Peter's POV
Aunt May and Dr. Cho made me see a therapist today. They said it is a therapist that I can talk to about anything, either as Peter or Spider-Man. It is Tony's therapist. I didn't tell Harley about it when he came to see me. I was going to, but then he left abruptly.
I argued with them for a couple minutes, until I couldn't anymore. Talking passionately for more than a minute is exhausting.
The therapist walked in and closed the door behind her, I guess as a show of respect to a client's confidentiality. She had long, dark brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and had round glasses on. She couldn't have been older than 40.
She pulled up a chair to my bed and gave me a smile, "Hello, Peter. My name is Dr. Brown, but you can call me Tina. Today, I would just like to get to know you, if that's okay. I can even tell you a bit about me if you would like."
I bit my lip and nodded. "Okay." I said, my voice coming out coarse.
"Okay, so I will go first. My name is Tina Brown and I have a 7 year old daughter. I am 37 years old. I have a P.H.D in the field of Psychology, which I have had for about 8 years. I grew up in Queens until the age of 12, and then my family and I moved to Brooklyn. I am a certified Psychiatrist and am here for you anytime you need me." She scribbled something down on her notepad and ripped a piece of paper up. She gave me it, showing it was her number. "Anytime you need me Peter, I will be there." She gave me a genuine smile. "How about you, Peter? Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?"
I thought about it for a moment, "Um, well uh... My name is Peter Parker. I'm a junior in high school and uh, live with my Aunt May. My uh, parents died when I was young and my uncle..." I shook my head, "I uh, I'm..." I looked up at her and then back at my hands, "Two years ago I got bit by a radioactive spider that should have killed me, but didn't. Instead it uh, it gave me... powers. I uh, guess could be considered a hero?" I scoffed at myself for saying that last part. I thought back to this morning, when Harley tried to assure me I was a hero.
She looked at me for a hard moment, "You don't believe you are a hero that saves people?"
I clenched my jaw, "I— I don't know. I mean, yeah I have saved a few people but... but at what cost?"
"What does that mean, Peter?" She asked with an unreadable look on her face.
I gave her a long stare for a moment before I tried changing the subject. "So you were Tony's therapist?"
She noticed I changed the subject, but didn't seem to mind, "I still am. He has come a far way since the alien attack in New York." She smiled, "He talks about you all the time in our sessions."
"Oh."
"Do you have anything you want to get off your chest? Maybe talk about how you are feeling? Or what you aren't feeling?"
"I— I think I'm good." I snapped. I know it was rude, but I don't need this. I'm fine! I can take care of myself. I doubt this lady even wants to be here, dealing with a whiny 17 year old. I'm fucking Spider-Man for crying out loud! I shouldn't be this weak.
"You seem to be thinking about something, Peter. Are you sure you don't have anything to talk about? You know, it's my job to read human behavior." She stares at me for a second, "Have you been sleeping well?"
"I've been sleeping fine." I lied a little too quickly. To be honest, I would want nothing more than to lay my head on my pillow and welcome the sleep.
"Okay. Well, if you need to talk to me, about anything, I mean anything, you call me, okay? Peter, just so you know, people do care. And you do deserve the best." She smiled before standing up to walk out.
As soon as her hand touched the doorknob, my heart started racing.
"I can't sleep." I blurted our. She turned to face me, expecting more. "I— no matter how hard I try, I—" I let out a bitter laugh, letting a tear fall in the process, "God, I'm pathetic."
She walked a little too quickly back to her chair, flashing her sympathetic eyes, "No, Peter. You aren't... Why can't you sleep?"
"Nightmares." I croaked out.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked and I nodded eagerly. "Okay." As soon as she said that I shook my head.
"I— I don't think I can." I stuttered out.
"Did they start after Thanos?" I shook my head. She scribbled something on her pad.
"Before." I swallowed hard. "Toomes." I gasped as I felt the building crushing me all over again. I shut my eyes, feeling the crushing weight of the building on me. His laugh so close, yet so far. I was trying to breathe, gasping for air, not getting any.
"Hey, hey, Peter. I need you to open your eyes okay? Peter!" I heard in the echoey distance. I felt a hand touch mine and I jolted back to reality. It felt so real. I felt a tear fall from my face. "Breathe, Peter. You are okay. You are not there. You are here, with me. You are safe."
"What the fuck was that?!" I shrieked. I tried moving, but I couldn't. Oh, right. I'm fucking paralyzed from the waist down. Probably will be forever.
"It was a flashback, Peter. But you're safe."
"Flashback?!" My eyes widened as I tried to steady my breathing.
"It's okay Peter."
"No it isn't! I— that... that wasn't a dream! That—" I gasped for air.
