The Side They Don't See

Prologue

Explosions.

Fire.

The sound of repulsors.

Screams surrounding him.

Peter's senses were alight with fury, everything so chaotic on the battlefield. He fell to the ground, momentarily letting go of the gauntlet. He curled up into a fetal position, trying to avoid the loud sounds of explosions surrounding him.

Even though all of the surrounding chaos, Peter could sense the thrum of the power he held in his arms. The stones felt like they were alive, like they were speaking him.

Whatever it was, Peter just ignored it. He was focused on more important things, like not dying. Eventually, the gauntlet went to someone else, and Peter felt a weight get lifted off him. But other than that, he barely noticed anything. He was disassociated, acting on instinct and adrenaline. He swung and stabbed and jumped and dodged as fast as he could, while still managing to keep aware of his surrounding instincts.

He eventually got snapped out of his semi-conscious state when he saw Tony. Or, more specifically, when he saw tony facing off against Thanos. He felt panic burst through him, remembering the last time tony faced him. He remembered the look on Tonys face when he was stabbed, and how disappointed he looked when the doctor gave up the time stone.

Almost immediately, Peter started making his way towards Tony and Thanos. Everything in him was screaming run, but he kept going, desperate to make it to them.

Despite all of Peter's efforts though, he was helpless as he watched Thanos shove Tony away.

He was helpless as he saw Thanos snap.

He was helpless as he saw tony lift his arm, infinity stones in his gauntlet.

He was helpless as he saw the stones consume Tony's arm.

He was helpless as he saw Tony snap, blinded by the light of the stones.

The effect was immediate. All around him, as he ran, Peter saw enemy forces begin crumbling to dust as he had done just an hour before. And then his eyes fell to Thanos himself. He watched as he sat down, almost peacefully. And then he disappeared.

But Peter didn't care about that. All he could care about was getting to tony, tony, tony, tony, tony, tony, tony...

He arrived second. He went to a stop, with Rhodey standing in front of him. As soon as Rhodey saw Peter, he moved aside, letting him come to a crouch in front of tony. As Peter took him in, his fear doubled. His entire right side was burned black, charred.

Is this the end?

Peter realized he was crying, begging Tony not to go. He felt as Rhodey pulled him back to let Pepper get through. He aimlessly stumbled back, watching as Pepper spoke. He heard Tony's heartbeat, getting slower and slower.

No no no no no please no not like this no please no

Just then, Doctor Strange arrived, immediately making one of his orange portals. Peter realized that tony looked like he passed out. But he could still hear his breathing.

He focused on that, fixated on the fat that Tonys still alive. He's still alive.

As gently he could, the doctor levitated Tony and took him into a hospital room, where doctors were already waiting. Pepper and Rhodey followed, and Peter started forward to go too. But he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see the winter soldier look at him.

The soldier just shook his head, but Peter got the message. Family only.

He also noticed vaguely that someone else also levitated Captain America into the hospital, and then the portal closed.

And just like that, there was silence. For a single moment, as the dust settled, all the heroes on the field were silent. Almost as if they were paying their respect.

He's not dead he's not dead he's not dead.

Peter repeated his mantra over and over as people began to move again. He saw all the main avengers begin to converge. He ran over as he saw hawkeye, the glowing lady, thor, the winter soldier, falcon, and a few other people he didn't recognize form a loose circle.

They were all looking warily at the sky, and Peter realized that news helicopters were beginning to circle over the compound.

He briefly heard someone say "We should get out of here", and couldn't help but agree.

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