and raising her nephew Peter. Tony has some crazy theory that Peter is Spiderman but you simply laughed at the idea of timid Peter being a secret superhero. Fury also under covered what Tony called a "Capsicle," and Fury is hoping that he may be able to establish some hero alliance in the future. Tessa and Michael were also engaged and planning a wedding this summer. "Tessa came by a few times and dropped off flowers and chocolates." You looked around the room. "I didn't see any chocolates." Tony smiled, "Consider it a life saving tax." He laughed as you rolled your eyes. 

Finally after regaining strength in your legs you were able to walk around your hospital room and the hallways. In the following weeks, after one of your vending machine trips down the hall your doctor walked in with your discharge papers. "Are you ready to go home?" You felt relief as you quickly signed the paperwork. Tony wasn't with you but you packed up your things and grabbed the arc reactor that was now sitting on the counter as the flowers needed to be tossed. 

You looked around the room that you spent the last few months in your life in. You gave a salute to the room that saved you and shut the door.  As you walked out of the room you thanked the nursing staff and grabbed a phone near reception. You were just about to call a cab when Tony pulled up to the front doors. You hung the phone up and stepped outside to see him. "Finally breaking out?" 

"Without hesitation." You smiled back. " I am just not sure if my landlord will be so welcoming after not paying my rent." Tony crossed his arms remaining quiet for just a moment. "It's been taken care of." 

"Thank you Tony!" You went to hug him but he held out his hand to stop you. "But if you to stay with me instead I think I can take care of that too."

"Are you asking me to move in with you Mr. Stark?" He shrugged, "I mean you can decide but if you want I'll let you stay in my room. It's really a fantastic room with great views and it comes with my company." 

You grabbed Tony's head and kissed him. "I'd love that." Tony opened the door for you and you hopped in. As Tony entered you smiled at him, "But I get to chose my side of the bed." 

"That's up for negation." He kissed you again as he sped away to your new home.