Safe and Sound

Chapter 25

    “Someone should call the police.” Dr. Banner is scowling.

    “Please don’t! They’d put me into foster care again. I was there before I moved in with my aunt.” I write. “Also the suit is a one piece I need to change clothes before bandages.” I show Dr. Banner.

    “Um, okay. Wade, will you help him to the bathroom to change?” Dr. Banner asks before turning back to me, “I’ll talk to the others about our predicament, hm?” I nod. Wade grabs my bag and offers me his arm. Head down I let him help me to the bathroom.

    I lean on the sink to change. My bandages have some fresh blood in them now. I slip my jeans and shirt on, stuffing my suit in my bag.

    “Hey Pete?” Wade calls through the door, “Bruce said to just leave the shirt off, save you both the trouble.” I sigh, struggling to take it back off now. All that swinging exhausted my arms, and no doubt attributed to at least some of the blood.

    “O-okay. I’m okay.” I whisper to myself. I’m feeling kind of overwhelmed now. I’m sure it’s not that bad. I’m probably overreacting… right? Yeah. And who was the man with Thor? I didn’t get a good look at him.

    “You okay?” Wade calls.

    “Y-yeah, you can come in now.” I whisper. The door opens and his face turns to a deep frown as he looks me over.

    “So, normally I get paid to kill people, but I think I can make an exception for this one.” he growls. Hey… the ringing is gone.

    “N-no. He can take care of her now.” I whisper.

    “Oh, baby boy… is that why you stayed? To take care of her?” he asks softly. “It wasn’t just him, was it?” I shake my head. He doesn’t say anything else as he helps me to the living room. I can feel their eyes following us as he helps me back to the couch.

    “Okay, same as yesterday. Just gonna take off your bandages.” Dr. Banner says.

    “Peter?” Mr. Stark asks, “I know we haven’t known each other for very long, outside of the suits, but do you think you can talk to us?” he asks, sitting on the couch beside Wade and I. I flinch as Dr. Banner moves to remove the bandages.

    “I think we already know Peter. But… we want to make sure before we do anything. We know those injuries aren’t just from muggings, or patrol. Not with the skills we’ve seen you use.” Natasha says softly.

    “Yeah,” Mr. Barton cuts in, “And we kind of like having you around here. You’re like family at this point, always in the lab and helping fold the laundry that one time.” he smiles. “We can’t let you go back.”

    “I can’t go back into the system.” I scrawl.

    “What do you mean ‘back’?” Tony asks. 

    “When my parents died, I went into foster care, until my Aunt and Uncle decided to take me in.” I explain. “It was not a nice home.”

    “What if… you just stayed here then?” Mr. Stark asks.

    *Here?* I sign. He would let me stay here, in the tower? Sure, Nat has offered, and even Wade, but coming from Mr. Stark himself makes it more real somehow.

    “Yes, here. You wouldn’t go back into the system, or anything else. Hell, I could Foster you if that’s what the law needs. But he… does he live with you?” he asks suddenly. I shake my head. He sighs, “You can live here with us. We’ve got enough proof physically on you that you shouldn’t even have to testify if I can help it.” Mr. Stark tells me. I can feel my eyes welling up.

    This is all happening so fast. I don’t know what to do. I don’t have to go back? She would just… go away. Could I let that happen? After everything she’s done she’s still my family. But in prison they’d make sure she couldn’t drink, and she’d eat, and exercise.

Maybe it would be good for her anyway. And for me. And for anyone else that twat-waffle boyfriend of hers has ever laid eyes on…

    “Hey, it’s okay.” Wade coos. I wince as Dr. Banner touches one of my burns.

    “I’m gonna have to take some of this dead skin off. It looks like it’s been torn pretty badly, at this point it’s just in the way of the ointment.” he explains. He pulls out a small, sharp pair of scissors, starting at my shoulder.

    “I, uh, I’m really sorry about that, by the way.” Mr. Stark looks down guiltily.

    *It’s okay, I’ll heal.* I sign awkwardly, trying not to move my arm too much.

    “I know, but still. Are you hungry?” he asks.

    “Would you like a pop-tart?” Thor asks.

    “Actually, Thor, I made some fruit salad.” Mr. Rogers walks out of the kitchen with a try of bowls and spoons, passing them out to everyone. I can barely feel it as Dr. Banner cuts the dead skin from my side and back.

    *Thank you.* I sign as Mr. Rogers hands me a bowl.

    “This is going to be cold.” Dr. Banner warns. I flinch, shivering as a cold, wet spray attacks my skin. “Okay, just some bandages now. Gauze first.” Dr. Banner says softly.

    “Peter, will you stay here? With us?” Mr. Stark asks. “Pepper is busy today, but we’ve talked it over already, a little bit. We wouldn’t mind having you.”

    “Do you mean it?” My hands are shaking too bad to sign and my handwriting is scrawled.

    “Of course I mean it kid. We all do.” he looks concerned.

    “Yes please.” a sob escapes my throat. I don’t have to go back. I can stay. I can be safe.