Chapter Text
Peter woke up on Sunday morning exhausted. The deep exhaustion hung over his head like a cloud. He slowly sat up and crawled out of bed. Peter slipped on his slippers and his favorite MIT hoodie. This hoodie was an old gift from Tony. Walking felt like he was hit by a truck, but yet it felt different than feeling sick.
Walking down the main staircase down to the living space, he noticed Clint and Bucky sitting on the couch reviewing some blueprints for the new training space. Next to Clint was Nat. She was not the typical girly girl, but she loved her drama tv. Peter thought maybe she was watching Love Island.
In the Kitchen, attached to the living and dining space, was Tony and Pepper. Pepper was home every weekend now that she hired more international staff. Peter slowly walked down the stairs and thumped down on the couch next to Nat.
"Hey Pete, I thought you would never wake up. Bucky and I bet that you'd be sleeping until 2:00pm."
"It's only 11:00am and besides it's the weekend. We had a mission yesterday so I'm exhausted. " Peter replied with a yawn.
The team have noticed that Peter has been extra tired lately. Happy informed Tony that Peter had been falling asleep in the car rides to the tower after school. Most lab sessions, Tony caught Peter nodding off in the lab. Then yesterday, Bucky pointed out on the jet ride back home Peter was asleep.
"Why don't you lay your head down and relax. Tony is working on making some lunch." Nat smiled and patted her hand on the pillow leaning against her lap.
In the kitchen Peter could hear Tony and Pepper conversing. Nat turned her head back to the TV after patting her hand on the couch pillow. Peter laid his head down and Nat began to card her left hand through his hair. Peter felt a heavy lull pulling him back to sleep, heavier than a normal drowsy state.
"Peter, close your eyes. I'll shake you awake when lunch is ready."
"And like I said, the noodles need 10-15 mins to boil, not 20-25 mins. Unless you want to eat noodle porridge." Tony chuckled.
"Ohh well sorry I never have the time to cook. I would have become a chef if cooking was a skill I possessed." Pepper replied.
Tony glanced over to the living space and noticed Peter joined a few team members on the couch. The kid was finally awake, well somewhat awake. He looked mins from falling asleep, again. Peter was clocking in 9 hours of sleep on school nights, including sleeping in late the last few weeks on school mornings.
On Thursday, Tony let Peter miss school. He ended up waking up at 1:00pm. If it was up to Tony, Peter would only need to attend school 3 days a week. He only allowed Peter to join the mission yesterday because Tony knew it would be a quick trip.
Tony was hoping nothing was seriously wrong with Peter.
"Pep", said Tony, "take a look at Peter. Does he look like he's getting sick?"
Glancing up from the cooking spaghetti, Pepper saw that Peter was now sleeping next to Nat. Nat was running her fingers in his hair while watching her tv drama.
"Maybe so. Has Peter ever had mono?" Asked Pepper.
"I don't believe so," Tony now glancing back to Peter, “Oh shoot, hey Nat please keep Peter awake, I would like him to get some food in his stomach. He hasn’t eaten since before the mission yesterday.”
“Will do Tony. He just fell asleep. Peter, Peter sweetheart.” Nat shook Peter. No response. She shook him harder, still no response.
"Tony he's not waking up."
Nat sat up and stood above him, shaking the kids shoulder, “PETE, PETER? Kid can you hear me?...TONY GET OVER HERE NOW!”
Tony rushed over in confusion. In one smooth motion, Nat moved Peter to the floor flat on his back and leaned over him to listen or feel him breathing. Peter laid there like a rag doll. Tony ran over to where Peter laid.
“Nat what the hell is going on?!”
“I don't think Peter breathing Tony.” Nat replied while searching for a pulse on his neck, “And I can’t find a pulse!”
Natasha's panicked voice had caused a commotion.
Tony kneeled on the other side of Peter and tried to search for a pulse as well. He couldn't find one.
"FRIDAY, Protocol 8665-HEART!" Screamed Tony. A blue light from the living room ceiling scanned Peter.
"Boss, no heartbeat detected."
Nat positioned herself properly over Peter and started chest compressions. Looking down at Peter, Tony could see the light blue tint forming on the edges of Peter’s lips.
“What the hell Nat! He was up and awake a second ago.”
