The REM Trials

Chapter 4

My chest shudders as I jump up in my bed, grasping at the sheets for dear life and searching for breath. A shiver traces its way over my arms despite the sheen of sweat covering every inch of my body. The house is deathly silent, which I'm thankful for. It means that I didn't ruin anyone's night by screaming from another nightmare.

Well, another night of memories haunting me.

I'm just lucky that I didn't blow out the power to the house. It's a small bit of luck that I savor but refuse to push as I climb out of bed. Maybe I should have Tony bring the 'coffin' over just in case, or maybe I should start working on a more portable prototype.

Either way, I want to—need to—get my mind off things. My fingers sporadically twitch at the urge for action, whether it be tinkering or fighting. Anything to either distract my mind or raise my heart rate will do. Ideas pop into my head as I sneak through the house.

There's a part of me that wants to go elsewhere, that wants to patrol and maybe use some low lives as a punching bag, but I made a promise to Dad that I wouldn't. It's mostly a bad habit I've created to keep my mind from drifting back to those nights.

"Lia Stark. Access Granted." FRIDAY's disembodied voice seems to scream against the silence as the workshop doors click open. I shake my head and brush off the lingering nightmares and a weird feeling of hearing myself referred to as a 'Stark.'

"Hello, boys," I whisper to empty suits and various bots. I absentmindedly walk around the lab, fingers trailing over the cold metal of various tools, which send a comforting shiver through me. Dad's blueprints hover on every now lit screen, and I allow myself to succumb to the curiosity and snoop on what he's been doing.

My eye catches on a certain project. A small smile tugging at the corners my lips as I take in every spec. "I guess great minds really do think alike." I chuckle to myself as I move it to a screen closer to the workstation and gather a few starting pieces. "Hopefully you won't mind a few modifications, Dad."

The telltale tap of feet descending the staircase is what finally snapped my concentration and gives me any clue of the early hour. I rub my eyes, finally feeling the strain from working for who knows how long. "I should've known you'd be down here." Dad chuckles as he enters the lab. There's a twinge of concern that laces over his voice as he asks, "Couldn't sleep?"

I avoid meeting his eye. We both already know the answer, and I don't quite feel up to explaining another nightmare. The pity and concern practically radiate off of him, and it makes my stomach churn in disdain. I go back to fiddling with the circuitry to distract myself.

Tony's defeated chuckle breaks the tense silence when he finally notices what I'm working on. "You found the blueprints."

"Yeah." I drag the syllable out and feel the blood rush to my cheeks in embarrassment. "I came down here to tinker, and, well—you aren't exactly good at hiding things." A cheesy grin teases my features at the comment. It's a double-edged comment. After all, he could barely keep his Iron Man secret, but I've been his best kept secret since we met.

He remains stoic as he correct my current work in a few places. I gnaw on my lip to keep myself from bursting with a million questions or worry that I've upset him. Still, he can read me better than I give him credit for, and as if he can sense my emotions, he looks up at me with the classic Stark smile.

I break, and the questions come pouring out. Although, there's only one that makes it through understandably. "It's for me, right? It's a suit to wear as Phantom."

He doesn't say anything, but the smile answers for him. There's a surge of excitement and pride that ripples in my chest. All because my dad thought enough of me to make a suit of my own. "Don't get carried away just yet," Tony tells me, his expression suddenly cold and serious. "You have a lot to learn and do before it's officially yours."