The words leave Peter's lips and the skeleton that's been with him at rock bottom, keeping him chained in the darkness is shrieking and burning, retreating to the furthest parts of Peter's mind as the light finally breaks through. His words open this hole for Shiloh and against everything, despite everything, she's the light.

She's bright, shearing with clarity and she is the one thing, the one person this skeleton has been afraid of because with her comes light. With her comes safety and love and care and everything this skeleton has kept from Peter, convincing him he's not good enough for, not worth it. This light is leaving that skeleton to cower away, shriveling in its pain, finally experiencing the pain it's caused Peter.

But, with this new found light, this new opening comes an unbelievable vulnerability. Peter's laid it out in front of her and he's never felt more exposed. He wants with everything in his body to close the hole, stitch it up, plaster it, anything to bring the skeleton back, bring his safety net of darkness back. But, the light is shining brighter than it has in so long, paralyzing Peter. He can't just run. He can't close the hole. He let the light in on his own accord, no take backs.

"What do you mean?" Shiloh asks as her body slowly turns to face him. Her once cold expression has turned into one of fear, surely she isn't understanding

Peter looks down and he could go and go about how he's fallen and he's been beaten and cut a hundred times and he's got the scars and wounds and dates to track it all. But that would just be him rambling and if he rambles he might freak out or he might close up. Maybe he'll say he's lying about all of this just to get her to stay. Maybe he'll tell her to fuck off. Peter could tell her what he thinks happened and why. But, if he opens his mouth, he might shut down. So, he doesn't speak, he gets up.

It's a struggle to get up with the bullet wound in his side and the aches and pains of his entire body. His face contorts and he winces and groans, his arms shaking as he grips the back of the couch for leverage, eyes squeezed shut to try and mask some of the pain. Warm hands touch his arm, gripping him hard to help get him to his feet. Peter opens his eyes, pausing for a second to look up to Shiloh as she steadies her grip on his biceps. He diverts his eyes and starts pulling himself up with the help of Shiloh.

She takes a few steps back from Peter once he's on his feet and she has another view of the front of his body. She might have cleaned up the blood and dirt and whatever else covered his body but it's different when he's standing upright. The bruises and cuts expand a little bit with Peter's new stance. Everything just seems bigger and worse with him standing and Peter can feel it, feel her heart on the verge of breaking for him as she studies his torso. And he knows it's only going to get worse when he turns around.

Peter sucks in a ragged breath and it's hard for him to start turning around, feeling so naked despite having the bottom of his suit still on. He's been like this in front of her before, he's been in nothing but his boxers plenty of times but he's exposing himself to her in a way he didn't think he would. Being injured in front of her is normal, it comes with the territory but this is different. She'll feel pity and likely guilt when she sees the sight and she'll be disappointed. Shiloh is going to be disappointed and Peter doesn't want to be judged by anyone, especially her. But, he turns anyway, allowing himself to be up for scrutiny. Because he chose change.

As Peter turns so his back is facing Shiloh, she starts to get a full few and her jaw falls open just a little, her eyes going sad and misty. Her heart is bouncing between her stomach and her throat as she sees the deep purple bruises that cover his spine, some splattering out in different directions like lightning. Injury after injury and she's only ever seen a handful of bruises that are this purple, this deep and dark, likely bruising the bone.

She closes the small distance between them and lets her fingers just glide over his back, not enough to apply pressure, more of her just touching him to make sure it's real. Peter jerks forward, surprised by the touch and Shiloh pauses for a second before running her fingers over the bruises, Peter letting out a breath as she does so. She presses slightly on a few bruises, examining them as best as she knows how and Peter whimpers and winces with the slightest bit of pressure.

She's filled with guilt as she looks at the bruises. How did she not know? Sure, she doesn't see Peter like this, doesn't even see him without a mask, but how didn't she know he was this hurt? He must have been struggling to do much of any of his usual web-slinging with how these bruises are this deep and dark and surely painful and she should have noticed.

"Peter..." Shiloh's voice is a soft whisper only containing hurt.

Peter turns around, this time faster than he should have, pain radiating through his entire body. Dizziness rips through his head and he wavers just enough for Shiloh to reach out and hold his shoulders to keep him steady. Peter's gaze settles on Shiloh in front him and they're so painfully close, almost chest to chest. Peter can see the deepest parts of the scars on her face, the parts that are almost too faint to see against the deep ones. And Shiloh can see the sporadic freckles across Peter's nose, most hidden by bruises or cuts. And there is that vulnerability, but with her so close there is no questioning if and when something is going to come and kill him. Instead, it's a safe haven. She's that safe haven.

