Chapter Twenty-Three— 3.1k

The tightness in Peter's chest was what woke him. His throat and chest felt tight, and every breath he took pulled on his throat, making him wheeze. He tried to sit up and calm himself, breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth. It had been years since he'd had an asthma attack, but he remembered it was important not to panic.

There was a soft knock on the door, and he cursed. He'd made too much noise and woken Tony.

"Peter? Can I come in?"

It was worse than waking Tony. He had woken Pepper.

"Sure." Peter straightened the blankets, his lungs still wheezing with every breath.

Pepper crossed the room, her expression tight with concern. She hesitated but sat on the edge of the bed. Peter tried to force a smile, but he was sure it came out more like a grimace.

Pepper frowned. "This isn't an anxiety attack."

Peter was surprised, though he shouldn't have been. Of course, Tony would have told her about his panic attacks. He wasn't sure he liked her knowing, though. It made him feel exposed and weak, but then he remembered that Tony had them, too, and felt a little better.

"Asthma," he wheezed.

A line appeared between her brows. "Has it happened before?"

"Used to," he said, between breaths, "before Spider-Man."

Nodding, she patted his hand and then got up, leaving the room. A moment later, she returned with an inhaler. Peter felt a wave of relief. His neck felt tired from taking strained breaths.

She passed it to him, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Go on. It'll help."

Peter took a couple hits from the inhaler, and within seconds, the tightness began to ease, and he could take a breath without straining. Pepper kept rubbing his arm, a reassuring smile on her face.

When he got his breathing under control, he asked, "You have asthma?"

"Only when my allergies are bad. I hardly use the inhaler the rest of the time. I keep it handy, though." The frown lines of her forehead deepened, and she studied his face. "This is the first time since Spider-Man?"

It saddened him that he had regressed more, that he was becoming who he used to be, but there wasn't anything he could do about it, so he shrugged. "I guess I'm really losing it now. You know about that, right?"

"Yeah. Tony told me before your accident. Actually, he was telling me when we got the call. We've not spoken about it since." She hesitated. "How do you feel about it?"

Peter was breathing easily again. He toyed with the inhaler in his hand. "Honestly, it sucks a little, but Spider-Man, most of it, is over now anyway. It would have been much harder if I'd not had the accident, but I figure it was good while it lasted."

Pepper nodded, seeming sad. "You really are amazing, Peter. I don't think I could have been as brave as you."

Peter laughed. "I wasn't brave. I was a mess. I was such an as—I was horrible to May and Tony, really, but they kept coming back, day after day."

"Because they love you. I'd have been there, too, if I could, but Tony felt it was better that I didn't come and crowd you."

"It was probably better that way, not that I wouldn't have liked to see you, but I really wasn't great company."

She smiled. "I wouldn't have minded, but I'm glad you're here now." She patted his back. "How do you feel?"

"All good." He held out the inhaler to her. "You should take this."

"No, you hang onto it for now. You'll need to see your own doctor, though. You might need different ones."

"Okay. I'll talk to May about it."

Pepper looked like she wanted to say something, and Peter had a feeling what. Tony needed to know, too. The time for secrets was passed. It was time for honesty.

"I'll tell Tony, too."

Her smile grew, and she nodded. "Good. You need anything?"

"Nope." He leaned over, dragging the wheelchair closer, so he could head to the bathroom and take a shower. He wasn't confident enough in the braces to use them on a wet floor.

Pepper stood, watching as he maneuvered himself into the chair. There was something in her eyes that he could define.

"You okay?" he asked.

"You really are amazing, Peter, you know that, right?"

He laughed, ducking his head a little. "I think you're pretty great, too, Pepper."

She beamed at him and slipped out of the room. Peter watched her go, thinking of how lucky he was. Despite everything, he felt in control. Before the accident, an asthma attack, knowing it was back, would have wrecked him, but it was just another step on his journey to becoming Peter Parker again—the regular kid.

And that wasn't so bad.

Tony could tell Peter was nervous; the kid's hands were twisting in his lap. Peter was in the chair as they wanted to make the reveal as big as possible for the board. These people cared about money, and they needed to see how much they could make with this project. Pepper swore the money was going to be made from the insurance companies and that this wasn't going to be some kind of income lottery.

And if they couldn't get them on board, Tony would do it with his own money. He had more than enough. He would make this work. But if they could do it with Stark Industries behind them, with their manufacturing capabilities and contacts, it would be easier.

"Well, Mr. Stark, we understand you have proof of your invention," one of the board members said.

Peter glanced at him, and Tony nodded, whispering to him. "You've got it, kid."

Peter nodded, wheeling the chair back and moving his feet from the rests. Everyone was watching, but Peter seemed to keep his cool. Tony held his breath as Peter began to shift in the chair. He knew how good Peter had become with the braces, he knew he could handle it, but if something went wrong, it could kick a hole in the plan for the board.

