New Again

Chapter 4: Broken Trust

The hospital corridor was dead silent. Peter leaned back against the wall, his head in his hands. His ears were ringing, his heart felt like it was pounding harder with each beat. Knowing that Morgan was in surgery only deepened the guilt that was eating away at him.

What happened was like a dream. At first, everyone got up to go to the warehouse. Peter jumped on Morgan with his spider instinct. It pained Peter to see two gunshots, one of which hit Morgan's arm. Later, the teams surrounded the area and the criminals were caught. The arrival at the hospital was a disaster. Morgan was unconscious in the ambulance and Pepper told Harley, "Send the team home and come to the hospital."

And now three people were waiting in front of the operating room.

That bullet reminded Peter of everything, of the moment when it all began. Morgan's life was weighing heavily on his shoulders, and he couldn't let go.

Suddenly, Tony's angry voice shattered the silence of the hallway.

“Spider-Man, huh? The great hero Peter Parker!” Tony’s eyes were blazing. “You saved everyone else, but you couldn’t save your brother! Does that make you a superhero? No, Peter.”

Peter closed his eyes. Every word Tony said was like a knife stuck in his soul. Tears flowed down his cheeks involuntarily. He felt like defending himself, but he couldn't find the strength to speak. It hurt so much that he couldn't say a single word. Peter collapsed where he was as Tony walked away in anger. He felt like he was guilty of everything.

Harley saw Peter in that state when she raced into the hospital. Her eyes widened, because she had never seen Peter cry before. She knelt down and touched her friend's shoulder.

"Did something happen to Morgan? Is he dead?" he asked worriedly.

Peter tried to hide his face from Harley. “No… She’ll be fine,” he said in a shaky voice. “But it’s all my fault…”

Harley took a deep breath when she heard this. Peter had always been a strong and cheerful man. But now, looking at him broke her heart. “Peter, what do you mean? You saved Morgan, it wasn’t your fault. If anyone’s to blame, it’s—”

Just then, Helen emerged from surgery. “Morgan’s doing well,” she said in a soft but tired voice. “The bullet grazed his arm bone. He’ll be in a cast for a bit, but he’ll be fully recovered in two weeks.”

Peter breathed a sigh of relief for a moment, but then his face tightened. His vision began to blur. “I can’t… feel my legs…” he whispered. His body seemed to grow more numb with each passing second.

Morgan's presence in the room had increased the tension in Peter's eyes. Everything had suddenly become chaotic, and Peter had begun to lose his senses. Unable to prevent his body, which had always expected him to remain strong, from shaking, he fell sideways on the couch with a trembling breath. His fall was light, but the fear and pain inside him seemed to have intoxicated him.

Harley ran to him, watching Peter with worried eyes. “Peter? Peter! Look at me!” she said, her voice trembling. She quickly tried to wrap her arms around Peter, but she was so scared she didn’t know what to do.

Pepper and Tony were about to go to Morgan when they noticed Peter fall. Tony turned around and ran to Peter. Fear flashed across his face; his heart sank when he saw Peter's fragile body.

Peter's consciousness was blurred. His eyes were open, but his pupils seemed almost lost. With his hands, he tried to unbutton his shirt, trembling and struggling. Each movement was like a struggle with his body. "I... there's something in my stomach..." he mumbled, his voice weak and uncertain. He continued to unbutton the buttons one by one, but his hands were shaking, and his legs were falling into an emptiness he could not feel at all. He showed traces of blood under his shirt, thin red stains that had spread frighteningly throughout his body.

Pepper covered her mouth and took a deep breath, unable to tear her eyes away from the blood trail. “Oh, God!” she said, her voice trembling. There was a mixture of panic and desperation in her eyes.

Tony froze in shock for a moment. As if he didn't know what to do, he was just trying to figure out the moment by looking into Peter's eyes. Then, with a mixture of fear and anger, he shouted, "Peter... Why didn't you say anything?!" The anger, desperation, and fear in his voice echoed throughout his body. No matter how much he shouted, he couldn't find an answer in Peter's eyes.

Peter's eyes began to slowly close as he could only whisper, "I'm sorry... I can't feel my legs..." His words were lost in the air like a faint echo. He felt as if he could not bear the pain inside him for even a moment longer, his body weak, his mind clouded.

Pepper placed her hands on Peter's shoulders in panic. "No, no, you're... you're..." she tried to say, but the words wouldn't come together. Every breath, every heartbeat mixed with Peter's wheezing.