"I...uh, I fell." Peter's eyes are on the floor as his nods, Peter's loose curls almost brushing against Shiloh's forehead with the close proximity. "M-my...my leg," He scoffs and his jaw locks for a few seconds. "Gave out and...I, I couldn't catch myself, landed on my back." Peter looks back to her with distant and self-hatred filled eyes.

It's like a bus is running Shiloh over, back and forth, over and over and over again. Her heart just breaks for him and it is not fair. And if he can't heal, he fell and he can't heal, he could have died. That's always a reality. One they've even discussed. One day, one of them will get that phone call that the other is never coming back. That's it. No more do-overs. They are gone but Shiloh never really thought it would happen. She knows but it's different being put in that reality and sure her and Peter died, but they died at the same time and weren't aware the other had died and they came back. It's different.

And this? Peter could have fallen from further up and died. He could have landed differently and died and how would she have found out? On the news when someone stumbled upon Spider-Man's lifeless body and peeled the mask off. News outlets declaring that the web-slinger was Queens' very own resident, Peter Parker. He died by falling from a roof, maybe? That's how she would have found out? Or would someone have had the decency to call Tony first? Afterall, Spider-Man was Iron Man's mentee. So, what? Would Tony have been the one to have to sit Shiloh down and tell her that Peter died. That's it. He's gone. Every option sounds horrible. To have to visit Peter's grave and Shiloh being the one apologizing that she wasn't there when he needed her.

No.

Shiloh closes the distance, her arms wrapping around his neck in a hug that she wants to be tighter but she can't bring herself to squeeze him closer in fear of hurting him further.

Unlike last time, the night at the window, Peter finds himself wrapping his arms around her and he's careful, too because he might be weak but he is terrified and maybe if he lets himself just be for even a second, he'll break. He will break in her arms and all because he finally hugged her properly, he finally let someone in. And he's scared that if he starts to break now, break when he's already so fragile, he'll hug her and he'll lose control of his strength and end up hurting her. Peter's weak but his super strength is there and while he needs a tighter hug, needs Shiloh to not let go and he needs to pull her closer to him, as close as he can, he can't. He can't break her. So, he's careful but his face buries into her shoulder and he wants to stay like this forever. But, forever isn't realistic.

Shiloh pulls away, catching his eyes. "Can I see your leg?" Shiloh asks and it's her fear, something being wrong with his leg. He's been limping for over a year and if it's so bad it gives out and distracts him enough that his instincts don't work, there has to be something wrong. She's scared.

"No!" Peter yells, catching Shiloh off guard, making her take a step back. And it's like Peter is pulled back under the freezing waters. "N-no, you can't." Peter shakes his head and that few minutes of vulnerability and exposure is enough for him. Telling her he can't heal, that's enough for the night. He's not ready to show her his leg.

Just a few minutes ago, Shiloh said she was done and while that isn't meant to be permanent because it's Peter and she went through a bad time and he didn't give up on her, he needs her. He doesn't need to say it because it's written in the way he dodges her eyes every time she looks at him, staring behind her or to the side or to the floor. His movements are jerkish and unstable. Peter's scared and Shiloh's dying. So, she's not going back and forth with him anymore but she's not giving up either.

"Get dressed." Shiloh sucks in a breath and she grits her teeth. "Get dressed. I'm taking you to the tower and I don't care anymore. Shut up, do what I say. Show me your leg, or get dressed and willingly come to the tower with me, or I'll knock you out again and drag your ass to the tower myself."

Shit.

Maybe it was a mistake because now Peter's stuck in a situation he didn't want. Opening up about not being able to heal is one thing but going to the tower and being confronted with everything he's been avoiding for a year is not what he's prepared for. He wasn't even prepared for tonight. It should be baby steps but Shiloh isn't having it. Her jaw is locked and she will punch him again. And if Peter's being honest, he's real tired of getting hit. And he chose change.

Peter turns slowly and starts limping to his bedroom, Shiloh's eyes widening with every step he takes, watching as his hand holds the bullet wound. She really thought she'd be knocking him out again but she's so happy that he's choosing this.

One step at a time, Pete.

