Believer

10. Feeling

"People will forget what you said, they'll forget what you did, but they'll never forget how you made them feel."

Peter sat on the edge of a gurny, swinging his legs, as the rest of the Avengers and Ned crowded around him. "So the whole sensory overload thing is...?" Sam prompted, and Peter shrugged. "It passed, surprisingly. I've never had an episode that... intense." He explained, and Scott's look of concern deepened. "You have these often?" He asked, and Peter laughed nervously, sharing a look with Ned.

"Uh, I think we're missing the big thing here. Who the heck was the giant octopus?" Clint cut in, saving Peter from an embarrasing explanation of hiding in the bathrooms in his school for a whole day. "And what did he want with Peter?" Natasha added, and Tony pulled up some specs on a nearby computer.

"While we were fighting I took a scan of his technology. It's not alien; it's russian." All the Avengers attention snapped up at the revelation. "Excuse me?" Natasha scoffed, and Bucky looked horrified. "Could it be... Hydra?" The group fell silent, but Peter and Ned were confused.

"Hydra? Who is Hydra?" Peter asked, and Wanda put a hand on his uninjured shoulder sympathetically. "Pray you never find out." She muttered, and Peter furrowed his brow. "If Peter doesn't even know they exist, why would they be after him?" Ned piped up, and Tony shook his head. "I don't know. I don't even know who that 'Doc' fellow was."

Peter straightened, explaining what he managed to find out. "While we were... uh... falling through the air he said his name was Doctor Octavious." He admitted. Tony opened his mouth to say something, but Ned beat him to it. "Doctor Octopus!" He cried, and Peter grinned at him. Clint looked impressed, the others; not so much.

Steve had been silent the whole time, leaning against the wall. He couldn't help but focus on the bleeding teenager in the infirmary for almost the fifth time in as many days. He pushed off the wall to join the group. "Whatever Hydra wants with Peter, they obviously aren't getting it." He announced, and nods passed through the team. And Ned.

"We need to step up security." He gestured to Tony who nodded gravely. "And Peter, try to forget about it. I don't want you getting involved." Peter's mouth dropped open, and he would've jumped off the gurny had his ribs healed yet.

"Forget about the giant robot monster who tried to kill and/or abduct me? Not get involved? Pretty sure I'm in the middle of everything; you can't shut me out!" He protested, but Steve just shook his head. "We're going to keep you safe."

"You can't keep me prisoner!"

"We aren't! However..." Steve swallowed and looked apologetically at Tony and then Peter. "Give Tony the suit. You're grounded from being Spider-man until we find out whats going on. You can still train - when you're healed - and go out with your friends and whatever you want, but no more going out as Spiderman."

Peter, Ned and all the Avengers were gaping at him. Steve knew it might've been unreasonable, but he couldn't let what happened to Bucky happen to anyone else. Especially not Peter. He shared a look with Bucky, and seemed to communicate what he'd just thought to his best friend. Bucky's look of surprise morphed to understanding and horror. He had never considered something like that could happen to sweet Peter.

Peter was shooting daggers at Steve. "You can't ground me." He growled, and Steve's eyebrows shot up at Peter's sudden rebellion. "You can't take my suit; I earned it." He continued, looking down at his hands and flinching. "Besides. Tony tried that a few months ago and I went out a won the day without my suit." He explained. "I got trapped under a collapsed parking garage for about half an hour because I couldn't contact anyone for help, but I got myself out. I would say that earned me that suit." Steve looked at Tony in surprise, but Tony was just looked at Peter.

"You... what...?" The billionare breathed, and Peter looked up with wide eyes, suddenly reaizing his mistake. "U-uh it-it wasn't that big of a deal..." He shrugged off. Ned was gaping at his friend as well. "You mean that parking garage on 8th avenue that collapsed into a giant pile of crumbled cement... you were in that?" Ned gasped, and Peter groaned internally.

"It doesn't matter! What I'm trying to say is; you can't take my suit! Not again!" He looked at Steve pleadingly. Captain America looked down and sighed. It was the only thing he could think of doing that would keep Peter safe.

"I'm sorry, Pete."

Duh duh duuuuuuuh

I had to reveal the parking garage scene; that must give Peter nightmares. After all, it gives me nightmares!!! I cry everytime.

~Meow