A Stark Predicament

Chapter 72 The Waiting Goes On.

Several more hours pass, Thorin's vital signs are improving and his breathing is steady, but he still remains unresponsive. Tony was asleep in the chair when Bruce comes in to check on Thorin. Bruce decides that it is best to put Thorin on IV fluids and to put in a catheter, he didn't know how long Thorin would be out. As he was inserting the IV, Alina stirs awake. She watches quietly as Bruce hooks Thorin up to the IV and inserts the catheter. Once he's finished, Alina asks him the question that had been on her mind for a while.

"Bruce, have you taken a good look at Thorin, doesn't he look different?"

At that question, Bruce takes a closer look at Thorin and notices that his grey hair is gone and that he looks much younger. This revelation startles Bruce, "When did you notice this, Munchkin?"

"A few hours ago, before I fell asleep, Tony noticed it too. What do you suppose happened?"

"I don't know, Munchkin, apparently Logan's blood had some interesting affects on Thorin, I'll have to run some bloodwork on him, but that won't be until he's better." Bruce tells her.

Alina nods, "How's he doing, what's with the cath and the IV."

"Well, Thorin needs fluids and of course he has to expel those fluids, it mostly a precaution just in case he's unconscious longer. As far as how he's doing, his vitals are getting stronger, but still not where they should be."

"Do you think you'll need to give him another transfusion from Logan?"

"No, his blood volume is slowly increasing on it's own, so I'm not worried about that. For now all we can do is wait and while we wait you should go back to sleep, you need your rest." Bruce informs Alina.

Alina agrees with Bruces, she settles down next to Thorin and goes back to sleep, holding his hand. Just then the secret door opens and out walks Logan, Dwalin and Jarvis, Logan has a smug look on his face.

"Did you find anything?" Bruce asks.

"Oh yeah, I picked up the scent of the bastard that stabbed Thorin, Jarvis was able to get DNA and we can make a match off the bloody boot print he left behind. Not that, that other stuff matters, I got his scent and I'll be able to track him down." Logan smiles and looks over at Dwalin. "And when I get my hands on him, I'm gonna tear him limb from limb."

"Just let me have a turn at the bastard too, Logan" Dwalin says.

"No problem, Bub. Hey Doc, how's Thorin doing?"

"He's doing better, not as well as I would like, but it's still early. I had to put an IV to give him fluids and also a catheter." Bruce explains.

Logan makes a face, Dwalin looks confused between the two. He doesn't understand what they are talking about. He figured out what an IV was, he could see it in Thorin's arm and see the liquid dripping into it. It must be to give him some water of some sort, but what was a catheter?

"What's a catheter?" Dwalin asks.

"It's a flexible tube inserted through a narrow opening into a body cavity, particularly the bladder, for removing fluid." Bruce explains.

Dwalin's brow furrows still not understanding, then it dawns on him and he winces. "It's a good thing Thorin is unconcious, that must have hurt."

"No not really it's only a little uncomfortable." Bruce tells him.

"Yeah right, Doc" Logan adds, "And the kid, how's she doing?"

"She was awake a little while ago, asking for Thorin, but I got her to go back to sleep. She needs her rest, I'll let her sleep the rest of the night, then tomorrow she'll need to have a good breakfast."