Peter reaches his room but he turns in the doorway to face Shiloh. "You, uh, you don't see my leg. Or Tony, Pepper, Rhodey, Harley, anyone besides Banner or Cho."

She might want to know what he's hiding but she's hiding her own medical problems from him. So, who's she to argue with this?

"Fine." Shiloh nods. "Can I call Happy to pick us up?" Shiloh asks and the faintest smile pulls at her lips.

Peter matches it and nods. "Yeah, yeah, I, uh, I don't think I could walk and public transport-"

"Sucks when you're injured." Shiloh finishes.

"Yeah." Peter huffs, a slightly bigger smile coming to his face. "I'm gonna," He points over his shoulder, earning a nod from Shiloh only for Peter to run into his doorframe. "Ow." He groans, looking at the door frame as if it's just come out of nowhere.

"Peter." Shiloh sighs, squeezes the bridge of her nose.

With red tinted cheeks, Peter closes his door and starts to rummage through the clothes he still has clean to find something to wear. He can hear the sound of Shiloh calling Happy as he finds an old science pun shirt and his last pair of pajama pants.

He strips the rest of the suit off and he tries not to look at his leg, he really tries not to because it's always a rush of nausea and pain and disappointment when he sees it but he just can't help it. His heart sinks seeing where the metal is embedded into his skin and the distressed area around it. He shakes his head, pushing away the sour feeling in his stomach and tosses the shirt over his head.

"Hey, Pete?" Shiloh calls from outside the door. "Happy's on his way. You should pack a bag though. You might have to stay." Shiloh touches the old paint of the door while Peter takes a seat on his bed, eyes closing and realizing that he's really going to try and do this.

He's scared to go. He packed his things a year ago and never planned to return to the tower. May died and that was it. He was done. At first, yeah it was because he blamed everyone for May's death because Tony, Sam, and Shiloh were there. None of them could save her. So, he packed up his things and called it quits but after a little while, blaming everyone was just a defense mechanism.

If he blames them, he won't have to look at himself. If he blames them, the next villain won't take them. The next villain only has Peter to go after. It's safer that he keeps his distance from people. He can't lose Shiloh and he can't lose Tony. He can't let Shiloh lose Tony or Tony lose Shiloh. It's backwards but it's been a year and it's worked. And all he's ever done is hurt people, whether it be because of villains or because of drug use. He just hurts people. But, not going hurts people, too. Hurts Shiloh maybe even more than everything else. He can hear it in her voice and the beating of her heart, she can't lose him like he can't lose her. So, he needs to go, if not for him, for her. This is how he changes.

"Pete?" Shiloh calls, knocking softly.

"Uh, yeah, yeah." Peter says, tugging his pants on. "T-that's fine." His eyes close with a wince, pain in his right leg and right side radiating down to his bones.

Shiloh backs away from the door and goes to her things, grabbing them and choosing to send a text to Anna, explaining that Shiloh might not make it to practice the following day but everything was fine, something had just come up.

Maybe it's Shiloh being a little hopeful or maybe she really does believe this is going to go slightly well. Either way, she's hoping that Peter will stay at the tower. No one is going to force him to stay, it'll be his decision at the end of the night but she's hoping that maybe things aren't that bad and he'll stay anyway. Maybe if he stays, he can get clean and he can get his head on straight. Maybe.

Within a few minutes, Peter is exiting his room carrying a backpack and favoring his left side more than before. Shiloh offers to carry Peter's bag but he declines, shrugging it on as best as he can before the two of them head downstairs to wait for Happy which isn't long. Happy arrives in a car not five minutes after the pair step out into the cooled summer air.

The drive to the tower is deadly silent. Happy in front not knowing what to say. This is the kid that Happy was also supposed to look after. This kid went through hell and back and Happy couldn't help him any more than he could help Tony with his alcohol consumption. What if Happy had tried harder to help Peter? Would the kid have turned out this broken?

And for Shiloh, she's got him in the car. They're going to the tower, she doesn't have anything else to say. She might worry about him but she's not forgiving him so soon for the entire night. Those men and Peter making her take out a bullet. Not things she's going to forgive in five minutes just because Peter tells her he can't heal. And her mind is on the fact that what if he can't?

That night at the window. He told her he could. So, one way or another, Peter's lying to her and she's hoping to everything in her being he's lying about not being able to heal. Partially because that means he'll be okay. His back will heal. Whatever is wrong with his leg will heal. The make-shift, half-assed surgery will do. It's fine. He's fine. But, another part of her, the desperate and broken and terrified part, wants him to be lying that can't heal because if he can't heal...

