Chapter 13: Chapter 13
It felt like forever before they finally reached Stark Tower.
Pepper was there pacing by the doors in the underground parking garage with Dr Helen and a gurney.
"Tony! I've cleared the building but why..." Pepper said relieved when the car pulled up, and Happy opened the door to help them out. But she gasped when Tony lifted Peter out; "What happened?"
"He needs help." Tony said to Dr Helen as she rushed over with the gurney; "He seems to be having some sort of Sensory Overload." Tony explained as he laid Peter down on the gurney.
Who is this?" Dr Helen said as she pulled the jacket from Peter's head, and Peter flinched leaning towards Tony.
"My son." Tony snapped sending her a look of to shut up and do something.
"He's also Spider Man." Pepper explained, knowing she needed to know to help Peter.
Dr Helen glanced at them before nodding; "Let's get him inside." She pushed the gurney back inside. Tony ran alongside, reaching for Peter's hand to reassure him that he was still here.
Peter wasn't sure what was going on. He felt himself being lifted up. It felt like he was flying. Then there was voices speaking around him, but amidst the other noises he could hear he had no idea what they were saying. He was scared.
The only comfort he found was his dad's hand in his. Knowing Tony was there was all the reassurance he needed everything was going to be ok.
They headed up in a lift to the medical labs, and Dr Helen quickly rushed Peter into one of the medical bays.
"FRIDAY. Dim the lights." Tony ordered as Dr Helen pulled out some small metal disks and laid Peter flat, pulling his shirt to attach them so she could get his vitals.
Peter felt himself being pulled and prodded, and he moaned in protest. He blindly waved his arms trying to push them off.
Peter's hand hit a lab tray by his beside sending it flying into the wall, and making the wall crack, Tony quickly grabbed Peter's hands before she hit Dr Helen and knocked her out or something; "Peter it's ok. We're trying to help." Tony murmured sending an apologetic look to Dr Helen, who backed off concerned.
Happy rushed in to help Tony hold Peter's arms down, when he continued struggling.
"Peter it's ok." Tony said again, but the kid either wasn't listening or couldn't hear him.
Pepper stood beside Tony pacing concerned
Tony looked sharply at Dr Helen; "Do something."
She nodded shakily as she went to a standing computer and started tapping on the screen, bringing up Peter's vitals.
Then she gasped and frowned; "What the..."
"What is it?" Tony said concerned, but relieved when Peter stopped struggling and turned towards him again.
"His vitals. I've never seen anything like this before. His heart rate if over 200bpm. That's impossible."
FRIDAY." Tony said quickly; "Give Dr Helen Peter's DNA results." He hoped it would hurry things along.
"Just do something to help him!"
Dr Helen nodded as she quickly skimmed through the information; "Sensory Overload doesn't usually lead to this type of complication but given Peter's spider DNA it makes sense." Then she sighed; "Unfortunately there is no known medication for Sensory Overload."
"There has to be something you can do!" Tony shouted and Peter whimpered.
"Tony." Pepper said putting her hand on Tony's arm to calm him, and Tony huffed turning back to Peter, lowering his head.
"It's ok Peter. You're going to be ok." Tony murmured to him, ruffling through his hair.
"Please." Pepper said turning to Dr Helen; "You have to help him."
Dr Helen sighed shaking her head before offering; "I can give him something to try and help stabilise his vitals."
"Do it!" Tony barked then huffed; "FRIDAY. Please say you know something about what to do."
Dr Helen injected Peter with a few needles, and Peter's vitals lowered, but only slightly.
"Deep pressure against the skin has been known to help stimulate the receptors in the body's ligaments and joints to return the nervous system back to normal." FRIDAY commented.
"Like a massage?" Happy murmured.
"Or calming music can also be helpful."
"Music." Dr Helen said snapping her fingers; "That's it." Dr Helen suddenly ran out of the room.
"What? Where is she going?"
A moment later she ran back in holding up some small speakers; "Audio therapy has been known to help heal the body. In this case, Peter's body is vibrating at a different rate than normal because his senses are in overdrive." Dr Helen explained as she attached the speaker's all over Peter's body; "If we can find the right frequency, we can use the vibration of the sound waves to counteract his body's reaction and make his senses revert back to normal."
