Right at that moment, he didn't give a fig about A.E.G.I.S. headquarters; all he cared about was Liv. "Are you saying all this is a diversion?" he asked, his voice rising, along with his temperature.

"That would appear to be the case," JARVIS answered, as calm as a computer could be. "Captain Rogers ordered a lockdown of the base a short while ago, and I believe members of the enhanced team are also converging on the site. Agent Romanoff is coordinating the defense."

Johnny didn't lose control of his flame very often, but there were flames licking upwards from his hands and arms, almost of their own accord. "Let me get this straight," Johnny said, his voice betraying his growing sense of rage and hatred. "Hydra tried to kill my wife as a diversion so that they could attack A.E.G.I.S. H.Q.?"

"Easy, Johnny," Sue warned him, her own power activating to ensure he didn't cause anyone harm in his rage.

Tony didn't look any calmer than his brother-in-law. "JARVIS, just what in the hell is going on?" he demanded. "How do they even know where the HQ is?"

There was a pause before JARVIS spoke. "It would appear that certain data files within the information taken from Murmansk were embedded with a GPS tracker that activated upon the opening of said files," the computer confirmed. "I believe it is reasonable to assume that the information contained therein is what Hydra hopes to prevent us from studying."

About the only thing Johnny's flame was going to damage was the shirt he was wearing over his uniform, the flames quickly burning patchy holes through the fabric, though he hardly seemed to notice. "But Steve's on it, right?" Johnny asked, trusting that Steve and the other Avengers could deal with the breach of security without his help for now.

There was a momentary pause as JARVIS synced up his disparate surveillance directives on the various sites he was installed, and activated the screens in the observation room in which they stood. "As you can see, Mr. Storm, Captain Rogers has joined the defense team."

The images on the screen showed a ground force attacking the outer perimeter of A.E.G.I.S H.Q., apparently not having expected to have found the equivalent of an army waiting for them. The enhanced team were at the forefront at the various points of entry, but on first glance, it looked as though everyone in the buildings who was upright and capable had been armed and armored in preparation.

Normally, Johnny would have jumped at the chance to join the team and help defend AEGIS Headquarters, but not today. As enraged as he was, and even if there was nothing he could do for her, his place was here with Liv. His fingers curled to make two fists, but the flames had subsided for now. He watched helplessly as the team readied to engage Hydra, with Steve at the forefront, leading the fight, and he felt a surge of pride to know that the man who had been his lifelong hero had become his friend. "I'm not leaving Liv. Steve will handle it," he said with complete confidence in Cap and his team.

Tony's jaw was clenched again, but this time he was openly torn between staying to keep the vigil over his sister and venting some of what he was feeling on the bastards who had hurt her in the first place. "JARVIS, why don't you go ahead and send the Iron Legion to round them up?" he compromised in a tense tone. "Let's give Hydra a real New York welcome."

"As you say, sir."

"You can go, if you want," Johnny said, both to Tony and Sue. There was nothing any of them could do for Liv at the moment, and though Johnny needed to be there, he understood if they wanted to fight.

"I'm not leaving you right now," Sue told him firmly, and Tony was quick to agree.

"Cap's got this," he said, albeit with a certain amount of reluctance. "I don't ....don't want to be too far away."

Johnny nodded. "Okay, then," he said, setting his jaw. Though he didn't say so, he was glad they'd decided to stay - relieved, even. He didn't really want to be alone right now, terrified as he was of losing Liv. No matter how long it took, no matter how hard it was to watch them work on Liv's broken body, no matter how it was tearing him up inside, he wasn't going anywhere either - not until he knew for certain that she was going to be okay.

"Look, I'll ....I'll get some coffee," Tony volunteered. Odd, because he never got the coffee if he could help it. "They're gonna be in there a while." He nodded, more to himself than anyone, and left the room. A moment after the door closed, they heard the thump as he punched the wall hard.

Sue squeezed Johnny a little tighter. "She's going to be okay, Johnny," she promised him. "We won't let her be anything but okay."

