I'm Iron Man, And I'm Agent Coulson

Chapter 63 Time

The rumbling in my stomach woke me up, and forced my eyes open. My mouth was dry, tasted like vomit, and I had a slight headache, but I was surprised I didn't feel worse from all the alcohol I drank.
I sighed, and my shoulders tensed immediately as the conversation with Pepper played over and over in my head. I'd hoped our conversation would alleviate some of my stress, but it only made things more confusing. I was taken by surprise when she told me Tony would say my name as he slept, or that I'd been a part of their relationship since I left, and that he loved me, but she couldn't know that for sure. He never told me, or alluded to hurting just as much as I was, which unfortunately made my heart tingle with hope and despair.
It still didn't mean this was right, or that we could do whatever he had planned, could it? My heart soared with possibilities, but the hope I'd carried for so long was overshadowed by trepidation.

"How you feeling Thundercat?" Clint announced, drawing my attention to his sitting figure next to the hospital bed, I was once again in. I almost smiled at his deep purple t-shirt and jeans, I still had no idea why he had such an affinity for purple.
"Better than I should I guess," I croaked, letting everything Pep said roll over my skin, "don't you guys have jobs? Y'all really need to stop hovering over me."
"It's nice to feel appreciated," he uttered, rolling his eyes.
I slowly sat up, and moved my aching legs over the small hospital bed. I almost rolled my own eyes, when I noticed I was back in the med-wing, and the empty IV bags sat near me, but I was glad Tony wasn't the one hovering.
Even after a little time, the conversation with Pepper, I still had no idea what I was feeling, or what I could possibly say too Tony, which in turn made me want to avoid him, till I figured this out.
"What time is it, and where's Red?" I asked, clearing my throat, and shying away from talking about Tony, "never again will I drink with her."
Clint got up and handed me a cup of water, "yah, none of us do. She can drink us all under the table, even Fury, and it's a little after seven in the afternoon, but Nat's downstairs training with Cap, why?"
"So I can punch her in the face," I replied, giving Clint a small smile. I took a long drink, and handed him the empty glass.
He snorted, "you're not strong enough yet to inflict any kind of damage right now, but I admire your spirit," he sat back down, and crossed his arms over his chest, "she said your talk with Pepper went better than expected, are you alright?"
I shook my head and shakily got up, and made my way towards the elevator.
"Hey, I know you have this innate ability to want to face things on your own, but you don't have too. I just want to make sure you're okay, and not pushing yourself too hard," he added, following me, "I'm here honey, if you want to talk."
I stood, shaking in front of the elevator, "I don't know Clint. I didn't expect to live through... to wake up, and find myself in the middle of all this, now with Pep, and Tony..." I lamented, walking into the posh elevator as soon as the doors opened, "I feel like a goddamn broken record, repeating all this over and over again, but I'm fine.. I'll be fine. I'm gonna go shower, I'll see yah later."

Twenty Minutes Later

"She's in the shower, but in a mood, so.." Clint shrugged, when he finally made it downstairs to the common room.
"It's going to take a little while for her to adjust, everyone, including her, seems to forget she just got up a few weeks ago," Bruce reiterated, seeing Tony get up from the bar and head to the elevator, "don't push her to hard Tony."
Tony gave them a mock salute and let the doors close in front of him. He had waited over four months to talk to her, even though he was at a loss at what to really say, but he couldn't wait any longer.

"Ten bucks says this isn't going to end well," Nat announced, tossing a bottle of water to Steve and Bruce.
"It's not, they're both stubborn, and Tony's impatient," Steve added, sitting down and pulling out his sketch book, "but it needs to be done so we can move forward as a team. We just need to be prepared for whatever happens." Steve finished, throwing up a silent prayer that it would work out, for both of them, but he knew her, better than he knew Tony, and sometimes getting eveything you wanted was more frightening, than not.
She'd been through alot, especially with Tony, and no matter what she said while she was layed up, or drunk, he honestly didn't know what she was going to do.