AVENGERS: The Invisible Girl.

52. Nightmare.

SCARLET POV:
New York: Nightmare:
I open my eyes, to noise, people screaming and crying out for help. I notice a figure to my left, the creature from my nightmare, he speaks to me in the same hypnotic voice as before "It's all your fault, none of this had to happen, if you'd followed my orders." He starts to walk and I follow him, I don't know why, but I feel like I should. We round a corner to see Iron Man fighting against a group of the creatures, red and gold amongst a swarm of orange "It didn't have to go this far, you betrayed me." I look at him "What did I do?" "You became one of them, an Avenger." "No I didn't, I was just helping, I never agreed to be one of them." "But it's only a matter of time, isn't it? You know you want to, but you shouldn't, you should join me. Come with me Scarlet." I look back at Tony, fighting. "I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me." "Then come with me." I take his outstretched hand, his hand is hard. I close my eyes and it grows softer.

I wake up to pain, it's hard to breathe, I have an oxygen mask over my face, with every breath I feel a sharp pain in my chest.

What happened? Think Scarlet think... I shut down the system and I was shot, the man must've woken up and shot me. But I'm alive, I am alive right?

I look to my left to see a sleeping Tony, he's holding my hand, I look to my right to see a sleeping Natasha "Scarlet?" I hear a quiet voice approach me, I look over to my left again, Bruce is walking over, from the other side of the infirmary, he gives me a small smile "How you feeling?" I try to speak, but I can't, so I shake my head from side to side. He sits on the edge of the bed I'm in "Do you remember what happened?" I nod, his smile grows a little "Good, would you like something for the pain?" I nod enthusiastically. Right now I don't care about the needle in my arm, I don't have the energy to be scared.

BRUCE POV:
12th June 2012: Helicarrier:
After giving Scarlet something to decrease the pain so she can go back to sleep, I make my way to the bridge, in search for Director Fury. He isn't there so I head to his office.

It's 11:13pm, so I wonder if he's gone to bed.

I knock on his office door "Enter." I walk in, to see Fury sitting at his desk, looking through a huge pile of paperwork "What can I do for you, Doctor?" "It's about Scarlet, she was moving around a bit in her sleep just before waking up, when she was awake I asked if she remembered what happened, she nodded, so I gave her something for the pain, so she could go back to sleep. So that's some good news." "Good, what are the extent of her injuries?" "One broken rib and a punctured lung, we've removed the bullet and hooked her up to an oxygen tank. She'll recover." "Good job, Doctor, now go get some rest, you've earned it." "Goodnight, Director."

SCARLET POV:
13th June 2012: Helicarrier: Infirmary:
I open my eyes once again to see the sun shining through the windows, people are walking around the room, Natasha isn't with me anymore, but Tony is. He's sitting in the chair, slumped over, with his head on my bed, his hands dangling from his body, almost touching the floor.

How could anyone fall asleep in a position like that?

I find myself laughing at his position, which was a huge mistake, I instantly struggle to breathe, I try to breathe in the oxygen, but I can't seem to grasp it. A lady in a white coat notices me struggling, she rushes over, puts her hand on my wrist, probably keeping an eye on my pulse, with her other hand she pushes my shoulder back down onto the bed "Deep breaths, dear, come on, deep breaths." I follow her instructions the best I can, Tony stirs next to me, he perks his head up when he hears my weird breathing. He grabs my other hand and gives it a slight squeeze, I close my eyes and try to settle my breathing. After a minute or so, my breathing is back to normal, except you can hear my breaths, unlike normal and it hurts every time. I open my eyes to see a worried look on Tony's face, the lady who, I suppose is a Doctor, speaks with a serious tone in her voice "You need to keep your breathing steady, no talking, no singing, no sneezing!"

No sneezing? How am I supposed to stop that!?

Then she moves her gaze to Tony, she points a finger at him, threateningly "And no laughing!" Tony throws his hands up in surrender "Why'd you look at me!?"

Why wouldn't she look at you, everyone knows what you're like.

She gives me a quick nod and walks away, I look at Tony who lowers his hands to the bed and looks a little hurt, I grab his hands and smile "Morning my little angel. I'll go grab Dr Banner." He stands to leave when Natasha enters the room, carrying a tray with two muffins and two bottles of drink, she smiles "You're awake." Tony sits back down, watching Natasha walk round to the other side of my bed "Perhaps I'll stay."

What!? Hell no!

I hit him as hard as I can, on his arm, he barely notices, he glances down at me and I glare at him "Was that supposed to hurt? Oh angel, he really did a number on you, didn't he?" He didn't say it in his usual sarcastic tone, he sounded really sad about it. He takes one more look at me, before looking at Natasha, then he stands and walks away, calling over his shoulder "Behave while I get Banner."