Legendary Virus

Peter sighed. He knew what he had to do. He just didn’t like it. He slid out from under Gwen and rested her on her back. She didn’t even look at him. She probably hadn’t even noticed he was leaving. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her breathing was laboured.

He looked around the room. He didn’t see anyone. So, he stayed low and put as much space between himself and Gwen as possible. If he was going to do this, he would rather it would be on the other side of the office.

He got to the other side easily and took a deep breath. His heart was racing. Preparing for the imminent fight. He shook his hands out and stood. He grabbed the back of the closest guards collar and threw him across the room. He slammed into the window and it cracked slightly beneath him. One down two to go.

The others were more prepared though. They had their guns raised and were on high alert. Peter tried his best to sneak up behind the second. He was close to surprising him. But, he turned around just early enough to spot Peter’s hit before it came in. He dodged it and fired. Peter flipped out of the line of fire and kicked the gun from his hands. One hit and the guard was down. One more to go.

The third was definitely the most trained. Peter snuck around him and was almost discovered a few times. When he had an opening though, he took it. He swept the guards feet out from beneath him. The guard fell but quickly rolled onto his back. He raised his gun but Peter snatched it from his grip and hit him in the face with the butt. The man was out instantly. That was three.

Peter rushed back over to Gwen’s side. She hadn’t moved since he left her. Peter’s chest tightened. He leaned his head over her mouth and listened. She wasn’t breathing.

“No no no no,” He whispered. “Gwen c’mon. Please… You can’t…”

He pressed his fingers against her neck. No pulse. There was a drop of blood spilled from her mouth. It stained her cheek.

Peter shook her in an attempt to wake her. But, he knew she was gone. There was nothing more he could do to help her.

He rested his forehead against her unmoving chest. A strangled sob escaped his throat. And for a moment, he hated himself. He hated his life. He hated Spider-Man. But most of all; he hated Norman Osborn. All Gwen had ever wanted to do was help others. She wanted to cure others but not herself. And Norman poisoned her. She hadn't deserved to die. She’d saved Peter’s life. She’d saved all those kids.

He wasn’t even there for her last moments. That’s what hurt him most. She was alone. And she was unafraid.

The door to the office opened again. Peter didn’t move. He stayed with her. His vision was blurred by tears. His face was wet with them. Even though he only knew her for two days.

Footsteps steadily approached him. Peter still didn’t move.

“Hands up asshole,” Someone said behind him. Peter raised his arms slowly. He didn’t turn around though.

“Stand up and turn around slowly.”

Peter did as ordered. The security guard smirked.

“They said it would be hard to catch you.”

Peter didn’t say anything. He just stared at the ground.

“Found the kid. Level 60,” The guard spoke into his walkie talkie. “You’re really not gonna fight?”

“I’m tired of fighting.”

The guard grinned. Four more marched in. They all looked pleased to see Peter with a gun trained on him.

The guards spoke into their radios asking Norman for instructions. They didn’t receive any.

After a few minutes, Peter’s spider-sense flared. His gaze snapped to the open doorway. Two yellow eyes glowed back at him.

“Get down!” Peter shouted and shoved the guard in front of him out of the way. Sure, he had been holding Peter at gunpoint. But, he didn’t deserve to die.

The guard panicked at Peter’s outburst and open fired. This set off all the other guards too. They hit the neon lights and the floors and the windows. Sparks and glass rained down from every direction. The lights flickered and buzzed louder than usual.

The guard pushed Peter away and jumped to his feet. His gun trained on Norman. He fired again and again. But, Peter wasn’t paying much attention. He was busy realizing there was a hole in his stomach. His t-shirt slowly got more soaked in blood. He swore under his breath and pressed his hand against it. He winced as he pressed down.

The shots stopped abruptly. Peter looked up. The guard’s feet were dangling a few inches off the ground. And then, he was thrown out the shattered window.

Peter huddled closer to the desk in order to avoid Norman’s gaze. He wanted the element of surprise. He covered his mouth as Norman walked past.

That all went out the window when he saw Norman crouched beside Gwen. Norman clicked his tongue and chuckled. “I told you you’d need the cure.”

