In My Eyes

Ch•5- Holiday greeting

     I laid in my bed that night, the covers were thrown off on to the floor because I couldn't sleep. The clock on my night stand blinked 2:45am. My mind kept taking me back to the Mandarin, no matter how many times I tried to stop thinking about them. The little incident in the diner also worried me. I hadn't seen Dad since then. He took off in to the sky, leaving me with Rhodey.

     Of course, I have no problem riding him Rhodey. The whole trip back to my Malibu estate, we talked about my Father, what's wrong with him, he asked about me and how I was doing. We discussed the Mandarin and what we know so far about them, and all the things that we don't know.

    When we reached my house, we questioned the giant stuffed bunny sitting shadily outside the front door for about three minutes, and then I went inside.

      I rolled over in my bed to try and get comfortable, but absolutely nothing was helping me. I thought that Dad was better after our discussion yesterday, but I was wrong. This whole terrorist thing put him right back into place. I was sad, mad, frustrated, hurt, and bunch of other not so good emotions.

     Just as I was about to close my eyes, hopefully for the night, the sound of clanking feet sounded outside my bedroom door. I rolled back on to my bed, pouting my bottom lip with aggravation. It sounded like the Iron Man suit was trudging up the stairs "What are you doing" I hissed to myself, taking about my Father.

     I slipped out of the bed in nothing but a white tank top and One Direction pajama pants. The room was dark as I made my way slowly to the door.

     I poked my head out from the small opening and peered down the hallway. A ray of moonlight cut through the hall, hitting the Suit directly in the back "Why?" I asked in a hushed tone, not wanting to wake Pepper because the suit was right next to their door "Dad it's like 3 in the morning, go back to-"

     He didn't even turn to face me, he wrapped his hand the knob to Pepper and Dad's door. Maybe Dad isn't even in the suit. He had programmed that suit to be mobile and get around on its own. I wonder what it's doing up at this hour.

      The suit disappeared in to their bedroom. I was about to crawl back in to bed, but a high pitched scream ran through the house. I jumped, knocking against my dresser "Ow!" I yelped, rubbing my knee that hit the hard wood "Why is my life so painful?" I hopped on one foot before returning my other foot to the ground.

     I exited my room and crept down the hallway to Dad and Peppers room to see what happened. Pepper stormed out of the room, her face looked pale as if she was just startled. That's probably what the screaming was from. She didn't see me as she stomped down the stairs to the living room.

     Oh man, Mark. 42 must have really scared her to make her that pissed. I pressed myself to the wall and leaned my head to the side to get a peek of what happened. The light was on in the bedroom, and pile of armor was laying dismantled on the floor.

     Dad was sitting on the bed, he must have been awoken too. His hair was tussled and he was squinting from the light. Sweat formed along his forehead and he didn't look quite awake yet. He was distraught, tired, and... suffering. I leaned against the wall out of sight. He really has it bad, doesn't he? I never saw how bad he was getting along until now.

     He's been having panic attacks, sleepless nights, anxiety. PTSD is the cause, and New York is the original wound. I didn't want to bother him, I couldn't bring myself to it. So I went back to bed, but I didn't sleep.

                                    ***

     I sat beside Happy's hospital bed that next morning. His skin was burnt and black, a lot of his bones were broken and he hadn't opened his eyes at all. The Mandarin happened again.