chasing waterfalls [Peter Parker]

~16~

Peter was crushed by the rocks. He couldn't see much, and the goggles didn't help. Reaching up to take off the hood hurt like crazy. He was bleeding, most likely from the impact. "Oh god." He looked around for Nixie. Maybe she could help him out of there. In the dark, he could barely make out red hair. He looked again, and she wasn't moving. "Nixie?" No answer. He placed his hands on the stone above him.

"Okay, ready?" He started to lift, but it was too painful. Every part of him hurt. He couldn't lift the rock, and he fell back down. "Hello!" He yelled, over again. "Please, hey. Hey, please. I'm down here. I'm down here. I'm stuck. I can't move. I can't-" He looked down. This was it. He was going to die there, alone. Nixie was probably already dead. He was a failure. Even Mr. Stark knew it.

Then he looked up. In the reflection of the water, he saw his face. The mask was laying right there. He remembered what Mr. Stark told him. "If you're nothing without the suit, then you shouldn't have it." That's when he realized that he could do it. Suit or not, he was still Spiderman. And he had to get out. He couldn't do that to May. Once again, he started to lift the rock. "Come on Peter. Come on, Spiderman." It hurt like crazy, but he pushed up.

Immediately, he ran over to Nixie. He placed two fingers on her neck, searching for a pulse. He sighed in relief when he found it. She was alive. Using his last bit of strength, he lifted her up over his shoulder, and used his other hand to get them out of there.

Once out of the collapsed building, he set Nixie down. He couldn't get to the airplane while carrying her. He made a mental note to come back for her. But he had to get to the plane first.