I was not there to celebrate the blow up of Dad's time machine. I blacked out, too sick that Bucky had to retreat and brought me to the hospital. I don't know what happens in between, either, but when I finally open my eyes, the first thing that I was was the familiar hospital ceiling. And the first person that I saw was Bucky. His back was facing me. He was drowned to the tele movie they're showing.
I tried to use my voice to catch his attention. Seeing his metal hand on my bed, I tried to move my hand to touch his. I panicked when none of them works. My heart rate rising. The heart monitor beeped and alarm. That caught Bucky's attention.
He got up from his seat, pressing a button to call the doctor.
"Terri. Hey, hey, you're okay," Bucky said soothingly. His metal arm rested on my shoulder, as if to push me back to lie down, when I was not even up. I cannot move.
My eyebrows furrowed. My eyes watered as I looked up at him, wanting an explanation. What happened? Where's my voice? Why can't half of my body, particularly on my left side, can't move? Hell, I can't even feel a damn thing!
One second after that, I heard the door open and close. Dr. Banner rushed in with a male nurse to attend me.
"Good morning, Terri!" Dr. Banner came in with an awkward smile. Probably felt guilty for not joining out fight. "Good to see you up. It's been a week that you're asleep."
I stared at Dr. Banner, begging him an explanation.
Good thing, he understands.
"Well, let's just say that the time machine had a chemical that no human should sniff it. Not even a little. Hence the hypervelentation and that sharp thing feeling in your brain. That's on the Big Guy, not me. And together with the temperature rising, you were spasming.
"We had to run a few tests from your blood because you were irresponsive to the meds we gave you. You had several surgical in your lungs because it stopped beating for a few times. Your brain was a bit damaged from the chemicals so we did tests on that, too. You might have a mild stroke because you hit your head pretty bad back there. There's a clot behind your head."
Dr. Banner paused from reading my medical report in his hand. "It was a miracle that you survived, Terri. I don't know what you saw in your dreams during those surgeries, but I bet they helped you."
Dreams?
Right. Right. Dad and Dr. Strange.
It came out of nowhere. One time I blacked out, the next time I saw Dad asking Dr. Strange, out of all 14 millions outcomes, which one is the ending. When Dr. Strange called Dad and told/signaled him that this is it, before Dad do the snap, he asked if I were alive.
"She will be," came the short and simple answer from Dr. Strange.
For a split second, Dad's face lit up. But as soon as he realised that he won't be able to meet me once he snaps, his face turned sad. I felt his heart breaks. Then, I heard, "I'm sorry, Terri."
It was a mutter, where he said it in a whisper, softly to himself.
I looked down at my hands and tried to move them again, but to avail. Well, at least one of them not. My right hand is still functioning although still weak. Seeing it moved a little, Bucky grab them and squeezed it.
"Right. The right part of your brain did more damage than your left. And the left part of your body are mostly jammed from shoulders to toe. You will get back your tongue, don't worry. But give it a few hours more. Your meds is quite heavy this time."
Dr. Banner explained how he's put me into physiotherapy. Again. Five years ago I was put into physiotherapy because I had an accident with Dad's bike and I broke both of my legs. Five years later, I'm in physiotherapy again, but this time, whole of my body isn't functioning. I wonder what will happen to me in five years ahead from now.
Whenever I got into a hospital, neither of my family members were there to sit by my side, holding my arm while whispering soothing words to keep me motivated while being sick. Happy will come by to drop off foods he snuck inside for me, in which I know Dad asked him to. Mom will come by in between her business meetings, but none of them stayed with me. I was taken care by the doctors and the nurses.
However, here I am now, with Bucky by my side.
When Mom came to visit me with Morgan and Happy, she looked so worried. Bucky got up and make space for my family. I don't know how much she knew about my condition, but looking at her red, brimmed eyes, I know she knows everything. Once upon a time Dad died, only to be replaced with a disabled kid. I'm so sad for Mom.
Morgan looked concern and scared from all the wires on my body and my head. She stood with Mom, who was playing with her hair to soothe her.
