Never left

2Cellos: Fragile

So it was.

A friend posted pictures from the past.  Maybe most remembered the joy of frozen images  Tales of victory.  Tales of song.  But for him... not so much.

Tony remembered fragments of war; running from one foxhole to the next.  Whatever built, was only built out of the fog of war.  Each momentary reprieve safe only to last a few moments.  Friendships forged underneath the fuel of fire.  Some would go to the next refuge, desire the dare of death.

Til he entered the one.  There she stood.  His Lady M.  The darkness of the light hid her wounds.  Point of death, point of salvation, who was to know, all Stark could do, is what he could do.  The recoil of his gun was nothing.  The painful bite into his shoulder was forgotten.  The same syrum that meant to protect him was slowly killing him.  The points of shrapnel forever digging their way to his hert from a beautiful weapon of his own design would kill him... perhaps sooner... perhaps later.

Yet gazing upon her, he knew he would die for her.  Sooner... or later.  All his lady Masque would do is smile.  She would... could... play the game.  All she had to do was look at him in that way.  That curious glance of I need you, and I thank you... as only only men who have been played can truly know.  She sat in the shadows.

Tony thought she was stopping the bleeding from a wound.  Tired of watching her blood flow, as her life, slowly out her body.  He would have helped.  He was too busy fighting back.

Till he...

Looked at the she...

With the hand grenade in her hand....

Smile poised on her lips....

I love you baby...

Were her last words...

Either that...

Or what the Hell

Are you doing here

In my dugout

Final moments

Before the explosion took

That which it would

Don't worry

In the final moments

The smile never left here face