Peter could feel the needles in his arms, as he slowly opened his eyes to the bright morning sky.
To the left of him was his aunt may, sitting by him with her hand stroking his hair.
His eyes drifted to her, as she lightly smiled down at him.
"Hey, Peter. How are you feeling?" She asked.
"I'm okay." Peter lied, he couldn't freak her out, but in reality he was feeling like garbage. The needles in his arm made it ache, his chest felt like it was burning, and his body felt numb.
"Darling, I can tell you're not okay." She whispered, as he laughed slightly.
"My chest hurts, and I feel a little bit lightheaded he expressed.
"A few of your ribs had to be broken in surgery." She explained
"How many?" He asked, as he gasped at the pain of breathing deeper.
"3 on each side Peter, when you got shot, it ruptured your lungs and part of your heart and liver." May responded, gripping his hand to calm him down.
"It's gonna be okay sweetheart, you're going to be okay. The doctors are going to come in soon, to check on you, and to run some tests, to help you move better." May assured him.
Peter looked at her and nodded, his eyes were full of fear and panic.
"Where's Gwen?" Peter asked
"She's just at the cafeteria, she'll be back soon." May said.
"Can you stay with me?" Peter asked may, as she smiled at him
"Yes, of course sweetheart, I'm not leaving you." May assured him.
"May," Peter said
"Yes sweetheart."
"I'm dizzy." Peter murmured
"I'm sorry honey, it's just from all the pain medications." May responded sincerely.
"Is that why I can't feel my legs." Peter asked
"I don't know sweetheart." May responded with her voice stricken with fright and worry.
They both sat in silence for a while, before knocks at the door were heard.
Two doctors came in, and quickly came to peters side.
"Hey Peter, how are you feeling?" One of the doctors asked
"I'm okay, just sore." Peter responded, as he tried to shift, but his chest screamed at him not to.
"We're gonna do some tests, just to make sure everything's alright, okay?" The doctor said
When Peter nodded the doctor began by stepping down by his legs.
"Okay, Peter, I need you to try to wiggle your toes for me, can you do that?" The doctor asked him
They sat there for about 30 seconds, as the doctor observed his feet, and as may stroked his hair and neck, as she tried to keep her tears contained, her stray tears fell down her face.
His toes didn't move, even though he tried.
"Can you try again?" The doctor asked Peter, as he again tried to focus on moving them.
"Am I not moving them?" Peter asked in concern.
"Peter, do you feel any tingling in your legs?" One doctor asked
Peter focused on his legs for a second before he realized the pins and needles in his toes.
"Yes." He responded
"Okay." The doctor said, before he sighed, and stood closer to Peter.
"It's possible that the bullet damaged the spinal cord, and the surrounding bones."
"What does that mean?" Peter asked
"It means, there is a possibilty of paralysis, but before we can say for sure, I'd like to run tests, to see the severity."
"Paralysis? What?" May asked in shock.
"With the many injuries he sustained, his spinal cord must have been nicked." The doctor said solemnly.
"So I'll never walk again?" Peter asked
"We just don't know yet until we can truly find out."
Peter nodded weakly, as the doctors left them alone again.
His eyes flooded with tears. He was Spiderman, he had to be able to be okay again.
He could tell that may was upset, but that she was containing her tears.
The door clicked open, as gwen walked through, holding a teddy bear in her arms.
She walked over to see Peter crying.
"What's wrong?" She asked him
"I might be paralyzed." Peter whispered, as gwen hugged him. He collapsed into her arms, as she whispered it's okay over and over, in any attempt to help him.
Today was the day he was leaving the hospital, he had been there for what seemed like forever.
He thought he'd be able to walk right out of there, but instead he was pushed out in a wheelchair.
"Are you excited to go home?" Gwen asked him
"Yes." He said as he smiled up at her, hiding all his internal anger.
He knew that she couldn't do anything about it. But he was thankful for her always being by his side.
"We've got some places we can go, may and I are going to take you there." Gwen said energetically.
"Okay." Peter smiled, as she pushed him down the sidewalks, as may walked beside them.
Every street corner brought a new group of people, they'd all stare as he was pushed down the roads.
That's their hero, and their hero was hurt.
Peter saw it as they were disappointed in him. That they were disappointed that he was no longer to save them.
"We're here." Gwen announced
The wall was painted a mural of Spiderman with colors all red and blue, with hearts scattered all over it. The cement beneath them had candles and many pictures of Peter and pictures of Spiderman.
"See look Peter, everyone really cares for you." May said, as she nudged him on the shoulder to look.
"Mhm." Peter whispered dismissively
"Peter, are you okay?" Gwen asked
"Yeah. Yeah. I'm……….fine." Peter assured her.
"Okay." She said
Peter could hear sirens around the corner.
His hands quickly moved to push himself out of the wheelchair. Everything inside him screamed to go after and see where they were going, but he couldn't.
His legs wouldn't move, his legs couldn't move.
He felt helpless. Despite the feel of New York all behind him, he felt lonely.