Now or Never

Chapter 4 ~ You Need Help

Tony's POV

"Kiddo wake up." I snap my fingers in her face.

(Y/n) starts to stir on the couch she fell asleep on. Her eyes open a little, squinting at the sudden light.

"Tony?"

"Surprise," I smirk.

Her eyes widen and she jolts up. "Tony!" She latches herself onto me and I chuckle as I hug her back.

"If I knew you missed me that much I would've come back sooner." I pull her into me tighter.

We pull away after a few more seconds and she sits back into the couch.

"So what have you been up to while I was gone? Besides snooping in my workshop." I ask as I sit on the armrest of the couch.

"Hey! It's not snooping if you keep the door unlocked." She defends and I only chuckle at her defensiveness. "I've just been reading, watching Netflix, playing video games, and talking to Pete." She shrugs.

"That's it? That sounds... boring." I state as I stand up from my spot to walk around the couch.

"Yeah, it was." She sighs.

I go to walk to the kitchen but I kick something as I round the couch. I look down to examine what I kicked.

'One of my Vodka bottles from my stash in the kitchen.'

I look back at (Y/n).

"Jeez my head hurts." She whines as she holds her head.

'Yeah I bet it does.'

"Speaking of Pete, I heard that he went to D.C. on some Decathlon trip. He talk to you about it?"

"No. Haven't talked to him since he told me they got in last night. Why you ask? Did he say something to you?"

I shake my head. "Nope."

"You know he looks up to you. Maybe you should actually speak to him instead of pawning him off to me and Happy."

"He adores you too, you know. And last time I checked you signed up for this. Plus the kid needs someone around his age to talk to about this type of stuff." She only shrugs in response but my eyes never leave her. "Hey I was thinking of getting you a gift. Think of it as an early birthday present." I say as I bend down to pick up the bottle.

"What's that?"

"A therapist," I say and hold up the empty bottle of Vodka.

"A what?"

"A therapist. You know? Somebody to talk to about all of this since you don't want to talk to me..."

"BECAUSE YOU'RE NEVER HERE!" The room goes silent at (Y/n)'s outburst. I can see she's fighting the tears that are threatening to spill. "You have the nerve to say I need a therapist when all you do is run away from your problems. You're always off on some 'business trip' and leave me here at the compound ALONE!"

I look down, feeling guilty because she's right. "I lost half of the Avengers but you lost so much more," I say as I look up at her. "You lost your father, your right to go wherever you want," I gesture to her ankle cuff. "You lost your best friends, your family."

"They were your family too, Tony." She interjects. "You lost just as much as I did."

"Yeah kiddo but what you're doing is not healthy. You need help."

"No, what I need is for you to just talk to me!" She yells. "I just need you to be here. I don't want to be left alone." She whispers as a few tears slip down her cheeks. "I just need you to hold me and tell me everything will be alright. To tell me that my way of grieving is wrong."

I avoid her gaze and try to hide my guilty face.

'How could I have been so selfish? She needs me more than ever now. I have to be here for her.'

I put the bottle on the coffee table and sit down next to (Y/n). We stare at each other until she lunges at me, throwing her arms around my waist and I immediately wrap my arms around her. She starts sniffling into my chest and I can tell she's choking back a sob. Tears start to come to my eyes too, seeing her break down like this.

"It's alright. Everything will be just fine." I whisper to her.

That was her breaking point. She lets out a loud sob that she's been holding in. I hold her closer to me and I close my eyes as I feel a tear slip down my cheek. We sit in silence, neither of us saying a word to the other as we sit and cry on the couch. Until the TV catches our attention.

"Breaking news! Police are on the scene at The Washington Monument where an explosion occurred, sending bits of pieces to the ground. An elevator filled with students from Midtown High was seconds from falling. The students were at the monument, celebrating their Academic Decathlon win when the disaster struck. Luckily, Spider-Man, the superhero known for his heroic actions around New York, was there to save the group before the elevator fell. Witnesses say..."

I smirk at the screen. "Good job kid."

What?! I posted another chapter? Yeah because you guys are really awesome and I enjoy all your comments so here you go! 

—ASE715