"Shiloh?" Happy calls from the front, pulling Shiloh from her thoughts.

"Hm?" Shiloh hums.

"Your dad wants to see you when we get back." Happy says, barely glancing in the rear-view mirror.

"Assumed as much. He pissed?" She asks.

Happy shakes his head. "Harley's been keeping him as calm as Harley can." Shiloh sees a smirk come to Happy's face through the glass.

"I'm sure he's loving Harley's company." Shiloh chuckles, glancing to Peter whose eyes are set outside the window, his left bouncing slightly

Mad? Yeah. Disappointed? Yeah. Worried? More than anything.

Shiloh nudges Peter's shoulder, gaining his attention, and one corner of her mouth pulls up in a gentle smile, brows knitting together. She'll always care about him, thick and thin, good, bad, ugly, and everything in between. Her hand goes to Peter's thigh, her palm facing up and she glances between her hand and Peter. Peter looks up and shakes his head but there's a new feeling, something he hasn't felt in a long time, spread through his chest as he interlocks his fingers with hers, Shiloh squeezing his hand softly and Peter mouths a 'thanks' before squeezing her hand back, his gaze returning to the window.

By the time they arrive at the tower, Peter's anxiety is sky high and he definitely wants to go right back home. This is the right thing to do but he doesn't want to. Maybe he's not ready. Maybe he can just...sneak out and run away. Run very far away from here. But they're entering the building anyway. Peter's limping inside despite the skeleton screaming from its dark corner to run and despite the decaying cinder blocks trying to pull him under water, Peter just keeps limping, Shiloh right beside him every step of the way.

They bypass the common room and living rooms, heading straight for the med bay. Neither of them really want to stop in any room given someone, Tony or Harley, will likely be there and the awkwardness that will likely arise just by Peter's sudden reappearance after everything isn't something either of them particularly want to do deal with on this already shitty night. So, they go to the med bay and go right to where Bruce had texted Shiloh to go.

"Peter." Bruce greets and his expression is one of shock but quickly fades as he takes a step forward to shake his hand, trying not to act too surprised he's actually come in.

"H-hi, Dr. Banner." Peter says, shaking Bruce's hand.

"What, uh, what happened?" Bruce asks, looking between Shiloh and Peter.

"He got shot." Shiloh says, pointing to Peter's right side.

Bruce furrows his brow, looking between the young adults. "You...you were shot?" Bruce fiddles with his fingers, looking at them for more information.

"Here." Shiloh pulls out the bullet from a pocket in her backpack. "I took it out."

"What?" Bruce's eyes go wide. "Did you get the fragments? Is there internal bleeding?"

"Uh..." Shiloh looks to Peter and back to Bruce with a shrug. "Marty didn't say anything about fragments but he said I stopped the bleeding."

Bruce sucks in a breath and his face turns into a soft grimace. "How did you stop it?"

"I stitched the inside a little and then burned him."

Bruce winces and Peter does the same, suddenly very aware of how horrible the pain in that side is.

"Okay, can I see it?" Bruce asks looking to Peter.

Peter sighs but tugs up his shirt on the right side, all of his weight shifting to his left leg as Bruce starts pulling the wrapped gauze from Peter's skin. Shiloh watches, hoping she did enough and Bruce just examines it, his face already telling her it's not a good look but she remains hopeful she didn't hurt Peter further.

"I want to clean that." Bruce says, putting the gauze back over the wound. "And get an x-ray and ultrasound to make sure there's no internal bleeding." Bruce explains and Peter just nods along. "What else?" Bruce looks between them. "You said there was more." Bruce looks directly at Shiloh and she looks to Peter, wanting him to explain it.

Peter sighs. "Um, I...I can't...I can't heal anymore."

Bruce looks down and to the left for a second before staring at Peter. "Your healing factor?" Peter nods. "I'll run labs. Anything I should know?"

Peter looks to Shiloh and he hates himself for it but he doesn't want her here. "You have to leave." Peter looks to her and Shiloh knew it was coming. He told her she's not allowed to see his leg but she was hoping he'd changed his mind, maybe.

"Okay...I'm gonna be outside." Shiloh points over her shoulder and starts to walk out.

"It's my leg." Peter says quietly.

