Autumn Leaves | p.p.

| 19 {Sophie} |

As soon as my eyes opened I had no recollection of what had happened. My ears picked up the heart monitor beep. My skin felt the O2 sat clamped around my finger. Then my eyes rested on the sleeping faces of my mom and stepfather. I was in some uptown hospital, the Manhattan skyline outside my window.

As I laid there the memories slowly started leaking back into my consciousness, the reactor, Doc Ock, Spiderman. I never thought I'd encounter the hero up close but now that I had, maybe Peter was right about being the favorite. The thought of Peter made my heart ache.

"Honey?" My mother stood slowly, her eyes glistened with resident tears.

"Hi mom," I spoke, but with a parched throat that cracked like a pubescent boy.

"How are you feeling?" her gentle hands held me against her tightly but enough not to crush my tired body.

"Actually fine, I'm a little achy but not too bad," I shrugged.

"Oh I can't wait to bring you home," she ran her fingers through my hair soothingly, "I was so worried."
"I can only imagine," I nodded slowly.

When I finally got to go home my mother didn't want to leave me alone. She didn't want me to be in my room alone. I knew she worried about it happening again, but I needed time, space. I'd been thinking about Peter from the moment I woke up, how I didn't see him at the hospital. He never came to see me, which, I know, is unfair to expect but either way.

I would be well enough to go back to school in the morning which made me grumpy. I finally convinced my mother I would be okay on my own tonight after over an hour. Once I closed my door and collected myself again I slipped out of my jeans and slowly tugged a shirt over my head and a pair of shorts. I looked down, my arms and legs were covered in bruises. I had a few cuts here and there but at this point I couldn't feel them. I sat down on my bed and pulled my comforter up to my chin, staring out at the city. A dark shadow crossed in front of my window making me jump. For a moment I could feel my heart pounding, thinking it was Doc Ock back for me, but then nothing happened.

I pushed my covers off of me and went over to the sliding door, my arms shook as I pushed it open. When I stepped out into the chilly spring air I immediately wrapped my arms around myself. There he was.

Spiderman.

He stood at the opposite end of the deck. He didn't move, so I did. My bare feet fell silently against the floor. I stopped only a foot away from him. I didn't know what he would do but the way he just stood there made me think. Without saying anything I reached up to the back of his neck and paused with my hand on the back of his mask.

"Go ahead," he said gently with a small nod, I slowly slipped the fabric off, revealing the soft brown eyes I'd been craving but not expecting behind the red mask.

"Your face," he whispered, his thumb traced over the cut along my cheek.

"It's just a scratch."

"This is all my fault," he mumbled. His hand began to drop but I caught it and held it against my cheek.

"Why didn't you tell me about all of this?" I asked, holding up the mask.

"Exactly for this reason," he sighed and pulled his hand away. He turned around and looked like he was about to leave.

"Peter," my heart started thumping louder, the cool rush of adrenaline hit my fingertips, "Peter I-" darn it, get the words out.

"I don't know, Soph."

"Then talk to me," I pleaded.