A/N: AH! I'M SORRY! I was on vacation and didn't write at all! Also, I had a surgery done this week, so I've been recovering, sleeping, or woozy on pain meds. That's also why this chapter is short. Sorry!
Anyways a few things for you all to know: First off, thanks so much for 150 followers and 10k+ views! I love you guys! Second, there is a brief explanation of the whole Peter/Sinoper thing at the end if you are confused. If you aren't, feel free to skip that. :D
Sorry that was a lot of talking. I'll let you get to it. ;)
Tuesday, October 15
6:00am
"What's wrong with him?" Tony demanded, slamming his fist down on the metal table. It clanged in protest. "What did you do?"
The woman brushed her shiny black hair behind her back and crossed her legs. She would have crossed her arms, but they were handcuffed to the surface.
"I want to see my son," she said coolly, making his blood boil. As if she could just say that. After the past couple of days… after the past couple of years she spent hurting him. No. She wasn't allowed to do that.
"He's not your son," Tony growled. "He never has been, and he never will be."
Angela smirked. "Tell that to my marriage certificate. Sorry, Mr. Stark." Her tone was mocking and snide. "But I have rights."
Nat, previously silent, lurched forward, now inches away from the other woman's nose. "Not here you don't." She was not a fan of people like Angela. People who hurt their kids for no reason. People who used an innocent child for science experiments. It made her sick.
Tony was satisfied to see Angela blink in surprise at Natasha. It wasn't much, but it was something. Other than that, her face hadn't twitched, flinched, or even moved for an hour, and it was beginning to drive him crazy.
"Listen, you slimy psychotic-" Nat shot him a look. Calling her names would not help with the legal issues of this situation. Tony took a deep breath and clenched his teeth. "We have several witnesses proving that you, Angela Magran, were using illegal HYDRA practices, along with Mark Raylen. I'll give you two options: you can either tell us what's wrong with my kid, or you can sit here, in that chair, and rot. So," his voice dripped with venom. "What'll it be?"
She didn't say anything and her face remained still, except for a small smile.
Tony stormed out of the room, leaving Natasha behind to ask more questions.
xXx
Peter's soft brown hair rose and fell with the steady breathing of his chest. A few floppy curls almost reached past his eyes, resting just under his brow. His fingers twitched from where they rested in MJ's hand, but she didn't wake. Her head rested next to his chest. May watched them from the corner, foot tapping, unable to sit still.
"When is he going to wake up?" She whispered to Tony, who had quietly entered from behind her. May observed his sigh, haggard and full of concern and sadness.
"I… I don't know." It almost broke him to say that. "She hasn't given us anything." Fury was laced between the syllables, highlighting his deep loathe for Angela.
They were quiet, listening to the monotonous noise of the heart monitor. After a while, Tony cleared his throat and indicated MJ and Ned, both asleep in uncomfortable chairs.
"You all should get some rest. More than an hour, I mean."
May looked like she was about to resist, but she stopped herself and slumped her shoulders. "Now that you mention it, I do feel like crap," she said, chuckling softly. "I'll help them to bed."
"There's a couple spare rooms down the hall," he agreed. She gently woke Peter's friends. They were too tired to resist and let her guide them out of the room. May gave Tony an empathetic smile, then shut the door.
The man sighed, and with it, he seemed to age a few more years. When he sat next to the bed, Tony couldn't bring himself to look at the kid. His kid. He could only stare at his hands and regret.
"Peter… I'm sorry I failed you, bud. The one time you needed me… and I wasn't there. I hope you can forgive me." He shook his head sadly. "FRI? Play You're the Inspiration by Chicago…"
She obliged, piano chords filling the stale air. "Come on, kid… wake up."
Tony finally allowed himself to glance at Peter, and his eyes instantly filled with tears. Someone had cleaned the paint and blood off of his face, and he was at least wearing something other than the all-black suit. Tony hated that suit… It wasn't like Peter at all. None of this was like him.
There were wires stuck to the side of his head, monitoring his brain activity, and an IV in his right arm. It all looked so… wrong. Peter was never sitting still; he ran around with a literally inhuman amount of energy, always awake no matter what time it was. Days were rare when he didn't have a smile on his face, and to see him so motionless broke Tony's heart. He grabbed Peter's hand just as the song hit it's climax.
It's not supposed to be like this.
xXx
A tingle in his fingers brought him out of his subconscious. He was humming along to his favorite song and bouncing his leg, still laying down. Wait, this is my favorite song? Oh yeah… my mom used to sing me that… wait… my mom?
Peter sat straight up and looked around. "Where am I?"
Across from him sat… well, him. But dressed in all black. This is who they called Sinoper. They were both cross legged, and neither of them said anything for a moment. The two remained locked in an intense stare.
"Your mind," Sinoper answered simply. Strangely, Peter wasn't scared of him… he seemed harmless sitting down, and it didn't seem like he was going to hurt him. Yet.
"Why is it so dark?" He wondered, taking in the surroundings. They seemed to be sitting on a gray shag carpet that stretched for miles into the ink-like darkness.
