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Tony Stark

It seemed like an eternity before Rhodey finally told him over the comm that the lockdown code had been cracked. The bad news was that they couldn't get Tony or the others out of the X-Lab until they neutralized the gas that had flooded the entire facility. Hang tight was what Rhodey had said. How long ago was that? Tony didn't know. Didn't care. He just wanted them to hurry the hell up because Peter didn't have long left. The boy's chest was barely rising and from anyones standpoint, the boy looked gone. The only reason Tony knew otherwise was he had FRIDAY monitor for Peter's life sign and though it was there, the kid's pulse was fading fast. Not only was Peter in danger, but time for Helen was also running out. Tony didn't know how much air there was exactly in samples fridge, but he was sure as hell that the doctor couldn't stay in there indefinitely.

"Tony, we're almost there. We've locked down parts of the facility and have already released an agent that should neutralize whatever Quinn used." Rhodey paused for a beat before asking in a concerned tone, "How's the kid doing?"

"Not good Rhodey," said Tony, with his eyes locked on the still and unmoving figure in the AC-Lab. "Did you bring the special med team I requested?"

"Yeah, I did. The kid..., is he enhanced?"

"You met him. At the airport in Germany."

There was a pause and Tony knew that Rhodey made the connection in his reply.

"He... that guy was the kid?" It honestly wasn't the best time to talk about it, but Tony needed to get a special team specifically to treat Peter. Regular hospitals would reveal that Peter wasn't your average teenager.

"Yeah. He is. Rhodey, he's running out of time and so is Dr. Cho.

"Don't worry, we're hurrying." There was a slight pause and then Rhodey added, "Dr. Grayson here says about five minutes tops.

The five minutes felt too long for Tony, but when it finally came, things moved quickly.

The door to the X-Lab slid opened and medics rushed in and went directly to the AC-Lab. The scientists in the room filed out and a number of armed security literally dragged out the rather battered looking Quinn Sharpe. The scientists that had restrained the man had tried to give the man incentive to talk about the gas that had been released. It hadn't worked unfortunately, but at least the scientists got to take out some of their anger on the man.

The last person to leave the room was Harley. A medic was by his side, helping him limp to the exit of the lab. The kid looked conflicted, but he knew he couldn't do anything by being there. Instead, he said to Tony, "You'll tell me when he's okay?" There was optimism in his words. When , not if . Tony thanked Harley for using that word. He nodded and the kid gave a half smile before he disappeared through the doorway of the X-Lab. Just as Harley left, Rhodey entered, still suited up but his mask lowered.

Tony didn't waste a moment and he started to the AC-Lab with Rhodey trailing behind. The sight he saw, made Tony sick to his stomach. Through the pane and the misty gas, it had blocked out the true state that Peter was in. FRIDAY was only able to give Tony specs on Peter's condition - that he still had a pulse going, that Peter was still fighting for his life. But it didn't prepare Tony to see Peter's ashened white face, near colorless lips, nor his clothes... that were soaked and covered in blood. Of course he would be in this condition. Helen didn't operate on him. Kid used that as a distraction to get help. Peter. God... Peter.

The medics had set up the defibrillator machine and Tony knew that Peter's heart had given out. No. No. Please, no! Kid, you gotta hang in there. Don't you give up!

"Clear!" And Tony could almost feel the current that ran through the paddles to shock Peter. There was still, however, no change - there was no pulse. The medic dialed it up another notch.

"Clear!"

Nothing.

"Clear!"

Come on, Peter, come on.

Nothing.

The medic looked ready to give up, but Tony wasn't going to let him. "Do it again."

"Mr. Stark... We've tried already seven times... I don't think -"

"Do it again!"

The medic hesitated for a second, but he did as Tony asked. "Clear!"

"Again," said Tony. He wasn't going to let Peter go. Not like this. God. Not like this.

"Clear!"

Nothing.

"Again!" Said Tony. Peter, come on. Don't do this!

