THINKING OUT LOUD || Avengers

-)Forty: Dani's Porcupine Battles(-

Tony Stark wasn't sure he'd ever flown so fast.

He could feel his bones rattling inside his metal suit as he crashed around corners and down through levels until he got to the right floor. Dani and the HYDRA agent- Josh- had disappeared into the elevator on the level above. The bank was right at the end of the corridor. 

Tony pulled up short as the door opened.

And stalled. 

At first, he thought they'd mysteriously disappeared. That was, until he looked down. Two figures, sprawled on the floor, the larger had fallen over the smaller.

"Shit." Tony dragged Josh off of Dan. He flopped ungracefully to the ground, dead for the world, red stain growing out on his chest, gun holster empty.

Dan's eyes were stuck halfway open. Josh's gun hung loosely from her right hand. And there was another red stain on her stomach.

Tony was on his knees next to her in an instant, "Squirt? Hey, Dan. Hey, you there?"

"The stuff's in my head." Dani mumbled. 

Tony felt his stomach drop in relief, "He shoot you?"

"S'not my blood." Dan drawled, "I just got stuff in my head."

Sometimes in horrible situations, your body does the worst things. And so it was that Tony was barely containing a laugh as he assured her, "That's okay. That's okay, kid. You're fine. You're gonna be fine." 

Tony lifted her into his arms carefully, and it was with much more grace that he flew Dan back to the surface. It would have been pointless asking her to hold on. Even the gun had tumbled out of her reach and to the ground. It was extremely clear that Dani was only vaguely aware of the world around her.

She was mumbling incoherently as they the air brushed passed, "Nato was meant to be here. I can't find him. I heard Tate. I need... I need my family."

"Stay awake a bit longer and I'll organise a reunion." Tony promised emptily.

Dan hadn't heard him, "You're meant to be with your family. I think. Kim said that. You should be with your family when you die."

"You keep being dramatic, I'll drop you with Thor and you can English your way through Charles Dickens or whatever." Tony tried to keep his tone light, "No one's gonna die today."

The sky was grey by the time he reached the surface, cold drops of English rain trailing down the neckline of his suit. Dan shivered as Tony landed on his feet.

"FRIDAY. Heaters." Tony ordered.

There was a small hiss, he felt his arms glow with warmth.

Thor and Wanda were already there, Sam flying in circles over their heads to guard from any lingering HYDRA soldiers.

"What's wrong with her?" Wanda asked.

"They stuck something in her. A serum or... Or something." Tony said, "FRIDAY?"

"Heart rate slowing, boss."

Thor shifted heavily in place, twisting his hammer, "There must be something we can do."

A flash of a memory hit Tony, something he'd forgotten in the moment. Shifting Dani's weight in his arms and tapping his chestplate, a small pocket opened up, and he removed a syringe.

He lifted his finger to his com, "This stuff gonna save her, Romanoff?"

"I don't know." The jagged cut of her breaths suggested she was running, "But it's the best shot we've got."