Spiders And Stars // Peter Parker/Spider-Man Fanfic

Chapter 35

Peter scoops me up in his arms as I clutch onto him, still weeping.

We're suddenly in the Stark building and I glance back to see Doctor Strange step through the portal behind us. I look away when I see my wings floating magically behind him.

"Aster, please... say something?" Peter begs. "Please?"

"It hurts." I whisper back harshly. "Please make it stop? Please? I don't wanna feel it anymore."

Tears slip down his cheeks as he looks over at Doctor Strange helplessly.

Doctor Strange comes up beside us, raising his hand up cautiously. "Don't worry, I'm just gonna put you to sleep."

He presses his palm to my forhead and the world goes black mercifully.

When I wake up, I'm clean and laying in a warm bed with the man I love. But my back hurts. It burns furiously and I groan as I move my arms to reach back.

And I let out a gasp as I touch a sensitive protrusion where my wing should be. The memories from last night come flooding back as Peter wakes up and pulls me in comfortingly as I begin to cry again.

"We're gonna fix this, Aster. I promise we're gonna try everything we can."

I feel hollow inside.

After I've stoped crying, Peter sits up. "Baby girl, we've gotta go do another scan this morning."

"I don't want to." I whisper.

"Baby, we gotta." He reachs down, pressing his hand to my cheek.

"I don't want to." I repeat, pulling up the covers over my head as if I was just gonna disapear beneath them.

"Aster..." Peter's voice cracks. "Please? We all just want to help."

He reachs a hand under the plush comforter and leaves it outstretched until I place mine in it and let him pull me out.

"Aster, I love you." He says reasuringly as he hands me my suit and kisses me on the cheek.

"I love you too." I reply quietly, pulling my suit up over my legs.

Peter has to help me get it over my shoulders; carefull not to touch the stumps.

Then even though I really don't want to, I go for the scan. It's only Jamila in the lab so that makes me feel a little better. I don't want to be seen by anyone else, though I know that's near impossible.

Doctor Strange ends up finding us later as we're sitting outside by their private landing strip.

"Hey kid," he offers a sympathetic smile. "How are you?"

I don't even need to use words. I just give him a look and he nods softly.

"May I sit?"

I give him a court, uncertain nod, leaning into Peter's shoulder.

"We um... we were going to try to re-attatch them but they turned to dust; leaving only the feathers." Doctor Strange speaks softly and gently. "We're working on something else to try and reconstruct them instead."

I listen, but don't say anything back.

"Until then it's up to you whether you're going to stay or go home." Doctor Strange stands up, leaving us with that.

I look up at Peter, who's playing with my fingers.

"I don't think I should go home." I mumble. "Aunt May's gonna flip."

Peter nods, resting his chin on the top of my head. "We can stay here for a while, then. I'll let Aunt May know."

I take a nice long shower after that, letting the water pound against my bare skin. When I step out of the shower I take a long, hard look at myself.

I don't look any different, besides right now I should have my big black wings dusted with white speckles.

I try to make the stumps receed, but it does nothing but spark pain.

I get frustrated at myself. Frustrated to the point that I'm pulling my hair just to keep myself from breaking anything.

I shake my head; disapointed in myself. I'm gonna end up tearing my own hair out of my head.

I step out and lay on the bed again with Peter, just wishing that this was just a prolonged nightmare. Even though I know in my very soul that that's not the truth.