Bruce nods in understanding. "Change into shorts and I'll be back to look." Bruce instructs and Peter nods, watching him walk out and leave him alone.

Bruce shuts the door and sees Shiloh already seated directly outside of the room on the floor, her back against the wall and her head leaned back with eyes closed.

"You need a treatment." He says softly.

"I will. I just wanna make sure he's okay." Shiloh looks up to Bruce, who's playing with his hands again. "What?"

"What isn't he telling me?" Bruce asks quietly.

"He's a drug addict. Has been since they amputated his leg." Shiloh explains dully, not bothering to sugarcoat it.

It wasn't an established thing to keep a secret. Peter never asked. Hell, he never even admitted he was an addict but he didn't deny it either, not until after MJ died. That's really when he just stopped denying it and rolled his eyes or walked away from the conversation. But, still, the only people who really knew about his drug abuse were those closest to him, MJ, Shiloh, Ned, Tony, Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, May, and Harley. Then Betty and Cindy because of Shiloh and Ned. But that's it. Everyone else was just kept in the dark, those who knew making up excuses for Peter whenever they got curious or worried. Just like Bruce is right now, his face contorted in small touches or worry and confusion.

"Do you know what he's addicted to?" Bruce asks.

"Dunno," Shiloh shrugs. "He was taking morphine last I heard and that was a year ago. I don't think he's high though. I've been with him for a while."

Bruce nods. "Right," Bruce looks to the door and back to Shiloh. "Get a treatment."

"It's fine." Shiloh says. "All I have to do is walk down the hall when I need one."

Bruce picks at his nail before he nods softly. "If you say so."

"Just...help...Peter, okay?" Shiloh asks.

Bruce nods one last time before he goes back in the room but before shutting the door, he leans his head back out. "Text Harley and have him sit with you. Or Pepper, Tony."

"Why?"

"You have a black eye and a fat lip." Bruce's voice is just above a whisper. "And there's blood on your neck. Talk to someone." Bruce says before he goes fully into the room and shuts the door.

Shiloh sighs and pulls out her phone, flipping the camera to the front camera and looking at her neck. Sure enough, there's a smear of red on the side. She thought she got it all but with emotions running on high, apparently, she missed a spot.

Her eyes roll but she does what Bruce tells her. Shiloh sends a text Pepper, not wanting to deal with Harley's "you're better without him" lecture and Tony's "you could have gotten yourself killed" lecture. If anyone understands, it's Pepper, even if she doesn't fully agree.

Back in the room, Peter is seated in black basketball shorts he originally brought to sleep in and his legs hang off the side of the exam bed. His left leg sways while the metal one stays still, Peter's eyes watching both legs until Bruce is at the door.

"You, uh, you can't tell Shiloh." Peter says, pulling up the shorts to reveal his entire thigh as Bruce stares at his leg, his thigh resting on the exam bed.

Bruce walks forward with a heavy exhale. "I won't."

"It's bad, I know." Peter says as Bruce looks closer.

The scars are deep and irritated. The skin looks to be infected around where it should have healed to the metal ring and there are track marks all around the infected area. The only saving grace in Bruce's mind is that the track marks look to be healing so that means Peter is either healing or he hasn't been using, or at the very least shooting up. But, regardless, Peter's leg looks almost worse than it did when they first removed the mangled part of his leg. Purple, blue, and red hues just cover every inch until just before where his thigh meets his groin. It's a devastating site and Bruce understands without even asking why he doesn't want Shiloh to know.

"How long have you been shooting up?" Bruce asks moving to one of the cabinets in the room to retrieve a kit to draw Peter's blood. Peter watches carefully, his eyes filled with remorse and shame, not knowing how to even answer the question. Bruce looks back to him and nods. "Shiloh told me."

Oh, right.

"I dunno." Peter hangs his head, stomach flooding with guilt.

"Can I ask why?" Bruce asks and he might not have been the closest to Peter but he did spend a decent amount of time with Peter in the time Tony recruited him almost ten years prior.

Peter shrugs. "Because."

Bruce nods and gets everything set up, having Peter extend an arm and he cleans near the crease of his elbow, before tying off that part of Peter's arm. "When was the last time you slept more than two hours?"

Peter watches at Bruce sticks the needle into his arm. "Um...a few days ago."

"Drugs help?" Bruce asks, keeping his eyes on the small tube filling with Peter's blood, trying to make the conversation casual rather than medical.