Tony stared at her, the whole thing sounding like something out of science fiction; "FRIDAY. Is that possible?"
There was a beat before she replied; "Theoretically."
"There is no other option." Dr Helen persisted when Tony still hesitated.
"Tony." Pepper prompted, touching his arm; "It's the only way to help him."
Tony sighed looking down at Peter, ruffling his hair. He was terrified because Dr Helen wasn't sure about this. And if it didn't work, it could make him worse. But Pepper was right, it's the only way; "Fine. Do it."
Dr Helen nodded, and Happy moved aside as she got to work.
"FRIDAY. Run a scan on Peter's body. I need to know the right frequency to use to revert his senses back to normal."
Tony leant down to Peter as Peter's head turned to him, his brow furrowing in pain and he whimpered; "You're going to be ok Peter. We're going to help you. Just stay with me ok underoo."
Peter didn't hear him. He couldn't. But he could feel Tony's hand in his hair and could sense him. His ears were ringing so loud, and his body was shaking so much he just wanted to go to sleep. He just wanted it all to stop.
"Dad..." Peter moaned, being able to sense him, but not understanding why he wasn't helping him.
"I'm right here kid." Tony murmured his heart breaking.
"Ok we're ready." Dr Helen said turning to them with her tablet; "You might want to step back." She said gesturing to Tony.
Tony straightened up removing his hand from Peter's hair. But Peter panicked as soon as Tony let go fearing he was leaving him. Peter latched his hand out grabbing Tony's wrist.
"Dad..?"
Tony immediately moved back to Peter, taking Peter's hand in his as he put his other hand back on Peter's hand.
"I'm not going anywhere." Tony sent her a look because there was no way he was leaving his son when he was in pain; "Just do it."
She nodded slowly before tapping a few buttons on her tablet.
Tony heard a humming which got louder, and he felt a vibration in his hand coming from Peter.
Peter felt his whole body shaking. And the shaking started getting worse and he couldn't stop it. Every nerve in his body came alive, and everything became amplified. Sound. Sight. Smell. Touch.
Peter cried out in pain, and he squeezed Tony's hand tight. Tony winced at the pain but tried to hide it.
"His vitals are starting to stabilise."
Peter didn't understand what was happening. It hurt so much, Peter couldn't even think straight. All he knew was Tony was there. Peter just tried to focus on him, trying to push through the pain. But it was getting worse. It felt like his head was about to explode.
Yelling out, Peter grabbed his head with his free hand, and squeezed Tony's hand even tighter. Tony swore he heard a few cracks in his hand, probably from Peter breaking his hand. He just gritted his teeth ignoring the pain.
"That's enough!" Tony yelled at Dr Helen seeing Peter in so much pain; "Just stop it! You're hurting him!"
"We can't stop now. I'm sorry we have to keep going. Just a little longer."
Tony turned to Peter, leaning over him as he held onto his head tighter; "Peter. I'm right here. You're going to be ok. Just stay with me. I'm right here."
"...I'm right here. Stay with me..." Peter didn't know how, but he managed to hear his dad's voice above all the crazy noise. And he tried to focus on his voice and block everything else out.
It felt like something was about to burst inside Peter, and then his whole world exploded. For a moment Peter felt absolute pain, and then nothing.
"Vitals returning to normal. It's working." Dr Helen said with a happy sigh.
Peter's hand on his head suddenly dropped to his side, and his grip on Tony's hand lessened as his whole body went slack.
Tony looked in terror; "What happened?"
Dr Helen quickly checked Peter over; "He passed out. But he's ok." She added quickly; "He's going to be ok now."
Tony let out a sigh of relief and he removed his hand from Peter's and held it up wincing. Yep definitely broken.
"Tony?" Pepper said concerned reaching out for his hand seeing it was red and bruised; "The kid's got one hell of a grip." Tony muttered, and he looked back at Peter suddenly so relieved so see a peaceful expression on his face.
He was ok.
Peter was safe and he was going to be ok.
0o0o00oo-SPIDERMAN-0o0o0oo0o
"I've called May." Pepper said quietly to Tony; "Happy's going to pick her up."
Tony nodded, feeling guilty he didn't call her himself; "I should have called her."
"I'm sure she understands."
"Well it looks like you've got a few broken fingers and a sprained wrist." Dr Helen said as she finished bandaging his hand; "Your son must be really strong."
