"What do you think? I obviously told her you were with me." Ned said a little defensively through the phone as Peter sighed. "She'll find out."

"No she won't." He said in a depressed tone, "just...back me up." He said through the intercom as he stared down at the city from a rooftop.

"I will, but will you just tell me what's going on with you? Maybe you need like a-like a superhero therapist. Maybe Iron Man has one-"

"Ned! I don't need a therapist, I'm fine!" Peter yelled as if he'd been attacked. "I'll deal with May myself and I'll talk tomorrow." He said. "Karen end the call." He mumbled.

"Peter-", Ned was cut off when the call ended. Peter closed his eyes, kicking his legs in the air.

"Your friend seems worried." Karen said when the call ended. "Is this because Liz left? You should've told her you loved her."

"No, Karen! It's not because Liz left." Peter said quickly as he rolled his eyes. "I'm fine."

"Then why are you lying to your aunt May?" The AI intercepted, and Peter back flipped off the ledge onto the rooftop, walking over to the other side and staring down at a squabble.

"I'm not lying, there are certain things you can't tell people." Peter replied, jumping onto a balcony to get closer to the fight.

"Why not?" Karen asked as Peter crouched in the balcony.

"She'll get upset. She'll think I can't handle it-what are they talking about?" He squinted at the ground. There were four men, a woman and they were all shouting and swearing.

"-more time, please!" A man said in a terrified tone - the one next to the woman. "Our kid-"

"I don't give a shit!" Another one said, and Peter swung down, webbing their weapons out of their hands.

"Go." He faced the couple, who ran in the other direction. He turned around and webbed the offenders' hands onto the car and wall, tilting his head when he was done.

"Hey, you little-"

"I wouldn't say anything if I were you." Peter interrupted, throwing the weapons in the backup of their pickup truck. "Tell it to the cops." He said, ordering Karen to call.

"I'll come back for you. And you know what I'll do first? Kill May."

Peter looked up and he couldn't find his words for a second. "How do you know her?"

"The hell are you talking about? Just let me get out and you're dead." The man trapped on the wall shouted back, and Peter sighed in relief. What was happening to him?

"We'll see." He said, staring at them until he heard he sirens in the back. "Have fun."

He webbed and criss-crossed down the alley, reaching the roof again. "Maybe you can talk to me about it." Karen tried again.

"Actually, I can't." Peter replied, jumping around the ledges and watching the street. He looked at the corner of his eyes to see the time - 10:13. Shit.

He jumped down onto the alley next to his apartment, putting his clothes on over his suit and throwing his backpack on. "Bye, Karen." He muttered, taking off the mask after taking a look around and stuffing it in his pocket.

He went out the front and walked to the entrance, making his way in and up the building, dreading what May was going to say. He stopped when he reached the door, exhaling before knocking.

Within ten seconds, the door opened and an upset May appeared. He looked down in shame as he carefully walked past her. "I'm not even gonna ask where you were. You don't care what I say-"

"I do! May, I'm sorry." He attempted, turning to face her as she stood in front of the door.

"You're always sorry, Peter, and you're always doing the same thing again the next day!" She yelled back, and he looked down again. "Why don't you listen to me?"

"I got-I was a little busy with-"

"Don't say the internship." May cut in, putting up her hand in the air, "I called reception and she didn't even know that Stark Industries even did internships, forget the name Peter Parker."

"It's a mistake"

"Really? Peter you're out till eleven at night sometimes, you think I don't notice? I'm not chalking it up to teenage fun anymore. You need to be here - you need to do what I say, you-", she paused midway and ran her hand down her face, "no more going out."

"May!"

"It's a final decision."

"Can you talk to Mr Stark, at least? I can't stay bottled up in here all day!"

"Why not? Most kids your age go to school, come home and do their homework and go to sleep. What is so special about you that you have to wander around the city till midnight?" May asked rhetorically, walking past him into the kitchen.

"I have-I have special requirements-"

"Stop it, Peter. You know, maybe-maybe this is finally you getting out all that anger but it's not safe." She sighed, "we can go to a therapist-"

"I'm not going anywhere. What's with everyone and the therapist?" He said angrily.

"So this is what? Teenage rebellion?" She scratched the side of her forehead as she leaned against the counter, "Peter, I'm trying to look out for you, I always will." She said softly, squinting as she looked at him. She moved closer and held his neck as she turned his face. "Did you get into another fight?" She asked, touching a bruise on his face as he winced and moved backwards.

