A Blast From the Past Chapter 8: Pale, a Twilight + Avengers Crossover fanfic

A Blast From the Past

Disclaimer:
As always, I own nothing with the exception of Shaelynn Banner.

Rating:
T (just to be safe)

Genre:
Family/Angst/Drama/Hurt/Comfort/Romance

Pairings:
ScienceHusbands
Stevelynn

Lyrics Used:
Within Temptation "Pale"

Pale

"What the hell's going on, here?!" Tony demanded once the pain flooding his entire body finally subsided, thus, allowing him to think clearly. "Where is everybody?" He asked, his eyes scanning the room. It was then, that he noticed his vision seemed unusually sharp and clear. Is it just me or has my vision suddenly turned HD on me?! Not the time, Stark! "Why is my throat on fire?" He wondered, suddenly feeling like he hadn't had a drop of water in decades.

"Well, first of all..." Shaelynn began, carefully, trying to placate Tony as best she could. "We evacuated the tower once we realized you were coming around." She explained, closing in on the billionaire before her, slowly backing him into the nearest chair to contain his nervous energy. "Secondly, the reason your throat is burning is because...Well, because you're a...vampire, now-"

"I'm a what, now?!" Tony half-demanded, half-shrieked. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

"I said, you're a vampire, Mr. Stark." Shaelynn repeated, fighting to keep her voice calm. "To be perfectly honest, I understand your reaction-"

"The hell you do!" Tony interjected, angrily, as he started pacing back and forth. Or at least that was what he thought he was doing. He came to an abrupt stop as he realized that he had been moving at speeds no human could ever even conceive of.

Shaelynn took advantage of Tony's moment of confusion to finish her explanation. "As I was saying, I actually do understand, Tony." She reiterated, softening her voice so as to avoid coming off as confrontational. "I've been where you're standing, now, almost six years ago. And, believe me, I was every damn bit as confused and terrified of what I was as you are, now."

Looking into the golden eyes of the young woman before him, Tony had to admit defeat. Shaelynn was right. Who better to understand what he was feeling, at that moment, than another vampire? "You're right. I'm sorry, it's just..."

"Trust me, Tony..." Shaelynn began, smiling ever so softly, "I get it. You don't have to explain. It's always overwhelming when you first come out of your transformation." Sighing softly, her expression turned remorseful. "And, unfortunately, it can only get worse before it can begin to get better."

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, carefully, dreading what answer he may receive.

"Carlisle and I were talking to my dad and the others, just a moment ago." Shaelynn began, choosing her words carefully. The last thing she wanted to do was to incite a conflict with a newborn. "I understand what it's like to be a newborn-"

"A 'newborn'?" Tony scoffed; the idea of being referred to as a 'newborn' striking his as utterly ridiculous. "Really?"

"'Newborn' is a term that vampires use to refer to the first year of your immortality." Shaelynn explained, her voice almost clinical. "As I was saying, I know what it's like to be a newborn. I remember my own newborn year only too vividly." She explained. "It's like you're a junkie always lookin' for a fix. You are a complete and utter slave to your thirst. That variable combined with your unrivaled brute strength make you a walking weapon of mass destruction." Shaelynn knew she had struck a nerve with her weapon analogy by the look on Tony's face-somewhere between hurt and indignation. "I'm sorry-poor word choice."

"Ya think?" Tony asked, a dark and sarcastic nuance in his voice unlike anything Shaelynn had heard before.

"My point is that a newborn's thirst is impossible to control. You, yourself, won't be able to fully gain control of it until somewhere around the end of the first year of immortality." Shaelynn continued on. "Carlisle and I were discussing this with the others and we feel that the best course of action would be for you to return to Forks, Washington, with me and the rest of the Cullens where-"

"And, what?!" Tony demanded as anger unlike any other he had ever known flowed through every inch of his body. "Just abandon my team-my friends!? You really expect me to just turn my back on the only true family I've ever known?!"

"That's not what I'm saying, Tony." Shaelynn argued. Though, Tony cut her off before she could defend her reasoning.

"Really?" He snapped, sarcastically. "'Cause ya sure as hell coulda fooled me!"