"Is he going to be ok?" Tony ignored the comment, and gestured his hand at Peter who appeared to still be unconscious.
"He's sleeping which is really what he needs right now."
"How do you mean?"
"Well I ran some more tests to determine what triggered the Sensory Overload. Most of the time they tend to be caused by stress or exhaustion, and the tests just confirmed it."
"What?" Tony glanced at Pepper briefly before back at Peter; "Are you saying he hasn't been sleeping and he's stressed, and that's what caused this?"
Dr Helen nodded.
"His friend says this has happened before, but not as severe. Would those have been caused by stress and exhaustion too?"
"Most likely."
"Can you do anything to stop them happening again?"
Dr Helen shook her head; "Like I said there is no medical treatment for this, it's more identifying triggers to understand how to prevent it. As long as he's well rested and relaxed another event like this shouldn't happen."
"Shouldn't?"
Dr Helen sighed; "I'm afraid there's no guarantees with something like this. His DNA is unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's hard to predict what other changes will occur. But for now he's ok."
"So you can't...fix this?" Tony trailed off feeling guilty at the thought of taking Spider Man away from Peter, but if it meant keeping him safe...
Dr Helen paused; "You mean restore his DNA back to human?" She sighed as she looked at her tablet; "I'm afraid not. The spider DNA has already bonded to his human DNA. There is no way to reverse it."
Tony just nodded, he already suspected that, but he needed to know for sure.
"We'll keep him here for a few more hours, just to monitor him, and get some fluids into him as he's a bit dehydrated. If his vitals are still ok then he'll be good to go home."
"Thank you." Tony nodded at Dr Helen, without her he wouldn't have known what to do.
Dr Helen quietly left, and Tony turned his attention back to Peter.
Pepper glanced at Peter before going after Dr Helen; "Excuse me Dr Helen." She stopped turning back to Pepper; "I just wanted to say thank you for what you did for Peter."
"Of course."
"I just..." Pepper sighed hating to do this but had to; "I hope I don't need to remind you of the NDA you signed. This applies to Peter too."
"I can't say anything I know."
"Not about Spider Man or him being Tony's son." Pepper emphasised, and she nodded.
"I understand. I won't say anything to anyone."
0o0oo0oo-SPIDERMAN-0o0o0oo0o0o
"How's your hand?" Pepper asked as she gently caressed Tony's shoulder, staring at him concerned.
"Not too bad." Tony muttered keeping his uninjured hand on Peter's head as he slept.
"He's ok Tony."
"I know." Tony sighed, afraid to leave Peter against he stopped breathing or something; "It's just...you didn't see him at the school Pep. He was in so much pain, he was so scared, and he was actually hiding in a closet. After he destroyed one of the men's rooms of course."
"He what?"
"Yeah I'm going to have to write a big check to cover it I think." Tony then shook his head; "I just can't believe he never told me about this."
"I'm sure he had his reasons."
"I could have helped him! The last thing I needed was to show up finding my son in pain and no idea what was wrong with him!"
"But he's ok now." Pepper reminded him, trying to calm him down; "That's all that matters. Right?"
Where is he?!" They heard May shouting and then she burst in, followed by Happy. She gasped upon entering and rushing over to Peter; "Is he ok? What happened?! Peter? Why isn't he waking up?"
"He's sleeping." Pepper said calmly; "He needs to rest."
"Why? Happy said you pulled him from school. What happened?"
Tony then had to explain everything that happened at the school to helping him here. When he finished May blinked at him with wide eyes; "Why didn't he tell me about this?"
"He didn't tell me either." Tony murmured; "His friend said something about not wanting to worry us." Tony scoffed; "Not frickin likely. I'd never been more scared in my entire life."
May studied him for a moment her expression softening; "Thank you. For helping him. For saving him."
"He's my son." Tony said simply. Of course he would do anything to save Peter.
It was then May noticed the way Tony was still holding onto Peter's head, and sticking close to him.
"Does it ever go away?" Tony murmured his eyes on Peter; "The worrying."
May smirked; "Would you believe me if I said yes?"
Tony glanced at her and she shook her head seriously; "It just comes with being a parent I'm afraid. You always worry about them, even if there is nothing to worry about."