"No." He said, "May, stop!" He yelled playfully when she tried to get another look.

"Is that the issue? Is it those kids from school giving you a hard time?" She asked worriedly.

"May, if I was in trouble, the first person I'd go to is you." He said, although he knew it was a lie - and that was largely because she didn't know what or who he was.

"Then why don't you? Peter, everything I do is for you." She smiled, turning to the freezer to grab an ice pack.

"I know." He took the ice from her and put it on his jaw, turning to go to his room. "I'm not grounded am I?" He asked as he opened his room door.

"It's not grounding. I'm asking you not to stay out after nine, that's standard. Which internship makes kids stay till midnight on a school night all days of the week?" May asked rhetorically with concern in her voice.

"Fine. Okay." He mumbled, closing his door as he got inside and throwing the ice pack on his bed, moving in front of the mirror to take a closer look. It'll heal.

He collapsed on to the bed and closed his eyes. He didn't even know why he was fighting the curfew issue, he didn't mind staying in anymore.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he reached in to get it out. Ned. He sighed again, and put it on the side-table, burying his face in the pillow and closing his eyes.

Peter made his way up his building, pushing up his backpack as he entered the elevator. The least he could do was try and not upset May for a week after her little outburst. The doors opened with the usual ding and he stepped out.

"Huh." He looked down at the tilted doormat and then back at the door. He knocked on the door and put his hands in his pocket, staring blankly ahead.

A minute passed and he knocked again, "May!" He yelled, frowning and looking around before grabbing the emergency key from a tiny crack next do the door.

He entered and closed the door behind him, seeing her purse on the table. "You said you were gonna be home this morning - I didn't take my keys!" He called out to her, throwing his bag on the sofa. He looked at her opened door and said her name again.

"May!" He said again, making his way in. He stopped at the door when he saw her. There was blood everywhere - all over her clothes and the floor. "May." His voice cracked.

He couldn't breathe. He ran to her side and bent down, taking out his phone as he waved his hand over her mouth and nose. "You'll be okay." He said, trying to stop himself from crying.

She wasn't even breathing. He scrambled around in his pocket and put on his mask. "Is she-is she breathing? Is she-she alive?" He said between cries, putting both hands on a wound on her side. "Karen!"

"She's not, I'm sorry, Peter." Karen replied instantly, and Peter sobbed, moving back and away from her. "An ambulance is on the way." Karen informed him.

"I'm-what am I-Karen I can't-"

"Well done, Peter." A voice said, and Peter almost fell over when he turned his head.

"Uncle Ben." He said in shock, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks.

"You got us both killed." He replied, a look of disappointment on his face.

He felt like a little kid again, crying when he didn't want to, "I didn't-I-you're-that wasn't my fault...how are you here?"

"Wake up." Ben said in monotone.

"What?" Peter fell backwards.

"Wake up, Peter!" A voice yelled as he woke up screaming.

He opened his eyes as they adjusted to the dark. "It's okay." May's voice comforted, and he immediately grabbed on to her hand that was on his cheek.

"May." He whispered with a wavering voice.

"I'm here." She said comfortingly, "you're crying, and you were screaming." She said, and he felt his hands shake as he brought them up to wipe away the tears.

"It was just a nightmare." He replied, turning towards her and holding her hand.

She lifted her free hand and ran it through his hair a few times. "Do you remember it?" She asked softly.

"No." He lied.

"Peter." She said in a serious tone, because she knew that he remembered. "Do you want to be alone?"

"No." He mumbled, grasping her hand tightly.

"Are they the same every night?"

"I can't remember them when I wake up." He replied. "Just stay here."

"Was it about me?" She asked when he unintentionally tightened his hold.

He nodded his head on the pillow, "maybe."

"Nothing can happen to me." She smiled although he couldn't see, "hey!" She called playfully.

"I don't wanna talk about it." He murmured sleepily.

"Okay." She said quietly, tapping his head as he went to sleep. "That's okay."

She waited for half an hour - only getting up when she was sure he was asleep. Not only because he didn't want him to have another nightmare, but also because she saw how scared he was when he woke up. "Sweet dreams." She whispered, slowly pulling her arm from under him so that he didn't wake up.

"I'm late, I can't." Peter said as he tossed his books into his bag.

"It'll take five minutes. Or take it with you and eat it at lunch!" May argued, holding out a sandwich.

Peter smiled, "okay, okay." He grabbed it and threw it in the bag with the apple she also gave him.