"Peter. It's okay." She took my hand in hers. "I think that is enough for today. I will come see you in a week. I hope to see you on your feet by then." She smiled before giving me one last squeeze. She closed the door on her way out.
Leaving me with my thoughts.
Tony's POV
May and I sat outside of his room, waiting for Tina to come out. She was in there for a good 10 minutes before she came out. I immediately stood up, May following close behind.
She looked up at us with a face that pretty much said it was destined to be bad news.
"So?" I asked, hoping, praying, it wasn't bad news.
"I'm sorry, Tony. There is clear evidence of..." She paused, "Mrs. Parker, I am prescribing him a three month prescription of Paroxetine."
"That's an antidepressant." I budged in, "You think he's depressed?"
"Not as much depressed as having anxiety. He um, he had a flashback in there, back to uh, he said, Toomes? Does that word mean anything to you guys?" I could feel all my blood drain from my face.
Toomes? Flashbacks?
"Flashbacks?" May asked, questioning it for me.
"There are serious signs that Peter has a form of mild PTSD. He said he has pretty bad nightmares, although this was the first time he seemed to have a flashback. Do you know by any chance what he was flashing back to?" She turned to me. I glanced at May real quick before taking in a deep breath.
"Adrian Toomes. He uh, was Peter's first big bad guy. He told me about what happened later after Toomes was in Prison, but, Times he uh, he dropped a building on Peter." I whispered the last bit, but May let out a tiny gasp.
"He never told me that." A tear fell down her cheek.
Tina nodded before clenching her jaw, "I'll be back in a week, um, I will discuss his medicine with Dr. Cho.
She gave me a small pat on my shoulder before leaving. I pulled May into a hug. I looked through the window to see Peter just staring at the white floor.
I hope he could pull through.
If anyone could, it would be him.
1 day later
Hartley's POV
It's Friday. I decided it would be better to go back to school today. After all, people would start wondering why I have been not going. Although, Flash already knows that I know Spider-Man. So that is not a conversation I am looking forward to.
I walked into the school, headed straight for my locker. I looked up at the TV to see a picture of Spider-Man next to a gravestone and a question mark. I felt like tracking down Betty and slapping her across the face. How dare she? How dare anyone? They don't know—well technically they do— Spider-Man. I took my books out and then slammed my locker door to come face to face with Flash.
"Is Spider-Man okay?" He asked, worry evident in his facial features. I balled up my fists giving him the most deadliest look I could make.
"Get the fuck out of my face, now, Eugene." I felt my eyes burning, clearly from the tears I was trying to keep at bay. Why was I so close to crying? I knew he was okay. Well, as close to okay as he could get.
Flash's face went from concern to fear within a second. He held up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry man. I— I didn't mean anything by—"
"Why are you still next to me?" I interrupted him, anger seeping throughout my body.
Maybe it was because I know how horrible he treats Spider-Man. It's kind of ironic. He treats Peter like shit without even knowing who he actually is. If it wasn't for Peter, I would punch this smug little prick. But Peter wouldn't. So I won't.
He quickly scattered away from me. I looked to the other side of the hall to see MJ looking at me but then immediately looked back at her book. She was scared. Probably of me.
I walked up to her and then she hesitantly looked up at me.
I gave her a soft smile, "I'm not mad at you, just so you know. I um, I just can't with Flash." I chuckled, which earned me a smile from her. "He is awake. But um... he's— he's paralyzed at the moment. But Dr. Cho is confident that he will heal." She nodded, and she seemed pretty close to tears. I gave her a pat on her shoulder as Ned came over and looked at me hopefully. I nodded, "He's okay."
Ned let out a sigh of relief. "Are they allowing visitors?"
"Not really but I will see what I can do." I said.
"Then how did you get to see him?" MJ snapped but then immediately winced, "Sorry."
"No it's uh— it's okay. He um— he asked for me." I mirrored their confused glances, because I still didn't understand why he wanted to talk to me before he talked to anyone else. He has known Ned and MJ for years and has only known me for 3 months.
I keep letting myself fantasize that maybe he wanted to see me first because there was something between us. But then I let reality drag me out and it gives me a stern talking to.
He just feels guilty. Yeah. Peter Parker. Guilty that he hurt my feelings while he is laying in a hospital bed paralyzed from the waist down. Only he is capable of caring that much for others.
I wonder—
No.
"Well, um, could you tell him to give us a call?" Ned asked with a grin so big.
"Y- yeah ok." I nodded as the bell rang. MJ followed me to class while Ned went to his 1st class. I walked in and sat in the empty desk by the empty chair where Peter is supposed to be.
Betty turned around and frowned, "Where is Peter? Is he okay?"