Startled by Tony's thump against the wall, Johnny pulled himself away from his thoughts to reply to his sister's reassurance. He knew she couldn't really promise him anything, but he refused to believe the alternative. "I know," he replied, finding himself for once at a loss for words. Or maybe he just didn't trust himself to say anything more without risking breaking down. He didn't want anyone to see that, not even Sue. Johnny drew a sigh and dropped onto a chair, pushing a hand through his hair, looking clearly lost. "I don't know what I'll do if ..." He broke off, unable to voice that thought completely.

"You won't have to find out," his sister told him sternly. She might not have fully believed that herself, but she wasn't going to let him start thinking it. She crouched in front of him, holding his hands between her own. "Even if - if - the worst happens, we'll find a way to reverse it. This is not happening, Johnny."

Johnny turned his gaze to that of his sister's - the only other person who knew him as well as Liv did. It had been a long time since he'd looked this low - probably not since their mother had died all those years ago. "This wasn't an accident, Sue. It was deliberate," he said, as if all that was just starting to sink in. "It's my fault, in a way. I mean, if we weren't together, none of this would have happened. She was so looking forward to her visit here. Maybe I should have come with her. Maybe I could have protected her. How did this happen" How did we not know?" he asked, needing answers where there probably were none.

"Stop that." Sue was only too ready to step into the older sister shoes - the ones she had worn after their mother's death so well. "Don't even try to lay the blame on anyone but Hydra. This was their action, and none of us could have predicted it. How could we know that they would target Lucy, and mistake Liv for her? They're using technology we haven't seen before, but we'll be ready next time. They aren't going to come away from this with a win, Johnny. Liv is going to pull through, and every one of them attacking the HQ is going to be killed or captured. And when we find what they don't want us to know, we are going to hit them where it hurts."

"If I may make a suggestion?"

There was a pause as the three of them seemed to experience the same rush of relief. Sue sank down onto the bench beside Johnny, shaking with him, as Tony leaned against the wall.

"Given that the professionals will be working with Mrs. Storm for quite some time, I would recommend that you all eat and rest. I will alert you in the event of any change."

"Th-that's not a bad idea," Sue said, patting Johnny's shoulder. "You know she'd kill you if you forgot to look after yourself."

"I'm not really hungry," Johnny said with a frown, though his stomach seemed to be audibly disagreeing with him. The truth was, though he wasn't much use to Liv here, he couldn't bear to leave her.

"Since when has that ever stopped you from eating?" Sue pointed out, forcing herself up onto shaky legs to pull him up with her. "C'mon, Johnny. No point in getting her right again if you let yourself go to hell waiting."

"Okay, okay," Johnny relented, letting Sue pull him to his feet. Though he wasn't feeling hungry, he knew that as soon as there was food placed in front of him, he'd probably change his mind, and it might give him a chance to call the kids, too. "Come on, Tony. You, too. There's nothing we can do for her here."

"Yeah, I'll ....be there in a sec." Tony waved a hand at them, his eyes on the busy operating theater below once again. "Just gotta check in with the Cap and all."

Johnny arched a brow but nodded, sensing what Tony was telling him might not be entirely true, but he didn't argue. It seemed Tony did have a heart, even if it was an artificial one, and not unlike the Tin Man, it may have come close to breaking.

In fact, it was close onto midnight before any news came in, from either source of concern. The first to make contact was Romanoff, from A.E.G.I.S. headquarters, passing on the information that the base was secure and the survivors of the Hydra attack were under guard. She also passed on that Steve was on his way to the mansion before going home to Rhy'Din, and that Barton's interrogation seemed to be bearing fruit. But the best news was JARVIS speaking quietly in the background of that call.

"Mr. Storm, your wife is out of surgery. Her condition is stable, though the doctors state they would like to keep her under observation for another day before allowing her to be transferred. You may visit her, if you wish."