Helen walked in at that moment. They immediately noticed the professional yet concerned expression on her face. With a flick of her eye, she quickly picked up Peter and headed toward the intervention room. “Peter, calm down. Trust us, we’ll get to it right away,” she said, her voice soft but firm.

Helen quickly laid Peter down, trying to control his breathing with her hands. There was pain and determination in her eyes. “You have to hold on for a few minutes, Peter. Just stay calm,” she said, her voice firm but calm. Peter’s body was still shaking, his muscles tensing. As he took deep breaths, his mind was lost in the feeling of his legs and the increasing pain. The shaking of his hands was another sign that disaster was approaching.

Helen, in a moment of uncertainty, checked Peter's chest, took a deep breath and assessed the situation. Peter's heartbeat had become irregular and was pausing more and more with each passing second. "His body is in shock," she muttered. Then she took immediate action, ripping Peter's shirt off. In a few seconds, she was at the point where she could perform the famous medical intervention.

“Get the electrodes ready! Quick!” Helen shouted to those around her. “Oxygen saturation dropping, get an oxygen mask!”

Helen quickly placed the electrodes with her hands. She placed them on Peter's chest, pressing them firmly against his chest as she did so. The electrodes were ready to regulate his heartbeat. Emergency procedures quickly went into effect in the background. One of the nurses quickly got an oxygen mask, and Helen quickly placed it on Peter's face. Helen's face tightened as his oxygen levels dropped rapidly.

Peter tried to take one last breath through trembling lips, but his body had given up. His heartbeat was barely audible, but it became irregular and paused for a moment with almost every beat.

“Run the electric shock quickly!” Helen shouted, her eyes focused on Peter’s monitor. “Yes, run it! You might need another dose!”

Peter's chest jumped as one of the electrodes tried to wake his body up, but his heart rhythm did not stabilize.

“Still has an irregular heartbeat!” Helen said. “Might need another dose! Get to work on his oxygen levels, quick!”

Helen's hands moved among the rapidly beating machines and monitors as the sounds of emergency came from all around her. As Peter's chances of survival grew smaller by the second, Helen could only think of one thing: "You have to get through this, Peter. Now, right now, please."

Peter whispered, his voice shaky, "I'm in so much pain..." His body ached and he was retreating into the darkest corners of his mind.

Helen intervened immediately. “Just a few seconds, Peter. You’ll need painkillers,” she said calmly but quickly. She looked Peter in the eye as she prepared the injection. “You’ll feel better in a few minutes, okay?” she said.

Peter tried to open his eyes for another moment, but he was so tired that he closed them again. His body could not take it anymore. As the injection began to ease his pain, Peter quickly passed out. Suddenly his eyelids became heavy and he began to fall unconsciously towards the floor.

As Peter was rushed into emergency surgery, Tony and Pepper sat helplessly in the waiting room. Tony's eyes were distant, his hands balled into fists. Harley stood in the corner, glaring at Tony. Feeling his anger and disappointment made Tony feel empty inside.

“It’s your fault,” Harley said, an anger that broke the silence.

Tony looked up at him. “What did you say?”

“I said this is your fault!” Harley’s voice rose. “That boy trusted you, he looked up to you like family. And you went after him, humiliating him. He felt guilty because of you, and that’s why he sat with that bullet for hours. Are you okay, Tony Stark? Really?”

Tony's face hardened. "He couldn't protect Morgan. My daughter got hurt, Harley."

Harley leaned in angrily. “Morgan was hurt, yes. But Peter threw himself in front of him, why can’t you see that? He didn’t hesitate to sacrifice his own life. And what did you do? You yelled at him and made him nothing. Dad, huh? What kind of father acts like that?”

In a moment of anger, Tony opened his mouth to respond, but Harley's final words stopped him.

"If Peter dies, I won't forgive you. I'll even kill you, Tony."

Harley headed towards Morgan's room so that he wouldn't feel alone when he woke up.

After the surgery, Peter was taken to the intensive care unit. He headed towards the waiting room where Helen, Tony and Pepper were. He walked in, tired but determined, then took a deep breath and stepped towards them.

“Peter is stable, but we are still in a critical phase,” Helen said, her voice a delicate balance of fatigue, professionalism, and a certain determination. “The surgery was a success, but his body is still recovering. The bullet did not cause serious damage to his internal organs, but the pressure on his spinal cord could have lasting effects. Our priority right now is to stabilize the function of his lungs and heart.”