Peter chews his lip, eyes going to the door. "Can we, uh, can we not talk about it?" Peter asks, his eyes pleading as he looks to Bruce.."

Bruce swaps out the tubes. "How long have you not been able to heal?" Bruce drops the drug talk on Peter's request, not wanting to overstep.

"I dunno." Peter says quietly. "I, uh, I noticed a few months ago. Maybe two or three." Peter says. "But, um...I-I think it was gradual. I could heal and then it just got slower until it's like this."

Bruce swaps out another tube. "Can you heal at all, then?"

Peter nods. "Ye-yeah, it just takes awhile. Like before I got bit."

"Okay." Bruce says, absorbing the information he's gotten.

Bruce finishes drawing Peter's blood and he walks over to the opposite side of the room where he can run the blood tests while he does the rest of Peter's work-up.

While Peter and Bruce continue behind the closed door, Shiloh hasn't moved from her seat on the floor, her attention set on the floor just waiting until she hears footsteps coming down the hallway. Pepper comes into view and Shiloh flashes her a soft smile and Pepper returns it.

"Hey, kid." Pepper greets, herself sliding down beside Shiloh.

"Hey, mom." Shiloh says, looking over to her and noticing her face clean of makeup. Pepper dressed in a plain t-shirt and pajama pants with her hair down.

"Care to tell me what happened?" Pepper asks and Shiloh laughs at Pepper getting right to the point

"Uh, yeah. Some dicks attacked me, Peter was there, he told them to shoot him, they did, we took down the dudes. Took Peter back to his apartment, took the bullet out, found out he can't heal. Now, we're here." Shiloh gives a quick rundown, earning a slight glare from Pepper.

"First of all, are you okay?" Pepper gestures a finger, motioning to where a bruise decorates part of her face.

"Yeah, face kind of hurts but I supposed that's my life." Shiloh remarks. "But, yeah I'm okay."

Pepper nods. "And Peter?"

"Bruce has him in there now. I'm not allowed." Instead of snark, there's touches of hurt in Shiloh's voice and her face falls as she looks away from Pepper.

Shiloh understands. She doesn't want Peter there for her treatments and all she has to do is sit in a chair with an IV in her arm. Peter has to be a little more vulnerable, a little more exposed, he has to have more done, show more of himself. It makes sense but that doesn't mean she's not hurt by Peter not wanting her in there. She just worries about him. It's not her fault she cares. It'd be a lot easier if she didn't.

"How did you do it?" Shiloh asks, shaking her head and looking back to Pepper. "With dad? How...how are you not pissed off at him for putting us all in danger all the time? Or him almost getting himself killed? How don't you blame him for any of that? I..."

"Do you blame him?" Pepper asks, the corners of her mouth tugging into a sly smile, already knowing the answer.

"No, he's Iron Man. I know he did it to protect us and I know that sometimes to protect the people you love, you have to put them in danger. It's the hero thing. I know but how did you deal with it? He's my dad, I didn't really have a choice in any of this. But you did. How'd you do it? Especially, after...the extremis?" Shiloh pauses for a second, but not long enough for Pepper to answer. "Why did you stay?"

Pepper shrugs a shoulder and reaches for her daughter's hand. "Tony is going to do what Tony wants to do but he would never do anything that would intentionally put any of us in harm's way. He does what he does to protect us, and others." Pepper sucks in a breath. "I was upset when everything happened, especially because you were involved, but that wasn't his fault. That was Killian's. And then Thanos." Pepper explains.

"Why'd you stay then? After Killian and then after Thanos?"

Shiloh knows exactly why Pepper stayed with Tony despite everything. It could have killed Pepper a few hundred times, always worrying about Tony but she stayed and Shiloh understands and knows why but she wants that confirmation. She needs to know she isn't wrong, somehow, this is the right thing to do.

But, before Pepper could answer, Harley comes walking down the hallway. "I'm going to kill you." Harley says as he reaches them.

"Gee, good to see you, too." Shiloh retorts. "We're in the middle of something." Shiloh says and Harley just leans against the opposite wall, facing Shiloh and slides to the floor.

"Sorry," He says, looking to Pepper. "I was worried about you."

Shiloh rolls her eyes. "I'm fine. Peter's in there but he won't let any of us in." Shiloh explains.