With steady arms, Peter pushed himself to his feet, taking a small step forward. The board members murmured and nodded, and Peter shot Tony a look before doing a side-step and then beginning to walk confidently around the table of people. He came back to where his chair sat, giving a small ironic bow.

The murmuring increased, and Tony started to hear words coming through that eased his concerns. "Incredible," one said, and from a few seats away, someone else said, "The potential…"

"What was the extent of the damage before the braces?"

Bruce stood up and touched a panel that brought up a hologram of the x-ray in front of them all. The broken vertebrae was clear, but Bruce pointed to it for emphasis. "Peter's spine was broken at the T12 vertebrae. There was absolutely no movement below the waist, no possible recovery."

Tony felt a small pang at the words, but he'd known for a while that Bruce wasn't going to fix it. He just didn't want to accept it. He still hadn't pulled Bruce from the project because he wasn't ready to give up. But he was getting closer. He was starting to accept things.

"How fast can you move, Mr. Parker?"

Peter shrugged and did a circuit around the table again, faster this time. Tony knew he was pushing himself, but he seemed steady enough.

There were more murmurs and nods. Tony could see it was working. They were getting into the idea.

"I'm not as fast as Harrison," Peter said.

"Harrison is an eleven-year-old I fitted with braces, too," Tony says. "He has much more control than Peter has achieved yet, but we think that's because he's younger, and he's able to learn things faster." He winked at Peter. "Age has its limitations."

Peter rolled his eyes and said, "Harrison is great with them, though, and I think it'll be even better with younger children."

Someone tapped their notepad with a pen. "And are you planning to serve children with this project?"

"I plan to serve everyone that needs it," Tony said, "but children are the ones I will prioritize at first since they're the ones that need it the most, and they will be the easiest to work with. But Colonel Rhodes has the braces, too, and he was able to gain good control in time."

A throat was cleared. "Can you do this with incomplete paralysis?"

Tony examined the woman. He didn't recognize her. She wasn't on the board when he had to deal with them before. "If the upper body is strong enough, I am sure I can."

She nodded. "I would like to discuss them with you then." She looked around the room. "You have my support."

Peter grinned and shuffled his feet slightly.

"Does anyone have more questions?" Pepper asked.

A couple hands were raised. "I do for Mr. Parker."

Peter looked surprised but nodded.

"Can you quantify the difference this has made to your life? Put a number on it."

Peter frowned and considered a moment, possibly seeing the same profit margins that Tony did in the man's eyes. "It's given me my life in a whole different way. I have freedom now that I couldn't have had before. You have some in the chair, you can do more for yourself, but walking is everything to me. A number?" He shook his head. "Think of the number you'd put on it if you lost the use of your legs, add a couple thousand to that, and that's what it's worth."

The man smiled, jotting something down, seeming satisfied.

The woman that asked about partial paralysis lifted her hand. "Is there pain using them?"

Peter shook his head. "No. It's tiring at first, your muscles in your back ache where you can feel them, but that goes away when you get used to them."

"And how difficult is it to get used to them?"

"I guess it's probably as difficult as it is for a kid to learn to walk the first time, but none of us remember that, right?"

Tony ducked his head and smiled. He always hated dealing with the board, but Peter was handling them like a pro. He was relaxed and confident.

"Any other questions?" Pepper asked.

Hands were raised again, and Peter began to answer the questions that were fired at him. There was a theme to many of them, how much the braces were worth, but Peter kept batting them back and reminding them subtly of the value of their own lives and legs rather than the financial aspect of it.

The questions moved between the board members as they began to discuss logistics and testing, and Peter took a seat back in the chair. He covered a cough in his hand and said, "I think we should get out of here."

Confused, Tony nodded and addressed the room. "I think you're done with us. You know where to find us if you have more questions. Peter's at home in the tower right now."

One of the men raised an eyebrow. "At home?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, my kid is living with me right now."

He could see their shock, and he could only guess what they were thinking. If Tony Stark had an heir, someone to pass on his shares to, it would impact them all. Enjoying their expressions, he turned and followed Peter out.

He was grinning until they got outside the door, and Peter came to a stop, rooting through his pockets. He pulled out an inhaler and took a couple hits.

Tony bent in front of him, worried. "You okay?"

Peter nodded. "Fine." His voice was breathy, though, and he struggled to breathe.

Tony was confused. He'd heard Pepper wheezing like this before when her allergies were bad, but he never knew Peter had asthma. It was never mentioned in the hospital.

The door opened behind them, and Pepper came out.

"You okay, Peter?" she asked.

Peter nodded, rubbing his chest.

Tony had questions, like why did Pepper seem so unsurprised by this, and he addressed while Peter worked through his breathing.

"What's going on?"

"Peter is having trouble with asthma again. He had it before the bite changed him. He had an attack this morning."

Peter looked up at him. "I was going to tell you."

"And you didn't because?" His tone was a little harsh.