Tony listened intently to Helen, concern etched on his face. “What about the recovery? Is she going to get through this?”

Helen continued as she checked the data on the monitor: “His lung functions are now being supported. His oxygen saturation has risen to 93 percent, but it still drops below 90 percent at times. We need to stabilize that. His heart was beating irregularly, but his heart rate is more stable now. The most important thing is to give Peter’s muscles and organs time to recover. This process is especially critical for his mobility in his legs.”

Pepper stepped nervously toward Helen. “What about the nerve damage? How serious is it?”

Helen thought for a moment, then replied calmly, "The compression on the spinal cord wasn't too severe, but medically there was some degree of nerve damage. Peter's current paralysis in his legs may be temporary, but we need to do more tests to see if he can recover in the long term. We have time to start physical therapy, but right now we're not moving until the loss of feeling in his legs has completely subsided. We'll have to be patient with the recovery."

Tony clenched his hands together. “What should we do next? When can we wake him up?”

Helen continued with a serious expression, “It’s too early to wake him up right now. He’s in the ICU, intubation will continue. We may need to keep him under anesthesia to prevent fainting. It’s also important to monitor his brain function. His blood pressure is still low, so we need to keep his sedation under control. We’ll avoid keeping Peter awake until his oxygen levels and heart rate are stable.”

Pepper couldn't hide the fear in her eyes. "But he'll be okay, won't he? Will he survive?"

Helen glanced at him, then smiled slightly. “His current condition is very critical, but he has potential. If everything goes well, he can recover over time. But the process will take time. It will take a little longer for his heart and lungs to recover. But it means he has moved from a bad situation to a better one. Right now, we have to be patient.”

Tony nodded, trying to take in what Helen had said. “Thank you for everything, Helen.”

Helen glanced at Tony and Pepper one last time. "We'll do our best. It's important that you keep your spirits up too. You need to get some rest now. It's important not to leave Peter alone, but it's best to keep him calm and reassured no matter what."

Pepper nodded in agreement with Helen's words. "Thank you for keeping us informed, Helen. We really appreciate it."

Before leaving the room, Helen took one more look at Peter's ICU and walked out feeling a little more relaxed.

Harley had arrived in Peter’s room and was waiting outside. Tony turned to him. “You’re right,” he said quietly. “I failed him. And I feel the weight of it.”

Harley bowed her head. “That boy, he sees you as his hero. But right now, stop being a hero, be a father.”

Peter opened his eyes with difficulty, realizing that everything was blurry and distant. The lower half of his body was almost completely numb, and this was driving him into a deep fear. Taking a deep breath, he tried to turn his head, but every movement brought him more pain, more fear. All he could feel was the presence of the tube in his chest, and every breath he took from his lungs felt like a burden.

Suddenly, when he turned his head, he noticed the presence next to him: Pepper. Her face was full of worry and fear, but at that moment, she was Peter's greatest source of confidence. His eyes were almost dull, focused on Pepper. His voice was low, forced, but he still had to say it:

“Pepper… I can’t… feel my legs.”

Pepper winced for a moment, but quickly pulled herself together. She gently stroked Peter's head with her hands, trying to support him. "Peter, calm down. This will pass, okay? Your body is just trying to heal. You just need to be patient," she said, her voice filled with love and reassurance.

Peter tried to close his eyes, fear in his eyes and pain in his body, but he couldn't do it. He tried to straighten his head a little more, but everything was blurry. "I don't really... feel it," he mumbled again, running his hands over his head, his face full of pain.

epper put his hands on her shoulders, trying to calm her down. “You’ll get through this,” he said, but the fear was still evident in his voice. “I believe everything will be okay. You just have to be patient. I’m here, I won’t leave you.”

Peter took a deep breath, but relief did not come. Hundreds of thoughts were racing through his head; fear, anxiety, and despair mixed together. But Pepper's hands were enough to reassure him. At that moment, the door slowly opened and Harley walked in. Her eyes were full of concern, but she sat down calmly next to Peter.

“Hey, Peter Pan,” Harley said, smiling but with a look of obvious fear in her eyes.

Peter let a few tears flow from his eyes. All the fear and anxiety inside him suddenly flowed out. “I can’t feel my legs,” he said, his voice trembling. He was trying hard not to cry, but his body couldn’t stop it.

