Frostbite ❆ Peter Parker

thirty-two

The days that passed after her dad's death was anything but easy. Beth tried to keep it together, to keep control just like her dad had been teaching her. But each day that passed she felt her fuse shortening. She was a walking bomb and she didn't know who she would hurt once she was set off. 

Coming home Beth felt so out of place. The Avengers facility was completely destroyed. Her apartment was still there with all her things, her dad had bought the whole building not wanting to remove any of her belongings. He still had a shred of hope that she was never really gone.

Her mom held onto her tightly as they took the Quinjet back to the lake cabin that they had been living in. Pepper didn't care that Beth's skin was cold to the touch. She held onto her daughter as she trembled. Peter wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms but the two teens were both in shock. This amount of trauma was going to be hard to come back from.

May was waiting there as they landed. Peter had leaped out of the jet into his aunt's arms. Tears falling from both of their faces. Happy came out with a solemn face as he had heard the news about what happened to Tony. Beside him stood Morgan, holding onto Happy's hand. Pepper held onto Beth as they stumbled out of the jet. 

Beth let go of Pepper, letting her crouch down as Morgan ran into her mom's arms. Pepper buried her face into Morgan's neck as her youngest daughter's arms held onto her. Pepper pulled away looking up towards Bethany.

She scooted over so Morgan could see, "look, it's Beth. She came home, just like daddy said." Morgan held onto her mom whispering in her ear, "the princess?" Beth's heart fluttered. 

Pepper nodded while nudging her forward, "yeah, your sister. The Ice Princess." Morgan let go of Pepper, slowly walking over to Beth. The blue-eyed girl crouched down as Morgan wrapped her arms around her neck.

"You came home."

-❆-

Beth had just made it through the front door of the lake house when she collapsed. Her body paling and shivering as if she was frozen. Peter had caught her head right before it connected with the ground, his heart aching in his chest as he stared at her weak body. He turned to Pepper, not knowing what to do. 

"She's exhausted, you both can stay overnight here."

May whispered words of appreciation to Pepper knowing they had nowhere to sleep. Their apartment was sold to another family after the snap. 

They were all residing inside the living room of the lake house. Thanks to Pepper and Tony, when they heard the Parker's apartment was being sold they moved their things into the storage room of their lake house. May had found some of Peter's clothes he could change into. The teen boy now wearing grey sweatpants and a sweater. Beth was clad in a Midtown hoodie and joggers. 

Peter and Beth were both curled up on the couch. Both passed out, asleep. Beth's face was covered in cuts and bruises, her cheeks stained with tears. Peter's face was red and swollen from crying, his arms wrapped tightly around Beth; afraid to let go. 

May and Pepper stood off to the side. Both of them casting each other sad looks as they stared at the two teens on the couch. There were no words spoken, just silence between all of them as they watched from afar. 

-❆-

That night they all slept inside the living room. They had pushed the coffee table out of the way, two small air mattresses now in its place. May was asleep under a fluffy blanket under one mattress. Pepper and Morgan were asleep together on the couch while Beth and Peter moved to cuddle up together on the other mattress.