In The Webs We Weave

Chapter Seven

Peter is taken away from Ned and Michelle's conversation- or argument rather, about which spider's DNA was in the one that bit Peter- by a text message from Paige.

'Tony needs me back at the compound, see you later'

'Is everything ok?' Peter texts back. He receives no reply and a foundation of an anxiety attack settles in his gut. Worry fills Peter's mind, her text didn't at all seem like something she would say, it's definitely or her words either, she would have said sorry, or- or something. Peter worries himself in to a head spinning panic attack, Michelle and Ned pick up on his rapid breathing and worried look on his face as he stares down at his phone.

'You alright, Peter?' Michelle asks quietly.

'It's nothing, I'm fine.' He lies; surely he must be over thinking it, right? Paige can handle herself; she is part spider after all...

Later in the night when Peter has convinced himself that everything really is fine and the others have finished their deserts, he checks his phone again, hoping for all his worth that Paige has looked at his message, at least.

Nothing...

Panic rises in Peter's stomach again as he opens the 'What if' door, that rabbit hole of a door only seems to open when Paige is in question, perhaps he does have feelings for, after all Tony seems to see something unspoken between them, but being a teenage boy, Peter is clueless.

Tony...

Surely he would have said something to Peter, Tony knew Peter was having a night out with his friends for his birthday.

Peter's finger hovers over Tony's contact on his phone as he walks towards him apartment. Even after a fun night with his friends the only thing on his mind is Paige's safety.

The young teen knows in his gut there is something wrong. Anxiety gets the better of him as he stops on the side walk and turns into an alley hitting dial on the billionaire's contact.

'Hey kid.' Tony answers the phone, clattering from his end suggests he's working on something.

'Ah, hey, Mr. Stark, did you- did you um, call Paige back to the compound around an hour ago?' Peter asks as he stands still, silently hoping that Paige is there, and safe.

'No why?' Tony says plainly as another loud clang comes from the other end. Peter's head spins in panic, it's disorienting. The young hero throws his bag down and undresses as quickly as he can, revealing his spider suit underneath.

'Something's wrong, Paige is gone.' Peter says quickly as he pulls his mask over his face and webs his phone to the side of his face while he scales the building beside him.

'Gone? Do you need help?' Tony says and the clanging stops.

'No, not yet at least, I'll let you know.' Peter hangs up without giving Tony another word, swinging off towards the restaurant. Standing across the street looking in he doesn't see anything out of the ordinary, to the far left of the restaurant there is an alley way. Peter investigates the alley to find Paige's phone smashed on the ground.

'Shit!' Peter picks up the phone and calls Tony.

'Did you find her?' Tony picks up immediately.

'No- no I-I- I think she was taken, her- I found her phone.' Peter says struggling to breathe.

'Hey, hey, Peter calm down she'll be fine she has super powers, remember?' Tony says as soothingly as possible, 'She left about an hour ago you said?' Peter nods and then realises tony can't see him,

'Yeah...' The young superhero breathes out as best he can through his panicked stricken breathing.