"Great." Tony muttered. Not exactly sure what to make of that. He was probably going to be worried about Peter the rest of his life then; "This kid is going to be the death of me."
"But worth it."
Tony looked up at her and he nodded, turning back to Peter; "Yeah."
0o0o0o0-SPIDERMAN-0oo0o0o0oo
"Everything's looking good. Vitals are getting stronger." Dr Helen said.
"He can come home?" May clarified in relief.
Dr Helen nodded; "I would suggest keeping him home from school for a day or two and let him sleep. He's going to be a bit weak and disorientated, but it will pass. Just monitor him and keep his fluids up. Let me know if anything changes."
Tony and May nodded. May glanced at him and it was then Tony realised she wanted to take him home. But Tony didn't want to let him go. He didn't want to take his eyes off him.
"I'll have Happy get the car ready." Pepper offered when May and Tony didn't say anything.
"Mmm." Peter murmured, and he turned his head.
"Peter!" May rushed to him.
"He's waking up." Tony said relieved.
"Peter? Can you hear me honey?" May said leaning over him grabbing his hand.
"Kid?"
"Dad..." Peter muttered turning towards him, reaching his hand out.
"I'm here buddy." Tony said quickly taking Peter's hand with his uninjured one; "I'm here."
May looked on partly hurt that Peter chose him over her, but so touched seeing Peter with his father. It brought tears to her eyes.
"You should take him home." May murmured.
Tony glanced at her surprised; "Are you sure?"
"You're his dad." May glanced at Peter adoringly; "And he needs his dad right now."
"You're welcome to stay as well." Pepper said; "We can set up a guest room."
"No it's ok. I know you'll take care of him. He's better of with you in case something happens."
Tony knew May was essentially entrusting him with Peter's life, And he was honoured she trusted him. He wouldn't let anything happen to him.
"I'll take care of him."
"I know you will. I'll kick your ass if you don't."
Tony paused before nodding; "Noted."
0o0o0o0o-SPIDERMAN-0o0o0o00o
Tony carried Peter inside the house and straight into his bedroom. He had set up a bedroom for Peter after that first meal they had together. He wanted Peter to be able to stay whenever he wanted. To know he had a home with them. Always. He had planned on asking Peter to stay that weekend so he could show it to him, but of course that was before all this.
Tony laid Peter down on the bed, and slowly took his shoes off, and covered him with the duvet. He perched on the edge of the bed, and stared at Peter as he settled down to sleep. He looked so peaceful. No more signs of pain.
Tony got up and headed to the doorway; "FRIDAY. Turn off the lights and soundproof the room." The room went pitch black, Tony couldn't see a thing. Dr Helen said Peter should be better now, but Tony wasn't taking any chances Peter might still be sensitive when he woke up; "Monitor his vitals. Let me know the second he wakes up."
Shutting the door with a small click, Tony finally let out a deep breath he had been holding ever since finding Peter in pain.
"Got him settled down?" Pepper asked as Tony walked into the living room. Pepper was sitting at a table by the window on a laptop.
Tony just nodded as he flopped down on the sofa; "May was right. Even though Peter's safe here and getting better, the worry doesn't go away."
"May called the school to inform them Peter wasn't feeling well and she took him home. She said she planned to keep him at home a few days."
"Did they ask about the damages?" Tony cringed.
"No. But I bet they're curious what happened." Pepper cast a glance at Tony.
"Write them a check. They'll forget all about it."
"Already done."
He sighed turning his head to face her; "What are you doing?"
"I am looking more into Sensory Overload. Trying to understand what's happening to Peter, how to help." Tony looked at her feeling a rush of love.
"And?"
She sighed; "Pretty much what we already know. Anyone can experience it. Of course only mildly, as no one get's it as bad as Peter does. But there is no known treatment. It's more about prevention and understanding triggers."
Tony frowned not liking that. Basically he's meant to do nothing? He couldn't accept that. There had to be something he could do.
"Hmmm." Tony hummed before standing up.
"Where are you going?"
"The lab."
"Why?"
"To help Peter."
0o0oo0o0-SPIDERMAN-0o0o0o00o
After being in the lab, Tony slept on the sofa he put in Peter's room, wanting to stay close to keep an eye on him.
Which was a good idea he found, when he was startled awake by Peter's muttering in his sleep.