Harley approached him and gently touched his shoulder. “Relax, Peter,” she said.

At that moment, Helen opened the door of the room and walked in. She immediately came to Peter and gave him her full attention. She quickly scanned the situation with her eyes and quickly started the treatment.

“Peter, you’re stable,” Helen said, placing her hands delicately on different parts of his body. “The loss of feeling in your legs is temporary. Sometimes with injuries like this, you lose feeling as your body heals. But don’t worry, it will pass.”

Peter was still afraid despite Helen's words. "But I really… don't feel it…" he said, his voice trembling.

“This is completely temporary,” Helen said with deep confidence in her eyes. “Your injuries will take time to heal, but the loss of feeling will subside within a few days. For now, you just need to stay calm. We will continue with the treatment and your body will adjust.”

Pepper glanced at Peter again, reassuring him as she listened to Helen's words. "See? It's going to be okay, Peter," she said. "Trust us, honey. We're here for you."

Peter Parker, despite having been in the hospital room for a week, was still having a hard time accepting this fact. He tried to sit up slowly in bed, but his body was heavy and tired as if it protested. He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. He could smell the sterile scent that filled the room, the slow beeps of the monitors, and the faint scent of the flowers by his bedside. The silence could not drown out the thoughts echoing in his mind.

The rhythmic thud of a pair of boots echoed through the room as the door slowly opened. Peter turned his head to look at the door. Harley had walked in. She was holding a paper coffee cup and a bag. “Look, I brought you something that will make you feel like a hero: coffee in a water glass instead of tea,” she said with a smile.

Peter smiled slightly. “Do you think I need coffee in my current state?”

Harley set her coffee aside and sat down in the chair next to the bed. “Yeah, definitely. Because coffee is good for the blues. And man, you need it so bad right now.”

Peter's smile slowly faded as he looked at Harley. "You know, Harley... sometimes I don't think I'll ever get out of here. It's like... nothing will ever be the same."

Harley looked into Peter’s eyes. There was silence for a moment, then she gently pulled her chair closer to the bed. “Listen, Peter. If you don’t get out of here, I’m kicking you. Even if you can’t feel your legs… I’ll find a way.”

Peter let out a small laugh at Harley's joke, but his face remained serious. "Don't joke. Can I actually… become Spider-Man again?"

Harley tapped Peter on the shoulder. “Peter, Spider-Man is more than just power. What you do here touches all of our lives. And that means even though you’re not powerful, you’re still a hero.”

Peter thought about Harley's words for a moment. The words had sunk so deeply into his mind that the silence didn't bother him for even a moment. He slowly raised his head and looked at Harley.

“What if I can actually do it?” she said, her voice shaky but determined.

Harley smiled and put a hand on Peter's shoulder. "Then you should try. Sitting here and waiting isn't going to change anything, man."

Peter slid toward the edge of the bed. The weight on his body still felt like resistance, but something was beginning to stir inside him. “I have to try,” he muttered. “Come on, help me.”

Harley took Peter's arm without hesitation. "Okay, but if I knock you down, it won't be me, it will be you," she said, trying to smile half-jokingly.

Peter tried to stand up with Harley's help. He put all his weight on his arms and his legs felt numb as if they were stone. But just feeling the ground on him gave him strength. When he tried to take the first step, he almost lost his balance, but Harley held him tightly.

“Slow down, Parker,” Harley said. “Don’t think of this as a marathon. You’re taking your first steps. Little Parker steps.”

Peter took a deep breath and tried again. This time he noticed something; a slight tingling in his legs. “Harley…” he said, his voice filled with surprise. “I think I can feel something. Like a slight… vibration.”

Harley nodded excitedly. “That’s a good thing! But don’t overdo it. Now calm down. Try a little harder.”

At that moment, Helen entered the room. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw Peter take his first step, but she quickly regained her composure. “Peter,” she said softly. “That’s a great start, but you need to take your time. Your body is healing. You need to adapt to the process instead of pushing yourself.”

Peter looked up at Helen. “But I can move. I can feel my legs tingling. Doesn’t that mean something?”

Helen approached him and gently placed her hand on Peter's shoulder. "Of course it means something, Peter. It means your nerves are starting to heal. But if you push yourself too hard, you'll make the process harder. You have to take it step by step. Small successes add up to big victories."