The reflection stood, looking down at him. "You're asleep." Ok, now I'm a little scared. The way that Sinoper peered from behind flashing eyes set his teeth on edge. Of course, it could have just been his Spidey Sense warning him… it was hard to tell in this place. His mind…
"What does that mean?" Peter also stood, but with his right hand in front of him. His left was still tingling, like a ghost was trying to hold it or something.
"It means you aren't awake."
His sarcasm reminded Peter of Mr. Stark. Mr. Stark… Suddenly, the ghost grip on his hand became solid, and he returned the squeeze. Something told him that whoever was holding his hand was important… and the simple familiar act of it all sparked motivation inside of him. From far away, he heard the song: 'No one needs you more than I need you.' He had to wake up.
Sinoper smirked at him, expression darkening. "It's not going to be that easy."
xXx
"Tones." Rhodey stood at the door, observing the scene like he had been for the past couple of minutes. He didn't want to break the silence, but he finally couldn't stay quiet any longer. "Has FRI mentioned anything else about Raylen?" The most she had said was that the drone was successfully locked on target, but it was too risky to make a move. Rhodey had no idea what that meant, which is why he came here.
Tony was leaning forward with an expression of painful hope, and completely ignored the question. "He squeezed my hand, Rhodey. I swear he did…"
His friend sighed. "Listen…"
"No," Tony interrupted. "He did. I know it."
Letting out another sigh, Rhodey moved behind him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Alright man, but seriously. Has FRI said anything else?"
Distractedly, Tony said, "Ask her yourself."
"Hey, you know what's up, AI Lady?" He said to the ceiling, fighting an eye roll.
"I do; no further developments, Colonel Rhodes."
Three sighs in less than a minute had to be some kind of record, but Tony didn't express this thought out loud. His dark eyes were trained on Peter, willing him to move again. Willing him to please just wake up. I promise I'll do better next time…
Rhodey's silent presence offered some semblance of comfort to Tony, it always had, but he would never say that out loud. If he did, he wouldn't hear the end of it.
"What am I going to do?"
The words were so quiet that Rhodey almost didn't catch them, and when he did, he was confused. He'd never heard his best friend ask that before. Tony was usually one to push everyone out… he just… didn't ask for help.
Rhodey could only sigh again. "I don't know, man. But whatever happens, we'll figure it out. Together."
Tony nodded, face sagging a little with the weight of their unknown future. "Yeah," he said half-heartedly. "Together."
xXx
Angela's face was beginning to infuriate Natasha. Fighting to keep her cool, like she always did, she put a hand behind her back and clenched to release some tension. It helped, a little, and she tried a new tactic.
"Were you and Mary Parker best friends?"
"You could say that." Angela's mouth was tight now; Nat was finally getting to her.
"What happened to her, Ms. Magran?"
The women locked eyes for a solid three seconds, each calculating their next move.
"It's Parker, actually," she smirked. "Despite what you buffoons may believe, I married Richard, which makes him my son."
Natasha decided to switch her method again, opting for the same one she used with Loki a few years ago. Channeling more emotion into her expression, she mumbled, "No."
Angela looked delighted, thinking she had the advantage now. "Yes. I can do virtually anything as long as I have those legal documents. I have been for years." She lifted her chin as if being a controlling sociopath was a good thing.
"You're… horrible," Nat whispered, forcing her voice to shake slightly with faux horror.
"You think that's bad? You should've seen what I- what he…" her voice tapered off. Maybe this awful woman does regret something.
"What happened to Mary Parker?" Nat asked again, softly and directly.
Angela's lips tightened even more, becoming a thin white line on her face.
"I did it."
Tuesday, October 15
9:00am
Remote Location
"You're telling me we lost three squadrons, our top scientist, and the asset?"
Mark's voice roared like an angry wave, and it crashed down on the men and women surrounding him. They all shrunk back, too afraid to confirm.
"IDIOTS!" He picked up what was closest to him, which happened to be half of a brick, and threw it at the window. The glass shattered and flew around them in jagged shards, making his companions jump away.
"Park!"
The tallest man in the room responded to his last name, stepping forward; he was also the only one not cowering in fear. His dark eyebrows remained firmly set against a broad forehead, and his Korean descent caused his olive skin to almost glow in the low light. The small sea of people parted as he passed, intimidated by his height and scowl.
"Sir." Park's voice was smooth and low, rumbling out of him like stones.
"Infiltration report."
"Application pending, sir."
"Good. At least one of my fingers is still in the pie. How long will this take? We can't let them have Sinoper for long…"
"No more than 5 and a half hours, sir."
"Finally someone in this forsaken company that hasn't let me down. The minute you hear something, come to me. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." The man saluted and back off into the crowd.
"Now all of you, back to work! We have to mop up this mess you've made."
A/N: Again I'm sorry that was so short! I just wanted to get what I had out to you guys!
An explanation: Sinoper is not a multiple personality of Peter. He is just meant to represent (or like, embody) Peter's mind control. So, whenever you see Peter "fighting with him" it's him fighting against the mind control. As for the name "Sinoper", that's just what Mark named the mind-controlled version of Peter. Hope that clears up any confusion!
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