Save Me, Mr. Stark! [Iron Man FF]

Chapter Seven: Practice is Over Rated

“So are you Starkie—now it is time to get some rest.”

“Nooooo” He cries as I drag him to sit back down on one sofa while I fix the only pull out sofa there. He makes noises as I prepare the bed. “Woooon’t you sleeeeeeeeeeep with meeee toniiiiiight?” He asks in a little kid voice. I smile and ignore the question, though I probably would end up lying with him in the pull out couch.

“Goodnight Stark.” I say laying him down and covering him up with a cozy blanket. He smiles and holds out his arms. I turn down the lights—leaving it dim, almost dark, but not fully. He waits until I crawl next to him. I laugh and snuggle into his tight arms. I believed him to be incoherent when he spoke,

“You’re theeee bessssst thiiinnng that’ssss happppppened toooo meeee Ariiiix.” He slurred. I smiled and decided he was too drunk and wouldn’t remember he said it when he awoke the next morning. I smiled and kissed his cheek. He giggled like a little school girl and hugged me tightly. I felt safer than safe…as if nothing could ever destroy me…and in all reality—it probably couldn’t.

I was standing on the edge of the bridge. I was nine. I had a fight with my dad on one of his drunken rages. He told me that he was going to kill me. I screamed at the top of my lungs, “Well I’ll do it before you even get the chance!” And with that…that’s how I ended up at the bridge—ready to jump. At nine years old…ready to die.

I screamed into the night are…but nobody heard me. Nobody cared—and I didn’t either. I prepared to jump. I counted to three and I flew off the bridge. I hit face first into the water and I could feel myself drowning. I took it purposeful gulps of water and I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head. A bright light came barreling towards me. I looked around and only heard a simple voice,

“Arix…it’s not time yet. Go back.” I didn’t understand. I didn’t wanna go back to the living pain that I was forced to endure. I was immediately sent back down to the threatening water and I was on a boat.  I coughed, but my body was still and I couldn’t move. I tried to cry, but not even a squeak came from my mouth.

I wake up gasping for breath. Where was I? Oh yeah, Stark tower…I couldn’t breathe and tears were at a steady flow. I looked at Stark, asleep. I tried not to wake him as I threw the balcony doors open. I gazed over the side, my heart raced and I clung on to the railing.

“Arix?” I heard a tired voice, but I couldn’t respond. I squeezed tighter around the railing. Suddenly arms were being wrapped around me and I broke. I collapsed into the arms and they held me up. I cried more tears than I ever thought I could. I hated to look weak. I wasn’t weak…I was…I was…not…who am I kidding. I was a weak and worthless body.

I couldn’t control my cries. Stark dragged me back into the office and closed the balcony doors. He didn’t ask any questions, just stood there with his arms tightly around me—telling me that everything was going to be okay. I lay my head on the strong chest that lay next to me. He caressed me and hushed me softly as my body convulsed in his arms. I couldn’t feel anything but wet…like the night I almost died.

****STARK POV****

I didn’t know what had happened to make her act like this. Her body was limp against mine and all she could do was cry. It pained me to see her cry this hard. It was like someone was about to kill her, mocking her every move and just waiting for the right time to end everything.

“What’s wrong Arix?” I tried to ask, but I didn’t think I’d get much of an answer.

“I…I…” That’s all she could manage to give out. I rubbed her back softly and told her I was there, and that everything would be alright. She cried so hard into my shoulder that I thought there were going to be permanent tear stains there, but for once I didn’t care. I just wanted to make sure that SHE was okay.