Peter sat down slowly on the floor as he listened to Helen's words. All this effort had exhausted him greatly. But the expression on his face had changed. A glimmer of hope was now emerging.

“Okay,” Peter said, nodding. “I get what you’re saying. But at least taking one step today has made me feel like anything is possible. And that feels like a big enough victory.”

Helen smiled. “That’s more than enough for today. Be patient, Peter. Your body is fighting a battle and you are leading it. In time, everything will be fine.”

Peter smiled slightly as he looked at Helen and Harley. He was tired, but there was a happiness in that tiredness. He didn't want to just sit around and wait anymore. The fighting spirit was starting to return to him.

"Spider-Man will return one day," he muttered as he slowly made his way back to his bed. "But first, Peter Parker must learn to walk again."

“That’s right, buddy,” Harley agreed, and Helen watched his determination with silent approval.

Peter had returned to his bed and was leaning back against his pillow. Even the short time he had tried to move had exhausted him. As he was trying to catch his breath, the door opened and Pepper walked in. She was holding a bowl of soup. She slowly approached Peter and pulled out her chair and sat down.

“Peter, you need some energy,” Pepper said, her voice gentle but firm. She pointed to the bowl of soup. “This is homemade. Your favorite kind.”

Peter pursed his lips, shaking his head slightly. “Thank you, but I don’t think I’m hungry.”

Harley, who was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, quickly intervened. “Yeah, yeah. You’re not hungry because you’re thinking ‘I’m a hero, I don’t need to eat.’ But dude, just act normal for once and eat your soup, okay?”

Peter frowned at Harley. “Is eating soup going to make me more of a hero, Harley? A little seriousness, please.”

Pepper patiently placed Peter's tray on the table despite Harley's sarcastic tone. "If you drink this, it'll at least give you some energy. You're still weak anyway, you don't want to prolong the recovery process, do you?"

Peter leaned his head back with a sigh. “I think you’re embarrassing me in front of everyone with a bowl of soup.”

Harley chimed in with a laugh. “Dude, you can’t avoid us. I might even offer to mix your soup with hot coffee to make it easier. You know, the ‘Harley signature’ thing.”

Peter smiled slightly, unable to resist Harley's jokes. "Okay, okay. But I won't let Harley do anything with that soup. It'll make your health worse."

Pepper smiled and dipped the spoon into the soup before offering it to Peter. Peter hesitated at first, but gave in under Pepper's insistent gaze. He opened his mouth slowly and took the first spoonful.

“Okay,” Peter said, a little surprised when he noticed the soup’s flavor. “This… isn’t bad. In fact, it’s pretty good.”

Harley laughed wryly. “See? Soup doesn’t just make you better, it changes your whole outlook on life!”

Peter nodded at Harley. “I miss you coming up with philosophical conclusions about a soup story.”

Pepper smiled and leaned back in her chair as she watched Peter finish the soup. “Look, it was that simple. We’ll do this every day and have you on your feet in no time.”

Peter rolled his eyes slightly, but deep down, he was loving the attention.

After Peter finished the soup, he put the tray aside and leaned back on the bed, taking a deep breath. The slight smile on his face gave way to a pause as he glanced around. There was a silence that everyone in the room was aware of. He turned his eyes to Harley.

“Where’s Tony?” Peter asked, his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Harley paused for a moment at Peter’s question. Harley, who usually had a quick, sarcastic response to everything, took a moment to respond this time. “Well, he’s… he’s got some stuff going on. You know, Tony Stark stuff. But it doesn’t mean he’s not thinking about you. He’s definitely thinking about you.”

Peter looked into Harley's eyes intently. "Harley, be serious. Where is it?"

Harley looked away, shrugged, and said with false ease, "Maybe he's at home or in the lab working on something. I mean, you know Tony, he's always up to something."

Peter tilted his head slightly, as if he were not satisfied with this explanation. “But he hasn’t come here, has he? Since the first day…”

Pepper intervened, gently taking Peter's hand. "Peter, you know how Tony feels about you. He just… he might not know what to do sometimes. He might be holding back because he doesn't want to hurt you."

Peter's expression softened for a moment, but there was still a hint of unease. "He blames himself for me, doesn't he?"

Harley took a deep breath and looked at Peter. “Yeah, man. But that’s just his style. When something goes wrong, Tony always takes all the blame. That’s his… way of loving, let’s say. He might be trying to figure out how to approach you.”

