We Can't Go Back

I Can Feel Him

When she regained consciousness, she expected to find some kind of heaven. Well, she figured oblivion was what was in store but the fact that she was waking up, spoke to the contrary.

However, when she opened her eyes, it wasn't blue skies and fields of green but Tony Stark staring at her across a dimly lit room.

She was still in the medical suite but the sheets were free of blood. She had so many questions but the most important one came out of her mouth first.

"Steve and Bucky? Are they alive?" She asked.

"Barnes escaped. He's whereabouts are unknown at this time. Steve got out of the hospital yesterday. He's mostly chomping at the bit to see you so he could be here any minute," Tony explained grimly.

She was incredibly relieved to find out they both survived but it didn't distract her for the most surprising information of the day.

"And how the hell am I alive?" She asked.

Tony hesitated before placing an empty vial on the bedside table. She doesn't need him to tell her what it is.

She reached down to feel the wound on her stomach to find that there was almost no pain at all. When she lifted her shirt, she saw that the bullet wound was almost completely healed over.

"Tony-"

But then she's gone.

It's a different kind of pain than the bullets but it felt like her atoms were being stretched. She screamed and she only briefly noticed that she was in Tony's lab before suddenly being in her bedroom. After a few moments, she was back in the med bay with Tony.

"That's been happening on and off the last couple days. It's the first time it's happened while you were conscious. You scared the shit out of some execs when you suddenly appeared on their conference room table downstairs," he said.

There were so many questions flying through her head that she didn't know where to start.

"How often have I been doing... whatever it is I've been doing?" She asked.

"I think it was the fourth time in a couple days?" He answered.

She could see the exhaustion on his face and the dark circles under his eyes. She bet he hadn't slept since she passed out. She felt bad for a moment until realization fell over her and she was suddenly angry.

"How dare you make that decision for me," she growled.

"You didn't sign a DNR so I resuscitated," Tony said with a half hearted shrug.

"That's bullshit, Tony. You knew what my wishes were and you went against it anyways," Lizzie yelled.

She could see anger and frustration that had probably been brewing for months overcome his face.

"Screw you and your self sacrificial bullshit. You know how devastating it would be to your brother if you died? To Pepper? To me? We love you Elizabeth and you can hate me all you want but I will never regret saving your life," Tony said.

"What if it turned me into a monster? Would you be able to take me out if necessary? Why would you take that gamble?" Lizzie demanded.

Tony stood up suddenly from his chair and Lizzie jumped slightly from the scrape of the legs against the linoleum.

"Because you're my best friend! I know that we don't talk about stuff always but you get me and I get you. We don't have to talk about stuff because we just understand the other. I've never been good about sharing my stuff or space but it's been comfortable with you. I don't have many people like that in my life so yes, I selfishly decided to go against your wishes and saved your life," Tony said.