"Careful, don't squish it." May said. "Peter." She called as he sat down to tie his laces.

"Yeah?"

"I was up searching your nightmares." She said, and he looked up at her. "You're fifteen and it says you shouldn't be having them unless you're on drugs or had an accident." She explained.

"I don't even remember them."

"That's normal." She quickly replied, "are you on-you know-"

"What? No! I'm not high, May!" Peter interrupted when he saw where she was going with that.

"Okay! Okay, I believe you." She said, "do you wanna see a doctor?" She asked.

"No. Is it dangerous?"

"It's not normal." She said, and he scratched his head.

"I'm fine." He concluded his own mental evaluation.

"Okay. We'll see another month." She replied as he got up and made his way to the front door. "Stay safe! Avoid danger!" She called out as he closed the door and sighed.

He didn't remember the dreams but he knew exactly why he was getting them - that fight with Liz's dad. He stood and thought about it for a few seconds before heading down.

He was at school, and out of school within a few hours. Time was going slow - Ned was asking questions and Peter was all but ignoring him. He knew he was acting off and rude, but he didn't want to do much to change that.

He changed into his suit after-school after Ned went his way, and hopped onto the roof.

"You seem to be quiet lately." Karen said observantly as Peter jumped from roof to roof.

"I'm tired." Peter replied, taking a seat on a ledge and running his hand over his face.

"Why?" Karen asked, and Peter exhaled.

"I don't wanna die." He said bluntly.

"You're not dying." Karen stated immediately as Peter's vision was obscured by a few medical statistics.

"Not right now, Karen!" Peter scolded as if talking to a child.

"Is it anxiety?" Karen asked.

Peter frowned, closing his eyes in anger. Was it anxiety?

"There's a disturbance." Karen interrupted, and Peter looked down at an argument and webbed down into the alley.

"Hey!" He called, but the boys continued to argue - masks covered their faces as they pushed around a woman. "Let her go!" He called, but they ignored him.

He swung down and smashed the heads of the offenders into the wall while the lady made a run out of the alley.

"You've injured them." Karen said as Peter stared at the two. One of them was on the floor and bleeding, and another was rubbing his head and having difficulty standing up.

"They deserved it." He replied, standing around until he heard the sirens in the back.

"You usually prefer non-violence." Karen said as he reached the roof again. The lady was standing in the back of a police car this time and the two teenagers were arguing.

He looked for another minute then made off, crouching down and then taking a seat on a shaded roof. He took a long breath of air and then put both hands on his face over the mask.

He felt himself tear up again and took the mask off. He looked over the city and ran his hand through his hair in panic as felt his heart-rate increase. "What am I doing?" He whispered to himself through a shaky voice.

"May is calling." Karen said as he stood up. The time was 18:38 and he contemplated picking up.

"Text her I'm coming-" He froze when a huge metal body landed with a thud in front of him. "Mr Stark?" He said as he moved backwards when he regained his breath.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Tony demanded, walking towards Peter.

"'I'm coming Mr Stark' sent." Karen said.

Peter snapped out of it and moved his head to the side, "no! Karen, no! Tell May I'm coming-that was separate!" He yelled quietly as Tony watched him.

"Finished?" Tony spoke, and Peter turned around with his mouth open in surprise.

"Why are you here?" Peter asked, although he had a pretty good idea why.

"Re-sent, Peter." Karen said.

"You're coming with me, you've had enough fun tonight," Tony said, about to grab him when he saw Peter move his hand up to his chest and his eyes narrow.

"This could be a panic attack." Karen said as soon as he squinted.

"I haven't got time for this, Parker." Tony said, and he stepped forwards again while Peter stared at him. Everything was a blur and he felt like he was dying because everything was happening so slowly. He saw Tony lift up his arm and then motion for him to come.

"A-a what?" Peter answered to Karen between a few heavy breaths as he got up and stumbled back against a tank. "Stop". He said to himself as he wheezed. "Come on." He told himself.

"Peter." Tony said worriedly, keeping his distance as his mask opened to reveal his face.

"Count to ten. It should help." Karen advised.

Peter waited a few seconds but he felt himself getting worse. Counting? How would that help? "One, two-I can't!" He yelled as he watched his hands tremble in front of him. He could hardly see them - he could hardly see anything

"Peter, calm down." Karen's voice rang in his ears and so did Tony's, who was saying something in the back.

"I can't-why can't I see-", he whispered to himself as broke down. His legs gave out and he ended up on the floor, leaning against the tank.

