Day 56
A scream echoed through the dark empty halls of the dead ship. Nebula was off her cot, and into the next room in a matter of seconds. She flicked on one of the battery powered lamps that they had hung around the ship. Tony was sitting up on his bed; his chest heaved as he drew in long heavy breaths.
“Tony?”
“I-” He gasped, but didn’t finish what he was saying. Nebula rushed across the room and pulled him into her arms.
“Tony talk to me!” Nebula demanded. He looked like a fish out of water.
“It’s… can’t… hurts…” Tony mouthed the words.
What was wrong with him? Nebula searched him up and down. Oxygen still had another 24 hours, he wasn’t suffocating.
“Tony what’s wrong?”
He just whimpered and buried his face in her shoulder.
“It hurts,” He curled in on himself and clenched around his stomach.
“Shh, I got you Tony.”
“Make it stop,” the man whimpered around weak gasps of pains, “Please…”
Nebula squeezed her eyes shut, and hugged him a little closer.
“Shh Tony,” She didn’t know what else to do or say to make things better.
“Please make it stop!” Tony begged, “I can’t-”
He broke off into low mournful cries of pain. Nebula tucked him closer to her. She would hug him and hold him as long as he needed it.
Nebula ran her hand up and down his back, and slowly his pained gasps quieted. His jagged breaths smoothed out a little to even shallow breaths.
His whimpers quieted.
“I’m sorry dad.”
“Hmm?” Tony lifted his head a little and eyed her with confusion, “Did you just-”
“Yes, now shh. Rest,” Nebula quieted him. She hadn't even meant to call him dad. It had just happened.
“Thank you,” Tony mumbled as he closed his eyes and curled a little closer to her. She caught a glimpse of a smile.
Tony knew he would be dead soon, but Nebula had called him dad, so he smiled. Peter had never called him dad, but Tony had known the kid had thought it. That had always made Tony very happy, but actually hearing the words spoken allowed directed at him gave him almost to much joy to contain. He would die tomorrow yes, but he would die a father. He leaned in a little closer to his daughter. He would have felt a little better if he had been the one comforting her.
Nebula held him close like that, as he rested, for the rest of the night. Or whatever counted as night in space. She tried to push back the thought that next time he drifted off to sleep he would not wake up.