Chapter 20 (Final)
"Beep…Beep…Beep".
That was the first thing I heard.
The first thing I felt, however, was a piercing pain covering my whole body.
Gasping, I shot upright, only to have firm hands push me back down. "Relax Tony, you have to stay calm" someone told me…Who was that? … "Tony, its Bruce. Bruce Banner, your in hospital. You just got to calm down" the voice continued. Bruce… I know Bruce. Bruce is nice… he's my friend.
So I stopped thrashing about. Bruce would protect me.
"Good, now, how many fingers am I holding up?" he asked, holding up his hand.
"Two…" I mumbled and he nodded, sitting back down,
"Correct….. You ok?".
"It… hurts" I mumbled and he sighed, "I know it does and I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do. What do you remember?".
I thought hard for a minute.
"Loki" I said, "Loki was there…and…you…you and the others…ye were taken…".
I know it makes no sense, but what else can I do?
He nodded again, "yes. You were…hit with magic…collapsed and have been unconscience for just over 4 weeks".
"Four weeks" I mumbled, looking around, "…I hate hospitals".
He chuckled and I turned to him, "where's…where's the o-others?".
"Last time I checked, Fury's outside with Barton, Natasha's been helping out with Pepper, and Thor's back at the tower with Rogers" he replied.
"Fury's…here?" I asked.
It hurt to talk… It hurt all over… What the hell had happened to me?
"Yea, outside the door. He's angry, as usual, and he's been waiting out there for two days now".
"Two days? H-he…really must hate me". Bruce laughed again, "you can say that again. He's been ranting to everyone who'll listen, cursing your name in every way possible".
"Its just… his way to show… he care's" I said, smirking slightly.
"You want to talk to him?" Bruce asked, and I shook my head, wincing when it caused a massive head ache. "No w-way".
"Thought not… what bout Clint? You want to see him?".
"S-sure…I'm sure he'll…kill me if I d-don't". "True" Bruce replied smiling, "you stay put and I'll get him".
"I don't think I could…move even if I wanted…to" I muttered as he left, returning a few seconds later with Legolas.
"Tony?" Barton asked quietly, his eyes wide as if he couldn't believe it was me.
"In the flesh and…blood" I replied, "well, w-what's left of…me anyway".
Within the hour, everyone was piled into my hospital room, Steve, Bruce, Clint, Natasha, Thor, and a very tearful Pepper.
"So, come on, any…news?" I asked and Thor looked away. That could only mean one thing.
"Rudolfs…been c-caught?" I asked and Rogers nodded, "yep. The week you…uh…were knocked out. Currently in an Asgardian cell".
"That's good I…guess" I muttered and he sighed, "We're still cleaning up Manhattan. Two major attacks within half a year of each other completely destroyed it".
"Well you know id…help but I'm a…little tied up h-here" I replied smirking and he smiled, "Yea, I know you would. Cause your all about helping aren't you?".
"Hey I… I saved y-your ass didn't I?" I asked playfully and his smile fell, "and look where its gotten you".
"Cap I... I didn't mean it l-like…that" I replied and Natasha stood up, clapping her hands. "Right" she said, "no arguing, no sob sorrows, and NOBODY is allowed to go all cheesy on us. That means you Ms. Potts".
Pepper laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes, "sorry. I just get carried away".
"Very…carried a-away" I muttered and she smiled at me, "I'm surprised you haven't blubbed up yet
". "ME? CRYING? No…way" I shot back and this time Clint laughed, "oh come on, your telling me your not holding back the tears of joy in seeing me again?".
"Get over… yourself Barton… your n-not that important" I teased and Bruce grinned, "what about me? Do I get to be important?".
"…You're the only… other science freak in…in this room…so your more I'm-important than Feathers over th-there…but not th-that Important".
He pretended to pout and I laughed quietly.
It was good to be back.
"Not to rush… ye guys or a-anything… but I b-believe there's… an angry one-eyed… man outside" I said after another hour or so chatting with everyone.
