Heartbeat (A Beautiful Thing - SpideyChelle book 2)

I don't feel so good

Peter POV

My vision is threatened with large patches of colour and some sort of black void as the pain in my hand shot up my back like a burning fire - its' tongue licking at my hand hungrily. I howl in pain as I see a look of worry set in on MJ's face as she scrambles to get closer. 

I look down at the angry burn, still corrosive on my pale skin. Coming closer to look at it she calls Stark to come over as well. I wince as it burns some more and I fear it will rip all the flesh from my bones. The pain is almost sickening 

"Pete, you ok?" Mr Stark asks urgently worried.

Michelle POV

"The soul stone!" He gasps through  the pain "I held it and it was hot, so hot AAAAAAAHHHHHH"

"Pete, ok Pete" he fumbles hurriedly "Just breathe into it"

I feel my heart sink as I realise there is nothing either of us can do at this moment in time 

"Michelle stay with him"  he orders me "I'll get strange to open a gate to some sort of hospital when we get a chance"

I watch as Peter holds his hand close to his chest and winces with every small movement he makes. My heart aches for him as I can see veins pulsing in and out as they try to combat the immense pain.

"I'm sorry Peter, I wish I could help. I really do" I whisper

He looks me right in the eye, still clutching his shaking hand, and a small smile plays on his lips for once

"I knew if you could you would but I think we have bigger problems than my hand like you know half the universe" he chuckles before planting a small kiss on my cheek. I instantly feel myself blush although I try to keep it down because we had been dating for a while, wasn't that embarrassing? Blushing at a small kiss? 

Either way, I still heard the melancholy undertone. If he won, which he wouldn't but if he did that would be half of every living thing in the entire extended universe which I didn't even know existed a little more than a year ago. 

We watched for a while as the pain in Peter's hand, although the burn still angry and flaming, was starting to die down to a more manageable state. The doctor was holding Thanos down with clones of himself. Peter and I marvelled at him as we both mentally added to our list of things to investigate at a later date. 

When the fight has reached a peak Peter yells out in pure agony, the scream shill and deafening.

"You, you, need to get, ge, get me out of here " he hisses through the burning

"I- I think there's a cave over there or something" I stutter, worried but also taken aback. I thought it was getting better, not worse 

"It hurts, it hurts it hurts" he cries, breaking my heart

"I think there's some fresh water over there, that should help," I say trying my best to comfort him"

We get to the dark cavern located behind some rocks. It is empty thank god. Sitting down on the cold hard floor, I spot a random pool of cool blue water just like I had expected. I go to it and call Peter to my side where I soak his hand in the icy liquid. 

He sighed in relief as submerged his weary hand in the water, my own relief following of course. And so we sat and we talked, as far as we knew nothing had happened, although we were both eager to get back out there, I was not about to put Peter back in danger when he was not fully equipped.

I forced him to nap on the cold hard ground. In less than a few hours, there was going to be some sort of final fight so we needed to be on our best form to fight whatever was coming. 

So, planting a small kiss on his forehead, I let him rest. I cannot say the same for myself all I did was pace awkwardly waiting for some call from Stark. It was painful waiting but I knew my place - he didn't really want me there anyway. I swear sometimes it felt like protection but for the majority, it was a restriction. 

I wait and I wait and I wait continuously checking my bracelet. Red heartbeat for Peter, blue for me with a vibrant purple fusing in the middle. It was beating at a slow but regular pace and that put me and ease slightly

Then suddenly Peter sits bolt upright as a wave of shock overcame me. Everything is tingling, from my head to my toes. 

"Do you feel tha-"

"We need to go now!" I exclaim knowing this could be something serious

"I can't shoot from my right hand," he tells me, holding it to his chest in agony. 

"Shit ok. We don't have time. We don't have fucking time.  I don't know what your hand is doing Pete. God,  something bad is happening. I don't know what to do. I don't wanna lose you" I ramble through scared gasps brought on by the overwhelming sensation rippling under my skin

"Go," he says quietly 

"What, no, something is happening. I can't just leave you"

"Go" he repeats 

"No. Everything is telling me not to leave you. I can't feel it. I'm not going without you" I demand fiercely 

"I  can't fight like this but I'll catch up to you. Everyone needs you. I feel it too - this is more than you and I. Please MJ go"

"You better catch up to me" I snarl, going against every instinct I have to run with this cinnamon roll on my back far far away. 

"Promise" he utters with a small smile. 

I swing on rocks and anything I can possibly find to leap off of as I follow the mental map I have stored in my head, back to where the ship first crashed all I can think about is Peter and whether I will be able to protect him if the thing around the corner is just as ugly as every cell in my body is telling me it is

Tony POV

We lost. That was it. We had lost. I stand on the ground where Quill and a few other just fell because I couldn't save them. I didn't save them. I look at strange, pissed frankly 

"It was the only way" he mutters as he takes his last breath, reaching the same fate as the others. It should only be half no one else should die. Everyone who was alive was staying alive I concluded, unsure what to do with myself at this moment in time. What was I going to do? 

From The distance I hear a faint thud but don't pay it any attention because nothing could be worse than this. Wait, but was that?

Michelle. 

I look to my left to see her stumble. At first I was glad to see her because it meant she was still alive, I could take her home. But then I released, the light in her eyes is gone as she struggles to stay on balance

"Peter-- Pe- Peter" she mumbles incoherently "Peter is back at a cavern. Left- Left of here"

"You ok kid?" I whisper praying that the worst wouldn't happen

"I- I don't feel so good" She breathes as she falls into my arms, gripping to my back with every last piece of her strength. "I- I don't know what's happening"

"You're alright kid," I tell her, hoping my words are true as I clench my eyes shut

"Dad, I don't wanna go, please Dad I don't wanna go" she cries. That's when I feel it. Her hand. It was no longer gripping onto my bloodied shirt but disintegrating into thin air. I watch knowing there is no way I can save her, no way to protect her. 

"Please, dad" she pleads "I wanna stay with you and Pet-" she pauses, I drop her on to the cold floor below me "I love you"

Goddamittit. I want so badly to scoop her up and take her home. To shield her from everything. There was nothing I could do; I was powerless. I couldn't protect my own daughter!

That's when I hear another set of footsteps in the distance, staggered and heavy. I glance up slightly, its Peter. 

Michelle turns her head slightly to steal one last glance at him but then she is gone. 

Gone.