Return to Me 3 (Peter Parker/Spider-Man X Reader)

Part 4

"Did the police get him?" you asked, several hours later. Peter had held you for most of the evening, but he needed to go. He had ignored the police scanner many times, insistent that he was going to take the night off and stay with you. However, after you heard the scanner go off for the seventh time, you reassured him that you were okay, and he should go.

"I alerted Detective Lewis when I first saw the assault and let him know the location. He was passed out when we left, so I'm sure they got him," Peter replied, pulling on his Spider-Man suit. He quickly came over to you and put his hands on your face. "I'll check with Detective Lewis and make sure this Justin idiot is behind bars, okay? You sure you're going to be alright?" Peter asked, ready to take off his suit if you needed him.

"I'm sure, just please make sure that everything is all squared away with Justin. I really think he would kill me and Dr. Stafford and anyone else if he set his mind to it," you stated, shuddering involuntarily. Peter looked torn; he knew that the city needed Spider-Man, but you needed your husband.

"I can't go, I can't leave you, not with all this happening. New York City will survive without Spider-Man for tonight," Peter said matter-of-factly, already tugging at his suit.

"Peter, honey, I'm okay. Please, the city needs you now. I'm okay, I'm going to be okay," you stated, insisting that he do what needed to be done. He approached once more and looked you straight in the eyes.

"I love you, Y/N Parker. I won't be gone long," he said, sighing. He walked toward the window, pulled on his mask reluctantly, and looked back at you. He hated leaving you, especially now. You smiled at him and waved.

"I love you too, Peter. Be safe," you said, and he swung off into the night. It was late and you were tired, the bed seemed to be calling. You checked to be sure the door was locked and climbed into bed, pulling the quilt up over your body. The weight of the blanket made you feel secure. You were so tired but as soon as you closed your eyes flashbacks of the assault flooded your mind. You immediately sat up in bed, tears once again stinging your eyes.

"Calm down, Y/N. What you need is some chocolate! Come on!" you thought to yourself, getting out of bed and pulling on your tennis shoes. You could walk down to the corner store and buy some chocolate. It sounded delicious, it always boosted your mood, and right now you needed a distraction. You quickly made your way to the corner store, but they didn't have what you were looking for.

"I'll just go a couple blocks down. That store is sure to have it. Plus, it'll give me an excuse to walk and waste time until Peter comes back," you thought, knowing that you wouldn't be able to relax until Peter came home. It took about 30 minutes to walk down to the other store. They had exactly what you were looking for, so you bought your candy and left, ready to head back home. As soon as you stepped out of the store, you stepped into a puddle you hadn't noticed before. "Perfect..." you thought, annoyed that your shoes were wet. You continued on your way, nothing you could do about the puddle now. By the time you got back home it had been well over an hour. You sat on the floor, watching some television and eating your candy. It did make you feel a bit better, but you couldn't relax. The chocolate melted on your hands, so you went to the kitchen sink and washed them. You noticed the hand towel that you kept in the kitchen was a bit dirty, so you threw it into the hamper and got a new one from the linen closet. You took off your shoes and put them in the closet then sat back on the floor in front of the TV. As if he knew he was needed, Peter entered through the window and pulled off his mask.

"Hey darling, why are you up?" Peter asked, quickly coming over to you and sitting down. He grabbed some of the chocolate and popped it in his mouth. He knew the answer, but he wanted to ask. He knew that you might need some prompting to talk about it.

"I just keep seeing it, Peter. Over and over, every time I close my eyes. I can't escape," you said quietly, hanging your head in defeat. You were completely spent, emotionally and physically. Peter pulled you up onto his lap, holding you close. He had horrible news and didn't know how to break it to you, or how you would take it.

"Y/N, I talked with Detective Lewis. He was at the alley just a few minutes after we left, but Justin wasn't there. They don't know where he is," he stated, waiting for a reaction. You were shocked, but there was nothing you could do. You had both done everything that you could. For now, you just wanted to be done. Tears pricked your eyes as you answered.

"He's gone? I just can't believe it..." you shook your head, tears falling quietly. "I just want to be done, Peter. I just want it to be over. Please, can't it just be over? I don't want to keep reliving it."

"Honey, this is going to take a while to recover from. You're going to get nightmares, you're going to be scared, it's going to be hard. But I'm here, I'm not going anywhere. I've got you, okay? We can get through this, together. I love you, Y/N. I love you so much. We'll find him, ok?" Peter said as he stroked your hair. He lifted you up and put you on the bed, careful to cover you up with the quilt. "I'm going to grab a quick shower, okay? Then I'll come right back in here and climb into bed with you. You don't have to go to bed alone." You nodded your head and he walked away into the bathroom. After a few minutes he returned, clean and ready for bed. You weren't going to go into work today, so you knew that you and Peter could sleep as late as you wanted. You snuggled close under the quilt and allowed yourself to be held by your husband. After only a few minutes, Peter felt you relax in his arms. He knew the sleep would not be restful and that it would bring terrors, but he would be there when you opened your eyes ready to comfort you. He would find Justin, make him pay. He held you a bit tighter, allowing the tears to finally fall down his face. He was angry at the man who had taken advantage of you, but he was furious at himself for being too late. If he had only gotten there a few minutes sooner, all of this could've been prevented. He was surprised at how well you were handling everything, and it made him wonder if you weren't processing it all yet. He knew that the next few days, weeks, even months would be difficult and would take a toll on both of you. He knew that he would walk with you every step of the way, but for now he needed to rest while you were resting. He took a deep breath, kissed your forehead, and closed his eyes, ready for the challenge that was coming.