"Clear!"

Nothing.

"Tony," it was Rhodey who spoke. "He's gone. I'm... I'm sorry."

"No. He's not . Do it again !" Tony was feeling panic rip through him. The kid. He was special. He had to make it through this. Peter had to!

The medic didn't look as he was going to comply to Tony's request again, but seeing the distress on his face, he dialed it up another notch and gave it one last try.

"Clear!"

There was silence. Nothing...and then there it was. A small blip, and it grew louder. Peter was back. Peter was back!

"Good job, kid. Good job," said Tony moved closer to the kid, wanting to squeeze the kid's hand, just to tell him he was here for him, but one of the medics stopped him.

"I'm sorry, Sir, it would be best if you kept your distance. The gas has been neutralized, but we don't know if any of it may have absorbed into his body. For your safety, it would best if you stayed back."

Tony understood, there was a reason why all the medics that entered had protective gear on. But damn it to hell, it wasn't fair. Kid, I'm here. You're going to be okay.

"Peter's... okay?" asked a hoarse voice beside Tony.

He turned to see that Helen was sitting up, her oxygen mask pulled down. There was relief on her face, but there was deep guilt in her eyes.

Tony nodded, "Yeah. He's breathing now. He's.. he's okay." A tear fell from Helen's eyes, followed by another.

Tony blinked back his own tears, though a single one rolled on its own. It had been a close call. Too close.

"Not your fault, Helen."

"I recommended him, I brought Quinn to you. I trusted him."

"I should have been more careful. And I did create Ultron... and the rest... this, this one ...it's all on me, Helen. Don't blame yourself." He moved closer to her, and gently lifted her oxygen mask back on. "You just take care of yourself first, okay. We'll talk about everything later."

Helen looked as if she wanted to argue, but she stopped herself. Instead she looked past Tony and at Peter, whom the medics had continued to work after they had started his heart again. With all the wires and IVs hooked up to machines, and oxygen setup for Peter, the kid looked so small in contrast. More medics arrived with stretchers. It was time to bring them to the med bay back at the Avengers Compound.

Tony wanted to follow as well, but couldn't yet - he still had to deal with the authorities about what had happened at Pharmax. Rhodey, however, went with them, and promised to let Tony know if anything changed.

Once everything settled, however, Tony planned to head directly to the compound and to the med bay. Happy was there waiting for him outside the Pharmax building. His first report during the ride to the compound was good news, Helen was doing well, and was being kept overnight for observation. The bad news, was that Peter was still in a coma - which was what Rhodey's last report had been as well.

On the ride to the compound, Happy looked up once every so often at the rearview mirror at Tony, opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it without another word. Tony knew what Happy wanted to say, but he really didn't want to hear it. He didn't deserve to be redeemed of guilt he was feeling. Despite that, it seemed Happy couldn't contain it anymore and simply said what he wanted to say.

"Peter, he did good, Tony. He warned us, told us what was happening."

Tony didn't answer. Just thinking about how the kid had crawled through the vent with a gunshot to the abdomen while he, Tony Stark, stood there, tormented on who to save, made him feel sick to the stomach. In the end, Tony didn't save anyone. He was just the catalyst of it all.

"Tony, he wouldn't want you to blame yourself for what happened."

"Doesn't change that he's the one lying in the med bay," he said flatly.

"It doesn't. But Tony, don't let Quinn Sharpe win. This is what he wants. Don't give it to him. Otherwise, Peter's sacrifice isn't worth anything."

Sacrifice. "Damn it, Hap. This shouldn't have happened in the first place. If he dies on my watch -"

"Tony," Happy's tone was dead serious, "The kid will pull through. He will. You just got to believe that too."