It was the best news Johnny had heard all day, and he wasted no time in taking Jarvis up on his offer. "Where can I find her?" he asked anxiously, unsure where they had taken her, but assuming she was probably in the recovery ward, wherever that was.

"Ground floor, adjacent to the laboratory used for the operation, sir."

Tony glanced over at Johnny from where he was taking the call from Natasha. "Big white door, purple sticker," he clarified for his brother-in-law. "Say hi from me."

"Thanks, Jarvis," Johnny said, anxious to see Liv for himself, to know she was going to be okay. Though he knew she was not out of danger yet, for the first time that day, he felt hopeful. Hours ago, he had called home and told the children that the doctors and nurses were doing their best and that he'd let them know if he heard anything further, but he had a feeling Steve would probably beat him to it, calling Lucy first, who would pass word along to the children. Before he did another thing, he needed to see Liv for himself. He tossed a wave at Tony as he hurried past, with an almost absent-minded, "I will, thanks!" before hurrying on to find the room with the purple sticker on the door.

It was clearly another repurposed laboratory, though it had more of a medical feel than the hastily put together operating theater next door. There were still too many machines for anyone's peace of mind, but there was Liv, lying on a far more comfortable medical bed, clean and quiet. She still looked pale, the ventilator still in place, IV drips of blood and fluid up to replace what she had lost in the hours since the accident. But she was alive. The reassuring beep of her monitored heartbeat proved it.

As Johnny entered, JARVIS spoke again, apparently moderating his volume out of some form of respect. "The doctors have induced a medical coma, to prevent her from regaining consciousness in an agitated state. However, studies show that patients in such circumstances are aware of their surroundings. I would recommend that you talk to her, Mr. Storm."

"Oh, Livvie," Johnny whispered as he stood there a moment, silent tears streaming down his face for the first time that day, whether they were tears of relief or guilt or sadness. It hurt his heart to see her that way, connected to tubes and wires, her vital signs being carefully monitored, but at least she was alive. After a moment, he sniffled and wiped the tears from his face to mumble a reply. "Thanks, Jarvis," he said, with a marked tremor in his voice.

Liv's face was cut and bruised, a bandage still wrapped about her head where her hair had been shaved to allow access to the injuries to her skull. She was so still. If the machines hadn't been there to tell him otherwise, it would have been too easy to believe she was gone.

It took Johnny a moment to gather the courage to move closer, to take a harder look at what they had done to her. No, what Hydra had done to her. He couldn't forget that; he would never forget that and never forgive. Ever. He pulled a chair close, very carefully taking one of her hands between his - the one that wasn't connected to the I.V. drip. "Livvie, I'm-I'm not sure if you can hear me, but it's me, Johnny."

The heartbeat he could hear sped up just a little - a sign that she could hear him, perhaps. She couldn't answer, might not even be able to feel her hand in his, but she knew he was there.

"Oh, God, Livvie ....I'm so sorry," he whispered, pressing her hand to his lips, feeling guilty for something that wasn't really his fault, but that wasn't what she needed to hear right now. He sniffled again against the threat of tears, glad there was no one there to see him that way, but her. And Jarvis, but Jarvis didn't care.

It took a few minutes before he found his voice again, speaking in little more than a whisper, just loud enough for her to hear what he was saying. He sniffled again before speaking, unable to contain his emotions much longer. "I'm supposed to tell you that Tony says hi. It's kind of funny, actually. He's been really supportive. He's almost like a different guy. I think he really cares about you, Liv, even if he won't say so himself. Of course, the kids send their love." He turned silent again, not wanting to upset her too much with talk of the kids, not wanting her to know how upset they all were at the news of the accident. "They're okay, Liv. You don't have to worry. Everyone is pitching in to help. They'll be okay. They just want their mom back." He sighed a moment, leaning closer, tears flowing freely down his face again, feeling like his heart was breaking at the sight of her. "I just want you to get better. Just get better, baby. We love you so much. We need you. I need you. I-I can't do this without you."

"If you think I'm leaving, you've got another thing coming, sweetheart," was his wife's last thought to him, loving and fond and infinitely amused. "I've seen you try and wash your own socks, don't forget."

