The MCU- the veil of realities

The Showdown

Vedika lay motionless on the med bay table, her chest rising and falling in a slow, rhythmic pattern under the effects of heavy sedation. Her skin was pale, a stark contrast to the bruises that marred her once smooth complexion. IV lines ran from her arms, keeping her stable, but her injuries were severe—cracked ribs, a fractured wrist, multiple lacerations, and the internal bruising that came from the battle with Loki. The machines surrounding her hummed quietly, monitoring every beat of her heart, every breath she took, but the atmosphere in the room was heavy.

Tony Stark stood at her bedside, his arms crossed as if he could shield himself from the discomfort gnawing at his insides. He felt...off. Uneasy. Normally, he could shrug off injuries—both his own and those of others—distracting himself with sarcasm or throwing himself into his work. But this time was different. His gaze lingered on Vedika's face, and he couldn't shake the strange sensation growing in his chest. He cared about Pepper, of course. He cared about Rhodey and Happy too. But this feeling? It was... deeper.

He shook his head, frustrated that he couldn't put a finger on it. Why did it matter so much to him that Vedika was in pain?

"Her injuries are extensive, but we've stabilized her condition," a doctor explained, interrupting Tony's thoughts. "She's lucky to be alive after what she went through. It'll take some time, but with proper care, she should make a full recovery."

Tony barely heard the words. His focus was entirely on Vedika—on how fragile she looked. The image of her being thrown around like a rag doll by Loki kept flashing in his mind. She had come into his life like a hurricane, a force he hadn't anticipated. But now, as she lay there, he realized she had been there to save him... and now she was the one who needed saving, and he felt utterly powerless to do anything about it.

Steve Rogers stepped into the room, his footsteps soft but purposeful. He stopped beside Tony, glancing from Vedika to him. "I didn't know she was your daughter," Steve said, his voice gentle, "but I'm sure she's not that hurt. She's strong."

Tony let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head. "She's not my daughter," he replied quickly, waving his hand dismissively. "I mean, obviously. Come on, Cap, you think I'd just randomly have a secret kid out there?" He paused for a beat, then added with a smirk, "Well, actually, if I did have a secret kid, she'd be a lot more... you know, less... well, not Vedika."

Steve raised an eyebrow but remained silent, sensing that Tony wasn't done.

"But... I don't know, man," Tony continued, his voice lowering as he looked back at Vedika. "She came into my life to save me from myself, to stop me from screwing things up more than I already had, and now look at her. She's lying here, hurt, and I... I can't do anything. I can't fix this."

For a moment, the room felt even smaller, the weight of Tony's confession hanging in the air. He stared at her, his mind racing, his heart pulling in a way he wasn't ready to admit.

With a frustrated sigh, Tony turned on his heel. "I need to get out of here," he muttered, heading for the door. "Tell me when she wakes up."

Steve watched Tony leave, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. He shifted his attention back to Vedika, his gaze lingering on her a beat too long, the sight of her still and vulnerable unsettling in a way that made his chest tighten. She was just a kid, too young to have gone through everything she had, too young to be so caught in the crossfire of gods and monsters.

He straightened, shook his head slightly, and followed Tony out of the room, the door clicking shut behind him. The steady hum of the machines was the only sound left in the room as Vedika lay quietly, unaware of the storm brewing in the minds of the men who now cared about her.