A cold hand washed over your bare legs, having been stripped of your clothes. Their fingers were piercing, hidden behind the plastic gloves as they stared at you, cold, cold eyes evaluating your body. Your eyes conjectured around the room as a light flickered in the corner, sending shadows fluttering. There was a rather large window contrasting your bed, where you could see the waiting room. Peter and Steve were sat together, looking like they were in a heavy topic conversation. But, every time you caught a glimmer of Peter's face, the pain came rushing back.

Your heart would galvanise, sending the machine beside you to beep at a rapid pace, your pulse racing, hands beginning to clam as you seized the bed sheets. A reassuring hand folded itself against your forehead, a pair of emerald green eyes meeting yours. It was nurse, steadily calming you down. You felt the sharp pinch on your arm as she smiled gently, your eyes flickering down to your skin where the pain was inflicting.

"It's just a sedative" she ushered you slowly back to look at the ceiling. You nodded, swallowing despite having a dry mouth. "Relax, sweetie, it's gonna be a long night" she whispered, brushing your messy hair away from your eyes. Slowly, you could feel the cold liquid gushing through your blood stream, setting free all the biological cells you needed for a good sleep. Your head tossed and turned on the pillow, lulling around before the darkness was able to take over.

"She's asleep" a nurse addressed Steve and Peter in the waiting room, kneading her gloved hands together slowly. Small ounces of blood spread across the blue plastic protecting her skin, making Peter's throat run dry. Was it that bad?

"C-can I see her?" Peter asked, looking between Steve and the nurse, who were both staring at one another. "Please Steve, i'm not gonna hurt her" his voice was getting higher, fists clenching, brows sinking. It was a red flag and Steve knew it, stationing a hand on Peter's shoulder.

"Kid, you need some rest-"

"N-no, I'm fine, honest" Peter had to take a hollow breath before continuing, he knew if he were to get frustrated the answer would be No without a question "Please Steve you know how much she means to me I-"

"Kid!" Steve cut him off hastily, shaking his shoulder. Peter's face sunk a little, attention fully on Steve as if waiting for his approval. He was tied in the middle. He knew things that Peter didn't, one being that quite frankly from now on Tony didn't want Peter anywhere near you. Your father was Peter's mentor, sort of like the dad he never had. But seeing him do something to you that was inexplicable was what tied the knot, as if everything he had taught Peter had been thrown out the window. Deep down he knew it wasn't his fault, and that not knowing the whole story wasn't benefiting his theory either. But, like he had conjectured, it was too deep down inside him for him to care any less.

"You're tired and right now you don't know what you want" Steve explained in the nicest way possible. If Tony even caught Peter looking at you under Steve's watch they'd both be snapped out of existence. (pun indended).

"What would you do if it was Bucky? Huh? Or heck, even Peggy?" Peter knew he was crossing the line, but he hoped he'd comprehend to what he was suggesting. You were his moon and sun, without you there was nothing. No daylight, no shimmer.

"I've heard enough" Steve growled, taking Peter and throwing him over his shoulder, quickly carrying him up the stairs. Despite the kicking and squirming, it was no use. Peter was locked away in his room, and would not be allowed to exit until Protocol 09 was executed, which was when you were awake and stable enough to be aware of your surroundings. Peter was being treated like he was dangerous. He knew what he had done was wrong, and he even scared himself at the time... He questioned why he'd let himself get to this point...

It had been twenty four hours until you were brought back into the land of the living, and things were different. You were treated like a minor again, having Happy follow you around like a body guard, which was borderline his position. You were permitted to wear large and baggy clothing, so the majority of what you wore was Bucky's old t - shirts and your dads sweats, and you were restricted to eating soft foods.

You left your room for the first time and in just five minutes already everyone was all over you, questions being thrown until your father came to your defence.

"Alright, give the kid a break, would ya'" he shoved them off slowly, allowing himself to have your company for a few moments. With a tender smile, he took your hand and lead you off into the privacy of the living room.

"Hey" you whispered, embracing him in a tight, warm hug as you sat down on the couch. He breathed in your scent for a moment, allowing himself to conjecture the feeling of his daughter being safe again. Despite being the Tony Stark, stubborn and at times completely emotionless, you were his soft side.

"Don't ever do that to me again" he said sternly, coming back to his normal fatherly figure tone again. You smiled, setting yourself back on the couch, your head aching. You'd had numerous stitches in your side, and certainly weren't fit for moving too much.

"Where's Peter?" you asked, looking down at your hands as they fumbled together.

"Parker? Why should it matter?"

You looked at your father with a muddled expression; "Because despite what happened, he's still my friend-"

"Friends don't try to kill one another"

"You and Steve sure had a go!" You yelled, slightly wincing from the sharp pain in your side. Your brows knitted together as you brought yourself to look back at him,

"That's beyond the point, your not to see that boy again, do you understand?!"

