New York (Nico and the Avengers)

45. Missing

Bruce's POV

I'm getting really worried about Nico.  I know that girl did something to him, but I'm not sure what.  Before everyone said her magic was a sort of red cloud, but this was like a shadow with red highlights, and no one knows why.  Also his body is completely different from what I found on the others when they got back.  It's like he's exhausted, but I don't know why, he didn't do anything too strenuous, or if he did I don't know about it.  Besides it feels like the weird side of his DNA is exhausted more than his regular side, but that doesn't make sense.  Also he's been out for hours.  I managed to get Nico's sleeping schedule out of JARVIS and while he is sleeping it's not enough, and he keeps getting up in the night.  I asked but that was apparently not important or relevant to his treatment.  Tony even called in some specialists, or as close to specialists as we can get and no one has any ideas.  I'm reading a book on unusual comas when I hear the alert that means Nico is awake. 

"How are you feeling?"  I ask as I check his blood pressure and some other stuff.

He pushes me away.  "I'm fine, get all this stuff off me."

"Nico, you've been unconscious for a whole day, this stuff as you put it was helping me make sure you didn't die."

"I was fine."

"You might think that, but you didn't see what happened.  You were passed out and we couldn't wake you up.  Tony called everyone who might know what happened, and no one knew.  Your whole body was exhausted, and at times you looked slightly transparent, and like you were smoking lightly.  For all we knew you would never wake up."

"Well I'm fine now, so let me out or I'll get free on my own."

Looking into his eyes I know he's telling the truth, and locking him in here would end horribly so I just say, "fine, but let me do a few more checks to make sure you're okay."

He looks away.  "Fine just make it quick."  his words are short and clipped, it's obvious whatever she showed him seriously messed up his mind.

"If you want to talk about it, know we're all here for you," I say quietly but I know he can hear me in the silence.  But the only answer I receive is from the machines.  After a few minutes I can't delay any longer, and there's technically nothing wrong with him aside from the exhaustion, after all everything else I'm seeing is brand new.  "If you really want to go I guess you can but you need rest and I would prefer it if you stayed so I could keep an eye on the anomalies I'm seeing."

"No." Nico says and swiftly walks out the door.  There's no reason to stay in this empty room so I head down to the living room to tell everyone he's okay.

When I get down no one's there, as I expected.  Normally it's common to have someone puttering around but after the attack everyone's preparing to deal with another.  "JARVIS, please call all the Avengers to the living room."

"What's up big guy?" Tony asks when he walks in last.

"I wanted to tell you guys that Nico's up, and theoretically fine."

"Why theoretically?" Steve asks.

"Well there's some weird stuff going on but no signs of problems besides needing sleep.  However considering he's living with us that isn't enough of a reason to lock him in the lab."

"Why not?"

"Because if we did I'd be locking up Tony at least twice a week."

"Hey!"

"Yeah, that's being mean to Tony," Natasha says and he relaxes because she's on his side, until she continues.  "We'd be locking him up at least three times a week."