Pepper gave him a disapproving look and squeezed his arm in warning. "Maybe because you were like a kid on crack this morning, working yourself up about this meeting. You were practicing your speech in front of the bathroom mirror and then rushing us out the door." She narrowed her eyes. "We weren't hiding anything from you."

Tony felt a little bad for his attitude, he knew he had been a pain in the ass that morning, but he'd been so consumed with making this meeting work out how he wanted.

Peter seemed to get his breathing under control.

"How's it looking in there?" Tony asked Pepper.

Pepper smiled and patted his arm. "They're still talking it over, but you've sold McKenna on it already. Her granddaughter has partial paralysis in her legs after a horseback riding accident. She's definitely on your side, and I'm guessing you'll get a call soon from her. The others are talking figures still. But she's got a lot of sway with them."

"You think it'll work?" Peter asked, hopefully.

"I really do. They're numbers people. They're looking for a profit, but I'll make sure that's not what it becomes about. We are going to get this to the people that need it, Peter, not the ones that can afford it."

Peter grinned. "Awesome. I'll have to call Harrison."

"Tell him I'll get a camera crew over to him as soon as we get the final go-ahead," Tony said.

"I will. He's still mad he didn't get to come today to show what he can do." Peter laughed. "He has no idea how boring those people are."

"He'll get his turn," Tony said, "and you'll have to call him later. You and me are going to the ER."

"I don't need the ER! I just need a regular doctor, and it's not that urgent."

"I disagree. Pepper, call May and tell her where we're heading. Come on, kid, let's get you checked out."

Peter grumbled. "Okay. Fine."

"Cheer up, Pete, if you're a good boy, you might get a lollipop."

Peter laughed and then coughed again. "I'll make sure you get one, too."

He didn't get out of the chair again. Instead, wheeling himself to the elevator. Tony figured he must be tired. He'd really put on a show. This asthma thing worried Tony, though.

He kissed Pepper and followed Peter. Pepper called after them, "Let me know how it goes."

"I will."

Tony was a little more worried that he was letting on, and he imagined she was, too. Asthma was something they could deal with, though, and Peter seemed to be handling it well, but it was just another sign that Peter really wasn't Spider-Man anymore.

As the elevator descended, Tony wondered if Peter would let him draw blood for Bruce to look at. Just so they knew what they were working with now.

Peter ditched the chair as soon as he got back to the tower, feeling more energetic, going straight to the couch to chill with May. She had a couple hours before she needed to get to work, and Peter was looking forward to spending some time with her. Lately, she had been working nightshifts, so he hadn't seen her much.

He and May chatted, and then after a minute, Tony came in with coffees and a soda. He passed a coffee to May and the drink to Peter, who took it, popping it open and taking a sip. Tony sat down, but his gaze kept finding Peter, stealing glances, and it made Peter wonder what he was thinking.

Peter could tell there was something he wanted, and he waited for Tony to say it. When he failed, his shoulders tense, Peter asked, "What's up?"

"I'd like Bruce to take some blood and run it through the system again."

May gave him a sharp glance. "You need blood?"

Tony gave her a pointed look as if communicating something that made May scowl.

"What's going on?" he asked. "What aren't you saying?"

"Tony…" May warned.

"It's not about that," Tony said.

"About what?" Peter crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you hiding?"

"Do you trust us, Peter?" May asked.

"Yeah. Of course."

"Then trust us that it doesn't matter."

Peter knew it did, though, and he thought he might already know what it was about. "So why do you want my blood? It's just asthma. You heard what the doctor said."

What she'd actually said was that asthma sometimes reoccurred in people that had lost symptoms and that they would treat with medication and observe it, but Peter wasn't worried.

"I think we should know where your body's at with the changes. There might be side effects."

Peter was puzzled. "Like what?" He thought on it, guessing at what Tony was saying. "You think if I lose the strength, it's going to slow me down?"

Tony nodded. "It's a concern, yes."

Peter wasn't worried. Maybe it would happen, but he'd just have to build up the muscles again that he needed. It'd suck, but he'd been through worse. He could handle a little hard work.

Peter shrugged. "Okay. Then do it."

Tony looked surprised as if he'd been expecting a fight. Peter had no problem with knowing how far back he'd gone. It wasn't a catastrophe anymore. It was just something else that was happening in the background.

"I'll go get Bruce."

Tony strode out of the room, and May looked at Peter. "Are you okay with this?"

"Sure. Why not? It doesn't matter to me anymore, not really, but Tony is …" He struggled to find the words. "He's the kind of person that needs to know the facts. It probably won't change anything for me, but it'll be good for him."

He might not be Spider-Man in the same way he used to be, not even physically anymore, but he could walk again, thanks to Tony, and his life felt a lot better than it had on the hospital's worst days. He was actually happy now.

So… Here comes the angst… ;-)

Until next time…

Clowns or Midgets xxx