(2) Bring Me Home (T. Stark)

Chapter Fourteen

Tony flickers awake, disoriented. A tube protrudes from his nose. He sees Yinsen, humming a tune as he shaves by a broken mirror. But more importantly right now there is a jug of water on the table. Tony tries to speak, can't. It's the damn nasal tube. He pulls at it, gagging as two of feet of tubing slithers from his nose.

"..water...water." Yinsen keeps humming. Tony yanks the IV from his arm and stretches for the water, but is stopped by a wire, under his chest bandages, snapping taut.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Yinsen warns. Tony follows the wire with his eyes and finds, to his horror, that it's hooked up to a car battery.

He starts clawing at his chest bandages. Yinsen turns. Tony sees his ugly chest wound. It's too much. He swoons.

..................

Spencer lays staring at Tony's side of the bed, her fingers touching the groove in the mattress. He can't do this to her. He can't leave her. Not after everything they've been through, and not with their daughter's 2nd birthday around the corner. He promises Trinity he would be back. She turns and picks up her cell phone from the bedside table and dials a number. Takes a few shaky breaths as it rings.

"Spencer?" Rhodey answers.

"Rhodey" she whispers.

"Hey, Spence," he greets back sadly, she can hear people in the background, the sound of a helicopter starting up. "I meant to call" he starts.

"It's okay" she assures him. "Well, it's not but...."

"I'm about to head out on a search" he admits. "Okay? I'm not going to come back until we find him" he promises her. "Spencer, I...I'm so sorry"

"It's not your fault" she's already crying again.

"Just hang in there a little while" Rhodey offers. "I'll bring him home, I promise" her lips trembles. "Just look after those babies..."

"Yeah" she whispers sadly. "Yeah, okay....thank you"

"Why are you thanking me?" Rhodey asks. "I lost your husband"

"But you're looking for him" she counters. "And that matters....I urm..I should check on the kids"

"I'll see you soon" Rhodey assures her and then hangs up, Spencer rubs at her eyes removing her tears as she lets out a shaky breath before she climbs out of her bed. She can't sleep, so she'll look over her babies.

.................

Sam tidies up a little in Spencer's living room, Trinity's toys and drawings littering the floor and table. He's worried about them, this whole family will be rocked by this. And more so if Tony doesn't come back. He can't imagine Spencer coping very well without Tony, especially with three children.

"I gave her a couple of sleeping pills" Dean admits dropping onto the couch. "How are the kids?"

"Sleeping" Sam answers and yawns joining him. "You know, when she and Tony got married, after everything with her deal, I thought Spence had it made....the happy family, beautiful children, loving husband..."

"Yeah" Dean agrees. "Guess the Winchester curse strikes again" he mumbles and then sighs. "I was thinking" Dean starts leaning forward onto his knees. "She shouldn't be here by herself, even with Pepper....." Sam nods a little. "And she's not really in the right mood to look after them rascals on her own"

"No" Sam offers.

"I'm gonna ask her to come back to Bobby's with us" Dean admits. "Just till Tony comes back....she needs her family around her, especially with Trinity's birthday literally days away"

"Okay" Sam agrees looking to Dean. "Yeah, we can do this for her...you have the space in the car?"

"Probably not" Dean admits with a shrug. "But you could take Spencer's car with the Trinity, Spencer can come with me with the twins....Keep Trinity's mind off of Tony, 'cause you know she's going to ask questions" Sam nods.

"Want to head out a first light?" Sam asks standing.

"Yeah" Dean agrees resting his head back on the couch. "Hopefully, Spencer will agree to this...."

"You know she's never been all that good at asking for help" Sam reminds him. "Remember when we were seven and you took us go carting" Dean laughs a little and nods.

"Yeah, yeah that...was fun"

"But Spencer was determined to go faster, and she did, 'cause no one would ever tell her no" Dean smirks. "But she crashed, and she seemed fine..."

"Two days later she broke down in tears and refused to tell anyone why....she didn't want to ask for the help....because she'd actually broken her arm..." Dean finishes. "She spent two days in agony rather than asking for help"

"Dad was so mad..." Sam adds.

"He'd know what to do" Dean admits. "With this, he'd know just what to say to her...." Sam looks down.

"Dean" Sam starts looking to him. "You know just what to do" he assures his brother. Dean shrugs.

"This is not something we can fix with a bullet or a knife" Dean sighs and shakes his head. Sam nods a little.

"I'm going to check on the kids" he tells his brother before leaving the room. Dean closes his eyes and nods to himself.

................

Spencer hums a little cradling Ryder to her chest, it's like a miniature Tony staring back at her. She smiles sadly and sits in the rocking chair with him.

"I know I'm not your daddy" she whispers. "But urm...I can give AC/DC a try" she adds stroking his cheek. "Back in black" she starts to sing softly. "I hit the sack. I've been too long I'm glad to be back. Yes, I'm let loose. From the noose. That's kept me hanging about. I've been looking at the sky. 'Cause it's gettin' me high. Forget the hearse 'cause I never die. I got nine lives. Cat's eyes. Abusin' every one of them and running wild" Ryder stares up at her and then smiles, Spencer chokes up a little. His first smile....and Tony isn't here to see his sons first smile.

"Spence?" Sam asks in the doorway watching her, she looks up at him, tears streaming down her face.

"He smiled at me" she tells him. "He smiled and....Tony missed it" Sam nods a little walking towards her. He crouches in front of them and brushes his hand over her cheek.

"Thought Dean gave you something to sleep" he offers.

"Please" she scolds. "I learnt how not to take pills when I was a kid, I hid it and then spat it out....I don't want to sleep" She admits with a shrug. "What if something happens?"

"Then we'll wake you" Sam answers. "But you should get some sleep" She shakes her head. "Yes" he scolds. "Look....Dean thinks you and the kids should come to Bobby's with us"

"Why?" she asks him.

"So we can look after you" he answers. "Spencer, you need help...." she looks down at Ryder. "You're exhausted and upset.."

"I don't know" she whispers watching Ryder. "I just...I should be here in case Tony comes back" Sam strokes her hair.

"Okay" he assures her. "We can stay with you" she looks to him, he leans closer and kisses her cheek before pulling back.