Tony didn't answer again, letting the silence fill the car. Happy had said the same thing as Pepper had found out what had happened at Pharmax. Yet even with both of them saying the same thing, it gave Tony little consolation. The events of the day, it replayed in his mind. Even the mad words of Quinn Sharpe. Although the man's actions were misguided, the things he had said, they weren't lies. They were based on truths. This was inherently Tony's fault. And if Peter ... if he didn't pull through... no, gotta think positive Tony! If he did pull through... things would be different. Peter Parker wasn't going to be that bright eyed innocent kid he plucked out from Queens a few months ago. There would be trauma. There would be nightmares. Things.. Things would be different, and not in a good way.

"How is he?" Were the first words that came out of Tony's mouth when he and Happy entered the ICU where Peter was situated in.

"He's still in critical condition, but we're keeping a close eye on him, Mr. Stark."

Tony looked at the man's nameplate - Dr. Grayson.

"You're the doctor who found the neutralizing agent for the gas?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Thank you, and good job."

Dr. Grayson nodded, "I just wished I could have figured it out sooner. I... I will leave you guys for some privacy."

After the man left, Tony moved moved to sit by Peter's bedside. The kid's face was still as pale as before, his breathing shallow and supported by all the wires and tubes attached to the machines around him.

There was silence in the room, only the beeping of the machines and the low hum of the AC.

"I'm sorry, this was all my fault."

Tony turned and saw that Helen Cho had entered the room. The woman was pale and distraught. She shouldn't have been up and walking about.

"Helen, you should be resting," said Tony with concern.

"I can't. Everytime I close my eyes, I... I can't. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you what Peter was planning. I didn't know... I didn't know if he could do it. But then he was climbing the walls once we were in the AC-Lab... there was a chance to save everyone. I shouldn't have let him."

"Helen, I don't think it would have mattered if you let him or not. The kid, he's a force of his own. He'll be okay." Wow, Tony, you said that like you believe it.

Helen didn't move from her spot, she just continued to stare at Peter's still form.

A long silence followed before Tony finally said, "Did you know before I upgraded his suit, he was running around Queens in a onesie?"

Slowly, Tony saw the information sink into Helen, and she looked at him and she understood.

"He's .. he's that masked Spiderman swinging around in Queens?"

"The one and only underoos," with that he by reflex swept a lock of hair away from Peter's forehead with his hand. Kid, you have to make it. Show me those healing abilities you keep boasting about .

There was a knock and both Tony and Helen turned to see the distressed face of May Parkers with a cup of coffee in her hands. Behind her, Dr. Grayson stood silently and followed her inside.

The woman looked exhausted. Tony had contacted her the moment everything had been settled with the authorities. He didn't want anyone else to break this kind of news to her. Tony owed Peter that, to make sure that his aunt was okay.

"Mr. Stark," she said, her voice cracking as she spoke.

"Mrs. Parker," he said in greeting and moved towards her. "How are you holding up?"

"Holding. Is there any change? Is he awake? How's my boy?!" She was angry and upset, Tony could tell, but she was containing herself, knowing that they weren't to blame. It was all over the news that a kid was caught in the Quinn Sharpe case. To protect Peter's identity since Peter was still a minor, they did not name him.

"We're doing everything we can to get him well, Mrs. Parker."

May nodded and blinked back tears in her eyes. "Is it alright if I stay here, overnight?"

It was Dr. Grayson who answered, "Yes, of course you may."

As she took over the seat Tony was on, she asked the question that Tony knew she would ask. "What's going to happen to that Quinn Sharpe? He's been caught. What's going to be done with him?"

"May, I'm going to do my best to make sure he never leaves prison. Ever." Tony wasn't jesting. Quinn Sharpe was never getting out if Tony could help it.

That evening, Tony put a call through to Principal Morita, explaining that Peter was going to be away for a while, that the kid was working on a co-op project. He was surprised that Morita asked very few questions, and when their conversation ended, his cryptic last words to Tony made him suspect the man knew more than he let on. Hope he gets better, Tony, were his parting words. He was positive he hadn't mentioned to Morita that Peter was sick.