Iron Man: Resurrection

11

I run down the hallway of the impenetrable base . i hope I'm right.

When I turn into the med lab I see the green corpse still there dead still. I walk over to him. It's still a bit difficult to walk though. I place my head against his chest and pray that I'm right. Then I hear it. It's faint and it's slow but it's definitely there.

"What is it?" Jackson asks. I forgot that he followed me.

"The dry blood ," I say poiting at the wound on the hulks forehead. "It's a scab. A forming scab. It's not just dry bood," I say.

"So?" He asks confused.

"Scabs only form when blood cells repair wounds," I say.

"Impossible. You're saying he's healing from that?"

"Yes and it is possible. Anyone else would have been dead but he's the Hulk. He has a healing factor like Peter only his is way advanced," I say examining his wound. I'm relieved. I'm happy he's still alive.

"If his healing factor is so advanced shouldn't he be healed now?" Jackson asked.

"It's advanced but it still works like regular healing. The brain sends the message to the blood cells to heal. Right now his brain is the the thing that needs healing. It's ability to tell itself to heal is compromised. He'll still heal but slower," I say.

"We have to tell Fury."

*** *** ***

After my night with Jackson I've only seen him a few times. All awkward encounters.

Why do things have to be so weird after people have sex? A million questions run through my mind. Is he avoiding me? Is he not out? Was it a spur the moment thing? Did he just think: fuck it , it's the end of the world.

"Thomas!" Peter shouts for me from across the hallway.

"If it isn't the great Dr Strange," I say. He looks at me confused. "Oh right you're Spider-Man. I could have sworn you a magician with how you disappeared," I laugh.

"I went to go pick up this," he says as he hands me a USB drive. "Apparently Morgan told mrs Stark that you called and you didn't sound too good so Pepper thought you should see this. No-one has seen it yet. Your father made it just for you. He made a few but this one is for you," he says as I stare between him and the drive with a confused expression. "It'll make you feel better," he says and once again my heart skips a beat for the dark eyed boy. He went all the way to Pepper when the end of everything could strike any day just to make me feel better.

I break eye contact with him. A weird feeling forms in my stomach. Guilt. . Me and Peter aren't together but for some reason it feels like I've cheated.

"Are you okay?" He asks and I just nod. It's because I don't know what's happening between me and Peter. I don't know if we're becoming friends or more but I slept with Jackson without clarity. It's weird but I don't regret it. Am I wrong?

*** *** ***
"Hey kid," a hologram appears and for a moment I'm stunned. It's him. "This is probably the hardest one I'll have to make," he says looking away from the camera. He was never one to shy away from the lense. " If you're watching this I'm glad. Im glad because you've been gone for five years now and you watching this means it worked and we won. I'm also sorry. I'm sorry because if you're watching this it means I'm gone. It means you were right bud," tears start streaming down his face. I've never seen my dad cry before. "I want you to know I've missed you. There hasn't been a day in the past five years that I haven't thought about you. I see you when I'm working, in my dreams, in your sister. Oh yeah you have a sister. If it weren't for her and Pepper I'd be gone with your mom. I'm sorry you'll have to deal with that when you get back. You were her rock kid. When you disappeared it sent her into a world of misery and she only saw one escape," his silent for a moment. As if he's contemplating how to deliver what he wants to say next. " The world will expect alot from you. I mean why wouldn't it. You're the son of Iron-Man and I wasn't half as smart as you at your age but I know you so I made sure you had an option. I named you my successor and gave you access to my Edith satellite but I named Peter too, incase you didn't want it. Peter is Spider-Man, that intern of mine. Im sure you've met him once or twice. I think you'd be a fantastic Iron-Man and the world will always need one but you don't have to be if you don't want. I love you 3000," he says and it's as if he's holding eye contact with me. "You'll know all about that when you meet your sister," he laughs and then switches it off.