CHAPTER 27

       "Well done, I must say." I hear her voice before the dream completely forms. I must've slipped asleep after Bruce fixed me. My mother is lounging on her skeletal throne, her hood thrown back from her pale face. She's human this time. Her lips are blood red, her skin is pale, her hair is the colour of raven's wings and her eyes are bottomless pits of death.

        Is this what I'll become like? I think to myself fleetingly, chillingly.

       "I'm under suspicion, I think." I lie, well, maybe I am. "I think I slow this last one down."

       My mother goes from her relaxed position to a dominating one, she stands above me. Her voice is hostile, a thousand snake hissing in succession, sending chills rigidly down my spine. "You're starting to want to stay." She sneers.

       "No." I snapped back. "I don't. I want to be rid of the Earth. Gone. Forever."

       "What happened to the Lana I knew? The one who was kicking and screaming when I told her that she'd be returning?" I looked down in shame. "Where is she?"

       The dream fades with the last of my mother's words echoing in my ears; where is she?

       Bruce gives me the all good, my returned healing factor has done its job. I'm free to wonder as I please. Well he does tell me to take it easy but that's just standard doctor practice so I ignore it and go down to the gym. I need to look like I'm doing something but I also need to think.

       My mother is suspicious of me wanting to stay. Which is something she shouldn't pay heed to, she's the one that denied me access to the Afterlife, forcing me to stay here. I snort disgustedly as I ramp up the treadmill. Running with a slight limp.

       Gulliver can be killed by a simple bullet to the head, I guess I could use the Mist but I may want to preserve my identity afterwards so I can stay a little longer.

       Why would you want to stay? A voice within me sneers, I pay no heed to it but the thought of it lingers like a bad smell.

       Tony enters, standing in front of the treadmill, after my twenty minutes is up, I slow it to was fast walking pace. Only then does he decide to talk.

       "You've been distant lately." His voice sounds like he just came upon this revelation. I know though, when it comes to Tony it means that he's been thinking about this for a long time, anticipating the moment when he can come and speak to me.

       "I just got shot."

       "I retain my original point."

       I step off the treadmill, away from him. "I've been researching, whatever the hell this is, trying to fix you." I look back at him pointedly, hoping my guilt trip would shut him up.

       Of course not, he's Tony Stark.

       "That's not it."

       "Well then, what is it?" There's an underlying message to my words, it's a gauntlet, a challenge. Tony, being Tony Stark, takes this challenge.

       "You've been distant, disappearing at night, and sometimes through the day, don't think I don't notice."

       "What, now you're stalking me? I thought you were better than SHIELD." With that, I turn on my heel, exiting, flustered, hot and angry.

       I aggressively shower, rubbing shampoo and conditioner in like I'm trying to hurt myself. I hit the wall of the bathroom with my slick, soap-covered hand. The shower washes it all away and in the end, I can't hold onto my pitiful anger.

       I steel myself to go and apologise to Tony, dressing quickly, doing my hair up and practicing a hundred different ways to say sorry in the mirror. Once I think I've got it, I turn to the elevator.

       "FRIDAY? Where's Tony?" I ask.

       "Mr. Stark is currently out shopping for Mrs. Stark's new child."

       Something within me shrinks and I sink to the floor, my words wobbly. "Uh, thank you FRIDAY." But what I can't help is the bitter sting of tears forming.

FYI: Take in the happiness while it lasts