"Yeah like any of you care." I mumbled under my breath, not looking up from the paper the teacher gave us on our way in.
"What was that?" She had a bit of hostility in her voice. I looked up and put on an oblivious face.
"What?" I gave an innocent little smile as she continued to just stare at me.
"Is he sick? He said he would help me this week by making decorations. I need to know if he will be able to come to my house tomorrow."
Her house? I felt the jealousy rising in me but I was able to force it down.
I mean, she is nicer than most girls at this school. They are also both racing to be valedictorian. Well, not so much Peter because he is super humble but still.
"Oh, um. Y-yeah he is like super sick. Uh he has... Strep Throat!" I lied. I could see out the corner of my eye, Flash's reaction. He pursed his lips and his eyebrows were scrunched together. I ignored it. Betty turned to MJ and MJ nodded, as if Betty didn't just believe what I said. How come they all believe Peter's lies with no problem? He is like the worse liar I know!
The teacher walked in and looked at me weirdly.
"What?" I asked, probably a little too harshly.
"Peter is out with Chicken Pox. Mr. Stark called yesterday and said you were staying home because you felt under the weather."
"Yeah, but I got checked. Y'know, I have my own personal doctor 5 floors under me." I let out a nervous chuckle.
"Wait, who called to say Peter had Chicken Pox?" Berry asked and my eyes widened.
"His aunt, Why?" The teacher asked clearly confused. I glanced over to Flash who had his arms crossed, staring at me with disbelief.
"You said he had Strep Throat." Betty turned and looked confused.
"Well, he uh— he said his throat was all sore and he had a fever so I uh, I, I thought it was Strep Throat." I stuttered and I knew I was all over the place.
"But you just said you got tested for Chicken Pox." Flash replied. The teacher looked utterly confused.
"It doesn't matter. He's sick, okay? Let's get started with class." I snapped.
After multiple run ins with Betty and Flash giving me suspicious looks, the day was finally over. I stopped by Delmars to get some sandwiches and headed home.
I walked up to the medbay to see Tony sitting with Peter, who was in a wheelchair, by the window. May was probably at work, since she wanted to stay with Peter at night (probably because she felt guilty the incident happened at night.)
I smiled and Tony took that as his cue to leave. He gave me a little smirk and wave out of site from Peter. I rolled my eyes playfully and as Tony left, I let my smile return. As the door closed, a gust of wind went into the direction of Peter.
Peter immediately turned around eyes widened. "Is that Delmars?!" He asked midturn.
I smirked, "How do you smell sandwiches from there?"
"The power of the spider." He showed his teeth as he smiled. He showed me his bare hands as he did the motion a baby would to his mother to get candy. It was cute though, so I obliged.
As soon as I was close enough, he snatched the bag and took the sandwich out of the bag. He crumpled up the bag and without looking, made it into the trash can that was about 10 feet away. He will never cease to amaze me.
He took a bite and moaned. Literally moaned. And I would be lying if I said that sound did not make me weak to my knees.
"God, you have no idea how much I have missed this." He interrupted my thoughts.
"It's been two days." I scoffed. He looked at me as if I had offended him.
"I have been eating jello and pudding cups for the past two days. I needed some real food." He said. I chuckled.
"So, your senses are back." I stated the obvious.
He nodded eagerly, "And I have gained feeling back in my legs. Of course, Dr. Cho won't allow me to start walking since my TH4 vertebrae had a minor crack but my TH7 was shattered. She said it should completely heal by tomorrow so I can try walking then."
I looked at him in amazement. "Y'know, most people if they shattered those vertebrae, it would leave them paraplegic." Dr. Cho said from behind me.
I turned around, "For life?" She nodded.
"You are so lucky you pissed off that spider." I frowned and he giggled.
"I would like to think I charmed it." He smirked. What I would do to just kiss him right then and there. Then we would see who was all smug.
He took another bite from his sandwich as Dr. Cho continued down the hall.
"How was school?" He asked me.
"Oh nothing too big. Just Betty and Flash catching me in a lie making us both suspicious." He furrowed his eyebrows as I said that. "I told them you had Strep Throat, but your Aunt called and told them you had Chicken Pox."
He just sat there for a second with a frown.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Just trying to figure out what clever name Flash is going to call me when I get back." He chuckled. I gave him a concerned look, but he brushed it off.
He gasped, "As soon as I am up and running again, I need to help Betty. I promised her I would help with homecoming." I just laughed. He looked at me confused.
"Only you could care about helping someone with something as trivial as homecoming while you are laying in the hospital." I said in a bit of an annoyed voice.
Not annoyed at him, but annoyed with how much this human could care for others. Annoyingly in love with him, I suppose.