Survivor's Guilt || Peter Parker

Four

Peter didn't mean to fall asleep, but he shoots up in awareness as he feels Morgan's body being pulled away from him.

He grasps on with all super strength he has, and the stranger stands no chance as he forcefully pushes himself away. Peter moves as far back as he can go until his body is flush against the car door.

The man furrows his eyebrows in concern.

"I'm sorry- I didn't mean to scare you like that. I was just going to check on the girl."

"She's dead."

Peter doesn't know why he says it so bluntly. Maybe he's in shock, maybe he's used to death following him wherever he goes.

Either way, Peter remains a blank slate as he watches the man's face transform into a look of terror.

Surprisingly, he is able to quickly compose himself, and he reaches his hand out to Peter.

"Step out of the car, I promise you can trust us."

"Don't call the ambulance."

The man hesitates for a second, but eventually he complies.

"For now, we won't call."

It wasn't the most reassuring promise, but Peter doesn't ask for more. He opens the door and lets the couple lead them into their condo.

He's sitting on a fluffy couch, and he feels someone drape a blanket around his shoulders. He knows it would be polite to thank them, but he can't bring himself to form the words. The warmth feels like it's mocking him, and it contrasts from the pale, freezing corpse in Peter's arms.

"We're going to make you some soup, just stay there, okay?"

Peter forces himself to nod, and the small motion exerts too much energy out of him.

If it weren't for his super hearing, he wouldn't have heard the whispered conversation from the kitchen.

"I'm pretty sure that's Morgan Stark." 

"Don't be ridiculous, she lives in New York, why would the kid be with her anyhow."

"I don't know Angie, but I've seen that face on the news hundreds of times. It has to be her."

Peter wants to press his hands against his ears, desperate to drown out the voices, but that would require him to let go of Morgan.

Instead, he starts to hum a song that he knows Morgan would enjoy if she were still alive.

He's still humming in Morgan's ear when he smells chicken noodle soup underneath his nose, and he brings himself back to awareness.

"Here's the deal, we're not idiots- we know you'll run away if we call the police."

Peter is impressed by their intuition, and he almost says the thought out loud.

"You're in no condition to be out there alone, but we also have no idea what to do with you." The words may be considered harsh to someone else, but Peter appreciates their honesty.

The woman holds out a cell phone to him, and Peter grabs it without thinking.

"Please tell me you have someone you can call, I'm assuming Tony Stark will pick up the phone."

Peter stares down at the lock screen, fingers unmoving. The woman grows relentless.

"Kid, you have to call someone."

Peter agrees, and dials the first number that comes to mind. He feels tears finally gather in his eyes as May answers.

"May Parker, how can I help you." She sounds as tired as Peter feels, and he can't seem to properly find his voice all the sudden.

"Hello, is anyone there?"

Finally, he speaks.

"May?"

There's a beat of silence, and through his emotional haze, Peter irrationally worries that he accidentally dialed the wrong number.

"Peter, how did you- how did- actually, it doesn't matter. Can you tell me where you are? Are you okay, did they hurt you baby?"

She was outright sobbing into the phone, and her sentences were barely distinguishable, but Peter could understand them.

"I- I don't know where I am."

"That's okay, as long as you're safe it's okay, we'll come find you. Do you have Morgan with you?"

Peter bites his lip, trying to think of a proper response. The strangers in front of him stare at him with pity in their eyes and he feels the urge to run away.

"I have Morgan."

It technically wasn't a lie, her head was currently tucked into his collarbone.

"Peter, I need you to listen to me closely, can you do that for me?

Peter nods his head before realizing that May couldn't actually see him.

"Yeah."

"Good, I need you to call Tony and let him track the cell phone number, he'll come pick you and Morgan up and make sure you guys are alright."

Peter can hear May's unspoken question: why didn't he call Tony to begin with. Both of them knew that only Tony had the ability to actually find him. As much as he loved May, she was useless in this situation, all she could do was offer words of comfort from afar.

"I need confirmation that you understand all of that."

"Yeah, I got it."

Peter hears a sigh of relief from the other end of the line. "Okay, good, I'll see you soon, just hang on tight, alright... I love you."

"I love you too."

And with that, the call had ended.

Peter begins to dial Tony's number, but he deletes it seconds later and calls Happy instead.

Happy picks up after the first ring.

"Peter, is that you?"

For the first time, Happy actually sounds, well, happy. There was so much hope in his voice and Peter isn't even surprised by how quickly May was able to relay the news.

He took a deep breath and steeled himself for the inevitable heartbreak he was about to ensue.

"I have to tell you something."

Happy, ever the realist, hears the despair in his voice automatically. Peter can easily see the concerned scowl on his face.

"Yeah kid, what happened?"

Peter thought he would at least be able to say the words to Happy, the man has always been unbreakable. He was able to carry himself and others with strength and fight that came naturally for him.

Still, Peter chokes up on the words, and he finally lets out the sob he's been holding back for hours upon end.

Somehow, Happy is able to connect the dots, "Peter... what happened? Is it Morgan?"

When Morgan's name is spoken, a heart wrenching scream jerks out of Peter in response.

He didn't even need to say it out loud. Happy already knows what happened as he listens to the kid's overwhelming cries of grief and despair. While he instantly tries to deny it, the wails were nothing but confirmation.

"Oh my god."

He tries to ignore the wetness in Happy's voice, it was a sound that he has never heard come out of the man.

"I- I just got your location, I'll be there as soon as possible, okay?"

But Peter wasn't listening anymore. He finally lets the sadness and rage take over him.