A/N: Hey guys! Listen, I'm so sorry for the almost 3 month radio silence. This past semester swamped me, that's my only excuse. I had two jobs and five classes (plus a lab) and it killed me. Also I've had bronchitis for the past 3 weeks so that's fun too. I'm happy to announce that I finished the semester with a 3.5 GPA.
I'm also happy to announce that since I'm on Christmas break now until mid-January, I plan to release AT LEAST one chapter each week. Some weeks I might be able to crank out two or three chapters so those will be some nice little treats.
Like I promised earlier, I can't always guarantee a consistent upload schedule but I can promise that I will never abandon this piece. 3
Both Tony and Bruce immediately got in the elevator and rushed down to medbay. As they made their descent Tony asked Friday exactly what type of distress Peter was in.
"Peter appears to be having a panic attack sir. Shortly after everybody left his room, Peter laid in bed before beginning to cry which led to hyperventilation and then to a panic attack." Friday informed the pair.
Bruce turned to Tony as soon as the elevator doors opened and they hurried down the medbay hall towards Peter's room.
"I think you should go in there and try to calm Peter down yourself. He'll most likely respond better to you. I'll go and check on May and Ned. If you can't calm him down within the next five minutes I'll sedate him." Bruce said.
Tony nodded and watched Bruce head towards the ICU before taking a deep breath, bracing himself for what was behind the door in front of him.
The first thing Tony heard when he stepped into Peter's room was choking sobs as Peter seemed to be trying to calm himself down. As Tony slipped inside, his heart broke a little more at the way Peter was awkwardly curled into himself, his arms wrapped around his midsection as if he were trying to hug himself. Tony shut the door and immediately rushed towards the bed.
"Hey Pete, it's Tony, can you look up at me?" Tony asked calmly, crouching down near Peter's head.
Peter's eyes were squeezed tightly shut, tears slipping out despite his best efforts, before he hesitantly opened them. If Tony thought his heart couldn't break any more than it already was, he was sorely mistaken. The look of pure agony that was settled into Peter's eyes was terrifying.
"Hey, are you in pain?" Tony asked, voice softened to the tone he used whenever Peter, or Morgan, woke from a nightmare.
Peter shook his head, breath hitching as he choked on another sob, before squeezing himself tighter.
"Okay, hey bud, I need you to try and focus on me. Okay? I need you to list five things that you can see. Alright? What can you see?" Tony asked, reaching out a hand and brushing the kid's bangs off his forehead.
Peter's eyes darted around the room as he tried to process what Tony was asking of him. Peter hadn't spoken for a little over a minute and Tony was about to prompt the boy again, when Peter suddenly spoke.
"I s-see umm, a needle? A umm… a tray… my IV l-line… a uh, sink, And the… the grey in your hair…" Peter whispered, his breathing become a little less erratic.
Tony couldn't help but snort at the kid's jab. Even in the midst of a panic attack Peter could still try and make a joke.
"You know the drill kiddo. Four things you can feel."
Peter scrunched his eyes closed as he tried to concentrate on Tony's words and not the panic tightening his chest.
"I can f-feel the sheets… the uh… the c-cast on my leg? The pillow. And um…" Peter faltered, opening his eyes and staring at Tony.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, Peter reached out and grabbed ahold of Tony's hand. Tony immediately grasped the kid's hand, giving it a small squeeze before rubbing his thumb over the back of it.
"Your hand." Peter said, smiling slightly.
Tony tried to return the smile before murmuring, "Three things you can hear."
"I can hear… my heart monitor… somebody walking in the hall and… Clint upstairs." Peter said, breathing almost completely under control now.
Tony cocked his eyebrow at that last one, confusion showing on his face.
"Scott just beat him at Mario Kart." Peter explained, a small smirk snaking onto this face.
Tony chuckled, squeezing Peter's hand again, before asking, "Two things you can smell?"
Peter's nose wrinkled up at the question.
"Antiseptic and bleach."
"One thing you can taste? Actually wait I don't think you can really answer that one too well right now…" Tony muttered.
"Meh I can still taste the tongue compressor Bruce used on me earlier if that counts." Peter responded.
Tony shrugged at the answer.
"Now, what was that about?" Tony whispered, gripping Peter's hand a little tighter when he suddenly tried to pull it back.
"I'm scared. I'm going to be alone." Peter whispered back.
Tony's brow furrowed as Peter refused to make eye contact with him.
"Kiddo, you're not going to be alone. I promise you that." Tony said, using his free hand to brush the hair out of Peter's downcast eyes.
"May and Ned might not make it…" Peter said, taking a deep breath after speaking.
Tony paused for a second, choosing his next words wisely.
"We're doing everything we can for May and Ned… and if worst case scenario something does happen to both of them, you will never be alone. I will always be here for you. So will Pepper and Morgan and every other damn Avenger upstairs. You have more people in your corner than you let yourself realize, kid. You're never going to be alone again." Tony said, leaning forward so Peter was forced to look at him.
Peter's lower lip quivered slightly before he bit down on it and in that moment Tony couldn't help but think about how Morgan did the same thing whenever she was upset and while they may not be biologically brother and sister, the comparison still made Tony's heart ache.
"Do you promise?" Peter asked, voice cracking.
"I promise." Tony responded.
Peter sniffed, giving Tony a small smile, before turning his head to look at the door. Just a few seconds later there was a knock before Bruce entered, clipboard in hand.
"How are we doing in here?" Bruce asked, glancing at Peter's vitals before looking down at said teenager.
"I'm okay now." Peter said, cheeks reddening slightly.
Tony continued to hold Peter's hand as he got up off the floor and slid into the chair next to his bed instead.
"Hey, nothing to be embarrassed about kiddo. Your emotions are valid and nobody is judging you here." Tony reassured.
Bruce nodded in agreement as he flipped through the pages of Peter's charts, making some notes.
"Can I try to eat something now?" Peter asked, turning to look at Bruce.
Bruce paused in his writing, looking at Peter over his glasses.
"Are you hungry?" Bruce asked.
"Well… not really. I just want to go up to my room." Peter murmured, playing with Tony's fingers that were wrapped around his hand.
Tony glanced up at Bruce, gauging his response.
"Well," Bruce sighed, setting aside the clipboard and taking his glasses off, "I've been thinking and I've come to the conclusion that it would be best for your recovery if you were to be in your own space where more people can visit."
Peter froze, his fingers stilling over Tony's, as he slowly processed what Bruce had told him.
"Wait, so, I can go up to my room? Now?" Peter asked, holding his breath in anticipation.
"Yes, I think we should go ahead and make the move. Then we'll try you on some food. Some very bland food." Bruce said, sticking his glasses back on and writing down the rest of Peter's vitals.
Tony squeezed Peter's hand as he took in the overall joy that had taken over Peter's face. Peter turned and gave Tony one of his toothy smiles, the kind that he always had whenever he was in the lab working or playing with Morgan, and Tony could have cried then and there. This was the first time Peter had smiled since the accident and while his happiness may be temporary, Tony wanted to make sure he felt like this for as long as he could.
"What do you say, kid? We'll get you all settled in and little Miss Morgan can come visit and we'll have Clint and Scott set up Mario Kart in your room and Pepper will make you the blandest of oatmeal. How does that sound?" Tony said, watching Peter's smile grow wider and wider with each suggestion.
"That sounds perfect."