Peter clenched his fist around his sopping t-shirt

“Peter, I know you’re in here,” He said slowly. There was a new edge to his voice that hadn’t been there before. Something like desperation. His footsteps were slow and calculated. Like he had predetermined the fastest way from point a to point b long ago. He turned the corner around the desk Peter was under and continued his search. “You know, I was hoping we could’ve been friends when we first met. You could’ve been a great addition to the team. You’re clever. Like Gwen. And your abilities make you even more valuable. It’s a shame you had to throw that all away to be with Stark. You still have a chance to help me, though. We can work together on the cure. A high up position has just been vacated.”

Peter’s blood boiled. He didn’t care what Norman had done to him. He only cared about what he had done to Gwen. The innocent. And now he was using her death to mock him?

“You’re really going to waste your potential with Stark? Please, Pete. You know he can’t do what I can. He’s not willing to take risks. Fortune favors the bold after all.” Peter didn’t answer. “I’ll give you a countdown then. Offer closes in five… four… three… two…”

“One,” Peter said from behind him. He had managed to stand on his wobbly feet and hobble behind him until the right moment. He didn’t care about the hole in his abdomen. He just wanted to make Norman pay. He launched himself off the ground and landed on Norman’s back.

He didn’t care anymore about life or death. All he wanted was for Norman to suffer. He kicked off Norman’s shoulders into a backflip throwing him off balance. Then, he used his momentum to kick Norman in the back with both of his legs.

They both went flying in different directions. Peter landed on his back a few feet away. The way he landed messed with his gunshot wound. He whined in pain.

Norman was already getting to his feet. He looked slightly impressed. “It’s not easy to sneak up on me Pete. You should be proud.”

Peter hauled himself to his feet. “Not until you’re dead,” He spat. He’d never talked to anyone with such disdain before. He’d never felt so much hatred for anyone before.

Norman grinned. “We’ll see about that.”

Peter ran forwards at the same time as Norman. He flipped over him easily and swept his legs out from underneath him. He landed on his stomach and flipped onto his back. Peter jumped on top of him and punched him again and again. The smile never faded from his face. It made Peter more mad that he wouldn’t stop smiling.

Peter suddenly stopped when pain erupted from his stomach. Norman was pulling the bullet out of Peter’s stomach. Peter screamed and fell onto his back. Blood began to flow more once the hole was cleared. Half of Peter’s shirt was now permanently stained red. Peter wasn’t too worried about that though. He was more focused on the searing pain tearing through his abdomen.

Norman cackled and jumped on top of Peter. “You idiot. You thought you could beat me that easily?” He grabbed Peter’s wrists and dug them into the ground. He could feel the bones in his wrist grinding together. “You can’t kill me!”

Peter swung his left leg into Norman’s rib cage and shoved him off. He scrambled to his feet and grabbed the nearest phone. He began dialing Mr. Stark. But, before he could finish, Norman grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head into the desk. The room spun for a moment before he felt himself fly through the air. He hit the window and it cracked behind him. He coughed and tried to regain his breath.

“You’re such a disappointment to me, Peter. We could’ve saved the world. We could’ve ruled the world together. I could’ve had an army of mutants willing to serve me. But, you had to be a hero. Tell me, was it worth it?” Osborn asked. He loomed above him waiting for his answer.

“Yes,” Peter said between wet breaths. Norman growled and grabbed Peter by the collar. He lifted him off his feet and inches from his face.

“You’ll die for nothing like Gwen.”

Peter felt white-hot anger at the mention of Gwen. He lifted both his feet and kicked Norman away. He hit the window again and it crunched and cracked. It wasn’t going to survive much longer.

Norman landed a few feet away. He got to his feet and ripped a pipe from the wall. Water sprayed out wildly. Norman didn’t care. He swung the pipe like a baseball bat and hit Peter in the ribs. He felt them snap beneath the metal.

That didn’t stop Norman. He swung again and hit Peter in the jaw. He swung once more but Peter caught it. He gripped the pole with both hands and tried to push it away. Norman had it aimed to pierce Peter’s shoulder.

