Broken

Chapter 34: Critical Conditions

THIRD PERSON POV:

"How is she?" Steve asked Tony as he sat beside him in the waiting room.

Tony kept his face buried in his hands as he didn't want Steve to see him crying his eyes out. Natasha and Brian followed afterwards.

"Critical condition," was all Tony could say, his voice breaking.

"Bright side though, we cleared Riley's name and captured Trent," said Natasha.

Even though it was the best news Tony had heard in a while, it still wasn't even close to being enough to making him cheer up.

The doctor came out of the emergency room. Tony, Brian, Steve, and Natasha all got up to hear what was going on. Tony wiped the tears off his face.

"We were able to deliver the twins perfectly healthy; a boy and a girl," announced the doctor.

Tony felt a huge relief hearing that his babies are alive and well.

"Can we go see them?" asked Brian, quite excited to see his nephews.

The doctor nodded as he lead them to the nursery. They all put hospital gowns on. Two nurses walked over to them, both holding sleeping babies in their arms. Tony held out his arms and the nurses put the twins on Tony's arms. Everybody gathered around Tony.

"They're beautiful," Tony chocked out.

He began to rock them gently. He felt his heart fluttering as he looked at the twins in his arms, falling in love with them.

As if on cue, both babies opened their eyes. Tony's eyes softened up as he admired them. He noticed his son possessing the same blue-green colour eyes, similar to Riley's. Her daughter possessing the same chocolate brown eyes, the same as his.

"Do you have names for them?" asked the doctor.

"I'd have to check in with Riley for that," smiled Tony as he gently rocked the twins in his arms.

The doctor frowned, hating to have to break a bad news to Tony. Tony noticed the look on the doctor's face. He kissed both his son and daughter on the forehead before handing them over to Natasha and Brian.

"What is it doc?" Tony asked, his heart beating uncontrollably.

"There were some complications. Riley lost way too much blood coming in and she went into cardiac arrest which then cause a lack of oxygen flowing through her head and lead to.... I'm sorry Mr Stark but Riley is brain dead."

Right at that moment, Tony felt his whole world collapsed. He felt as though someone ripped his whole heart out from his chest and crushed it over and over again. He thought that he had felt all types of pain possible but the pain he felt at that very moment was something a million times more painful than all the pain he felt, combined.

Even Steve, Brian, and Natasha could not believe what they were hearing. All of them felt the pain from hearing those words from the doctor, but none of the pain they felt compared to what Tony felt.

"I need to see her," was all Tony managed to say.

The doctor lead Tony to Riley's room. Tony felt the tears rushed down his eyes as he found Riley laying down on the hospital bed with tube in her mouth.

"I'll give you a minute to say goodbye," said the doctor before leaving the room.

Tony rushed over to Riley's side, still not being able to process on what was going on. He held onto Riley's hand and kissed it longingly.

""You did it, Ri. You gave birth to the most perfect babies I've ever seen. I'm not just saying that because they're our children but you absolutely need to see them. They make you and I look ugly, no joke." chuckled Tony, tears rushing down from his eyes.

"I know you're tired of constantly fighting Trent and everything in between, but honey I need you. I can't raise our beautiful children without you. You are my rock, I've lost you before and I don't ever want to go through that again. I can't live a life without you by my side."

Tony buried his face on Riley's hand. He closed eyes, tears squeezing out. He didn't want to accept the fact that the love of his life is gone and that nothing he can do can ever get her back.

"You and I, we were meant to grow old together. We were supposed to die together, in each other's arms, happy. Ri, our story isn't over yet. So please I know I'm asking for something impossible. But please don't leave me because I don want to live a life without you." sobbed Tony.

Tony cried his heart out, feeling the uncontrollable pain. Steve, Brian, and Natasha watched the scene also feeling heartbroken. They've never heard or seen Tony that vulnerable.

Brian squinted his eyes as he noticed something glowing from Riley's chest. He then noticed that it was Riley's necklace, the one with the same turquoise pendant as he had on his ring. His eyes widened as he saw the pendant release a turquoise mist into Riley's chest. He looked at everyone to see if they had seen it too but they all had their heads down and crying.

Out of nowhere, a miracle had happened. Riley had opened her eyes.

"No fucking way," said Brian surprised but happy to see her sister opening her eyes.

Tony looked up and felt his heart skipped a beat. He wasn't sure how it was even possible for Riley to be alive but frankly he didn't care, as long as she was alive.

Tony attacked Riley in a hug. Riley didn't do anything but had a look confusion plastered on her face. Tony pulled away and kissed her on the cheek.

"Who are you?" asked Riley, shocking everybody once again.