He clawed at his neck as his chest tightened, like he was being squashed between something, and he felt Tony's hand on his back.

"It's okay. You're safe." A voice echoed in the back.

"I can't breathe." Peter choked, slamming his back head into the metal.

"Yes you can." Tony said, "it just feels like that."

"No." Peter said as he squinted again and felt tears under the mask, which he practically ripped off in the panic.

Tony grabbed the mask when Peter threw it away, and looked up at him. "Count again." Tony advised.

"No." Peter said again, like an adamant child. "I'm-", he tightened his fists and started trembling a little.

Tony looked at him and slowly pulled him in towards himself, putting his arm around him. He felt Peter bury his face into his shoulder and he fidgeted a little.. "You're alright." He said softly as he patted his back.

"I'm dying." Peter mumbled with a small cry, and Tony looked down at his hair for a few seconds.

"I won't let you." He said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Focus on something else."

Peter shook his head in disagreement, and Tony waited. Waited until he pulled away himself and looked up at Tony for a second, or even less, before frowning and looking away, and it broke Tony's heart.

"I'm okay." Peter said to himself, still a little out of breath.

Tony clenched his jaw, "has this happened before?"

"No." Peter replied hazily.

"This is because of your whole-", he made a vague hand gesture, "-thing with the Vulture?" Tony asked, sniffing as he watched Peter get up and sit on the ledge opposite the tank.

"I guess." Peter said, when the answer was actually 'yes, definitely.'

Tony nodded, nervously covering his mouth with his right hand. "And it's just-just this once? Is there anything else I should know?" He stammered.

"No." Peter lied, "I have to get home."

"I shouldn't have taken you." Tony said, standing up.

"What?"

"Fifteen isn't the age to be having a mental breakdown." Tony said, looking at him sympathetically.

Peter looked down. "I'm not...", he trailed off.

"You beat up two people. The lady's telling everyone what she saw."

"I saved her!" Peter shouted defensively as he stood up.

"Doesn't matter. People don't care." Tony replied a little harshly. "Why don't you take a break?" He suggested straight after when he saw Peter clench his fists.

"Yeah."

"Yeah? The day you give in that easily is a day I'll remember."

"You want me to say no? No." Peter rolled his eyes, and Tony stepped forwards authoritatively.

Tony sighed, putting a hand on Peter's shoulder as the boy stumbled backwards and ended up back on the ledge. "In trying to help. We don't need you creating a bad image. You don't want that. You don't need that."

"They were bad people." Peter stated in anger.

Tony looked past him at the city, then back at him as he exhaled, "it doesn't matter." He said again, "just listen to me this time. Listen and you'll stay safe."

"Okay."

"You stopped giving your little reports."

"I haven't been doing much."

"I still need them. Starting tomorrow." Tony stated, stepping backwards into his suit. "And tomorrow after school, Happy's picking you up." He informed, in his suit by then and throwing the mask at Peter.

"Why?"

"Because I said. Now get home - or better yet, I'll give you a lift." Tony said, hovering forwards.

Peter waved his hand in disagreement, "no! I can go." He said.

"Okay!" Tony backed off instantly when he saw Peter jump, "and you're gonna call me before you go out next time." He warned, instantly turning and taking off.

Peter watched him go and sighed in anger, squeezing his mask in his hand before putting it on and making his way down and back to May.

By the time he got home it was nearing seven-thirty. He knocked on the door and May welcomed him in.

"At your internship?" May asked with her mouth half-full.

"Yep." He answered, making his way to his room.

"Hello? What about dinner." May called out before he got inside.

"I already ate, promise." Peter answered, and May frowned.

"Have you been crying?" She asked, dropping the things in her hands onto the kitchen counter and making her way over.

Peter's eyes widened, "no!" He stood there when she put her hand on his shoulder.

"You're eyes are red." She said.

"Yeah-I probably didn't get enough sleep." He said convincingly, "you know that."

"Oh. Is there anything you need?" She asked as he started backing away into his room again.

"Nope, just sleep." He said quickly, shutting his door and sighing when he got in.

He stared around again and closed his eyes in exhaustion, leaning against his door.

He looked at his phone again for the hundredth time. It was 6:45, and this was the fourth time this week he hadn't slept, because not only did he want to avoid the nightmares, but he couldn't sleep, no matter how hard he tried.

He closed his eyes again - fifteen minutes should he okay, he told himself after he started with nine hours.

