(Lethal) - It's Too Good To Be True
Peter woke up to Tony being sound asleep on the couch next to him. He jerked awake with a gasp, but looking around he felt his hands beginning to shake. Hammer had gotten better. The designs of the illusions were getting more and more realistic, and this was the longest that he had been stuck in one of these. Hammer was starting to really toy with him - and he was sick of it. He was done with this - this perfect reality. Where they were saved, and he was in litte to no pain, and he could cuddle up with Morgan, and Peter was so sick of his brain being played with like a ball.
Peter silently slipped the pulse-ox off his finger, and his hands found the IV in his arm, quickly sliding it out, ignoring the blood that smudged onto his arm. He pushed the blankets back and rolled his legs off the side of the bed.
He his the floor, wincing and taking the pressure off of his ruined knee. There was a thick bandage around his knee, and he winced as he walked (hopped) out of the room. Peter slipped out of the door, and looked around the med bay. He had no clue how Hammer had so perfectly mastered the sight and smell of the place, but Peter was going to get out of this simulation one way or another.
He hopped to the elevator, and slammed his hand on the button, eyes wildly gazing around the room - waiting to see Hammer come running from around the corner with blood running from his mouth and crazed eyes like he had been last time.
The elevator dinged open, and he flinched at the sound. Peter stepped inside, and hit the button to the top floor. The elevator made quick work of getting him to the thirteenth floor of the compound. He stepped out into the deserted hallway and found the glass door to the outside. He pushed it open and winced at the brisk bite of the winter. A thought hit him - he missed Christmas. Oh well - that was the least of his problems.
Peter found the ledge and took a deep breath, snow melting on his arms as he shivered in the thin sweatshirt and pajama pants that he had on. Peter braced his arms on the ledge, wincing at the stab of pain that shot down his arms. He hopped up on his good leg, and almost tumbled straight off the ledge, but he righted himself and stood up straight.
Peter stared out at the woods - the pine trees were beautiful, snow covered and they looked haunting as the moon bounced off the snow in the dark of the night. He felt a sob in his chest, and he let himself begin to sob.
Taking a deep breath, Peter let out a throaty scream, leaning forward as his breath fogged in the air.
“WHY!” His voice cried, cracked and broken and filled with every inch of pain that he was feeling. “Why me?” He sobbed. “I’m DONE Hammer! Just - I’m done! You’re not going to put me through anymore of these simulations! I’m done being played! Find another game!” He said as he screamed at the sky.
Taking a deep breath, steadying himself, Peter leaned forward, arms stretched out at his sides as he took one last - peace-filled breath. This may be the last time that he could be at the compound - the last time he could have seen Tony - was he willing to give it up? He hesitated, but he knew that he would rather be stuck in his horrid reality than trapped in a million fake ones.
Peter began to lean forward, but hands were ripping him backwards. It was like he was being pulled from under water as Peter tumbled painfully to the gravel ground, wincing at the sting of rocks hitting his back. He began to realize how much his feet were hurting, and how his body was shaking and shivering because holy - it was freezing cold.
“Peter! Oh my God - get Cho! And Tony!” Someone said as Peter was being lifted, but he began to fight.
“NO! Let me go! Hammer - let me - NO!” He screamed, arching his back and trying to rip away from the arms that were hugging him, pulling him against someone’s chest.
“Peter - it’s Bucky! Alright, Hammer’s not here. You’r eat the compound, its snowing and it’s freezing cold outside - just stop fighting me, alright?” Then he was being lifted, and he saw a woman with a straight face - Natasha - opening the door as Bucky pulled him into the hallway. Just then the elevator dinged and Tony and Cho came bursting out.
“Oh - God - come on, come on, Peter - hey buddy, you’re at the compound, okay? You’re here and you’re okay. Just relax.” Tony said, leaning into Peter’s point of vision.
“He’s too cold - his feet are bleeding - Mr. Barnes can you get him down to his room?” A woman’s voice, Peter leaned away. “Friday, up the temperature in Peter’s recovery room.”
Then he was moving again, down and there was the warm body behind him as he continued to shake.
“No- no - no- Hammer -he - it’s too good - it’s too good.” He whispered through chattering teeth. Then he was being placed in a bed and a - warm - blanket was being placed onto him, something was being wrapped around his feet, and he was still crying, but then someone was climbing into the bed beside him, and a he was being wrapped up against someone’s body.
“Hey, Peter, buddy - I need you to listen to me, okay?” Peter nodded, leaning into Mr. Stark’s touch. “This is real. Nat found us, hacked into the video feed and got our location.They got us out of there, okay? And you’re never going back. We’ve got you and you’re safe. You’re safe.” Peter felt his tears coming back on, stronger than they had before, because he knew that this was real. It was real, and he was really home and with Tony and they were safe, and Hammer wouldn’t touch him again - and he was done being scared. “You okay?” Tony asked, worry evident in the newfound tears on the kid’s face.
“Yeah - I’m just… I’m home.”