Under Protection - Adopted By The Avengers (au)

Should've Listened

"Perfect. Well done, Arielle! I think we're finally among progress!" Bruce congratulates me.

"Now eat up, I need to take some blood samples, if you don't mind." He adds.

My stomach feels queasy after having already eaten one third of the the rice bowl. I rub my belly, "I really don't know, Bruce... I'm starting to feel quite full." I tell him, honestly.

He gives me a non-believing look, "Eat. You must be hungry. You haven't had a proper meal in a while."

I sigh and try eating the rice quicker, to get it out of the way. I regret it exactly two minutes after.

I gag and Bruce sends me an alarmed look. He hurriedly gets a clean bowl, and holds it underneath my mouth just as I start spewing out my guts.

Having thrown pretty much all my food up, I collapse against Bruce, exhaustedly.

"Maybe I should've listened." He says, guiltily.

He lays me back on the bed and notices that I've started sweating, he presses two of his fingers onto my neck and tuts. "Yeah, really should've listened... Arielle you are severely malnourished!" He worries.

He starts moving my bed, which happens to have wheels on it. Tony rushes into the room as well having probably watched the whole scene play out from the cameras in the other room. I watch their agitated movements tiredly from my helpless position on the bed.

"Her heart rate has slowed down. I think she's still suffering from malnutrition but her body isn't accepting solid food - she threw it all up. She's not dying of starvation yet, but she's close. We need to get her to the medical bay now!" Bruce informs Tony, as they both wheel my bed out of the observation room, past a small crowd of concerned Avengers in the main lab, and into the elevator.

I barely process it all, except I feel a tight squeeze on my arm as my blood pressure is taken as we travel down in the elevator. As soon as a we arrive in the medical bay, Bruce and Tony begin attaching an IV to my hand and I feel the pain shoot up my arm.

I feel the blue mist collect around the IV.

This is not the time! I think to myself, really wanting my new powers to stop trying to kill me, or the others even.

Bruce notices first, and pays attention to me. "Arielle. Think. Use your thinking skills. Don't let your emotions take control." He encourages me, while at the same time, attaching a bag of nutrients to the IV.

I close my eyes, trying to block out all of the scary, exterior stresses and focus on thinking away the blue mist. I hear the two men sigh in relief and I open my eyes to see the extremely stressed face belonging to my adoptive dad.

I give him a weak smile, "I'm fine, dad."

He chuckles lightly back, "Oh yeah. Totally."

"She stable." Bruce informs Tony, then he turns to me, "I'm gonna take some of your blood now, Arielle." I feel another needle stab the crease inside my elbow and the disgusting sensation of blood being gradually draw out my blood. I shiver. It takes everything within me not to form a protective bubble around myself to prevent Bruce from poking me.

I lean into Tony's touch. I may not remember everything we've been through but his protective embrace is something so familiar, it gives me comfort in this moment - he's my real father figure.