"You've got blood on your neck." Harley points, Pepper leaning forward and turning Shiloh's head to face her. Worry starts striking Harley, looking at the blood smear and finally taking notice of the shirt and pants that definitely aren't hers. "What'd I miss? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Harley." Shiloh groans, tired of getting asked. "Long story, Peter was shot. But I'm fine. He saved my ass tonight." Shiloh explains, skimming over all of the details and just giving Harley the bare basics.

Peter? Saved her ass? Took a bullet for her? Did this kid really do that? Is he changing?

"He did?" Harley asks, voice soft and gentle, almost hopeful.

Shiloh nods. "Yeah." Her eyes are sad with the word, guilt of Peter getting shot already starting to consume her again. "But, anyway," Shiloh sighs. "Mom was going to tell me why she stayed with my dad." Shiloh grins, looking to Pepper with curious brows.

Harley matches Shiloh's stare on Pepper knowing he'll be able to hear the whole story later. For right now, he's okay with letting it just be. She told him enough and as far as he's concerned, Peter did what Harley never thought he would again. Peter saved someone. Saved Shiloh. Nothing else really matters right now.

Pepper laughs softly and she could give Shiloh the answer she's looking for but Pepper isn't going to make it easy. "You've stayed by Peter, haven't you?" Shiloh nods, squinting her eyes slightly while Harley gains a smirk, knowing exactly where Pepper is headed with this.. "And why is that?" Pepper asks, a smile pulling at her lips and Shiloh shrugs, but she's biting back the awkward smile she definitely got from Tony, the one Tony always gets around Pepper when he's flustered. "Mhm," Pepper hums. "You know why."

"He's always been my best friend." Shiloh says softly, looking in front of her to Harley who's maintaining his signature smirk but his eyes remain soft. "I really care about him."

"I know." Pepper says softly. "He's lucky to have you."

Shiloh rolls her eyes but the smile still dances across her face. All Shiloh really needed was confirmation that it's real. The inability to give up on Peter and inability to hate him, it's all real.

The door opens beside Shiloh and Bruce comes out, the door closing behind and he's gained a strange expression as he looks down to Shiloh, Harley, and Pepper. "You said he's an addict? And as far as you knew, he was using, right?"

Shiloh nods. "As far as I knew, yeah?" Shiloh watches Bruce carefully as he looks to be in thought.

"Okay." Bruce says and he goes for the door again.

"Wait." Shiloh pulls at Bruce's arm before she stands up, Pepper and Harley following her lead. "Why?"

Bruce looks to the door and back to the group of three. "I...shouldn't-"

"He didn't sign any papers. You're not technically his doctor. Hippa doesn't apply here." Shiloh tries to challenge, earning a light slap upside the head from Pepper. "Okay," Shiloh says reluctantly. "Hypothetically."

Bruce weighs his options. Deal with Shiloh or Peter. "Hypothetically," Bruce starts, the decision being easy and he figures maybe she should know. Peter needs help. "I ran his blood, tracked it as far as I could."

"Six months now, right?" Shiloh asks, knowing he can trace blood back for months.

Bruce nods. "He's clean as far as I can tell."

"What?" Harley and Shiloh both nearly yell.

"What do you mean he's clean?" Shiloh asks.

"I don't see any traces of any drug in his system, not even over the counter." Bruce pauses. "Hypothetically."

Shiloh stands there and her blood is starting to boil, more with herself than Peter. She always assumed he was still using. So much for having faith in him. What kind of friend is she to assume he never even tried to get clean? She's supposed to have faith in him.

"There's more?" Shiloh asks, seeing the uncomfortable look on Bruce's face.

"Uh..." Bruce nods. "Well, you saved his life tonight." Bruce says and maybe it should bring Shiloh's heart up but it doesn't. Saving Peter's life means his life was in danger. Peter could have died. "If you would have left the bullet, he would have died. The stitches held and the cauterizing, while not the method I would have chosen, worked. He'll be okay."

"What aren't you telling me?" Shiloh asks and Harley steps closer, almost anticipating the big break, Pepper resting her hand on one of Shiloh's shoulders waiting for the break as well.

"He can't heal, Shiloh." Bruce says. "Well, he can but it takes longer, longer than even normal for you or Harley or Pepper." Bruce explains, moving his hands a little with his words.

Shiloh's heart drops and the all-too-familiar burning hits the back of her eyes. "Can you fix him?"

