An Unwelcome Surprise

Peter was used to helping people from rapists and locking them away. It was part of the normal life of the vigilante Spider-Man. Tracking down human trafficking rings and child prostitution rings was standard as a Defender, especially in Peter's leading role. Don't get him wrong, Peter still hated it. He hated that people like that existed. He hated that there were kids hurt like that. He hated that every time, it would remind him of Skip doing the same to him for years when he was little and had just lost his parents, moving in with his overwhelmed Aunt May and Uncle Ben.

Peter tried to keep his breathing even, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at Skip, his former abuser, walking across the crowded party. He never thought he’d see him again. Peter's heart raced and raced and raced as he saw Skip walk around. He had hoped he would never have to see his abuser again, but here he was, trying to get to Peter. He felt the panic rising in him, his mind flashing back to all the abuse he had suffered at Skip's hands. His mind was racing, his breath coming in sharply. It was like the hot breath was brushing over Peter’s neck, hands on his back, his hips, his shoulders, ...

He tried to move away discreetly, but Skip had already locked eyes with him and started making his way over. He maneuvered himself around the people, stepping closer with every too-fast breath that came out of Peter. The man had this pleasant smile on that made shivers run down Peter’s back. His mind felt clouded, heavy, foggy, as if a dark cloud, or rather a fog, was making out all thoughts but the one: Skip was here. 26 months and 18 days after he was imprisoned by someone else for the same crime, Skip was back. Here. At Peter’s safe place. In Peter’s home. In the midst of Peter’s family. Peter could feel his hands shaking as he looked around, hoping for anyone to help him, but he didn’t see anyone he knew. He wanted Mr Stark, or Miss Potts, or May, he wanted his sisters Nebula and Morgan to be okay, he wanted to hide under the blanket in his room, with a locked door, never to be seen again. He wanted to feel safe again. He wanted to protect.

Skip came closer, almost there, and Peter felt the world move around him. Was the floor really this unsteady? Why was everyone moving so fast? Where has all the air gone?

“Hey there, Einstein!”, Skip said, his voice low and menacing. Or at least it sounded menacing to Peter. Dangerous. His Spider-Sense was ringing, screaming for him to move. “Long time no see! How about we go somewhere?” Skip moved closer. Peter wanted to scream, to run, to punch Skip, to do something, but the hand moving towards his arm, gripping it in a bruising grasp, made his mind go black, his Spider-Sense shouting into his mind, knocking the air out of him, his body shook violently, nausea shooting from his stomach up, his body ignoring all orders. “We have some catching up to do!” Peter felt rather than saw Skip move him towards the door, felt the pain in his arm, felt himself being dragged towards the outside...

But then he felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Bucky and Sam standing behind him. Bucky immediately stepped between him and Skip as Sam steadied him and softly, gently pulled him away. Peter would probably not have noticed if Sam beat him away, the relief flooding him with the knowledge that he was getting away from Skip, the man’s hands that carried into Peter’s worst nightmares suddenly away from him.

“Hey, kid”, Sam murmured, looking at him with deep concern, his eyes flickering over to where Skip was standing, held by Bucky. “You okay?”

Peter nodded frantically, as he tried to force a smile. It must have come out a grimace. “Y-yeah, I-I-I'm fin-ne. J-just didn't ex-expect to s-see h-h-h-him-m here.”

Sam must have seen the fear in his eyes because he put a hand on his back and steered him towards the nearest exit. Peter hardly noticed were he walked or who was around him, he just leaned close to Sam as he guided him out, relishing in the safety of his teammate and uncle.