In Which Peter is Sick
Tony sat down on the coach. He had finally got everyone to stay put in bed, and actually go to sleep. He had been running from room to room all day making sure each of the Avengers' needs were met. They were all sick... Except him. The medical staff had gone on a retreat for the week, because the Avengers had taken a week off, so they wouldn't be need, or so they thought. Tony was the only one not sick which meant it was up to him to take care of everyone.
Tony decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a little shut eye before people woke up and started needing things again.
"Mr. Stark?" Peter's scratchy voice woke Tony, he glanced at his watch. 6:30. He had gotten an hour of sleep. He could work with that.
"Kid go back to bed, you're sick, and you need to get some sleep," Tony said drowsely, and pulled himself off the couch.
"If I were sick would I be able to do this?" Peter said loopily. Tony raised his eyebrow. Peter hadn't done anything. He just stood there.
"Do what?" Tony asked confused.
"Cartwheels-- am I not doing them?" Peter looked dizzy. Tony face palmed and whipped his face tiredly.
"No kid," Tony put his arm around Peter, "Come on buddy let's get you back in bed."
"I could have sworn-"
"Nope. Sorry kid," Tony guided him down the hallway to his room.
And thus began the longest night of Tony's life.
Tony was on his way back to the couch after he had finally gotten Peter in bed when he heard something break in Hulk's room. Bruce always turned into the Hulk when he got sick which was a pain in the ass, because sick Hulk was harder to take care of then sick Bruce.
"You alright in there?" Tony knocked on his door.
"Hulk sick!" Hulk grumbled.
"I know that buddy, but are you okay?" Tony sighed, "I heard something break."
"Hulk broke table!" Hulk stomped his foot. "Stupid table!!!"
Half of the table flew through the hardwood door, Tony barely had time to get out of the way, as the table smashed into the wall on the other side of the hallway.
"Hulk! You nearly killed me!" Tony exclaimed staring in shock at the table sticking out of the wall, "What did we say about throwing things in the compound!"
Tony opened the door, not that there was much point since he could have just stepped through the hole in it.
"Sorry," Hulk grumbled, "just got angry! Table shouldn't have broken!"
"I know, I know stupid table, but you need to not throw tables. It's dangerous."
"Fine."
"Are you okay? "
"Hulk tired, but can't sleep," Hulk huffed and flopped on his bed.
"Do want me to get you some sleeping medicine?" Tony asked and ran a hand through his hair.
"Ye- Ye- haaaCHOOO!!!" Hulk sneezed. Tony tried t shield himself, but warm wet slimy snot splattered all over him.
"Yuck," Tony wiped his face with hand.
"Hulk sorry."
Tony pinched his eyebrows for a minute. He knew the big guy hadn't meant to do that, but it didn't make the amount of snot any less disgusting. Sighing he pulled a bottle of sleeping medicine out of his pocket, and handed it to Hulk. Without a word he turned and left the room. He did not want to get sneezed on again. He needed to change his clothes. Tony walked quickly with his head down, but foot steps ahead of him made him look up; Scott was standing in the middle of the hallway like a deer caught in headlights. Tony groaned. Why was he up.
"Why are you up?" Tony asked.
"Um... Bathroom?" Scott said slowly.
"There is a bathroom attached to your room."
"Oh... Um.."
"Scott, please go back to bed," Tony said tiredly.
Scott squinted Tony and stepped close to him.
"You have something on your face," Scott slurred, and poked the empty air next to Tony's face, "Wow, dude you have a serious issue-- I am reaching through your face..."
Tony miserably slapped his hands on his face with a grown of defeat. Why did Scott have to be the kind of person who got loopy when he was sick?
"Alright Scott you gotta go back to bed," Tony said and slowly started guiding Scott back to bed. Scott stared up at the ceiling, and pointed.
"Wow! Sparkly!" He said following the lights with his head. "Look Tony there's SpaRKles!"
"Alright, come on," Tony guided him back into his room, and made him sit in bed.
"You have beau-- Buti-- BeeeAutiful eyes," Scott babled, and then giggled.
"eh-okay," Tony said uncomfortably and backed out of the room leaving Scott laying on his back, waving his arms in the air, and giggling. No one else appeared to have woken back up, so Tony decided it was safe to make himself food... not food, coffee.
It was eight thirty, and Tony was halfway through his third cup of coffee, when he heard something patter quickly across the floor behind.
"Alright who's out of bed?" He asked not turning around. It was probably Peter. No one responded. The stupid kid was probably to afraid of getting yelled at to answer. Everything was quiet for a little bit and then he heard whispering from the corner.
