Tony's P.O.V

I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of coughing. It wasn't your average 'Clearing your throat cough', but a violent, bone rattling cough that woke almost everyone in the tower. Without even bothering to get out my pyjamas, I rushed from my room, knowing immediately who was making the god awful noise. Steve came out of his room at almost the same time I did, sharing a worried look between us. Percy.

We ran to the infirmary, seeing both Bruce and Loki already there. Percy was leaning over the side of his hospital bed, violent, heaving coughs wracking his whole body. His skin was even paler than before-if that was even possible-and he had sweat running down his face. When I got closer, I could make out the dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. Every raspy and choking cough he made looked painful. I barely noticed a few of the others enter the room as well, but no one said a single thing.

The coughing eventually subsided, leaving everything in the room silent. Percy's limbs were shaking, his head drooped low as he breathed shallowly. Every breath he took sounded raspy and painful. Bruce silently held a glass of water with a straw in it in front of Percy, silently urging the teenager to drink something. The green eyed boy complied, leaning forward to take a small sip of the cool drink. He let out a soft sigh of relief, the water obviously soothing his throat. His shoulders slumped down as his whole body relaxed slightly, eyes fluttering closed. Bruce looked up at us, a look of concern clear on his face. He cleared his throat softly.

"I think we should give him some space." He said gently. Most of the team drifted out of the room, but Bruce, Loki, and I stayed. Bruce offered the drink to Percy again, who gratefully accepted it.

"How long has he been coughing like that?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing in worry.

"Just a few minutes before you all woke up." Bruce answered with a soft sigh, rubbing his hand over his face. It seemed neither him, Percy, nor Loki had had a wink of sleep that night.

"And his... Condition?" I asked hesitantly, not really wanting to discuss the matter in front of Percy.

"It's worsened." Said person answered my question, his voice hoarse and croaky. He turned his bloodshot eyes to me, and I could see how truly tired he really was.

"Do you think all the exercise yesterday caused the rapid deterioration?" I asked, looking at Bruce. He shook his head.

"I've tested the poison, and it only seems to attack the godly cells in his body. If he were mortal, it would barely affect him. That's why using his powers caused the poison to spread faster. I don't understand how, but..." He sighed softly. Percy seemed to be drifting off, his eyes closed. It was no wonder: he seemed exhausted.

"But what are we going to do about it?" I asked, more to myself though. Everyone fell silent as we thought for any idea we could think of. Loki suddenly shot up from were he was sitting.

"I've got it!" Bruce and I looked over at him in silent question. "The Golden Fleece!" He smiled triumphantly.

"Wait... the thing Percy got to save Thalia's tree?" I asked, just for clarification. Both of them nodded. "He didn't say where it was now though."

"But I know already. It's hanging on Thalia's tree, and is said to be able to cure almost anything." Loki explained. Percy suddenly pitched to the side, retching over the side of the bed. Bruce hurriedly gave Percy a bucket, which he unloaded the food he had recently had in. Bruce sat down next to him, comfortingly rubbing circles with his hand on his back, his face revealing distress at the others condition. Loki gave me a worried look, one that silently said,

We've got to go. Now.

I nodded in agreement, heading towards the door.

"Bruce, you stay here with Percy." I ordered, and I could only assume that he nodded in understanding behind me. Everyone looked up as Loki and I walked into the lounge.

"Guys, we've got a plan to save Percy."

~Time Skip~

"Are you sure this is the place?" Natasha called, looking over her shoulder at Loki. "It seems like nothing is here."

"It's here." Loki promised. "It's just hidden from you mortals." Natasha landed the quin jet where Loki instructed, narrowly missing some trees.

"So the Fleece is just hanging on the tree?" Steve asked dubiously, looking around as he led the others out of the quinjet. Natasha and Clint stayed in the aircraft to switch it off, while the rest of us wandered around outside. There were clusters of trees everywhere, but no matter how hard we looked, we couldn't spot any golden fleeces.

"So... Where is it?" I drawled dubiously, giving Loki a bored look.

"It's here. Just by the border." The Asgardian mumbled, although it seemed he had done it more to himself. We followed him as he walked forward, eyes flicking everywhere.

"There!" Thor grinned triumphantly as he pointed to a tree-one much larger than the others. I drew my eye line higher, pausing when I saw a gleaming, golden fleece hanging from one of its lower branches. Coiled around the base of the tree were large cables, but none of us played any attention to that. I walked forward, intending to reach out and simply pluck the fleece off of its perch. Simple, right?

Then again... how was I supposed to know that that pile of cables was actually a dragon?

It raised its large, scaly head to fix me with a piercing gaze, it's once sleepy expression now on full alert. I froze, seeming to have a staring contest with the large creature. Its body had slowly started to uncoil from around the tree. It snorted softly as it stared at me-causing a puff of smoke to escape its nostrils.

"Uhm... Good giant... fire breathing lizard?" I asked hesitantly, slowly backing away. It blinked slowly in return. "Um... Did Percy say anything about a dragon being here?" I questioned the others. At Percy's name, the dragon seemed to perk up slightly, staring at me more intently.

"Not to my recollection..." Steve frowned as he studied the 'mythological' creature.