With a gasp, Alyona had to break the connection, reeling back to lean against the wall, breathless and grimacing as she rubbed her temples.

Despite the abrupt disconnect, Liv's teasing brought a small smile to his face. There was no way Alyona could have faked that. He looked over at Alyona with a relieved and grateful look on his face. "Thanks, Alyona. I owe you one. Hell, I owe you more than one. Do me a favor and don't say anything about the socks?"

"What?" With one hand pressed to her brow, Alyona gave him a confused look. "I was not listening," she assured him with a pained smile. "But at least now you will be able to tell your son not to try that. It was an effort for me, and I am more skilled."

"Oh, I thought ..." Johnny trailed off, obviously mistaken in his belief that Alyona witnessed everything that had been said between them. "I, um ....I don't know how you did that, but thank you, Alyona," he told her, as sincerely as he could manage. "I didn't realize how it would drain you. I'm sorry."

"It was harder than I thought it would be, but Steve asked me to do it," she told him with a smile. "I am glad it helped a little. And ....well, we know what Hydra were after now. I should let Steve tell you."

"Jarvis said it was something from the Murmansk data or something," Johnny said, not having paid too much attention to it then. He'd been too distraught over Liv then to have retained much of what anyone had told him.

Alyona nodded. "Hydra has a base, here in America," she told him. "The location is in the data, Natasha's boyfriend is looking for it now."

"Boyfriend?" Johnny echoed, brows furrowing in confusion. The rest he understood, but he brushed the boyfriend remark aside to focus on what was important. "Just tell me where it is and I'll ..." he broke off. No, he wasn't going to nuke it, not when there was a chance innocents could be hurt.

"She will break my fingers if you tell her I said that," Alyona admitted with a faint giggle, though her expression sobered at Johnny's outburst. "Wherever it is, we will deal with it together, Mr. Storm," she told him quietly. "We all felt this. We will take revenge together."

Johnny nodded at Alyona's promise, knowing she meant what she said. He had never met anyone who didn't like Liv, and he knew the team would stop at nothing to make sure nothing like this ever happened again, but he didn't say that. Instead, he smiled, hoping to reassure her. They didn't know each other very well, but as part of the team, she was just a friend he didn't know well yet. "Please, call me Johnny. Only Jarvis calls me Mr. Storm."

"Very well, Johnny." She smiled, nodding to him. "I-I will leave you in peace. Don't forget she can still hear you, even if she cannot answer." She patted his shoulder, moving toward the door.

"I know," he said, returning her smile. "Thank you again," he told her, as she moved toward the door. He knew Liv wasn't out of danger just yet, but he felt better having heard her voice, even if it was only in his head.

It might only have been a short connection, but it was enough to prove that Liv was still in there, despite how broken and painful her physical body was right now. She hadn't forgotten him, or their family. And despite being nothing more than human, she was as determined as anyone to come home.

"I'm right here, baby," he reminded her quietly, her hand still held in his. He wasn't going anywhere, not until she opened her eyes and told him she loved him to his face. Until then, he'd sit right there beside her, no matter how long it took - or so he intended. "Jarvis?" he said after a moment's quiet contemplation. "Is there any way I can hear Liv's thoughts without using a telepath?" he asked, wondering if there was any kind of tech that might work the same way.

It didn't take long for the computer to respond. "As I understand it, there is an experimental technology being dismantled at the AEGIS laboratories that was intended to be used as an artificial telepathic link," JARVIS told him. "As well as the engineer who assembled it to begin with. It may be possible to restructure the technology for this purpose. May I suggest this to Mr. Stark?"

"Why is it being dismantled?" Johnny asked, wondering whether the technology had been proved too dangerous or if there had been some other reason.

"To design a counter-measure, should it be recreated by Hydra and deployed in the field, sir," JARVIS told him. "The engineer herself was very clear on the subject - she refused to hand over any of the designs until she was certain the project was to be dismantled rather than improved upon."

