Chapter 31
Peter grunted as he hit the ground. His limbs felt to heavy to move, but the sounds of fighting were all around him. He tried to focus in on any one group, but everything seemed to jumble together.
He knew something had hit Norman, causing the man to drop him, but he didn't know what or by who.
He wanted to move. To get up and help the fight, but it was pointless. His body was burning through the sedative, but not fast enough. Whatever Norman had used had been powerful.
Then again, Norman knew a lot about him apparently.
"Spider-Man?"
Peter let out a small nose as he felt hands lift him slightly.
"I'm going to move you somewhere safe, ok? Just hang on."
Peter felt himself lifted off the ground and moved.
Wanda Maximoff.
He wanted to ask how the team could afford for her to take the time to tend to him, but it was pointless. He wasn't asking anything any time soon.
"I've moved you to a dark corner behind some equipment. You should be safe here while you recover." she said softly, lifting his mask just enough to free his nose. "We're handling things, so don't move even when you start to feel better. You're a liability if you're still feeling any effects from the sedative used on you."
Peter forced out a puff of air.
"Stay here." Wanda said, voice firm before leaving him.
Peter hated being useless.
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Wade took note of where Wanda stashed Peter, knowing that if things went south, he'd have to take him and run.
He had promised Matt.
He also didn't want Peter to see the amount of blood now sprayed over the lab. He and Frank weren't exactly team players when it came to keeping the bad guys alive.
He briefly wondered where Matt had vanished to, but pushed it out of his mind just as fast.
The Devil of Hell's Kitchen was pissed, and Wade Wilson wasn't about to get in his way.
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"Watch where you're aiming Castle!" Jessica shouted, punching a man in the face. "I got better things to do than get shot."
"Then get out the way." Frank replied, shooting over Jessica's shoulder.
"I really hate you sometimes."
"I'm used to it." Frank shrugged.
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Tony turned, relieved to see Norman no longer had Peter, but panicking as to where he was. He knew there was no way Peter was able to get himself out of the way on his own.
"I know you said this place isn't supporting Fisk Tower," Harley said, landing next to him. "But it's getting close to not supporting itself either. We gotta start moving out of here."
"We can't leave without Norman, and I don't know where Pete is." Tony said, blasting the remaining piece of equipment.
"I think I saw him with Wanda a minute ago, so he's safe wherever he is.
"You seen Fisk?"
"No." Harley said, looking around. "I lost track of him not long after we entered the room."
"Damn." Tony hissed. "Catching Norman is the main goal, but nailing Fisk on top of it would have been great."
"I lost Daredevil too." Harley replied.
"I guess we'll leave that to him then."
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"Well now," Fisk said, squaring off fully against Matt. "You know, you're little protege swore you wouldn't come."
"He knows better." Matt growled. "And you should too."
"Oh, I do." Fisk grinned. “I knew well enough to have many contingency plans.”
Matt glared at Fisk’s grinning face.
“You see, the more your little friends blast in there, the better it is for me. I’ve got the entire place rigged to explode. All they’re doing is ensuring there really is nothing left to link me to Osborn.”
Matt didn’t respond, instead, he lunged.
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“You wouldn’t believe that laughable security those servers had.” Clint grinned, falling in place by Natasha
Natasha smirked as she fired off a shot.
“It’s really sad how much work you get out of by pretending to your kids you don’t know anything about computers.”
“Kids are free labor, Nat.”
“I’m sure they’d be absolutely thrilled to know that.”
“You suck the fun out of it.”
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“Well, well, well, what have we here?” Jessica smirked ducking down to check on Peter’s condition.
The Pumpkin King.” Peter huffed.
“If you’re making jokes, you’re gonna be fine. Also, for the record, I’m Sally, not Oogie Boogie. Rand can be Oogie."
"I knew you had the hots for me."
"You wish, Parker."
Peter chuckled, shifting himself. It was obvious the drug was slowly wearing off, but he was no where near ready to join the fight.
"We really need to get you out of here." Jessica said, looking around the room. "The structure is won't last much longer. Not with us fighting and Stark and your replacement blasting everything."
"They're what?"
"Blasting everything. Norman was creating more serum. They're taking everything out."
Peter went to respond, words freezing as Felicia slammed into the wall next to them.
"Holy shit! Felicia!" Jessica shouted, pulling her out of sight.
"Cat!" Peter shouted, moving far to slowly to really do anything, but desperately wanting to touch her.
Felicia groaned, much to the relief of the two with her.
"The fuck happened?" she grunted, sitting up and looking at Jessica.
"You hit a literal wall. How's the head?"
"No blood." Felicia winced, touching a tender spot on her head.
Taking a breath, she opened her eyes, intent on rejoining in the fight when her eyes locked on the other person with them.