"All right... Let's wing this then." I smiled brightly at the creature and stepped forward again. "Hey there, buddy." I held out a hand as I slowly approached it.

"Tony! What are you doing?!" Wanda hissed.

"What? Have you never seen How to Train Your Dragon?" I grinned over my shoulder at her. "This is what you're supposed to do."

The next thing I saw was a large mouth full of dagger like, pearly teeth snapping towards me. With a shocked yelp, a very dignified one if I may add, I scrambled away from the dragon quickly.

"If you can't already tell, this isn't an animated kids movie." Loki deadpanned. The dragon bared its teeth as it spread its wings, a low growl rumbling through its throat.

"Ooookay... Duly noted." I muttered, closing my helmet. "Now let's dance, fire breath." I took off into the sky as the dragon lunged at me again, jaws snapping shut just inches from my feet. The others all sprung into action at that. I shot my repulsors at its head, vaguely aware of my teammates attacking the creature in their own ways. I swerved to the side as a pillar of fire erupted from its throat, and even in my suit I could feel the searing heat radiating from it. A hit of Steve's shield caused the dragon's fire to halt as its head snapped to the side. Wanda threw her hands out, sending a wave of red magic towards it. It staggered back at the blow, before lurching to the side as Thor smashed Mjolnir against its jaw. I landed in front of its stunned body, raising my hand for the killing blow.

"Stop!" A voice shouted, causing all of us to look towards the sound. I blinked rapidly at the sight in front of us.

"Friday, is that... Is that a centaur?"

"Yes, sir. It appears to match the description of one." Her robotic voice came back immediately. It did nothing but remind him that Jarvis wasn't there anymore. Well technically he was, but he wasn't the same and all... You know, with a body and everything.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" The centaur asked, aiming an arrow at them expertly. Loki stepped forward and held his hands up in a sign of surrender.

"You are Chiron, are you not?" He asked, keeping his tone calm and peaceful.

"Yes." He answered, dark eyes scanning over each of us individually. "How did you know that?"

"We are the Avengers; Percy Jackson's friends. He has been staying with us for a while." Loki answered again as we all shifted uncomfortably under his almost fatherly gaze. Chiron visibly relaxed at his name.

"I see. But why are you here, and why did you attack poor Peleus?" He looked at us with disappointed eyes, which made me feel like crawling into a little ball, surprisingly guilty.

"I'm so sorry, but we had to get to the golden fleece." Wanda explained, frowning as she watched a few teenagers approach the group cautiously, before heading toward the dragon-now named Peleus-to help him.

"The fleece? Why is that?" Chiron questioned, slightly suspicious once again. Loki hurriedly explained the situation to the centaur, the older man's face darkening with every passing moment. He sighed heavily as he ran a hand over his face, looking almost a hundred years older within only seconds. He murmured something under his breath. "Take the fleece then, and hurry. I fear he may not have much-if any-time left." I nodded and immediately shot off into the air, heading towards the branch holding the gleaming fleece.

"Tony, head back to the tower now." Steve ordered, a grim look on his face as he looked up at me. "The Quinn jet will take longer; you're our safest bet." I nodded again mutely as I grabbed the fleece.

I vaguely heard Chiron mutter something along the lines of, "May the gods be with the boy." as I flew upwards without hesitation, boosters on full speed.

A sense of dread had washed over me, the feeling of something bad about to happen staying with me. Something is wrong. I know it. I sped up, my thrusters on full power as I flew through the air as fast as I could. I still gripped the Golden Fleece tightly. My tower came into view sooner than I thought, which was a great relief for me. As soon as I landed, I shed my suit, taking the Fleece in my hand as I started running. I've got to get to Percy. I've got to get to Percy. I skidded to a halt at the door to the infirmary, eyebrows drawn together in worry at the sight in front of me. Bruce was hurrying around, looking both distressed and desperate as he scrambled around for something. I turned my gaze to Percy, where he was lying on the bed, still on his back. He wore no shirt, revealing the blackened area around the bullet wound. The same position as they had left him in. But there were some major differences that made my blood turn cold.

He was lying dead still, his skin even paler than before. The dark veins had spread further along his chest and up his neck. And to my horror, his chest wasn't moving. Bruce looked up at me as I ran into the room, his fearful face softening slightly in relief.

"Oh thank god." He whispered as I brushed past him, practically throwing the Golden Fleece over Percy's chest.

The air turned silent and tense as we both stared unblinkingly at the still boy, waiting with held breaths for something to happen. Anything.

A minute passed, but it seemed more like an hour. And still no visible change. Bruce and I shared a distressed glance, before our attention was brought back to the teenager in front of us. I squinted as a sudden golden glow emanated from the fleece. The bright light washed over Percy's body, and I was forced to close my eyes against its glare. When the light eventually faded away, I slowly peeled my eyes open. Percy didn't look any different... Had it worked? I hesitantly lifted the Golden Fleece, revealing the now unmarred skin on his chest. The dark veins had disappeared, and the wound was completely gone. But he still wasn't moving.

He... He can't be dead...

Can he?

I licked my lips, feeling a cold sensation wash over me. The sense of dread still hung over me, my stomach dropping.

He had to be alive... He just... Had to.

"Percy...?"