Johnny frowned. He didn't want to use the technology for any other purpose but connecting to his wife while she was still unable to speak. "Even the most benevolent tech can be weaponized in the hands of the wrong people, Jarvis. This engineer has to know that. Is-is there any way I can get in touch with her directly?"

There was a brief pause, presumably as JARVIS relayed the idea to Tony and got his thoughts on the whole thing. Then ...."I can place a call to Miss Solova now, if you would like, Mr. Storm. I believe she is still at the headquarters."

"If you and Tony don't mind," Johnny replied. There had been a time when he might have taken matters into his own hands and not asked for permission, but he had obviously changed, matured beyond that. He realized he could just ask Alyona to create that connection again once she was rested, but he had noticed how draining it was for her.

"Mr. Stark concurs, sir. Placing the call."

The sound of the dialing tone suddenly filled the room, followed by the swift input of numbers and a ringer. After two rings, it was answered, and a feminine voice with a distinct Eastern European accent answered. "Yes?"

"It's not hurting anything," Johnny reasoned. At least, not for now, but that might change if Tony insisted on poking around at it once Liv was well. "You realize we have to honor her wishes if she still wants to dismantle it when we're done," he pointed out. He hadn't exactly promised, but it was the right thing to do.

"Technically," Tony qualified. "But if it works, that proves it has less aggressive applications. Coma victims, victims of violence left unable to verbalize ....might be something worth holding onto for when the world's less shooty."

"Agreed, but it might be hard convincing her, especially if she thinks we're no better than Hydra," Johnny replied, his gaze turning to Liv, the coffee cup in one hand, her hand in his other. "I know how important it is that we don't let it get into the wrong hands. I've seen what Hydra can do first hand. What they did to my kids is pure evil, Tony. Alex was with his mother in his mind when she was attacked. They've suffered enough. Maybe this tech can help them learn how to control their abilities. I don't know. It's worth a try, though, isn't it?" he asked, looking back at the other man with undisguised urgency on his face.

To say Tony looked shocked was a definite understatement. "Alex was ....he felt that?" he repeated, his voice weak for a moment. Then his face hardened. "Hydra's gonna pay for this. I put the call further out after Cap got in - Banner and Thor had better show up for this."

"Yeah, so did Bess, I think," Johnny admitted, though that was different. Whatever abilities had or might have had probably come from her father's altered DNA, not from Hydra's experiments. "But that's not the point. The point is maybe we can use this technology to help people somehow."

"Anything can be weaponized." And Tony Stark certainly knew that, to his cost. He nodded, sipping his coffee as his temper simmered away. "Let's focus on just this right now. She didn't design the thing, she just built it. Seeing it used in a way that'll do good might give us an edge in that conversation."

Johnny finally took a sip of his coffee, and then a larger sip, hoping the caffeine will revive him a little. "Who designed it?" he asked, wondering if they had to worry about someone who might have the plans in their head.

"Working on that one," Tony admitted. "Designed off-site from where she was set up, she has no idea. All the little tweaks to make it work, though - all her. She's brighter than we thought she was."

"Who is she?" Johnny asked, never having heard of any Solova until a few minutes ago. Though he belonged to the team, he wasn't usually involved in the goings on behind the scenes like the others were.

"JARVIS?" Tony tilted his head up, as he always did when addressing the computer. "You got stats on the not so Red Peril?"

"Certainly, sir. Aleksandra Biala, Polish national, graduated with honors in scientific engineering, recruited covertly into Hydra after two years with Polish Intelligence. Recently defected to A.E.G.I.S., taking the cover name of Alexandra Solova. Talented engineer, fluent in English, Polish, and Russian."

"Yeah, but who is she?" Johnny asked, not wanting statistics so much as a life story. "Why does she hate Hydra so much' What made her defect' Why is she here" What does she care about' What makes her tick?"