The crack her voice almost kills Harley as he puts a hand on her shoulder. And all he can think is that this cannot be happening. He can't lose Shiloh and Peter even if he isn't Peter's biggest fan right now. He still grew up with him. He still cares, too.

"I'll know more tomorrow. I need to run a few more tests but if it's what I think it is, I should be able to." Bruce explains, looking to his hands.

"But...for right now...he..." Shiloh pauses and it's like a tsunami has collided through her chest cavity.

Bruce's words run through her head over and over like a mantra and then she remembers that night at her window. Peter told her to shoot him. No matter what, if he ever goes after her like that again, shoot him. He will heal. That's what he told her. He told her to shoot him and he can't even heal. Her world spins and there are angry and anguish filled tears ready to spill and she's ready to rip him apart.

Shiloh moves forward, Bruce moving out of her way while Harley's grip on her shoulder tightens, his other hand grabbing her other shoulder to hold her back. "You don't wanna do that." Harley whispers.

"Let. Me. Go." Shiloh's eyes meet Harley's, filled with water and if looks could kill, Harley would be six feet under.

Pepper rests her hands on Harley's, pulling him away. "Let her go." Shiloh immediately barges into the room, leaving Bruce, Harley, and Pepper in the hallway. "She needs to do this."

Shiloh storms over to Peter and his eyes are wide as saucers, his heart already pounding in his chest and maybe he should be pissed at Bruce for telling her but truthfully, he's just never seen the look on Shiloh's face and he's terrified. Her heart is louder than his and he can feel the anger and the absolute overwhelming devastation rushing through her bones while he can almost taste the salt of the tears barely escaping from her eyes.

Peter's hand go behind him, catching himself as Shiloh's hands grab the collar of his shirt and she's so fuelled on every emotion that she isn't thinking straight. All she can see is a blurry version of Peter as her heart breaks in front of him. Her body shakes and she's not letting go of the collar of his shirt even if it kills her.

"You can't fucking heal and you were gonna have me kill you!" Shiloh pulls him closer to her and Peter's breath hitches in his throat. He should have seen this coming. It would happen eventually but he didn't think of this. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Peter? Why can't you understand for more than two seconds that I actually give a shit about you? And you were just gonna have me kill you? After I told you I could never do that!"

Her fists are shaking violently as she holds Peter close to her, her breath fanning over his face and her nails digging through the fabric and into the palms of her hands. Peter's just about panicking, wanting her to calm down but knowing that's a horrible thing to tell her, likely the worst thing to tell her. But he's scared. He's vulnerable and scared and he just can't form words.

"I...I didn't-"Peter tries to find the right words but maybe this is Shiloh's break and it's Peter's fault. "I...I-"

"You what, Peter?" Shiloh deadpans and she's so close to saying everything she'll regret. "What? I tell you I can't kill you and you take that as some fucking challenge? Why would you do that?" Her voice changes, switching from terrifying and monstrous fury to pain. Soul-crushing pain. "What if I'd have killed you? What if I did it? You would dead? And you had me take that fucking bullet out of you? I could have killed you! That's not fair to me!" Shiloh yells out, only a few more tears slip as if she were completely dried out from crying. "Why didn't you just tell me?" The question isn't a yell, her brows are pulled together and the pain in her voice as she asks him is just another punch to Peter's gut.

But, he isn't the only one hiding something and it's haunting him. Harley spilled and Peter knows. She's yelling about how she can't lose him but fuck, he cannot lose her. No words could ever even come close to describing how much he can't lose her. And yet, she's been willing to let him lose her ever since they met. So, Peter's brows furrow just as hers did and his voice, pain-stricken, matches hers.

"Why didn't you tell me about the extremis?"

Shiloh's face falls with his words and her grip on his shirt loosens, almost as if she's not even holding onto him at all. The color drains from her face and Peter now knows, without verbal confirmation that he's right. And suddenly that vulnerability that Peter has been feeling since his apartment, Shiloh feels it, too. And she just wants to run away. Lie to him and run.

"Please," Peter starts, his voice soft. "Do-don't lie to me."

Shiloh hangs her head and it's Peter that finally takes her hands away from his shirt, resting them on his thighs while his hands move to her forearms to hold her steady, her arms still shaking with every passing second. She swallows a large lump before looking back to Peter's innocently chocolate brown eyes, hers filled with salty water and it's like Peter can see her world shattering in her eyes before she finally speaks.

"Who told you?"