Sleepless Nights
A cry echoes through the small, white-colored room. He bites his teeth together, trying to not let a single sound out this Time. He didn't want to concern May and if she woke up, the Drama would be a lot bigger. The lights were dimmed and didn't brighten the room, but it was enough, so he could see his wound. It was silent, except for his heavy breathing. Staring at the screen in front of him, he tried to fiddle the string into the needle. Soon enough, he realizes it was useless. Sweat was running down his forehead and tears of pain gathered, leading to a blurry sight. Frustrated, he tried to fiddle the black string into the hole, but his bloody hands were shaking uncontrollably. Ending with him letting the needle slip out of his fingers. An angry, wet yell escapes his lips which are still pressed together.
Why couldn't he do this? He was supposed to be a grown-up Man, and now he couldn't even get the damn cord through the tiny hole of a needle. Peter tries to kneel, to get the needle back, but hisses from the sudden pain that erupts in his abdomen. It was stupid of him to take out the bullet, the blood was now spilling onto the tiny bathroom floor. Biting the inner side of his cheek, he leans against the sink. Peter could do this. He was 20 for goddamn fuck. Slowly, he slides to the floor, grabbing the tiny metal. He pants loudly and dizziness overcomes him. The lights on the floor, flicker, it blinds him, and he has to blink before the white dots take his vision.
God, he was so useless. He should have listened to Happy, and not gone out before his wounds fully healed, now here he was, not just tearing open his wound that had healed up nicely, no he got shot, tearing another hole in his already bruised-up body. Peter tries to reach for the string, but his arm doesn't reach far enough and just slumps down next to him. His strength is slowly leaving, and his eyelids are heavy all of a sudden. Maybe some sleep would help heal his wounds? Would help the Pain. Peter knows that it's a stupid thought and that he would most likely bleed to death if he wouldn't do something to stop the blood from spilling, but he was so tired, and the thought of a painless night lulled him in.
“Bambino, you have to be strong for Daddy, okay?” Peter suddenly hears the Voice of his Father. A warmth spread through him; eyes wide awake suddenly. He hadn't heard Tony's Voice for a long time. Refusing to watch any videos, because they brought him back the pain, he refused to feel ever again. His Father's death still sits with him, in the back of his head, never leaving him. It hunts him, how he just disappeared into thin air. Peter could just helplessly watch, as his father tries to hug him back, but where his arms used to be, has been this dust, flying around them. Swirling, taunting him, that even in his last moments, his father wasn't able to hug him back. The only thing he could do was cling to his father, hoping that it would make him stay with him. Which he didn't and now Peter felt utterly alone. It felt like a part of him died to that day.
It's cold again, when Peter looks around, not seeing his father. He can feel the cold tiles under him, burning his calves, feeling like he was melting into the floor. He couldn't stop now. They were so close to finding a way to bring Tony back. His father. He needed him back, and he promised his father that he would a way to bring him back, and Peter wasn't leaving before he had fulfilled his promise.
“May…” he tried to yell, but his voice was hoarse and just barely a whisper.
A whimper bubbles up his throat, and he bangs his head against the sink. Hoping for some strength, but he couldn't stand up. His legs felt like they were tied to the ground and his arms suddenly weighed double their normal weight.
Peter lets himself glide to the floor, crawling in his own blood to reach the door.
“May!” he tried again, this time it's louder, and he hopes that May is still somehow awake at this ungodly hour. “May! Help me, please.”
He can hear Footsteps on the other side of the door and a relief rushes through him, the tears spill from his eyes as he lets himself sink to the floor.
Peter was going to be okay, May had got him.
Earth 1610, The Present
POV Peter Parker
When Peter awakes, he is disorientated, and still feels a headache in the back of his head. At first, he doesn't remember what had happened, thinking he was laying in his scrawny apartment in Queens. Resting on the couch with his small red blanket, which kept him from freezing to death. The Dream confuses him, it felt real and like it really happened to him. He peels his eyes open and is met with darkness and a numbing feeling. His parents had died years ago, he didn't even remember their faces, but still, it felt like he had just lost his Father. Tired, he shakes his head.
What nonsense, Peter thought. His Father died in a plane crash; he wasn't dusted.
What confuses him more, was the fact that he wasn't the one getting dusted, because that's the way it was, right?
Peter rubs his eyes, looking around the room. The curtain was closed, and he wasn't sure if it was still dark outside or if he was just out cold for a few hours. Peter wasn't in his Apartment. His back didn't hurt from the bony couch, and the room was filled with a cozy, warmness. From outside the room, he could hear voices. Peter realizes that his Spider hearing isn't working properly either. Peter feels panic rise inside his chest, but it stops when the memories came floating back to him. He had a sensory overload. It was alright. Peter was okay. His Body is just tired.