Tony jumped up, finding Peter tossing in his sleep. He must be having a nightmare.
Rushing to the edge of the bed, Tony sat down; "Hey kid? Peter?" Tony gently shook Peter, concerned to wake up, but worried about letting him sleep if he was having a nightmare.
Peter snapped his eyes open, looking around wildly and terrified.
"Hey kid it's ok." Tony said softly putting his hand on Peter's head; "You're safe. It was just a bad dream."
"Dad?" Peter whispered looking at him like a scared like kid.
"Yeah it's me. I'm here."
Peter frowned. That wasn't right. He just had a dream that Tony had left him to look after his new son with Pepper. How could he be here?
"But you don't want to be." Peter mumbled.
"What?"
"I know you don't really want to be my dad."
Tony's eyes balked; "Why would you think that?"
"Because I'm a mistake." Peter said it so simply, like it was so matter of fact.
Woah. WHAT THE...
Peter looked at him with a sad expression, but it was then Tony realised Peter wasn't really looking at him. His eyes were glassy. He must still be half asleep.
This was so not the time for this conversation.
"Kid..."
"It's ok." Peter murmured softly; "I get it. I'm just an accident. I know you never wanted me and you're just going all this because you feel like you have to, or out of guilty or something I dunno."
"Jesus kid..." Tony started, wondering where the hell that had come from, and then Peter suddenly closed his eyes and Tony thought for a moment he had gone to sleep; "Peter?"
"You don't have to you know. I don't want to be pitied. I don't want to be a burden. Not anymore. I already am to May. She's put her life on hold for mem, and she has Happy now and she should be able to move on but I'm holding her back. And you've just got married. Everyone's moving on without me." Peter opened his eyes to look at Tony and his eyes were watery; "I'm all alone. I just...I wish someone would actually chose me for me, not just because they had to. I wish you really were my dad. I wish you wanted me."
Tony was too shocked to even process Peter's words. And then Peter passed out.
"Kid?" Tony prompted but Peter's breathing evened out as he fell back asleep.
Tony was partly relieved because he was too shocked to even reply to all that. He had no idea that was going on in Peter's head. No wonder he was so stressed and hadn't been sleeping. Why hadn't he told him any of this?
Jesus what a mess...
0o0o0o0o0o-SPIDERMAN-0o0o0o0o0o
"Tony? Tony!"
Tony blinked and found Pepper staring at him with her arms crossed. And he suddenly remembered he was standing outside Peter's door and he had been for the last ten minutes.
"What's wrong?"
0o0o0o-SPIDERMAN-0o0o0o00o0o
"Are you sure he meant all that?" Pepper said softly as they sat on the sofa in the living room; "I mean it sounds like he was still half asleep."
Tony shook his head; "You should have seen his face. He may have been half asleep, but he meant it. He probably thought he was still dreaming. I just...I can't believe he actually feels that way. Why would he not tell me any of this?"
"He's obviously dealing with a lot of feelings. Maybe he thought it was too hard." Pepper paused; "He says he feels like a burden." She shook her head; "It must be because his parents died, he thinks May has been forced to take care of him, and now with you, he think you're only acting like his dad because you don't have any other choice."
"But that's not true!" Tony snapped defensively; "I'm not just acting like his dad, I want to be his dad. I'm not doing this because I feel like I have to. He is no way a burden. And for him to think he's a mistake or accident..." Tony trailed off clenching his fists in fury realising Peter had to have been thinking that all this time; "What the kid must have been going through...He should have told me."
Pepper nodded rubbing Tony's arm; "Poor Peter." Then she stopped as it hit her; "That's why he kept asking whether I wanted him here and about us having kids." She looked at Tony her own heart breaking at the realisation; "He thinks he's not wanted Tony."
Tony looked at her in horror refusing to believe it...but Peter's actions lately made sense now that he thought about it. How he avoided Tony for the first few days, how he was always so nervous around him, how he refused to accept the car ride's from Happy.
Tony blew out a breath; "Of course he's wanted. He's an idiot for thinking otherwise."
"Tony." Pepper warned seeing his angry expression; "You can't go barging in and yell at him for this."
"I know." Tony huffed; "But this has to stop. I'm sick of walking on eggshells around him. He's my son for god's sake. He needs to know that he's wanted. It's time I finally start acting like his dad."
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