Chemistry

Bruce - The Truth comes out

Fury took me straight to the hospital, and then ran off to go and look for Pepper. I ran to the receptionist and asked to be shown immediately to where Tony Stark was being treated.

'I'm sorry sir, I am afraid you will have to wait until the doctors have checked him out.'

I slammed my hands down on the desk, 'Fine.' I said gruffly. I walked over to the chairs that lined the long, clean hallways. I sat down in one out of sight from the reception desk and ran my hands through my hair. I was so worried about him. Why had he been so violently sick? They said it was from the chemicals but I was in his lab as well, and I'm fine, but the prolonged exposure to them could have done some damage, but he was trying to tell me something before he was sick the second time, he never did get to tell me. I was still thinking about this half an hour later when I was called to the reception desk.

'Mr Stark is able to see you now, he is still asleep and may remain that way over night,but he is in Room 12G, in the Over-Night Stay Ward, on the second floor, the doctors should still be there if you have any questions regarding your...'

'Friend,' I said, 'Thank you very much, good bye.' I ran down the corridor and jumped in an elevator up to the second floor, hopped out and followed the signs to Room 12G in the Over-Night Stay Ward.

I opened the door to find one doctor and one nurse still there. I went straight to the doctor.

' Why did this happen, whats wrong?'

'Well,' he replied slowly, ' it wasn't quite as we initially thought. It seems to have been caused partially by the exposure to chemicals in his lab and partially by a panic attack brought on by...'

He wasn't sure what the panic attack was brought on by, but I was. 'Thank you Doctor..'

'Doctor Sullivan.'

'Well thank you Doctor Sullivan, it is much appreciated.' I smiled and with that he left, taking the nurse with him.

They said he would be out over night and I sure as hell wasn't leaving Tony. I took the only chair in the room, and decided to mull over my issue in my sleep.

~~~TimeWarp~~~

When I woke up, Tony was still asleep. Absolutely famished, I decided it would be safe to go look for some food, while Tony was still asleep. I looked over at him, he looked so peaceful and sweet when he was asleep, his usually perfect hair, completely scruffy, but it didn't look that bad, oh god Bruce. I gave up now. I knew I loved him and there was absolutely nothing I could do about this. With my mind made up, I left in search of food.

I walked down the corridor, and followed more signs to the Hospital Cafe. I only stayed there long enough to eat a croissant and have a coffee, before going back to Tony.

I walked back along the hallways, and was just at the door when I heard,

'Where did you sleep?' It was Tony's voice, he was awake. I looked down at myself and realised just how crumpled I looked. I felt myself blush and I looked down at my feet.

'Errr, here.' I said quietly.

'What? Here where?' he said, not sounding all too shocked or surprised.

'Here, on this chair,' I knew I was still blushing, I scratched the back of my neck and pointed to the chair, 'in this room.'

'Oh.' he muttered, 'Why?'

I continued to stare at my feet but slowly moved to the chair and sat down, I could feel his amazing brown eyes following me. ' I ummm, oh yes, I meant to ask about the power, Pe- ummm,' Phew, narrowly escaped saying Pepper, 'JARVIS had said it had been turned off but, without cutting the power to half over New York, that's not possible... So, what actually happened?' I hoped he hadn't noticed me dodging that question.

'Truth for a truth?' Tony asked. So he had noticed my dodging his question.

'Okay Tony,' I said, and I watched a smug smile play on his lips, 'But, you first.'

I watched his face as he realized he was going first, and I smiled to myself.

'Okay, fine. I pretended to have turned the power off so that I could get away unnoticed by P-Pepper,' his voice cracked as he said her name, 'I needed to be undisturbed to check --- something.'

I sighed, he hadn't told me everything, but maybe that linked to what he was going to tell me before he was sick the second time or maybe its that he was watching me, but I already know that but he dosn't know that I know that. I will get it out of him, but not know, he's still vulnerable.

Now, I have to tell him.... Ugh. Okay. ' I slept here because I needed to make sure that you were okay, I worry about you Tony, okay? You really scared me. And Tony,' I had to tell him I knew, 'I know that you were watching me.' I could see him start to panic, not on the outside, but in his eyes. 'Tony, I'm not mad, or upset, I just want to know why.' I watched as he calmed down a considerable amount.

He sighed and I sighed. I knew he had questions and he knew I had questions too.

'I was looked for a photo,' He looked at me as though he was confused, 'the night you were watching me, I was looking for a photo of us, after New York, before we all, disappeared again.'

His confusion left. 'I don't know how---' I interrupted him.

'It's okay Tony. Really, it's okay. You were going to tell me something before you passed out, do you want to tell me now?'

He looked up at me, he looked me in the eyes and I could see all the hurt, the trauma, all of it. But somewhere in there, there was still love and hope. He looked away.

I stood and walked over to him. I sat on the edge of the bed.

'Tony....' I whispered gently. I could see tears in his eyes. I gave him a hug and at first he didnt respond, and then he hugged me back, and the tears started to fall. I held him while he wept and whimpered, when he stopped I whispered soothing things in his ear.

He looked at me and I looked at him and he didn't have to say anything, and neither did I. We both knew, and that was okay.

After a bit, I let him go back to sleep, the emotional journey had taken a toll on him. When he was asleep, I kissed his forehead and went to tell a doctor that he had woken up.