Peter was in Ned's room. He and Ned talked, MJ joined, and Peter panicked, his Senses dialed up to a nonexistent number. He traveled Universes and was safe now.
The mumbling from outside gets a little louder, and he wonders if he could just take another nap, letting himself get just a little more sleep. Letting the warmness under the blanket consume him. He decides against it when he hears a loud bang from outside. Peter sits upright slowly, giving his body the time, it needs to adjust to the feeling. It takes him a while to turn and let his feet dangle from the Bed, almost touching the cold floor. At first, his Body protest at the sudden movement, making him feel dizzy, but he just closes his eyes for the moment, taking a deep breath.
Peter knew how sensitive he was after a Sensory Overload, not just his body felt like it was hit by a truck, no. His Emotions were affected too. Everything was overwhelming for him; an easy task would make him cry when he couldn't do it. He was glad that he was with MJ and Ned when it happened. He would have probably freaked if that happened on the streets.
His feet touch the ground, and a chill goes through his body. Peter ignores it, testing how much weight he can carry. Luckily, he is able to stand, even though his legs wobble a little, but he takes it as a success, standing up slowly. It's hard at first to walk to the door, but he gets a hold of things quickly, gripping the door handle tightly.
The Voices are clearer now, and he can hear MJ and Ned arguing. It isn't an intense fight, but it does seem intimate. For a second, he feels bad about eavesdropping, but it's soon replaced with curiosity when he hears his name.
“How long was Peter out there? Alone?” He hears MJ asking.
Her Voice trembles and breaks a little at the end, and Peter knows she had been crying.
“Not more than 2 Days, I think.” Ned began. “He seemed pretty wounded up, though. Told me a little about his Universe. It's bad MJ.”
He could imagine Ned's worried eyes when he told him how his Universe has treated him so far, taking away everything that he loved. He also could imagine MJ's worried, sad eyes, hearing how Peter had to deal with all the hardships.
“At least he is alive, Ned. He is here, we're going to fix this, alright? He got us now.”
Peter's heart swelled, hearing MJ's Words.
He didn't wait for a response from Ned, turning the door handle. With a squeak, it opened, stopping the conversation a few rooms away. Sudden footsteps echo through the hall, and he can see the heads of his two best friend pop up from the end of the hallway.
“Peter! Why are you up?” Ned said worriedly.
The Boy just gives them a shrug, grinning cheekily at them.
“Thought I join the talk and stop pretending to be dead.”
MJ gives him a gentle push.
“Shut up, Idiot, and sit down.” She leads him to the living room, helping him sit on one of the armchairs. “You're a piece of work, huh, Parker?” she adds when they finally all sit.
“Trying my best not to be but seems like it's not really working at the moment.”
The three sit in silence for a while, Peter just leaning against the fluffy pillow, he is tempted to close his eyes but scared that he falls asleep. Ned and Michelle just stare at him, like they can't believe he is really here, and to be honest, Peter can't quite believe it himself. The living room still looked the same, the dining table was in the middle of the room, the old six scrappy chairs resting against it. To the left was the fireplace and old family pictures, Ned's Grandma had hung up, when they were still children. On the other side were the couch and the TV. The shelf above the couch was still full of Lego figures that he and Ned had built together.
“It looks exactly the same.”
Peter didn't intent to say it out loud, but it still slips through his lips. His cheeks heat up, and he looks at his hands, which are folded in his lap.
“Sorry, it's just, really familiar.”
Ned just smiles at him.
“It's fine! I'm glad that it's not that different. Would be pretty weird for you.”
Ned and Peter fall into silence again. It's a little awkward, but it doesn't take long for MJ to interrupt it.
“You guys are such Losers!” MJ says, annoyed, and rolls her eyes, but she can't hide the hint of a smile that creeps up her lips.
A small laugh escapes Peter's lips and when he looks at Ned, he sees that he was laughing as well.
“Peter, I know it's probably a lot right now, for you and I get if you need a few days to rest, but if you feel up to it, there are still a few things we need to discuss.”
The brown-haired boy sighed. He knew sooner or later they would want to talk about some stuff, but he had just hoped that till then he would have known how to get back to his Universe. Biting his inner cheek, he nervously plays with his fingers.
“Depends really.” His Voice sounds small.
“Well, we don’t have to do that, but here in our Universe there are just a lot of differences, you know? We just wanted to check, what might be similar and what’s different.” MJ starts watching him carefully, like he was some lost rabbit, scared he might run any second.