“Tony don’t just stand there, call CHO NOW!” exclaimed Nat. “You heard her FRIDAY, alert medics and tell them it’s urgent.”
"Medics were alerted after the chest scan, as per written in my protocol."
"That's right FRIDAY, thanks."
In the following 5 mins, Bucky and Clint had cleared the room to give the medics some room. Bucky was in the kitchen consoling Pepper, who was in shock. Clint was making himself busy, turning off the stove burners and putting dirty dishes in the sink. On the floor with Peter was Nat and Tony. They were alternating between chest compressions and rescue breaths. Tony was on rescue breath duty. Knowing that if Peter was conscious, he would have been giggling over Tony "kissing" him.
“Tony, I need you to take over the compressions. I’m losing feeling in my wrists.” Nat said.
“Yeah yeah, okay. On three… 1, 2, 3.” Tony moved his hands over where Nat’s hands were placed.
Nat gave Peter two rescue breaths and Tony started the next round of 30 compressions. Tony could feel and hear Peter’s chest plate pop with each compression.
'Gosh this can't feel good. I can’t imagine the pain he will be in, if he wakes up.’ thought Tony.
“Come on kid, come onnnn..” Tony desperately cried. On his 20th compression, the medics rushed in to take over.
“Tony, I need you to let us take over. We need to set up the defibrillator.” said Dr. Cho.
Tony continued pressing on. “Ton, it’s time to let go. They need to help Peter now!” Nat said while guiding Tony away from Peter.
“Nat, he’s my boy… I need to save him.” Tony cried out, allowing Nat to pull him away.
Dr. Cho used silver medic scissors to cut down the center of Peter’s MIT crewneck. They opened it up to expose his bare chest.
“Tony or Natasha, how long has Peter been down?” asked Helen.
FRIDAY spoke up, “Dr. Cho, if I may interrupt, Peter has been unconscious without a heartbeat for 11 mins and 48 secs. Black Widow noticed Peter was unresponsive two mins before she started compressions.”
Friday may not be a real person, but they had great social awareness.
“Thanks Friday. Alright I need everyone to not touch Peter.” Helen firmly stated.
The two other medics who arrived with Helen had applied the large stickers that were attached to the defibrillator. They then let the technology do its job.
“Reading for pulse…..no pulse detected. Preparing to deliver the first shock, do not touch the individual. Shocking in 3, 2, 1. “
'THUMP'
Peter's body jolted but he didn’t respond.
“No pulse detected, start one round of compressions.”
Helen lined up her hands and started on another round of compressions. The medics were prepping a bag of epinephrine and the portable oxygen machine, just in case.
“Stop compressions. Administering a 2nd shock, do not touch the individual. Delivering shock in 3, 2, 1.”
'THUMP'
“Heart beat detected, administer 2 rescue breaths.”
Helen bent over Peter, pinched his nose and tilted his head back to open his airway. Peter’s chest rose and fell with each breath. Helen released his nose and felt with her hand for Peter to make his own breath. It was faint but a breath is breath.
"Good job Peter, that's it, just keep on breathing."
Relief flooded from everyone in the room, especially from Tony. A small, weak whimper came from Peter. Helen reached over into her medic bag and grabbed the travel size oxygen bag. This was something she patented earlier this year.
Helen placed the oxygen mask over Peter's face. There were small tears running out of the corners of Peter's eyes, soaking into his hairline. Tony decided to step back in, entering dad mood.
"Heyy buddy, just take some nice breathes for me. Just keep breathing." Normally Tony would have rubbed his hand over Peter's chest like he did when he woke him up in the mornings, but he didn't want to risk putting more pain on the kid.
"Tony, Peter probably isn't fully aware of what is going on. We need to transfer him over to the med bay for day and overnight watch. Bruce and I should be able figure out why his heart stopped, especially at his young age. Could you please keep him calm?" Helen asked with a very concerned tone of voice.
"Yeah of course, I would have requested this if you didn't mention it first. Helen, if he's not aware of his surroundings, then why is he crying?" asked Tony.
Nat stepped into the conversation, "Tony, it's likely Peter is in pain and doesn't know why. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to come back from wherever he was."
There was a beat of silence with the low hum of the oxygen machine. Tony carted his fingers through Peter's hair and leaned over to give him a kiss on his forehead.
"You're doing great kiddo, I'm so proud of you."