I've Never Seen Anything Like This...
“Tony you need to take a look at this,” Bruce called from across the lab. “Peter’s blood is reacting differently. It’s not like Steve’s or mine. It’s resisting the virus.”
Tony quickly turned and gazed at the hologram screen. Sure enough, Peter’s blood was unaffected by the virus.
“So, he’s immune?” Tony asked. He was so relieved. At least Peter wouldn’t have to deal with it.
“Yea. But, look,” Bruce gestured to the bottom corner of the screen. “That’s the disease sample. His white blood cells are destroying it.”
Tony looked in confusion. But, it was true. Peter’s blood, his whole DNA in fact, was able to fight against the infection without help. “Holy shit. How?”
“I think it must be the radiation. It wasn’t gamma like we thought. It’s something else. Look at mine and Steve’s. Both made from gamma. They can’t fight the virus like Peter’s.”
“So, the spider wasn’t gamma radiation… Then what was it?”
Bruce shrugged. “I’ve never seen anything like it… Tony, do you know what this means?”
Nick’s words floated across Tony’s mind. The look on Peter’s face… He sighed and rubbed circles on his forehead. “Peter’s blood…”
“We gotta get more samples. If we start now we could synthesize a cure in a few months,” Bruce said excitedly.
“We might not have that much time…” Tony sighed.
“Well call him and we’ll get started.”
“No. We can’t tell him,” Tony said seriously. “He can’t know. You saw the look on his face. He can’t know.”
“Tony... We can’t just leave him in the dark-”
“If this gets out he’ll be a target. Every mutant in the world is going to come after him. Not to mention hydra. This stays between us.”
Bruce sighed and nodded. “But, the minute we synthesize the cure we tell everyone. Not where it came from. Just that we have it.”
Tony nodded and the two went back to work. Tony felt slightly sick. He hated to put this pressure on Peter. Even just the idea of letting him know made him feel guilty. He was a kid. He deserved to be able to act like a kid.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peter was called back to the lab the next morning. So, before school, Happy picked him up and drove him to the tower.
“So, how you holding up?” Happy asked after a brief silence. He kept looking back at him through the mirror.
“Fine?” Peter said. Happy didn’t usually ask him personal questions unless it were absolutely necessary.
“I just thought that what Nick said would worry you a bit.”
“No… I mean. Yea, but Mr. Stark and Doctor Banner are working on the cure. It should be fine.” He would be lying if he said he wasn’t slightly terrified. Because he was. He really was. But, he trusted Mr. Stark. The man was a genius. He could handle it.
“Well, I’m glad you’re not too worried about it. You know Tony’s got it covered. He always does.”
Peter nodded. But, he couldn’t help the pit that grew in his stomach. He was growing more and more nervous the more he talked about it. His brain was just coming up with more and more reasons to be terrified.
He pretended he didn’t notice the way Happy glanced between the rearview mirror and the road. He just sat as close to calmly as possible and waited to arrive.
It felt like hours before they reached the tower. Peter climbed out of the car and into the elevator. Happy followed close behind him. He was a bit more subtle with his worried glances now. But, Peter still noticed.
Peter slowly creaked the lab door open and stepped inside. Tony and Bruce were both sitting at a desk watching a holo-screen. Peter tried to peek at it but Tony swiped it away before he could get a clear view.
“Hey, kid,” Tony said cheerfully. Peter smiled and approached the desk. As he drew closer he could see the bags under both men’s eyes. They clearly hadn’t left the lab all night.
“Did you guys get any sleep?” Peter asked. Tony just grinned and rose from his seat. He stretched for a moment before clapping a hand on Peter’s shoulder.
“Just need a bit more blood and then you gotta get the school.”
“That’s a no then,” Peter mumbled and sat back into the closest chair. He laid his arm on the desk beside him and Bruce stuck the needle in. “So, a whole pint wasn’t enough?”
“Butterfingers,” Tony said glaring towards a nearby robot. “Dropped it and popped the bag. His punishment fit the crime I think.”