“Yeah, and if something Is too much you just tell us, alright? You don’t have to answer anything that you don’t want to, Peter.” Ned adds.
Peter doesn’t know what to feel about this situation. Everything is weird and new and for some part, he feels like a lost rabbit, trapped in this cave finding nowhere to escape from. Being simple prey, Spider-Man was no simple prey.
He tilts his head a little, thinking about his options. It probably was the best idea, to get some info about this Universe, to find a way back home, or just to understand things a little better.
“Okay, shoot. What do you guys want to know?”
MJ and Ned asked him a lot of Questions, like if they were good friends in school, which of course he said yes to, but they also ask him Questions about how he got his Spider bite in his Universe. Peter realizes soon that some things were different here, but MJ and Ned seem to let some details hidden. He is confused about why they react weirdly when he talks about his life with May and Uncle Ben and asks him what happened to his Parents.
He shifts uncomfortably in his seat at first. Debating what to say and deciding the truth was the right way to go.
“They died in a Plane crash. I was left in the care of Aunt May and Ben. Why?”
Ned and MJ share a look before waving it off.
“It’s nothing Peter, we just wanted to check if the timeline is different from ours.”
Peter could hear Ned’s heart skip.
He was lying.
Confused he raises his eyebrow. Why was Ned lying to him? It’s not like anything worse could happen. Peter would leave soon anyways.
“Dude, I know I just had a sensory overload and stuff, but you guys can talk to me too. We were best friends in this Universe too, right?” Peter waited for them to respond, which Ned did with a small nod before he speaks again. “So, you know, that I know when people are lying to me. What happened to my Parents?”
Ned is biting his lip looking everywhere but his face. MJ just sighs rubbing her eyes.
“Your Mom died while giving birth to you.”
“MJ!” Ned screeches at her.
“What? It’s his right to know, he has been telling us an awful lot about himself, so I think he has the right to know!”
Peter just stares at them. His mother was dead. Peter didn’t know if he was supposed to be sad, but he wasn’t. He couldn’t remember her face anymore, anyways, and May had raised him. He had a mother, and that was May. His thoughts stop and he locks eyes with MJ.
“You didn’t mention my dad.” He states.
MJ nods. He reaches for something in her jeans pocket. It’s her phone. She searches for something before she lends him her phone.
“Ned told me about your relationship with him, that he was like a mentor to you. Here your father raised you, Peter. May and he co-parented you. After he dusted, you bought him back, you bought us back.”
Peter looks at the phone. In the picture, you could see a little boy (That was Peter, he could recognize that stupid curly head everywhere) and his father. Tony Stark. The Man was giving him a piggyback ride and was laughing. They were in a wooden cabin, that looked exactly like the one Tony had moved when he was dusted. Little Peter looked happy, laughing hysterically with his dad, front teeth showing.
“No,” he says, shaking his head violently. “That’s not true.”
Mr. Stark wasn’t his dad. It would be too ironic. Too mean.
Peter had always wished that Tony was more than a mentor. He looked up to that man, thinking that maybe someday Tony would see him as a son, and now some other Universe Peter got exactly what he wished for.
Why was Life so unfair?
Peter had begged since he was a child to have a family, to have a dad that would play games with him, and tinker in the lab with him and now the Tony stark, the man that meant everything to him, was supposed to be his father?
Shaking his head violently he feels the tears swell up again.
This couldn't be true.
“Peter.” MJ's voice grounds the brown-haired boy and brings him out of his head.
“I get that it’s a lot right now. And if you need some time to figure this all out, then we give you the time that you need, but sooner or later we need to ask someone for help to get you back to your Universe. I think your father is one of our only options.”
His eyes widen and he stood up.
“No! No way! He can’t know! He thinks I’m his son! I can’t do that to him! Mr. Stark died, okay.”
He did die. Died because of Peter and yes, of course, he wishes he could see Mr. Stark again, telling him how sorry he is, but he can’t. This Tony wasn’t his. He didn’t share the same memories. Tony was his father here. Peter would just disappoint him.
Ned comes up to him, touching his shoulder.
“We’re not going to call him today, but sooner or later we need to tell him. Spider-Man is in the news right now, so if you like it or not, he is probably looking for you right now. May too.”
At Mays's name Peter looks up, and his thoughts suddenly stop spiraling.
May.
“May is alive here. What about Uncle Ben?”
“Died in a robbery.”
He nodded. At least some things never change.
“I think today I just want to rest and learn about a few other things about this Universe if that’s okay?”
MJ smiles at him. She steps closer to him, cupping his face with her hands.
“Of course, Peter.” She gently wraps her arm around him. “Take your Time.”
