As things started to go back to normal and the visions ended, everything's still black, but I can hear Dad's voice, "Well, she's stable but the nurses still can't find a cause for her coma.", he says, his stress evident in his voice.
"She'll pull through,", I hear Pepper say, "she's a fighter, just like you."
"And when she wakes up, we can be a family.", he tells her.
"You're sure she'll be fine with me and you being... together?", Pepper asks nervously.
"Pep, she adores you. You're the closest thing she's ever had to a mother. I'm pretty sure she prefers you to me half the time.", he chuckles lightly, "She'll be ecstatic."
A few moments of silence pass before Pepper speaks again, "You look terrible, Tony. You need to sleep and you need some food. You should go home, even just for the night."
"I can't leave her.", he declares, "What if she needs me?"
"Tony, I don't think she's going to need anything the nurses can't provide for a while longer.", nobody says anything for a second, so she sighs, "If you won't go home, I'll go get you some food from the cafeteria."
The door opens and closes and I feel a weight on the bed, as I assume Dad sits down. He takes my hand in his, "Hey, munchkin, I'm sorry I let this happen to you. I'm sorry I didn't kill Vanko when I had the chance, I'm sorry about the party, I'm sorry I got drunk and hurt you, and I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I was so busy trying to save the world that I forgot about my world. I've got a lot of apologies to make. But most of all, I'm sorry that I didn't tell you I was sick. It was stupid and selfish of me and not my finest moment. You don't realize how much I need you in my life. Hang in there for me, I need you to help me through this whole life thing.", he plants a kiss on my forehead and brushes the stray chestnut hair out of my eyes.
As he sits in silence, I take all the energy I have and open my eyes, desperate to reply. As I slowly blink them, the blaring lights above me blind me and I squint to see Dad facing away from me, "Yeah, I am pretty awesome.", I whisper hoarsely.
His head snaps around and he lets out a relieved sigh, "Oh my god, you had a long nap, didn't you?"
"So, what was that about you being sick?"