"A.E.G.I.S. files are confidential, but audio surveillance footage allows for an extrapolation," JARVIS answered. "It would appear Miss Solova's brother was murdered on Hydra's orders relatively recently, leaving her with no family. When she became aware that others working on the same project were disappearing after completing their tasks, she reached out to A.E.G.I.S. I cannot be certain, but it would appear that she was unaware she was working for Hydra until she made contact with Agent Romanoff."

Johnny winced at the news that Hydra had killed her brother, as if it wasn't bad enough to be unknowingly working for that evil organization. "Well, at least we know she's on our side," he said, given the fact that she had as much reason to hate Hydra as they did - maybe even more.

"Fair warning, she might come with a very tall Russian attached at the hip," Tony warned in amusement, draining his coffee. "Also ....she's tiny. Smaller than everyone else here."

"Bodyguard or boyfriend?" Johnny asked, taking another sip of his coffee. Every now and then, he looked over at Liv, as if to make sure she was still there and still alive. It hurt his heart to see her that way, but it helped that he'd been able to communicate with her. Of course, he had Alyona to thank for that.

"Jury's out." Tony shrugged, shaking his head to whip the cobwebs away as he sat up. "Pulling an all-nighter, Pyro' You're gonna have to go see your kids at some point."

"I'm not leaving until Liv does," Johnny said, prepared to stay right there at her side as long as it took, even if he had to sleep in a chair. "I thought you said Solova would be here in half an hour," he added, though it would probably take some time to get the equipment set up.

Tony eyed him sharply for a moment. "It's science, Pyro, not magic," he pointed out. "She'll get here, you'll persuade her, but she's still got to set it up and run tests to be sure it won't cause damage. Might not be ready until morning."

Johnny frowned, not because the equipment wouldn't be ready to use until morning but because he felt torn between his wife and his kids. But the kids were probably in bed by now, and it wasn't like they were alone - they were with family. "I can't leave her, Tony," he insisted.

"I know, dude." Tony nodded slowly. "But you gotta sleep sometime, or she's gonna tear you a new one when you get the thingamajig working."

"So, get me a cot?" Johnny ventured. Otherwise, he'd just sleep in the chair. It probably wouldn't be the first or the last time that would happen.

"Hmm ....JARVIS, is that hushabye tech still in the lab?" Tony asked, considering the size of the room.

"I understand it is, sir," the computer responded. "At the last phase of testing, 97% of the testers reported positively."

"She is lucky to be alive," Aleks observed softly. "Hydra do not often fail in such schemes." She glanced at him in concern. "What does this have to do with Overmind?"

"Overmind?" Johnny echoed. This was the first time he was hearing the name of the project Jarvis and Tony had proposed might help him communicate with his comatose wife - or at least, the first time he was aware of hearing it, as the last few hours were something of a blur.

"Yes, the ....the project we spoke of when you called the lab," she said, eyeing him warily. "That is what you asked me here to discuss, isn't it?"

"Yes, sorry," the bleary-eyed man apologized. "It's been a long day." And that was putting it lightly. "Please, have a seat," he said, indicating a chair with a wave of his free hand.

Stifling a faint yawn of her own, Aleks did as he asked her, perching uncomfortably on the edge of the chair he indicated. It was very discomforting to be having this conversation in what was clearly a private medical room, but she could hardly ask him to leave his wife to spare her feelings.

Johnny sank down into the chair beside Liv, that worried frown still on his face. How long was she going to be like this" If she were to recover tomorrow, they might not need Miss Solova's technology, after all, and yet, if it worked, it could help countless other people just like himself and Liv. "I don't really know where to begin," he said, feeling a little awkward himself.

"I do not need to know all the detail," Aleks assured him in a quiet tone. "Perhaps you should start with what you need, and why."

Johnny sighed, that frown still on his face as he glanced over at Liv, lying so still and quiet beside him. "I want to talk to my wife," he said, in the simplest terms he could muster.

"Ah. And you would like Overmind's technology to do so." Well, Tony had said she was bright. Aleks looked awkward. "My only condition in defecting was that Overmind would be dismantled and never pursued by A.E.G.I.S., Mr. Storm. The technology ....it can too easily be put to a military use, and it would give too high an advantage in the field."