Peter had two choices. They both really really sucked. But one could possibly end it. He chose that one. Of course, it had to be the worse one. He took a few deep breaths and shut his eyes tight before letting the pipe slip through his hands. It went through his shoulder easier than he expected. He screamed in agony. Black spots appeared in his vision. But, it wasn’t over yet. He grabbed further down the pole and tugged it deeper into his shoulder. It went all the way through and hit the glass. It was just the hit he needed to break it. Peter fell backward through the now empty window. Glass rained upon him.

Again, he still wasn’t done yet. He readjusted his grip on the metal and swung it over his head. The hole in his shoulder almost doubled in size. But, he got what he wanted. Norman Osborn flew over his head and out into the night.

There was a moment where Peter was flying just like when he’d jumped from the plane. Then, he grabbed the wall with his good arm and slid to a stop. He watched Norman fall to the street below. He closed his eyes when he heard the concrete crack beneath him. That wasn’t something he had to see.

He saw the bits of sunrise peak over the horizon when he opened his eyes. The sky was turning slightly pink. Peter sighed and looked up. There was about a fifty-foot climb up to the window. He tried to lift his left arm to grip the wall. But, moving was unbearably painful. He took a moment to catch his breath. He looked down. A fall from there would definitely kill him.

For a moment. Just one moment, he thought of just letting go. He imagined the sensation of falling freely without worrying to catch himself. The beautiful sunrise would be the last thing he saw. He could really end this whole thing forever. Be at peace. Not have to deal with the pain of Gwen. Or his shoulder. Or Norman. He could finally rest.

Then, he thought of May. And Ned, and Mr. Stark. All the people he had to live for. He thought of New York. What would they do without Spider-Man? And then he thought of all the mutants. He had to be alive to make the cure. Otherwise millions of people would die. He thought of Ben. Great power comes great responsibility. Those words had never meant more than they had in that moment. Hot tears spilled over onto his face again. They warmed his cheeks from the cold air.

He had a responsibility to the world. He had to complete it. He took a deep breath and lifted his left arm. Pain erupted in his left side. He ignored it. He pushed up with his feet and reached with his right arm. The whole thing was agonizing. Every movement of his arm changed the shape of the hole.

He slid slightly because his hands were covered in blood. He wasn’t sure whose it was at that point. He kept climbing all the way to the top. Once he got to the window, he placed both his hands on either side of the frame and lifted himself up. He could feel the glass gash into his palms. He grit his teeth and rolled back into the safety of the building.

He spent a few seconds gasping for breath before he continued moving. He grabbed the nearest phone and dialed Mr. Stark. It rang once before he answered.

“Hello?” He said. He sounded out of breath.

“Mr. Stark,” Peter whispered. He was so tired.

“Peter? Where are you? Which floor?” He asked frantically.

“Level 60,” he was getting dizzy. He must’ve lost a lot of blood. Not to mention all the blood that had been taken beforehand.

“Ok, I’ll be there in just a minute. Stay on the line ok?”

“Tired,” Peter said. He was having a hard time keeping his eyes open.

“Listen to me. Do not go to sleep. You hear me. Stay awake!”

Peter didn’t respond. He was wobbling back and forth. The room was spinning and he felt sick. He somehow ended up on the ground. Though, he didn’t remember falling. He could hear Mr. Stark shouting over the phone, but it was distant.

Then, he felt a hand on his face. It was hot and wet and sticky. He felt a tap on his cheek. He opened his eyes to see Mr. Stark.

“C’mon buddy. You gotta wake up.”

“I’m trying,” Peter replied.

“Yea I know. But, you gotta really try ok? We’re gonna get you outta here.”

Peter wasn’t sure who he was. But, he didn’t argue when someone big and warm picked him up and began walking up the stairs. He was really cold. So, the body heat radiating off whoever was holding him was much appreciated.

“I’m gonna die,” Peter mumbled to the big warm person.

“Don’t say that. You’ll give Tony a heart attack. You’ll be fine Queens.” The big warm person turned out to be Steve. He was the only person who called Peter Queens.

Peter tried to respond. But, all that came out was an unintelligible mumble. He found it really hard to keep his head up.

“Tony we gotta hurry up there,” Steve shouted.