Peter returns the hug, letting himself sink into the feeling of comfort. His mind spirals back to the dream. He did learn from America that dreams are not just dreams. It’s different Universes where a different Peter just lived his life. It was memories from other Peters, and maybe that Memory belong to a Peter who had just lost his father. Or maybe it was this Peters's memories.
A metal taste spreads in his mouth, blood seeps out of the wound on his inner cheek he kept biting on. He wants to ask Ned and MJ about it but decides against it. He needed to ask May himself. Maybe some things get clearer that way.
“Okay, enough with the sad mood. We’re watching Star Wars now because damn Peter the new Movie came out like 2 months ago and I couldn’t watch it without you!”
“Wait? The new movie is out? But it’s been just in production?”
“Well, here it’s out! So, c’mon!”
Peter smiles sadly at Ned. He missed this, and maybe watching his favorite Movie would bring him some sort of closure.
Earth-1610, The Presents
POV, Tony Stark
Tony doesn’t sleep the Night, but May doesn’t either. They sit in silence in his lab. The brown-haired man is tinkering. He knows it’s not the best way of dealing with the situation, but he is proud that he didn’t lay a finger on alcohol.
Alcohol was something he liked to drown in, but he can’t do that anymore, because he promised Peter to never ever drink again. That was 10 years ago, when his son was just a little boy, and he had accidentally yelled at Peter drunkenly. Since that day, he never touched a bottle again. His Boy had looked so scared of him, and Tony felt that guilt bottle up now, anytime he just looked at the substance. May helped him through the withdrawal and their relationship became better too.
Tony’s hand is shaking a little, and he sighs, stopping his tinkering. May looks at him, giving him a sad smile. Tony can see the sun going up from the window behind her.
“What do you think happened?”
Tony shrugs, feeling a shiver running through his body. He wishes he knew what happened to his boy. Why he was dressed in clothes that didn’t keep him warm, how long he was here, why he didn’t call, and even though the answer was laying right in front of him, he couldn’t pinpoint it, without Peter telling them.
“I wish I knew, May. I just hope he is safe right now.”
Tony looks at the clock, two hours before the library opens.
“I’m going to make breakfast, want some coffee?”
May nod with a smile. She stands up from the cozy chair, following him to the kitchen.
“I help you.”
Pepper wakes up an hour later, drinking the coffee May and Tony made her and eating the reheated eggs, making herself some toast with butter that goes with it. She mustered them, sighing loudly. Rubbing her eyes, she shakes her head.
“You both, go fetch a shower. If we find Peter, you guys shouldn’t look like Zombies.”
May grumbles a little but leaves the room to shower. They’re alone now and Tony sits down, next to his fiancée. He seeks her comfort, so he rests his head on her shoulder. Pepper plants a kiss on his head, stroking through his hair.
“It’s going to be okay, Tony.”
Soothingly, she rubs his back, creating patterns. Tony closes his eyes. He loved Pepper, with all his heart. Without her, he didn’t think he would be here today.
“If this is over, no matter how it turns out. I think we should finally get married.” He whispered against her ear, kissing her neck slightly. Pepper giggles slightly.
“Tony, your helpless.”
“Helplessly in Love with you, Mrs. Stark? You are correct. Doesn’t, it has a nice ring to it?”
Pepper laughs heartfully, throwing her head back a little. She gives him a bright smile, cupping his face in her hands.
“It kind of does, you appear to be right.” She says, before giving him a gentle kiss on the lips.
He returns the kiss, moving his lips slowly against hers. When they part, Tony smiles at her, taking her all in. Her messy strawberry-blonde hair stuck out of her ponytail. His red Hoodie, that she was wearing, and her joggers. Her pretty face, with little freckles on her nose.
“Now go take a shower, you stink.”
Pushing him slightly, she stands up, cleaning up the mess, May and he created trying to cook some eggs.
"Alright Captain!" Tony teases her, before standing and heading for the showers, and he quickly comes to realize that it was, indeed, a good idea to take a shower. The Hot water running down his back felt like magic, and he moans at the feeling. His tense shoulders relax, and he lets himself sink into the feeling. His mind goes blank, and for the 10 minutes he is in the shower, he doesn’t think about his messed-up life once.
He leaves the shower, put on, one of his hoodies that Pepper hasn’t claimed yet, and put on some Jeans. In the last two years, the glorious image he had presented over the years had fallen apart, and the last time he had worn a suit was because of the interview he had given 2 weeks ago. Other than that, he hadn’t laid a hand on his suits, and he wasn’t about to change that. Entering the kitchen again, he sees May and Pepper, already fully clothed to go out.
“Let’s go ladies! We’re going to find our son now!”