"This isn't just about me, Miss Solova," Johnny argued. Since she wasn't calling him by his first name, he didn't feel comfortable calling her by hers. "Liv and I have small children. Two of them were victims of Hydra. They were ....experimented on, for lack of a better word. No one knows more than I do the evil Hydra is capable of. I'm not asking you to give Overmind to A.E.G.I.S. I'm only asking for a way that my children can talk to their mother and know she's going to be all right. That's all."

Aleks frowned, clearly torn. She wanted to help him, but she knew the original intention of the technology they were discussing. Yet at the same time, it intrigued her - a means to discover if it truly would have worked. "You would prefer this to be mind to mind, not an electronic voice?"

Something just occurred to Johnny that hadn't before - something that might make a difference. "Our son - whose name is ironically enough Alex - is a telepath. Hydra made him that way. He and his mother are very close. When she was attacked, it was like it was happening to him. If I can't figure out a way for my son to connect to his mother, he's going to do it on his own, and ..." Johnny broke off a moment, unable to hide the anguish he'd been trying so hard to hide from everyone all day. "I'm afraid what he'll find if he goes inside her head."

"Tell me what you are asking for, Mr. Storm," Aleks told him softly. "The technology was designed to be used with implants - it will need to be re-structured for this in any case. But do you wish conscious thoughts to be shared in a mind to mind link, or for your wife's thoughts to be relayed via an electronic voice" I need to know what you want before I can begin to repurpose the machine."

"I would prefer mind to mind," Johnny replied without hesitation. He didn't want to hear Liv's thoughts come out sounding electronic, and he didn't think that would be good for the kids. "Alyona ..." he started, unsure if she was acquainted with the Sokovian. "She helped us talk earlier, but it was exhausting. I don't really want to ask her again. I need our children to know that their mother is still in there," he explained further.

For all her reservations, Aleks knew when she was being asked to do something good. "I will not be able to put together a group link quickly, but ..." She paused, considering the pitfalls of what she was now proposing to do instead of sleep. "I think, with help, I can have a prototype one-on-one link tested and ready for use by mid-morning?"

Johnny's face brightened at the news, hopeful once again. "That would be awesome. How can I help?" he asked, though he wasn't sure he'd be able to do her much good. Tony might be able to help, if she let him. Or Reed, but either man might be too tempted to take over.

To her credit, she did try not to laugh at his offer. "Do you have any experience with biological enhancement in engineering?" she asked politely.

Johnny actually chuckled. "No, but I can take a car apart and put it back together, if that counts," he told her. While he might not have the science background that Tony and Reed had, he did have some experience with mechanics.

She smiled at him. "I think the best thing you can do is get some sleep, Mr. Storm," she told him gently, rising to her feet. "You do not want to frighten your children by looking like something that just crawled out of a grave tomorrow."

"Aww, I don't look that bad, do I?" he asked, not flirting exactly - not when he was so torn up about Liv - but showing just a hint of his usual brazen, vain self.

"Not yet," was Aleks' practical response as she sipped her coffee. "If you will excuse me ....I have work to do." She nodded to him, slipping from the room as a pair of Iron Legion drones brought in a heavy-looking metal box and began to set it up beside Liv's bed.

"Wait!" Johnny called, as the pretty engineer left and was replaced by the drones. "Is this yours" I thought Tony was gonna set up a cot," he grumbled to himself. Seemingly ignored by both the engineer and the drones, he sighed and rubbed a hand across his face. He knew he really should get some rest, or he wouldn't be much good to anyone tomorrow.

It soon became clear that the box was, in fact, the large twin bed Tony had promised him, complete with mattress and pillows, and cotton bedding. The drones set it up and left with barely acknowledging Johnny's presence.

"Shall I lower the lights, Mr. Storm?" JARVIS asked politely. "The medical staff will be checking on your wife periodically throughout the night."