All of a sudden, I heard the door open and close, just like few months ago when I got into that accident on the day when my house was almost being robbed. I saw Dad dressed in his white suit. His face was glowing. His eyes shining. He has a happy and proud smile on his face as he looked at me. He walked behind Happy who was standing in front of me, passing in front Bucky, then took his spot behind Mom and Morgan. His hand shoved inside his white trousers. He didn't say anything, just looked at me and then showing a thumb up.
My eyes watered and immediately cry. But my cry came out like a sea lion. Mom quickly reached for my hand with Morgan still clung onto her. "Hey, it's okay. This is not your fault. I'm not blaming you. And we're all safe now."
After a while a nurse came. She said that visiting hour is done and that they have to leave and visit again tomorrow. They all leave quick except Bucky. But good to know, no one bat an eyelash on us.
I have so much to say to him, so much to confess, but my state doesn't allow me to. I want to hug him, but my right side is still weak to move. But still I lifted my right arm, slowly and sturdily. Bucky watch with his eyes shocked. Though I can't lift it up any higher, but Bucky quickly understand. He lowered his body down and gave the hug I demanded.
"Hey, it's alright," he said, caressing my back with his warm palm. "I'm right here. Everything's going to be okay. You just have to be patient."
I sobbed on his shoulders.
He sighed as he pulled me. Cupped my face with both of his hands. "Hey, listen to me. You're going to be okay. You've already fought hard, but I need you to fight harder for your health and fast recovery. That's all that matters now. I'm here all the way for you. Do you understand that?"
I nodded my head.
~•••~
What happened at the Shield HQ and what happened to Dad's time-machine was all over the news, all over the newspapers, on the radios, tabloids. They've gone from one assumption to another, saying that I'm betraying my own father to destroy his inventions. Since Sam and Harley were the ones fighting the agents in open field, they get the hates, too. People accused him for working with Hydra to steal and destroy the time-machine. They have a theory that Hydra wants the time-machine to return back the time and to bring back Red Skull and create more Hydra armies.
To be honest, I don't even know how in the hell they get that idea, however, I can't say they're wrong. They may not be wrong because Hydra could plan a lot of things in the shadows while we thought they're passive now.
They were questioning Pepper Potts and Dad's bestfriend Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes where-a-bouts and if they knew what happened. Rhodey worked for the US Air Force once. He had a big role there and used to cover Dad's mess every time Dad flew his Iron Man suit without US Air Force knowledge. However, he decided to keep quiet now because he knows there's nothing left that he wants to cover. Whatever they want to say about him being silent and ignorant about me blowing up the time-machine, let them say.
But Mom needed to make a statement for her reputation. She has an empire to run. She cannot lose people's trust or she's will bankrupt and we won't have anything to eat.
"I'm aware of the bombings that happened at Shield HQ and my late husband's time-machine was destroyed. As a wife to Tony Stark, if he's still here, I'd actually clap my hands and sarcastically cheer for his failure. I know, that's toxic, but I bet any wife would do that." She got a choir of laughs coming from the women. "But as a friend, a supporter, someone who knew him inside and out, I'm sad to see Tony Stark's biggest invention is destroyed. Sam Wilson a.k.a The Falcon and Harley Keener tried their best to protect it, but somehow the time-machine blew off, a cause from technical issue."
"What about your daughter?"
"Yeah! Is she betraying her own family?"
"Just like Sam and Harley, she was also protecting it—"
"But, coming from a source, they said that she was the culprit. Is that true?"
"First of all, be careful talking about my daughter in front of me. She is nothing, but an amazing human being just like your hero Tony Stark. Do you know why? She got into multiple conditions from fighting the culprit." No one knew that Peter edited the live footage with a black shadow fighting with 'me' because it looked so real. "You should be thankful because it could be you."
"How's Terri Stark now?"
Mom smiled. '"he's healing and recovering, thank you for asking. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get back home. My family needs me."
After the Cabin and the Garage got blown off, Mom and I decided to buy a new apartment, big enough for the three of us and Happy and close enough to several Avengers who are on rogue, but still on the run.