"Peter!" she cried, flinging herself at him, tears in her eyes. "Thank God!"
Ripping his mask off, she tossed it to the side as she scanned every inch of his face before placing her lips on his. She held him firmly for a few moments before finally pulling away.
"Don't tell Wade about that." she laughed wetly.
"Knowing that guy, he's be more upset he wasn't invited to join in than that it happened." Jessica huffed, rolling her eyes.
"It's a mess out there." Felicia said, peering back out at the fight. "We gotta get you out of here. Wade keeps trying to get to you, but can't make it."
Good." Jessica nodded. "He's doing Peter more good out there then back here. The faster they take out Norman and those other guys, the faster we can get out of here. The structure of this place is getting pretty sketchy."
"About that, why are Stark and his mini blasting everything?"
"Can't leave any research behind. We can't risk the possibility of, not only Norman's formula, but anything about Peter getting out. We don't know if he actually does have anything on Peter, but better safe than sorry."
"But," Peter winced, moving a bit. "It might be nice to know what he did have."
"Don't worry about that. I saw Barton over at the screens Stark wasn't taking out."
"Maybe we can sneak Peter out without help." Felicia said, scouting the room.
"That's my job!"
Felicia, jumped as Wade landed in front of her, having finally made it over.
"Sorry kitty cat, explicit rules from Devil Dad. I gotta get his Spider Son out of here."
"Well, you two can duke it out." Jessica said, shoving past Wade. "I'm missing all the fun."
"Wade." Peter said, sitting up fully. "Where's Matt?"
"No idea."
"Is Fisk out there?"
"Fisk? Wilson Fisk?" Felicia asked.
"Yeah, he's Norman's mystery backer."
"Well, that answers your question, Baby Boy. Fisky isn't out there, and neither is Double D."
"Damn!" Peter growled, moving to stand. "He shouldn't have went after him alone!"
"Whoa, Spider! You're in no shape to be moving on your own!" Felicia scolded, grabbing on to his arm to support him.
"I know you're worried, Petey, but Matt made me promise to get you out if you couldn't fight. I don't know if you've noticed, but you can barely stand! Not even sure you could at all if you weren't being supported."
"I won't let Matt take on Fisk alone, Wade!"
"You'll be more of a burden to him than a help with the state your in, Peter." Felicia glared. "You're going to let Wade take you out of here, and let the rest of us finish up. Matt can hold his own."
Peter grumbled at the ground, anger tensing up his body.
He knew Matt could take care of himself, but it didn't mean he didn't have to worry.
Fisk was working with Norman, and while Fisk always had escape plans, Norman's were usually far more dangerous. He doubted Fisk wouldn't take advantage of that, and Peter knew Norman better.
"Wade, get him out of here, now!" Felicia ordered, running back out into the fight.
"Don't you dare, Wade." Peter growled.
"As much as I'd like to indulge your fiery attitude, Petey, no go. Double D made me promise I'd get you out, so that's what I'm going to do."
Scooping Peter up bridal style, Wade slipped out from behind their coverage, going Peter his first real view of what was happening.
Fisk men were littered across the floor. Some were bloody, some just unconscious. There were damages to the room everywhere. Tony and Harley were making quick work of all the equipment in the room. Jessica, Luke, Danny and Felicia were taking care of the extra men, and the rest were busy with Norman.
While everyone was fighting hard, it was obvious they were slowing, and the ones fighting Norman had sustained injuries.
Somehow, Norman had managed to require his glider, and had plenty of bombs to spare it seemed. It wasn't like he didn't have his own injuries though.
Throwing another bomb, everyone dove to sides as it exploded.
As they stood, everyone froze.
A loud rumbling sound ripped through the room as the ceiling began to crack and pieces started to fall.
"That's our cue, Baby Boy!" Wade shouted, darting towards the large open door.
Everyone started scrambling as the following chunks of falling ceiling got larger.
Peter lost track of everyone as Wade's large shoulders kept his from seeing what was going on behind them.
"Wade!" Peter shouted above the rumbling. "We have to help everyone!"
"I told you, Petey. My mission is to get you out. They can handle themselves."
Peter felt the panic and agitation rise in him. He couldn't let Wade get him out while everyone else remained behind.
They didn't even know where Matt was!
Making choice, Peter took a breath.
"I'm sorry, Wade."
"Wha-"
Wade gasped as Peter drove his elbow into his sternum, causing him to lose his grip and Peter to fall to the floor.
Getting his breathing under control, he looked up to see Peter running, as fast as he was able with the drug still working through him, back towards where the fight was.
"Peter!" Wade shouted, straightening up and chasing after him.
He was almost caught up, when another rumble and a tremor tore through the underground building. Wade watched with wide eyes as Peter disappeared on the other side of falling debris.