Peter slowly leaned his head back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. “I need him, Harley. He should be here.”

Harley smiled slightly at Peter's words. "Hey, don't worry. If there's one thing I know about Tony Stark, it's that he's stubborn. No matter what, he'll somehow turn around and be right there with you, just enough to make you feel completely uncomfortable."

Peter smiled slightly at Harley's joke, but his thoughts were still on Tony.

Two days later, as Peter was resting in bed, the door opened quietly. Morgan walked in. The little girl had a cast on her arm with colorful drawings on it. Her head was slightly bowed, and she looked at Peter with a slightly shy expression.

“Peter?” he asked in his thin voice. “Can I come in?”

Peter looked at her, trying to sit up slightly, and immediately noticed the cast. “Morgan! How’s your arm?”

Morgan winced, a little embarrassed. “It’s fine. It doesn’t even hurt anymore.”

he said and moved a little closer to the bed. “But uh… I actually came for something else.”

Peter looked at him, eyebrows raised. “Anything else? What happened, little Stark?”

Morgan pulled his casted arm to his chest and spoke softly, “I want to thank you…”

Peter smiled, a little surprised. “Thank you? To me? Why?”

Morgan swung her feet slightly and looked into Peter’s eyes. “Because you saved us. My father, my mother, me… all of us.”

Peter was silent for a moment at her words. He took a deep breath and smiled slightly. “Morgan, I just… did the right thing. It’s not a big deal.”

Morgan shook his head. “But it was important. You were very brave.”

"Thank you, Morgan," Peter said, a little touched by her heartfelt words, "But you may be the biggest hero of all. Even with that cast on your arm, you come here and thank me. Not everyone does that."

Morgan approached Peter and placed one of her small hands on his knee. “One day, I’ll be a hero too. Maybe like you.”

Peter smiled and ruffled her hair. “You’re already a hero, little Stark. And I’m sure you’ll surprise everyone one day.”

Just then, the door opened again and Harley walked in. She had a cup of coffee in her hand and looked at Morgan with her usual playful expression on her face. “Hey, little Stark, what are you doing here?”

Morgan turned to Harley and showed her his cast. “I was talking to Peter. Look, my arm doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Harley set her coffee aside and crouched down next to Morgan. “Let’s get you home, little hero. Let’s give Peter some space for today, okay?”

Morgan wrapped her arms around Harley's neck and climbed onto her lap. Harley winked at Peter as she carried the little girl. "I don't know how you handle an energy source like that, Peter Pan."

Peter shrugged, laughing. “You’ll get used to it. But take good care of it, okay?”

Harley nodded, her expression serious. “Little Stark is under my protection. Don’t worry.”

“See you around, Peter!” Morgan said, waving to Peter over Harley’s shoulder.

Peter smiled and waved at him. “See you around, Morgan.”

Harley and Morgan left the room, leaving Peter alone. But this time, he felt lighter and happier.

Preparations were made for Peter's next attempt at walking. Harley and Helen were on hand to support him. "Come on, Parker. This is going to be your hero walk," Harley teased as Peter slowly rose from his wheelchair. Helen took Peter's arm gently and said, "Take it easy. No need to rush, we'll take it one step at a time."

Peter took his first step, holding on to the wall. His muscles were weak, but he was moving. Harley took a step forward, encouraging. “You know, Peter, you can start training for the Olympics in a minute. I’m ready to be your coach!”

Peter smiled slightly as he looked at her. "Are you the one who will be my coach? This could be a bit dangerous."

Helen smiled, agreeing with Harley's joke. "I think a therapist would be better. But be careful not to let Harley's energy push you too hard."

Peter took another step and almost lost his balance. Harley quickly ran to him and grabbed his arm. “Hey, hey, slow down, hero! Just so you know, I won’t pick you up if you fall.”

Peter threw a reproachful look at Harley. “You really are amazing, you know that?”

Then Helen said in a supportive tone, "You're doing great, Peter. Your muscles are regaining strength. Give yourself some time."

Peter took a few more steps before he noticed Tony at the end of the hallway. Tony was watching them silently. Harley glanced at Helen and, realizing the situation, said, “I think we should leave the stage for a father-son talk here.”

Helen tapped Peter on the shoulder. “You did a great job. Get some rest, okay?” she said, and walked away down the hall with Harley.

Tony slowly approached Peter. His face was unusually serious. “Peter,” he began, his voice softer than usual. “I need to apologize to you.”