He closed his eyes, but the fifteen minutes flew by. He felt like screaming into his pillow. He kicked the duvet off in anger and rolled off the bed in exhaustion.

"You'll be late, hurry up!" May shouted from outside.

"Coming!" He yelled back, grabbing his clothes off the chair.

"Get some sleep?" May asked when he came out ten minutes later.

"A lot." Peter replied, and he felt horrible for telling her lie after lie.

"That's good - I left money on the table - when are you coming home?"

He looked up a thing her and scrunched up husband face, "eight?"

"You better." She said, going back into her room.

He smiled at her and grabbed the money off the table, shoving it into his pocket while throwing his backpack on.

"Bye!" He said, slamming the door after she responded.

He ran down the stairs in a hurry, stopping when he got outside. He put his bag on the ground and rummaged around to find the sandwich from yesterday. He took it out and made a face at the smell when he chucked it into the bin nearby.

"Peter!"

He looked over to see Ned. "Ned?"

"May called." He made a 'caught' face as he walked over.

"And said what?"

"Oh, ya know...stuff," Ned replied as he slowed down and started walking side by side with Peter.

"I'm fine." Peter said in a high-pitched tone.

"Your eyes. Looks like you haven't slept in a week." Ned predicted.

"You're always telling me you don't get enough sleep."

Ned shook his head in disagreement, "that's different - everyone says that. You look depressed, Peter."

"I'm fine." Peter repeated.

"You wouldn't let me get away with acting like that." Ned said, sympathetically looking at him.

"Ned." Peter sighed, "I'm just tired." He responded, and pretty much ended that chapter.

"You're lying." Ned said, and Peter didn't reply in confirmation.

Peter stopped in his tracks, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"Then what do you wanna talk about?" Ned asked, also stopping with him.

"I don't know...what about that computer thing you were working on?" Peter looked at him in excitement.

Ned laughed a little, "my computer thing?" He thought about it and decided to go on, seeing Peter wasn't going to tell him anything anytime soon. " Firstly, it's not a computer thing, and secondly, it worked!" Ned said proudly as he started rambling on about what he did, and Peter listened intently.

It was another slow day at school, and Ned was trying his best to cheer him up, and Peter could see that, and it made him smile at times.

"I'll come with you." Ned said when the bell rang and got up to leave.

"Happy's actually picking me up. I kinda beat two people up yesterday." Peter said awkwardly and Ned's eyes widened.

Ned spoke when they reached the corridor, "Like innocent people? Peter that's-"

"No!" Peter said as loudly as he could without attracting attention. "They were bad guys, but Mr Stark says people will think I'm violent." Peter mumbled as if he'd been told he'd been grounded by a parent.

"He's not wrong." Ned said, nodding in agreement as they passed the lockers.

"Yeah, okay, Iron Man's biggest fan." Peter smiled, and Ned frowned.

"Says the guy who dressed up in the armour and nearly got killed when he was six because he thought he was Iron Man." Ned furrowed his brows.

"I wasn't six!" Peter replied as they both laughed.

"Well I'll see you." Ned said when they got outside and he turned the other way. "You're ride's here." Ned said nodding his head towards it

Peter turned to see a posh black car parked opposite the school. He frowned and put his hands in his pocket, walking down the steps slowly.

He crossed the street and was about to knock on the back door when it unlocked. He got in and took a seat on the side.

"Ready?"

"Like I have a choice." Peter pouted, throwing his bag on the side and staring out the window.

"Don't let this stuff get to you." Happy advised, starting the car.

Peter looked to him and then down. "Right."

"I already tried that one."

"And?"

"It was too sticky."

"Isn't that the whole point of a web? To stick?" Tony remarked, crossing off on the list.

"Okay, funny, but when people can't get out for like six hours, they'll have you to thank-"

"Okay, boy-genius, what haven't you tried?"

"I just-I kinda just experiment," Peter replied, and Tony waited for him to continue. "I didn't make a list." Peter said simply with a sigh.

"I take the boy-genius part back."

"Hey, there's only so much I can do in secret in a school lab." Peter replied in his defence as he looked down at the bubbling mixture.

"That's why you're here. But moving on to the more important...", Tony's voice trailed off, and Peter looked to him.

Everything started moving slowly. He could see Tony move his mouth and he looked around. Don't let this happen now.

"Is May at home?" A voice asked, and he looked behind Tony to see his Uncle again. This time there were bullet wounds and holes in his clothes.