"Agent Natasha reporting in. I have been in hiding for three days, does anyone copy?" It had been Nat. What the hell was she doing?
"Nat, are you okay?" Tony asked cautiously. She was crouched in a dark corner peering around the room wild eyed, "Nat?"
Tony knelt down in front of her. "You need to go back to bed. You have a-"
Nat's fist flew forward, and before Tony knew what hit him he was sprawled out on the floor. Natasha actually hissed at him.
"Ah! thats my nose!" Tony clutched his face, his eyes watering a little. Her punch had been well placed and hit the bridge of his nose, along with his eye.
Nat lept over him, and disappeared down the hallway. Tony rolled over on his back. Why couldn't things be easy for once? Blood dripped out of his nose. Great. Just great! Maybe he would wait to try to get Nat back to bed. She was obviously being delusional, which could be dangerous as Tony had just learned. Maybe he should get help. Steve could help; the super soldier serum would make him less sick than everyone else. Tony sighed and pulled himself to his feet. He grabbed a paper towel on his way past the counter, and pinched it on his nose.
It was only nine, and it was already turning out to be one of the worst nights of Tony's life.
Tony was half way to Steve's room when he heard a gun cock behind him.
"Don't move," Nat's voice was hoarse. Tony froze.
"Come on Nat," Tony pouted and turned around.
Nat squinted at him, and then dropped the gun. She faltered a little (probably about to faint) Tony caught her before she fell.
"Come on that's enough running around for you," Tony said and led her back to her room.
Nat climbed into bed and got under the covers with no further retaliation. Tony rubbed his eyes and headed for his room. He wanted to sleep... correction he needed to sleep.
"Tony?" Rhodey called as Tony walked past his room. Rhodey was sitting up with the light on in his room; he had a book in his lap.
"What's up?" Tony yawned.
"Are you taking care of yourself?" Rhodey's question stumped Tony. He was way to busy taking care of everyone else, they came first.
"I've been up making sure everyone else stays in bed, and recovers," Tony replied.
"You should get some rest," Rhodey suggested, "Here, come sit down."
Tony gladly went and sat down next to Rhodey. Maybe he would fall asleep there. He had fallen asleep countless times on Rhodey's shoulder, now would hardly be any different.
After a few minutes Rhodey made a gagging sound.
"You okay?" Tony asked.
"Yeah I just-- BLAGHA!" Rhodey threw up... All over Tony.
"Shit I'm sorry," Rhodey apologised groggily. Tony pursed his lips, and just nodded. It hadn't been much puke, and on the bright side there hadn't been chunks of anything.
"It's fine," Tony said slowly. His shirt had been ruined when Hulk sneezed on him, why not add puke into the mix.
"You should go get cleaned up," Rhodey suggested giddily. Tony nodded, and got off the bed. At least none of the throw up had gotten on the bed. Tony made his way to the bathroom and wiped his shirt off with a wet towel. He thought about changing it, but what was the point of ruining two shirts? Tony left the bathroom. He needed more coffee.
He found Thor slumped over the counter drinking something a whole lot stronger than coffee. Tony took a seat next to him.
"So-" Tony started to speak but Thor cut him off.
"Ssh," Thor slid a drink a drink over to Tony. Odd. Tony knew he shouldn't take it, but he really needed a drink. He drank. Thor drank. They both drank.
"Why couldn't all problems be solved by alcohol?" Thor mused. Tony had been wondering the same thing, "It would be so much simpler!"
Thor sounded lost and desperate.
"You okay buddy?" Tony asked. He had never seen Thor depressed.
"If only one could drink, and everything would be okay again?" Thor skipped the cup, and grabbed the bottle of vodka and started downing it.
"Wow, slow down there buddy!" Tony scolded and tried to take the bottle from him. Thor elbowed him, but spilled the bottle. The spilled drink got on both of them.
"I'm sorry-" Thor said through his stuffy nose, "I just-"
"It's fine, I'm a billionaire. I can buy more."
"No I just..." Thor trailed off, and started crying. Tony patted him on the back. This was a strange night, "Me and Loki used to drink all night when we would get sick!" Thor sobbed. Tony wasn't entirely sure what to do, "Now *he's gone! I miss him!"
*Note: Before anyone flips out Loki is fine. Thor just doesn't know this.
"It's okay man," Tony patted his back. He wasn't sad about Loki, frankley he was relieved, but Thor was sad, so he needed to comfort him, "We've all lost people..."
Thor let out a mournful wail and lost it. Tony blinked at him in confusion. Asgardians we must get like this when they're sick.
