Iron Woman - Home?

Chapter 17

I blinked my eyes and opened them to the bright white lights in the ceiling.

I was on an angle so I looked around the room as best I could. I was clearly in a hospital gown, judging by the feeling of my clothes. The blanket that was draped over the lower half of me was comforting, as the AC was blowing quietly under the window. Everything in the room was white, except for the couch.

Banner was sleeping on the floor, hand under his head like a pillow. Steve was sleeping on the couch behind Bruce, looking painfully rigid. Tony was asleep on his shoulder, mouth slightly open. Natasha was nowhere to be found, but Clint was leaning against the wall. He looked like a mummy with his arms folded across his chest.

He was asleep too.

I looked up again to see a web hammock. Peter.

I tried to sit up, but groaned.

I was overcome with a splitting pain in my lower abdomen.

Crap I forgot. 

The events from the battle came rushing back to me and I was more awake than I was two seconds ago.

I realized that everyone else was ok, minus a healing scratch or two.

I ignored the blinding pain to sit up just as Nat walked into the room with a mug of coffee.

"You got two of those?" I asked, smiling weakly.

She grinned and sat down at the edge of the bed.

"So where the hell am I?" I asked, scanning the room. It was quiet except for the humming and beeping of machines.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hospital. In their helicarrier," she said, "You've been out for two weeks."

My stomach dropped. "Two weeks?"

She nodded.

I leaned back deeper into my pillows. "Holy shit," I muttered. "We won, right?"

"Of course," Natasha replied.

There was a moment of silence before Tony suddenly shook himself awake.

"I'll go get you some coffee," Nat said, patting my leg before walking off.

He saw I was sitting up and immediately stood up. Steve murmured for a second as Tony walked over.

"You're awake," he said.

"After two weeks," I replied.

"You're awake," he repeated.

"I should hope so, or this is a hell of a dream," I managed with a weak smile.

He smiled weakly and sat on the side of my bed.

"Don't you dare scare me like that again," he said.

I laughed weakly. It was more like a wheeze as it hurt my stomach.

"I'm fine," I soothed.

"Faith, you like flatlined three times," he said.

My insides turned to jelly. That must've been the light.

"What?" I said.

"We almost lost you on the operating table, then while you were in recovery," Tony informed.

I sank into my pillow. "Shit," I said under my breath. I had never been so thankful for being alive.

I guess what they say is true: you never realize what you have until it's gone. Or almost gone in this case.