Tony flew to the nearest hospital; which was difficult because the evacuation perimeter was so wide. He spoke to the child gathered in his arms, cradled against his chest, and tried to give him comfort, while he prayed the kid was still alive.

When he finally arrived, it was almost completely empty of patients and civilians, with only minimal staff left in case they were needed, and Tony was grateful there wouldn't be too many witnesses or distractions.

He lay the pale, unconscious, teenager on a nearby gurney, as doctors and nurses crowded around him, yelling things.

"Is that Spiderman? He's a kid!"

"What's his name?"

"What happened to him?"

"Are the aliens coming here?"

Tony couldn't look away from the limp form on the stretcher. He was so small and defenceless. His fingers were loosely curled, face almost peaceful, head turned to the side with his hair splayed over the pillow.

Blood soaked his entire torso, suit ripped apart, and his lips were still splattered with the red he'd coughed up earlier.

How could he have gotten him involved? He should be at home, safe, studying, or worrying about how to get a girlfriend, not fighting for his life in a foreign country.

He stuttered out a reply, voice small and tired.

"Call him Peter. He's…fifteen, blood type A positive. He was stabbed so I cauterized the wound but he lost a lot of blood. His… I think his ribs might be broken too. Keep his identity a secret, it's important, do you understand me? No one see's him or talks to him unless absolutely necessary… and don't leave him alone."

His last request was less for security's sake and more for Peter's comfort. Tony didn't want him to feel scared, and the thought of leaving the poor kid alone made his heart ache.

They all nodded and began to move the gurney away, but Tony took Peters hand one last time.

"I'll come back for you, just hang on for me, all right?"

He squeezed the limp hand, before gently placing it on the bed, and watched them take Peter away.

He saw them roll the bed away, watched him disappear through those doors, but he couldn't move.

He needed to get back to the fight, he needed to get Peters blood off his hands, he needed – he threw up.

A young nurse patted the back of his suit, and helped him clean himself up, offering a reassuring smile.

"We'll take good care of him, Mr Stark."

Tony thanked her, and remembered the name pinned to her shirt, so that he could properly thank her later, before heading back to the fight that still raged on.

…

Peters world was nothing but blinding pain and panic. He was an animal, desperate to get away from the thing causing him so much agony, but the thing held him down and burnt his flesh anyway.

He begged the thing to stop; mind consumed with the smell of his own burning skin, unable to hear his own pleading voice amid the screams tearing through the air. Funny, how they sounded like a twisted, tortured version of his own voice.

And then, when he thought he could take no more, he was consumed in the black. But it was calm, and the pain wasn't so bad. He thought he may be dying, but in that moment, he almost hoped he was. He didn't want to feel that pain again.

He drifted for a while, not knowing where or what he was, but before long he heard that voice again.

"..Peter…okay, kid…here…hang on."

Then something gripped his hand, strong and reassuring, and Peter thought that maybe he shouldn't give up just yet. That voice was so familiar, and the wavering words made him feel as though he should try harder, to make the tremors, that were laced within each syllable, go away.

And then the hand and the voice left, and he drifted once more.

….

"…ood kid, he practically begged me to let him come. He wanted to be a hero, Tony. You wouldn't have been able to stop him from coming."

"Yeah, and now I've made him a martyr. The way he screamed… and he was begging me to stop, I had to hold him down…Did you tell his Aunt?"

"She's coming with his best friend, that…Ned, I think. They're on one of your jets, as you requested. They'll be here by tonight."

A sigh, and that voice. Peter knew that voice, and those names made his heart beat faster.

Something beeped, nearby, and the voices paused before, the talking continued.

"What am I supposed to tell them, Happy?"

Heavy footsteps, like tired boots, and then another familiar voice. It was kind, the rumble of it comforting.

"You'll figure it out, Stark. You never seem to run out of words."

Peter listened to the chatter, using it to help him swim closer to the surface. He wasn't exactly sure of where he was, or what had happened but it sounded bad, Tony's voice was so sad. Tony, he knew him.

"Cap, how's James doing?"

More footsteps, then a deep voice, rough and a little unsure.

"I'm fine, thanks. He's that kid we fought before I went back in the ice, isn't he?"

The captains voice replied, as Tony made a noise of discomfort at the 'kid' comment.

"Peter. He really looks up to you Tony, and from what I've heard he wouldn't have taken no for an answer about this fight."

"What do you know about him?"

Caps voice came closer. "I dropped a truck on him the first time I met him, I wanted to make sure he was okay."

"Let me guess, Natasha helped you hack my system so you two could spy on me."

"I didn't do any hacking….she emailed me the files."

Another sigh. "Why didn't you just ask me for them?"

"You would have tracked me and brought me in. I'm a fugitive remember?"

"Not anymore, you helped saved the universe. I'm pretty sure the worlds forgiven you."

"But you can't forgive yourself." That voice was closer now, and so sincere. Tony's was quiet in reply.

"…I break everything I get close to. It's why Pepper left. Why Peter's…"

There was a soft noise, like a hand on a shoulder."Peter looks up to you, and he wouldn't have survived if you hadn't done what you did. I could hear it, and I'm sorry you had to do that. He'll be okay, he heals faster than most. You know that."

"Thanks Steve." It's the first time Stark has used the Captains real name, and he sounds sincere. Peter's head is clearer but he's still so tired, and the closer he comes to waking, the more pain he's in. So, he sinks instead, giving in to his exhaustion and letting it all melt away.