"Wha-what?" Peter asked in confusion, feeling tears build up and his throat dry up.

"Look what you did." He nodded his head in disappointment.

Peter glared agape. "You're not real." He told the figure and himself.

"What?" Tony cut in when everything snapped back to reality?

"Huh?"

"You just said something." Tony said, "it doesn't matter. Look the reason you're here is...I'm not-you're like my-," he paused again, putting his hand on Peter's shoulder.

Peter looked to the left again and Ben was still there. He looked down uncomfortably.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked, looking behind himself to where Peter was looking.

"I need to go to-to wash my-my hands." Peter stammered, adding a little cough as he walked out. His head was hurting again.

He reached the washrooms and nearly collapsed, holding onto the sink. "I'm going crazy." He said to himself, looking at his face in the mirror. He was a mess. "Get your-yourself together, Peter, just get-" he stopped when he looked up at the mirror and nearly jumped.

He closed his eyes and felt memories flash by. Of May, of Ben dying, and then a glimpse of May dead. He grabbed his head with both hands and nearly screamed. He'd never felt so helpless before, because this was something he couldn't change with a suit.

"Peter."

Tony stood in the doorway, but Peter didn't reply. He was now sitting on the floor with his eyes closed and his hands holding onto his head.

"This is why we're here." Tony said, walking in and sitting down next to him. "What do you see?" He asked.

"May."

"May?"

"She's dead. She's dead because of me."

"Easy there, she's not-she's alive in real life." Tony said, "you can separate that, right?"

"I can't. Because I'm going crazy-"

"No you're not, Peter-"

"I was having a dream of May and I saw Uncle Ben and May had to wake me up before I realised I was dreaming!" Peter said in a high pitched tone. "And I saw him today. I can't even tell if I'm dreaming." He said, and Tony gritted his teeth in concern. Peter looked confused, Maybe-"

"You're not dreaming, Parker, this is all very real."

"Prove it." Peter demanded, staring at him.

Tony squinted his eyes and moved his arm up in front of Peter to reveal a news article.

"What does it say?" Tony asked, and Peter looked at him in confusion.

"What?"

"Read it."

"No."

"Peter, I need you to read it." He urged.

"Neighbourhood Spider-Man saves woman from fire." Peter said, and he smiled a little.

The view changed and a clock appeared. "What's the time?"

"5:30." Peter whispered, and he sighed in relief, "you can't read or tell the time in dreams." He said to himself when he realised.

"What's going on?" Tony asked, putting his arm down.

"I can't do this. I don't-I can't be Spider-Man." Peter replied, frowning sadly as he looked at the tiles on the floor.

"Because you don't want to?"

Peter shook his head, "because I can't let May get caught up in this. If anything happened to her because of me, I'd-my life would be over."

"I'm not gonna tell you what I did in your situation, because it was a self-destruct mission, but I can tell you that it won't always feel like this."

"I can't go out every night worrying about her."

"If you decide to quit, you'll never get past that fear."

Peter wanted to ask him who he cared about so much, because he couldn't tell, and that was making it difficult to relate.

"It was Pepper." Tony said as if he read Peter's mind. "In my experience, they actually took her." He looked down as he thought about it.

"What did you do?"

"I didn't stop being Iron Man." He answered, clearing his throat. "I have someone I want you to see."

"I'm not seeing a therapist." Peter said adamantly, everyone had been telling him to, and he hated to even think about the idea.

"One step at a time. The doctor first." Tony said, and there were a few seconds of silence before he spoke again. "What are you scared of?"

Peter silently gritted his teeth, "of someone getting to May-"

"What are you scared of?" Tony cut in, and Peter frowned at him.

"That she'll need me. She'll need me and I won't be there - like I wasn't for...", his voice disappeared and he put his face between his hands on his knees.

"That wasn't your fault. You were, what, fourteen? You couldn't have stopped them."

"I got it straight after." Peter almost yelled in his defensive voice, "if I'd been there just a minute earlier-"

"They would've killed you too." Tony told him, and Peter looked up again. "Then all the people you saved since then would be dead." He said bluntly.

"Maybe."

"Come on." Tony urged him as he stood up himself. Peter sighed and pulled himself up.

"Thanks. For this."

"I didn't do anything.

I'm abroad so it was late - anyway, sorry for any incorrect info on the panic attacks/nightmares - I tried to research it as much as I could. This one took me ages to write and was hard! And it might not be my best work :o

This was based on a prompt by Nindragon :)