“Alright get him to the jet. I’ll meet you back at the tower after I deal with Norman.”

Peter was going to say he already dealt with him. But, the words didn’t come out right. His mouth was too dry and his tongue wouldn’t listen to his brain.

Peter gasped when Steve began running. He was instantly awake. He screamed and tried to push Steve away. But, his grip was like iron.

“Sorry kid, the sooner we get to the jet the better.”

Peter understood. But, couldn’t help the cries of pain that escaped him every time Steve took a step.

Peter knew they were close when he felt the morning air against his face. It felt good.

It wasn’t long after that that Peter was placed on soft material.

He heard running and shouting but most of it was distant. He just focused on the sound of the engine as they took off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Sam, he's hurt bad. You gotta deal with that before we get to the tower. Barton, get this thing in the air!” Steve shouted. Peter’s blood had gotten all over him. It made him feel sick.

Sam cut Peter’s blood-soaked t-shirt open and took a look. He shook his head. “There’s a lot of blood everywhere. It’s hard to tell what his injuries are. There’s a bad puncture wound on his left shoulder. But that’s all I can make out right now. Steve, grab a clean towel and press it against his shoulder hard. You gotta stop the bleeding.”

Steve did as instructed and Sam began dabbing Peter’s chest and stomach looking for more injuries. He stopped when he saw something.

“Gunshot wound in the lower abdomen. Not sure if the bullet is still lodged or not.”

“Peter, is the bullet still in there? Do you know?” Steve asked.

Peter’s eyes were glassy and unfocused. “No, he took it out.”

“Took it out? Who took it out?” Sam asked.

“Osborn took it out…” Peter mumbled. Talking wasted a lot of energy.

“Do you know where Osborn is now?” Steve asked.

Peter’s eyes shut tightly and he groaned. Sam had poured disinfectant on his gunshot wound.

“He’s dead,” Peter choked out.

Steve and Sam exchanged a glance.

“Try not to talk ok? Just relax,” Sam said. “I’m gonna go grab his emergency blood. I’ll be right back.”

Steve nodded and continued to put pressure on Peter’s shoulder.

“We fell out the window…” Peter mumbled.

“Shh. Just stay quiet ok? We need you awake when we get to the tower.”

“Speaking of,” Barton called from the cockpit. “Landing now. Cho’s team is waiting on the landing pad.”

Sam returned with the bag of blood and placed it on an IV holder. He stuck the needle in Peter’s arm and the blood flowed down the tube into his arm. There was no immediate change. Steve was hoping there would be. The kid’s face was sheet white and his lips were blue.

The airstairs opened before the engine turned off. Sam rolled the cot down to the landing pad. Steve followed and kept the pressure on Peter’s shoulder. A nurse tapped him and replaced him. They wheeled him into the building and into the operating room. Cho spoke to Sam for a minute before retiring to the operating room to help out.

Sam sighed deeply as he sat down beside Steve in the waiting room. “Man, I’ve never seen an injury like that. His shoulder…” He wiped his hand across his face. He looked exhausted. “Something big went all the way through. I’d be surprised if he can even move his fingers for the rest of his life.”

“He heals. He’ll pull through. He always does,” Steve put a hand on Sam’s shoulder.

“I’m a pararescue, not a paramedic. I thought I'd seen everything.”

“You did the best you could. We got him here. He’ll be fine.”

“You call Stark?” Sam changed the subject. He wasn’t very subtle about it.

“Not sure If there’s anything to say.”

“The kid said Osborn is dead didn’t he?”

“I don’t know he was pretty out of it… I think I’ll just wait for Tony to call me with news. I hope we have some good news on Peter by then…”

“He’s alive. That’s good news,” Sam shrugged.

Steve nodded.

“And what about the kids? How are they holding up?” Sam changed the subject again. Steve appreciated it.

“None of them were injured. Probably some years of therapy and they’ll be fine.”

“And what are we gonna do with them? Can’t have twenty kids running around here,” Sam said.

Steve shrugged. “It’s up to Tony I guess. Maybe find homes for them? I don’t know. They’re safe here for now though. That’s what matters.”

Sam nodded. They both decided separately to not continue the conversation. It was easier that way.