The Stark Internship

Part 36

TONY

Bruce has left me and Shuri alone, gone to check up briefly on Steve and Wanda. I struggle to support myself, so I move to sit on a separate bed. I grip my left arm.
'You do that a lot.' Shuri says, looking at me out of the corner of her eye.
'Do what?' I ask.
'Your left arm. Does it hurt?' She asks, moving over to me and taking my arm in her hands.
'Just aches every now and then.' I say, 'it's nothing. Focus on Peter.'
'Aches in the left arm are a premature of heart attacks.' She says, letting my arm go and moving back to Peter, 'you should get it checked out. When this is all over.'
'I think I'm in okay shape.' I say.
'Fitness has nothing to do with it. At least not in your case. You're the most stressed out person I've ever met.' She says, 'it's killing you.'
'Well live and let die.' I say. She stays silent, watching me for a moment longer and then returning to her work. She's about to say something more when I look back to Peter.
'Where'd he go?' I ask, standing up suddenly and looking around.
'What the-' Shuri turns to the empty bed, equally confused.
'He was just there. God, that kid moves quietly.' I say, looking around. I realise too late that I shouldn't be looking for Peter, but Spider-Man. I look up to the ceiling and am instantly caught by a web.
'I remember now.' Peter says quietly, a violence in his voice that I've never heard before.
'Pete, hey listen to me. I'm not the enemy, okay? You remember me?' I say, desperately.
'Peter, put him down.' Shuri pleads form below.
'You killed me aunt. It's your fault. It was you.' He says. He winces as he speaks, as if he's hit with a momentary headache.
'Kid, you know that's not true. Listen to me. You know me.' I say.
'I know what you did.' He says.
'Peter, put him down.' Shuri says. Her voice has turned dominating. She speaks as a command.
'You won't shoot me.' He says, but he sounds unsure.
'We both know bullets won't kill you.' She says. I turn slightly to see her holding a gun, calmly pointed at Peter.
He hesitates a moment, before I find myself falling to the floor. I hear two gun shots as I hit the ground.
'Where...is he okay?' I ask, trying to sit up to find my right arm unable to move; I fell on it and now it seems broken.
'He got away.' Shuri says, rushing over to me, 'I didn't hit him.'
'I've got to go after him.' I say, trying to stand.
'Tony, you are no good to him like this.' She say, holding me down, 'He'll stay close. If he wants revenge against you, he'll stay close. Just please, let me help you first.'