Peter laughed. The thought of Tony trusting Dum-E with his blood made him smile. His smile fell when he saw the look on Bruce’s face. He was twiddling his fingers nervously.
“You ok Doctor Banner?” He asked.
“What? Yeah.”
Peter wasn’t at all convinced. Mr. Stark pulled Bruce to the other side of the lab. Peter assumed it was so he wouldn’t be able to hear them. But, they seemed to have forgotten about his super hearing.
“You need to hold it together ok? Just until he leaves.” Tony whispered.
“We have to tell him, Tony. What if something happens today? He deserves to know,” Bruce shook his head.
Peter’s heart began beating faster again. His mouth was dry and his mind was racing. Did he already have the disease? Was he going to die? Was he infectious?
“No, we agreed to keep it quiet until we’ve made the cure ok? Just take the needle out and we’re home free,” Tony explained.
Peter swallowed thickly. Bruce sighed and returned to Peter’s side.
“Woah, maybe we took a bit too much blood. You look pale kid,” Tony said inspecting Peter’s face.
“What aren’t you telling me?” Peter asked. It was a bit out of left field for Tony. He hadn't expected Peter to overhear that clearly private conversation.
The two men exchanged glances.
“Nothing to worry about. You’ll be fine,” Tony shrugged.
“It didn’t sound like nothing to worry about.”
“There’s not a lot of time to explain… You should get to school,” Bruce said detaching the needle from Peter’s arm.
“I don’t care about school. You need to tell me.”
Tony let out an exhausted sigh.
“You can come back later and we’ll explain ok? But we need to get back to work and you need to get to school.”
Peter was tired of being lied to. He let out an exhausted sigh and nodded. He stood and waved goodbye to the two scientists before exiting the lab. He turned the corner and was fully intending to get into the elevator. But, something distracted him. He felt that familiar prickle on the back of his neck and turned. Gwen was standing behind him.
“What are you doing here?” She asked.
“I was helping Mr. Stark with something before school,” He replied. He couldn’t quite read her expression. She looked pissed but also something else? He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
“You need to come with me. Now.” She grabbed him by the sleeve and began to speed walk towards the elevator. Peter followed. He was extremely confused. But, he followed.
“Where are we going?” He instinctively tugged his arm out of her grip but it was like iron. She pulled him into the elevator and the doors closed. She pressed the emergency stop button and they halted.
“Stark is lying to you,” She said. “I heard them in their lab last night. They were talking about you.”
“What?” Peter was confused. How could Gwen overhear something from a private lab? How did she know Tony was lying to him?
“They were testing the effects of the disease on your blood. They said it was different.”
Peter stared dumbly at her. He had no clue how to process this information. “Different?”
Gwen rolled her eyes. “They were seeing the effects on your blood. You weren’t only immune, your blood completely destroyed the virus.”
Peter stared at her in shock and confusion. “So I’m immune? How?”
“I didn’t see the results. But, they said your white blood cells were attacking the virus instantly. There’s something about your mutation that makes you unable to get sick.”
“What?” Now he was really confused. There was a lot of information to absorb. “Why my blood? What’s so different about it?”
“They said your blood has radiation. Not gamma like they thought. Something different that Captain America and Hulk don’t have. They said they were synthesizing the cure from your blood. But, it’ll take a few months.”
“Is that enough time?”
“I don't think so.”
Peter suddenly found it hard to breathe.
“But, if your blood contains the cure then you’re immune! You’ll be fine,” She tried to reassure him.
Peter shook his head. “That’s not good enough… Millions of people are gonna die without this cure,” He buried his face in his hands and took a labored breath.
“I think I have an idea. But, you’ll have to come with me. I need your help.”
“Whatever it is, I'm in,” He said, releasing his head.
“Just trust me ok?” She said, pressing the emergency stop button again. They descended to the ground floor and through the front doors. He followed her a few blocks away until they were standing outside of Oscorp.