Pain Will Always Come Back to Haunt You

Ghost of Homecoming Past

Peter first sees the glowing green eyes through the thick smoke. Or is it more like mist? It's thicker near the floor, almost like a fog, and gets thinner as it reaches the ceiling. Still, it's enough to slightly obscure the rest of the figure until they fly forward and lands Toomes. Here. Peter's heart pounds so rapidly against his chest that he can hear it in his ears. No. Don't panic. I need to focus. My web-shooters are in Mr. Stark's guestroom with the rest of my suit. I'll have to make do with my mask and Karen until I can get to them. But how am I going to get them when they're on the floor above us?

"Can't say I expected you to be here. I didn't think you and your buddy Stark would be so close after what happened. Certainly not living under the same roof." Hearing Toomes' voice again makes Peter sick to his stomach. His eyes dart between the unsettling eyes of Vulture's mask and the metal wings. This can't be happening. I saw his wings explode. How does he already have another set of them when we haven't even gotten word of him escaping jail?

"What are you doing here? After everything that's happened, why come back?" Peter demands with as much confidence as he can muster.

"Pete, are you alright?" Tony cuts in before Toomes can answer.

"How can I be alright when the guy I thought was locked up is attacking the Tower?!" Peter doesn't understand why Tony isn't as on edge as he is.

"I don't want to kill you, but I have nothing against roughin' you up if it means getting to Stark," Toomes says smugly. As he speaks, Peter's senses feel dulled. The smoke must be getting to me a bit, he reasons. Focus, Spider-Man, focus. His eyes lock onto the Chitauri gun Toomes is holding at his side.

"Hate to break it to you, but it never ends well for the bad guys hellbent on revenge." Peter tries to get back into a rhythm. "It's a boring motive too. Come back when you have some originality."

"People like him are what's wrong with the world. Taking jobs from the people who actually work hard and need them. He doesn't care about the working people. He only cares about his money and his suits," Toomes' anger flares as he spits the insults at Tony.

"You're wrong!" Peter fires back at him. Usually he's not quick to anger, but he can't just stand there while Toomes talks bad about Tony. It isn't right! Toomes shrugs.

"I guess we agree to disagree, but I warned you. No one will get in my way. Not even you." Toomes raises the Chitauri gun and fires a beam of bright violet energy. For once, Peter is taken completely off guard. My Spidey Sense should have warned me before he tried anything! Why didn't it?! As quickly as he can, Peter kicks Tony with both of his feet out of the path of the beam. Peter allows himself fall to the floor and watches as the purple beam passes over him to crash into the wall. The dust clears to reveal another gaping hole next to the other one. Mr. Stark really needs to work on his reflexes. It didn't look like he even tried to dodge.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Tony demands, staring at Peter from the ground in shock.

"I'm helping! Just like I said I could! I'll take a 'thank you' in writing too." When the violet energy disappears, Peter effortlessly does a kip-up.

"Peter, listen to me-" Bruce, who is oddly farther away, tries to interject before Toomes speeds towards Peter. Peter flips over him before quickly picking up a chunk of concrete and hurling it at him. C'mon use your brain, Peter. If his wings are built the same way as the last pair he destroyed, it gives me an advantage of already knowing some of its weak spots.

"Karen, scan his wings and tell me if they're the same model, please! Then-" Peter's voice cracks as he barely manages to dodge a piece of concrete that Toomes deflects with his wings. Okay, my reflexes are the ones that are off. He tells himself to relax and focuses on trying to get to the guest room where his web-shooters are.