RADIATING VIOLET| t. stark ✔️

NINETEEN: What Happened After

"And you wonder why I have panic attacks."

Alyssa sat up from the hospital bed. Her wounds have been cleaned and dressed. She didn't speak, to anyone. She simply stared out into the pretty French skyline. Her eyes opened and closed lazily as people shuffled around her aiding to the other injured people. Pepper laid a few feet away on her own bed, though she didn't need it.

Who was that guy?

She shuddered softly and rubbed at the dressing. Her burns ached but she felt like that was the least of her problems. Tony is nowhere to be found. Somehow, in all of the commotion, he was able to leave.

I called him dad.

What does that mean?

Thoughts buzzed in the young girl's head as Pepper finally got up from the hospital bed. She gently pulled the young brunette into a hug, being especially careful of the stitching.

"Are you okay?" She whimpered. The whole past event has her pretty shaken up.

The girl stifled a nod and her eyes slowly raised up to the red-head's bandaged arm.

"Are you okay?" The girl asked.

The red-haired woman softly nodded a small smile appearing on her face.

They had been though so much.

"We are leaving in a few hours. You should get some rest." Pepper smiled.

"I should. But I'm not tired. Not in the slightest." The girl laughed.

That was a lie. She's exhausted.

"Just try. Oh, I'm so sorry sweetheart." Pepper moaned slowly pressing a soft kiss to Alyssa's temple.

She stiffened.

Momma used to do that.

Alyssa smiled and pulled the red-haired woman into a soft hug.

"Thanks Pepper." She muttered. A small smile appeared on the woman's face.

"Oh, on another note. Where's Tony." Alyssa asked taking a sip from a water glass sitting on the stand.

"I don't know. He didn't say. But, he'll meet us on the plane."

"Great, with our luck he probably went to confront the creepy guy." Alyssa moaned. She moved around on the bed. Happy brought her a pudding and she nibbled on it. She wasn't hungry. Being pumped up on adrenaline does that.

Pepper was still freaking out and Alyssa did her best to comfort her. Surprisingly, she wasn't having an attack. After all, that was so much worse than a crowd of people. So why was she okay with it.

She's not okay.

The doctor gave her some pain medicine to take and the girl obliged. Those burns were bad and going to take a while to heal. Happy came back several times to check on Pepper and Alyssa. He softly held the pink bunny in his hand as she walked through the door.

The girl smiled lightly and took it. She buried her face in it's soft fur. It's smelled like momma. Tears flooded in the girl's brown eyes but she refused to let them fall. She could have died yes, but she didn't so no point in being sad now.

"And now we would like for anyone who wants to stand up and give their respects and final goodbyes to Trevor and Samantha Collins." The pastor lightly smiled.

A small version of Alyssa's self walked down the aisle. Pepper stayed seated in the pew as she watched the young girl with worry. The girl didn't cry. No, she cried hard enough.