"No, dad I don't! He's been with me all this time and you of all people should know that what happened was an accident"

"Then why'd you cower away when he came near, huh? Don't think I didn't see!"

"Because I was in shock! Dad, he tried to kill me that night you should be grateful I'm not trying to get my own back!" You yelled, standing up from the couch. You wobbled slightly on your feet, bracing yourself on the arm chair. Your father stood to attend to you, baring out a hand which you stubbornly pushed away.

"I'm going to see him, don't bother following me" you shook your head disappointingly. You thought better of your dad, even though he was trying his best to look out for you, there were times when the attitude wasn't needed.

It took you half an hour to get up stairs, and you were completely breathless as you reached Peter's door. It was cracked open slightly, no light emitting from inside. Then there was that tight feeling. Memories flashing back to that night as you seized his familiar scent. But at the end of the day, he was your best friend. What happened was a mistake.

"Peter?" you whispered gently, the door creaking as you pushed it open. Peter was lying wide awake on his bed when you called, his body shooting upwards to look at the doorway. He blinked numerous times before he reached his feet. You looked the same way you always did, face painted with a weak smile and dimly painted cheeks. But the way you held your side and leaned on the door for support was what sent Peter stumbling towards you.

"Fuck, Peter I'm so sorry" you mumbled into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around you, caging you in his warmth. His nose and cheeks dug into your shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. He had to pinch himself over and over again to make sure he wasn't dreaming.

"Don't apologise, I- I did this, to you... It's my fault" He pulled off of you gently, helping you walk to the comfort of his bed and switched on his bed side lamp as you made yourself comfortable.

"No, no, it's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself... My dad's having a good nag at that anyway" you rubbed the bridge of your nose, squeezing it tightly between your finger tips. Peter was quick to comfort you, wrapping his arm around your body, enabling your head to dive into the crook of his shoulder, parts of your hair tickling his neck.

"What happened to us?" you sighed, parting your lips gently. Peter's fingers kneaded your own, opening out your palm. Your hands descended together, locking gently as you sat in the silence of his bedroom, with nothing but the sound of each other's breathing.

"Nothing happened to us, Y/N. I'm still Peter Parker and you're still my favourite girl" he smiled, running his hand up and down your arm. "We just hit... Like, a huge bump" he chuckled weakly, making you smile.

"So, what actually happened?" You asked, emitting a long and tired breath before laying down on his pillow. Despite the anaesthesia wearing off, it was still taking it's toll to fully leave your system. Your eyes cradled each other gently as Peter explained as much as he could, but a lot of it he didn't remember.

"whatever is going on with suit needs to be fixed, that or i'm never putting it on again"

"You really think it was the suit?"

"Well either that or someone drugged me in my sleep, because do you really think I'd try and do that to you?"

"Well there was that time you said you'd kill me after I your mask USB and went through all your video files" you smirked, folding your arms as Peter lay next to you.

"Yeah" he laughed along with you gently. Soon enough the silence had returned and everything seemed peaceful.

"Let's face it Peter, we're not kids anymore" you sighed, sitting up and twisting around so you were now facing him, lying on his chest with your feet on the wall.

"I know that... What's your point?" He asked. You could feel your head rising and falling to the beat of his chest rising. It was peaceful.

"Well childhoods over. What happens when we grow up? I know it's sounds stupid but... There are nights where I sit think about what'll happen when we grow up." You paused trying to put together the words you wanted to say. "What happens when we go our own ways? Sometimes I get scared that one day you'll just become another picture in a memory box" you bite you bottom lip, eyes wondering no more as you stared t your paired feet on the wall.

"Hey.." Peter whispered, sitting up. Your head fell for a second before you caught yourself, prompting yourself back upright. "When did you ever think I was gonna leave you?" he asked. He sounded offended, and it made your heart race.

"N-No that's not what I meant-... Well, I guess it kinda is? I don't know? I'm just scared that one day you'll walk away and never come back" you face palmed yourself, instantly regretting it as you almost knocked yourself out.

"Okay, side tracking the fact that you're one of the most paranoid people I know, you of all people should know that I'm never leaving you. Ever. Even if we have a tragic fall out and you never wanna see me again, sorry love but i'm glued" he smiled, rubbing your back gently. Peter knew you were scared, because at times he'd felt the same.

"I love you, okay?" he whispered, placing a shallow kiss in the crook of your ear. You turned your head gently to face him, eyes scanning his every emotion. Despite the pain of being at such a strange angle, you still leaned in. Peter's lips were softer than you had imagined, and you had imagined a lot. Your emotions were laid out on the table, completely exposed... And for the first time in a long time you didn't care.

Peter's hand cupped your cheeks gently as your own fingertips trailed to the back of his neck, fully spinning your body around so you were now perched in between his legs. You pulled away softly, leaning back for one last peck before opening your eyes.

"Despite everything, I love you, always have and always will"

"Does that mean you'll stay?" you smiled, running your finger along his jaw line.

"Always"