"Nickie?" Natasha asked, "you actually want to talk to him?".
"No, but in… this state… he c-cant do anything… to me" I replied smirking and Nat narrowed her eyes, "you sneaky bastard".
"Hey, I just… do what I… can" I replied and she sighed, "yea. Come on guys. Scatter. Starks got a bald dude to deal with".
The others gave cries of protest but NO ONE argued with Natasha and after a few minutes, the room was deserted again. U
ntil said bald dude walked in.
"Your awake?" he asked. "And… alive" I shot back and he sighed, rubbing his eyes.
"What you did back there Stark, you really screwed up" he said, "you went against orders. You quit an organisation that no one can actually quit, you told me to fuck off, you got suited up with no permission to, and you completely fucked up rescuing the Avengers. All in all… good work".
I stared at him confused. Good work? Did he just say GOOD WORK? Fury simply doesn't do complements… AT ALL. And he was telling me Good Work?
"We kind of got off on the wrong foot-" he started but I cut him off, "you hired an… assassin to be my s-sectritary… you completely runined…my life… then you… beat the hell out of m-me… now your… saying sorry?".
"Okay. So we completely fucked up out first time meeting. But what you did… rescuing the Avengers single handedly with no backup against all odds… that took courage" he said, his single eye boring into mine.
"And we need someone with guts like that".
"Your…your telling me you… want me back… on t-the team?" I asked and he nodded, "yea I guess".
"Well you… can fuck off" I said and his expression hardend, "what?".
"You heard… me, fuck off. I'll come back… when I w-want to… not when you… s-say to".
"You are in no conditition to argue with me Stark" he shouted.
"No…I'm not, but you s-said yourself… iv got courage… and iv g-got the guts to fight a-against you… so, no, I'll come b-back when I want to".
"Your hardly breathing by yourself, your completely beaten up and battered. You can barely speak for christs sake. And your fighting against me?".
"Yea".
"…I'm impressed Stark. Even your normally not up to this stunt".
"Well, iv had… time to t-think…. Honestly, coming within… an inch of… death three times… within half a year, r-really changes your… perpective on things".
"I should try it sometime" he mused and I smirked, "Don't. Seriously… it's a fucking pain… trying to get b-back to normal… again".
"Sure you wont reconsider? The Avengers need you Stark. As much as I hate to admit it. Your there jerk in a suit. And every team needs someone like that, to keep their spirits up and shit" he said, heading for the door again.
"Don't worry…I'll come b-back… just not under your… orders… Only when I want t-to" I said and he stopped at the doorway, turning to me one last time, a smirk playing on his lips. "You know Stark" he said, "You are one fucking crazy bastard".
This was gonna be The End Where I Begin.
That's it!
I'm officially FINISHED!
The End Where I Begin, is now over!
So sad… but so HAPPY!
I COMPLETED IT!
I guess I cant say, 'Until next time' now, cause there's no more chapters.
So, until my next story (((which I'm currently typing :P )))
Rachel
PS. I don't know if anyone noticed this, but on my profile page, it says I'm a total Taylor Swift and The Script loving addict. Which I am. I adore both singers/band. But what you might not realise, is in every chapter of this story, there was lines from some of The Scripts songs :D ,
For Examble,
• Chapter 4 – The line "I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing" is the first lines to one of my all time favourite Script songs, 'Break Even'.
• Chapter 7 – The line "Is nothing" is the last line to another Script favourite 'Nothing'.
• Chapter 8 – The line "I know it makes no sense, but what else can I do" is the 7th line in ANOTHER favourite, 'The man who cant be moved'.
There's loads more, just for ye to find them, (I love puzzels) As ye can see, I basically LOVE all their songs really.
The name 'The End Where I Begin' is the name of one of their songs.
And my next book, is going to be called 'Before the Worst'.
Well, I guess that's it, Until… whenever,
Rachel