Completely blocked off from Wade's protection.
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Peter took deep and labored breaths as he looked at the blockade between him, Wade, and the only way out he was aware of. He knew it was stupid, but he couldn't leave Matt, his father, alone.
He had to find him.
Stumbling back into the lab, the entire room was in ruins and on fire.
He caught the sight of Felicia and Bucky running into a tunnel on the other side of the room, relieved to know there was at least another way out.
Shuffling forward, his Spider-Sense blared. Unable to move as fast as normal, Peter felt something slam into him ,throwing him across the room.
"I thought you were smarter than this, Peter. Coming back into a crumbling, burning building."
Peter sat up, taking in the sight of a bloody and battered Norman Osborn.
The man grinned wildly down at him.
"I guess I should be thankful for that bleeding heart of yours. I thought I lost you, for real this time. Lucky me, your little friends were unable to stick around to finish the fight."
Peter pushed himself back as Norman advanced, his eyes tinted the goblin green and manic.
"The more I think on it though, perhaps you're just to good, Peter. Forever a hero. Always trying to do the right thing. You could have been more, but it's obvious you're a beautiful failure, Peter Parker." Norman sighed.
"As much as I hate to see such a wondrous being die, I'm afraid I can't let you leave me."
Peter's eyes widened as Norman moved forward, pulling a blade from behind him.
"Not really my style, but I don't exactly have time to be more creative."
Norman stood over Peter, lifting the knife.
"Goodbye, Spider-Man-"
As Norman brought the knife down, two things happened. Peter pulled the small spider out of a pouch in his suit, activating it and encasing himself in the Iron Spider suit as a repulser blast slammed into Norman's chest, sending him flying across the room and into the wall.
The man's body crumpled to the floor, lifeless.
Peter stared, wide eyed at the body. His brain numb to what he was seeing.
"Come on kid," Tony's voice cut through the haze. "We gotta get you out of here. I have no intention of leaving without you."
"Tony?"
"Yeah, Pete."
"Where's Dad?"
Tony froze, looking at Peter's distracted face. Swallowing hard, he scooped Peter up.
"He's fine. Managed to subdue Fisk for arrest."
"Norman?"
"Let's get out of here." Tony replied instead, face plate lowering as he shot off into the tunnel Felicia and Bucky had gone through.
As soon has they got inside, the room fully collapsed, closing sealing them off from the ruins. Raising his face plate, Tony began carrying Peter the down the tunnel.
The two were quiet for a while before Tony spoke.
"You're in big trouble, Pete. I saw Deadpool carry you out. Everyone's gonna be pissed when they find out you managed to get away from him."
Peter lowered his eyes, guilt coursing through him. He had hurt Wade and for what? He almost died for no reason.
He had never felt more stupid.
Not even after the ferry incident and Tony had taken his suit, sending him home in that humiliating outfit.
Why did he go back?
"You were worried, Pete." Tony said softly. "We often make stupid decisions when we care about someone."
Peter frowned as he looked up at Tony's forlorn expression.
"I'm sorry, Peter. I'm so sorry. You will always deserve better than me. I'm glad you have your rag tag team. They fit you. You're, whatever she is, blonde bombshell is a force to be reckoned with. Of everyone I saw fighting, she went after Osborn the hardest whenever she could."
Peter felt a small smile cross his face.
"I don't deserve them after the stunt I just pulled. I practically threw everything they did for me back in their faces."
"I told you, Pete. We make stupid choices when someone we care about is in danger."
They were quiet again as they continued along.
"What were you doing there, Tony?" Peter finally asked.
"I went back to make sure everyone was out, and to ease my own conscious about Norman. I couldn't leave without knowing he was contained...."
The word 'dead' went unsaid.
Although it was exactly what he was now.
"You could have gotten yourself killed, you know."
Tony huffed out a chuckle as he looked down at Peter.
"I had to know, for your sake."
Peter looked away, leaning into the cold metal of Tony's suit. He noticed there were several spots where the suit had taken damage, but continued to operate perfectly.
Regardless of everything, Tony Stark was an amazing inventor. His work was unmatched.
"I brought the suit you made me."
Peter winced as the words left his mouth. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to tell Tony.
"I see. I'm glad you did. If I hadn't gotten there when I did, the suit would have protected you."
"It's.......awesome."
"Of course it is," Tony grinned. "I made it."
A laugh bubbled up out of Peter.
"And there's that Tony Stark ego."
"I'm hurt you think it ever leaves."
Peter shook his head with a smile. He felt his eyelids growing heavy as the gentle swaying of Tony's movements continued.
"Go to sleep, Pete. That stuff is still in your system. We'll be out of here when you wake up."
Without replying, Peter closed his eyes.