Pain and Power

_--_Chapter 2_--_

Tony watched in horror at Peter went slack after snapping; not comprehending the enemy army disappearing around them. He only had eyes for Peter.

For his kid, who was stumbling into some of the wreckage of the compound. He cried as he followed the kid, stumbling over his feet as he followed him to the piece of metal that he was curled up in.

He double-tapped his arc reactor as he ran to Peter, letting his suit melt away from around him.

The kid's eyes were glazed over and unfocused, staring blankly over Tony's shoulder as he threw himself at Peter, pressing the housing unit of the nanotech suit desperately, making it seep away from Peter's body, leaving him in his original spider suit.

The stones — those goddamn stones — fell from the suit as it retracted, landing on the dusty ground that had, just hours ago, been lush green grass. Tony ignored them, and scooped Peter into his arms, gripping him tightly. He kept crying. "C'mon kid." He muttered as his tears fell on the kid's face. "Wake up. Open your damn eyes, Peter! Pete, just — please — please, kid, I —"

He cut off in a sob, as he saw blood start to trail from Peter's mouth.

The air smelled like charred and burning flesh, and blood. The stones were still glowing brightly from where they were scattered, but all Tony could see through his tear-blurred eyes was Peter.

He felt Peppers comforting hand resting on his shoulder, and her voice talking softly. "Tony, it's okay. It'll all be okay. We can fix this."

He shook his wife off, giving her a teary grimace over his shoulder — accidentally catching sight of Steve kneeling, looking to the ground dejectedly.

Steve was giving up on Peter. Steve was accepting the fact that the kid was dying.

The other Avengers were all paying their respects to the one that stopped Thanos.

Tony shook his head and brought his attention back to Peter. "FR — FRIDAY," He choked out, still holding the kid's body close, unable to let go of him, in case — incase —

— incase this was the end.

"FRIDAY," He tried again. "FRI, connect to Karen and get — get vitals. Show me his vitals."

"Yes, Boss." Came the AI's response, drowning out the sound of his tears momentarily. "Heart rate is currently at forty-two beats per minute, the temperature is one hundred and three degrees Fahrenheit, along with numerous injuries, including a broken nose, severe burning on the right arm, and a dislocated left shoulder. Medical attention is required immediately."

"Shit." He muttered, loosening his grip on Peter and lowering him to rest back on the piece of wreckage he had fallen into, to stand up and look around desperately. "Shit. Shit, shit, shit — fuck! I need... I need Strange. I need Strange, ad a hospital, which — Princess Shuri! T'Calla!"

Tony's brain was short-circuiting, stuck in a loop, the only coherent thoughts being help kid, need a doctor. Help kid, need a doctor.

"Shuri! T'Challa!" He repeated their names over and over again, only calming slightly from his state of delirium when the Wakandan royalty were by his side, both very obviously trying not to look at Peter's deteriorating body. "Wakanda — in Wakanda, you have medical. I need — we need to get him to medical, you have to — please. You've gotta help me — Please. Please."

"We must get him there immediately." The princess said before T'Challa could speak. "Flying will take too long — we need the wizard. Wizard!"

Strange hurried over from the rocky outcrop, where he was whispering rapidly to one of the monk wizards. "Wakanda?" He asked quickly. Shuri nodded.