Chapter 3
The first thing Peter felt was pain.
So much pain.
He groaned slightly. “M'ss'r St'rk?”
“Peter. Oh, Peter. Petey.”
The boy tried to open his eyes, only to be met with a blinding pounding in his head. Peter choked a sob. “M'ss'r St'rk!”
“Shh, shh, bambino, I got you. It’s okay, Petey, I’m here. You’re okay, baby. It’s okay.” Tony gently cradled his head like he was a newborn and kissed his forehead.
“Hur’s. It hur’s,” he slurred.
“I know, baby, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” Tony’s voice murmured, sounding choked. “I’m so sorry, Petey.”
Peter shook his head then winced. “No… no, ’s okay. ’S not y'r fault. ’S okay.”
If he had been fully aware, he would have been worried about the sobbing above him and the tears landing on his cheeks. He wondered vaguely why Tony was begging him to stay. Stay where? He was right here.
He’d never leave Tony.
But Peter could feel himself drifting away, back to the comfortable darkness, where the was no pain, so sound, just nothing.
And then everything faded.
~~~~~
Nonononono Peter wake up
“Peter!” he shouted. “Pete! Wake up! Wake up, goddammit! Wake up!”
Nonono Peter please, he couldn’t lose him please
He needed Peter.
Tony choked on a sob and kissed Peter’s temple. His pulse was unsteady, too slow, and weak. “God, oh, Peter. Peter, please, stay with me, bambino, stay with me, you hear? You’re staying right here with me. You have to breathe, sweetheart. Just breathe.” He kissed his forehead. “Stay right here with me. I need you, Petey, please.”
~~~~~
Rhodey sprinted to Natasha. “Found anything, Romanoff?”
“I tracked their signal best I could. They fell off the highway around some place called Bear-Track. We need to get there. Now.”
Rhodey nodded. “The quinjet’s ready. Cho’s in there too.”
Nat nodded. “Let’s go get the boys.”