Affliction (P.P.)

Part 2

(Peter POV)

I'm sitting in Science class. It's my favorite class, but I can't help but worry about Lottie. I hope she's okay. Megan is in that class too, and she tends to try to pick on Lottie if I'm not around. The class barely starts, when one of the teachers comes in. "Mr. Parker? You're needed at the nurses office." I recognize the math teacher, Mr. Wright, says. My heart breaks, because I know she didn't make it. I go to the nurses office, and Lottie is sitting there, a few tears running down her cheeks. She looks up and sees me come in, and runs into my arms. She buries her face in my chest and let's out a small sob. I put my arms around her tightly.

"Hey, hey. It's okay don't worry about it." I try to soothe her. "I have to worry about it! I'm tired of this! Of my life being a living torture just because of a stupid curse!" She says, anger and sadness laced in her voice. "Hey, tell you what. I'll have May get me permission to leave, you text your mom, and me and you will go relax at my place. Okay?"
I tuck her hair behind her ear. She nods sadly. I call May and tell her the situation, and Lottie texts her mom. Then me and her head to my apartment. May greets us when we get there. "Hey kiddos. You okay Charlotte?" She holds her arms open for a hug. Lottie gives her a tight hug. "It's gonna be okay. It takes time to work on things like this. You'll get it soon, don't worry." May says as she rubs her back. We all eat a snack in the kitchen and talk, trying to lift Charlotte's mood. She keeps bringing up the curse though.

"I'm serious. There's got to be away to control it or, contain it or, cure it all together. There has to be someone or something that can help right?" She looks at me, her eyes gleaming with desperate hope. "I don't know Lottie." I say honestly. "Where even is the witch that did this to you? She can't just get away with something like this." May says, sounding a bit angry. Lottie sighs. "She's not a witch, she's a fairy of some sort." She says. May scoffs. "A fairy? Honey, no. This is a WITCH we're dealing with here. I mean, who- who would do something like this to a child? She shouldn't even be loose on society!" May says in her signature determination. "I know May, and I appreciate you caring, but I have no idea where she could even be, or if she's even alive. So, that option is crossed off the list for now." Lottie says in thought.

Then I get an idea that should've came to me ages ago. "Wait! Tony can help! Of course! Why didn't I think of it before?!" I say, turning to May. "Are you sure they will know what to do?" May asks. "They work with this kind of stuff all the time anyway, so they have to at least know a little something right?" I say. May shrugs. "Might could give it a shot. You can ask your mom and then Peter can drive you there." May says with an encouraging smile. "You- you mean go to Avengers Tower? And meet the Avengers??" Charlotte says in disbelief. "Yeah! I'm Spider-Man remember? I have connections." I wink jokingly. She laughs. "Alright well you two better go find a way to talk your mom into it." May laughs.

"I don't know about this Char." Her mom says as we sit in their living room, trying to talk her into it. "Mom, they can help me. At least it's a hope. I really want to do this, and I trust Peter. He wouldn't suggest the idea if he didn't think it was worth it." Lottie pleads. "But I won't be able to go with you because of work-"
"That's okay! I can fill you in on everything that's going on over text or something. And then if I'm busy you can text Peter." Lottie bargains more. Her mom looks at me, then at Lottie, then back at me.
"You'll be with her the whole time?" She asks me. "I wouldn't even think of leaving her by herself." I confirm. "......and I want an update every thirty minutes via text. Deal?" Her mom lays out the offer. Me and Charlotte look at each other, then nod to her mom. "Deal."

••••••••••••••
The drive to the Tower wasn't too long, and we're walking inside right now. I texted Lottie's mom to let her know we're here, and then started leading her to the meeting room, since I called a little Avengers meeting. Charlottes been wringing her hands since we walked through the doors. She's gotten paler too. I then lace our fingers together. She looks at me confused. "I'm a little scared." I wink at her. She laughs and the tension leaves her body. We finally get to the room, and enter the doors. Not everyone's assembled here, because it isn't an emergency, but Steve, Clint, Natasha, Tony, Wanda, and Bruce are here. Everyone pays attention once they notice we've arrived. "Hey everybody, this is Charlotte." I say. Everyone nods and says hello. I then lead Lottie to sit down next to me near everyone else.

"Okay, so Lottie has a bit of a dilemma at the moment." I start out. I look to her to continue. "Okay so, I have this curse right? It's technically a blessing but it's actually definitely a curse." She starts. Everyone listens. She goes on to tell the whole origin story of how she got it, and by the time she finishes that part the tension in the room eased. "So we know how you got it, but what is it?" Steve asks. "Basically, whenever I'm in a stressful or anxiety-causing situation, I just.... faint. I fall over. Almost like sleeping but not." Lottie explains. Everyone in the room goes silent. "So... you like.....just fall over?" Tony asks. "Yeah." Lottie nods. The other Avengers look at each other. "So, you actually faint...when you're scared? Like- like goats? Fainting goats? It's a fainting goat curse?" Bruce says incredulously. "Y-yeah. Exactly that." Lottie says quietly. I notice the corner of Tony's mouth lift slightly but he holds it in.

"Who would just do that to someone?!" Steve says in surprise. Lottie doesn't answer, her shy side showing. "So, are you guys gonna help? Or sit there in shock?" I say, squeezing Lottie's hand under the table. "We absolutely are gonna check this out. I'm intrigued." Tony says. Tony gets up and heads out of the room. No one moves. "Hello? That means follow me." He calls back to us. Everyone gets up to follow. We end up down in the Medbay. Tony holds his arms out wide, gesturing to the room. "Here we are. Now let's get started...."