Project: A Stark Winter

Chapter Twenty-One: Felt Like Fate

The week drifted on following much of the same routine. You'd wake up, have coffee with Tony, get ready for the day, and jog downstairs to meet Pepper in the lobby who would be standing there tapping her foot impatiently at your lateness. Your eyes would follow the many people of New York as they went about their busy days on the ride to Stark Industries and solemnly shuffle out of the car toward the boring work that awaited you. Whenever it seemed you would clear a hundred stacks of files, Pepper would hand you double that to be filed again. When you finished for the day, or rather when Pepper did, you would pack up and head home to dinner with the team. It was called a "team dinner", but their week of freedom had lent itself to a small crew of revolving faces as they went about errands or tasks that they had been putting off. On this particular Friday evening, you and Pepper clambered into the small kitchen with arms loaded with Chinese takeout. Tony, Steve, and Wanda practically growling in hunger leaped on the food and began dishing up immediately causing Pepper to squeal in displeasure and shoo them away.
"We are going to eat like normal people tonight. Around a table." She scolded health heartedly as she began grabbing plates to set the table. Everyone else shrugged and began grabbing silverware, napkins, and wine glasses to aid in Pepper's efforts at a nice family meal. Satisfied, Pepper huffed and sat down at the head of the table and shot a look at Tony to dare challenge it. He smiled a wary smile and took a seat on her left side as you sat across on her right. The dinner was delicious and felt very comforting as you sat and shared stories and laughs with the group until suddenly a notification cut through the good feelings.
"Ms. Stark is needed in the lab, sir." Friday chimes in above the laughter that immediately dies. Everyone looks from you to Tony with a calm yet panicked expression, waiting for what it could mean.
"For what?" Tony chides, shoving a whole potsticker in his mouth and leaning back in faux calmness.
"Dr. Lee has requested a check-up on her previous symptoms and has a treatment to aid in slowing her symptoms, sir." Tony releases a held breath and opens his mouth to respond to the A.I. You cut him off with the squeaking of your chair as it pushes away from the table.
"Thank you, Friday. Let Dr. Lee know I'm on my way." You reply calmly, not bringing your eyes to meet anyone else. They watch as you walk toward the elevator in silence; the reminder of your disease and everything that had happened a week prior is refreshed in their minds. The dinner had become awkward; you felt the edges of the night begin to tinge with unease. You didn't want to stick around and try and pull more tense conversation from them as they adjusted to all that transpired so you watched the ground as the elevator doors shut and carried you to the medical bay level of the tower. The doors mechanically slid open to reveal the bright fluorescent lights of the room. It smelled deeply of cleaning chemicals and it stung your nose as you inhaled the sterile air. You peered around the double swinging doors to the examination room to see Dr. Lee scribbling on her charting clipboard. She tilted her head up at the sound of you approaching and fixed you with a warm smile.
"Y/n! How have you been?" She exclaimed cheerily, her eyes scanning your frame, perhaps assessing your current state of health.
"Surprisingly well, actually." You reply in a level tone. The brutal honesty of the fact weighed heavily in the air. Dr. Lee gestures to the exam table indicating that she wanted you to sit for your check-up. You scooted your butt over the noisy, crinkling paper and held your hands in your lap nervously while she checked your vitals.
"Breathe in for me." She asked, her voice soothing and calm as she held the stethoscope to your chest to listen to your breathing. She rested her hands on your neck and abdomen and gave light little pushes checking for any noticeable irregularities. Giving a satisfied huff, she drags out a medical cart full of medical instruments, grabs her clipboard, and begins scribbling notes. Finally, she sets the clipboard on the edge of the bed and grabs a large syringe and vial of blue and black inky liquid. Your eyebrows shoot up in fear and confusion as she holds in closer to your arm. Instinctively you try to pull away, but her warm, firm grasp holds you tight.
"Y/n, it's okay. This isn't going to hurt you. Remember how I told you that I was doing a blood draw to isolate the poisoned parts?" Her eyes are deep and earnest as they stare into yours; her body language is open and pleading as she holds you firmly. She could sense your fear and hesitation as was taking the time to make you feel safe in the midst of all that was happening. Taking a deep gulp past the lump in your throat you nod your understanding and remembrance of her question.
"Okay, so. I was able to create a sort of temporary antidote to help neutralize those toxins, understand?" You nod your understanding as she continues in slow measured sentences.
"This will cause a small pinch and feel cold in your veins, but that's it. No weird dreams, no black, inky vomit." She gives a small tug on your wrist and pulls your arms to rest on her lap as she presses the needle tip against the vein in the crook of your arm. You nod your consent and she gives you the quick shot, spilling the antidote to your troubles into your veins. You give a small shiver as the iciness of the mixture courses through your body but, as she promised, that was it. You give Dr. Lee a small smile, a bit embarrassed at your reaction to a simple shot. She pulls the needle out swiftly and places a bandage on the injection site, smoothing the adhesive onto the tiny wound. Pushing back in her rolling chair she grabs her clipboard and begins jotting more notes onto our chart.
"I'd like to wait a few minutes to make sure you don't have any adverse reactions. What's new with you? I heard through the grapevine you're back at Stark Industries?" Dr. Lee states plainly, her eyes never leaving her scrawling notes. You swing your legs back and forth and twist your hands as you try and piece together small talk for this conversation.
"Uh, yeah. I've been back for about a week. Pepper only really has me sorting paperwork and stuff like that. It's actually pretty boring. I feel like-" You cut yourself off with an awkward chuckle afraid you were oversharing. Dr. Lee pauses her writing for a moment and raises an eyebrow, urging you to continue.
"I just feel a bit...babied. I am a full-grown adult and since I've gotten here every one treats me like I'm a toddler or something. Pepper even scheduled a date for me." You admit in a solemn voice, truth, and honesty pouring from each word. To your surprise, Dr. Lee lets out a loud, howling laugh as she hunches over from the strain of her laughter.
"Wha-wait! She scheduled a date for you?!" Dr. Lee exclaims between gasps for air, the laughter shaking her slender form. You smile widely as laughter bubbles in your chest. The hilarity of the situation had been lost on you until this moment. You cringed and nodded in confirmation, sending Dr. Lee into another fit of laughter. Your shoulders began to shake in time with your laughs as the uncontrollable nature of laughter took hold of you. For a minute you both laugh in unison, the full sound filling the space around putting your heart at ease for a moment. As your laughs died down and you wiped away stray tears, she met your gaze with a look of understanding.
"My mother once tried to play matchmaker at Whole Foods with a man who she thought was 'perfect' for me simply for the fact that he was buying a mango." She admitted with a sigh and attempted to hold back her laughter.
"What was it about mangoes that made him perfect?"
"Well, she said if a man knew how to eat mangoes he was good at eating...other things." Laughter once again exploded in the room between the two of you as you shared the embarrassing connection that was having overbearing parents. As you both came back from the stomach aching laughter, she checked her watch and stood slowly, gesturing toward the doors.
"I have plenty of stories I could share, but they will have to wait for another day. You are free to go. Stop in a few days for your next dose." Dr. Lee smiles widely and you return it warmly. You hop down from the exam table and walk to the doors with a lighter step than you'd had in a while.
"Thank you, Dr. Lee. For everything."
"You're welcome, y/n. Good luck on your date with Matt. Hopefully, he knows how to eat mangoes." She said with a wink and chuckle as she waved her clipboard in a gesture to shoo you from the room. You walked toward the elevator and asked Friday to take you to your floor, ready to tuck in for the night and prepare mentally for all that would happen tomorrow.