Spider-Man Homecoming: Aftermath

Chapter 7

12:30 am

Peter was back at Scorpions apartment. Hadn't he escaped?? How was he back!?

Peter started panicking, looking around desperately for a way out. Suddenly Scorpion materialized out of the darkness, a wicked grin on his face.

Peter flinched at the sight of him. "So...your names Peter Parker, huh, kid?" The villains hands suddenly sparking with electricity.

The young heroes eyes widened in terror as the villain approached. Scorpion grabbed Peters chin, forcing him to look at his enemy, wondering where the electricity had gone.

"Now that I know who you are...there's no escape now." Then the electricity suddenly came back and-

                                                                   .....

Peter Parker sat bolt upright and screamed. He felt like he couldn't breath and a cold sweat had broken out on his forehead. He gripped the bed sheets like a lifeline as he continued screaming.

At some point Peter heard his door open and someone sitting cautiously on his bead next to him. "Peter, honey...it's ok...it's...it was only a dream."

Aunt May drew Peter into a hug, his shoulders tensing, but she started rubbing his back. The young heroes breath hitched and tears started rolling down his face.

He couldn't even speak, but his aunt didn't seem to mind. He just cried onto her shoulder for several hours or what felt like several hours.

Aunt May sat with him until he calmed down, then she had to go back to sleep.
"If you need anything...let me know alright? I...I larb you." She said, trying to smile.

Peter just nodded as he lied back on his bed. He put his arm over his eyes. 'I don't know if I'll ever be able sleep again.' He thought, not wanting to close his eyes.

He tried to sort of sleep but at 3:00 am, Peter got up and headed outside of his room. It seemed quiet in the Avengers Facility.

He tried not to make so much noise, but he heard music coming from downstairs. Yawning, Peter decided to follow the music and headed down a flight of stairs.

He saw Mr. Stark was tinkering on an Iron Man suit. Tony looked up as the young hero came
down the stairs.

"Hey kid...can't sleep?" Mr. Stark asked. Peter shook his head, standing at the base of the stairs.

"Um...wanna come sit?" He asked, gesturing to a stool. Shrugging, the boy walked over and took the seat.

Thirty minutes went by in awkward silence, until Mr. Stark put down his tool and sighed.

"You...wanna talk about it?" He asked. Peter stiffened and looked at his lap.  Tony scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"I uh...know what your going through, kid. I really mean it. You can talk to me." He said.

Peter let out a shuttering breath. "I-" Peter stopped, not sure how to put it. He hugged himself and continued to stare at his lap.

"Will...will the nightmares ever stop?" The friendly neighborhood SpiderMan whispered,  feeling pathetic.

Mr. Stark reached out and put a hand on the younger heroes shoulder, which made Peter tense.

"They haven't stopped for me." The billionaire said, causing Peter to jerk his head up in fear.

"But," Tony said. "I got help to learn to cope with them." Peter shrank into himself, knowing what Mr. Stark was talking about: a Shrink.

"I...I just...I'm sorry." Peter muttered, tears pricking his eyes. Tony scrunched his forehead.

"Wh-what're you sorry for kid? You did nothing wrong."

The younger hero seemed to try to shrink into himself as if afraid of being reprimanded. 

Peter couldn't help it as tears began to fall. "I-I was so scared Mr. Stark." He mumbled as he started to shake.

"Hey, hey." Mr. Stark said softly, keeping his hand on the boys shoulder, not knowing whether to hug the kid or not.

"I know how you feel, kid. I...I was scared when I was captured by terrorists in my early years."

Peter sniffled, rubbed his nose and looked up. "Really, Mr. Stark?" He said feeling like a kid.

"Yeah. To be completely honest. I might not have seemed like it, but, hell, I was terrified."

"Th-thanks for telling me, Mr. Stark."

"No problem, kid. No problem."

                                                                           .....

Tony Stark and May Parker decided that Peter stay for three more days until he felt at least somewhat 'normal.'

Ned and Michelle had to go home early though, since there parents would get suspicious. So, for a while it was just Peter, Mr. Stark, Natasha and Aunt May.

He worked on homework he needed to catch up on; it was a nice distraction too and it kept Peter occupied.
May on the other hand was looking into psychologist around their area, hoping to find someone to help Peter. Tony had actually been the one to suggest it.

"He's uh...helped me through some rough spots." The billionaire had said when May had talked to him about it.

On the last day, they all had a little goodbye party, even though Tony said he'd check up on Peter every other day now.

"No patrols for a month....at least." Mr. Stark said as they all piled in a car. Happy Hogan was at the wheel, tapping it impatiently.

"B-but...Mr. Stark...SpiderMan can't be gone for that long! I-I have to protect Queens." Peter said, even though he was still recovering from his ordeal.

"Yeah, well, May and I talked it over and we decided that you'll be under house arrest for the rest of the month. As SpiderMan anyway." Tony replied, seeing Aunt May mouth 'Thank you.' Behind Peter.

The young heroes mouth dropped open. "Y-you...and Aunt May teamed up against me?" He said.

Mr. Stark looked to the sky in exasperation. 'Dear god please help me.' He thought.

"It's for your own good...trust me. You'll be able to be SpiderMan again soon. Just lay low for a while, ok, kid?"

Peter sighed. "Ok. I'll...try not to be a friendly neighborhood SpiderMan for a month."

Tony smiled. "I promise it'll do you some good." He said as he got into the shotgun of the car and they drove off to drop off the Parkers.