"What I'm talking about is a purely temporary situation." Shae interjected, effectively silencing Tony's impending rant. "All I'm suggesting is that we take you home to Forks with us until you have your thirst under control and your strength has leveled off. Until we've established that your safe around humans, I will not jeopardize the safety of my father and the safety of every single person in this tower! And, I seriously doubt you want to endanger any of them, either!"

That was where Tony was forced to concede that she had a point. As much as it pained him to admit it, the thought what he was now capable of terrified him. He had finally come to understand how Bruce had felt when the Hulk had first come about. "No..." He admitted, quietly.

Stepping in closer to Tony, Shaelynn gently placed a hand on his shoulder as she looked straight into his, now, blood-red eyes. "Listen...I wasn't going to say this in front of anyone else, but...I know how you feel about my dad."

"What?" He asked, breathlessly, as he stared into her brilliant golden orbs. "H-How could you...I haven't..."

Smiling in ever so slight amusement, Shaelynn decided to take pity on the poor, confused, genius before her. "When I first arrived at the tower-while I was searching for my father-I happened across your conversation with Pepper." She explained. "I hadn't come with any intentions of eaves-dropping, mind you. I just...I've seen the way my dad feels about you and I...I don't know...I guess my curiosity got the better of me."

"But, I never mentioned your dad by name." Tony argued, still thoroughly confused as to how Shaelynn knew of his feelings for Bruce.

"No, you didn't." Shaelynn conceded. "Edward filled in that blank for me." Taking in the even more confused look on the genius' face, Shaelynn elaborated. "See, Edward is a mind-reader. He can hear your thoughts. Except for Bella's since she's a psychic shield. But, I digress...My point is that I know how you feel about my dad and I know that he's your main concern about leaving."

"Would I ever get to see him again?" Tony asked, his voice more hopeless than he would ever admit to.

"Yes." Shaelynn replied, warmly. "Granted, it would be a long time before you got to see each other." She admitted. Watching the billionaire's face fall, she immediately added. "But, I will take the same vow with you that I took with my dad. I swear to you...The moment we've established that you're safe around humans, I will personally reunite you with my dad." Once Tony returned his focus on her, Shaelynn smirked mischievously. "On one condition..." She stated, ominously.

"...What's the condition?" Tony asked, hesitantly.

"You have to give me your word that, when I reunite the two of you, you will tell my dad how you feel about him." She finished, with a small smile. Tony watched her for a moment; looking for any possible indication that she was bluffing. The young vampire was even more unreadable than Romanoff-if that was even possible.

Well...If she is right, and it takes me a year to get my thirst under control, then that'll at least give me plenty of time to figure out just what the hell to say to him...Not to mention working up the nerve to even tell him, in the first place...Finally making up his mind, Tony replied "Deal."

"Good." Shaelynn responded, smiling triumphantly. "Now, here..." She added, handing Tony a styrofoam cup with an opaque lid atop the cup and a clear plastic straw sticking out of it. "Drink this. It'll soothe your throat and hold you over until we get to Forks." Watching Tony's face contort into a snide glare, she reminded him "Look, you can either get the hell over your 'people-handing-you-things' issues and drink this or go thirsty. I really couldn't care less."

Realizing that Shaelynn actually seemed to have the backbone that her father-on a rare occasion-lacked, Tony considered the options. In the end, the inferno in his throat finally won out as he accepted the proffered relief. Drawing his first sip, he had to fight to suppress a disgusted shudder. Though, it wasn't disgust at the taste. In truth, it was disgust with himself for liking the taste.

"You'll get used to it." Shaelynn replied, her voice softening considerably. Resting a reassuring hand on Tony's shoulder, she added. "Believe me, I remember my first taste of blood. All I could see when I looked in the mirror was the monster every small child imagines is hiding under their bed. 'Course, I guess I'd be a bad example..." Tony couldn't help noticing the way Shaleynn's eyes dropped to the floor as her voice trailed off.

"Why is that?" He asked, softly. Shaelynn looked as though she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. So much like her father...

"Another story for another time." Shaelynn replied, shaking her head. "Right now, I think it best if we get you to Forks, ASAP." The younger vampire knew the genius would see right through her thinly veiled attempt to divert the conversation away from herself. She just didn't have it in her to care.

Understanding that-also like her father-Shae would likely shut down, completely, if pushed too hard, Tony just rolled with the flow. "Whatever you say, boss."