It was all Tony could do to not roll his eyes at me. There was another part of this whole scheme that he wasn’t telling me. His emotions were playing an unusually big part in his words, and I wanted to know why.
“Retirement? Are you kidding me? No. I think after everything I’ve been through since- that day… that I deserve a bit of a break. Don’t even- just- no. Can we please stop talking about this?”
“No Tony, we can’t,” I said flatly. His chest was rising and falling at a higher rate than normal, and the color drained out of his cheeks faster than anything. “What’s going on with you lately? I’m really worried…”
In the background, the television was spewing lingering news and revisions about the New York invasion, and I couldn’t help but notice Tony’s wide eyes darting back and forth between me and it.
“Damnit JARVIS I told you to turn that shit off!” The breaths escaping Tony’s pale lips were quicker and shallower. His hair had gone flat from the stress of him running his fingers through it, and was sticking to his glistening forehead.
“Tony?” I breathed in alarm, stepping slightly closer to him. “Please tell me…”
He spun on his heel and walked shakily toward the nearest wall. “Just… just give me a moment will you?” His voice came out in abrupt chokes.
“JARVIS…” I said wearily. “Call an ambulance please!” I continued to advance slowly to Tony.
“No, don’t! I said I’ll be fine!” To the contrary, his knees suddenly gave out from under him and his collapsed to the ground.
“Just do it JARVIS!” My tone had a slight edge of anger to it as I overrode Tony’s command.
Paramedics had arrived at the mansion within the half hour, and despite Tony’s furious complaining and protesting, they had him rushed off to the hospital on a stretcher. I wasn’t permitted to accompany him in the ambulance, but I would meet him there after I did some research of my own.
“JARVIS… I’m really frightened… what’s going on with him?
“It appears that sir is suffering from a severe anxiety attack.”
“Anxiety?” I repeated. It was a rare occurrence for me to question JARVIS’ information, but Tony Stark did not strike me as one to fall victim to anxiety.
“Yes Ms. Rogers. Sir’s symptoms are all traditional of triggered anxiety.”
I took a moment to let the information process. Things would never be the same for him after what happened in New York. That much was apparent. It was hard for me to wrap my brain around this, for that event had not affected me to the same magnitude as it did him, and I couldn’t help but feel like I was being insensitive about his condition. “I guess I don’t need to ask what the ‘trigger’ is…” I mused, staring down at my hands. I’d seated myself at his desk, my eyes wandering through the post-it notes and trinkets that were characteristic of Tony.
At any mention of New York or even aliens he immediately tensed up and the color drained from his face. He’d only ever once talked about what happened in the battle that had him so petrified. I had been out cold at that point, but all I knew was that a nuke had been set loose targeting New York City and Tony had risked his life to direct it into the wormhole.
“JARVIS, I’m going to the hospital now. Lock up after me and don’t let anyone in until I get back. Not even Happy,” I snapped out of my thoughts abruptly at my final decision.
I snagged the keys to my Audi off the hook by the front door then slipped on my shoes before hurrying out to the garage. Observing the pillowy, low-hanging grey skies outside, I made the wise choice of keeping the top, for the angry clouds began to pelt it with thick drops of rain just as I hit the freeway.
“I’m here to see Tony Stark,” I stated slightly breathlessly to the receptionist once I had reached the hospital.
“And your relation to him?” she asked dutifully.
“I’m Lilianna Rogers, his girlfriend.”
I followed her through the maze of doorways and corridors to a clinical unit, where through the window in a door I could see Tony being examined with his back to me. Thanking the woman quietly, I let myself into the room.
“No, please. I mean, I know I’m amazingly handsome, but I’m in a rather stable relationship with an equally beautiful gir-“ he heard me then, and turned to face me. “Her! With her!”
I smiled softly, placing my hand on his bare shoulder.
“Mr. Stark is going to be perfectly fine,” the nurse informed me.
“Oh, I never had any doubt about that!” I replied playfully.
“I’m so tired of this place, Lily. Please get me out of here…” Tony whispered once the nurse had turned her back on us.
“I will sweetheart.” I kissed the side of his head, then took a seat next to him.
Preceding his discharge, the nurse gave him a list of calming exercises, which in my opinion was futile, for I knew he would never follow them. Nonetheless, I thanked her for her advice before leading Tony out with my hand in his.
“See, there’s a reason I created JARVIS and Dum-E. I hate hospitals and doctors. They’re meant to be my own person doctors,” he whined.
“Shall I leave you here?” I teased, glancing at him sideways.
“Please don’t. I need you. Don’t leave me.” His tone suddenly became distressed and desperate.
With a small giggle, I detoured off the main walkway to the coffee shop in the lobby.
“You’re the best Lily, really,” Tony said as he happily munched on a donut.
I snorted and raised an eyebrow at him over the brim of my coffee cup.
“Hey, I mean that, and not just because you bought me a donut,” he came back quickly. “I want to do something for you, to make up for how- nice you’ve been to me lately.”
Once we had settled in the car, safe from the torrential downpour outside, I pierced him with my questioning stare. “Tony,” I started. “You don’t really have to do that. I love you, you haven’t been feeling well, so it’s my duty to take care of you. Not mention, I haven’t really been that nice. In fact, I’ve kinda been a Grade A jerk.”
“How so?” he inquired, cocking his head to the side.
“I just… I didn’t think all this was true and I’ve been insensitive about it…”
Tony waved his hand at me as I turned the key in the ignition. “I didn’t either. Still don’t. Don’t worry about it. This isn’t a set back that’s going to change anything.
“I hope so…” I mumbled, pulling out of the parking lot. “I only ask one thing though, okay?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him turn his head to me and give me his famous inquisitive stare.
“Just… don’t stop being Tony Stark. Please.”
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