Peter looked at Tony in surprise. “Why?”

Tony was silent for a moment, then took a deep breath. “I wasn’t fair to you. That day… I accused you of hurting Morgan. I know it was a very false accusation. He’s just a kid, but so are you. I know I hurt you by saying that.”

Peter’s eyes filled with tears at Tony’s words, but he quickly regained his composure. “Tony, I was scared too. I thought something would happen to Morgan. But I would never… I would never hurt her, you know. I did everything I could to protect her. But…”

Tony put a hand on Peter's shoulder. "I know, Peter. I knew it all along. But fear makes people do stupid things. And yet I can't forgive myself for blaming you."

Peter took a deep breath and nodded. “Tony, we can put this behind us. We all make mistakes. The important thing is that we support each other from now on.”

Tony smiled slightly. “That’s good to hear from you, Pete. You’re a lot stronger than I thought.”

Peter looked at Tony and smiled slightly. “And you’re more emotional than I thought.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Oh, come on, you said emotional and I feel like making a joke. But I won’t let you down this once.”

They both walked into the room smiling.

The hospital room was filled with morning light. Peter was sitting on his bed, his fingers interlocked. His eyes were immersed in Helen Cho’s file. Helen stood by the bed, watching Peter silently for a moment. Finally, with a smile, she spoke.

“Peter,” he said softly, “you are ready to come home now.”

Peter frowned, feeling the weight of those words immediately. “Are you sure? I’m not fully recovered yet. I’m still a… burden.”

Helen sat down next to Peter, her head bowing slightly. “You may not be fully recovered, but you don’t have to stay here. Your body needs to be back home and recover in a more normal environment. However, I need to tell you something: you need to continue taking a break from your superhero business.”

Peter's face fell. He had been expecting the words, but they were still hard to hear. "I can't do this," he said, his voice low but determined. "People are counting on me. I . . ."

Helen interrupted, her tone gentle but firm. “Peter, healing means giving yourself a chance. Your body is still trying to recover from the trauma. What’s important now is your physical and emotional recovery. Everyone needs a break.”

Peter took a deep breath and bowed his head. This was one of the hardest decisions of his life. “Okay,” he said finally. “If this is truly necessary . . .”

The door suddenly opened. Harley stuck her head in and said, “Hey, hero! Are you ready to leave? I saved a whole lot of space in Tony’s car to carry you.”

Peter looked at Harley, smiling slightly. “Carry? It would be so much fun to use you for that.”

Harley laughed. “Oh, please. You need to be healed before you use me.”

Helen smiled slightly and stood up. “Harley’s right, Peter. Let’s get ready. Tony’s waiting for you in the car.”

Tony's car cruised down the quiet road to the lake house. Peter sat in the backseat next to Harley, watching the scenery outside. His eyes searched for memories in every tree and road he passed. Tony was behind the wheel, glancing at Peter in the rearview mirror every now and then.

“What do you think, Pete?” Tony asked, his voice unusually soft.

Peter thought for a moment, then lowered his eyes. “I was just… wondering if you thought I should be here.”

Tony glanced at Peter in the mirror, taking the steering wheel in one hand. “Pete, your being here is not a requirement. We want you here because this house is our home. And home always welcomes family.”

Harley tapped Peter on the shoulder. “Besides, if you’re not here, there’ll be no one to suffer Tony’s morning pranks. You can’t do this to me.”

Peter looked at Harley, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “I think I can handle you two for a few more days.”

When they arrived home, Tony parked the car carefully. Harley opened Peter's door and helped him in. Peter took a deep breath of the familiar scent of home as he put his feet on the ground.

“Welcome back, Pete,” Tony said, closing the car door. “Things are going to be different this time.”

Peter nodded slightly. “Yeah… different. But not bad, I guess.”

Pepper opened the door of the house and walked towards them, Morgan right behind her. Instead of running to Peter and hugging him, she paused, but her eyes were still glowing with a warm light.

“Hello, Peter,” Morgan said.

Peter replied with a small smile, “Hello, Morgan.”

Morgan thought for a moment, then quietly approached Peter and said, "Welcome, big brother."

Peter paused for a moment when he heard these words, then a small but genuine smile appeared on his face. Tears welled up in his eyes, but this time they were from happiness.

“Thank you, Morgan,” she whispered. “It’s good to be home.”