Babysitting a Superhero (Stark's daughter X Peter Parker)

48. What Now?

Black Beauty - Lana Del Rey

Darling, you can't let everything
Seem so dark blue
...
Oh, what can I do?
Life is beautiful, but you don't have a clue
Sun and ocean blue
Their magnificence, it don't make sense to you
Black beauty, oh.

The waiting room at the hospital was torture.

Amara sat with her father, neither of them saying anything, scared to jinx it and make things worse.

When the group was finally called inside for Rhodey's MRI scan, they entered the small room that had a glass, observing wall.

Amara held onto her father's hand as they watched Rhodey's body slide into the machine.

Vision stood next to them, remorse and guilt clear in his expression.

Tony turned to face Vision, whose gaze was fixed on the Colonel's body inside the machine.

"How did this happen?" Tony asked.

"I became distracted," Vision said, ashamed of his actions.

Tony scoffed, "I didn't think that was possible."

"Neither did I," Vision said gravely.

Amara looked to the side and saw Natasha inside the doorway. The spy gave the girl an apologetic look. Amara reached over to tap Tony on the shoulder.

He looked at his daughter confused, until she nodded in Natasha's direction and he noticed the spy standing there.

"I need to talk to you, Tony," Natasha said.

"Yeah. You do," he said clearly pissed that she let Cap and Barnes go.

Amara watched as the two of them walked out of the room and left her with Vision. She sat down in the nearest chair.

"It was Wanda, right?" Amara asked.

Vision looked at her, "Pardon?"

"Wanda. She was the distraction, wasn't she?" Amara said, looking at Vision's face, carefully.

After hearing nothing, Amara just nodded to herself, "You know better than anyone not to let your emotions cloud your judgement, or worse, let it affect you in the field. I just don't understand how... I mean..." she sighed. "How did this happen?" She said more to herself than Vision as she shook her head and put her face in her hands.

"I never understood the phrase before, but I guess you could say that it's easier said than done," he looked at Amara, who met his gaze. "As I'm sure you're well aware."

Amara instantly thought back to Peter. How she had certainly focused on him a lot more than she should have during that battle. "That is completely different."

"I'm not saying it isn't. All I'm saying is that you can probably appreciate why."

Amara looked back at Rhodey inside the MRI machine and wiped her remaining tears away before standing up and walking out of the room.

—————

"How is he?" Natasha asked, her arms crossed in front of her.

The two Avengers had found their way to the nearest balcony overlooking beautiful greenery and a large forested area, not too far ahead. The scene would be ideal if it weren't for ten circumstances.

"The doctors say he shattered most of the bones in his limbs. Hasn't woken up, yet. Probably looking at some form of temporary paralysis. How long? They can't say. If it weren't for Amara, paralysis would be permanent. She saved him," he said.