"Okay Thor breath. Here why don't we get you to bed," Tony said.
"No! I want to drink more," Thor mumbled.
"No, you're sick, and you need to sleep," Tony said and helped Thor up. Thor stood for a second, and then fell face first on the floor. Tony looked down at him; he let out a loud snore. Tony was tempted to leave him asleep on the floor, but someone was bound to trip on him.
Tony flopped against a wall panting. Moving Thor had been much more work then he had anticipated, but he had done it. He cast a glance at his watch. 11:00. How had moving Thor taken and hour? Tony stood up, cracked his back, and headed to the balcony. He needed some air.
He stepped outside, and cool crisp air hit his face. He exhaled. This was perfect.
Someone cleared their throat, and Tony jumped. It was just Steve; Tony sighed in relief.
The two men stood in silence for a long time, just looking out over the land.
"You know Tony, people don't change with time, they change by choice," Steve stated absent mindedly. Tony raised an eyebrow, but didn't reply. He sat in silence pondering the words of the soldier. Then after a few minutes Steve continued, "I think that saying relates a lot to you."
"Um..." Tony wasn't exactly sure how to respond.
"You should be proud of yourself. You saw something that you needed to change, and you changed it. When we first met I resented that."
Tony was getting more and more confused with this night the longer it went on.
"I mean look at all this," Steve threw his hands in the general direction of the compound, "This is because you saw something and changed it... This is because we all saw something that needed to be changed and we changed it."
Tony nodded in agreement and continued staring out into the distance. The lights of New York twinkled against the night sky far away. Steve was right.
"I'm sure it took a lot of courage for you to step up and close the weapons manufacturing part of your company. It's actually impressive really," Tony was taken aback by Steve's words.
"Steve are you feeling okay?" Tony asked. Steve nodded.
"I have just been thinking a lot. I was unfair to you when we met. I don't think I ever apologised for that," Steve turned his gaze to Tony, "I'm sorry."
Tony's jaw almost hit the floor.
"That's it. Off to bed with you!" Tony said and rushed Steve inside. This wasn't good. Rodgers had lost it.
"You know I can walk to my room myself?"
"I am going to make sure you get to your room," Tony explained. They reached Steve's room not much later.
Steve stopped before going in, "You know, I meant what I said."
Tony cleared his throat, "Alrighty off to bed with you capsical."
Steve slipped into his room, and Tony pivitated on his heels and headed back down the hall. Peter cried out for him, and he went in to check on the kid.
6:45 A.M.
Pepper opened the door to living quarters of the compound. Everything was quiet. Why was it so quiet? All the lights were off. Something wasn't right, usually at least a few people were up at this point in the morning. Pepper walked into the kitchen living room area to find Tony slumped over on the counter passed out. His hair was complete and total mess. There was half drinken mug of coffee by his head.
"Tony sweety, are you okay?" Pepper asked and rubbed his back. He sat up groggily, he had hard slimy stuff in his hair. It looked like snot. His white button down was halfway unbuttoned, and not so white. There were tiny flecks of blood on it, and a little bit around his nose.
"Mmm, sleep," Tony mumbled and flopped his head back down on the counter. What the hell had happened?
"Alright baby let's get you to bed," Pepper and tried to stand Tony up. He didn't comply. Pepper sighed and got a towel out of the cabinet. She ran it under cool water, and then pulled herself onto stool next to her husband, "Okay honey, let's get you cleaned up."
Pepper sat Tony up and wiped his face off with the towel, carefully dabbing around. He had a black eye. How did he get a black eye?
"How did you get a black eye?"
"Nat..." Tony mumbled, and yawned.
"Mmm-hmm," Pepper nodded, and continued cleaning up her half asleep husband. She used the towel, and slowly cleaned the hardened slime out of his hair.
"Everyone got sick," Tony said, and yawned again, "Hulk sneezed on me, then Nat punched me, and then-"
"Alright baby slow down there," Pepper said with a slight laugh. She felt a little bad for being amused. Tony closed his eyes his eyes with one last yawn and slumped over on Pepper. Pepper smiled. He needed a real bed. She slipped his arm over her shoulder, and slid her arm under his legs, and picked him up. Tony was not very heavy. She carried him down the dark hallway the only sounds coming from the rooms were peaceful snores. Tony must have done well. Pepper nudged thier bed room door open with her foot, and lay Tony down on the bed; she unbuttoned his shirt, and took it off. She retrieved one his T-shirts, and helped him into it.
"Thanks Pep-" He mumbled as she lowered him down, He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. Pepper pulled the blanket over him, kissed him on the head, and then left the room. She had some work to do.